MDC sends letter of appeal to Zuma

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=17027

May 27, 2009

By Gift Phiri

HARARE - MDC secretary-general Tendai Biti on Wednesday sent a letter of
appeal for the urgent resolution of three outstanding issues in the
inclusive government to Mlungisi Makhalima, the South African ambassador to
Harare, for onward transmission to new SADC chairman Jacob Zuma.

Diplomatic sources confirmed that the MDC's appeal letter on President
Mugabe's refusal to fire Gideon Gono, the governor of the Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe and Attorney General Johannes Tomana, had been presented to
Makhalima.

The ambassador is expected to forward the letter to the new South African
President Zuma, who holds the rotating chairmanship of the regional bloc
until August.

The MDC is seeking the intervention of SADC in forcing President Mugabe to
honour his end of the bargain by rescinding the unilateral appointment of
Gono and Tomana.

The appointments were made by Mugabe without consultation with the other two
principals in the inclusive government, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and
Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara.

Mugabe extended the mandate of Gono as central bank governor in November
without consultation with his two colleagues in the inclusive government, in
what the parties say was a contemptuous breach of the September 15 Global
Political Agreement.

The agreement prescribed that all senior government appointments were
supposed to be made in concert with all the three principals.

The two MDC principals want Gono to be fired for allegedly vandalising the
economy through so-called quasi-fiscal activities or operations unrelated to
central banking and the profligate printing of cash.

Mugabe has resolutely rebuffed these calls to dismiss Gono.

The two MDC principals also want Tomana, who was unilaterally appointed AG
by Mugabe in December without consultation with the other two principals,
fired. They accuse him of abusing the judiciary by targeting opponents of
Mugabe and Zanu-PF by employing punitive laws to jail or detain them.

The appeal letter also contains the issue of provincial governors. Although
Tsvangirai last week announced that the issue of provincial governors had
been resolved, the appeal letter reportedly contains concerns about the
implementation of the governors' agreement.

According to Tsvangirai, Mugabe backtracked and agreed to fire six out of
the 10 Zanu-PF governors he had unilaterally appointed, but no one knew when
the new governors would resume work.

The State press has reported that the new governors will only be in office
in August. Already, the principals have worked out a severance package for
the six axed governors, but the matter has been referred to the regional
bloc to force the appointment of the governors now.

The letter reportedly refers to the timeline set out in the SADC communique
of January 29, stating that governors were supposed to be appointed together
with ministers, who took oath on February 13.

Four months later, governors have still not been sworn into office although
Mugabe has reportedly agreed to sack six of his Zanu-PF aligned governors
under a formula where the mainstream MDC gets to appoint five governors and
Mutambara's MDC formation appoints one.

The Zimbabwe Times has been told that according to SADC protocol, Zuma,
after receiving the letter, is supposed to summon the facilitator of
Zimbabwe's power-sharing deal, former South Africa President Thabo Mbeki, to
deal with the three issues.

It is up to Mbeki to decide how he handles the matter, diplomatic sources
say. But if there is a deadlock, Mbeki will have to refer the matter back to
the SADC chairman, who will then summon the SADC troika on Politics, Defence
and Security to handle the outstanding issues.

If the troika fails to resolve the matter, an extraordinary SADC summit
comprising all 15 heads of State of the regional bloc will be called.

If the SADC leaders fail to break the logjam, then the matter would be
referred to the African Union. Efforts to obtain a copy of the letter have
been futile.

MDC officials said diplomacy dictated that the contents of the letter could
not be disclosed to the Press before it reached its intended recipient.

MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said: "The matter is no longer in our hands. It's
now in the province of SADC, as guarantors of the GPA."

Chamisa said the letter could only be availed to the Press if Zuma had
acknowledged receipt.

But an MDC source privy to the contents of the letter described it as
"sober." He said it was a short letter with only one annexure, the SADC
resolutions containing a timeline which has not been followed by Mugabe.

Our source said contrary to widely held belief that the MDC was obsessed
with the removal of Gono, the party, notwithstanding its unequivocal stance
to get Reserve Bank governor fired, was more pre-occupied with the issue of
Tomana.

The party believed Tomana constituted a much more serious threat to the
inclusive government than Gono.

"Gono can be managed through the Reserve Bank Act," said our source, a
senior MDC official. "So the emphasis really is on Tomana. He must go. Most
definitely Tomana must go.

"Given a choice between Tomana and Gideon Gono, the party would rather have
Tomana go."

Key Western governments, key in bankrolling Zimbabwe's fragile coalition
government, have said Gono's removal is a necessary prelude before Zimbabwe
can be considered a fit recipient for aid.

The MDC presented its appeal letter as President Mugabe vowed that Gono
would not be removed from office. Speaking at the funeral of Gono's brother
Peter Tungamirai who passed away last Saturday after a long illness, Mugabe
alleged that the push for Gono's removal was located in the regime change
matrix.

He actually praised Gono for doing a fantastic job, busting sanctions and
keeping the economy afloat by bankrolling agricultural production.

Service chiefs also rallied behind Gono at the funeral, vowing that they
will not capitulate and let Gono get fired. Air Vice-Marshall Henry Muchena,
speaking on behalf of service chiefs at the funeral of Gono's brother, said:
"The Zimbabwe Defence Forces are solidly behind Gono."

Muchena took potshots at Finance minister Tendai Biti, who has led the
crusade for Gono's dismissal. Speaking in Shona he said: "Munhu uyu
akadzidza akaita gweta achifunda mahara neropa revana vakasara kuChomoio,
nhasi omira oti Gono ngaaende. Mwana wambuya vaani iyeye? (This person
(Biti) received free education and became a lawyer through the sacrifices of
the liberation fighters that perished at Chimoio (in Mozambique during the
war of liberation), and today he stands up to say Gono should go. Over our
dead bodies)."

Minister outlines plan to divide Zimbabwe into five regions

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

By Lindie Whiz
Posted to the web: 27/05/2009 01:47:03
ZIMBABWE could soon be divided into five regions, each with a budget and
local parliament of its own, a Cabinet minister has said.

The plan, announced by Water Resources Minister Samuel Sipepa Nkomo,
apparently has the backing of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.

The Lobengula MP told a constituency meeting on Monday that the MDC would be
championing the proposals when the country draws-up a new constitution, a
process which is already underway and could last two years.

The plan to devolve power to the regions would be modelled on the South
African example which has nine provinces, each with their own premier,
ministers and a parliament.

Nkomo said: "Here, we cry that we are marginalised. The time is now to talk
about regional governments. In the national budget there should be a budget
for Matabeleland, Mashonaland and so on. Isn't that fair?"

The proposals will now likely dominate the constitutional debate. The
clamour for devolution is loudest in Zimbabwe's south-western regions over
long-held perceptions that central government has deliberately suppressed
economic development in the area.

Nkomo said: "As the national Minister of Water Resources and Development, I
should be working with a regional minister of the same portfolio. An example
is not far away, it's here in South Africa. They have a prime minister,
ministers and regional parliaments.

"This is our stance; we want each region to have its own parliament. We want
the regions to rule themselves according to their culture. We want our
grievances to be addressed to Bulawayo as the regional capital of
Matabeleland than travel to Harare."

Under the plan, Zimbabwe's 10 provinces would be collapsed into
Matabeleland, Mashonaland, Manicaland, Masvingo and the Midlands. Each
region would be in charge of budget allocations, management of resources and
the local economy.

Farmer prosecuted for being on his land

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
27 May 2009

A commercial farmer based outside Mutare has become the latest farmer to be
prosecuted and sentenced by Zimbabwe's courts, raising fears that the fast
track court prosecution of the country's remaining farmers is underway.

Ian Guy Campbell-Morrison spent Tuesday night in a Mutare jail cell after he
was found guilty of farming, on land he legally owns. He was sentenced late
Wednesday to a total fine of US$800 and a suspended jail term, if he does
not leave his farm in the next three days. Justice for Agriculture's John
Worsley-Worswick explained on Wednesday that the three-day eviction order is
unreasonable, and added that an appeal has been lodged in the High Court. He
continued that there are fears the case is the start of the widespread
fast-track prosecution of commercial farmers, that were ordered by the
Attorney General Johannes Tomana last year.

Campbell-Morrison's prosecution comes after Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
last week moved to play down the severity of the current wave of farm
attacks. During an interview about the 100-day milestone of the unity
government, Tsvangirai called the attacks 'isolated incidents' that had been
'blown out of proportion'. He also said the matter was being dealt with,
despite the clear lack of action from the government that has been so
evident in the months since the attacks began. The Prime Minister's comments
have since sparked outrage from the commercial farming community, which has
been left reeling by the numerous, ongoing and increasingly violent attacks.

The offensive against the farmers has been in the form of a two-pronged
attack in the name of Robert Mugabe's land grab, including widespread court
battles and physical land attacks. More than 140 farmers have been hauled
before the courts on trumped up charges of being on so-called state land
'illegally', and many more have been forced into hiding for fear of illegal
prosecution. At the same time, land invasions headed by ZANU PF loyalists,
have intensified and grown increasingly violent, with widespread looting and
massive theft taking place on a daily basis.

Chegutu farmer Ben Freeth, whose Mount Carmel farm has been under siege by
lawless invaders since February, has this week written to the Prime
Minister, one again urging the government to put a stop to the blatant
destruction of property rights. Mount Carmel has been all but destroyed by
land invaders working for ZANU PF top official Nathan Shamuyarira, and
hundreds of thousands of US dollars worth of produce has been stolen or left
to rot. This week, Freeth, his family and his workers, came under fresh
intimidation and attack, with the hired thugs threatening renewed violence
if they don't leave the land. Freeth, whose wife and three young children
still live on the property, told SW Radio Africa on Wednesday that they are
all living in terror, saying "we are all being held to ransom by just a
small group of thugs, while the government pretends nothing is happening."

The unity government ironically has repeatedly pledged its commitment to
improving life for all Zimbabweans, but the continuing farm attacks have
added to the already considerable suffering of a nation. Food production has
been halted on almost all farms, despite more than 80 percent of the country
relying on food aid. At the same time, thousands of people have lost their
farm jobs as a result of the attacks, adding to the crippling unemployment
rate that is already more than 90 percent.

These attacks and the lack of property rights are also at the root of the
lack of investment and confidence in Zimbabwe.

