Battle over Zim poll report

http://www.citizen.co.za

5/24/2010 20:55:11

ILSE DE LANGE

JOHANNESBURG - The release of a report by two of South Africa's top judges
on the fairness of the 2002 presidential election in Zimbabwe would be
"detrimental to peace in Zimbabwe", the High Court in Pretoria was told
yesterday.

Advocate Marumo Moerane SC argued that the court should dismiss an
application by the Mail & Guardian newspaper for access to a report compiled
by Judges Dikgang Moseneke and Sisi Khampepe.

The newspaper argued that government had no legal basis to refuse to release
the report, which was of immense public importance, particularly as South
Africa was one of the only countries to declare that election legitimate,
free and fair.

Moerane argued that the two judges were sent to Zimbabwe as "special envoys"
of former President Thabo Mbeki and had received all the information from
the Zimbabwean government in confidence.

The disclosure of such information could impair SA's ability to play a
facilitating role in assisting Zimbabweans to resolve their political
differences. He submitted that the government still relied on the report to
shape policy on developments in Zimbabwe.

Because the President headed Cabinet and the report was in his possession,
the information was therefore "a record of the Cabinet" to which the
provisions of the Promotion of Access to Information Act were not
applicable, he argued.

But counsel for the newspaper, Jeremy Gauntlett SC, described argument that
the two judges were special envoys on a diplomatic mission as "nonsense on
stilts", "ludicrous" and an opportunistic attempt to stretch the facts.

He said it was unthinkable the two judges and the then Chief Justice Arthur
Chaskalson would have lent themselves to such an arrangement a month after
the Constitutional Court ruled that judges could not act as government
functionaries.

Gauntlett argued the judges were clearly sent to Zimbabwe on a fact-finding
mission and not to help formulate policy. There was also no indication
Cabinet had ever considered their report. "Possession and control by the
President is not synonymous with possession and control by the Cabinet," he
said.

He said the government should be interested in ensuring the SA public were
apprised of all facts relating to allegations of vote-rigging, intimidation,
violence and fraud by the Zimbabwe government, rather than suppressing them
"on spurious technical grounds".

The application continues.
 

Mail & Guardian in court for Zim report

http://www.citizen.co.za

2010/05/24 19:46:44

PRETORIA - Lawyers for the Mail & Guardian on Monday described the
government's contention that two eminent SA judges were sent to Zimbabwe in
2002 as special envoys on a confidential diplomatic mission as "nonsense on
stilts".

The M&G applied to the High Court in Pretoria for access to a report
compiled by Judges Dikgang Moseneke and Sisi Khampepe, containing their
conclusions about the fairness of Zimbabwe's 2002 presidential election.

The presidency opposed the application, contending revelation of the report
would lead to a deterioration of relations between South Africa and
Zimbabwe.

The government also contended the report was still being used to formulate
policy on Zimbabwe, was a "record of Cabinet" and that the Promotion of
Access to Information Act (Paia) therefore did not apply.

M&G lawyer Jeremy Gauntlett SC argued there were no current documents or
affidavits to support the "flimflam" that the judges were "some sort of new
Marco Polos for the president".

Their mission was not handled by foreign affairs, but by the president's
offices and it was clear they had consulted with a wide cross-section of
organisations, not just with Zimbabwe's government.

There was also no confirmation that the judges and former chief justice
Arthur Chaskalson would have lent themselves to such an extraordinary
arrangement just a month after the Constitutional Court ruled judges could
not be "borrowed" for executive functions.

There was no indication the judges had agreed in advance they would be
acting under complete secrecy, he said.

Gauntlett argued the two judges were sent on a fact-finding mission and that
former president Thabo Mbeki only afterwards decided their report would be a
good basis for policy decisions.

Regarding argument that Paia did not apply, there was no evidence Cabinet
ever considered the report and the government could now not use this
technical argument "to squeeze a factual foot into a Cinderella slipper
which does not fit it".

The newspaper contended the report was of enormous public interest,
especially where there was a widespread view that the 2002 elections were
marred by vote-rigging, intimidation, violence and fraud by President Robert
Mugabe's government.

It contended the report was particularly important in light of the fact that
South Africa was one of the only countries to declare it regarded the
election as free and fair.

The presidency's lawyer Marumo Moerane SC, stressed the need for
confidentiality and trust between Zimbabwe and South Africa.

"In the respondents' view, it would not only be remiss of them to disclose
this information which was given in strict confidence, but such disclosure
could also impair South Africa's ability to continue to play a facilitating
role in assisting Zimbabweans to resolve their political differences."

