Biti to Present Budget Review Statement

http://www.radiovop.com

HARARE, March 17 2009 - Finance Minister Tendai Biti will on Wednesday
present his Budget Review Statement, which will set the platform for the
all-inclusive government formed last month.

Biti's statement will be presented in Parliament Wednesday afternoon.

The review Statement will accommodate new ministries overlooked by
then acting Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa when he presented the 2009
Budget on January 29.

In January, Chinamasa presented a US$1.9 billion balanced budget where
expenditure levels equal revenue collection- the first time the country has
had a balanced budget since independence.

Biti's statement comes at a time Deputy Prime Minister Arthur
Mutambara told business leaders that they should disregard both Chinamasa
and Gideon Gono's monetary policy statement as the inclusive government
would make changes to the two statements.

Biti will propose how the government will raise revenue to fund its
operations. He is also expected to pacify the civil service.

Teachers have already announced that they will down tools in May if
there is no review on their US$100 allowance they received in February.

Mutambara to deliver maiden speech in Parliament on Wednesday

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
16 March 2009

Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara is expected to deliver his maiden
speech to Parliament on Wednesday, three weeks after he was sworn in as an
MP.
A maiden speech is the first speech delivered by a newly elected or
appointed member of a legislature or parliament. Mutambara, together with
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, were sworn in on 3rd March as members of
the House of Assembly. Maiden speeches are usually uncontroversial, often
consisting of a general statement of the politician's beliefs and
background, rather than a partisan comment on a current topic.
But a source told us Mutambara might depart from that position and use his
speech to call for urgent reforms to kick start the battered economy. Now
that the inclusive government is in place, Mutambara might want to use his
position to call for repressive laws to be repealed for the country to earn
the much needed recognition from the international community.
In his maiden speech two weeks ago, the Prime Minister announced that
government will soon start to process applications from media houses for
registration and re-registration in terms of both the Broadcasting Services
Act as well as the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
'Those wishing to practice journalism must be able to do so without being
prohibited by unnecessary restrictions or exorbitant fees. Once an open and
free media environment has been achieved, there will be no need for
Zimbabwean radio stations to be based abroad,' he said.
'I would encourage those running and working for such radio stations to
return home and help us build a truly free and open communication network.
Such concepts of freedom are not foreign to our culture or our continent,
nor are they imposed upon us by outsiders,' Tsvangirai added.
But analysts have cautioned that the Global Political Agreement will not
work if there is no political will among the principals, especially Robert
Mugabe, to roll back the disastrous authoritarian policies of the previous
government. As things stand no journalist can return home, as nothing has
changed.

Masvingo farmer in hiding after assault and threat of arrest

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
17 March 2009

A Masvingo farmer who was assaulted and taken hostage for several hours by a
group of suspected ZANU PF supporters last week, is now in hiding after a
warrant for his arrest was issued hours after the attack against him.

Johannes Nel, a commercial cattle farmer in Gutu, was last Friday attacked
by gang of invaders who first raided his property before launching a vicious
assault on him. He was then bundled into a truck and taken hostage for
almost six hours before being dumped on the roadside about 80km away from
his farm. Despite being badly injured and in serious need of medical
attention, a local magistrate issued a warrant for Nel's arrest mere hours
after the attack, forcing the farmer into hiding.

Nel is just one of many of the country's remaining commercial farmers now in
hiding as the fresh wave of farm invasions continues unabated. More than a
100 farmers, arrested for refusing to leave their productive farms, are now
facing prosecution, with at least one farmer's case already being fast
tracked through the legal system. In Karoi, farmer Andrew Herbst was
sentenced to six months' in prison, suspended on condition that he vacated
his property within seven days.

At the same time, many farmers are now living in makeshift camps on
roadsides after being physically forced off their land, in what Justice for
Agriculture's (JAG) John Worsley-Worswick on Tuesday called 'intensified
attacks'. Worsley-Worswick told SW Radio Africa that invasions and arrests
have continued on almost a daily basis, and explained that "there has been a
profound escalation of attacks" in recent weeks.

The fresh invasions have previously been linked to ZANU PF loyalists
determined to continue the Mugabe initiated land-grab, before the power
share government can intervene. But Worsley-Worswick on Tuesday explained
there is a more sinister motive behind the attacks. He argued that the
sudden rush of farm evictions have come at the same time a probe has been
launched into the use of the R300 million agricultural input package from
South Africa.

There have been justifiable fears that the agricultural rescue package has
been completely squandered for the personal benefit of ZANU PF officials, as
most of the farming inputs included in the package, including seed,
fertisliser and machinery, have been hoarded in urban areas by what
Worsley-Worswick called "the ZANU PF political hierarchy."

"With a probe under way into how the farming inputs have been used, it is
essential the hierarchy finds productive farms to show off,"
Worsley-Worswick explained. "These officials have also been able to afford
to pay off thugs to do the dirty work and get rid of the farmers."

The revelation also comes as a delegation from the International Monetary
Fund (IMF) is in Zimbabwe to investigate the possibility of resuming
financial relations with the country. The appearance of productive farms,
owned and run by the government is therefore critical to ensure that money
starts flowing into Zimbabwe again, as was laid out by the conditions of the
power share agreement that ushered in the unity government. The remaining
commercial farms are therefore obvious targets for invasions, as the farms
owned by government officials or handed over to land-grab beneficiaries are
completely barren and unproductive.

Meanwhile, an official at the South Africa-Zimbabwe Joint Permanent
Commission for Cooperation being held in Victoria Falls has said Zimbabwe
needs to "guarantee the protection of private investments," such as land, if
the economy is to recover quickly. This is according to South Africa's
Business Day newspaper, which reported this week that "by being seen to be
bringing an end to the violent invasion of farmland, SA believed that
Zimbabwe would bring political stability and 'reduce the lack of trust' in
the new power-sharing government by foreign and regional donors."

JAG - urgent press release communique dated 17 March 2009

Email: jag@mango.zw : justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw

JAG Hotlines: +263 (011) 610 073, +263 (04) 799410.  If you are in
trouble or need advice, please don't hesitate to contact us - we're here
to help!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FARM UPDATE

 Rob Taylor of the Downs farm managed to get the remains of his
possessions off Downs Farm on Friday.  Much of the possessions had been
looted from his house since the GMB manager for Chegutu took the law into
his own hands and took over the farm.

Mr. Taylor managed to find a place to camp on the Bryden school
grounds to be close to his daughter who is a border there.  He set up a
camp with tents and tarpaulins on Friday 13 March along with 10
workers who were also evicted.  His camp was close to the main
Bulawayo/Harare road.