Law Firm Receiving Threats Over Biti

http://www.radiovop.com

HARARE, May 27, 2009 - Partners of a leading Harare law firm say they
have been receiving a number of crude threats stating that unless Finance
Minister Tendai Biti desist from his alleged threats to fire RBZ governor,
Gideon Gono, they will face unspecified action.

Biti is a former partner of Honey and Blanckenberg, a law firm he quit
upon his appointment as Finance Minister at the formation of the inclusive
government in February this year.

Last week Gono wrote a 15-page letter to Prime Minister Tsvangirai
alleging that Biti was harassing him, claiming the Finance Minister had a
personal vendetta against him.
Gono said the RBZ fingered Biti's former law firm in the
externalization of more than US$1 million dollars, charges the Finance
Minister has publicly denied.
"Over the past few weeks (three years after the alleged offence), the
partners of Honey and Blanckenberg have received a number of crude threats
arising from these old accusations, stating that unless Tendai Biti, a
former partner of the firm and current Finance Minister,
desisted from his attempts to demand accountability from the governor
of the Reserve Bank, the partners would face unspecified consequences," said
the firm in a statement on Wednesday. "Naturally, we have ignored all such
threats."
"In 2006, according to his (Gono) account, 'a whistle blower'
disclosed certain information concerning our practice to the Reserve Bank.
The matter was investigated by the Police and the Reserve Bank and no
prosecution was brought against Honey and Blanckenberg,
indicating clearly that we had been exonerated."
The partners said since Gono stated in his much-publicized letter to
Tsvangirai that the matter was before the courts, then it was clearly sub
judice and regrettable and highly inappropriate that a person of his (Gono)
position would resort to the media "in an effort to bring this matter into
the political arena without allowing the due process of the law to take its
course". "For reasons of propriety and professionalism, the partners of
Honey and Blanckenberg will not comment on the merits of this case. We are
confident, however, in the sound judgment of the public, its awareness of
the integrity of Honey and Blanckenberg and its understanding of the reality
of what lies behind Dr. Gono's unfortunate outburst against us."

Politicians, service chiefs rally behind Gono

From The Herald, 27 May

Munyaradzi Huni

Harare – Anyone saying Reserve Bank Governor Dr Gideon Gono should go is
calling for Zanu PF to leave and that will not happen, one of Zanu PF's
negotiators to the inter-party talks, Cde Patrick Chinamasa, has said. The
country's service chiefs have also waded into the stand-off over Dr Gono's
appointment, saying among the RBZ governor's enemies were people who
benefited from his policies but were forgetting that the battle for total
sovereignty was not yet over. Mashonaland Central Governor Advocate Martin
Dinha added his support, saying people who had benefited from RBZ programmes
were aligning themselves with those who wanted to undermine the central bank
boss. These statements of solidarity were made at the burial of Dr Gono's
late elder brother Mr Peter Tungamirai Gono, who passed away last Saturday
after a long illness. Cde Chinamasa said: "We should not throw stones at
each other. Nyaya yavaGono yavekuita kuti tirambe tichipopotedzana.
Zvinofanirwa kunge zvisipo. VaGono kana vane zvavakaita, kuti nyika
ibudirire Kana vaine zvavakaita, vaiita vachitumwa nesu."

Cde Chinamasa, who has acted as Finance Minister, confirmed that he gave Dr
Gono authority to implement programmes that helped offset the effects of the
illegal sanctions on the country. "Hapana zvakaita vaGono tisina kuvapa
mvumo yekuzviita. The signatures of all those who served as Ministers of
Finance since Dr Gono took over as governor are there to confirm that he did
everything with our blessings and authority. So hapana anobata Gono
asingatibati isu. Hapana anotanga kudzinga Gono asina kutanga adzinga isu.
Vanoramba vachitaura kuti vaGono ibvai varikutotaura kuti Zanu PF ibvai."
"Ndinoda kuti vaGono vazive kuti havasi voga nekuti paita nhamo yakadai
unobva wafunga kuti wapotererwa nenhamo wega. Yobva yati yamukoma ashaya,
yobva yati yevanhu varikurwisa vaGono, wobva washaya kuti kovanhu vainyora
tsamba dziya varipi? Ini ndiripano to confirm kuti ndakanyora tsamba kupa
vaGono authority to do things to save the Government during sanctions," said
Cde Chinamasa. He said the country had been reduced to begging because of
sanctions. Masanctions akatirakasha zvekuti shamwari dzedu dzakapinda
iyezvino muGovernment vava kutoti nerweseri, aah, murivarume because you
survived under sanctions," he added. "Takabvumirana muGPA kuti masanctions
anofanirwa kubviswa and now we are speaking with one voice on the matter.
Zvino chinondinetsa changa chiri kunditambudza ndechekuti munhu anosimuka
achitaura kuti outstanding issue ndiGono, ko nyaya huru yemasanctions why
are you not speaking about it? Why are you not speaking about that as an
outstanding issue? It is a big outstanding issue," said Cde Chinamasa.

Cde Chinamasa said it was clear that sanctions were imposed to counter land
reforms, "but then takavakiya because isu neMDC takawirirana kuti land
reform is irreversible." In his speech, Air Vice Marshal Henry Muchena,
representing service chiefs at the burial, said despite the loss of a
brother and those calling for him to go, Dr Gono should know that the
Zimbabwe Defence Forces were solidly behind him. He said when land reform
started many people shunned it but Dr Gono left his businesses and embraced
the struggle. "Gideon haana kuitya hondo yacho. Takairwa zvino tasvika
pakuti hondo yevhu takupedza tava kupinda muhondo yeupfumi. Tanga
tichikumbira kune vaya vasiri varidzi vehondo yacho kuti tarirai nemaziso,
mupopotere mudundundu motirega isu nanaGideon torova hondo yedu. Nokuti kana
motanga kuti isu tiri muhondo imi mava kuda kukamura vamwe vedu. Aah,
tichavadzivirira. Regai isusu nana Gideon Gono tichirwa tigokusirai nyika
yacho mugowana pekupopotera makasununguka," he said. He said as liberators
they made a vow with their departed comrades that the struggle would
continue until the country was totally free and "ticharamba tine chitsidzo
ichocho". "Saka chichemo chedu chikuru ndechekuti vanhu veZimbabwe anenge
asingadi kurwa hondo yacho, chirega kukanganisa kune vari kurwa hondo yavo.
Kunyangwe patakainda kuhondo handiti pane vakasara, patakaenda kuminda
handiti kune vamwe vakasara? Patava kupindawo apa anosara hachisi chitema.
Asi vanozotiwo munhu akadzidza akaita gweta achifunda mahara neropa revana
vakasara kuChimoio, nhasi omira oti Gono ngaaende, mwana wambuya vaani
iyeye? Tokumbirisa mapoliticians nevana venyu ava vakadzidza neropa redu,
regai maState institutions tiite basa. Pamunenge muchiita politics dzenyu
hatipindire wani? Patinoita mabasa evanhu netuvana tudiki totanga kuona
kuipa kwerusununguko. Siyayi Gideon Gono ashandire vanhu. Mukada kuti
paradzanisa tinozokurambirai isu tisingafanire kuku rambirai," he said.

Adv Dinha said his province was behind Dr Gono, while castigating Zanu PF
members who benefited from RBZ programmes but were now turning against the
governor. He said: "Mashonaland Central nevanhu vayo, when I say vanhu vayo
I mean the ordinary people, support you Dr Gono. Tinoziva kuti vamwe vanhu
vari kumhanya zvakanyanya vachipanduka kuisa makano kuna vaGono ndivo vamwe
vedu vaimhanya navaGono. Ndivo vataiona kuBak Storage varipa queue
vachimhanyira kutora matractors. Vamwe vedu mumusangano. Ndinoda kuti
havanyare. Ngavazive kuti comradeship inoreva kufamba nemunhu through trying
times. Let's be all-weather friends. Kunyanya nyanya veparty yedu,
takabatsirwa musangano neReserve Bank. Nhasi uno tava kunakirwa tava kuita
tuma alliance nevamwe vanhu kuitira kupedza vataifamba navo." He said
President Mugabe spearheaded the land revolution and Dr Gono complemented it
with the Farm Mechanisation Programme. Bishop Trevor Manhanga said there
could be no national healing if people continued to call for Dr Gono's
departure. Touched by the solidarity messages, Dr Gono, who earlier on had
chosen the Minister of Media, Information and Publicity Webster Shamu to
speak on his behalf, assured the nation that calls for his departure were
not causing him sleepless nights. He said people could frame him and create
all sorts of stories against him, but he was determined to do his job. He
said he would not retrench any central bank staff as was the wish of those
calling for his departure. Several Government officials from Zanu PF,
chiefs, headmen, businesspeople, legislators, RBZ staff, members of
different churches and scores of ordinary people converged at the Gono
homestead to give the governor's brother a thunderous send-off.

South Africa may grant Zimbabwe $100 million loan

From Bloomberg, 27 May

The Development Bank of Southern Africa Ltd., a state-owned lender, may
provide a $100 million short-term loan to Zimbabwe to help upgrade
infrastructure in the country. "We are holding due diligence negotiations
with the Zimbabweans on two different packages, one a short-term loan of
$100 million," Sam Muradzikwa, the lender’s chief economist, said in a
phone interview today from Johannesburg. "Their long- term needs are still
being assessed." Zimbabwe, ruled by President Robert Mugabe since 1980, has
been in recession for the past decade. The southern African nation is
seeking loans from foreign creditors to help rebuild decaying infrastructure
including water-supply facilities and power plants. Talks with the
Development Bank have focused on improving Zimbabwe’s erratic electricity
supply, introducing a third- generation telephone service and rebuilding and
widening the country’s main highway to neighboring South Africa,
Muradzikwa said.

Journalists union blasts illegal accreditation rules

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
27 May 2009

The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) has lashed out at the Information
Ministry's order for journalists to apply for media accreditation, saying
journalists will not be forced to endorse an illegal body.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai last week said the Media and Information
Commission (MIC) had ceased to exist in January, because of agreements in
the GPA. As a result, journalists are supposedly no longer required to apply
for media accreditation to work in Zimbabwe, a regulation that for years has
allowed the ZANU PF government to brutally control the media space.

