Zanu-PF hardliners 'attempting to sabotage' Zimbabwe's power-sharing government

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

Hardline members of Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party are attempting to sabotage
Zimbabwe's power-sharing government, according to intelligence officers.

By Peta Thornycroft, Zimbabwe Correspondent, and Sebastien Berger
Last Updated: 6:45PM GMT 01 Mar 2009

The armed forces chief Constantine Chiwenga and the police commander
Augustine Chihuri, along with senior party figures Patrick Chinamasa and
Emmerson Mnangagwa, the justice and defence ministers respectively, are the
main movers behind the plot, a source in Mr Mugabe's intelligence
organisation said.

A nationwide campaign against "soft targets," the 200 or so remaining white
farmers, along with the continued detention of human rights and MDC
activists, among them the designated deputy agriculture minister Roy
Bennett, are intended to "derail" the government of national unity, he
added.

Seven MDC MPs have already been accused of abusing farm inputs they were
given by the state.

The intent is to prevent the Movement for Democratic Change reforming
Zimbabwe, and leaving the way clear for Zanu-PF to make a comeback at the
next election, which could be within two years.

The plotters are furious with Mr Mugabe, who celebrated his 85th birthday at
the weekend, believing that by signing up to the unity government he has
doomed his own party to save his position.

"They accuse him of signing Zanu-PF's death warrant so he could have a safe
exit, sacrificing the people who have kept him in power all these long and
difficult years," the source said.

"They are worried about the good publicity that MT and his party are now
receiving. Zanu-PF is on the back burner and they think this is no good
given that there is an election coming."

The source, who cannot be identified for his own safety, was involved in a
senior position with communications interception for the Central
Intelligence Organisation (CIO), until he recently resigned.

He said white farmers were chosen as one of the main planks of the
anti-unity government campaign because they were "soft targets" as they live
in isolated areas.

He referred to the plotters as a "third force" - a term with profound
resonance in southern Africa, as it was used in South Africa to suggest that
hardline racists were trying to destabilise peace negotiations between
Nelson Mandela's ANC and the government led by FW de Klerk in the run-up to
the advent of democracy in 1994.

But few CIO staff actively support Zanu-PF, he said, which will make the
plotters' task more difficult. "The majority of them want change like
yesterday. They are not for the MDC, they are just for change.

Western governments have long expressed concerns about Mr Mugabe's and
Zanu-PF's willingness to genuinely share power in Zimbabwe, and insisted
that the coalition must show it is working before reconstruction aid will
start flowing.

Tendai Biti, the MDC finance minister, has asked for $2 billion from his
neighbours, but came away empty-handed from a regional summit last week.

Mugabe and Tsvangirai discuss Roy Bennett

http://en.afrik.com/news12593.html

President Mugabe was on Sunday expected to meet with Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai to discuss issues pertaining to the appointment of permanent
secretaries and try to define the roles of the Ministry of Media,
Information and Publicity and the Ministry of Information Communication
Technology. The two will also discuss the issue of Roy Bennett who is in
custody facing charges of possessing dangerous weapons for acts of
insurgency, banditry, terrorism or sabotage. Speaking to journalists
yesterday, the presidential spokesperson, Cde George Charamba confirmed the
meeting adding that the Ministers of Media, Information and Publicity and
Information Communication Technology have been asked to make submissions
regarding the roles of their ministries. "The principals meet almost every
week and yes, they are meeting on Monday to discuss those issues" he said.
Last week, President made appointments of permanent secretaries but Mr
Tsvangirai objected to this saying he had not been consulted. There are
disagreements over who between the Minister of Media, Information and
Publicity, Cde Webster Shamu and the Minister of Information Communication
Technology, Mr Nelson Chamisa should control the posts and
telecommunications sector. (Sunday 1 March - 19:32)

First two of 16 MDC detainees freed on bail

http://www.earthtimes.org

Posted : Sun, 01 Mar 2009 13:47:51 GMT
Author : DPA

Johannesburg/Harare - Two of 16 political prisoners held by
Zimbabwean authorities for up to five months and allegedly subjected to
torture have been released on bail, their lawyers said Sunday. Fidelis
Chiramba, a 72-year-old local Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) activist
who developed cardiac failure following his arrest in October, and Broderick
Takawira, a programme officer with a respected local NGO, were freed
Saturday, said lawyer Andrew Makoni.

The release of the detainees follows an undertaking made by
President Robert Mugabe last week to MDC leader and Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai.

The detainees were abducted by state secret police and held in
secret locations for three months before being handed over to police.

Their release has become one of the key sources of dispute
within the three-week-old coalition government, and repeatedly threatened to
derail the agreement as Mugabe and his officials stalled and mounted
obstructions in the face of an international outcry.