That night, close to midnight at 11.30 pm, 2 policemen arrived from
Chegutu police station and asked what he and the
workers were doing there.  He explained the situation and they
were sympathetic and told them they would not be troubled.

Next day at around 10am Assistant Inspector Bupera arrived with another
middle rank officer and asked what they were doing there.  After
explaining the situation the 2 of them left.

At 1.00 pm on Saturday afternoon, 2 senior policemen arrived from
Kadoma.  They were the two most senior policemen in the District.  They
told them that they had a few minutes to pack up
their possessions and leave.

It was explained to them that they were on private school property and
had permission to be there.  Police said they were not interested and
that they were there to make sure that they were moved off  and that
there was nothing further to discuss.

Assistant Inspector Bupera came back  and the officer-in-charge
of Chegutu police,  Chief Inspector Manika, also arrived and gave their
support to DISPOL's command that they leave immediately.  They said
that they would not be responsible for "other forces" that might come and
take action against them.

Mr. Taylor phoned his lawyer, Mr. David Drury, who told him that he was
breaking no law and that the police eviction and threats were illegal.
He asked if he could speak to the police but they refused to talk to him.

Mr. Taylor tried to plead with police that he had nowhere to go and that
his eviction from the farm by Tendai Chasauka who holds the offer letter
is also illegal as Downs Farm was protected by the SADC tribunal and that
there was also a High Court Interdict preventing Mr. Chasauka from even
entering the farm.

For the last 9 weeks Mr. Taylor has repeatedly  reported to the police
that the situation was dire on the farm with the dairy cattle dying from
tick borne diseases and getting mastitis from not being milked.

Police have done absolutely nothing to help and have refused to even give
him an officer so that he could treat and dip the cattle.

Mr. Taylor is now without home or money or income and has moved to the
carpark at the school.

Meanwhile in the rest of Chegutu district things continue to become very
difficult for farmers to continue operating.  Production is grinding to a
halt on many farms with continued harassment overtly supported by
police, lands officers and CIO.

UPDATE ON STOCKDALE FARM

The Etheredges ,Peter & Kerry , James, Nikki, Alex and Sarah have moved
off Stockdale farm on the 16th March 2009 at 4:30am for fear of our lives
as the Edna Madzongwe and Zimbabwe federation of trade union people have
threatened us with our lives  on Sunday the 15th March 2009 and have
instructed our once loyal labour to ransack our houses if they are not
paid their Gratuities

My Father pleaded not guilty to a charge for being on gazetted land in
October 2007 we have a final order dated 17 Sept  2008 from the High
Court say that he is not guilty .

This seems to have no interest with the Chegutu police or any other
official. There is no Chegutu Police it is a ZANU PF camp and this is why
there  is no law and order in the Chegutu District.

SADC Tribunal Rights Watch

Ben Freeth - Chegutu

Mutare Deputy Mayor & 26 more MDC activists arrested in Buhera

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Violet Gonda
17 March 2009

More MDC activists have been arrested in Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's
home area. Last week violence broke out in parts of Buhera during the
funeral of Susan Tsvangirai, with the MDC saying 10 homes belonging to their
supporters were burnt down. At that time 17 party activists and the MDC
Deputy Mayor of Mutare, Admire Mukorera, were arrested. The Deputy Mayor was
released after being detained overnight, but the 17 activists were remanded
in custody, to March 30th.

The arrests continued on Tuesday with a further 26 MDC activists being
picked up in Buhera North. MDC spokesman for Manicaland, Pishai Muchauraya,
said despite being released without charge at the weekend, the Mutare Deputy
Mayor was also re-arrested and had his house raided at 4am on Tuesday.  He
was taken to Murambinda police station and is expected to appear in court on
Wednesday with the latest group.

Muchauraya said that makes a total of 44 MDC members now in detention and
accused of committing public violence on the 11th February - the day Amai
Tsvangirai was buried.  The MDC in Manicaland accuse the police of
selectively using the law to target their supporters, leaving out the ZANU
PF culprits. Muchauraya said they've been told by police sources that orders
are coming directly from the top and named the Police Commissioner Augustine
Chihuri and Senior Police Assistant Commissioner Musarasana Mabunda from
Harare as giving the directive to arrest MDC members.

"These are pure ZANU PF activists back at the police headquarters
discharging their political duties. It has nothing to do with these
so-called crimes committed. It's just a ploy by ZANU PF to terrorise our
supporters."

Staff presents Gono with ultimatum

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=13547

March 17, 2009

By Our Correspondent

HARARE - Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) employees have presented an
ultimatum to Governor Gideon Gono and his lieutenants to address their poor
salary and working conditions.

In a memorandum made available to The Zimbabwe Times the workers accused
Gono of failing to pay their salaries in hard currency, as is now common
practice in the country, following the dollarisation of the economy by the
Reserve Bank.

The workers also accuse the RBZ of unilaterally suspending workers benefits
such as educational loans, educational scholarships and medical aid cover.

The employees are also peeved by the absence of a properly constituted works
council to represent them.

"Employees argued that there is no works council and one needs to be set up
urgently to attend to issues of mutual interest at the work place. This
includes works council constitution, all collective bargaining issues like
salaries, retrenchments, allowances and so on," the memo reads in part.

The RBZ workers indicated that they would give the RBZ authorities only up
to Wednesday (today) to either resolve their poor remuneration and working
conditions or to seek alternative recourse through arbitration.

"In the light of the forgoing, the last conciliatory meeting is scheduled
for the 18th of March 2009, it is envisaged that should any of the issues
stated above be not attended to adequately, especially those that are long
overdue like salaries and works council, the next step is compulsory
arbitration," says the memo.

In an apparent indication that the workers are determined to have their
salary dispute addressed the workers have already started mobilizing funds
to meet the arbitration costs.

"Meanwhile, in view of the forthcoming arbitration, workers resolved that
they each contribute 15 Rands towards meeting their share of costs on the
arbitration fees. We therefore urge all members to contribute before the
arbitration date," reads the memo.

In yet another clear sign that the RBZ Governor and his senior management
could face challenges in implementing a job cut exercise the workers raised
concerns that the retrenchment exercise could be a futile exercise as it
doesn't involve the works council.

In January Gono announced plans to streamline the Reserve Bank by laying off
some workers in what he termed "a massive restructuring and realignment
exercise".

The central bank boss, who is unpopular in Movement for Democratic (MDC)
circles, where he is accused of fuelling inflation through the printing of
bank notes, pledged to stop the RBZ's widely condemned quasi-fiscal
operations by restricting the bank to its core business of monetary policy
formulation and implementation.

