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Western donors to support Zimbabwe on conditions

http://www.africareview.com

By KITSEPILE NYATHI in Harare | Wednesday, March 27  2013 at  10:49

Major Western donors have pledged to support Zimbabwe’s economic revival if
the country holds credible elections later this year.

The Friends of Zimbabwe, a group made up of the country’s major donors, held
ground breaking talks with Harare’s three governing parties in London on
Tuesday where the pledge was made.

A new constitution adopted on March 16 paves the way for presidential and
parliamentary elections in June or July, to end a power sharing government
between President Robert Mugabe and his main rival, Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai.

In a communiqué released after the talks, the donors pledged to work with
anyone who wins a credible election.

“We will continue to work closely with partners in the country, region and
wider international community,” reads part of the communiqué.

“For our part, we collectively stand ready to broaden, deepen and harmonise
our engagement and support as the country moves further down the path of
democracy and respect for human rights, with credible elections being a
crucial element in this respect.”

The donors comprise Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech
Republic, Denmark, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
the UK and the US.

Vote rigging

Despite sanctions imposed on President Mugabe and his inner circle in 2002
for alleged electoral fraud, the donors have poured in $2.6 billion in aid
into Zimbabwe since the formation of the coalition government in 2009.

“We noted that aid from international donors, deployed in line with
Zimbabwean priorities, has been instrumental in improving food security and
agriculture, in delivering of basic services such as health education, and
water sanitation, and in the strengthening of democratic processes,” Friends
of Zimbabwe said in the communiqué.

“We look forward to strengthening our commercial ties with Zimbabwe to help
accelerate its path towards prosperity.”

The peaceful referendum on the new constitution raised hopes of a credible
election after the 2008 polls were marred by violence and allegations of
vote rigging.

The EU responded by lifting a travel ban and an asset freeze on 81
Zimbabweans officials and eight state-owned companies.

However, President Mugabe’s family and eight security commanders remained on
the list with the EU saying they still posed a threat to a peaceful
election.

Australia, Canada and the US have their own set of sanctions against the
veteran ruler and his allies.

The Friends of Zimbabwe expressed concern about the renewed crackdown on
civil society groups critical to President Mugabe.

They also pledged to review the remaining sanctions if the country held a
credible election.


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Friends of Zimbabwe, 2013 Communiqué

1. The Friends of Zimbabwe met in London on 26 March 2013, re-confirming
our governments’ continued strong commitment to the Zimbabwean
people and support for a prosperous and democratic Zimbabwe.
Underlining our desire for engagement based on partnership, we were
pleased that representatives from the Zimbabwe Government of National
Unity parties and regional representatives joined us.
 
2. We welcomed and supported SADC’s lead role as guarantor of the Global
Political Agreement. We also commended SADC’s continued efforts, in
particular those of the South African facilitation team, in encouraging
Zimbabwe’s political parties to work together for the full implementation of
necessary reforms ahead of elections. The breakthrough leading to the
recent constitutional referendum was testament to these efforts. We
reemphasised our commitment to support SADC in their efforts to facilitate
the GPA and the roadmap for elections.
 
3. In our discussions, we strongly welcomed progress on the new constitution
and the referendum that was held on 16 March. We looked forward to the
implementation of the remaining democratic reforms in the GPA and roadmap,
and recognised the work of the Joint Monitoring and Implementation
Committee (JOMIC) in supporting this. We welcomed calls by Zimbabwe’s
political leaders for peace and non-violence and the statements by party
leaders that Zimbabweans should be able to choose their own government
in free and fair elections, and to be able to vote without fear or
intimidation. We look to all Zimbabweans, including state institutions and
the security sector, to heed these calls. We expressed concern about
current harassment of civil society and reports of political violence and
strongly urged that such incidents should cease. We stressed the
importance of a vibrant civil society to Zimbabwe’s development.
 
4. We welcomed the effective SADC observation of the constitutional
referendum and SADC’s stated intention to observe the elections,
consistent with the SADC Guidelines. We discussed the importance of
long term SADC observers covering the period in the run-up to, during and
after elections. A wide range of international observers would contribute to
building confidence and help enhance the credibility of the poll and the
strength of the government elected.
 
5. We took note of views from all representatives from the Government of
National Unity including on; the importance of full implementation of the
GPA, the facilitation role played by SADC, their request for a lifting of
international sanctions, peaceful free and fair elections, and respect for the
rule of law.
 
6. In our discussions, we reaffirmed the commitment of our governments to
work with any government emerging from free and fair elections, which are
credible, peaceful and transparent. Where relevant, we confirmed our
governments’ plans to review their targeted measures following such
elections.
 
7. Since the inception of the Government of National Unity the international
community has increasingly shifted its support from humanitarian aid
towards transitional and longer term development assistance. Over this
period, our transitional development support has amounted to around
US$2.6 billion. We noted that aid from international donors, deployed in
line with Zimbabwean priorities, has been instrumental in improving food
security and agriculture, in delivering of basic services such as health,
education, and water and sanitation, and in the strengthening of
democratic processes.
 
8. We acknowledged the good work being done by the GNU to stabilise the
economy and welcome the ongoing engagement and support of the
multilateral agencies and international financial institutions. We
recognised the importance of Zimbabwe tackling its external debts. We
stand ready to support the GNU to discuss this further with the IMF, and
welcomed progress by the GNU and IMF towards a Staff Monitored
Programme.
 
9. We stressed that transparency and integrity in economic and financial
governance and extractive industry management are essential to combat
poverty and corruption, and contribute to inclusive economic growth. It is
critical that Zimbabwe’s natural resources are utilised for the benefit of all
Zimbabweans and that ownership and revenues from mineral extraction
are fully transparent and accountable. We look forward to strengthening
our commercial ties with Zimbabwe to help accelerate its path towards
prosperity.
 
10. We will continue to work closely with partners in the country, region and
wider international community. For our part, we collectively stand ready to
broaden, deepen and harmonise our engagement and support as the
country moves further down the path of democracy and respect for human
rights, with credible elections being a crucial element in this respect. This
would create the conditions for Zimbabwe to develop its natural potential,
attract foreign investment and move beyond the need for international
development assistance.
 
11. We look forward to continuing to engage constructively with the GNU and
the region in order to support the Zimbabwean people in achieving a
peaceful, prosperous and democratic future.
 
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, the
EU, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands,
Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the
United States of America


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Chinamasa raises radio ban at UK meeting

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Violet Gonda
27 March 2013

ZANU PF lead negotiator and Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa received no
response from the British authorities when he brought up the issue of
shutting down the London based SW Radio Africa.

Chinamasa, in London for the first time since being placed on an European
Union travel ban more than a decade ago, was part of the Zimbabwe government’s
re-engagement committee that met western representatives and major
development partners calling themselves ‘Friends of Zimbabwe’ on Tuesday.

Prior to the meeting the minister had said he would use it as an opportunity
to demand that all sanctions be lifted unconditionally and ask for Britain’s
help to shut down SW Radio Africa, which together with Voice of America’s
Studio 7 has been forced to broadcast from exile because of the strict media
restrictions in Zimbabwe.

MDC lead negotiator Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, who was at the meeting,
confirmed that Chinamasa raised the issue of what he called pirate radio
stations and that he asked why SW Radio Africa was being hosted by the
British government.

She said the MDC formations, including the MDC-T’s Elton Mangoma, didn’t
support Chinamasa because they have told ZANU PF that the external
broadcasters have been forced to report from outside Zimbabwe because of the
lack of media space in the country.

Referring to the two new FM radio stations in Zimbabwe, the MDC minister
said the media reforms that have been implemented in Zimbabwe were awarded
to people who are pro-ZANU PF “so that they can perpetuate the system.”

She said the outside broadcasters are an important alternative voice to
counter the “hate messages” Zimbabweans are subjected to on a regular basis
by state controlled media. “So we refused to engage in that because he knows
what our position has always been.”

Asked what the reaction of the British authorities was,
Misihairabwi-Mushonga said: “No one responded to him.”

We were not able to reach the Justice Minister for comment.

Meanwhile, in a communiqué issued by the Friends of Zimbabwe late Tuesday,
the group, which includes countries that have imposed sanctions on members
of ZANU PF, reaffirmed they would work with any government emerging from
free and fair elections.

Observers say this is a significant development, showing western countries
are now prepared to work with President Robert Mugabe, if he wins in
“credible, peaceful and transparent” polls .

Misihairabwi-Mushonga said this is significant only in the sense that the
international community has now realized that the discussion on Zimbabwe has
to go beyond Mugabe, that it needs to be about setting a new value system,
with or without the 89 year old leader.