Charges of "insurgency, banditry and sabotage" or of setting off
bombs in police station were pressed against them, after they had been in
illegal custody for four months. They were all tortured to force them to
sign fake confessions, lawyers said.

Makoni said hoped another 11 would be released on Monday. Bail
of 600 US dollars had already been raised for them, but lawyers were now
searching for a 20,000-dollar surety for each against their property,
demanded by state lawyers.

"Most of them are impecunious, they don't have any property and
don't have access to money like that. So we are going to ask the court
tomorrow to revise the bail conditions," Mukoni said.

He also hoped that the supreme court would this week reverse
lower court rulings denying bail for the remaining three, including
journalist Andrison Manyere and Gandhi Mudzingwa, one of Tsvangirai's key
aides.

The deal excludes white farmer Roy Bennett, Tsvangirai's popular
deputy agriculture minister designate who was arrested on similar charges on
February 13 shortly before he was due to be sworn in with the other 61
ministers and their deputies in the new power-sharing administration.

MDC officials confirmed that on Friday Tsvangirai met Mugabe to
demand an explanation why his undertaking of a week ago to release the
prisoners, of the detainees, had not yet been carried out.

Mugabe immediately summoned justice minister Patrick Chinamasa
to the meeting and instructed him to release them.

At a meeting soon after between state and defence lawyers, the
detainees' lawyers agreed to the stiff bail conditions.

They also said that the state was demanding that as part of
their release conditions, the detainees also promise to withdraw charges
laid against security agents for illegal arrest and torture.

Beatrice Mtetwa, head of the defence team, would not say Sunday
if this condition had been agreed to. "We will let you know when they have
been released. I don't want to jeopardise their case," she said.

All of the 16 men and women were subjected to prolonged and
severe torture, according to affidavits from them presented to court,
including being beaten at length on the soles of their feet, half- drowning,
electroshock, being hung upside down by their feet for and being locked in a
freezer for hours on end.

Zimbabwe farmer attacks Mugabe's 'blatant bullying'

Posted 2 hours 48 minutes ago
Updated 1 hour 27 minutes ago

More than 4,000 white farmers have been forced from their land. (AFP: Desmond Kwande )

• Video: Lavish 85th for Mugabe (ABC News)
• Video: Mugabe vows to seize more farms (ABC News)

A Zimbabwe farmer has lashed out at President Robert Mugabe after he said the country's remaining 400 white farmers will have their land seized.

At a lavish party to celebrate his 85th birthday, Mr Mugabe said the land seizures that have forced more than 4,000 farmers from their land will continue.

One of the remaining farmers Kevin Duboil says there has been no change since Mr Mugabe formed a unity Government with his opponent Morgan Tsvangirai.

"Our new Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai announced that this land invasion should come to an end," he said.

"We're trying to build the country now, we're waiting for aid from the West to come pouring in, and it's very disappointing because when you're trying to coexist, it's just blatant bullying."

Mr Mugabe earlier told a rally in Chinhoyi for his birthday that nothing much had changed since he was forced to relinquish some power.

"Under this arrangement I want it known, as some of you were thinking we are no longer in power, we have an inclusive Government with the President at the top, followed by the two Vice-Presidents, then the Prime Minister Tsvangirai and two Deputy Prime Ministers," he said.

"This is a result of the vote in which we did not do well. Let us not complain too much about it. Let's accept things as they are."

Organisers raised more than $400,000 for Mr Mugabe's birthday party in his honour and he was given an 85 kilogram cake.

Meanwhile, his Government is seeking close to $3 billion in foreign aid to rescue its economy.

Mugabe calls on Tsvangirai to condemn sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe

http://www.sabcnews.com/


February 28 2009 , 6:05:00

Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe wants his Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC) partner and long-time rival Morgan Tsvangirai to join him in
condemning Western sanctions which he blames for the country's economic
woes.

"What we are looking forward to in the spirit of the unity government
is for our colleagues from the Movement for Democratic Change to join in and
tell the West to lift the illegal sanctions imposed on us. These have caused
untold suffering to our people," says Mugabe.

The Zanu-PF leader celebrated his 85 birthday, in a $250 000 bash in
the Mashonaland West town of Chinhoyi today

But Tsvangirai, who snubbed Mugabe's birthday bash, also had demands
on the table.

His demands included the immediate release of his detained activists,
and the equitable distribution of provincial governors and top civil
servants' posts. He also wants disruptions on farms to cease immediately.

Meanwhile, President Mugabe reminded his supporters that the new
administration is merely temporary and that they should brace for an
impending winner takes all election.