Moerane argued the two judges were received in Zimbabwe as the president's
envoys and were expected to discuss and receive information in confidence.

"It could hardly be considered appropriate for the facilitator of the
dialogue to be seen to be breaching confidences that were shared for a
specific purpose," Moerane added.

The application continues before Acting Judge L Sapire.

- Sapa
 

Tsvangirai to confront Mugabe over appointment of judges

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
24 May 2010

The recent appointment of George Chiweshe to head the High Court has caused
a major uproar within MDC ranks.

A senior MDC-T official told us their assumption was that Chiweshe had been
strategically placed to ensure convictions against perceived political
opponents of ZANU PF.

'99 percent of all cases brought against MDC supporters, activists and
officials have been acquitted at the High court. These people are not
stupid, he's been specifically placed there to ensure he dictates which
judge presides over MDC cases which will likely end up with a conviction,'
the official said.

Chiweshe's appointment and that of four other judges to the bench was
supposed to have been done in consultation with the two MDC formations. But
Mugabe didn't bother with that and there is growing pressure for MDC leader
Morgan Tsvangirai to confront Mugabe and force him to reverse the
appointments.

Chiweshe is the former chairman of the discredited Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission. He was in charge of counting ballots in the controversial 2008
elections, the results of which he kept under wraps for more than a month,
giving time to Mugabe and his army generals to overturn the electoral
defeat.

SW Radio Africa is reliably informed that Tsvangirai, who is currently
leading a business delegation to South Korea, will confront Mugabe over the
issue when the principals of the inclusive government meet on Friday.

Last week the Zimbabwe Independent quoted Tsvangirai saying the three
political principals would be meeting on May 28th, to deliberate on the
negotiators' report before the South Africans can resume their mediation
process.

Political analyst Munjonzi Mutandiri said Tsvangirai should challenge the
constitutionality of the appointment of the judges, because he was not
informed or consulted as stipulated in the GPA.

Last week, the MDC strongly condemned the 'unilateral and arrogant
appointment' of Chiweshe, with the MDC party secretary for legal affairs and
chief whip, Innocent Gonese, charging that Mugabe was rewarding him for
rigging the 2008 presidential election.

'The reputation of Chiweshe has been gravely undermined by his role in ZEC,
which failed to administer a free and fair election by withholding results
for six weeks.

'He (Chiweshe) actively colluded in electoral malpractices which cost no
less than 500 lives and he proceeded to declare the election as free and
fair.  Zimbabwe today languishes under an ill-fitting and ill-working
inclusive government which came about because of a failed election that
Chiweshe presided over and therefore grossly undermined democracy. Chiweshe's
run at ZEC casts him more as a political player than a judicial official,'
Gonese added.

Police press fresh charges against employees of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ)

http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/5720

ZLHR Press Release - 24 May: Police on Monday 24 May 2010 pressed fresh
charges against two employees of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ), who
were arrested last week after the police raided their offices in the
capital.

Police on Monday charged Ellen Chademana and Ignatius Muhambi with
contravening Section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act
for allegedly undermining the authority of President Robert Mugabe.

The police allege that Chademana and Muhambi displayed a plaque of former
San Francisco Mayor Willie Lewis Brown, Jr in their office in which the
African-American denounces President Robert Mugabe's homophobia against gays
and lesbians.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) lawyers Dzimbabwe Chimbga, Tawanda
Zhuwarara, David Hofisi, who was assisted by Belinda Chinowawa finally
managed to secure access to their clients after initially being denied
access on Saturday 22 May 2010.
Chademana and Muhambi were also charged with being in possession of obscene,
indecent or prohibited articles in breach of Section 26 (1) (b) of the
Censorship and Entertainment Control Act Chapter 10:04.

The two will spend their fourth night in police cells after the police
failed to take them to court on Monday. They are now expected to appear in
court on Wednesday 26 May 2010 after the Africa Day holiday.

Meanwhile, ZLHR on Monday 24 May 2010 filed a complaint against the conduct
of the investigating officers in the GALZ case.

ZLHR accused the investigating officers led by Mr Gomo of deliberately
misinforming them about the whereabouts of their clients.

