ONGOING ILLEGAL EVICTIONS OF FARMERS AT INYATHI

S•A•C•F•A Southern African Commercial Farmers Alliance

At 5.15 pm on the 25th May 2010 six truckloads of armed police arrived at Goff and Shirley Carbutt’s Oscardale Farm in the Inyathi district of Matabeleland North. They surrounded the homestead and proceeded to arrest Goff for being in illegal occupation of state land in spite of him having a very recent High Court order which confirmed the Administrative Court’s earlier ruling that he may reside on the remaining portion of his property; the rest having been given up for resettlement in line with earlier government policy.

After relieving his wife of all the house keys, Shirley and elderly parents were given a short while to pack up some possessions and were then evicted from their home at gunpoint. Goff, who has recently had a kidney transplant, was taken to the police station in Inyathi where he has had to sleep on the concrete floor of the police cells for the last two nights. He is to be charged under the Gazetted Lands (Consequential Provisions) Act for being in occupation of state land without an offer letter, permit or lease.

The convoy of police then proceeded to the vacant home of Ed Grenfell-Dexter of Riverside and Riverbank farms. There, on some pretext, they convinced his watchman to lure Mr. Dexter out from Bulawayo where he now lives. When he arrived he too was arrested and was also detained in Inyathi police cells pending his being charged for the same offence in spite of him no longer being resident on the farm.

The police then went to Mike Huckle’s Felton farm where at about 9.00 pm they breached the security fence and broke in to the house where staff reside. They gathered all of the staff together and told them they had one hour to vacate the farm. Mike Huckle is resident in South Africa and in terms of another Administrative Court order has leased out the remaining portion of his farm which the Court ordered he may keep.

The following morning after their first night in jail, Advocate Tim Cherry went to Inyathi to try and arrange for the release of the two farmers. He was kept waiting for some four hours whilst the Officer-in-Charge repeatedly telephoned code 04 (Harare) numbers.

On the same day 26th May Mrs. Carbutt, after being checked to ensure she was not in possession of a camera, was allowed to regain access to the house to pack the rest of her possessions at gunpoint. She was not allowed to take the curtains which the alleged beneficiary named Ncube of the CIO/police required be left behind. He also insisted the garden hosepipe remain as it was “irrigation equipment”. There is no law in Zimbabwe which requires movables of any sort to be left behind in this manner.

She found the pantry had been locked during the night and asked for the keys to open the door so as to remove her deep freezer. The police refused to part with them and denied that they had the keys. They told her that should she break into the pantry to remove her deep possessions they would arrest her for “damaging state property”.

Allegedly both Dexter and Carbutt are to be taken to Bulawayo today 27th May to appear in the city Magistrates Court. How the Magistrate is to override the ruling of the superior High Court remains to be seen.

C M JARRETT – CHAIRMAN
SOUTHERN AFRICAN COMMERCIAL FARMERS ALLIANCE – ZIMBABWE
27 May 2010

Zimbabwe Weekly update – week ending Tuesday 25 May 2010

Posted by ZDN on May 26, 2010

Politics

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has commended President Mugabe for resisting alleged political interference by the Western powers, pledging Tehran’s continued support for Zimbabwe.

Dr Simba Makoni, interim leader of the newly launched Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn political movement, has called for massive demonstrations similar to the Red Shirt protests in Thailand against the inclusive government, which he says has failed.

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions has called for fresh elections to choose the country’s next leader, citing “lack of progress” in the inclusive government.

Job Sikhala, who on May 8 launched a new political party, the MDC-99, was arrested Friday by heavily armed police. He is to be charged under Section 20 of the discredited Public Order and Security Act (POSA).

Zimbabwe Inclusive Government Watch, a document which monitors violations of the GPA and is published by the Sokwanele website, reported that from April 2010:In cases of violence, intimidation, hate speech and abductions, Zanu PF was accountable for 90.9 percent.  In cases of subversion of legal processes and of harassment through the courts of MDC supporters and politicians, Zanu PF was accountable for 100 percent of the breaches.