Roy Bennett to appear in court tomorrow

http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/3769

Via MDC Press Release - MDC Treasurer General, and Deputy Minister of
Agriculture designate, Hon Roy Bennett will appear in the Mutare Magistrate's
Court tomorrow, Wednesday 18 March 2009. After having spent almost a month
in Mutare remand prison, Hon Bennett was released on bail on the 12th of
March 2009, after the Supreme Court threw out an appeal by the Attorney
General against two High Court orders, ordering the release of Hon Roy
Bennett.

Earlier today, three men visited the property Roy Bennett gave as his place
of residence in court papers. They interrogated people on the property,
asking them how Roy Bennett was making a living.  We have consistently
stated that the case against Roy Bennett is vindictively and maliciously
politically motivated. The use of quasi and extra-judicial measures before
the release of Roy Bennett on bail is indicative of mafia style tactics of
those that wish to pursue Roy Bennett personally, and also want to see the
collapse of the Inclusive Transitional Government.

As there is no basis at law for the case against Roy Bennett, and all other
political 'accused' persons, we demand that the charges be dropped.

Let it be known that Hon Roy 'Pachedu' Bennett is the MDC, and the people of
Zimbabwe's choice for Deputy Minister of Agriculture. It is inconceivable
that this position will change. The announcement by President Tsvangirai, on
behalf of the MDC, nominating Hon Roy Bennett as the Deputy Minister of
Agriculture, and Hon Roy Bennett acceptance of the same, settled the matter
beyond dispute.

This entry was posted by Sokwanele on Tuesday, March 17th, 2009 at 6:46 pm

Court frees magistrate who freed Bennett

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=13542

March 17, 2009

By Our Correspondent

MUTARE - Livingstone Chipadze, the provincial magistrate who was arrested
after he allowed Roy Bennett to comply with bail conditions, today walked
away a free man after a fellow senior magistrate ruled there was no evidence
to show he committed any criminal offence.

He was charged for criminal abuse of office after he allowed Bennett to
deposit bail and comply with other conditions as set out by the High Court
on February 24.

There was ululation in the court room after the delivery of the ruling as
Chipadze's relatives; friends and court officials were overwhelmed with
happiness.

Hosea Mujaya, the senior magistrate based in Rusape, 100km north of Mutare,
said the State had not proved beyond doubt that Chipadze committed a crime
when he allowed Bennett to comply with bail conditions as ruled by the High
Court.

In their submission, Chipadze's defence team argued the provincial
magistrate had acted within the parameters of the law in allowing Bennett to
deposit bail money and to comply with other conditions.

The court heard that on March 4, 2009 the Clerk of Court at the magistrate
courts approached Chipadze informing him Bennett's lawyers wanted to comply
with bail conditions as set out by a High Court Judge, Justice Tedious
Karwi, in Harare. Bennett was appearing before Chipadze on routine remand
but he remanded him to March 18. But hours later Bennett's lawyers
approached the Clerk of Court with the intention of paying bail money and
complying with other conditions. They argued the State had not filed any
appeal at the Supreme Court within the stipulated seven days.

The lawyers produced the High Court order and another one which barred the
State from noting an appeal at the Supreme Court.

But the State prosecutors then produced an urgent chamber application which
had been filed at the Supreme Court and argued Bennett should not be
released on bail as a result of that application.

But it was noted the application had been filed well after the seven days
granted at the High Court had elapsed by one day.

At this stage Chipadze consulted with the regional magistrate, Hlekani
Mwayera, the chief magistrate in Harare, Herbert Mandeya, who concurred with
him that Bennett should be allowed to deposit his bail and get his freedom.

Chipadze told the court during cross examination that the Chief Magistrate
told him if he failed to allow Bennett to deposit bail he would be held to
be in contempt of the High Court.

Chipadze also approached a High Court judge, who was in Mutare on circuit
and she concurred with him.

But the State led by Michael Mugabe, from Harare, said Chipadze had erred as
he allowed Bennett to be released while fully in the picture there was an
appeal at the Supreme Court.

But magistrate Mujaya ruled the State had failed to prove beyond doubt
Chipadze had committed a criminal offence.

He therefore set him free.

The State can now proceed by way of summons should they find more
incriminating evidence.

Joint Communiqué issued at the Conclusion of the Third Session of the Zimbabwe - South Africa Joint Commission

http://www.isria.info/en/17_March_2009_43.htm

# The Third Session of the Zimbabwe-South Africa Joint Commission was held
in Victoria Falls from 14 to 16 March, 2009.

# The Meeting was attended by Ministers and Senior Officials from the two
countries. The Zimbabwe delegation was headed by the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Honourable Simbarashe S. Mumbengegwi while the Minister of Foreign
Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma headed the South African delegation.

# Discussions were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere characteristic
of the excellent bilateral relations between the two countries.

# The two sides exchanged views on measures to strengthen economic
cooperation between the two countries. In this regard the two sides
discussed measures to support the recovery of Zimbabwe's productive sectors
including opening of lines of credit, export credit insurance, spartial
development initiatives and trade facilitation measures.

# The two sides agreed to finalise negotiations on the Bilateral Investment
Promotion and Protection Agreement, the Memorandum on Economic Cooperation
and the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement.

# In the area of energy, the two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in the
generation and distribution of power. To this end, a Joint Working Committee
will be established to discuss the technical details in this sector.

# The two sides agreed to cooperate in enhancing production in the mining
sector, beneficiation of minerals, finger printing precious metals and
harmonization of mining policies to attract investment.

# The two sides agreed to finalize negotiations on a draft Protocol on
Tourism and to establish a Bilateral Tourism Technical Committee in view of
the Tourism growth prospects coming from the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the
Transfrontier Conservation Parks. In the area of the environment, the two
sides exchanged views on the CITES processes and agreed to cooperate in
training and harmonization of legislation.

# Noting the importance of ensuring food security and agricultural
production, Zimbabwe expressed appreciation to the Government of the
Republic of South Africa for the provision of agricultural inputs under the
SADC initiative.

# In the social sectors, the two sides exchanged views on collaboration in
combating infectious diseases and other health management issues, labour
migration, human settlement development and housing, public service
administration, arts and culture, youth, gender and community development.
The two sides negotiated draft agreements and MoUs which will be signed once
the two parties have fulfilled the legal requirements in their respective
countries.

# The two sides advanced discussions on longstanding immigration matters
between the two countries.

# In the legal sector, the two sides agreed to expedite ratification of the
SADC Protocol on Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance and cooperation on
matters concerning community service and pre-trial diversion for children
and young persons in conflict with the law.

# The two sides exchanged views on political developments in their
respective countries. They agreed to work together in Zimbabwe's
re-engagement with the international community and in the lobbying for the
lifting of economic sanctions in keeping with the 2009 Addis Ababa AU Summit
Resolution and the Zimbabwe Global Political Agreement.