When ZLHR lawyers attended at Harare Central Police Station on Monday
morning they were informed by Mr Gomo-that Chademana and Muhambi were in
police holding cells and would be brought to where the legal practitioners
were in order that their warned and cautioned statements could be recorded
in the presence of, and with the assistance of, their legal practitioners.
The legal practitioners were however shocked when they later discovered
that, whilst they were waiting at the police station with the assurances of
the Investigating Officer, their clients had actually been removed from
custody and escorted under police guard to the GALZ Milton Park offices for
a further unwarranted search of the offices without the lawyers' knowledge
and/or consent. The invasion included the illegal and forced investigation
into the two GALZ employees' personal e-mail accounts, and the forced
divulging of their respective passwords by the police officers concerned.
The illegal and unilateral action was taken with the full knowledge that the
suspects were legally represented and consequently entitled to have their
legal practitioners present during all police activities.

Chademana and Muhambi were not given the opportunity to advise their
lawyers; nor did the police themselves advise the legal practitioners where
their clients were and what they were doing with their clients. The Police
deliberately provided misleading information to the lawyers who were
attending at Harare Central Police Station when the latter requested to see
their clients and discuss their warned and cautioned statements.

In their complaint ZLHR requested the Officer in Charge of the Drug Section
at Harare Central Police Station to urgently instruct his subordinates,
particularly those dealing with the GALZ matter, that Chademana and Muhambi
are constitutionally entitled to have their lawyers of choice present and
notified at each and every stage of the Police enquiry.

ZLHR also takes issue with the fact that the Police had initially indicated
that their clients were to be arraigned before the Magistrates court on
Monday morning only to be deliberately dilatory and miss the 11 o'clock
deadline set by the courts. The move seemed calculated and a mischievous
attempt to frustrate the GALZ employees' rights and entitlements at law.

ZLHR requested the police chief to carry out an investigation into the
police actions, which are an obstruction of justice and gross abuse of
office and procedure.

ZLHR warned that any so-called evidence produced or used as a result of such
unlawful and unprocedural actions in the GALZ case will be challenged in any
court proceedings.

This entry was posted by Sokwanele on Monday, May 24th, 2010 at 9:12 pm

 

Bennett to sue over state media lies

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Written by Staff Reporter
Monday, 24 May 2010 03:23

HARARE - Lawyers for Roy Bennett are planning to sue former information
minister Jonathan Moyo  and state media journalists for allegedly peddling
falsehoods against the MDC-T Treasurer-General, the politician said last
week.

Bennett, who was acquitted by High Court judge Chinembiri Bhunu two weeks
ago on charges of banditry, terrorism and insurgency, said the vitriol and
lies had come to a stage where "enough is enough and I have to fight back".
Bennett said that his belief in the supremacy of the truth never wavered
during his trial and that he is prepared to continue fighting to stop those
who are hoodwinking the people of Zimbabwe about his military service and
early political career.

The deputy agriculture minister-nominee said he had instructed his lawyers
to take action against Moyo, Herald News Editor, Mabasa Sasa, and senior
editors of The Herald and The Sunday Mail.

He said the state-owned Zimbabwe Newspapers titles have allowed their
publications to be used regularly as a platform for malicious attacks,
racial targeting and blatant lies about the MDC-T senator.

"I have discussed this with my legal team and we are going to sue those who
have made false accusations against me," Bennett told the Prime Minister's
Newsletter.

His lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, confirmed that she had received instructions
from Bennett to sue those who have been spreading the falsehoods.

"He has given us this brief. He believes that the lies have been repeated so
often that some people might even believe them and, although he does not
want to exacerbate what is clearly a political campaign against him, the
vitriol and the falsehoods about him being spread by the State media are
such that he does need to take action," said Mtetwa.

The state media has intensified its campaign to vilify Bennett since his
acquittal early this month on a 2006 charge of plotting to overthrow
President Robert Mugabe.

The Attorney General's Office has appealed against Bhunu judgement in a move
observers say is meant to delay Bennett's appointment as deputy minister.

Meanwhile Bennett's passport was returned to him by the clerk of court in
Mutare last Friday, the MDC said.

The passport was returned only after Mtetwa last Thursday filed an urgent
chamber application at the High Court seeking the immediate release of the
travel document.

MDC-99 leader Sikhala launches verbal attack on Mugabe

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
24 May 2010

Outspoken leader of the newly formed MDC-99 party, Job Sikhala, on Monday
launched a verbal attack on Robert Mugabe, describing him as an 'unrepentant
dictator.'

The former St Mary's legislator told SW Radio Africa that Zimbabwe has not
moved an inch towards human rights reforms since the days Mugabe was in
total power.