Despite the Prime Minister's statement, the Information Ministry just days
after Tsvangirai's speech ordered both foreign and local journalists to
apply for accreditation through the MIC, to cover the upcoming Comesa summit
in Victoria Falls. ZANU PF Information Minister Webster Shamu defended the
Ministry's orders, saying that the MIC is still in existence as a new media
commission has not yet been constituted. The direct contradiction of the
Prime Minister's statement has once again highlighted that there is very
little unity and agreement in the coalition government.

The Journalists' Union has since urged its member to boycott the orders of
the Information Ministry until a legally constituted accreditation body has
been put in place. ZUJ President, Matthew Takaona, told SW Radio Africa on
Wednesday that the MIC is no longer a legally recognised body, and said
journalists "should not support the lawless activities of individuals with
an agenda."

"We need to respect the laws of this country and we will not endorse an
illegal body that has no place in a law respecting country," Takaona said.

When asked if there was any concern that journalists would come under threat
for not obeying the orders of the Information Ministry, Takaona explained
that "there is no longer a law to support state sponsored harassment." He
added that media harassment in the past has always been supported by the MIC
as a matter of law, and he once again emphasised that the MIC is now an
illegal body.

Meanwhile foreign media houses are still waiting to be officially welcomed
back to the country, despite Robert Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba,
saying that the likes of CNN were allowed to report in Zimbabwe.

Kim Norgaard, CNN's Johannesburg Bureau Chief, told SW Radio Africa last
week that such an invitation had not been extended to them.  Furthermore Sky
News on Tuesday said it 'is currently banned from reporting in Zimbabwe'.

Abducted Pastor Berejena released unharmed

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Violet Gonda
27 May 2009

On Tuesday SW Radio Africa received information from an MDC official,
stating that another person had been abducted by unknown assailants. The
official said Pastor Berejena, who has been a "close spiritual friend of
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and has also been a spiritual strength to
so many of the victims of political violence over the past 14 months," was
abducted on Monday afternoon by suspected CIO operatives.

Marondera Central MP Ian Kay, a friend of the Pastor, said Berejena was
located on Wednesday morning and is now in a safe place. "The details are
very vague but we got a message that Pastor Berejena was picked up by
unknown people driving a white Sunny (vehicle) and we didn't know his
whereabouts. That's when we started phoning around, sending out emails to
try and find out where he was.  I got another SMS this afternoon to say that
he had been found and 'released' was the word that was used and that he was
safe but he has gone to ground."

It is believed the Pastor was picked up from his home in Harare on Monday
and taken to an unknown location by his assailants. He was not harmed.

Not much information was available as to why he had been abducted, but those
close to him said this is not the first time that he has been harassed and
he has been under constant surveillance by unknown people who have been
following him for a long time now.

We could not get a comment from the police or from the Pastor but it is
believed he is being victimised for sourcing funds to help MDC victims of
violence. Some sources said his abductors were trying to find out where he
got the money from.

MDC activists say he has been helping victims of political violence for a
long time now, after so many were brutalised at the time of the
controversial elections of last year. Many victims of this violence have
gone without any help and Pastor Berejena was one of the few who has been
trying to help some of them.

One MDC activist, speaking on condition of anonymity, said many MDC
activists who helped the party and became victims of the Mugabe regime, are
now being neglected by their own party. The activist said the situation has
worsened since the formation of the unity government, as not much effort is
being made by the MDC to help these victims of political violence.

An MDC official said: "While it is a sad reality that people are falling
through the cracks, there is no money to help people on a large scale. Once
you give one person a little you have to help all at the same level. And
that translates into a lot of money and a lot of manpower. There is also no
surveillance to prevent mismanagement and corruption. The MDC is not set up
to meet this challenge neither is ZPF, as seen with how the disability funds
were badly managed by the regime."

SADC tribunal hearing set for early June

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=16993

May 27, 2009

By Raymond Maingire

HARARE - The SADC tribunal will hear early next month the matter in which
Zimbabwe's embattled commercial farmers are seeking the enforcement of a
November 2008 order by the Windhoek based court barring the continued
seizure of commercial farm land by government.

The matter has been set down for hearing on June 4, 2009.

David Drury, a lawyer with Gollop and Blank, one of the legal firms
representing the farmers, confirmed the latest developments.

"We are now seeking a ruling for purpose of implementations," he said.

"The SADC tribunal made a final judgement in November last year and
government indicated unequivocally it had no intention to abide by the
ruling."

Last year's order was made after 75 Zimbabwean commercial farmers approached
the tribunal in March 2007 to seek an order to stop government from
repossessing their farms under its controversial land reform programme.

They said local remedies had fallen threw due to fierce political
interference on the judiciary by President Robert Mugabe's government.

In its ruling, the tribunal barred government from further repossessing
white-owned farms, saying the applicants had been discriminated against on
the grounds of race.

"The (Zimbabwe) government is directed to take all necessary measures
through its agents to protect the possession, occupation and ownership of
the land by the applicants," the ruling in part.

The tribunal also ordered that a handful of farmers whose land has already
been repossessed should receive compensation by June 30, 2009.

But Mugabe, whose government has presided over a violent land seizure over
the past eight years, has refused to abide by the ruling which he described
as "an exercise in futility".

Mugabe said the ruling by the SADC tribunal was in conflict with Zimbabwean
laws which seek to empower the majority black Zimbabwean population,
previously disadvantaged by racial colonial land ownership patterns.

Having forced thousands of commercial farmers off the land since 2000, the
land reform programme has failed to feed the entire population, leaving
nearly five million people in dire need for food aid.

Zimbabwe has in recent months witnessed a wave of fresh farm invasions that
have forced hundreds of the remaining white commercial farmers into hiding
from marauding Zanu-PF supporters and the police.

The farmers have been accused of remaining on the farms in spite of an order
by government for them to make way for new black owners.

Some of the commercial farmers have vowed, however, that they will not leave
the farms if government does not compensate them for the land.

The enforcement order, if passed in the farmers' favour, is expected to test
SADC's patience with President Mugabe's government, who has already shown
disdain for his peers.

The farmers are the third local organisation in almost a month to seek SADC
intervention in a dispute involving the Mugabe government.

This follows a decision by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party
last week to refer its dispute over the Global Political Agreement back to
SADC.

Last month, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum also took government to the
SADC tribunal for alleged breach of the SADC Treaty.

The action was on behalf of 12 of its clients, all victims of violence and
torture at the hands of state agents, including the police and the army.

The forum filed the case after the government failed to comply with court
orders instructing it to make financial compensation to the victims.

Article 33 of the Declaration and Treaty of SADC threatens sanctions on a
member state that "persistently fails, without good reason, to fulfill
obligations assumed under this Treaty" or "implements policies which
undermine the principles and objectives of SADC".

"The sanctions shall be determined by the Summit on a case-by-case basis,"
says the treaty.

Zimbabwe Farmers Union Disputes Government Maize Harvest Estimate

http://www.voanews.com



By Jonga Kandemiiri
Washington
26 May 2009

Zimbabwe's Commercial Farmers Union on Tuesday disputed government
projections for a 2009 maize of 1.2 million metric tonnes, saying that the
country will be lucky if it brings in 400,000 tonnes compared with a
national requirement of 2.2 million tonnes.

It said continued farm disruptions and input shortages have hurt agriculture
nationwide. The 2009 maize harvest has been under way since March, peaking
this month.

Commercial Farmers Union President Trevor Gifford told reporter Jonga
Kandemiiri of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that most of the 400,000 tonnes
his organization estimates the harvest will yield will be consumed locally
and won't reach the open market.

Air Zimbabwe in doldrums

http://sundaystandard.info/

by Pindai Dube in Bulawayo
27.05.2009 9:32:57 A

Zimbabwe's sole airline, Air Zimbabwe, has resolved to introduce short
working hours with effect   from next month in a bid to reduce the wage bill
by 50% as it faces operational constraints.

In statement   released on Monday, Air  Zimbabwe  Chief   Executive
Officer,  Patrick   Chikumba, said  the   airline   is   now  unable  to
meet   its  expenditure  therefore  it   has   to scale down on  operations
at  the same   time  reducing working  hours.

"The situation has not improved quickly and Air Zimbabwe is now unable to
meet its expenditure, including salaries. In discussions we held with the
Workers' Committee, it has been agreed to reduce the salary bill by 50%, in
addition to other costs reduction and revenue generation measures already
implemented.

"In order to give effect to these arrangement members of staff are advised
that   Air Zimbabwe will introduce shift and short time work with effect
from June 1, 2009.

"Given the complexity of the exercise and the reality of the challenges, the
airline requests and expects understanding from all employees in the
interest of all staff," said Chikumba in a statement.

Chikumba told the Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Infrastructure
last week that Air Zimbabwe's foreign debt stood at close to US$28 million.

Meanwhile, a Zimbabwean businessman is suing Air Zimbabwe for US$10,000
dollars because staff on a flight failed to serve him with a vegetarian meal
as requested.

Jayesh Shah, a company director, had asked for a special vegetarian meal on
a flight from Singapore to Harare in September last year, but did not get
it.

He demanded compensation and, when the airline failed to pay up, he took
them to the Harare High Court last week, insisting that Air Zimbabwe had
broken its contract with him to provide him with a meat-free meal. In its
response, the airline says Shah's claim is exorbitant compensation for any
damages he may have suffered by going without his vegetarian dish.

Air Zimbabwe says the in-flight food is provided by a South African company
and that it can supply special meals only if the food is available.

Air Zimbabwe also plans to close the numerous unprofitable routes imposed on
it by the former government of President Robert Mugabe.

 Senior officials said the airline had been stricken by the new unity
government's clampdown on state cash bail-outs.

WOZA deliver 100 days demands list to Parliament

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

27 May 2009

By The Zimbabwean

Press statement - Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) 27th May 2009

WOZA deliver 100 days demands list to Parliament in a 3 pronged peaceful
protest
AT noon central Harare came alive with singing of members of Women and Men
of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA/MOZA). The protests started simultaneously from
three different directions arriving in waves at the parliament entrance. The
protests were conducted to hand over a list of demands to legislature in the
power-sharing government. All three protests were conducted peacefully and
no arrests have been recorded at this time.