Zimbabwe Vigil Diary – 28th February 2009

WOZA Activist Jenni Williams Faces Trial Thursday, March 5

 Posted by: Bryna Subherwal, March 1, 2009 at 1:29 PM

Members of WOZA © AP

Jenni Williams, founder and activist in the human rights organization Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) faces trial next week for her role in a protest on October 16, 2008. Jenni was arrested and detained for “disturbing the peace” even though the protest was a peaceful demonstration demanding that the government provide necessary food aid. Police used excessive force to break up the peaceful protest of over 200 people, and Jenni was arbitrarily arrested with Magodonga Mahlangu, another WOZA activist. After being granted bail and released on November 6, 2008, Jenni’s trial has been postponed three times, leaving her in a legal limbo for months. On Thursday, she goes to trial to determine whether she will be imprisoned again–a pattern for human rights defenders in Zimbabwe as the government tries to silence opposition to its authority. Support Jenni Williams and the WOZA activists in their fight for human rights in Zimbabwe!

Daily cholera update and alerts, 28 Feb 2009

 Full_Report (pdf* format - 94.2 Kbytes)

* Please note that daily information collection is a challenge due to communication and staff constraints. On-going data cleaning may result in an increase or decrease in the numbers. Any change will then be explained.

** Daily information on new deaths should not imply that these deaths occurred in cases reported that day. Therefore daily CFRs >100% may occasionally result

A. Highlights of the day:

- 397 cases and 3 deaths added today (in comparison 791 cases and 39 deaths yesterday)

- 45.8 % of the districts affected have reported today (27 out of 59 affected districts)

- 90.3 % of districts reported to be affected (56 districts/62)

- Cumulative Institutional Case Fatality Rate 1.8.%

- Daily Institutional Case Fatality Rate 0.5 %

Zimbabwe bailout will not go down drain - Dlamini-Zuma

http://www.busrep.co.za

March 1, 2009

By Donwald Pressly

There was little risk that the monies being sought to bail out Zimbabwe
would be wasted, South African foreign minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said
on Friday.

She added that Southern African Development Community (SADC) members were
looking at bilateral aid, during a media conference after a SADC council of
ministers' meeting in Cape Town during which the spotlight fell on resolving
the immediate problems faced by Zimbabwe's unity government.

Dlamini-Zuma said that an extraordinary summit of the group's 15 heads of
state and government was planned to underpin the region's support of the new
government.

It would underscore the work of the regional finance ministers who were
considering ways of channelling assistance to Zimbabwe.

Dlamini-Zuma was uncharacteristically candid about Zimbabwe's troubled
position.

Zimbabwe's delegation had detailed the short-term budgetary requirements for
its economic recovery programme.

"[They] noted the unprecedented levels of hyperinflation and the loss of
value of the currency resulting in the use of multiple currencies; sustained
periods of negative gross domestic product growth rates; low productive
capacity and severe de-industrialisation; collapse of social services, food
shortages and high levels of poverty; and general public despondency," said
the foreign minister.

The delegation included finance minister Tendai Biti, from Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai's faction of the Movement for Democratic Change, and
foreign minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, from President Robert Mugabe's
Zanu-PF.

While Mumbengegwi declined to comment, Dlamini-Zuma confirmed that the
delegation had asked for R20 billion - far short of the R50 billion
originally mentioned by Tsvangirai in talks with President Kgalema Motlanthe
10 days ago.

Flanked by SADC secretary-general Tomaz Salomao, she said the regional
ministers for finance and investment undertook to pursue measures in support
of Zimbabwe's economic recovery programme, "namely, collectively engaging
bilateral and multilateral donors through SADC and the African Union;
facilitating the normalisation of the status of Zimbabwe at the
International Monetary Fund; and the lifting of sanctions, both political
and financial, within the spirit of the global political agreement".

Asked whether she trusted that foreign aid would be appropriately spent
after a recent injection by South Africa of R300 million had disappeared
into the ether, she said: "We do think that when we give them money . the
government will use the money properly . for what it is meant for. There's a
government there."

South African treasury spokesperson Solanga Mbunyuza said the discussions
about assistance to Zimbabwe were a work-in-progress and could not confirm
whether any aid would be a loan or a grant.

Meanwhile, Basildon Peta reported that Zimbabwe's main farming bodies had
been flooded with calls for help from farmers being evicted by Mugabe's
militants, who were allegedly on a final push to steal the wealth of the few
remaining white farmers before the new unity government takes hold.

The Commercial Farmers' Union and Justice for Agriculture said more than 100
farmers had been targeted and their crops worth nearly R1 billion were under
threat.