The MDC-T leadership addressed thousands of supporters at more than 30 “Real Change” rallies held across the country to update the nation on key national issues.

The MDC-T said that moving its deputy Minister of Agriculture (Designate) Roy Bennett to another ministry would be a serious breach of the GPA. Under the GPA neither the President nor his party can veto Bennett’s appointment.

The MDC-T has expelled five youths, allegedly behind the assault of MDC Director General Toendepi Shonhe at its Harvest House headquarters in Harare.

Governance

The Norwegian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Gunnar Foreland, has criticized the three leaders for delaying full implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA).

The GPA provides for an anti-corruption commission, but 15 months down the line the commission has still not been formed and the ruthless plundering of the country’s resources by President Mugabe’s inner circle continues.

Economy

ZESA currently cannot meet domestic power needs with industry and commerce almost crippled by inadequate electricity supplies. The state-run utility is producing 1,100 megawatts compared with a national requirement of 2,000 megawatts and is obliged to import electricity from Mozambique and Zambia.

Mining company RioZim, which is sitting on 1.3 billion tonnes of coal reserves, said Tuesday it had teamed up with South African investors to build a US$3 billion thermal power station in central Zimbabwe. The proposed power station would have a capacity of 1,400 megawatts, sufficient to meet Zimbabwe’s electricity demand.

State-owned National Oil Company of Zimbabwe (NOCZIM), now operating at 30 percent capacity and laying off thousands of workers, is planning to sell a 49 percent share stake in an effort to raise capital to pay US$270 million in debt.

NOCZIM is also negotiating with the government to retain a controlling 51 percent stake in the enterprise after raising equity capital.

The Development Bank of Southern Africa on Tuesday availed a US$500,000 grant to the Zimbabwean government to fund a feasibility study of the Harare-Chirundu highway dualisation. Carrying the bulk of traffic between South Africa and countries to the north of Zimbabwe, it is set to cost an estimated US$1.3 billion.

Prime Minister Tsvangirai has urged SADC water ministers meeting in Bulawayo to expedite signature and ratification of the Zambezi Commission protocol so the region can tap the potential of the Zambezi river for the benefit of all.

Tsvangirai travelled to Seoul this week on a three-day official visit. It is expected that the high-level meetings will result in the signing of a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA).

The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has raided a car dealership in Harare and stopped the auction of 75 cars as part of investigations into alleged tax evasion by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

Business

Zimbabwe has finally ratified a BIPPA signed with South Africa last November.

Indigenization Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has extended to end June the deadline by which all businesses must submit plans on increasing black ownership.

The business community and the MDC have proposed that the requirement for a 51 percent indigenous stake in all companies be replaced with a level of participation determined on a sector-by-sector basis.

Zimbabwe’s hotel group Meikles Africa will spend $53 million by end-March 2011 to revamp its hotels and supermarkets, the company’s chairman said Wednesday.

Mining/Diamonds

Mines and Mining Development permanent secretary Thankful Musukutwa has asked the Finance ministry to slash the pre-exploration levy for new mining projects as the US$100 000 charged for Exclusive Prospective Orders (EPO) is inhibiting new investment in mining, especially under-capitalised local miners.

The Chamber of Mines on Wednesday proposed a compromise in the government’s drive to force foreign firms to give 51 percent stakes to locals, saying 15 percent local shareholding for mines was enough.

Although power cuts and lack of funding slowed down recovery of the country’s mines – most of which closed in 2008 at the height of the economic crisis – the chamber says gold output will be significantly higher than last year’s 4.2 tonnes. At its peak, Zimbabwe produced about 29 tonnes of gold annually.

Impala Platinum’s Zimbabwe unit, Zimplats Holdings, is considering setting up the country’s first metals refinery, where its plans a US$500 million mine expansion.

The government is illegally exporting Chiadzwa diamonds through the back door to Dubai in violation of a Supreme Court ruling.

Government and controversial diamond firm Canadile Miners have established a joint venture for the construction of a multimillion-dollar Diamond Technology Centre for processing of the gems in Zimbabwe.