“We raised the point that if they are going to be seen as a people who are
engaging Zimbabweans then they have to relook at the message sent by those
sanctions.

The MDC formations accuse ZANU PF of using the sanctions issue to derail
progress, while ZANU PF blames the economic collapse on the restrictions
imposed by the western countries.

The MDC minister said the meeting was also symbolic because, for the first
time, the Friends of Zimbabwe decided to include the Southern African
Development Community, the guarantors of the Zimbabwe Global Political
Agreement (GPA).

“This represents a major shift in the manner in which the international
community would want to engage on the issue of Zimbabwe.”

It was also symbolic because the meeting was held in the United Kingdom,
which has had a thorny relation with the Zimbabwe government.
Misihairabwi-Mushonga said this represents a shift in diplomacy and in the
way the British now want to engage with Zimbabwe.

Asked if ZANU PF has also changed its hard stance since the international
community seems to be changing, Misihairabwi-Mushonga said there is a
section in Mugabe’s party who want the sanctions to remain and to stay
because it gives them relevance – and so they can use this as an excuse to
beat up people and deliberately not implement reforms.

She said the next step now after the successful constitutional referendum is
for the partners in the inclusive government to go back to the election
roadmap and finalise the disputed issue of election dates, and implement
fundamental reforms, which include dealing with a partisan security sector.

The Friends of Zimbabwe expressed concern about current harassment of civil
society and reports of political violence in the country.

Misihairabwi-Mushonga insists the MDC formations and SADC will not allow
elections to take place without the fundamental reforms agreed by all the
political parties in the GPA, to ensure that there will not be a repeat of
the violent and disputed 2008 elections.

The full interview with Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga can be heard on
Easter Monday.


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More arrests in corruption probe backlash

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
27 March 2013

The crackdown against the Anti Corruption Commission (ZACC) continued this
week with the arrest of yet another official, and the refusal by the police
to release the organisation’s CEO.

ZACC’s Emmanuel Chimwanda was picked up by police on Tuesday and kept
overnight at Harare Central Police Station. Police national spokesperson,
Charity Charamba, confirmed the arrest, saying Chimwanda was picked up for
questioning and was set to be released after signing a warned and cautioned
statement.

“He was picked up by police in connection with impersonation. They will
record a warned and cautioned statement from him and he will be released,”
Charamba said.

The anti-graft body’s chief, Ngonidzashe Gumbo, meanwhile remains in police
detention after the state appealed his release on bail. He was granted bail
on Monday after his arrest last week, but now faces detention until April.

This onslaught against the group has come in the wake of attempts to launch
corruption investigations into key parastatals, as well as the alleged abuse
of community development funds. Among the parastatals that the ZACC has been
trying to investigate are the Zimbabwe Mining and Development Corporation
(linked to Mines Minister Obert Mpofu), and the National Empowerment Board
(linked to Indigenisation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere).

The principals in the inclusive government meanwhile resolved this week that
the crackdown on the commission must be stopped.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka confirmed
the Principals meeting with the NewsDay newspaper and said there was
agreement on the commission’s operations.

“The principals agreed that the commission must be allowed to do its work.
It’s an independent commission and must not be interfered with so as to
enable the execution of its constitutional mandate,” Tamborinyoka said.


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Nieebgate: Zanu PF MPs demand answers

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

Wednesday, 27 March 2013 11:48

Indigenisation minister Saviour Kasukuwere has signed several multi-million
dollar empowerment deals.
HARARE - Some Zanu PF Members of Parliament have come out guns blazing
demanding answers on how the indigenisation programme was implemented, as
the Nieebgate Scandal exposed by the Daily News rages on.

Legislators from the Mines and Energy portfolio committee, drawn from Zanu
PF and the MDC formations, have been attending a three-day workshop in the
resort town of Vumba — and yesterday questioned the implementation of the
programme saying there were some anomalies.

Last month, the Daily News exposed apparent flaws in the $971 million
Zimplats deal — touted as the biggest empowerment deal since independence in
1980.

Other indigenisation deals for top-earning companies have also since been
questioned, triggering a public indignation that also saw corruption
sniffers from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission trying to pounce on
the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board (Nieeb).

Ironically a local company, Brainworks Capital, was consultant in the seven
deals involved that have caused a furore in government.

The portfolio committee argues that Nieeb should have consulted with all
tiers including Parliament before rushing to sign the controversial deals
which would have seen government losing out to foreign companies had the
Daily News not exposed the scam.

The committee has already indicated that it plans to summon Indigenisation
and Empowerment minister Savior Kasukuwere when Parliament resumes sitting
next month to explain the scandal.

Signalling a potentially explosive showdown between the Executive and the
Legislature when Parliament resumes sitting — Zanu PF legislator Simbaneuta
Mudarikwa questioned why Kasukuwere forged ahead with a programme that is
designed to empower the broad masses without consulting parliamentarians.

“The MPs are not involved in the implementation of the community share
ownership schemes and why is this happening?” queried Mudarikwa, who said
the fact that they were side-lined contributed to the near-collapse of the
programme.

Chairperson of the committee, Edward Chindori-Chininga a Zanu PF MP, warned
that if the programme is not carefully implemented, Zimbabwe will slide the
Zambian way and eventually abandon the policy.

“Zambia had a policy called Zambianisation and it failed because it was not
properly implemented.

“In Zimbabwe, we are going to face the same problem because if President
Mugabe wins the next election, a new minister may come in and change the
whole policy,” he said.

Chindori-Chininga also told the Daily News recently that Parliament will
“always carry out our responsibilities as mandated by laws of Zimbabwe
without due influence”.

He has in the past told the Daily News that no amount of intimidation will
derail the body from carrying out its constitutional mandate of getting to
the bottom of the matter and any other issues that will arise.

Michael Fungati, a director in the troubled ministry, told parliamentarians
the decision to circumvent Parliament was a deliberate move to avoid
politicisation of the programme.

“We needed institutions which are impartial like chiefs and rural district
officers. (These institutions) are going to be there forever but
parliamentarians will come and go,” said Fungati.

But legislators rejected Fungati’s defence, setting the stage for a
potentially-explosive encounter with Kasukuwere who has already been
adjudged to be off-side by Mugabe on the issue.

Vice President Joice Mujuru has also torn into the mass empowerment
programme saying it should not be abused to benefit a few individuals.

Pressed by lawmakers, Fungati who was representing the Indigenisation
ministry, admitted that his ministry had made some mistakes.

“We admit we made some mistakes and we are trying to correct them. So we
have put some proposals to the Attorney General’s office to review the Act.
We are going to make more consultation in the mining sector so that we
correct everything,” said Fungati.

MDC MP Pearson Mungofa said: “Yes, we grilled him (Fungati) but he was not
giving satisfactory answers.

“I wanted him to clarify certain things in the deals, but he could not give
answers,” said Mungofa who said MPs from both Zanu PF and the two MDC
formations are prepared to take Kasukuwere to task over implementation of
the programme. - Chengetai Zvauya and Fungi Kwaramba


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MDC supports MPs calls to investigate Kasukuwere



Wednesday, 27 March 2013


The MDC is fully behind the move by the legislators from across the political divide to summon and investigate Saviour Kasukuwere, the Minister of Youth Affairs, Indigenisation and Empowerment for embarking on an ill-fated empowerment that is now riddled in corrupt activities.

The MPs from the Parliamentary Mines and Energy portfolio who are meeting in Vumba have added their voice in support of the MDC’s position that the Zanu PF model of empowerment and indigenisation is heavily skewed and will not benefit the people but only a few senior corrupt Zanu PF officials.

The legislators said the Zanu PF’s empowerment and indigenisation programme, spearheaded by Saviour Kasukuwere was distorted and would not in any way benefit the masses but a few individuals in Zanu PF.

This week Kasukuwere and two other ministers from Zanu PF, Obert Mpofu and Nicholas Goche blocked attempts by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) from accessing their offices in order to investigate them for corruption.

Even an official from Kasukuwere’s ministry, Michael Fungati a director in the troubled Ministry of Youth Affairs, Indigenisation and Empowerment admitted that the ministry had made fatal mistakes in implementing the programme.

“We admit we made some mistakes,” Fungati told the MPs.

The legislators have since resolved to summon and question Kasukuwere to Parliament when they resume their next sitting in April.

Similar calls have been made by the Finance Minister and the MDC secretary general; Hon. Tendai Biti to investigate indigenisation agreements reached with various foreign companies amid serious concerns only one Harare financial advisory company has handled the transactions and illegally pocketed millions of dollars.