UK Parliament

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk


Sunday, 01 March 2009
House of Lords

Speech by Lord Blaker during Debate on Foreign Policy
Lord Blaker: My Lords, I start by congratulating two people, one of
whom was here a moment ago.
I wanted to congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Marlesford, on choosing
a topic for debate that has turned out to produce an excellent debate, which
we still have not finished. I congratulate noble Lords still planning to
speak on staying in the Chamber. The other person whom I wanted to
congratulate is the noble Lord, Lord Hurd, who made remarks on the future of
the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development with
which I wholly agree and which I hope he will push further.
It will not surprise noble Lords that I want to speak on Zimbabwe. It
is far from clear whether the present transitional Government in that
country will provide a workable basis on which to move forward from the
current multiple crises of governance, human rights, disease and economic
collapse. Mugabe is rejoicing in the fact that the situation is very
complicated and gives him every opportunity to use his devious skills. The
situation has also become sufficiently important for the most reverend
Primates the Archbishops of York and Canterbury to enter the debate by
urging people to pray for the future of Zimbabwe.
I welcome the appointments of Morgan Tsvangirai as Prime Minister and
of his MDC colleagues to ministerial office but, so far, all the signs are
that their position seems to be best described by the phrase "in office but
not in power". It has long been clear that real power in Zimbabwe is in the
hands of the JOC, the Joint Operations Command. This is the junta comprising
the chiefs of the army, air force, police, prisons and intelligence-five
posts. Those are the people who really count. This is the junta that is
effectively in control of the country. They continue to use abduction,
beatings, arrest and detention as a means of intimidation and control.
Corruption is rife and they use their power arbitrarily to seize property
and other assets to accumulate wealth and power. Gideon Gono, the governor
of the Reserve Bank, acts as their ally and banker.
An African diplomat was recently quoted as saying:
"The JOC is the real enemy of democracy. It obeys no laws and wants to
send the signal that the MDC should not think that being in government
offers it any sort of protection".
It is significant that every member of this five-man cabal boycotted
the swearing-in ceremonies for Tsvangirai and his new Ministers. They simply
stayed away. Once its aim was to destroy the MDC as a political movement;
now it is intent on bringing a swift end to Prime Minister Tsvangirai's
power-sharing Government, or at least keeping it on a tight rein for as long
as it can serve a useful purpose of window-dressing the regime to the world.
Ironically, the body that ought to be monitoring and reporting back to
SADC and the African Union on these breaches of the Global Political
Agreement, which is the basis of this activity, is struggling to hold
meetings because of a lack of money. JOMIC, the Joint Monitoring and
Implementation Committee, was set up in January by SADC as a crucial element
in the global agreement. Its role is defined as being,
"to ensure the implementation, in letter and spirit, of the Global
Political Agreement",
to act as a conduit for complaints and to promote,
"an atmosphere of mutual trust and understanding between the parties".
JOMIC is supposed to be guaranteed by both SADC and the AU, yet Elton
Mangoma, its co-chairman, says that it is barely able to function through
lack of funds. That is one of the key organisations that is meant to hold
the reins. It has no permanent office to hold meetings, no administrative
staff and three of its 12 members have difficulty in attending meetings
since not even their travel expenses can be covered.
It is worrying that South Africa's foreign affairs spokesman is
blithely able to announce that JOMIC is "up and running". This is an
organisation that has no staff and practically no money. There seems to be a
very dangerous complacency over much of the region that, now that the
agreement has been signed and the swearing-in has taken place, they can sit
back. Nothing could be further from the truth. What is needed is continuing
and robust engagement.
Mugabe has been driving a coach and horses through what was supposed
to be a finely balanced and delicate concord between the parties. Months of
careful and painful negotiation have been set aside and overridden by Mugabe
appointing more Zanu-PF Ministers-that is, Ministers from his own party-than
he was entitled to. This week he has ridden roughshod over the agreement
again by unilaterally appointing permanent secretaries to the 31 ministries.
That means 31 new permanent secretaries. Anything more ridiculous one cannot
imagine.
In response, Prime Minister Tsvangirai stated:
"Yesterday's announcement of the appointment of Permanent Secretaries
is in contravention of both the Global Political Agreement and the
Constitution of Zimbabwe which is very clear with regard to Senior
Government Appointments".
Article 20.1.7 of the eighth schedule of the GPA states:
"The Parties agree that with respect to occupants of senior Government
Positions, such as Permanent Secretaries and Ambassadors, the leadership in
Government, comprising the President, the Vice-Presidents, the Prime
Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers, will consult and agree on such prior to
their appointment".
He also quoted the SADC communiqué issued in Pretoria on 27 January,
which states that,
"the appointments of the Reserve Bank Governor and the Attorney
General will be dealt with by the Inclusive Government after its formation".
I know that the Minister for Africa has maintained a close and
detailed watch over all these issues. He is committed, as we all are, to the
welfare of the people of Zimbabwe and the economic development of the
region. It is vital that the EU-targeted measures against those who have
brought death and destruction to Zimbabwe remain firmly in place. The very
fact that Zanu-PF and its apologists in Africa call so vehemently for their
repeal demonstrates that they are effective, particularly the hindrance to
global gallivanting imposed by the prohibition on travel through the hub
airports of Europe.
The UK has provided massive humanitarian support over recent years. I
am sure that this is appreciated by the vast majority of the people of
Zimbabwe, even though it is treated with contempt by the Zanu-PF elite, who
simply see it as another source of hard currency that they can raid. While I
accept that this aid will have to continue simply to relieve suffering and
save lives, I hope that so far as possible it will be channelled via
agencies well protected from the greedy clutch of the Reserve Bank governor,
Gideon Gono. I also hope that together with our EU partners we will be
strict in releasing other funding only once it is clear from evidence on the
ground that the very basic benchmarks of rule of law are observed, including
press freedom and respect for human rights, as reiterated recently by the
Foreign Secretary.
Regional leaders must unequivocally support Prime Minister
Tsvangirai's brave efforts to prove that a peaceful transition to democracy,
good governance and economic stability is possible. Much more support should
be forthcoming from members of SADC. For the second time in 30 years,
Zimbabwe is a test case for democracy in southern Africa. The credibility of
SADC and the AU are at stake. So are the lives of thousands of Zimbabweans.