African Consolidated Resources (ACR)’s prospecting programme is yielding positive results. CEO Andrew Cranswick says gold, diamond and base metals prospecting is ongoing.

Jonathan Samkange, the lawyer representing Africa Consolidated Resources CEO Andrew Cranswick, was briefly arrested by police in Harare on Monday, in a move he says is continuing harassment by the police.

ACR official Ian Harris is still out on bail after being arrested for allegedly fraudulently acquiring the Chiadzwa diamond claim, through an ACR subsidiary.

Land/Agribusiness

The loss-making state-run Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has no money to pay farmers who delivered their produce during the just-ended season. Furthermore, seed and fertiliser stocks at depots countrywide are inadequate for the crucial winter cropping season.

The Zimbabwean Government will have to pay out at least US$70 million should a renewed claim by three applicants against President Mugabe’s government and its “unlawful land-reform programme” succeed in the SADC Tribunal.

Tourism

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is processing requests for loans amounting to over US$30 million from local tourism operators.

New Constitution / Political Violence

Security for the outreach process has become a major concern amid reports from various provinces that alleged Zanu PF supporters are intimidating and assaulting those who may resist adoption of the Mugabe-backed Kariba draft constitution.

Members of the Zimbabwe National Army are leading a campaign of violence and intimidation in the Manicaland province. Soldiers, with the help of war veterans and Zanu PF supporters, are using threats and physical violence ahead of the delayed constitutional outreach exercise.

Members of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) and Zanu PF top brass are instructing local traditional leaders to bar constitutional reform process meetings organised by civic society and non Governmental Organisations in Mashonaland Central Province, traditional leaders have reported.

The government will provide US$350,000 to the partisan Zimbabwe Republic Police to fund “security arrangements” for the outreach phase of the constitutional  revision process now scheduled to begin June 15.

The National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO) said on Thursday it is considering pulling out of the country’s constitutional making process because politicians have taken over the process.

Dozens of people in Epworth near Harare have been savagely beaten, many raped and others forced to flee their homes in a tide of low-key violence perpetrated by Zanu PF supporters against the MDC.

Elections

In Johannesburg, a legal case regarding the release of a report by two of South Africa’s top judges on the fairness of the 2002 presidential election in Zimbabwe is underway. The Mail & Guardian newspaper has applied for access to the report.

The financially crippled Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), sworn in on March 31, has resolved to source funding from international donors.

Health/Humanitarian

Norway is to increase its humanitarian assistance to Zimbabwe in 2010 by NOK 10 million, to NOK 30 million since up to 2.5 million people will need food aid in 2010.

Zanu PF officials and war veterans in Mberengwa district in the Midlands province are blocking food aid to HIV/AIDS orphans demanding that they should first join the party’s youth league.

The government supported by Hellen Keller International, World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF on Monday launched a nationwide measles vaccination campaign. More than US$8 million has been spent to on vaccines and logistics to ensure the campaign reaches remote populations. Immunisation points have been set up at all hospitals, clinics, community centres, churches and schools.

May 18 marked the fifth anniversary of Operation Murambatsvina when the Zanu PF government began demolishing informal settlements across the country, leaving more than 700 000 people without homes or livelihoods, or both. Five years on, the victims are still struggling to survive in plastic shacks or tents without basic essentials.

Legal

President Mugabe has unilaterally appointed three High Court judges, including controversial former elections chief George Chiweshe, who presided over the flawed 2008 elections, to head the country’s High Court.  As this violates the GPA, Prime Minister Tsvangirai has protested strongly and wants a meeting with Mugabe this week.

According to legal monitor Veritas, the law allows the State to appeal to the Supreme Court against Roy Bennett’s acquittal, but only if given permission to do so by a Supreme Court judge. The hearing is likely to be held during the next few weeks.

Lawyers for Bennett are planning to sue former information minister Jonathan Moyo  and state media journalists for allegedly peddling falsehoods against him.

A Harare court has ordered an investigation into the alleged torture of two former soldiers accused of stealing weapons at Pomona Barracks last year.