The MPs revelations on the skewed Zanu PF’s indigenisation and empowerment policy once again vindicates the MDC’s position that the Zanu PF policy is inconsistent and will not in any way benefit the people of Zimbabwe but only a few elite Zanu PF politicians.

As a Party of Excellence that was formed in 1999 with the people at heart, the MDC is not against the economic empowerment of the people of Zimbabwe but we are strongly against the Zanu PF model that will only benefit its already wealthy elite and does little to solve the country’s employment crisis while scaring away the much-needed foreign investment.

The MDC has come up with an economic policy, Jobs, Upliftment, Investment, Capital and the Environment (JUICE) that will address Zimbabwe’s long standing economic problems of high unemployment, deepening poverty and inequality and be a pathway for inclusive and sustainable long-term growth based on a broad-based human upliftment model.



--
MDC Information & Publicity Department
Harvest House
44 Nelson Mandela Ave
Harare
Zimbabwe
Tel: 00263 4 770 708
--


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Tsvangirai’s four aides finally granted bail

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Nomalanga Moyo
27 March 2013

The High Court on Wednesday granted bail to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s
four aides, who are facing allegations of ‘impersonating a police officer’.

Defence lawyers approached the High Court appealing a 20th March ruling by a
magistrate, who refused to bail the four on the grounds that they were a
flight risk.

Justice Chinembiri Bhunu overturned Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa’s ruling,
and agreed with the defence team that Gofa had erred in reaching that
decision.

Bhunu took over from Judge Joseph Musakwa, who recused himself from the case
Tuesday, to avoid a conflict of interest as he said he once worked with
three of the accused at the attorney-general’s office.

Thabani Mpofu, Warship Dumba, Felix Matsinde and Mehluli Tshuma –who are
part of Tsvangirai’s research team – were arrested on March 17th as part of
a raid on the Prime Minister’s office.

The four are accused of breaching official secrets laws and compiling
corruption dossiers against government officials, including police chief
Augustine Chihuri.

Welcoming Justice Bhunu’s ruling, defence lawyer Chris Mhike said: “The
judge noted that magistrate Gofa did not follow standard guidelines
pertaining to bail applications and that if she had, she wouldn’t have
arrived at the decision she did.

“The judge therefore set aside the magistrate’s judgement. This means that
the four accused persons can now go home on bail until the state has
finalised its case.”

As part of their bail conditions, the four co-accused were ordered to pay a
deposit of $500 each and told not to interfere with state witnesses and
investigations. They were also ordered to surrender their passports and to
report to the police once a week, on Fridays.

But while the rest of the co-accused will be relieved to be going home after
spending 11 days in remand prison, Mpofu will be preparing for a court
appearance on Thursday at the Rotten Row Magistrates’ Court.

Mpofu, a former prosecutor, is facing an additional separate charge of
possessing a gun without a licence and not securing it properly.

Mpofu’s lawyer Mhike, told SW Radio Africa that his client was scheduled to
appear at the courts Wednesday but the trial had to be postponed to allow
Mpofu to attend the High Court bail appeal.

However, the lawyer said it was doubtful that the trial will commence as
scheduled, owing partly to the Easter break that starts Thursday.

“Thursday is half-day at the Rotten Row Magistrates’ Courts and I doubt that
the court will have enough time to hear the matter, and also considering
that the courts are already congested with other cases.

“There is also the challenge that as the defence team we have not had an
opportunity to interview our client and prepare for trial because of the
other case,” Mhike added.


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Iran helping Zimbabwe snoop on internet

http://nehandaradio.com

on March 27, 2013 at 1:42 pm

By Itai Mushekwe

Iran’s ostracized leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has upped the ante in relations
with Zimbabwe with reports that Tehran is involved in a massive cyber
training exercise of hundreds of Zimbabwe’s intelligence and military
operatives Nehanda Radio has gathered.

The move ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections expected in less
than three months, has sparked fears of a crackdown against Zanu PF
opponents.

The two nations it would seem are now consolidating their anti-western world
foreign policy, amid remarks by Iran’s defence minister, Brigadier General
Ahmad Vahidi while meeting his counterpart defence minister, Emmerson
Mnangagwa last April in Tehran that the Islamic republic:

“Will help strengthen their military so that they are able to protect their
land and culture, especially so they are prepared against the pressures and
threats from Western countries.”

Senior security service officials in a wide-range of briefings to us have
confirmed that the cyber training program began in earnest in 2007, and had
now reached it’s crescendo.

“The country’s then national security minister, Didymus Mutasa was
instrumental in establishing the cyber training programme, with assistance
from various Iranian intelligence organizations under the auspices of that
country’s ministry of intelligence and national security,” said an official
working with the state security ministry in Harare.

“Mutasa visited Iran in March 2010 where he was signing a uranium for oil
deal, and took the occassion to monitor the programme he had commissioned.
Groups of armed forces and Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) personnel
are undergoing intensive cyber training, which includes technological
warfare techniques, counter-intelligence and methods of suppressing popular
revolts among others, every six months.”

Mugabe is determined in his bid of holding onto power, to use rogue cyber
assaults to perform complex eavesdropping and hacking techniques against
perceived government opponents, including his own ministers and Zanu PF
officials suspected of sympathising with the MDC and western diplomats, the
officials said.

Tehran has developed one of the world’s most sophisticated mechanisms for
controlling and censoring the internet, enabling the regime to examine the
content of individual online communications at a grand scale, after courting
the assistance of some European telecommunications companies in developing
its monitoring capabilities.

Some of the companies, which include German conglomerate Siemens AG, and
Finnish mobile phone manufacturer, Nokia Corporation came under fire
recently for doing business with Iran which has been slapped with financial
sanctions by the EU over its controversial nuclear programme.

Now there is growing panic that: “Harare has already negotiated with Tehran
to provide it with similar telecommunications technology it has developed,
for internal use at home,” another source said.

A secretive intelligence arm, the Military Intelligence Unit (MIU) will be
charged with the responsibility to monitor and tap into the communications
of opposition figures, civil societies and journalists perceived to be “a
security threat through their work”.

Our informants believe the little known MIU is as dreaded as the Central
Intelligence Organisation (CIO), the only difference being that the former
is an apparatus operating under the defence ministry’s covert operations,
reporting to the defence minister who in turn passes and coordinates
intelligence with the army commander and president.

Through a technique called “deep packet inspection”, Iran’s sophisticated
mechanisms of controlling the internet enables government authorities to not
only block communication but to monitor it, to gather information about
individuals, as well as alter it for propaganda purposes, which is a dream
come true for Mugabe’s egregious security law, The Interception of
Communications Act passed in 2007 to allow government to wiretape all
communications of the populace, without their consent or notification.

The law empowers the chief of defense intelligence, the director-general of
the CJO, the commissioner of police and the commissioner general of the
Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) to intercept telephonic, e-mail and
cellphone messages.

This piece of legislation also empowers state security agencies to open mail
passing through the post and through licensed courier service providers.

Apart from the covert cyber training, Iran announced in February 2010
through its ambassador to Zimbabwe, Rasoul Momeni, the construction of an
airbase in the country that will be used to train local helicopter pilots,
technicians, make possible supplies of new aircrafts, together with
assistance in maintenance and repairs.


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Nyikayaramba wants to be ZANU PF MP for Uzumba

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
27 March 2013

Major-General Douglas Nyikayaramba, the top army commander who infamously
proclaimed two years ago that the army would die to make sure Robert Mugabe
remains in power, wants to contest the parliamentary elections for ZANU PF
in Uzumba, Mashonaland East province.

Nyikayaramba, the only serving soldier who is not a service chief but still
on the EU sanctions list, has been seen around Uzumba campaigning wearing
military fatigues. A source told SW Radio Africa that Nyikayaramba, who has
also declared that Mugabe will only leave office when he dies, is
challenging the sitting ZANU PF MP, Simba Mudarikwa.

Mudarikwa is reportedly linked to Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s faction
while Nyikayaramba belongs to Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa’s camp.
Nyikayaramba has been de-campaigning Mudarikwa, using contents from a leaked
US diplomatic cable detailing the ZANU PF MP’s meeting with Charles Ray, the
former US ambassador to Zimbabwe.

Mudarikwa is quoted in the leaked cable telling Ray new leadership was
essential in ZANU PF and would emerge when some of the old-timers, including
President Mugabe, left the scene. The cable, dispatched to Washington on
February 10 2010, said Mudarikwa offered his observations on various topics,
including the state of ZANU PF, indigenization and elections.