At parliament the activists spent some minutes handing over the demands
newsletter and handing over their placards to the security guards and some
Senators who were at the door of parliament. The previous song - "Government
don't torment us" changed to "We have lost patience, we are tired of waiting
for change".
After some minutes a police officer made a sign to disperse us. A signal was
then given for the activists to disperse peacefully. As this was happening
someone identified as an intelligence officer came forwards and started to
ask - 'what is your message?'; taking this as a delaying tactic, the
newsletter was placed in his hands. He then became insulting and
discriminating, saying - 'don't these women have husbands'. It is likely he
is the same officer who then instructed officers who arrived in a police
pickup to look around town for Jenni Williams and arrest her.
At least 2 truckloads of Riot police arrived after the protest had dispersed
and finding noone they kept circling the CDB. Several times in the past they
have arrested members at the bus terminus. As one protest went past a bank,
vendors seen being chased by municipal police, proof of continued
harassment.
The placards being carried had the following messages - 'give our children
an education- urgent'; 'Restore the rule of law', 'police stop harassing us'.
In the Harare consultation the top 3 priorities members wanted the
government to address are: Fix the education system; Create employment and
opportunities and Restore the healthcare system (full list follows).
Bystanders came forward to accept the newsletters and give words of
encouragement saying - WOZA women your message is correct; you have been
quiet; - keep up your pressure until GNU delivers its promises.
The protest and the list of demands handed over to the government complex
today follow wide consultations with members in Bulawayo and now in Harare,
the consultations continue. The objective to keep WOZA members focusing on
holding the power-sharing government accountable for the promises they make.
These activities are a continuation of WOZA's Take the Step campaign,
designed to encourage Zimbabweans to continue with the civic participation.

Background
As a finale to the mobilisation, WOZA Members were asked what they thought
the power-sharing government should have prioritised in their first 100 days
in office. To do this we asked their responses to this question:
100 Days of the Government of National Unity - an analysis
10 months have passed since the Global Political Agreement was signed. They
promised to "build a democratic and just, inclusive society free of fear,
violence, patronage, corruption and to ensure a better life for all
Zimbabweans". They promised to "arrest the fall in living standards and
reverse the decline of our economy", and "an end to violence, respect for
human rights and freedoms of expression and assembly, economic and social
justice, security sector reform, constitutional reforms and national
healing."

On 11 February this year, Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn in as Prime Minister
and a few days' later ministers and deputy ministers were sworn in. Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said in his speech, "For too long our people's
hopes for a bright and prosperous future have been betrayed. Instead of hope
their days have been filled with starvation, disease and fear. A culture of
entitlement and impunity has brought our nation to the brink of a dark
abyss. This must end today." He promised "jobs for those who wish to work,
food is available for those who are hungry, and where we are united by our
respect for the rights and dignity of our fellow citizens. This is the debt
we owe to our liberation heroes and our democratic movement heroes who paid
the ultimate price so we could all live together free from fear, hunger, and
poverty." He said he would restore a free media, the rule of law and
Zimbabwe's devastated agricultural sector. He promised to open a "new
chapter for our country" and told us he had three priorities:
1. Democratisation 2. Ending the humanitarian crisis 3. Stabilising the
economy

SO WHERE ARE WE NOW? WOZA heard them talk and reminded each other that -
actions speak louder than words. We continued to encourage each other to
Qhubeka/ Take the Step /Yendera Mberi. We continued to demand respect for
human rights and social justice through non-violent protest. We waited to
see what they would do during the first 100 days. We know that our country
has been destroyed and cannot be fixed overnight BUT we also cannot just sit
and watch and do nothing. The 100 days has come and gone. Now we have to
remind politicians we are impatient for a better life - we deserved it
yesterday and want it TODAY. We march today to demand concrete progress on
the promises made.

WOZA have completed the Bulawayo and Harare consultation on what they
thought the power-sharing government should have prioritised in their first
100 days in office. They responded to this question:
If you were President or Prime Minister or even Minister of Finance or
Education and you had 20 days left what 20 things would you concentrate on
first?

1. Fix the education system:
- We want free or affordable better quality education, with resources for
our children and teachers who are motivated by descent salaries.
- Teachers still look at parents as their employer while the real employer,
government, looks on helplessly.

2. Create employment and opportunities:
- We want jobs for all and those with jobs require a living wage that
enables them to afford to get to work and eat three meals a day.
- Offer civil servants a decent salary.
-Allow people to get trading licenses and tell police to stop treating
vendors like criminals.
-Encourage informal and cross-border trading by capacitating ordinary people
with self-help projects and training so that they will be able to create
more business on a small scale, which will automatically boost industry.

3. Restore the healthcare system:
-We need affordable fees for clinics and hospitals and enough affordable
medicines.
- Pregnancy no longer means celebrating a birth but pain and suffering due
to high costs; demands for bribes and bad service. Nurses and doctors must
be told to treat patients with respect. They must also earn a living wage
that dignifies them.
- Please allow people a dignified death - buy more storage fridges and clean
up mortuaries.

4. Basic commodities - food for all:
- Food needs to be affordable and available. Reduce prices on a par with
regional prices to stop profiteering
- Free and unhindered access to food aid for those who cannot feed
themselves.
- Adequate food for prisoners.

5. Fix transport infrastructure:
- Repair roads. Improve transport for the easier movement of goods and
passengers.
-Make fuel more affordable and accessible.

6. Housing:
-There needs to be affordable housing for all - make rents reasonable and
build more houses.

-A special compensation programme of housing for Murambatsvina victims.
7. Re-establish agriculture and initiate a genuine land-reform programme:
- Stop selective distribution of land. Stop illegal invasions. Be serious
about agriculture because our country depends on farming. Give land to
productive people.
- Fair distribution of inputs. Biased distribution means starvation.
- Compensation for those who had their farms taken.

8. Urgent reforms to stabilize the economy:
-Reintroduce local currency as soon as possible because not everyone can
access foreign currency and afford to use it. Find a way to bring back a
stable Zimbabwe dollar currency.
- Audit finances at RBZ and Gono should be investigated for corruption and
either be fired or resign.

9. Restore the rule of law:
- Enforce the rule of law and respect for property rights.
- Police corruption is steadily increasing; weed out corrupt police
officers. We demand an end to the public looting of vendors' goods by
police. Citizens need to be protected against indiscriminate harassment.
Implement the deal points about training of police.
- End the violence by police on citizens. There is too much police
brutality.
- Withdraw trumped up charges against prisoners.
- Repeal the sections in law (POSA sections) that violates civil rights
immediately.

10. Write a new constitution followed by elections:
- Speed up the process for a new people-driven constitution. No president
can hold more than 2 terms of office.

11. Resuscitation of industry:
- Inject funds into industry.
-Encourage investment to get our economy back on its feet.

12. Better quality, affordable and efficient service delivery from ZESA,
City Councils and Tel One:
-They keep increasing their tariffs but at the same time they decrease their
service. Make sure people are getting a clean supply of water. Reduce
telephone tariffs and improve service.

OTHER RESPONSES INCLUDED
13. Provide social welfare:
- A decent pension for elderly, care and support for orphans and the
disabled must be catered for.

14. Start a national healing process:
-Make the President apologise to the nation.
- There should be an investigation into human rights abuses and crimes
against humanity and those guilty should be removed.
- We need peace and an immediate end to violence. We need to feel safe in
our own country and own homes.

15. Have media freedom:
-Fair and equal coverage of all government officials. We want to hear them
speak on ZBC and not have voice-overs telling us what they are saying. We
want the truth from our media.
- We want more independent media - newspapers, radio and television.

16. Equality for all:
-Stop discrimination. Equal allocation of resources to all provinces and
people.
- Support gender equality programmes to gain women's participation in all
aspects of life - business, leadership.

17. Improve international relations:
- Restore international relations - not only East or West, but all. Make
sure that we have good (and equitable) trade relationships with regional and
international countries.
-We would like to thank our neighbours and the international community for
helping us in our time of need. Please keep it up.
If I was the Minister of Home Affairs:
- Remove Police Commissioner Chihuri who allows officers to abuse peoples'
rights and loot their goods.
- Reduce the cost of passports.
-Allow people to get birth certificates and identity documents at regional
offices and make it easy for them.

Forex traders back

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

May 27th, 2009

Forex traders are back on the street because there is a greater demand for
the South African Rand at the moment than US$, and Zimbabwe is currently
experiencing a shortage of Rands.

Forex traders are buying Rand at the official rate of 8.50 to the $ and
selling them for up to R10. Some feel that this has been exacerbated by the
Indian Premier League cricket, as South Africa has been flooded with US$.
There are two more big sports events coming up in South Africa: the
Confederation cup and Lions tour.

Word on the street also is that the Harare Singapore flight is very busy
with Chinese traders flying out with the cheap US$ they get from forex
traders to buy goods in the Far East. They then sell the goods for Rands
which they use to buy US$.

Posted by Still Here

Zimbabwe Struggles With Economic Problems

http://www.voanews.com



By Peta Thornycroft
Harare
27 May 2009

Finance Minister, Tendai Biti, says Zimbabwe has made some progress as the
new administration struggles through its first 100 days to fix a country
ravaged by hyperinflation and political and social violence.

President Robert Mugabe and political rival Morgan Tsvangirai joined a
power-sharing administration in February and immediately started trying to
raise billions of dollars needed to rebuild a country crippled by years of
neglect and mismanagement.

Biti, a lawyer by profession who is also the secretary-general for the
Movement for Democratic Change, spent his first day as finance minister
trying to figure out how to find $28 million to pay public servants. The
government had only $2 million in its coffers.

In an effort to shore up the difference, the government, under Biti's
stewardship, abandoned the Zimbabwe dollar in favor of the U.S. dollar or
the South African rand.

Civil servants are now paid $100 a month as allowances that are not taxable,
but that will have to change soon he said.

Aid desperately needed

Biti adds that Zimbabwe desperately needs aid from the West beyond
humanitarian assistance. Western countries have resisted giving aid because
they say there are still too many outstanding problems with the
power-sharing government.

"The West is being unscientific and ahistorical, what needs to be understood
is that if this experiment fails, we have no cheaper alternative, no cheaper
option," said Biti. "I speak as one, the only thing the struggle has not
done to me is kill me. Prisons? I can write a guide book to Harare prisons."

Biti says he is hopeful that bit by bit there are signs the West is
softening and there are signs that some in Mr. Mugabe's ZANU-PF are
beginning to open the door to better governance.

"The balance of risk is now in favor of re-engagement and support. It can be
pushed, only be pushed by resources," added Biti. "Where there is no
resources and delivery, this dictator says, 'Why am I opening the door?',
and we have opened the small door."

Problems remain

But problems in some sectors remain. Farmers say the just harvested maize
crop will be less than a quarter of the country's needs.