The Deputy Sheriff of Cape Town will proceed to auction Zimbabwe government properties after Harare failed to defend a R400 million lawsuit by German development bank KFW Bankgruppe.

Media

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said he would this week summon the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) to ascertain why it hasn’t issued a single licence since it was appointed nearly three months ago.

Donors are said to be refusing to financially back the newly created Zimbabwe Media Commission due to the appointment of Zanu PF sympathiser and media hangman Tafataona Mahoso as CEO.

Concern has been expressed over the increasing range of the state broadcaster after new transmitters were installed last week.

Police in Gweru have clamped down on a community radio station by denying them clearance to hold a road show this weekend.

Education

UNICEF has provided over US$50 million to improve the pupil-textbook ratio.

Environment / Wildlife

A six-nation wildlife crime crackdown across southern Africa, and including Zimbabwe, has resulted in the seizure of nearly 400 kilos (882 pounds) of elephant ivory and rhino horn with a market value of more than US$1 million, the location and closure of an illegal ivory factory, and the arrests of 41 people.

Zimbabwe’s Parks and Wildlife Management Authority said at the weekend that the export of six animal species, including two infant elephants, to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was a “purely business” transaction.  An international campaign to save the elephants has been launched by Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force and Elephant Voices.

Sport

North Korea will not be preparing for the World Cup finals with a visit to Zimbabwe, ending fears over a potentially controversial trip.

The International Football Federation (FIFA) says it is preparing to bus Zimbabweans into South Africa next month to fill up empty seats in the new Polokwane, Nelspruit and Port Elizabeth stadiums during World Cup.

The Good News

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) handed over 693 housing units on May 13 to nearly 700 families, all victims of the 2008 floods in the eastern Chipinge district.  The homes were built in partnership with government’s Civil Protection Unit.

A Zimbabwean wine maker has scored a first by making two of the three official World Cup wines. Tariro Masayiti, 37, works for Paarl-based wine-maker Nederburg.

Source:  Zimbabwe Democracy Now

Zimbabwean Legislator Urges Mandatory Financial Disclosure by Public Officials

Zimbabwean parliamentarian Willas Madzimure argued for disclosure saying the electorate worries that legislators, officials in the executive branch and those appointed to the judiciary may abuse their offices

Gibbs Dube | Washington27 May 2010

The African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption says the Zimbabwean Parliament should enact legislation obliging lawmakers, senior government officials and members of the judiciary to declare their financial assets before taking office as a step against corruption by those in high office.

Parliamentarian Willas Madzimure, chairman of the network's Zimbabwe chapter, said the electorate worries that legislators, executive branch members and those appointed to the bench may abuse their offices. 

Madzimure, who represents the Harare suburb of Kambuzuma, told VOA Studio 7 reporter Gibbs Dube that some politicians in Zimbabwe have corruptly amassed wealth as they are not subject to such public scrutiny.

“As there are many politicians using public offices to enrich themselves, we believe that this can be curbed if MPs, members of the bench and senior state officials are obliged to declare their assets,” he said.

Nhlanhla Dube, deputy national secretary for information with the Movement for Democratic Change formation of Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara said Zimbabwe’s new constitution should require such disclosure.

Though a parliamentary rule requires disclosure, the legislature has not enforced this.

During the 1980s the ruling ZANU-PF party drafted a so-called leadership code obliging members to declare their assets - but it disappeared from party statutes after members said it was too Marxist-oriented.

 VOA news

Zimbabwe: Liquidity Crunch Takes Toll On ZSE

28 May 2010

________________________________________

Harare — HEAVYWEIGHT counters lost significant ground on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange yesterday, pulling the mainstream index 3,22 percent down to close at 129.89 points.

The resources index also slipped 2,06 percent to close at 158.24 points as RioZim shed US10c to trade at US260c after Government suspended diamond exports.

Seed manufacturing giant SeedCo led the shakers with a significant US5c drop at 70 cents as alcohol and beverage manufacturer Delta retreated US4c to trade at US43c.