The MDC-99 leader was arrested on Friday for launching his MDC-99 party
'without informing the police'. He's also being accused of insulting Mugabe.

On Monday Sikhala appeared in court facing the two charges. He was released
from custody and told to pay $100 bail. He's now set to appear in court for
trial on the 7th June. The presiding magistrate ordered Sikhala to report
weekly at St Mary police station.

Sikhala appeared in court together with the party's secretary for local
government and national housing, Taurai Magaya, and Aaron Muzungu, the
secretary for information and publicity. They were all arrested Friday but
Magaya and Muzungu had their charges dropped by the magistrate for lack of
evidence.

Sikhala said he will hold a press conference on Wednesday to challenge the
international community to confront Mugabe over human rights abuses and his
intimidation of political opponents.

Zimbabwe to top agenda at international diamond talks

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
24 May 2010

The sale of Zimbabwe's controversial diamonds is set to top the agenda at a
meeting of diamond trade regulators in Israel next month, when a deadline
for Zimbabwe to fall in line with international standards passes.
Israel is hosting the June talks as the new chair of the Kimberley Process
(KP), the international trade watchdog tasked with ending the sale in 'blood
diamonds'. The group has faced severe criticism for its lenient treatment of
Zimbabwe, despite widespread calls for the country to be banned from trade
over human rights atrocities. Instead of a ban, Zimbabwe was told to follow
a set of guidelines to improve trade standards; a move that rights groups
say has not stopped the abuses still ongoing at the Chiadzwa diamond fields.
Zimbabwe was set a June deadline to fall in line with international
standards, but that deadline is set to pass with no significant changes to
the country's diamond industry. Abuses at the diamond fields are continuing,
with the military still very much in control of operations there. At the
same time, diamonds worth hundreds of thousands of dollars are being
smuggled out of the fields without certification from the KP. According to
the Mutare based Centre for Research and Development (CRD), at least 2000
carats of diamonds are smuggled out of the fields every day, from one mining
company alone.
The CRD has warned that large quantities of diamonds from the claim are
finding their way to local and foreign buyers, without certification, with
the prime suspects being employees at the government approved Canadile
mining firm. Diamonds are also illegally being sold to Dubai in the United
Arab Emirates, according to a Zimbabwe Independent report. That report
detailed that the government has exported over 153 000 carats of diamonds
worth US$11.2 million through "shady state-controlled entities," owned by
the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC).
All of this is in contravention of the KP's guidelines, which clearly stated
that an independent monitor oversees any diamond sales and that the military
be pulled out of the fields. That monitor, industry expert Abbey Chikane,
will be back in Zimbabwe this week after a preliminary assessment of the
country's diamond trade earlier this year. The CRD's Director, Farai Maguwu,
told SW Radio Africa on Monday that Chikane's last visit was dominated by
discussions with government officials, which left no room for the truth of
the situation to be uncovered. Maguwu explained that Chikane will be
spending more time during this coming visit with civil society and other
'key players' in the industry, "and I'm sure he will get a  better
understanding of the nature of the crisis."
Meanwhile, the government has established a joint venture for the
construction of a multimillion-dollar Diamond Technology Centre for
processing of the gems in Zimbabwe. The centre will also reportedly house a
diamond auction floor, a marketing wing and an administration block that
will house the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development offices and banks.
Maguwu said that the centre is just another extension of an exercise
"riddled with corruption from the very beginning," arguing that it will not
benefit Zimbabweans or the economy in any way.
"What benefit will this be to the people of Zimbabwe? None," Maguwu said.
"This is simply the entrenchment of the economic interests of the well
connected few, at the expense of the majority."

MDC Senator In Trouble Over Mugabe Song

http://news.radiovop.com

24/05/2010 11:00:00

 Harare, May 24, 2010 -A Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Senator has
landed himself in trouble with the police for allegedly insulting President
Robert Mugabe.

Senator Morgan Komichi, who is the MDC deputy organising secretary, is
accused by Bindura police of undermining the authority of or insulting
President Mugabe after he allegedly sang a song with the lyrics: "Chimurume
chagire chandifungisa dhongi rangu rakafa kare kare," which the police
construed to mean "Grace's husband reminds me of my donkey which died long
long back referring to His Excellence (sic) President Robert Gabriel Mugabe
who is husband of the first Lady Comrade Grace Mugabe".

Police allege that Komichi sang the "insulting" song when he addressed a
rally at Chiwaridzo Shopping Centre in Bindura on 24 January 2010.