New Radio Broadcasts from Emirates

http://www.thezimbabwestandard.com


Saturday, 28 February 2009 15:15
A new radio station, Zimbabwe Community Radio will start broadcasting
today joining several privately owned stations forced to transmit their
programmes from overseas because of the country's prohibitive licencing
regulations.

The station run by Zimbabweans will initially broadcast for an hour
everyday from the United Arab Emirates on short wave, 5935 KHZ.

It is expected to add impetus to calls for the new government to
prioritise the opening up of the airwaves monopolised by the grossly under
funded and inefficient Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).

The station's local representative William Ndlovu told Standardplus
that they would be operating from outside the country because they did not
have a license as required by the Broadcasting Act of Zimbabwe (BAZ).

"We will be broadcasting from outside the country beginning today
because we do not have a licence and the BAZ never gave us a platform to
apply," he said.

"We will be on short-wave from 10pm to 11pm everyday."

He said they were appealing to the inclusive government to free the
airwaves so that more radio stations could start broadcasting and promote
plurality in the sector.

"The new government especially the two MDC parties should fight for
the liberalisation of the airwaves since they were the ones who have always
been fighting for democracy," he said.

"We are waiting for a license so that we can operate in the country
and if we are not given that license we will continue broadcasting from
outside."

He said Zimbabwe Community Radio would provide a channel for
communication on economic, political, social, cultural, and developmental
issues that confront the Zimbabwean community.

"Another aim of the station includes creating awareness on the value
of community radio for development, freedom of speech, and the promotion of
local culture, especially among marginalised minorities," he said.

Zimbabwe has four-licensed radio stations all state owned and
subsidiaries of ZBC.

But a number of radio stations have been operating from Western
countries after the government banned Capital Radio, which began
broadcasting after it successfully challenged the ZBC Act.

Some of the prominent stations include Short Wave (SW) Radio based in
London, VOP Radio Africa operating from South Africa and Voice of America's
Studio 7, which are run by Zimbabwe's exiled journalists.

Subsistence to cyberspace

From The Mail & Guardian (SA), 27 February

Lizzy Mazarodze-Munetsi

A rural Zimbabwean grandmother, Lizzy Mazorodze-Munetsi, first encountered a
computer a few months ago and emailed the story of her life to Voices of
Africa

I am a mother of five children and have two grandchildren. I live in
Somabhula area, about 13km from our nearest town, Gweru, in Zimbabwe's
Midlands province. I live with my husband, my two sons Carlington (who is in
form six) and Panashe, his wife MaSibanda and his child Nicole. My two
daughters are married and live with their families whereas my eldest son
lives in Hwange where he works. Life in the rural areas is not as easy as in
the city; it is the survival of the fittest. It involves waking up very
early to take care of the homestead, garden, fields and cattle. Normally you
will be busy from morning until sunset. We have a piece of land where we
grow different crops for sustenance. Now that the situation in Zimbabwe has
many challenges we have managed to start a garden project. We grow the
chomolier - a leafy green vegetable that's one of the most common in
Zimbabwe - cabbages, butternuts and tomatoes, which we sell in town.
Sometimes I give them to the children to take to school and sell to their
teachers.