Mudarikwa said that Mujuru or Simon Khaya Moyo, former ambassador to South
Africa and now ZANU PF national chairman, were possible successors, although
Mujuru’s fear of President Mugabe was affecting her ability to lead.

It is believed Nyikayaramba’s campaign strategy borders around the leaked
cable, briefing people who attend his meetings that Mudarikwa was not a
trusted cadre. But the soldier’s fight to dethrone Mudarikwa may be
curtailed by new regulations governing primary elections being mulled over
by ZANU PF.

Our source said ZANU PF is considering adopting a very controversial rule
that only allows party officials who hold positions in the provincial
executives, the central committee and the politburo to contest party
primaries.


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MDC-T to announce own poll results

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

27/03/2013 00:00:00
     by Staff Reporter

MDC-T secretary general Tendai Biti has vowed to risk arrest at the next
general elections by announcing results from the party’s own parallel vote
tabulation process.

Speaking Tuesday at a public meeting in Harare which also included MDC and
Zanu PF panellists, Biti said: “I know there are CIOs here; prepare to
arrest us.

“Even though the new Electoral Act now says no one, except the Zimbabwe
Electoral Commission (ZEC), should announce election results, l want
guarantee you that l am not going to announce the election results but l am
going to announce our own because l (won't be) breaking any law.”

Zimbabwe will, this year, hold fresh elections to replace the coalition
government although the GPA parties remain miles apart over the timing of
the new polls.

Biti was arrested and charged with treason for announcing the results of the
2008 elections before the state electoral agency had released its own
tallies. The charges were later thrown out by the courts.

The top MDC-T official said he had only overcome a “strong temptation” to
announce the MDC-T’s own tabulation of results from the recent
Constitutional referendum out of “respect” for newly appointed ZEC
chairperson, Justice Rita Makarau.

He however, said there was a significant variance between ZEC’s referendum
numbers and those compiled by his own party and suggested elements in the
election agency may have massaged the plebiscite outcome in preparation for
the forthcoming elections.

“The number of people who voted in certain provinces is more than the total
number of people that the census said there are in these constituencies and
the provinces are Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands, Masvingo
and Mashonaland East,” he said.

“It means that there were great inaccuracies in the census or it means that
certain people are cooking numbers in preparation of the general election.”

The election agency was reconstituted as part of a raft of reforms expected
to help ensure credible elections in the country.
But Biti said although his party had no problems with ZEC’s commissioners
the organisation’s secretariat needed to be revamped before the new
elections.

“I have no problem with the commissioners,” he said.
“But the ZEC staff has to be dealt with. We know that they were having
meetings with JOC (Joint Operations Command), we know that they were an
extension of the security apparatus of this country. We can’t go to an
election (with the) current ZEC staff.”

Biti also repeated claims senior MDC-T officials had been targeted for
assassination before the polls.

“They (Zanu PF) are targeting the real centres of the pro-democracy movement
and it’s going to come to our party,” he said.
“We have evidence of people that are being trained in Israel for
assassination attempts…so l wouldn’t be surprised if there are strategic
assassinations in the movement.”

The allegations – first made by Biti at a party rally in February were
however dismissed as “pathetic lies” by Zanu PF.
“These (allegations) are manufactured lies and they are only meant to win
the hearts of (the MDC-T’s) sponsors,” Zanu PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo said.

“We are not even moved by their lies and what they should know is that we
are not going to eliminate anyone from the race that way. We will eliminate
them democratically.

“It is (however) disturbing to note that towards elections, when we have
agreed that we are going to create a conducive environment for free and fair
elections, the MDC- T is still orchestrating plans to discredit other
political parties in the race.”


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ZANU PF will struggle to beat MDC-T in general elections

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
27 March 2013

Doubts have been raised that ZANU PF will cruise to a landslide victory
against the MDC-T in the forthcoming harmonized elections, as suggested by
some analysts.

Pedzisai Ruhanya, a director for the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute, said it
is foolhardy for analysts to predict a victory for any particular political
party, based on the voting patterns of the just ended referendum.

Speaking on SW Radio Africa’ s Hidden Story program on Wednesday, Ruhanya
said the next election will be won based on what the parties will be able to
offer to Zimbabweans.

‘First of all I beg to differ with assumptions that ZANU PF will win the
forthcoming harmonized elections basing on the referendum voting patterns.

‘That may not be true. Nothing significant has taken place in Zimbabwe that
shows Robert Mugabe has redeemed himself. Nothing has happened to show ZANU
PF has redeemed and is now a reformed political party,’ said Ruhanya.

He added: ‘They continue to harass people, they continue to arrest people,
they continue to be corrupt and they continue to crackdown on the civil
society in Zimbabwe.’
The former journalist said he wondered how, with such a scandalous track
record, the former ruling party would be able to market itself as a party
for the people and one that seeks to improve the lives of Zimbabweans.

Ruhanya also discounted the theory that ZANU PF still has strongholds in
rural Zimbabwe, arguing that the MDC-T has made huge inroads in the past
years.

‘Look at Masvingo province. Before the 2008 elections the MDC-T had one
parliamentary seat, but after the harmonized poll they won 14 seats. In
Manicaland, the MDC-T had two seats before the poll but managed to win 20
out of 26.

‘Those statistics show the MDC-T has made incredible strides inside ZANU PF’s
political turf. Voters are now looking at real issues and not political
rhetoric, so parties should not take things for granted, they should instead
sharpen their strategies and use them to mobilize people to vote,’ he said.


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Zanu PF cheating ahead of Zimbabwe election

http://nehandaradio.com

on March 27, 2013 at 2:56 pm

By Lance Guma

CHIMANIMANI – President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF party is being accused of
cheating in advance of elections this year with officials from the Registra
General’s office allegedly making it hard for known MDC-T supporters to
register to vote.

MDC-T Treasurer General Roy Bennett, a former MP for Chimanimani said
“People from Old Location and rural areas that do not have proof of
residence are going to register, they are then sent to get a stamped
document from the council and are charged one dollar.”

In contrast “Zanu PF youth chair Joshua Sacco”s 30 tonne “Gonyete”
Registration number ABN 7717 Blue Freight Liner, which is ferrying 250
people at a time to the Registration office. They are going straight in and
getting ID’s and registering as voters. This is a tip of the iceberg country
wide,” he said.

Bennett who famously pushed Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa to the floor
in parliament has endured arrests, beatings, torture and prolonged periods
of detention before he decided to go into exile. This week he urged
Zimbabweans to “keep shinning lights in the dark corners of Zanu PF’s
desperation.”

At the inception of the unity government in 2009, Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai appointed Bennett to serve as the Deputy Minister of Agriculture.
Mugabe refused to swear him in claiming he faced treason charges. But even
after Bennett was cleared of those charges Mugabe still refused to swear him
in.

Meanwhile the MDC-T and other parties continue to ignore warnings about
going into another election with a Zimbabwe Electoral Commission whose
secretariat is still stuffed with former soldiers and Central Intelligence
Organisation (CIO) officials who are fiercely loyal to Mugabe and his Zanu
PF party.


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Zanu-PF will win, says NCA

http://www.herald.co.zw/

Tuesday, 26 March 2013 23:38

Lloyd Gumbo
Herald Reporter

ZANU-PF will win the forthcoming harmonised elections basing on the
referendum voting patterns, National Constitutional Assembly chairperson
Professor Lovemore Madhuku has said .

Prof Madhuku made the remarks at a discussion forum at Sapes Trust in Harare
last night.

Zanu-PF was represented by Cde Godwills Masimirembwa while the MDC-T was
represented by its secretary-general, Mr Tendai Biti.
The discussion was about the significance of the referendum results in the
balance of power for the harmonised elections.  Voting trends in the
referendum showed most

Zanu-PF strongholds in rural areas delivering high turnouts to drive the
“Yes Vote” with MDC-T-dominated urban areas recording low endorsement in
some areas. Analysts posited that if the referendum results mirrored the
impending harmonised elections, then Zanu-PF was poised for a landslide
victory.
“My impression was that most votes were Zanu-PF until I heard Dr (Ibbo)
Mandaza saying Tendai (Biti) thinks they were MDC-T,” said Prof Madhuku.

He said Harare province, which is considered an MDC-T stronghold, may have
recorded the highest vote, but most of the people who voted were
unregistered voters.
“It is in the rural areas where votes matter, especially in Mashonaland East
province, in Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland West. In Harare, there will
be a low voter turnout because some people will not be registered while
rural areas will maintain a high voter turnout.