# The South African delegation thanked the Zimbabwean delegation for the
hospitality and excellent facilities extended to them during the Session.

# The next session will be held in South Africa on dates to be mutually
agreed between the two parties.

Despite Release of High-Profile Prisoners, Zimbabwe Activists Remain Behind Bars

http://www.voanews.com

By Jonga Kandemiiri
Washington
17 March 2009

Although Zimbabwean deputy agriculture minister designate Roy Bennett and
Zimbabwe Peace Project Director Jestina Mukoko among other political and
civic activists have been set free in recent weeks, dozens of other
activists remain in police hands.

Some 45 members of the Movement for Democratic Change formation led by Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai are in the hands of authorities in Manicaland
province, sources there said.

They include Mutare Deputy Mayor Admire Mukorera, who was detained Saturday,
released, and then rearrested early Tuesday morning, MDC sources said, while
26 other MDC activists arrested Monday night in Buhera face charges of
committing political violence.

Another 17 activists arrested in Buhera last week on political violence
charges were denied bail Monday by a magistrate in Murambinda, Manicaland.
The charges stem from fighting between local MDC members and loyalists of
the ZANU-PF party of President Robert Mugabe last week when MDC founder
Tsvangirai's wife Susan, killed in a road crash, was buried in Buhera.

In Harare, meanwhile, another group of 18 MDC members are said to remain in
police hands although legal sources said they have not been not charged with
any crime. Many of them were abducted by security agents last year and later
handed over to the police.

MDC lawyer Alec Muchadehama said he is not representing anyone in that
group, but is defending two MDC members facing charges in connection with an
alleged plot to topple Mr. Mugabe's prior government, and a photo-journalist
held on similar charges.

MDC Manicaland province spokesman Pishai Muchauraya, who represents Makoni
South in the House of Assembly, told reporter Jonga Kandemiiri of VOA's
Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that the Buhera arrests were intended to weaken the
local MDC before new elections are held.

Those Seeking Medical Care in Zimbabwe Rely Now on Mission Hospitals

http://www.voanews.com


By Sylvia Manika
Harare
17 March 2009

In Zimbabwe, state hospitals in Harare and the town of Chitungwiza have been
closed since October from a walkout by health workers. Today, many of those
seeking medical care are going to rural mission hospitals that still offer
basic health care. But the influx of city-dwellers has pushed some mission
clinics to the brink of collapse.

In times past when the Zimbabwean health sector was one of the best in
Africa, patients from rural areas were referred to hospitals in Harare for
advanced treatment. But now the flow of the sick is in the opposite
direction as those who cannot afford private medical care in the city turn
to mission hospitals as a survival tactic.

Mission hospitals are supported by international donors through churches
abroad, and in general are better managed than state institutions.

Nurses at Howard Mission Hospital say overcrowding in their wards reminds
them of the post-election period last year when they had to accommodate many
victims of political violence.

Howard hospital is located about 60 kilometers from Harare, in Chiweshe,
Mashonaland Central Province - still a stronghold of the ruling party,
ZANU-PF. The area recorded the highest number of politically motivated
deaths in the terror campaign allegedly waged by the ruling party. But now
the patients flocking to the doors of the mission hospital are smartly
dressed Harare residents unable to get medical care in state hospitals which
remain largely shuttered.

One nurse speaking on condition of anonymity said that although the 35-bed
church hospital is overflowing, no patients are turned away as the clinic,
operated by the salvation army, is run on Christian principles and would
never abandon anyone in their time of greatest need.

She said the overcrowding of wards showed that the hospital is faithful to
those principles. A women's ward with 12 beds had about two dozen patients
sleeping on the floor on foam mattresses. Hospital staff said the men's ward
had at least 25 patients; its capacity is usually 15. The eight-bed
children's ward was occupied by 16 people, including mothers.

The nurse said most of those seeking treatment are often very ill and have
to be admitted. Accompanying relatives often have to sleep on the hospital
grounds for lack of any other accommodation because they cannot afford
round-trip transport to Harare.

Elizabeth Murwira of Glen View said she came to Howard with her two-year-old
daughter after being turned away from Harare and Parirenyatwa hospitals. She
was referred to the mission by a hospital guard who felt sorry for her. When
she arrived, her daughter could barely breathe.

Dr. Douglas Gwatidzo, chairman of the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for
Human Rights, said the exodus to mission hospitals shows that the state
health care system is badly broken. Other mission hospitals drawing urban
patients include Karanda in Mashonaland central province and All Souls and
Nyadire Mission Hospital in Mutoko, Mashonaland East.

No relief for Zim until debt's paid up

From The Mail & Guardian (SA), 17 March

Jason Moyo

On their first official visit to Zimbabwe in years last week, three major
global lenders found the country's once bitter foes working closely
together. The funeral of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's wife Susan
genuinely seems to have united him on a personal level with long-time
nemesis President Robert Mugabe. But the International Monetary Fund (IMF),
the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) were cutting through
all the emotion and set tough demands that a senior economic minister
admitted cannot be met. The institutions, which sent a delegation to
Zimbabwe for the first time since 2006, want Zimbabwe to pay old debts
before it receives any new aid and also demand major cuts in social spending
at a time when the country is desperate to ease a massive humanitarian
crisis. Elton Mangoma, minister for economic planning, said Zimbabwe is not
in any position to pay off its debts. State media has been upbeat on the
visit, raising hopes of financial aid. But IMF Africa director Antoinette
Sayeh said the country must first clear outstanding arrears before getting
new support. The new government needs foreign aid to survive, but a
combination of international scepticism about the coalition government and
the global financial crisis may keep Zimbabwe from accessing support.

In meetings with government and central bank officials the delegation made
repeated demands for Zimbabwe to honour its debts. Zimbabwe owed
US$89-million to the IMF at the end of February, US$600-million to the World
Bank and US$429-million to the AfDB, whose head, Donald Kaberuka, said that
Zimbabwe must settle its existing debt before it can expect new aid. A
senior Zimbabwe treasury official told the Mail & Guardian last week: "If we
were in any position to repay our debts, we wouldn't need to ask for aid,
would we?" Mangoma admitted that Zimbabwe faces tough conditions from the
IMF and the World Bank. "The funding will be a result of two things - the
credibility of our plan and our ability to deliver on set policies and how
the institutions think we will be able to do what we are saying we will do."
The IMF has shown unease with the fact that the bulk of state spending, much
of it funded by donor money, is going into salaries for civil servants.
Whereas poor pay has whittled down the size of the civil service, the IMF
wants to see even further "rationalisation" of the government payroll, one
business leader said. The financial institutions also want cuts on overall
social spending. But in the unity government Tsvangirai has control of most
of the social ministries and is desperate to bring visible relief. With
elections within 24 months, the MDC hopes to use its position to win the
loyalty of the civil service, police and the army. Officials close to the
mission note that the institutions are critical of the new government's
spending. Both parties appointed more ministers than allowed by the
Constitution, and each of the 71 Cabinet members has been awarded an SUV and
a full complement of aides.