To help restart food production by communal and small-scale farmers, Biti
says he has asked the United States to remove restrictions on two key
Zimbabwe banks, Agri Bank and Zim Bank.

As the government works its way through a host of problems facing the
country, there are some signs of progress. Veteran commentator and political
scientist Eldred Masunungure said the finance ministry had made a
fundamental impact in first 100 days as there is food in the shops and in
many rural areas, and the MDC is now able to operate freely.

People waiting

But he echoes Biti's comments about the need for Western aid and says
without help, the small strides to better governance will be lost before
elections in about two years.

Outside Biti's office each day are lines of people waiting to see him.

He said he wished he had time to attend to debate about a new constitution
and the democratization of Zimbabwe, but that his days are long and tiring.

Biti says there are many expectations from the people, particularly those
whose lives and property were destroyed during years of political strife.

Zimbabwe Still Short of Aid Benchmarks

http://www.voanews.com



By Ish Mafundikwa
Harare
27 May 2009

Zimbabwe's government of national unity has been in office for more than 100
days. But western donor nations have yet to provide the new government with
badly needed developmental funds.

Western donor nations have set what they call principles for re-engagement
with the government of Zimbabwe. Among these are a commitment to economic
stabilization, restoration of the rule of law, respect for property and
human rights, and freedom of expression.

VOA asked Regional Integration and International Cooperation Minister
Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga how far the new government has gone toward
meeting the western criteria.

"We have made a decision that we are not responding to the West's
benchmarks. We are basically going to be putting to them our own commitment
plan the global political agreement clearly stipulates what we as government
would like to do. Incidentally those things do match with some of the issue
that the west have raised as their issues of concern," she said.

The minister defended the record of the fledgling government, saying the
first 100 days was about building a consensus between the three parties that
make it up. But she conceded there have been problems.

"There may be problems at the moment with the way certain things are being
implemented, and again we have been very clear. Until you define a policy,
you then can then say to this individual, 'Whatever you are doing is against
the policy that we have defined," she added.

Despite Minister Misihairabwi-Mushonga's optimism, a western diplomat,
speaking to VOA on condition of anonymity, said while the benchmarks and the
global political agreement are not very dissimilar, little progress has been
made in crucial areas.  He said political arrests; harassment and arrests of
journalists and respect of human and property rights are still areas of
concern. He noted progress has been made on the economy benchmark, but he
said economic recovery will not come quickly.

Meanwhile the new government appears to have reached consensus on contested
appointments to key posts. But the issue of central bank governor Gideon
Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana remains unsolved.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai argues the appointment of the two by
President Robert Mugabe was in violation of the global political agreement.
Gono is blamed for playing a big role in Zimbabwe's economic collapse, while
Tomana has been widely criticized for being an apologist of Mr. Mugabe's
ruling Zanu-PF party. Mr. Mugabe has vowed the two will not be dismissed.

Allegations of killings, thefts in Zimbabwe diamond mining

Last Updated: Tuesday, May 26, 2009 | 4:14 PM ET  

Women take a break from digging for diamonds in Marange, Zimbabwe, in November 2006. (Tsvangiray Mukwazhi/Associated Press)

Zimbabwe, a country beset by poverty, cholera and political violence, also possesses great mineral wealth, and lately there have been allegations of government involvement in the theft of mined diamonds and killings of local panners, CBC News has learned.

The CBC documentary airs Tuesday:

• On the World At Six at 6 p.m. across the country
• On Newsworld's Around the World at 7 p.m. ET
• On The National at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET

Under military control since late last year, the Marange diamond fields in Chiadzwa — potentially one of the richest diamond deposits in Africa — were seized by the government from a private mining company called African Consolidated Resources in 2006.

It is an alluvial field, meaning many of the stones just sit on the ground, ready to be scooped.

Tens of thousands of people — doctors, teachers, lawyers — impoverished by President Robert Mugabe's decades-long regime, had descended on the area, which lies near the border with Mozambique.

The fields are off limits to the media, but a CBC crew recently got in by joining the convoy of a local MP. They toured through the heavily guarded villages that surround the fields to meet with people who said they witnessed the killings, and their aftermath, first-hand last year.

Lovemore, a former telecom worker-turned diamond panner, said he saw soldiers shoot some of his fellow panners. "Yes, some were killed because of this diamond," he told the CBC's Adrienne Arsenault.

A cemetery worker near Chiadzwa showed Arsenault a mass grave that he said contained the bodies of 68 people who were allegedly slaughtered in that campaign. He produced dozens of burial orders filled in December — names unknown.

A local mortician also said he saw those bodies. "They were found in the field, beaten by soldiers, beaten by police," he said, adding he also observed gunshot wounds.

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace arrive at the swearing-in ceremony for South African President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria, South Africa, on May 10, 2009. (Jerome Delay/Associated Press)

The Zimbabwe government vehemently denied the allegations.

"Only three people died as a result of infighting among the diamond panners, and the culprits have been arrested and they are actually going through our court of law now," said Obert Mpofu, the country's minister of mines.

He dismissed the idea of a mass grave. "It is totally fantasy. It is totally false. I don't know what people want to achieve by doing this."

The government also denied that military and other officials were benefiting directly from illegal panning in the fields.

"We are on top of the situation, and there is not even a single illegal diamond activity now because of the measures we are taking," Mpofu said.

However, a former military officer, who used to work in Chiadzwa, and was able to produce some industrial and gem-quality diamonds fresh from the fields with just a few hours notice, refuted that assertion.

"That's a lie.… It's only those with connections who are now able to dig and profit," he said. "It is the soldiers and police who are manning the area who allow you to go and dig, and when you dig, you show them what you have. Sometimes they take the diamonds and go sell them for their own profit."

His story was consistent with what other panners told the CBC.

The former officer also said that at night he had seen soldiers digging and then handing over their finds to powerful people.

"They come during the night, take the diamonds, and share them with senior government officials," he said.

Diamond profits unshared

The government is vague when queried about how much is mined and where the money goes. Some people, like the local MP, believe diamond profits could help to solve many of the nation's problems — if only they could be shared.

After uncontrolled inflation, Zimbabwe's once thriving economy has collapsed. About one-quarter of its population has fled, with most of those who remain depending on food handouts. Poverty and AIDS have taken a toll, slashing life expectancy to 37 years for men and just 34 years for women.

The MP is trying to set up a trust for villagers to receive some of the mining proceeds and is also pushing for immediate short-term relief — to help build a proper medical clinic for example.

The existing clinic, which serves 8,000 people, is little more than a ramshackle two-room shed with a caved-in roof, few medications and two exhausted nurses.

And yet it is stands on land that may be rich enough to offer hope of a cure for much of what ails Zimbabwe.

Zesa Fails to Pay U.S.$43 Million

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


26 May 2009

Harare - ZESA Holdings is struggling to pay Mozambique's Hidroelectrica de
Cabora Bassa US$43 million for power imports.

Zimbabwe imports most of its power from Mozambique, Democratic Republic of
Congo and Zambia.

In an interview Zesa public relations manager Mr Fullard Gwasira said the
Mozambican company threatened to pull the plug on the country's electricity
if Zesa did not pay.

"The Mozambican power bill is accruing and we are failing to pay the
accruing bill. Only 10 percent of the total bills from local customers have
been made," said Mr Gwasira.

Consumers are not paying for the services rendered by the power utility,
thereby Zesa failing to pay its debts.

This comes amid revelations that Zesa is failing to meet customer demands,
giving them shoddy services.

"Let customers complain after paying the bills, where is the 90 percent?" he
added.

"If given the total support from electricity users definitely we are going
to meet consumer needs. The current scenario between Zesa and consumers is
of a hen and an egg, we cannot do without consumers," said Mr Gwasira.

He added that Zesa is geared to ensure that its service tallies with the
bills paid by the consumers but this can only be done in a manner which
benefit the two sides.

"Customers should pay the electricity bills as recommended for the power
utility to services its transformers," he said.

He added that to construct a power station it costs US$2 billion and in the
mean time the power utility is looking for investors to partner with to
operate at full capacity.

"Harare only requires 2000 transformers and each transformer costs US$8
000," he said.
However, the power utility has failed to cope with a steady rise in demand
due to an investment drought. Zimbabwe generates power at Kariba South
Hydro-Electricity plant and Hwange Thermal Power Station.

Kariba produces 750 MW when operating at full capacity and Hwange generates
about 900 MW.

However, due to the recurrent breakdowns and coal shortages, Hwange is
producing less than 250 MW.

South Africa's power utility Eskom, cut electricity exports to Zimbabwe
owing to recurrent breakdowns at its power station.

Huge demand for hard cash hits Zim

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by Own Correspondent Wednesday 27 May 2009

BULAWAYO - Building societies in Harare and Bulawayo struggled to keep pace
with a huge demand for cash by civil servants who started receiving their
US$100 monthly allowances this week.

Long and winding queues of government workers waiting to withdraw money
could be seen on Tuesday at several branches of the country's three biggest
building societies, Central African Bank (CABS), Beverly and Intermarket.

A teller at a CABS branch in Bulawayo city said the branch had run out of
cash by midday after mostly civil servants flocked and flooded the banking
hall in the morning with many asking to withdraw every single cent from
their accounts.

"We do not have money for withdrawals. This is because everyone comes to
withdraw their money while no companies or individuals come for deposits.
Worse still all civil servants come to withdraw all their money from their
accounts and leave nothing," said the teller, who declined to be named.

However a CABS operations director, Trevor Matika, said long queues at the
building society's banking halls were normal during this time of the month
when civil servants come in to withdraw their salaries.

Matika said: "The majority of our clients are civil servants most of who
have been with us for up to 20 years as they benefited from our building
society initiative.

The government pays its workers during the same week, this means that our
banking halls get flooded that is why it is not easy to run operations
during this period."

However the situation was less congested at commercial banks most of which
do not process salaries for civil servants.

A unity government between President Robert Mugabe and opposition leaders
Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara began paying civil servants in hard
cash last February as part of a drive to get them back to work and get
Zimbabwe functioning again. - ZimOnline

Minister fumes as he is cleared on public violence charges

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

Posted to the web 27/05/2009 02:34:28
CONSTITUTIONAL Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga has been cleared of inciting
violence in the run-up to last year's run-off presidential election.

The Buhera West MP was told he leaves court without a stain on his character
after Mutare magistrate Hlekani Mwayera ruled prosecutors had failed to
prove their case.