Diversified financial services counter Barclays was US1,99c softer at US10,01c as insurance giant Old Mutual eased a cent to US146c.

Cairns closed among the top five shakers, slipping US0.70c to trade at US2,50c.

Tobacco processor BAT and Hippo topped the movers with a US5c gain each to US240c and US85c respectively.

Cafca went up a cent to US13c as ABCH and Dairibord were both US0,10c higher at US13,60c and US7,60c.

Investors have watched their investment shrink on the ZSE as the liquidity crisis takes its toll on the market coupled with the new empowerment laws to apply on all foreign-owned companies.

Local banks have found themselves with their already overheated short-term deposits as the only source of short-term funds to disperse to the cash-desperate industry.

Interest rates resultantly surged to as high as 40 percent per annum at the helm of the liquidity shortages, though they have since eased to an average of 25 percent.

The lucrative returns on the money market of up to 30 percent per annum drew the limited funds, worsening the liquidity situation.

The year had kicked off on a promising note on the back of a positive economic and political outlook, partly driven by the upbeat 2010 Budget and monetary policy statements.

In the opening month, the industrial index established a year-to-date of 166.95 points on January 13, 2010 while the mining index, on the other hand, crossed 200 points for the greater part of the month.

However, the index's year-to-date high of 216.85 points was only achieved on March 31 when an unprecedented RioZim charge of 35,7 percent to US380c pushed the index by 37.95points.

The economy has had a fairly disappointing first quarter with growth forecasts being reviewed downward beyond expectations while inflation expectations were raised beyond the optimist's imaginations.

In the absence of the necessary liquidity to stimulate growth, the economy has had to revise downwards its growth prospects.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti whittled his economic growth forecasts from 7,7 percent to 4,8 percent while the International Monetary Fund took this down to as low as 2,2 percent.

Capacity utilisation which had been below 10 percent at the beginning of 2009 went up to 35 percent by mid-2009 with expectations of it rising to beyond 50 percent by mid this year.

However, these dampened forecasts have resulted in analysts predicting that capacity utilisation will, at best, remain at the 35 percent mark.

Inconsistent power and water supplies as well as the rising cost of capital made production processes less efficient and more expensive.

The rising global oil prices only worsened the situation, with all these costs being eventually forwarded to the consumer.

As such, inflation crept from negative territory resulting in the Ministry of Finance upwardly revising the annual inflation forecasts from 5 percent to 10 percent.

Copyright © 2010 The Herald

Published by the government of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe: Energy Crisis Set to Worsen

Chris Muronzi

22 April 2010

ENERGY problems besetting the country are set to worsen for the rest of this month as it emerged yesterday that only one unit at Hwange Thermal Power Station is operational.

According to a recent power generation status report, Hwange Power Station is producing a mere 70 Megawatts against an installed capacity of 750 megawatts owing to breakdowns in other five units.

Only unit 2 of the power station is operational while others might commence operations by May 1 after massive repairs.

All six units at Kariba Power Station are operational and contribute 735 Megawatts bringing total power output to 805 Megawatts, only 48,5% of what the country needs. This is against a forecasted 1660 Megawatts Zimbabwe needs daily and ought to be producing. Apart from 400 Megawatts being imported from Mozambique's Hydro Caborra Bassa and Zambia's Zesco Limited, the country has no other sources of energy.

Other power stations in Harare, Munyati and Bulawayo remain shut. Power outages increased this month throughout the country, especially in residential areas in the capital with some areas going for more than 48 hours without electricity.

Although Zimbabwe is facing an acute energy deficit, it is under obligation to export 150 Megawatts to Namibia after NamPower invested US$50 million into the refurbishment of the troubled at Hwange Power Station.

Last week, Zesa Holdings, the country's power utility, had to suspend indefinitely the annual maintenance of Kariba Power Station until power generation improves at Hwange.

Copyright © 2010 Zimbabwe Independent.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

                                    A letter from the diaspora

Dear Friends.