Police say the MDC deputy organising secretary made the insults when he knew
or realised that there was a real risk or possibility that the statement was
false and that it could "engender feelings of hostility towards or course
(sic) hatred, contempt or ridicule of the President whether in person or in
respect of the President's Office".

Komichi becomes the latest MDC official to be charged with insulting
President Mugabe.

In January Nyanga North legislator Douglas Mwonzora was summoned to stand
trial on allegations that he called the octogenarian leader a "goblin" at a
rally he addressed at Ruwangwe Growth Point in Nyanga North constituency on
21 March 2009.
 

ZESA denies plans to export power to SA

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Written by Natasha Hove
Monday, 24 May 2010 07:42

BULAWAYO - Zimbabwe's power utility has denied reports that the parastatal
will export electricity to neighbouring South Africa during the month-long
FIFA World Cup.
The chief executive officer for the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority
(ZESA), Engineer Ben Rafemoyo, dismissed claims that Zimbabwe had entered
into an agreement with Eskom to export electricity to South Africa during
the World Cup.
Reports had been circulating that ZESA had agreed to sell 300 megawatts of
electricity to South Africa during that period.
"Zimbabwe has its own power problems and we certainly do not have any
megawatts to export to South Africa. Those claims are incorrect and someone
is just trying to raise unnecessary alarm," said Engineer Rafemoyo.
He said, however, Zimbabwe would play the role of being a transporter of
power from other countries to South Africa.
"If for instance Zambia wants to sell power to South Africa, we play the
role of transporting that power to the recipient from the seller. That is
the only way that Zimbabwe gets involved. Otherwise, as a country, we are
not in any position to export any power at the moment."
The ZESA CEO said this agreement was reached with the Southern African Power
Pool (SAPP), whose primary aim is to provide reliable and economical
electricity supply to the consumers of SAPP members
 

Power cuts forced hospital to throw away meat, drugs

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Written by Staff reporter
Monday, 24 May 2010 10:51

CHINHOYI - Incessant power cuts have impacted heavily on the operations of
Chinhoyi Provincial hospital, which recently was forced to throw away meat
and critical drugs that had gone bad as well as cancelling operations
putting lives of patients at risk.
The severe cuts have also affected the quality of the much needed blood,
which is always in short supply. Hospital Medical Superitendent, Dr Collet
Mawire, said recently the hospital was forced to dispose 371 kilogrammes of
meat as well as drugs such as insulin, which need refrigeration. The
situation was putting the lives of patients at risk, particularly those who
needed to be operated on. He said the hospital had constantly postponed
critical operations.
"Blood need constant temperatures and the erratic power supply has impacted
heavily on our operations.  ZESA (Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority)
should treat hospitals as strategic institutions that should be spared from
load shedding," he said.
He said ZESA had its priorities wrong as it was giving a constant supply of
power to the nearby army barracks while risking the lives of patients.
He said the hospital had to rely on cell phone, torches and candles for
lighting. The hospital had also to put up with the heavy stench that
emanated from the mortuary, where uncollected bodies were decomposing. "We
have uncollected decomposing bodies from old people's homes such as
Chengetanai and Nazareth shelter and ministry of Social Welfare is
responsible for the burial. The place is stinking," he said.
 

Student’s body endorses ZINASU unity pact

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
24 May 2010

Over 120 delegates from forty colleges and universities in the country, who
make up the General Council of the Zimbabwe National Students Union
(ZINASU), met in Gweru on Saturday to endorse the unification of two rival
factions. The union split into two camps last year over disputes that
included whether to support the government backed constitution making
process or not.
A secret meeting organized at the beginning of May in Harare was able to
bury the hatchet but even then two leaders from one faction, Tafadzwa
Mugwadi and Kudakwashe Chakabva, walked out of the meeting allegedly because
they had failed to get positions in the unified executive. The two are
reported to have tried to get the General Council to meet two weeks ago but
no one turned up.
In the ZINASU power-game a mandate from the General Council is important.
This council is composed of the President and Secretary General of each
college and university and for any executive to be legitimate they would
need its blessings. Over the weekend that same council effectively ended the
squabbles in the troubled union by endorsing all the resolutions made at the
unification meeting on the 2nd May.
An upbeat Obert Masaraure who is President of the unified executive told
Newsreel on Monday that students are tired of factionalism and want a
vibrant union to represent their interests. He said their executive has now
been tasked with reviving the campaign against the privatization of
education, which has seen poor students drop out of college because of
exorbitant tuition fees.
Masaraure also slammed the coalition government saying it had presided over
the highest rate of suspensions and expulsions of student activists. All in
all 3 student activists have been expelled and 40 suspended since the
coalition government took office in 2009. ZINASU is expected to lobby for
their reinstatement.