Zimbabwe's Tobacco Crop May Decline 40% This Year

http://www.bloomberg.com

By Brian Latham

March 17 (Bloomberg) -- Zimbabwe's official tobacco harvest may fall as much
as 40 percent to 42 million kilograms (93 million pounds) this year as
destitute farmers sell the leaf illegally, the government's Tobacco Industry
and Marketing Board said.

The southern African nation last year produced an estimated 70 million
kilograms of tobacco leaf. The exact size of the crop may be difficult to
measure because destitute farmers are selling their leaf on the black
market, Andrew Matibiri, chief executive officer of the board, said in a
phone interview from the capital, Harare, today.

"The practice is illegal, but some farmers are desperate because they're
facing challenges," said Matibiri. Under Zimbabwean law, tobacco can only be
sold on auction or to licensed merchants.

Farmers are selling tobacco for as little as $1 a kilogram, compared with an
average price of $3.20 a kilogram last year, the marketing board chief said.
The southern African nation produces flue-cured tobacco that rivals the U.S.
for quality.

Tobacco production in Zimbabwe has plummeted since 2000, when President
Robert Mugabe authorized the often-violent seizure of most white-owned
farms. That year, the country produced 236 million kilograms of tobacco,
making it the world's second-largest exporter after Brazil. Since then
Zimbabwe has slumped to the world's sixth-largest exporter after Brazil,
India, the U.S., the European Union and Argentina.

Last month, supporters of Mugabe invaded at least 77 white- owned commercial
farms and threatened other landowners, according to Doug Taylor-Freeme,
president of the Commercial Farmers Union. The eviction campaign threatened
the livelihoods of about 100 farmers along with about $140 million worth of
crops, he said in an interview Feb. 24.

Zimbabwe's tobacco selling season will begin in April and traditionally runs
until mid-October. The crop is usually the country's top export earner.

Teachers Threaten Fresh Strike In May

http://www.radiovop.com


HARARE, March 17 2009 - Zimbabwe teacher unions have warned the new
government that their members will not be reporting for duty in May if they
do not get their salaries in foreign currency.

So far the teachers are just receiving the USd 100 allowance per civil
servant while their Zimdollar salary component was not being paid.

The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) and the Progressive Teachers
Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) on Monday held a meeting with David Coltart, the
Minister of Education, Sports, Arts and Culture, where it emerged that the
new government would not be able to improve on February salaries as it was
broke.

Sifiso Ndlovu, the chief executive office of ZIMTA, said his
organisation had issued Circular Number 10 advising members of the impasse
with the government over March salaries. "We have advised the government
that teachers will not be going back to school in May if it fails to top on
the USd 100 paid out in February," said Ndlovu.

Raymond Majongwe, the secretary general of PTUZ, concurred. "We met
the Minister and told him the government is provoking us to go on strike,"
said Majongwe.

He said what had further incensed teachers were revelations that ZANU
PF militia and other members of the ZANU PF Women's League got similar
allowances as teachers and other civil servants. "The government is
agitating us to go back on strike. We have registered our concerns with the
minister and have also written to the Minister of Public Service on the
failure to hold salary negotiations for March as agreed last month," he
said.

Coltart confirmed meeting the teachers. "Yes we meet and they
registered their grievances which the government is looking into," he said.

The government last month promised it would improve on the March
salaries for all civil servants.

In a circular to its members ZIMTA said failure to secure a concrete
and written agreement from government "with clear milestones that will
indicate a gradual incremental salary award as a strategy of working towards
a salary level competitive to the region" teachers would not be going back
to class in May 2009.

The ZIMTA circular added: "ZIMTA wishes to put it on record that it
supports the Government of National Unity and it is taking these steps to
give it up to April 2009 for GNU to jelly up and address educators
legitimate grievances."

The government is desperately seeking financial injection from the
West and the region but indications are that a rescue package has been
proving elusive. The South African government has indicated it might
bankroll Zimbabwe as it was perusing a proposal submitted by Finance
Minister Tendai Biti.

Last year, teachers worked an average 23 days, as they protested poor
salaries and working conditions. This year schools opened late as teachers
delayed to go back to work, demanding they be paid in foreign currency. They
only went back to work after they had been assured by Coltart that their
grievances would be looked into.

ICU for Zim's science agenda

http://www.mg.co.za

MUNYARADZI MAKONI AND CHRISTINA SCOTT - Mar 17 2009 09:36

Science takes time. But Zimbabwe's new minister of science and technology
development has only been in the job for about a month.

Heneri Amos Murima Dzinotyiweyi, a 58-year-old former mathematics lecturer
and university dean, was nominated for the post by Prime Minister and
Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai as part of the shaky
new bipartisan government of national unity.

One of Dzinotyiweyi's first actions was to call for the release of his
colleague Roy Bennett, the designated deputy minister of agriculture, who
faces charges of terrorism, banditry and sabotage after being arrested
bypolice shortly after he returned from exile in South Africa.

"I need Roy Bennett to work with me so we can revive agricultural research,
which has traditionally been a strength in Zimbabwean science, to improve
the rural economy,'' Dzinotyiweyi says.

Dzinotyiweyi knows he faces two major challenges. "We have non-functional
institutions, having hardly any capacity, barely running. This includes
schools, universities, research institutes. Our immediate desire is that
these institutions begin working.''

One way of remedying this, he suggests, will be to pay scientists in
acurrency stronger than the Zimbabwean dollar. "The local currency is
completely corrupt, so we are trying to see if scientists can be paid in a
hard currency such as the US dollar or the South African rand. That would
help immediately,'' he says.

The other priority is to reverse the brain drain, says Dzinotyiweyi.

"Zimbabwe has lost enormous scientific manpower. We need to use the
diaspora, those Zimbabweans who are anxious to contribute back home. We want
them to participate meaningfully even if they are out of the country -- 
although of course in the long run we would like them to return to the
country,'' he says.

Dzinotyiweyi, a founding member of the three-year-old Zimbabwe Academy of
Sciences, says he hopes to use the academy's international contacts to
establish links with Zimbabwean researchers now living elsewhere. Robin
Crewe of the Academy of Science of South Africa said at the African Science
Communication Conference that the academy might be able to assist in the
process.