This brings an income I use for basic commodities such as sugar, soap and
flour. In this part of the world our staple food is cornmeal called sadza,
eaten with a relish of vegetables or meat. This year because of heavy rains,
we managed to get only enough for the family. The chigayo - the Shona word
for the mills where we grind our maize into mealie meal for our sadza - have
now become a problem, because the diesel or electricity the machines use for
grinding are difficult to find in the country. As a mother, everyone looks
to you for a plate of sadza, so it means I always have to find a way out. I
always make sure the children take the maize to the nearby grinding mill in
a wheelbarrow and ask the owners to grind it any time the electricity is
back. To have a 20-litre bucket of maize crushed now costs Z$20-billion. One
also has to walk almost 4km carrying about 20kg of maize on your head, to
find a nearby grinding mill that works.

When my husband, Baba vaRabeka, gets his pension at the end of the month, we
say that "it is Christmas today", because he brings goodies from Gweru, our
nearest town. He comes with groceries - bread, margarine, rice and
spaghetti. For the grandchild, Muzukuru Nicole, it's a day for yoghurt and
bananas. These are some of the foodstuffs we manage to eat only once in a
while. This day also means we will be able to hear the news about what is
going on around the country and the world because he also brings a
newspaper. We used to have a radio, an old one, and my children used to call
it a "gramophone". My husband bought a solar panel and we could listen to
the radio but the one day it just kept quiet and we failed to repair it. So
we just get to hear about what's happening from other people or the papers
when Baba brings them.

My husband and I are praying and working hard to buy a car to avoid walking
long distances and we also want to buy a water pump to enlarge our garden
project. I teach my family that problems are there but it pays to be
resilient and hardworking because by that one can achieve what they want in
life. For us we know that even if bathing soaps such as Protex and Geisha
are not there, we just use the "green bar" for both washing and laundry. I
have been a farmer for so many years now and I do not regret it. I have
raised children who lead their own lives, by trusting in the Lord and
resilience. Now I am getting into old age, the children have grown into
mothers and fathers but when my husband and I look at our life, we smile and
say all is well with our souls. I guess that is what it means to be an
African. For me it is life as usual; it goes on from one stage to the other.
This has been my family's motto: self-motivation and shooting beyond the
stars, so that not even the sky can limit you in what you want in life. For
us here in the sticks, such is life and it goes on in this part of Africa as
we prepare for another day, week, month and year to come.

'Welcome Lizzy'

The letter she wrote and sent with her story .

As a 47-year-old rural woman, I write this knowing that I am among the
fortunate few who are able to read and write and to share my voice. Most
people - especially women - of my age and in my situation don't know how to
use a pen and paper, let alone this computer technology that I hear so much
about from my children. My last-born son, Carlington, who is now 20, always
asks for money to go to the internet café. So this time we went to town
together and he asked me to read his letters at one of these computer shops.
I was just sitting beside him and I became interested in what he was doing.
That is when he said: "Let me open an email account for you, Mama." After
struggling with suggestions for the email address and password, he finally
opened one for me. He later showed me how to send letters and reply, and it
was interesting. I remember, when I opened my email and saw it saying
"Welcome Lizzy", I smiled and went home and told my family. That was about
three months ago.

So when my third-born son Panashe - who is doing a diploma in journalism -
told me: "Mama, you can write a story for a newspaper in South Africa about
anything or even your life in the rural areas and send it through the
email," I wrote the story on a piece of paper. One day, when Carlington and
I went to town for my checkup at the doctor (I used to have a problem with
my leg), I told him to take me to the internet café again. He helped me
write my story on the computer and send it. It is really interesting how one
has to move with today's times because if you don't you will be left behind.
Recently, we bought cellphones - my husband and I - despite the network
problems in the rural areas and we are also moving on with this internet and
computer thing to upgrade ourselves.

Since the day my son introduced me to this email, it has been interesting
because of how fast and easy it is to just talk to someone anytime. But the
sad thing is I get to use it only when I'm in town because there are no
internet cafés where we stay. The internet café has also become expensive -
paying Z$300-billion for a minimum of 30 minutes is too much when you want
to buy food for the family. The other thing is it seems it's only me and my
sons who are able to send each other the letters through the internet
because most of our relatives and friends do not have access and knowledge
of it. Fascinating, though, is that when our cellphones have network
problems, we just climb into a nearby tree to get better reception. From
there we can talk to our relatives and friends anywhere and anytime we want.
These things have taught us that even in the rural areas we have to move
with the times.