 

MDC UK Chairman Says Indigenization Enriches The Rich

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Makusha Mugabe
24 May 2010

The Movement For Democratic Change UK chairman for the Midlands North has
said the indigenization programme that is being championed by Zanu (PF) is
meant to enrich the same people who have already benefited from previous so
called empowerment programmes.

Tonderai Samanyanga was responding to President Robert Mugabe's accusation
that by rejecting Indigenization,  MDC was proving that it is "a stooge of
imperialism."

He said the real issue was about whether the so-called indigenization was
actually benefiting the majority of Zimbabweans who have no jobs and no
incomes.

The history of empowerment in the 1980s had actually shown that the people
who were put in charge of the empowerment programmes, including the current
Minister of Indigenization - Saviour Kasukuwere, had actually used the
organization to enrich themselves.

Kasukuwere is now extremely wealthy and has a group of other affirmative
action and black empowerment businessmen around him who all seem to be
carving up Zimbabwe among themselves at the expense of the rest of the
population wallowing in poverty.

 

The Herald goes berserk, resorts to yellow journalism

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Written by The Zimbabwean
Monday, 24 May 2010 12:52

The Herald has scaled dizzy heights as a Zanu (PF) pamphlet and today the
discredited newspaper beat its own record of outrageous lies by publishing
malicious and slanderous rumours as news. For three consecutive weeks, The
Herald has been consistent in manufacturing lies and divisions in the MDC.
While we understand The Herald's fixation with the popular MDC as a news
item to boost their pitiful sales figures, today's lead story entitled
"MDC-T clips Biti's wings" is a real figment that would leave legendary
fiction writers green with envy. The story refers to a meeting allegedly
chaired by the President and attended by "national and provincial
 directors." For the record, no such meeting ever took place because
President Morgan Tsvangirai was in Bulawayo on the day the meeting is
alleged to have taken place
Secondly, we not with serious concern the fact that The Herald's perpetual,
consistent and systematic habit of  manufacturing lies and divisions within
the MDC leadership. Thirdly, it is impossible that non-existent people could
have attended the meeting because the so-called "provincial directors" who
reportedly attended the meeting do not exist. It is simply laughable and
ridiculous for the discredited newspaper to invent a non-existent meeting
attended by non-existent delegates holding non-existent positions.
As a party, we are aware that the so-called public media have become real
melting pots where artificial fissures are cooked and peddled as news. We
are aware that the sources of these slanderous articles are not even in the
MDC, but are at a known office at the ministry of Media, Information and
Publicity where a senior civil servant has chosen to abdicate civil service
duties to dedicate time and effort to undermining the MDC.
We remain alive to the MDC's historical mandate to deliver real change to
the people. The Herald has simply gone berserk and the MDC will not be
distracted from this important national duty by yellow journalism which
invents fictitious fissures in a vain effort to create another October 12.
Bickering, factions and divisions are the sole preserve of Zanu PF and
should never be exported to the MDC. We are a people's project with a solid
and focused leadership with one vision of delivering real change. No amount
of howling and shouting will shake our collective resolve to deliver real
change.
Today's fiction by The Herald is an attempt to divert people from the real
issues that have happened in the past one week, from Zanu PF's unilateral
appointment of judges to its latest abominable sin of causing the violent
abortion of the meeting of the Organ on National Healing and Reconciliation.
Zimbabweans deserve real change. They want a plural and diverse media
industry so that readers will make their own verdict on those who have
chosen to misinform the people. True journalism is not slander. True
journalism is not maligning people without giving them an opportunity to
respond. True journalism is not perfidy and reckless lies. True journalism
is simply premised on the basis of truth and fact.
The MDC remains one united family focused on bringing change to people's
lives. Ours is one big family of united democrats who want to provide
Zimbabweans with the dignity, security, hope, freedom and the prosperity
that they demand and deserve.
 

Facing ourselves through the art of Zimbabwean refugee children in South Africa

Bill Watch Special of 23rd May 2010 [No Parliamentary Committee Meetings 24th to 28th May]

BILL WATCH SPECIAL

[23rd May 2010]

There will be NO Portfolio Committee or Thematic Committee Meetings during the week 24th to 28th May

Committee meetings are expected to resume next week, on  Monday 31st May

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