Dzinotyiweyi was dean of the University of Zimbabwe from 1991 to 2000 and in
the mid 1990s worked on a study of science and technology across the
14-state Southern African Development Community.

He returned to his post as professor of mathematics prior to his resignation
to compete in the March 2008 elections. He has continued to assist his
university department on a voluntary basis after being elected as a member
of Parliament. Like all the winning opposition candidates, he was blocked by
the ruling party from taking up his seat for months.

Dzinotyiweyi's constituency is the high-density, impoverished Budiriro
suburb of Harare, which suffered the country's first outbreak of cholera
following the collapse of water treatment plants in August 2008. He is
working closely with MDC colleague Henry Madzorera -- a medical doctor who
has been appointed minister of health -- to tackle the cholera epidemic.

He says that he has no intention at present of investigating his
controversial predecessor, Olivia Muchena, of the Zanu-PF party. Muchena
faced murder charges in relation to the disappearance of her constituency's
opposition candidate, but the charges were dropped after the judge left the
country. She has been kept in Cabinet by President Robert Mugabe as minister
of women's affairs, gender and community development. --www.SciDev.Net

Zimbabwean scientists can contact Dzinotyiweyi via the sub-Saharan Africa
section of the Science and Development Network website at www.scidev.net

Ex-Airforce of Zimbabwe pilot jailed for forgery in UK

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
17 march 2009
A former Air Lieutenant with the Airforce of Zimbabwe, Matthew Mufiri, has
been jailed for six months in the UK for fraud, after he attempted to claim
British ancestry using a false birth certificate. The British press has
reported that Mufiri was Mugabe's pilot, but our investigations have
revealed that this is not the case.
The 35 year-old Mufiri was arrested on 10th January after police and
immigration officials raided his home following a tip off. Mufiri had paid
£3,000 to acquire a fake birth certificate which he used to claim his right
to stay in Britain.
The birth certificate belonged to Kathleen Durkin, a woman who had died in a
car accident. Mufiri falsely claimed that Durkin was his grandmother and was
therefore entitled to be granted British citizenship on account of his
ancestry links. But unknown to Mufiri, many other people had used the same
document to claim British citizenship and there was already an investigation
by the police when he sent in his application.
The court heard that Kathleen Durkin had been falsely cited as the mother of
more than 70 applicants for British passports, causing distress to her
family. Before coming to the UK in 2004, Mufiri was an airforce helicopter
pilot, based at Manyame airbase just outside Harare. A former pilot who
served as an instructor to Mufiri confirmed that he worked with 7 squadron
at Manyame. The squadron flew helicopter gunships and most of the pilots
served in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the six nation war in the
late 1990's.
 It has however been pointed out to Newsreel that Mufiri did not fly Mugabe
during his stint with the airforce. Mugabe's pilots are from 8 squadron,
also based at Manyame, a squadron that handles all VIP helicopter flights.
The same former pilot who used to fly Mugabe told us Mufiri was lying that
he ever flew the ZANU PF leader. It's believed he lied about this in an
effort to enhance his application for asylum.
'He left the airforce to go job hunting years ago and we thought he had
regularised his stay here in the UK. I hope British authorities will not
attempt to deport him, because he once served in the military in Zimbabwe,
which makes him a target of the state security agents,' the former pilot
told us.
The Judge who sentenced Mufiri made no order for deportation and the only
way for Mufiri to be deported will be if he volunteers to go.

Zimbabwe still in the grip of cholera

http://www.abc.net.au

This is a transcript from PM. The program is broadcast around Australia at
5:10pm on Radio National and 6:10pm on ABC Local Radio.

PM - Tuesday, 17 March , 2009  18:38:00
Reporter: Andrew Geoghegan
MARK COLVIN: More than a month has passed since Zimbabwe's political enemies
formed a unity government, but there's still no sign of change in the
country. The economy has all but collapsed and a cholera epidemic continues
to spread.

The World Health Organization says the disease has already affected more
than 91,000 people, and killed more than 4,000.

Most foreign journalists remain banned from reporting in the country. But
Africa correspondent Andrew Geoghegan has managed to get inside to examine
why the cholera outbreak has not been contained.

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: In a poor suburban community women and children stand in a
drain collecting water. Nearby, raw sewage trickles down the road, weaving
its way between piles of rotting rubbish. It's hardly surprising that
cholera has claimed dozens of people in this neighbourhood.

Can you tell me, why are you getting water from here?

ZIMBABWEAN WOMAN: There is no water from the tap.

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: Do you think this water is safe to drink?

ZIMBABWEAN WOMAN: It's not safe.

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: So why are you drinking it?

ZIMBABWEAN WOMAN: There is nothing we can do, so we can just use it.

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: Do you worry about getting cholera from drinking this
water?

ZIMBABWEAN WOMAN: Of course we do. But there's no option.

RICHARD SOLLOM: Cholera only happens in failed states, or in times of war or
a natural disaster.

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: Richard Sollom from Physicians for Human Rights was in
Zimbabwe recently.

RICHARD SOLLOM: In Zimbabwe, we see a cholera epidemic which is the second
largest in the past 20 years after what took place in, during the Rwandan
genocide, in the refugee camps in eastern Congo where there were about, I
believe there were about 50,000 or so cases.

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: Zimbabwe's infrastructure has collapsed. Sewerage pipes
are broken, the drinking water is contaminated.

And President Robert Mugabe has done nothing to fix the problems, allowing
cholera to take hold and spread rapidly. But I discovered it's not just the
Mugabe regime that's to blame. A United Nations insider claims the
international body has also failed the Zimbabwean people.

GEORGES TADONKI: We could have anticipated many things. The cholera crisis
in Zimbabwe, for example now, the food situation and so on, we were late.

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: Georges Tadonki was until recently the head of the UN's
office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Zimbabwe. He says the
UN has deliberately downplayed the crisis to avoid confrontation with the
Mugabe regime.

GEORGES TADONKI: And so often also we were below, way below the real
situation. And why, because we wanted to talk nice and that has endangered
the life of so many people. Cholera is not a disease that kills so many
people.

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: Georges Tadonki believes the lives of millions of
Zimbabweans have been compromised because the UN's top official in Zimbabwe
is too close to President Mugabe.

AGOSTINHO ZACARIAS: That is a false accusation that I dismiss.

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: Agostinho Zacarias is the UN's humanitarian coordinator.

You yourself, do you have good relations with the Government?

AGOSTINHO ZACARIAS: Yeah, I suppose I would have to have dialogue with any
government which would be in place, that's the primary responsibility of UN
organisation.