“In the MDC-T strongholds there was so much resistance (at the referendum),
especially in Matabeleland provinces. I did not also hear of people who got
to the polling station and said they wanted their vote to be cast on
Tsvangirai, but it was very common to hear people saying they wanted their
vote to be cast on President Mugabe,” Prof Madhuku said.

The University of Zimbabwe law lecturer said they would not sympathise with
the MDC-T’s calls for a delayed poll, saying the party abandoned them when
they protested the referendum.

He said claims by MDC-T that they needed more time were uncalled for
considering that the NCA did not get sufficient time to campaign for a “NO”
vote.
Prof Madhuku said the harmonised elections were likely to be held towards
the end of June or by mid-July.
Cde Masimirembwa said it was clear that most people who voted at the
referendum belonged to Zanu-PF.

“Those people believe that now is the time for them to defend what they
fought for during the liberation struggle. The people of Zimbabwe know what
they want. That vote by the people was an informed vote,” said Cde
Masimirembwa.
He said it was strange that MDC-T was claiming ownership of the draft
constitution when it contained founding principles and values that are
synonymous with Zanu-PF.

The founding values, he said, stated that Britain was supposed to compensate
white former commercial farmers whose land was redistributed to the landless
majority.
Cde Masimirembwa said the MDC-T would never push for such an agenda
considering its relationship with the former colonisers.
He said it was the prerogative of President Mugabe to proclaim the election
date, adding that Zanu-PF would romp to victory in both rural and urban
areas.

The life of the current Parliament, he said, would lapse on June 29, hence
there was need to have elections before that deadline.
Mr Biti claimed that the constitution-making process was the brainchild of
his party since its formation.
He said the MDC-T ran a parallel vote counting which, however, had variances
with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission results.

“There are, however, disturbing things where we found that in provinces like
Midlands, Mashonaland East and Masvingo the number of people who voted at
the referendum is more than the number of people reflected in the
preliminary results of the population census,” he said.
Mr Biti said his party conducted a district by district analysis of the
voting patterns at the referendum.

He said in Harare province there was a 33 percent gap between registered
voters and those who are not registered.
Mr Biti claimed that the earliest time that elections could be held was
August 15 basing on the number of processes that have to be done before the
elections.
He said the forthcoming elections were going to be an issue-based election
between indigenisation and job creation.
Mr Biti claimed that the polls would experience more political violence than
previous ones and reiterated his claim that some people were being trained
in Israel to assassinate the MDC-T leadership.

Ironically it is the MDC-T which is likely to have closer ties with Israel
on account of its western linkages as Zanu-PF is inclined towards Palestine.
Some of the people who contributed said Zanu-PF was  likely to win the
elections given its capacity to mobilise the rural voters.
Several recent surveys that have given Zanu-PF the edge over its coalition
government partner, the MDC-T.

In September last year, the UK-based pro-MDC-T group, Zimbabwe Vigil, said
the MDC-T was likely to lose the forthcoming harmonised elections because of
rampant corruption within its top leadership among other issues.

Zimbabwe Virgil’s damning assessment of MDC-T’s electoral chances came hard
on the heels of two unflattering surveys by the US-based group, Freedom
House, and Afro barometer that said President Mugabe and Zanu-PF would win
polls ahead of Mr Tsvangirai and the MDC-T. The Freedom House survey, that
was released in August, said support for the MDC-T had fallen from 38
percent in 2010 to 20 percent this year while support for Zanu-PF grew to 31
percent from 17 percent, over the same period.

The survey also said that President Mugabe would command the support of 31
percent of voters in a presidential election, compared to 19 percent for Mr
Tsvangirai.
The survey said Zanu-PF had clear programmes such as the land reform and
other empowerment programmes to sell to the electorate while the “Change”
mantra pushed by MDC-T had lost steam.

The Afro barometer survey, entitled “Voting Intentions in Zimbabwe: A Margin
of Terror?”, also put Zanu-PF ahead of MDC-T, but said another coalition
government was likely. Another survey carried out later in the year, in
November, by the Mass Public Opinion Institute and released in February this
year said Zanu PF would win the parliamentary elections with 33 percent of
the vote to 32 percent for the MDC-T.


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Residents 2: Chombo 0

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

27.03.13

by Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association

BULAWAYO Progressive Residents Association (BPRA), through its Ward 13
Chairperson, Alick Gumede, has once again blocked the Minister of Local
Government, Urban and Rural Development from undemocratically interfering in
the affairs of Bulawayo without the consultation of residents.

Alick Gumede under the aegis of BPRA has successfully blocked two special
interest councillors – Gatsha Mazitulela and Siphiwe Ncube – who were
unilaterally imposed on Bulawayo by Minister Chombo from attending Bulawayo
City Council (BCC) meetings after he filed a high court application arguing
that the appointments were unwarranted and a waste of ratepayers’ money as
councillors’ terms of office were about to end. In January, BPRA again,
through its Secretary for People Living with Disabilities in ward 13,
successfully blocked Chombo from appointing Fidelis Fengu as a special
interest councillor in Bulawayo.

Gumede, through his lawyer Job Sibanda argued in papers filed on 26 February
2013 that “the appointments were grossly irregular as to defy common sense
in that the very life of council to which they have been appointed comes to
an end in the next month or so.” He further argued that: “such appointments
shall not benefit council, but shall only drain the financial resources of
the council to which the applicant is a contributor by virtue of him being a
ratepayer.”According to media reports, High Court Judge Justice Meshack
Cheda last Thursday (21 March 2013) barred the two special interest
councillors from attending BCC meetings pending the outcome of the court
challenge by Gumede. He is cited as having said he was “inclined to agree
that no purpose will be served by these appointments” arguing that they were
too late and hence unreasonable.

BPRA has previously expressed concerns that the Urban Council’s Act (Chapter
29:15) invests too much power in the Minister of Local Government, allowing
him too much leeway to undemocratically dictate the conduct of local
authorities without consulting residents. It is BPRA’s contention that
special interest councillors should not be imposed by a minister, but should
be elected by the residents (or the special interest group to be
represented) in a democratic manner. As such BPRA rejects the appointment of
special interest councillors as they are imposed by Minister Chombo, who is
not impartial in the country’s political contestations, without consultation
of residents. As part of its mandate to promote democratic local governance
in Zimbabwe, the association will step up its campaign to have the Urban
Council’s Act amended. Furthermore, it will continue to resist attempts my
Minister Chombo or any other minister of local government that may be
appointed in the future from undemocratically meddling in the affairs of
Bulawayo.


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Supreme Court judgment gives Mutambara breathing space

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
27 March 2013

MDC leader Welshman Ncube has suffered another political blow in his attempt
to be recognized as a party principal, when the Supreme Court postponed
judgment on a legal wrangle which involves the deputy Prime Minister, Arthur
Mutambara.

Mutambara has been battling to keep his position in the inclusive
government, after he sought a court order to nullify the MDC ‘s January 2011
congress that ejected him as President.

Mutambara lost his position as president of the smaller MDC formation to his
former Secretary-General Ncube at the congress, and has since formed a
parallel executive, which he says is the legitimate MDC faction.

Two years ago, Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha declared
Mutambara an illegitimate MDC leader, in an order which was meant to put an
end to the long-running legal wrangle over control of the party between him
and Ncube.

But that order was to stand, pending the outcome of a Harare case in which
Mutambara’s ally, Joubert Mudzumwe and 13 others, challenged Ncube’s
ascendancy to the party’s helm at the 2011 congress.

That matter was heard on Monday and Mutambara had a political reprieve when
the Supreme Court indefinitely postponed judgment in his appeal against an
order declaring him an illegitimate leader of the MDC.

Lionel Saungweme, our correpsondent in Bulawayo, described the judgement as
a massive blow to Ncube’s attempts to dethrone Mutambara as a party
principal.

‘What this ruling means is that the inclusive government will run its full
course without Ncube joining Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai as
principals. Ncube might be consoled by the mere the fact the present
government has less than four months to go before elections are held to
usher in a new regime,’ Saungweme said.


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Internet Users Still Experiencing Network Slowdown

http://www.voazimbabwe.com

Gibbs Dube
27.03.2013

WASHINGTON — Zimbabweans in some cities continue experiencing a slowdown in
internet services due to the severing of under sea cables by ship anchors
six days ago near Egypt and France.

According to some residents of Zvishavane, Victoria Falls, Bulawayo and
Masvingo, the slowdown has affected business transactions such as the
popular Econet Wireless Zimbabwe's money transfer system – EcoCash,
communication between civil society groups and social networking.

Liberty Bhebhe of the National Youth Development Trust said most youths are
feeling the pinch of the slowdown as internet social networking has become
part of their lives.