Evidence from state witnesses was unreliable, or inconsistent, the
magistrate said.

But that was little consolation for the Harare lawyer who told reporters he
was almost driven to bankruptcy by the charges.

"I am very hurt, and until the truth is told I cannot forgive, I am sorry I
can not forgive," the minister said after emerging from court.

"As far I am concerned, this is not justice because justice is a process.
This judgment is an event. I say there is no justice because we still don't
know why these charges where trumped up against me, and who initiated this
from the very beginning."

Mugabe party issues coalition warning

http://www.nation.co.ke

By KITSEPILE NYATHI, NATION CorrespondentPosted Wednesday, May 27 2009 at
11:20

HARARE

President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF party has threatened to pull out of
Zimbabwe's coalition government if the central bank governor is edged out.

The three parties in the unity government are deadlocked over the
appointment of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Dr Gideon Gono and Attorney
General Mr Johannes Tomana, Mugabe loyalists.

"There is no one who touches Gono without provoking us, Zanu PF chief
negotiator," Mr Patrick Chinamasa was quoted as having told mourners at the
burial of one of Mr Gonos brothers by the state media on Wednesday.

"Anyone who wants to remove Gono must remove us first and those who keep on
calling for him to go are saying Zanu PF must go too."

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) last
week referred the dispute to the Southern African Development Community
(SADC) and the African Union (AU) the guarantors of the September 15 power
sharing agreement for arbitration.

The MDC wants the central bank chief to be removed from his post for
contributing to the country's economic meltdown by excessively printing
money to support quasi-fiscal activities.

The unrestrained printing of money saw Zimbabwe inflation reaching a world
record of more than 231 million percent and the suspension of the local
currency from circulation.

But Mugabe has defended the policies saying they were necessary for the
country to survive sanctions and international isolation.

Mr Chinamasa, who was the acting minister of finance before the formation of
the unity government on February 13, said all the central banks policies
were approved by previous administrations.

The war of words over Dr Gono's tenure, which analysts say exposes the fault
lines in the inclusive government, has also drawn in the country's service
chiefs who vowed to protect him from his enemies.

SADC chairman and South African president Mr Jacob Zuma is yet to respond to
calls for the regional body to intervene in the crisis over Dr Gono and Mr
Tomana appointments.

Analysts say the bad blood between Dr Gono and Finance minister Mr Tendai
Biti, also MDC secretary general, is hurting efforts to mobilise donors and
investors.

Influential Western donors including the World Bank have revealed that money
meant for humanitarian aid and reconstruction was bypassing the government
because of concerns that the coalition has not demonstrated that it can
manage the economy with prudence and transparency.

Zimbabwe Poets Commemorate Operation Murambatsvina

http://www.radiovop.com/


HARARE, May 27 2009 - The Zimbabwe Poets on Tuesday evening
commemorated Operation Murambatsvina with a poetry night at the Quill Club
in Harare.

The poetry night was sponsored by the Media Institute of Southern
Africa (MISA).

"It is basically a night of rememberance. We are working with artists
to commemorate Operation Murambatsvina a dark era in the history of our
country," said Takura Zhangazha, MISA Zimbabwe National Director.

Operation Murambatsvina was unleashed upon Zimbabwean citizens by the
government in 2005 to drive out filth. The operation which was widely
condemned, left more than 700 000 people homeless.

"Today we shall seek to refresh the memories of the authorities of
what has become of the victims of this operation and what has become of the
beneficiaries of Operation Garikai," said Shoes Lambada Coordinator of the
Zimbabwe Poets for Human Rights.

"Africa, Africa will never, never, ever develop, Africa will continue
to struggle, workers will continue striking, children will continue
starving,  women will continue to be battered, journalists continue to be
arrested, languishing behind  bars, Africa will never, never, ever develop
until victims of Operation Murambatsvina are compenstated," belted a young
poet identified as Thomas as he opened the night's proceedings.

The poetry reflected what happened during Operation Murambatsvina and
also touched on themes to do with thenumerous human rights violations that
continue to be witnessed in Zimbabwe even after the formation of coalition
government between Zanu PF and MDC.

Sacred Zimbabwe game park falls prey to vandals, neglect

http://www.africasia.com

MATOPOS NATIONAL PARK, Zimbabwe, May 27 (AFP)

Ancient Bushman art peels off rock surfaces and endangered rhinos wander
through derelict fences as neglect threatens to rob Zimbabwe's Matopos game
park of its world heritage status.

Shillah Nyakudzi, wildlife manager of the UNESCO site, cannot suppress her
dejection as she points out a gap in the boundary fence between the Matopos
National Park and a neighbouring village.

"Not only is the boundary fence being stolen, but ancient paintings are not
spared either by lack of care and maintenance," Nyakudzi, area manager for
the 435 square kilometre (168 square mile) park, said.

"Matopos has now become porous as people are stealing the fence which is
supposed to provide a boundary."

The mystical Matopos Hills is a revered site where the Shona and Ndebele,
Zimbabwe's two main ethnic groups, have long held religious rituals amid
imposing ancient granite rock formations.

The San Bushmen also found their home among the precariously balancing
boulders and lifelike rock formations weathered by two billion years of
erosion, leaving some of the best rock art in Africa.

Zimbabwe's famous settler leader Cecil John Rhodes chose the silent grandeur
of the park as his final resting place.

It is rhino country, home to the endangered black and white rhino, while
some 200 rare black eagles make their home in the craggy rock outcrops.

However government neglect due to an ongoing economic and political crisis,
community and cattle encroachment, staff shortages, dwindling tourist
numbers and a lack of funds have hamstrung the national park.

"The rock paintings are fast deteriorating, they are peeling off. There is
need to preserve these otherwise we will lose that world heritage status,"
said Nyakudzi.

Bits of fence are stolen for scrap metal, and cattle from neighbouring
villages have wandered into the park for grazing.

Nyakudzi said some black and white rhinos "strayed 25 kilometres after
finding their way out through the broken fence."

"Last year we lost one black rhino outside the park while two died inside
the park because of the fencing problem," the parks manager said.

A new security fence around Matopos -- home to 17 black rhinos and 45
white -- will cost eight million dollars, she says, bemoaning the lack of
funding from both UNESCO and other aid organisations.

"Although we were listed as a UNESCO heritage site in 2003 there is nothing
we are getting from UNESCO," Nyakudzi said.

The area, listed as an intensified protection zone, has only 32 game
rangers, less than half the number needed.

"In a proper environment, a ranger must cover one to 10 kilometres yet right
now a ranger is covering 32 kilometers."

The creation of a government of national unity between long-time President
Robert Mugabe and his rival Morgan Tsvangirai has instilled hope that the
country's wildlife conservation will get some much-needed attention.

"Now that things have changed politically, I think that things will
improve," said Nyakudzi.

Environment minister Francis Nhema said the government planned to raise
money to repair the vandalised fence.

"We are trying to address the problem of fencing," Nhema told AFP.

"The major problem we have is that locals always want to herd their animals
inside the park as they are saying they have run out of grazing land."

"We just have to raise monies on our own, because organisations like UNESCO
are just voluntary organisation, they just provide funds when they have
some."

He said the shortage was being addressed, adding that governnment had
ordered that people who had abandoned their parks jobs due to low pay be
re-employed provided they do not have any criminal record. -AFP

Think twice before coming to South Africa

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=16998

May 27, 2009

WITH the recent suspension of visas a flood of Zimbabweans has flocked
across the border into South Africa, many to look for work but most on
shopping excursions.

The most popular destination is the metropolis of Johannesburg.  With a
population of  approximately 10  267 700 people, Joburg, as it is popularly
known sprawls over an area of 1 645 square kilometers. The population
density is 2 364 inhabitants per square kilometer

Most buses from Zimbabwe offload passengers in central Johannesburg in an
area spanning four blocks. Dozens of buses arrive every day, disgorging
thousands of passengers, many of them bewildered and carrying cash on their
persons. Many of the arrivals are not familiar with Johannesburg and are
clearly identifiable as newcomers to the hordes of criminals, even from a
distance.

The area teems with all kinds of fully-fledged tsotsis and other scoundrels,
from pick-pockets to hardened robbers who will not hesitate to pull a gun on
you in broad daylight. Pick-pocket is a misnomer, in fact. They boldly
confront you and search your pockets, relieving you of all valuables.

Women carrying luggage on their heads, some with a baby on their back,  are
particularly vulnerable. Their handbags are ripped open and searched in
broad daylight, while they are busy trying to protect the load on their
head. People carrying their shopping to the buses are mobbed by young
Zimbabwean men who confuse them while their friends make off with the goods.

Many Zimbabweans who have no experience  have this picture of South Africa
in general and Johannesburg in particular, as places full of riches.The
truth is that it is also a place full of risks.

Crime is often violent and fatal. The country is awash with illegal
firearms. In some of the townships buying a gun is like an investment. The
mentality is that once you have a gun then you can 'just get money'. 'Just
getting money' means robbing people.

I have personally observed that a lot of Zimbabwean criminals have moved
down south from Bulawayo and Harare. Those from Bulawayo blend in easily
because of linguistic advantage.  Most of them operate around the Park
Station area where most Zimbabweans board or disembark from buses.

I would advise my fellow Zimbabweans to think very carefully and plan
equally carefully before coming over to South Africa, whether it is on a
short shopping trip or a long term working stay. A friend of mine who
lectures at a local university was robbed of US$600 two years ago soon after
he got off a bus from home.

A week ago an uncle who stays with me met a man who had just been robbed of
R3 000. The man told my uncle that he had been approached by six men and
three of them grabbed him and held him down while the other three searched
his pockets and his luggage.

That was in broad daylight under a very bright African sun.

I have talked to many new arrivals from home and almost all people, most
without any qualification beyond GCE Ordinary Level, and all of them have
this belief that Johannesburg is a city where they  come to make quick money
before departing in a few months to start big projects like buying
residential stands, building houses or starting businesses back in Zimbabwe.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

I often wonder whether it ever crosses people's minds that if South Africa
is a place where money is so easy to make, then why do millions of South
Africans live in squatter camps with no proper roof over their head. If ever
the equivalent of Zimbabwe's Operation Murambatsvina were to be unleashed in
South Africa half the population would easily find themselves living in the
open.