Vacate those farms

http://www.cathybuckle.com

Saturday 28th February 2009

Dear Family and Friends,
I am writing this letter on the 9th anniversary of the commencement of farm
seizures in Zimbabwe. I am also writing this letter on the day when Mr
Mugabe's 85th birthday party is being held in Chinhoyi.

It is hot and humid day during which I have been forced to fill and carry
buckets of water into my urban home so as to flush toilets, wash dishes and
bath. Taps have been dry in the whole town for a couple of days and none
have been spared including schools, hospitals, an orphanage, old age home,
residences and businesses.

Television coverage of the birthday party began when Mr Mugabe's speech was
already well underway in the afternoon. A long, pale, slate coloured tent
adorned with sweeping sashes of golden yellow cloth stood in the fields of
the Chinhoyi University. A red carpet lay in an avenue through the rough cut
grass. Dignitaries and officials sat in the tent flicking paper fans while
everyone else sat on the ground a respectable distance away in the baking
sun.

Wearing a dark suit and tie and leaning on a red, fabric covered podium Mr
Mugabe spoke at length and in Shona about the 2008 elections. Suddenly
straightening up 40 minutes later Mr Mugabe said: "I want to say this in
English." A murmured titter of life ran through the crowd. Mr Mugabe said
that there were farms in Mashonaland East, West, Central and in other areas
around the country which had been properly designated in accordance with the
Land Acquisition Act and were now to be taken.

"Let not the original owners of the farms refuse to vacate those farms," he
said. "They must vacate those farms," he repeated his words three times.

This then was Mr Mugabe's 85th birthday present to the starving people of
Zimbabwe, seven million of whom are receiving international food aid. While
more than half the population of the country eat donated food, the remaining
commercial farmers are ordered to vacate land because of the colour of their
skin. As for the SADC land tribunal ruling protecting Zimbabwean farmers, Mr
Mugabe said: "that's nonsense, absolute nonsense; we have courts here that
can determine the rights of our people."

As deep purple clouds turned black over my home town and thunder rumbled I
abandoned the birthday speech for a few minutes to rush outside with tins,
buckets and plastic baths to catch rain water. Water for cooking, cleaning
and washing.

When I came back inside live coverage showed the birthday cake being cut. It
apparently weighed 85 kilograms and was being served by waiters wearing
white gloves. Their uniforms were white too, trimmed in navy blue at
shoulder, collar and cuff. Other reports told of extravagant menus, lavish
foodstuffs and imported drinks for the 85th birthday event. It is all so
remote and removed from the hunger, disease, poverty and water collection of
our daily lives that we, or they, may as well be in another country.
Until next week, thanks for reading and for the overwhelming support for my
new book, love cathy.

The stumbling blocks to Zimbabwe unity

by Clutton Patsika

www.opednews.com

Following the agreement between Zimbabwe's political rivals to unite and
save the country from further ruin, it has become imperative to evaluate the
challenges that lie ahead. Looking at the united Zimbabwean government there
are many stumbling blocks that can stop the new initiative from working.

First, Zimbabwe suffers a serious lack of freedom of communication and
information. Every legal instrument put into place by the outgoing
government was meant at stifling opinion. The state's stranglehold on
information--its gathering and dissemination--created a polarised
environment in which dissent was heavily dealt with. The emergence of "The
Daily News", a respected newspaper back in the late 1990's was met with
harsh treatment that when the newspaper was shut down--in minutes, several
people-- close to 1 000-- lost their jobs directly. The government could not
even pause to consider the repercussions of a 1 000 people losing their
jobs. In their quest to silence opinion they became blind, subsequently
shutting down more newspapers using a fast-tracked legal instrument the
infamous Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Furthermore, the regime became reluctant to improve its communication
systems. There was a deliberate move not to upgrade telecommunications and
to date Zimbabwe has the highest price for a mobile sim card. Players to the
communications industry have been thwarted in their attempts to set up
private networks. The three that operate have not been able to expand having
no subsidy or common linkages to improve VoIP services. Eventually, access
to the Internet has been limited to few individuals and companies. The vast
information resource has remained a preserve of the rich and those who
control the system.

Coupled with this are poor road networks suffering years of neglect, in what
was another deliberate attempt to isolate people and make various areas
inaccessible to opposition parties and newspapers. The parties would not be
able to access the rural areas where Zanu PF is still revered for liberating
the country. Deprived of the right information, the rural areas are
constantly fed on propaganda boomed through the only broadcaster in the
country--the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings. The regime ensures this
electorate is well reminded of the past and its atrocities. These are people
who will not be able to understand the fundamentals of a unity government.
They will probably view it as a favour the regime is making for the
opposition. It is easy for this section of the community to continue to be
battered with lies, gossip and hate speech.