If I was asked to define exactly what Zanu PF stands for, probably the only answer I could honestly give would be ‘For living on past glories in their unswerving dedication to the Liberation struggle which ended thirty years ago; for their equally unswerving and blind loyalty to their 86 year old President; for their belief in their absolute right to rule Zimbabwe and own all its resources; for their use of violence as a legitimate weapon to remain in power; for their intolerance of all other views but their own and for their hatred of the west and in particular Britain as the former colonial power.’  This last point has involved some very strange alliances. On the basis of the rather distorted logic that ‘the west’s enemies are automatically my allies,’ Robert Mugabe has allied himself with North Korea, Iran and any other country whose autocratic rulers regularly rant about the evils of western imperialism and the US in particular. In the name of defending ‘Zimbabwean sovereignty’ Mugabe and Zanu PF have succeeded in making Zimbabwe a byword for all that is wrong with African politics. While the rest of Africa is slowly discarding dictatorships in favour of free elections and democratically elected leaders, Robert Mugabe stands out as an example of dictatorial rule, unwilling to accept change or criticism.

Public criticism of the president is a criminal offence which the Zimbabwe police are only to happy to use as an excuse to arrest Mugabe’s perceived enemies. Mugabe’s hatred of homosexuality is well-known and it could be argued that his view is shared by many deeply conservative African societies which do not share the west’s tolerance of sexual difference. Whatever one’s views on this culturally sensitive subject, the fact remains that gays and lesbians are as entitled to their human rights as any other citizens. The arrest and torture of two employees of Galz on Friday last for ‘Undermining the authority of President Robert Mugabe’ appears to be nothing more than political harassment since the two were denied legal representation and had their offices searched, presumably without warrants. Many other MDC members have been subjected to exactly the same treatment. One victim of the Criminal Law Amendment Act was an MDC Senator Morgan Komichi who was alleged to have sung a song at a public rally which compared Grace’s husband to a donkey which died a long time ago. How the police would ever prove in court that the song was  intended to refer directly to the president was not clear but their statement that Senator Komichi “knew there was a real risk or possibility that the statement was false and that it could engender feelings of hostility towards or cause hatred, contempt or ridicule of the President or his office” gives some indication of the lengths to which the mentally challenged cops will go in their efforts to cause as much aggravation as possible to anyone perceived as an enemy of the Dear Leader. Like so many other ludicrous happenings in Zimbabwe it might all be very funny if it were not so deadly serious in its consequences for innocent people. More than once in recent weeks there have been disturbing reports of threats of violence that are about to be wreaked on innocent villagers in the rural areas ‘When the World Cup is over’.

This is the first time the World Football Cup has been held in Africa and as such it should be an occasion for joy and hope that the African continent will benefit in real terms from this international celebration taking place in the Rainbow Nation. Sport brings people of different cultures and beliefs together and can be a huge force for good but in Zimbabwe it is being used by the men of violence as a threat against Mugabe’s opponents. The message is clear: once the eyes of the world are no longer on South Africa - and indirectly on Zimbabwe - the thugs will resume their oppression of anyone who dares to oppose Zanu PF. It is this total intolerance of difference that reinforces the world’s view of Mugabe and his party as a group of bigoted men and women who remain locked in the past, unable to move forward into a democratic future.   

A long way away from dusty village politics, on Africa Day in Washington, the former US.Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Johnny Carson, himself an African American, was hosting a group of African leaders gathered to celebrate the occasion. Present at the gathering was the Zimbabwean Ambassador to the US, a certain Dr Mavenyika Mapuranga. Mr Carson had just completed a blunt assessment of Zanu PF’s failure to implement the GPA when he was interrupted by an irate Mapuranga who, angered by the attack on Zanu PF and Robert Mugabe shouted, “You are talking like a good house slave. We will never be a US colony  - you know that.” I don’t know where Dr Mapuranga obtained his doctorate but it’s a pretty safe bet that it was probably at some foreign university, possibly American? We must assume that he is an educated, intelligent man but his response to criticism of Zanu PF is exactly the same as his less educated country cousins back home: insults and abuse. Despite boos and hisses of disapproval from his African brothers, Dr Mapuranga continued to shout abuse until he was finally hustled out of the meeting. But Mr Carson had the last word. He has good reason to know the true state of affairs in Zimbabwe having served as US Ambassador from 1995-1997. “You can sit in the darkness in this audience but the light will find you and the truth will find you.” All those who kill and brutalise in the name of Zanu PF would do well to remember that.