In a statement posted on its website, SEACOM  - which is in charge of some
of the internet cables - says it has completed the restoration of the
majority of its customers on its cable system link that was cut in Egpyt and
Europe.

Internet users in Harare and Mutare say the situation has improved following
the slowdown which started Friday.

According to the Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of
Zimbabwe, mobile internet subscribers on Zimbabwe's three mobile networks
rose to over 2 million by the end of August last year.


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Wildlife authorities urged to keep strengthening anti-poaching laws

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
27 March 2013

Zimbabwe’s wildlife authorities have been urged to keep strengthening the
country’s anti-poaching laws, if the problem is ever to be eradicated.

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has announced new laws
that impose stiffer penalties for people found guilty of poaching protected
species. The Authority’s public relations manager, Caroline Washaya-Moyo,
said the new laws would affect those who kill any protected animals gazetted
by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Management. This
includes rhino and elephant.

“Any person who is convicted for unlawful killing of a rhinoceros or
elephant is expected to be sentenced to nine years for a first offender or
eleven years for a second or subsequent offender,” she said.

Poaching has been rife in Zimbabwe for years, and conservation groups have
been calling for a stronger reaction from the authorities in an attempt to
stamp out the problem.

Johnny Rodrigues, the chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, told
SW Radio Africa on Wednesday that the new laws are a “beginning,” but a lot
more needs to be done.

“I do think the penalties are quite lenient and I think they should be much
tougher. But the problem is that poaching will continue because it is so
lucrative,” Rodrigues explained.

He said the problem will not be solved by arresting individual poachers,
because they are often “doing the dirty work” for large syndicates. He said
that these syndicates are taking advantage of Zimbabwe’s poor economic
climate, where unemployment is rife.

“These syndicates are hiring just a normal person to do the actual poaching
and paying them peanuts. And these are the guys that then get arrested. So
it’s very hard to bring the actual perpetrators to book,” Rodrigues said.

He also explained that while tougher laws are welcome, “there is no body
policing or enforcing the laws.”

“Who is enforcing any of the laws that exist now? It is very serious and
there is a lot of work to be done,” Rodrigues said.


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Zimbabwe choppers court review postponed

http://www.timeslive.co.za

Sapa | 27 March, 2013 13:03

A court review into the SANDF's plan to send helicopters to Zimbabwe has
been postponed until next month, civil society organisation AfriForum said.

"The matter was postponed by agreement of all the parties. The minister of
defence was not ready," said AfriForum's legal representative Willie Spies.

He said the review would be heard on April 18 in the High Court in Pretoria.

In late February, an interim court order to stop the proposed delivery of
South Africa's fleet of Alouette III helicopters and its spares to the
Zimbabwean Air Force was confirmed.

Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, the National Conventional Arms
Control Committee (NCACC) and the Secretary of Defence did not oppose the
granting of a final interdict.

The interdict stands pending the completion of AfriForum's application to
review the SA National Defence Force's decision to donate the military
equipment to its neighbouring country.

On Wednesday, Spies said the defence minister had filed papers detailing the
decision-making process to the court.

He said the review AfriForum wanted would essentially ask the court to
investigate whether the SANDF's decision was a lawful one.

AfriForum believed it contravened the public finance management act, which
stipulated that no donation can be made unless certain procedures were
followed.

Spies said his organisation also wanted to investigate if laws were adhered
to which required a permit before conventional arms can be exported.

The Alouette helicopters were in service in the SA Air Force for over 40
years, but became obsolete with the arrival of a fleet of Italian-made
helicopters procured as part of the controversial arms deal.

Members of the opposition have expressed concern that the donation of the
helicopters would send out a message that the South African government
condoned the use of force by the Zimbabwean Defence Force to return
President Robert Mugabe to power in the upcoming elections in that country.


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Jabulani Sibanda – a desperate but dangerous imposter with wet ears

Lunacy is ZANU PF’s second nature, it would appear. Without wasting time and
effort looking beyond the so-called Zimbabwe Liberation War Veterans
Association, one can easily count more than a dozen lunatics who have
unfortunately tainted what would have been a noble organisation, given our
bitter history.

When the leadership of this association went to the dogs (literally), not
many Zimbabweans continued to take it seriously, including, paradoxically,
even the patron of the organisation who is now at a loss as to which of the
two splinter groups represents the real ideals of the liberation struggle. A
former taxi driver masquerading as medical doctor and freedom fighter,
Chenjerai Hunzvi, who knew the streets of Warsaw better than he could spell
his full name, was the first to bring shame to the former liberators’
movement. Later, came the “legendary “Joseph Chinotimba and now this
prodigious moron, Jabulani Sibanda!

The only difference between Sibanda and his two predecessors is probably
that he is too young to have fought in the liberation war no matter how much
spin he puts to his curriculum vitae. Even if it was edited by Jonathan
Moyo, any sane Zimbabwean would still see gaping holes in it. Jabu’s age is
a matter of public record and I won’t waste your precious time discussing
that fact other than to say he was never a bearer of “chitinyana or
sitikinyana” assuming he knows what it is. But I digress.

At a press conference recently in Gweru, Sibanda, shamelessly, accused the
MDC of “betraying the liberation struggle by calling for sanctions”. He went
on to say that war veterans will not allow MDC or any party other than ZANU
PF to win the next elections. As if this foolish sabre-rattling was not
enough, Jabulani further said, categorically, “If the worst comes to the
worst, our weapons will defend our ideas”.

When one looks at events of the past few days which culminated in the
shameful incarceration of prominent lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa and a number of
innocent Zimbabweans including staff from the Prime Minister’s office, one
can conclude that in his calamitous desperation, this hoodlum is not acting
alone.

Nevertheless, if ours was a normal democracy, recent statements attributed
to him would have instantly attracted a charge of treason for which he would
be facing a death sentence or a lengthy period as an unwilling guest at
Hotel Chikurubi. Jabulani needs to be reminded that nowhere on planet earth
has the gun solved any problem conclusively. It may have been a means to an
end in some cases but not an end in itself. Lancaster House talks, UN
Resolution 435 which paved the way for an independent Namibia and may
others, are very close examples which demonstrate that the pen is always
mightier than the sword as voters will again prove during the next
elections. For that reason, Zimbabweans are ready and itching for that
opportunity to use the pen to defend their destiny.

Nobody should take Zimbabweans for granted. Had it not been for our love for
peace, prosperity and co-existence (some would say it’s cowardice), the
country would have “burned and crashed a long time ago”, to borrow a famous
quote from Eddie Cross. However, our deep love for the only Zimbabwe we have
coupled with our above-average literacy (by African standards), made us
choose the route of peace which we are determined to conclude in the
solitary comfort of the ballot box. The recent referendum, like that in
2000, has been a big wake-up call for Jabulani Sibanda and other like-minded
scaremongers so they are now trying their best to provoke our intelligence
with the hope that we will lose focus and start exerting our energies
towards useless battles, but we won’t.

Jabulani and his surrogates as well as masters must be reminded that
Zimbabweans know that they are now in their last mile so there is no need to
start the race afresh. Hypothetically, if we were to pit all surviving
ex-combatants against the rest of the peace-loving population, I don’t think
we would need to be rocket scientists to accurately predict the result even
if the referee was a blindfolded blind man.

Zimbabweans will never forget who their real heroes and heroines are. We
shall forever hold these in the highest esteem such as Josiah Tongogara,
Nikita Mangena, Josiah Tungamirai, Lookout Masuku, Rex Nhongo, comrade Dzino
(Wilfred Mhanda), Henry Dzinotyiwei, Teurai Ropa Nhongo (even those who have
now lost their way such as Rugare Gumbo and Emmerson Mnangagwa), not wet ear
imposters literally singing for their supper such as Jabulani Sibanda.

In South Africa, there was once a youthful loose cannon in the name of
Julius Malema but we all know what eventually happened to him. If ZANU PF
won’t reign in their misguided sons such as Jabulani Siabanda, Zimbabweans
shall. It is just a matter of when.

Moses Chamboko writes in his personal capacity. He can contacted at
chambokom@gmail.com


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Political idiocy and the aftermath of the ‘yes’ vote in Zimbabwe

http://nehandaradio.com/

on March 26, 2013 at 5:09 pm

By Rawlings Standgun Magede

Recently, I was debating the recent referendum with COPAC co-chair, Paul
Mangwana over the legitimacy of the yes vote.

His argument was that Zimbabweans did well by grabbing this opportunity
presented them and voted in favour of the document as this process had taken
a lot of time and money.