Second, despite a proposed National Security Council which aims at reforming
the country's national security and primarily the Central Intelligence
Organisation (CIO), herein lies a big stumbling block. The CIO has become a
secret organisation akin to Napolean's 10 dogs in "Animal Farm". The
organisation is responsible for a variety of atrocities and reports to
no-one except the president. It operates on an unaudited budget and carries
its instructions from Zimbabwe House. It is saddled with bureaucratic
systems that sees more than 100 people doing the same job to please the
president. Apart from ordinary informers that are as ubiquitous as the
sewage that lace most of Harare's townships, the organisation has more than
3000 officers who get memorable salary packages, just to keep the president
in power.

The Zimbabwean a weekly newspaper sums up how the CIO operates:
"The CIO uses every trick in the book: propaganda, stuffing ballot boxes,
rigging elections, blackmail, sexual intrigue, false stories about opponents
in the local media, infiltration and disruption of opposing political
parties, kidnapping, beating, torture, intimidation, death squads and even
assassination."
"The CIO is accountable to Mugabe alone and its charter allows it to
"perform such other functions and duties as the executive may from time to
time direct." The CIO budget is kept secret, is not subjected to audit by
the comptroller or auditor general as other government departments are
subjected to. "

A a result Zimbabweans have been cowed into silence as many who have voiced
their opinions have disappeared, some being lucky to escape and tell the
story.

Thirdly, Zimbabwe is in the deepest throes of corruption. Every other civil
servant is so corrupt that it has become second nature for them not to
deliver on any kind of service without a kickback. Besides, every service
delivery is in the hands of the ruling elite with tenders being awarded to
those that toe the party line.

The country now relies on informal trading with a vibrant parallel market
for everything from toothpaste to paperclips to the most expensive BMW X6.
At present, Zimbabwe charges US$600 for a simple document such as a
passport. The rise of cash barons and home-based banks has reached mega
proportions with the regime largely controlling these informal operations.

All government institutions such as Grain Marketing Board, Zimbabwe
Electricity Supply Authority or Zimbabwe National Water Authority have been
militarised with majors and retired generals running them. This has
institutionalised the scourge of corruption, where Zanu PF members get
preferential treatment at every corner of the economy.

The chaos in the Agricultural, education and health sector is well
documented, while unemployment, hunger and homelessness are the
international media's daily news.

So, given the culture of partisanship, corruption, instilling of fear and a
general lack of responsibility the unity government will have to transcend
everything else and a change of attitude is not overemphasised. While
Zimbabwe needs aid and the unity government face a crippling debt of more
than US$1,4 billion, it is important to stress that no amount of money can
heal the country of people's attitude. Zimbabwe must first practice
democracy in a way that makes every citizen an equal player in the country's
affairs.

The fate of the country does not rest in the arms of the three political
parties uniting, it rests in a total overhaul of the system.

Clutton Patsika a Zimbabwean journalist with The Southern Cross, a Catholic
weekly has worked in a senior capacity for various newspapers in Zimbabwe
including the Zimbabwe Daily Mirror and Daily News all shut down by the
government.

An intriguing story...

  http://www.radiovop.com

Tiger Woods Plans Multi-Million Dollar Golf Course
HARARE, February 28, 2009- Some Zimbabwe's authorities are reportedly
frustrating plans by world number one golfer Tiger Woods to put up a
majestic USd 608 million golf course in the resort town of Kariba.

Briefing Walter Mzembi, Tourism and Hospitality Management on the
state of affairs in the industry, Karikoga Kaseke, Zimbabwe Tourism
Authority (ZTA) chief executive officer said Woods wanted to develop Kariba
into another Sun City but was being frustrated by Zimbabwean authorities.
Sun City is a luxury South African casino resort, situated in the
North North West Province near the city of Rustenburg. Officially opened on
December 7, 1979, Sun City was developed by the hotel magnate Sol Kerzner
and is of his Sun International group of properties.

"Investors are being moved from one office to another. Tiger Woods
wants to put a golf course in Kariba but he is being frustrated. Why are we
frustrating them?" he questioned.

Kaseke said Woods wanted to develop the resort town into "something
which is better than Sun City".
Mzembi promised to take the matter with relevant authorities. Mzembi
said the 100 day document prepared for the new government had captured on
ways to revive the tourism industry.

Born December 30, 1975 Woods is an American professional golfer whose
achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time.
Currently the World Number 1, he was the highest-paid professional athlete
in 2007, having earned an estimated USd 122 million from winnings and
endorsements.

Woods has won 14 professional major golf championships, the second
highest of any male player. He has more career major wins than any other
active golfer.