South Africa is no different from any other place in the world. You will
find it relatively easy to make it if you possess a good education rounded
of with some skill which is in demand. If you are like every other Tom, Jack
and Harry without any skill then you will find yourself living like every
other Tom, Jack or Harry. In South Africa that means living in a shack in
places like Alexandra, Tembisa, Diepsloot and Thokhoza.

If you want a decent roof over your head you will be looking at rentals of
no less than R1000 per month per room. And that is a room with a communal
bathroom and toilet. It is common to find four a five people sharing a room
to bring down costs as low as R200 a month.

Those unskilled workers who are lucky enough to hold down a permanent job
usually earn between R1000 and R1500 a month. If we take into account the
costs of relocating from Zimbabwe, that is the bus-fare, the accommodation
costs, buying new household amenities like a bed, utensils a stove and so on
it will take the average unskilled person years to just recover the costs
and make enough money to go back home with the clothes on their body.

That is if they are lucky enough to land a regular job in the first place.

For those who don't land a regular job, circumstances can become pretty
desperate. Just now I came across this advert on a South African website
popular for its classified advertisements:

"Gumtree: Lady available, I am a Zimbabwean lady available for any casual
relationship. Hey guys, don't you want to have a taste of this. I am very
cheap, Northern Suburbs"

It is claimed that South African brothels are 80 percent populated by
Zimbabwean women. About five kilometres from where I live, there is a street
that has been nicknamed Mashonaland. Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, stands
somewhere at the centre of the three provinces of Mashonaland.

Prostitution is rife in Johannesburg's Mashonaland area.

Those who want to come to South Africa should make proper plans before they
leave Zimbabwe. They should not just jump onto a bus and leave everything to
fate. If they have a relative who can take care of them on arrival in South
Africa the better. They should however make sure they can rely on such
relatives. I have met many people who came with the expectation  of staying
with relatives but landed on the streets in no time because the relative
switched off the phone or simply did not show up at the bus station.

Many people are surviving through vice and they are not too keen to let
relatives from back home into their life-sustaining secret.

Two years ago I came across a young man trying to walk the 70km from
Johannesburg to Pretoria. He had come to live with a cousin in Joburg. It
turned out the cousin was part of a gang of robbers. The new arrival did not
want to get involved with robbery so the cousin kicked him onto the street.
The poor man didn't have a single cent on him so he thought if he could walk
to Pretoria then maybe he could hitch a free ride on a truck back to "home
sweet home" back in Zimbabwe.

I gave him a lift to a church which looks after Zimbabwean refugees.

The best advice of all is that people should simply stay at home. They will
not make much money there but they will enjoy the services of a very wide
social safety net. Often they can stay free of charge with their parents or
in their village. Johannesburg might be eGoli (The Place of Gold) but its
streets are certainly not paved with gold or lined with diamonds.

In fact, they are full of lurking danger especially for a foreigner with
nary a Rand in their pocket.

JAG open letter forum - No. 631- Dated 26th  May 2009

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

Please send any material for publication in the Open Letter Forum to
jag@mango.zw with "For Open Letter Forum" in the subject
line.

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

1. Dear Prime Minister - Ben Freeth

2. Cathy Buckle

3. Irate Potential-Jailbird.

4. Dear Eddie Cross,

5. Affronted Jailbird.

6. DELICATE TOLERANCE IS RUNNING THIN

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

1. Dear Prime Minister,

In a recent interview with Basildon Peta you have said that "there are
incidents where it is reported that there are invasions on one or two
farms but its all blown out of proportion."

As I write on Mount Carmel Farm we are in the middle of an invasion and
under siege.   I have invaders around my house and in my garden.  They
have lit a fire at our gate and are saying we must be out of our house.
They are in contempt of 2 High Court orders and police continue to do
nothing about affecting the High Court Orders.

This invasion has been continuing for nearly two months.  They have come
around my house again today but over the last 2 months they have ploughed
up my driveway and we have been under siege on a number of occasions with
threats that blood will flow if we are not out and that they will burn
our house down.

As you will know the Deputy Prime Minister came to Mount Carmel farm over
a month ago with both Ministers of Home Affairs, the Minister of Lands
and the Minister of State in your office, Gordon Moyo.  They saw the
rotting export mangoes in the Mount Carmel Farm Pack shed and they heard
about the SADC Tribunal Judgement and we were told that we would be
allowed to reap our crops.  Three days later we got a High Court order to
say that the invaders should leave this property.  This was backed up by
a further High Court order on the 30 April.

Unfortunately despite numerous attempts to get Chief Inspector Manika and
other police from Chegutu to react over the last month, the police have
not done so because the invaders are from Nathan Shamuyarira, the former
Minister and the ZANU PF spokesman.

As a result:

1.  The invaders have reaped the rest of the Mount Carmel mango crop
worth 95,000 USD and we have not been able to reap a single one.  They
have also prevented us from exporting or selling locally the mangoes
already reaped in the cold rooms and packshed worth 25000 USD. The
invaders are now reaping the citrus crop worth 32000 USD.  Our maize crop
worth approximately 33000 USD and the sunflower crop worth approximately
17000 USD will follow unless the rule of law is able to be
re-established.

2.  The invaders have not irrigated, fertilised or sprayed any of the
trees in any of the orchards over the last 2 months.  Many trees will die
and some of the smaller ones will have already died.  The ones that
don't will not set a fruit crop for 2010 unless they are managed
properly.  Mount Carmel Farm has the biggest mango orchard in Zimbabwe
and this will be lost.

3.  The 150 workers have not been able to work for 2 months.  A number
have been badly assaulted by the invaders. One of our foremen was hit
with an iron bar and got a fractured skull.  Another was abducted from
his house and kidnapped and had his feet beaten for hours on end.  Police
have not arrested any of these invaders that committed these crimes.  As
a result they continue to run amok bringing their terror with them.

4.  Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have not been able to get to their house for 2
months and so do not know what is left of their household possessions.
At the age of 75, Mr. Campbell who was severely beaten by invaders last
year and is still recovering.  He has vast experience in the field of
mango growing and was chairman of the mango growers association for many
years.  He should not have live like a refugee living in different
people's houses.

5.  The hand embroidery cottage industry linen business has had all the
50 workers chased away at gun point by the invaders whilst a Spanish news
crew were at my house.  They were chased away subsequently as well and
have not been able to return to work.

6. They are now around my house and have closed my gate and are shouting
in my and saying we must pack up.

There are only about ten invaders but they have guns and have put up
a gate on the road on the main entrance into the farm that they have
locked.  These men are holding the livlihoods of hundreds of people to
ransom.

As you will know this is not just an isolated incident.  In this area
where approximately 6000 hectares of irrigated winter cereals used to be
grown I do not know of a single hectare of winter wheat being grown this
year.  There is less than 200 hectares of winter barley that I know of.
So long as there is no rule of law this situation will continue.

PLEASE HAVE THE GOVERNMENT DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS LAWLESSNESS AND
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY RIGHTS.

Yours sincerely,

Ben Freeth.

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

2. Dear JAG,

As Zimbabwe struggles out of the darkness of a decade of dictatorship and
political mayhem we are beginning to see how hard the return journey is
going to be. And how long. Little snapshots tell the story:

Two policemen, in uniform and on foot, did a walkabout tour of some local
businesses this week. They want to improve relations, they say, but need
assistance with the basics. They desperately need tyres for their vehicle
and are looking for donations from the public. If you can't run to tyres
then how about typewriters, or paper they ask, saying they have no
stationery.

Typewriters! Can you imagine modern policing being done, not on computers
but typewriters! For a couple of years members of the public have had to
provide their own fingerprint forms, vehicle clearance forms and even
their own affidavit forms when visiting a police station and then wait
endlessly as records are handwritten.

With such problems as pens and paper, it doesn't bear thinking how long
it might take to restore law and order at higher levels, in regard to
things like property rights, human rights and farm invasions.

Two well known shops with branches all over the country went into
darkness this week as their electricity supply was disconnected.

Having no tills, computers, lights or other equipment took them back into
the dark ages in a hurry. They had been disconnected for nonpayment
because the amounts being demanded by ZESA (the electricity supplier) are
in the thousands of US dollars - more than a company's entire monthly
turnover. Similar exorbitant amounts are being charged by the state
controlled fixed line telephone company and everyone is reeling and then
despairing as they are disconnected. It appears that the electricity and
telephone suppliers are trying to recoup 10 years worth of collapse in
just a few months but their greed and speed is putting business and the
rebuilding of the country into a new cycle of shutdown.

Cause for much excitement this week has been the availability, suddenly,
of telephone lines for mobile phones.

For more than eight years these lines have been non-existent, available
only on the black market. In January this year a line on the black market
cost 135 US dollars. This week phone lines are available legally for 35
US dollars - still ten times more expensive than in our neighbouring
countries but they are selling like hot cakes. Oppressive Zanu PF
legislation concerning access to information and the free press has not
been repealed but the sudden boom in phone lines is a dramatic step
forward for Zimbabweans who can now send and receive their own
information without the political shackles.

Until next time from the land of golden grass, thanks for reading, love
cathy Copyright cathy buckle 23 May 2009 www.cathybuckle.com
<http://www.cathybuckle.com/>

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

3. Dear JAG,

I hear that the townies are starting already to winge about money that
they perceive the tobacco farmers to be making. Let's put this
money into perspective.

Dof (Dumb Ole Farmer) planted his seed about this time last year, when
the mayhem between the elections was at it worst.  Dof probably
hadn't been paid for his previous crop at that time.

DoF watered these seeds while Zesa was at its most unreliable.

DoF planted these seeds out when we couldn't draw money from the
banks to pay our staff.

DoF hopefully had a wonderful rainy season. We did, the best ever - pity
we couldn't plant a crop.

DoF then reaped, and cured and packaged his tobacco while probably
suffering more land invasions from Space Invaders, and probably/possibly
having to go to court to explain why he still has the temerity to be on
his farm.

For the very first time DoF is going to get paid with real money, and the
locals are complaining while this is probably the only real export from
agriculture this year.

How irritating.

No, we don't grow tobacco. We just try to put milk in your tea.

Irate Potential-Jailbird.

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

4. Dear Eddie Cross,

I have just read the interview between MT and Basildon Peta in The Star
(22 May). I would like to repeat the answer MT gave to Peta regarding the
present farm invasions.

Peta: Is it likely donors will provide money when violence continues on
the farms, journalists are being harassed and your supporters are being
jailed?