He went on to argue that there is no constitution that can best meet the
term “people driven” citing that even the American constitution was written
by less than five people and yet it is ranked as one of the best
constitutions in the world.

To him the fact that only a “handful’ of people were consulted during the
scandalous outreach programme, made the constitution “very’ people driven.

While there might be a grain of truth in his argument I reminded him that
the United States of America and Zimbabwe are totally different countries at
different socio-economic and political developments, hence those countries
are worlds apart in terms of governance to say the least and cannot be
compared.

As far as Mangwana’s duty as a citizen is concerned, he thinks that his job
was done because he claims that he delivered the constitution 33 years years
after independence. He wrongfully thinks history will absolve him for
delivering such a careless, selfish and disastrous constitution to the
people of Zimbabwe.

I argued and told him that constitutions across the world are based on the
country’s history hence the reason why the Lancaster Constitution was
amended so many times like that because it fell short in addressing arising
issues.

I later on jokingly concluded to him that if there was anywhere in the world
where constitutions should not provide for an executive president, then it’s
in Africa, the place where power is abused by incumbent presidents to
unleash terror and mayhem against opponents.

The idiots of the 21st century are not those who oppose and question
undemocratic decisions taken by politicians and labelled ‘nhinhi” at every
turn, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn from history.

They are those who herd people like cattle into unprincipled terrains where
the grass will not be greener for the future generations of Zimbabwe. The
question should be: is the next generation going to be proud of decisions
that we make for them?

History in Africa has taught us that if too much power is given to one
person, where he is the sole appointing authority of all key posts, then
there will be untold suffering on all those who dare question or oppose him.

While this writer feels pity for the two MDC formations in the inclusive
government and some malleable civic society organisations for choosing
against better advice to support the COPAC draft amid widespread approval of
the draft as an elitist document by the people of Zimbabwe and some civic
organisations such as NCA, they had no clue what the consequences of their
decisions meant.

For them no matter the contents of the draft, ‘progress’ and not the content
was important as long as we do away with the Lancaster constitution. They
actually were hoodwinked into believing that ZANU PF was sincere in calling
for unity and peace and the need to “move” the country forward by voting
“yes”, little did they know that they were wrong.

In the end ZANU PF managed to achieve what they had always wanted: writing a
constitution that protects their interests. There is no name in the lexicon
that can best describe such sell-out tendencies within the MDC’s and some
CSO’s.

While some of us who we campaigning for a no vote were harangued and called
all sorts of names and labelled retrogressive elements, events that began
unfolding have led many people realise that the “yes vote was not about
progress and moving the country forward but it was about settling a
political score.

Before the ink on the ballot papers could even dry, a top human rights
defender, Beatrice Mtetwa was arrested under unclear and malicious
circumstances.

As if that was not enough, The Prime Minister of the Republic of Zimbabwe,
the right honourable Morgan Richard Tsvangirai’s staff were arrested. More
arrests followed. The Prime Minister even tried to get them released but to
no avail.

What does it show to the people of Zimbabwe? He is the Prime Minister and
hence should have influence on the police that is if at all he has any aorta
of influence and power in government.

At one point I used to believe that Tsvangirai was the man who had felt the
pulse of the people of Zimbabwe but when he endorsed such a draconian draft
by whipping his supporters to support such a flawed document that creates an
all powerful president I changed my mind.

He went on to tell green lies to the electorate that the COPAC draft will
clip executive power. Where? How? I still wonder and I am still looking in
this “foolish” draft where executive power is trimmed till today.

While many of his supporters see the world in binary terms i.e. MDC-T vs.
ZANU PF, what they fail to understand however is that our politics transcend
political parties. Whoever thought that the Nazi under Hitler would be
exterminated from the face of German politics?

Back during those days, it seemed a herculean task to ever imagine a Germany
without Hitler. Today if you go to Germany and dare mention Hitler’s name,
you might find yourself dead or wounded because the people there don’t want
to be reminded of such a dark phase in their history.

Coming back home we make our decisions without foresight of what the next 30
years of our beloved country hold by voting for a document where the
president remains the sole appointing authority of literally everyone.

I thought that most civic society groups who have witnessed unparalleled
attacks, imprisonment, killing and clampdown on their activities were going
to at least question the issue of the attorney general who just like in the
Lancaster Constitution is appointed by the president.

We have seen unwarranted arrests even after courts clear and order people to
be released but still many continue to be detained. On this subject of
attorney general there was surreal silence on who should appoint him from
civic organisations.

The evil agenda of the attorney general’s office against civic organisations
is conspicuous to any functioning mind.

For these CSOs this draft constitution that they voted “yes” for does not
change or seek to address the issue of the attorney general who has been a
thorn in their flesh for the all these years. Many sold out their principles
just because they wrongfully think that the MDC-T is always right and should
never be questioned and is never wrong.

They don’t realise that as far as their mandate as civic society that of
being the watchdog of government is concerned, they lost the plot and will
continue suffering huge, if not fatal setbacks in their pursuit of an
“MDC –type” of a democratic society.

While this shoot-from-the-hip approach by civic society to endorse a
fraudulent constitution against better advice on the basis that the MDCs had
endorsed it, unfortunately when the history of Zimbabwe is written, it will
not be kind to such sell out elements.

Otherwise the selling out by some civic society groups and the two MDC’s in
the inclusive government is a story yet to be told and it shall be told in
the same way as the sun shall rise tomorrow.

Rawlings Standgun Magede is a rural political enthusiast who writes from
Nkayi, Matebeleland north province. He can be emailed on
rawedge699@gmail.com


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The dark cloud of fear

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/

26.03.13

by Tawanda Majoni

Zimbabwe must surely hold the world record for being the topmost country
outside a war zone to be ruled, governed and controlled by fear. Give me a
Zimbabwean who is not very afraid and I will show you a female Pope.

This culture of fear that has pervaded our society for so long now is the
product of myopic and self-interested Zimbabwean politics.

It started off with some politicians, taking a cue from the colonial model,
instilling fear in perceived enemies as a method of self-preservation. Those
fear mongers then became big, so big in the head that those who had sent
them became startled as well.

Consider the security sector. Right from the early days of independence,
especially during Gukurahundi, politicians in power used the army, police,
and central intelligence to suppress a group of people who were seen as
rebels, together with thousands of innocent civilians whom government
imagined were aiding the dissidents.

This way, the security sector tasted power and, over the years, those at the
helm used their newly found thrones to dabble in all sorts of corrupt
activities to enrich themselves. Top securocrats, by virtue of the wealth
they have acquired over the last three decades, have become a very powerful
lot.

Needless to say, they have the guns - and files of who is doing what and
how, and the maps of State House and Munhumutapa. That puts the politicians
in a messy situation because they cannot easily deal with the securocrats.
That is why, despite their calls for peace, co-existence and adherence to
the laws of the country, the security sector still has the audacity to act
contrary to what they are exhorted to do by the politicians.

Yet the matrix goes beyond that. The securocrats, because of their dirty
hands and screaming skeletons, are quaking in their combat boots. They are
afraid of the past, present and future. They are afraid of the politicians
that gave them power, and they are afraid of politicians who are likely to
take that away. Their past is dirty, their present uncertain and their
future doomed. They therefore use more fear to bastion imagined hope about a
safe future.

In that regard, the securocrats would be the last ones to accept free and
fair conditions for this year’s general elections. After all, their
ill-gotten largesse will be forfeited and most of them will end up in sorry
prison garb, here or at The Hague. But I’m not concerned about that sort of
fear, because they brought the goblin home and it is purely their affair how
to get rid of it.

What is most painful and problematic is that the judiciary is also afraid.
Most of the top magistrates and judges are there on the basis of partisan
manipulation. I am not saying they lack the professional merit - it is just
that they are so beholden to the politicians, and to some extent to the
securocrats, they have to peep over their shoulders before making a ruling.
Failure to toe the political line makes them extremely vulnerable. Do you
remember the case of former Judge, Benjamin Paradza, who in 2006 had to flee
to South Africa in a truck because he had made politically incorrect
judgments? It didn’t matter that he was a war veteran.

Current magistrates and judges remember, of course, what happened to
justices Anthony Gubbay, Fergus Blackie, James Devittie and George Smith.
These are “shining examples” of what can happen to them if they step out of
line.

Now, to make matters worse, lawyers have also become a frightened group.
They get detained for representing clients. Andrew Makoni, Beatrice Mtetwa
and Thabani Mpofu make good case studies. Advocates get thoroughly beaten
for doing their job and are therefore afraid of taking on “political cases”.
This would definitely reduce all of us to a quivering lump. There is nothing
as scary as having to step into the dock to be faced by a quivering
magistrate and all in the absence of your lawyer who is doing time at
Chikurubi on trumped up charges.