(sound of baby crying)

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: Amid the dialogue the suffering continues. In a decaying
block of flats in the capital Harare children collect water from communal
toilets. Above them a burst sewerage pipe spews excrement from the ceiling.
Many people in this building have already died from cholera. More deaths are
expected.

This is Andrew Geoghegan in Harare for PM.

MARK COLVIN: And you can see more of Andrew's story on tonight's 'Foreign
Correspondent' on ABC1.

Cholera epidemic rages on

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
17 March 2009

The month long coalition government has so far failed to help stem the tide
of the devastating cholera epidemic which began last year in August. While
experts say the current rate of infection is not as bad as it was last year,
the inability to bring the disease under control remains a source of worry.
The World Health Organisation says 91 000 people have been infected so far,
with more than 4000 dying from the disease. But with raw sewage still
flowing on the city streets and no clean water coming from the taps, it will
be some time before anything improves.

The new MDC faces in the coalition government are at the forefront of trying
to get financial assistance to repair sewage pipes and treat contaminated
water, among other things. But with several persistent violations of the
unity deal by ZANU PF, the number of donors and lenders willing to chip in
financially remains critically low. This has led to Finance Minister Tendai
Biti warning that if no money was forthcoming the whole unity deal would
collapse.

Meanwhile Georges Tandonki, who until recently was the head of the United
Nation's office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Zimbabwe,
said the UN is also partly to blame for the cholera crisis. He told the
Australian Broadcasting Corporation that; 'We could have anticipated many
things. The cholera crisis in Zimbabwe, the food situation and so on, we
were late. And so often also we were below, way below the real situation.
And why, because we wanted to talk nice and that has endangered the life of
so many people. Cholera is not a disease that kills so many people.'

Tandonki believes that the top UN official in Zimbabwe, Agostinho Zacarias,
is close to the Mugabe regime and may have been reluctant to honestly call
the situation as it was. Zacarias has dismissed this accusation and defended
his relationship with the government saying, 'I would have to have dialogue
with any government which would be in place, that's the primary
responsibility of (the) UN organisation.'

MDC have team investigating Tsvangirai crash

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
17 March 2009

Following the tragic crash which killed Susan Tsvangirai, the wife of Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, almost 2 weeks ago, the MDC has confirmed that
it has a team investigating the circumstances around the incident. Speaking
to Newsreel on Tuesday a senior official said they want to allow their team
to do their work quietly and would not be forced into, 'shouting from the
mountain top about the process.' He said the party leadership is reluctant
to issue inflammatory statements about the crash, in the absence of solid
evidence. 'As leadership we can't fuel speculation. We have our suspicions
but let the people say this. We can't as the leadership. We will lose
credibility since the burden of proof will come to us,' he said.

On Monday we reported how the company who own the truck involved in the
crash suspended one of its administrators, after it turned out the vehicle
was not driven by one of their drivers. The truck was carrying AIDS drugs
for a project funded by the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID). A report by the weekly Standard newspaper says John
Snow International (JSI) is the contractor for this AIDS project and they
issued a confidential memo 3 days after the accident, stating that although
the truck belonged to them it was not driven by a JSI driver on the day.

An article published in the state owned Herald newspaper on Tuesday
attempted to implicate the country's Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) in the
accident. In the story the paper questioned how a team lead by CFU Vice
President Deon Theron was able to be at the scene of the crash, before the
police. Theron and his team had been promptly arrested by police and their
photographic equipment seized, before being released later on. The Herald
further linked the location of the offices of the company who own the truck
(JSI), with that of the CFU, at the same Agriculture House building in
Marlborough.

Newsreel is reliably informed that Prime Minister Tsvangirai's office has
already voiced its objections about the inflammatory article published by
the Herald. The MDC official told us that Eddie Cross, a senior member of
the party, was one of the first people to know about the accident involving
Tsvangirai and it was perfectly logical that his friends in the farming
community would have learnt about the accident through their communication
network.

The MDC say they are going to use their findings from the accident
investigation to put in place preventive measures for future VIP escorts,
especially those involving the Prime Minister.

It's reported elsewhere that two government ministers from the Tsvangirai
MDC, Gorden Moyo (Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office) and Sam
Sipepa Nkomo (Water Resources Minister) escaped with minor injuries when
their official car was involved in an accident last Friday. The two were on
their way to the airport to catch a flight to Bulawayo when a truck hit them
from behind. The car in use was provided by the state run Central Mechanical
Engineering Department and is said to have been badly damaged.

Moyo told journalists; 'The truck that hit our Benz flipped off the road and
overturned. There were three men in the truck. An ambulance arrived on the
scene after thirty minutes and they were taken to hospital. I don't know
their condition now as we continued to the airport to catch our flight.'

Govt probe on Tsvangirai wife's death

From The Daily Nation (Kenya), 17 March

By Kitsepile Nyathi

Harare - The Zimbabwean government wants to investigate white commercial
farmers over their alleged involvement in the car crash that claimed Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's wife a fortnight ago, State media has reported.
The latest reports implicating the Commercial Farmers Union, which
represents the country's remaining white farmers, adds a new twist to Mrs
Susan Tsvangirai's death that most Zimbabweans refuse to accept was an
accident. This also follows a statement by the United States embassy in
Harare disowning the Nissan Diesel truck that side-swept Mr Tsvangirai's
vehicle leading to the fatal accident about 100 kilometres outside Harare.
The embassy had initially admitted that the vehicle belonged to the United
States International Development Agency (USAID) and that it was carrying out
US and UK business at the time of the crash through a private contractor.
The truck was delivering essential HIV and Aids and medical supplies to
health clinics under an effort co-financed by USAID and the United Kingdom
Department for International Development.

But the State-owned Herald newspaper, which usually reflects the thinking in
President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF party, said it had uncovered fresh
information that the contractor in question was Crown Agents, a concern with
roots steeped in British colonialism. The paper said John Snow
International, which partnered Crown Agents and had admitted ownership of
the truck had their headquarters at a building owned by the CFU. It might be
coincidence but JSI's headquarters here is what is called Agriculture House
or CFU house, the paper said, quoting an unnamed government official. On the
day of the accident, white commercial farmers were at the scene before the
Prime Minister's own close people knew what had happened. The government
official said security officials should determine exactly how far this
friendship (between CFU and Crown Agents) and their interests in the country
go. CFU vice president, Mr Deon Theron was arrested as he allegedly filmed
and photographed the wreckage.