MT There are incidents in which it is reported that there are invasions
on one or two farms but it's all blown out of proportion....    We have
investigated examples of those so-called farm invasions.  We have asked
the minister of lands to give us a detailed report of what has been
happening over all these so called farm invasions and the outcry over
that.....  We must also proceed with the land audit and setting up the
land commission to resolve these disputes once and for all. And) we want
the full restoration of the rule of law.

Wonder what conclusion people are going to come to, when reading this?

One can only hope that JAG are taking every opportunity to relay to the
outside world exactly what is taking place.   MT's answer to Peta's
question is puzzling to put it mildly.

Regards Jay.

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

5.Dear JAG,

There are statistics in a recent article about Zimbabwe which state that
production on the farms is about 25% of what it was ten years ago. This
seems extravagant, as certainly dairy is nowhere near that, I don't
think the Auctioneers would say they are doing 25% of the business they
were in the beef industry.  The farmers that remain, 400 or so, they say,
but even that is in doubt, are NOT that clever to be able to take up the
slack and produce 25% of what there was. Who comes up with these figures?

Affronted Jailbird.

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

6. Dear JAG,

DELICATE TOLERANCE IS RUNNING THIN

Many accounts of Africa's demise have been written over the past 20
years and the observation commonly used by a lot of these authors to
describe a country's collapse is when dead bodies are left
unattended in city streets for stray dogs to ravage, alas this phenomenon
still exists on the continent today.

If you were born in the late fifties early sixties you would be
approaching 46-50 yrs old, has it occurred to you in 50 yrs of living
in  Zimbabwe that approximately only 10 years has been  normal governance,
which equates to almost 90 % of your lives have been ruled by an
incompetent or illegal  government. The early sixties were marred with
UDI, then the war followed, after that Matabeland, we had a break for
10 yrs and then the `circus' began and now the `tent' has collapsed !!
What an incredible waste of human life, together with poverty, destruction,
corruption, and crime.

Is it not the duty of one generation to pass to another generation the
future of a country which brings prosperity, health and stability? Is not
the time to bring change now because those of us left and approaching
fifty have only got 10-15 yrs of active duty before our predecessors
(black, white brown or grey) become a lost generation as well!

Do we want our children to live 90 % of their lives in abject poverty,
fear and insecurity for the next 2 yrs (one minute is enough), as
servants of a `gangster' styled government?

Zimbabwe has been lucky so far, not to have reached this dangerously
close level before some sense began to prevail and in the last three
months we have seen a collective but shallow calm come over the country
as the nation watches patiently.

The `new political partners' have delivered a truly genius
plan and through some smart tactics have de-fused the volatility that so
nearly saw this country become a grave yard, not to mention that the
situation was  seriously close to collapse and no excuse must ever be
given to the former ruling party for their wholesale destruction of a
nation .

In assessing the current situation in Zimbabwe and looking back over the
past ten years it ceases to amaze one, the following revelations come to
mind :

The former ruling party which came to power in 1980 (thanks to the
British) did offer a nation the choice between peace and  war , which
clearly won them the vote and for the sake of a nation one would like to
believe, the people of Zimbabwe then made their choice and for a short
term in Zimbabwe's  history this political party enjoyed the fruits
of transformation and deservedly had the popular vote almost unchallenged

Today, the same political party have vaporized every attribute they
worked and fought for (liberation being their motivation) and have now
infamously become the only Government in the history of mankind to have
achieved:

Total collapse of a national currency.

A global record unsurpassed by any nation ever, to achieve inflation from
single digit figures to almost infinity.

The fastest ever recorded destruction of an economy in a decade, not
withstanding that Zimbabwe has never experienced a natural disaster,
war, or any other excuse that other nations in a similar situation have
experienced.

What is beyond comprehension is the incredible tolerance this nation has
endured  for this party of gangsters, comparisons made of other
countries that have endured this abuse namely Cambodia, Sri-Lanka,
Ghana, and others have all reached a zero-tolerance stage and change has
come swiftly .

Why is it, that we Zimbabweans have to wait for two years before change
can come, why is it that a group of international and regional
`armchair' dignitaries are making this choice without
consulting us ?

Why is it, that as citizens of this country, our rights have been ignored
by the international community for over 28 years and still to this day it
is left to the politicians to control our destiny regardless of the
carnage they have engineered for personal gain?

The answer lies in the `fear factor', and the threat of war
so, we're lead to believe!

Is it not time for Zimbabweans all over the world to recognize that the
`monster' which has haunted this country for more than a
decade is dead, and what is stopping the nation from demanding a general
election now!!!

Why can't we ignore them for a change as they have us for decades,
and declare an election immediately, who can stop this demand?

Is a re-occurrence of violence the threat? Or is it  the fear factor
again !

A quick observation of the two main political parties currently
`sharing power' will reveal some alarming facts:

If there was a general election called within six months, what could the
former ruling party offer its citizens:

The opposing political party really has no challenge, and it's
ironic to mention this, but the current president must run for the
presidency, we beg for his commitment, as this will surely guarantee the
opposing party's victory!

Are we not sick and tired of this perpetual `grind' day to
day, week in week out which may carry  for a few more years !Is
tolerance not sometimes detrimental to human beings, it was for the
Jews.

Are we not tired of the embarrassment, humiliation and poverty this
government has brought us, compared to the proud nation we used to be?

What excuse have they got, from being one of Africa's shining
Knights to one of Africa's eye sores, is there ever going to be
justice - will there ever be a normal economy again -
not unless we have a general election now, two years is too late!

So what are we waiting for?

Sincerely,

Ready to Vote.

Daily cholera update and alerts, 26 May 2009

 Full_Report (pdf* format - 184.5 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:

- 8 Cases and 0 deaths added today (in comparison with 9 cases and 0 deaths yesterday)

- Cumulative cases 98 366

- Cumulative deaths 4 276 of which 2 627 are community deaths

- 75.0 % of the reporting centres affected have reported today 45 out of 60 affected reporting centres)

- Cumulative Institutional Case Fatality Rate = 1.7%

- Daily Institutional CFR = 0.0 %.

Planning for a Post-Pariah Zimbabwe

http://www.huffingtonpost.com

Alexander Noyes
Research Associate, Center for Preventive Action, Council on Foreign Relations

Posted: May 27, 2009 11:19 AM

Last Wednesday Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared that the
departure of President Robert Mugabe from the political scene in Zimbabwe
"would be in the best interests of everyone." While undeniably true,
coordinated international planning for such a contingency does not presently
exist.

In a country with a 45-year life expectancy, the end of the reign of the
85-year-old Mugabe is welcomed and long overdue. Though the power-sharing
government formed in February has allowed the octogenarian autocrat and his
coterie to remain in office, he will soon be out of power--either through
national elections scheduled for 2011, a brokered political agreement, or
when he passes away.

While continuing to ostracize and pressure Mugabe, the international
community must reach consensus on how to help resolve a range of enduring
and complex problems that Zimbabwe will face in the post-pariah era,
including a dismal economy, the return of millions of citizens, a
second-rate security sector, and historical grievances. The best forum to
confront these issues is through a multilateral Zimbabwe Contact Group.

The first thing the group should work toward is to repair an economy that is
among the world's worst. Despite some limited recent progress, Zimbabwe's
economy remains a toxic mixture of runaway hyperinflation--officially listed
at 231 million percent, 90 percent unemployment, and annual negative growth
rates. The unity government has attempted to entice international assistance
and aid, requesting an 8-10 billion dollar lifeline at the G-20 meeting, and
securing an agreement from the IMF to partially lift a ban on technical
assistance.

This money and assistance should be provided under rigorous and conditional
oversight, but real progress will not occur until Mugabe and his
recalcitrant associates are out of the picture. As such, the contact group
should draw up plans to assist a post-pariah state in implementing earnest
economic and political reforms needed to absorb aid--so it is not lost to
corruption or inflation--as well reviving the shattered agricultural sector,
creating jobs, and forgiving some of Zimbabwe's five billion dollars in
foreign debt.

Second, the group should work with Zimbabwe's neighbors to begin the
resettlement of the close to four million citizens--one-quarter of the
population--who fled in the past two decades. This mass exodus has been
fueled by the recent cholera epidemic and violent political repression. In a
country that once possessed a vibrant professional class, reversing the
brain-drain of human capital and skilled workers to South Africa and other
countries will be instrumental to Zimbabwe's recovery.

Third, the security services need to be reconstituted solely around the
principles of professionalism and territorial defense, and not loyalty to
the ruling party. While senior military and intelligence officials have
enriched themselves by overseeing economic decision-making, average soldiers
have poor morale and attendance as a consequence of their low pay, lack of
basic supplies, and inadequate professional training. The contact group
could collect intelligence and documentation to assure the worst human
rights abusers among the Mugabe-appointed generals are purged, and soldiers
adequately paid.

Finally, coming to terms with its post-independence past is important to
Zimbabwe's long-term recovery. While Zimbabweans will decide the appropriate
procedural venue to deal with accountability for past political crimes, a
South African-style reconciliation and truth commission is one viable
option. The contact group would be integral to promoting and assisting such
a commission by providing financial, legal, and administrative support. As
Mugabe's cronies will continue to play a role in Zimbabwean politics far
into the future, balancing accountability and immunity will be a particular
challenge.

To begin to resolve these problems, a contact group should be formed under
the auspices of the African Union. The group would be comprised of
neighboring countries, regional organizations and financial institutions,
the UN, international donors, and countries with vested interests--such as
the United Kingdom with its Diaspora community and China with its myriad
foreign investments. Robust South African and U.S. backing would be critical
to ensure the group received sufficient diplomatic and financial resources.

Unlike other multilateral groups, such as the short-lived and ineffectual
Zimbabwe "reference group" and the "fishmongers group," which focuses on
implementation of the power-sharing agreement, the contact group's primary
goal would be to undertake the contingency planning necessary for the
recovery of Zimbabwe after Mugabe.

Calls for Mugabe to step aside are welcome, but must be buttressed by a
sensible and coordinated plan of action. Once Mugabe exits the political
landscape circumstances will change quickly and drastically. Multilateral
planning for this scenario should be institutionalized within a Zimbabwe
Contact Group to assist in a full and sustainable recovery after Mugabe's
long and calamitous rule comes to an end.

Alexander Noyes is a Research Associate in the Center for Preventive Action
at the Council on Foreign Relations.