Journalists, too, are now forced to spend time hiding at a relative’s place
rather than doing their job of informing, educating and entertaining,
because the politicians, police and securocrats are afraid of their
profession. They can’t countenance the possibility of having to face a
sweating judge and without legal representation for writing that President
Robert Mugabe dozed during a cabinet meeting, because that would be
“treating the President with contempt”.

MPs have not been spared the fear culture. Sometime last year, I was
chatting to an MP who belongs to the parliamentary committee on defence and
security, just after they had summoned police chief Augustine Chihuri for a
hearing. He told me he couldn’t ask all the questions he wanted for fear of
being followed after the hearing! Contrast that with the recent Marikana
hearing in South Africa when the National Police Commissioner, Riya Phiyega,
was quizzed over last year’s mine killings and the atmosphere was so free!
When judges, lawyers, law-makers and journalists stop functioning properly,
the general public are most at risk. There is no guarantee that they will
get justice in the courts, and they will not know what is happening. - For
feedback, please write to majonitt@gmail.com


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Bill Watch 11/2013 of 26th March [Referendum Results Gazetted]

BILL WATCH 11/2013

[27th March 2013]

Both Houses of Parliament are Adjourned until Tuesday 7th May

Government Gazette Extraordinary 26th March

The Referendum Results were gazetted yesterday in General Notice 201A/2013 signed by the Minister of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs:

General Notice 201A of 2013.

REFERENDUMS ACT [CHAPTER 2:10]

Publication of the Referendum Results

IT is hereby notified, in terms of section 18(2) of the Referendums Regulations 2013, published in Statutory Instrument 26 of 2013, that the number of the votes as finally ascertained by the Chief Elections Officer and the results of the referendum that was conducted on 16th March, 2013, are as shown in the Schedule. 

ADVOCATE E.T. MATINENGA, MP,

Minister of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs.

The Schedule to the General Notice contains a series of tables listing, province by province, the results for each of the 210 constituencies into which the country is divided.  Columns show constituency names, votes in favour of issue, votes against, rejected votes, and total votes cast.

A National Summary then lists the National Total:  Yes vote  3,079,966; No vote  179,489; Rejected votes  56,627; Total votes cast  3,316,082. 

The Schedule ends with an illustrative bar-chart and map depicting provincial voting patterns.  [Full text of GN available from veritas@mango.zw as PDF document, 884KB]

President Applies to High Court to Waive By-Elections

The President has filed an urgent application in the High Court seeking, in effect, to be excused from having to proclaim the dates for the three Matabeleland by-elections by the 31st March deadline fixed by Judge-President Chiweshe on 2nd October last year [see Court Watch 22/2012].   The application is due to be heard by the Judge-President on Thursday 28th March at 10 am; the venue is the High Court, Harare. 

In the main affidavit, made by the Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs on behalf of the President, the explanation given for the application is that, following the YES vote in the Referendum, Parliament is expected to finish passing the new Constitution by 8th May and that the proclamation calling the harmonised elections will be gazetted immediately thereafter.  The Minister states that “In terms of the Constitution the life of Parliament terminates on the 29th of June 2013, by which date harmonised elections must be held in the country”.  This is the basis of the request for the court to allow the President to delay calling the by-elections on condition that he ensures the harmonised elections are held by 29th June. 

But, there is no law that says the elections must be held by 29th June.  Section 58 of the present Constitution allows four months for elections to be held after Parliament comes to an end and the new Constitution does not lay down a period within which the first election must be held.  Both the other GPA parties have pointed this out; they have also protested that satisfactory elections cannot possibly be held by 29th June. 

According to the Prime Minister’s spokesman, the President and Mr Tsvangirai agreed at their weekly meeting on Monday 25th March that an election date should be worked out by Ministers Chinamasa and Matinenga who will prepare timelines taking account of the legal requirements and necessary political reforms. 

Private Members Bills: Supreme Court Case

Judgment is still awaited in the case in which Minister Ignatious Chombo asked the Supreme Court for a order stopping Parliament from proceeding with the Urban Councils Amendment Bill, a Private Member’s Bill.  His argument was that Article 20 of the GPA, as incorporated in the current Constitution, prohibits the introduction of such Bills.  Minister Chombo’s application was strongly opposed by the Bill’s proposer and seconder and Parliament’s presiding officers – the Speaker of the House of Assembly  and the President of the Senate.  It is been hoped that judgment would be handed down before the coming court vacation [6th April to 5th May], although judgments can be handed down even during the court vacation.  It is needed before Parliament reconvenes in early May.

Mutambara v Ncube: MDC leadership dispute

Sitting in Bulawayo, the Supreme Court this week heard argument in Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara’s appeal against Justice Kamocha’s 2011 decision confirming Professor Welshman Ncube’s election as president of the MDC.  Judgment was reserved.  [See Bill Watch 56/2011 for background.]

Update on SADC

MDC-T Envoy Takes Political Violence Dossier to SADC leaders

On 27th February Mr Tsvangirai’s envoy Jameson Timba left Harare to update SADC governments on MDC-T concerns:  the issue of stalled reforms, political violence and intimidation and harassment of those perceived to be Zanu-PF critics.  Speaking the day before, MDC-T Secretary-General and GPA negotiator Tendai Biti blamed ZANU-PF for blocking the implementation of agreed media and electoral reforms, saying that with political will the reforms could be accomplished speedily.

Facilitation Team Visit – 5th March

President Zuma’s facilitation team was in Harare on Tuesday 5th March for meetings with the co-chairs of the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee [JOMIC] and the GPA negotiators.  The visit’s purpose was to receive updates on the security situation ahead of the Referendum, the state of preparedness for the Referendum and what would follow the announcement of the Referendum result.  In remarks to a reporter after the meeting, ZANU-PF negotiator Patrick Chinamasa was said to have mentioned only that a Yes vote would require Parliament to pass the Bill for the new Constitution and a Bill to make consequential amendments to the Electoral Act; significantly, there seems to have been no reference to the other democratic reforms generally regarded as vital of the election is to be free and fair.

Organ Troika Summit Meeting In SA – 9th March

The Troika of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation met in Pretoria on Saturday 9th March.  Present were the Organ chairperson, President Kikwete of Tanzania, President Zuma, the Prime Minister of Namibia and the Defence Minister of Mozambique representing the President of Mozambique, who is the SADC chairperson.  The SADC Executive Secretary Dr Salomão was in attendance.  The GPA parties were not represented, having instead been invited to make submissions in writing beforehand; submissions from all three parties were presented to the Summit by President Zuma.

Communiqué  According to the brief media statement issued later, the Summit received and endorsed a report from President Zuma on developments in Zimbabwe and commended him for his “efforts towards full implementation of the GPA”; commended the GPA parties on completing the constitution-making process, and called on them “to continue to work together towards creating a conducive environment for the forthcoming elections”; and said the Troika would “remain seized with the political developments in Zimbabwe” [full statement available from veritas@mango.zw].

Media and security sector reforms still on agenda  Speaking in Harare a few days later, before the Referendum on 16th March, SADC Executive Secretary Salomão was a little more specific and confirmed that SADC is urging media and security reforms as well as electoral law reforms.  And Lindiwe Zulu of President Zuma’s facilitation team, which was back in Harare for the Referendum, said SADC continues to push for the election roadmap to be implemented.

PM Tsvangirai calls for SADC Summit – 15th March

At a meeting on 15th March, Mr Tsvangirai told the SADC Election Observer Mission there there were problems that needed to be addressed before the coming elections: there had been a resurgence of violence, there was still selective application of the law by a partisan police force, the Registrar-General’s office was frustrating registration of first-time voters and those people previously classified as aliens, and that he was concerned by the deployment of military personnel around the country and the failure of the SADC representatives on JOMIC to assume their duties.  He called for a full SADC Summit to assess whether Zimbabwe was ready for free, fair and credible elections.

JOMIC deadlocked over SADC participation

The South African facilitation team met JOMIC members on 20th and 21st March but failed to secure consensus from them on the terms of reference for the attachment to JOMIC of representatives from the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation who were nominated months ago and have been awaiting deployment ever since.  Press reports of a heated confrontation and gatecrashing by the facilitators were denied by their spokesperson Lindiwe Zulu, who said later that they had been invited to the meeting and that the roadmap leading to the elections now needed to be developed. 

 

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

 


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