Professor Jonathan Moyo, a former Minister of Information and Publicity in
Mr Mugabe's government and now an independent Member of Parliament also
called for an investigation into USAID's operations following the accident.
He said the fact that a USAID driver was implicated in the shooting of Air
Force of Zimbabwe commander Air Vice Marshal Perence Shiri last December was
too much of a coincidence. The driver whose employers insist was nowhere
near the scene of the alleged hijacking was released early this month
because of lack of evidence linking him to the crime. However, it is the
latest attempt to link the crash, which Mr Tsvangirai insists was an
accident, that might fuel fresh controversy. Zimbabwe has witnessed a fresh
wave of farm invasions targeting the remaining few white commercial farmers
and their unions say the disturbances are racially motivated. Mr Mugabe
accuses the white farmers of working with former colonial power Britain and
the US to try to topple him from power so as to reverse his land reforms.
The ageing ruler also accused the Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic
Change of being puppets of the West and the white farmers until the party
agreed to join him in a unity government last month. However, in some
circles the attempt to link the white farmers to the crash would be seen as
trying to shift blame from the real culprits. The country has a long history
of prominent politicians who die in mysterious accidents after falling out
of favour with those in power.

'Haul Mugabe before ICC'

http://news.iafrica.com

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:10
Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe should be hauled before the International
Criminal Court (ICC) to explain the "tragic situation" in his country, Cope
presidential candidate Mvume Dandala said on Tuesday.

"There must be ways by which the rest of humanity can ask questions. I
believe the ICC is one of those instruments that can be used," Dandala told
reporters in Kliptown, Soweto.

"Given the tragic situation in Zimbabwe I personally feel that if President
Mugabe was taken to the international court... he would be given a chance to
actually explain himself."

Dandala said this was his personal view and that the Congress of the People
was still in the process of clarifying its position on several policy
issues.

Cope Gauteng premier candidate Lyndall Shope-Mafole later said that
Dandala's views on Mugabe were "consistent, in fact, with the policies of
the Congress of the People".

Zimbabwe is currently in the throes of a political and economic crisis which
has caused instability, severe food shortages and thousands of cholera
deaths.

Sapa

Zimbabwe Closes in on Record

 

By Kerry Rodgers, Bank Note Reporter March 16, 2009

Readers will be aware that hyperinflation has long been alive, well and thriving in Zimbabwe. Back in February 2007 the country became the first to hyperinflate in the 21st century when the monthly inflation rate achieved 50 percent. This is taken as the minimum rate to allow a country to qualify as a fully paid-up member of the hyperinflation club. It equates to 12,875 percent per year.

Promotion through the ranks has been rapid for Zimbabwe. Last October it achieved second place in the all-time hyperinflators' stakes when it nudged aside Yugoslavia's January 1994 monthly rate of a miserly 313,000,000 percent.

Sometime this year the country could become the new world champion. To take the number one spot, Zimbabwe must eclipse Hungary's stupendous achievement of July 1946. Then the monthly rate peaked at 13,000,000,000,000,000 percent with prices doubling every 15.6 hours.

On Friday, Jan. 16 The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) marked the country's new international status by announcing plans to issue Z$10 trillion, Z$20 trillion and Z$50 trillion notes along with one for Z$100 trillion. At the time Z$100 trillion equated to about US$60.

As in the past the announced official intent was to introduce the new denominations gradually starting with the Z$10 trillion. However, such is the exponential growth of the country's inflation that the $100 trillion proved to be needed sooner rather than later.

The BBC noted wryly that a Z$50 billion note had been issued three days prior to the announcement on Tuesday, Jan. 13 and that was less than a month after release of a Z$500 million bill. Somewhere in the intervening days the RBZ had abandoned the daily bank cash withdrawal limit. It had become irrelevant. Not only was it barely sufficient for a few loaves of bread but most banks had long lacked sufficient cash float to meet the demand.

Then, on Feb. 3, the RBZ revalued the Z$100 trillion issue to ZN$100 by chopping 12 zeros from the Zimbabwe dollar. This added to the 10 zeros slashed back in August 2008. As on that earlier occasion, record keeping was having problems keeping abreast of the size of the numbers involved. The bank's governor, Gideon Gono, assured one and all that the move was meant to bring convenience to the public, and introduced six brand new currency denominations of one, five, 10, 20 50, 100 and 500 dollars with immediate effect. The three-week-old trillion dollar notes will cease to be legal tender on June 30.

The country has also adopted a multiple currency trading system - officially. Both the U.S. dollar and the South African rand now circulate alongside the ever-inflating Zimbabwean dollar with government blessing. For many months the two alternative currencies have been preferred for all cash transactions on the black market. But now essential civil servants are paid in both rather than the Zimbabwe dollar.

An excellent account of Zimbabwe's hyperinflation, including comparisons with other infamous currency crashes, is given by Steve H. Hanke, professor of Applied Economics at John Hopkins University. It is recommended to all those addicted to collecting hyperinflation monies. Try: www.cato.org/zimbabwe.

Back on June 25 last year Hanke observed: "Zimbabwe is in the late stages of a classic hyperinflation - Inflation is galloping ahead as the supply of Zimbabwe dollars surges and the demand for them shrinks. Eventually, the currency will totally collapse as people simply refuse to accept it." In effect this has happened with the widespread use of the U.S. dollar and rand.

And in November, when the monthly rate raced past 80,000,000,000 percent, Hanke observed that all non-cash Zimbabwe dollar transactions had ceased and the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange had stopped trading. He hence declared the non-cash Zimbabwe dollar to be dead, i.e. no checks, no plastic money.

As a consequence, and with few goods in the shops to measure inflation on at a practical level, Hanke sees no point in trying to estimate, let alone calculate any inflation figure beyond this point. In an article in Forbes Asia of Dec. 22, he noted the annual rate, based on the 80 billion percent November monthly rate, would be 6.5 quindecillion novemdecillion, that's 65 followed by 107 zeros percent - or 98 percent a day if you prefer.

Nonetheless a lot of folks in Media Land continue to make estimates and display their skills with the names of really big numbers, prompting some derisive comments and observations.

When Gary Els, vice chairman of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa, read a report in The Times of Feb. 4 that the annual inflation rate had passed, a conservative, five sextillion, or 5,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 percent, he realized that in size the rate will soon approximate the number of stars in the known universe.

In a blog, he calculates that if a Zimbabwe dollar is 0.1mm thick, such that a stack of 10,000 notes is 1 m high, then a pile in which one dollar corresponds with every percentage point of Zimbabwe's February five sextillion percent inflation, would reach from earth to the edge of our solar system. In fact Voyager 1, launched by NASA in 1977 and currently trundling along beyond the orbit of Pluto at 17 km/s, will not arrive at the top of that pile until 2025, by which stage it will have grown considerably higher. Goodness knows what it would stack up to using Hanke's estimation.

Whatever the real rate, Zimbabwe may soon become the new world champion. It could happen any day soon.