Yours in the (continuing) struggle PH.aka Pauline Henson author of Case Closed published in Zimbabwe by Mambo Press, Going Home and Countdown, political detective stories set in Zimbabwe and available from Lulu.com.              

UNICEF seeks US$17 million to help ‘fragile’ Zim

By Alex Bell
28 May 2010

The United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is seeking an estimated US$17 million to help humanitarian emergencies in Zimbabwe, which the group said this week is still ‘fragile’.

In a report released Wednesday the group said that it required the funds to immediately respond to the most acute emergencies in Zimbabwe, including cholera, measles and typhoid outbreaks. They explained how humanitarian emergencies continue to hamper the pace of recovery in Zimbabwe, saying the country is in a “fragile” transition due to the “complex and severe crises experienced over the last five years.” The UNICEF report explained how the country is facing current acute emergencies, including ongoing measles, cholera and typhoid outbreaks, the silent but devastating HIV and AIDS epidemic, and the plight of displaced persons.

“These concerns are exacerbated by inadequate access to basic social services, including health care and social protection schemes. Food insecurity and disrupted livelihoods contribute to the overall fragile socio-economic situation.”

Zimbabwe is currently facing a large measles outbreak with more than 6 000 suspected cases and at least 384 deaths reported. Fifty-seven out the country’s 62 districts have confirmed at least one laboratory tested case, while 61 districts have reported suspected cases. UNICEF spokesperson in Geneva, Christiane Berthiaume, explained that it was “tragic” that measles is still such a threat.

“Though measles epidemics have been mostly contained during the past 20 years, the steady decline in basic social services, particularly regular immunization programmes, has placed Zimbabwean children in a highly vulnerable state,” Berthiaume explained.

UNICEF and the World Health Organisation this week launched an immunization campaign to tackle the measles outbreak in Zimbabwe, with an estimated five million children set to receive vaccines.

“In addition to measles vaccinations, the intensive campaign will also provide children with vital immunization against polio, diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus," UNICEF’s Berthiaume said.

Berthiaume also explained concerns about ongoing cholera and typhoid outbreaks in the country, where access to clean, safe water is still limited. Both diseases are waterborne and have deadly consequences. In 2008 a country wide cholera outbreak claimed well more than 5000 lives.

The UNICEF report also expressed concern about gender-based violence in all its forms, saying it “remains a challenge and is sustained by prevailing negative socio-cultural practices, attitudes, values, norms and beliefs, despite progressive legislation.” The report said that 47% of women in Zimbabwe have experienced either physical or sexual violence (or both) at some point in their lives.

Police clamp down on diamond rights group

By Alex Bell
28 May 2010

Mutare police on Thursday clamped down on a rights group that has exposed the level of abuse at the Chiadzwa diamond fields. They raided the group’s offices, the home of the group’s director and arrested his younger brother.

According to the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), police were searching for Farai Maguwu, the director of the Centre for Research and Development (CRD), but could not find him at the time of the raid on Thursday. A man believed to be his younger brother was arrested instead and was being held on unknown charges. The ZPP said the police officers took away some documents from the centre’s offices before heading for Maguwu’s home in Hobhouse, just a few kilometres away from the populous Chikanga suburb.

Blessing Nyamaropa, a lawyer with the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, on Friday went to the Mutare Central Police Station to try to give legal representation to Maguwu’s young brother. The details of the charges that he is being detained on have not yet been made clear. Maguwu’s whereabouts remain unknown and attempts by SW Radio Africa to contact him have been unsuccessful.

Maguwu has been outspoken in exposing the human rights atrocities at Chiadzwa, even meeting with an international diamond expert this week to give evidence of ongoing abuse at the hands of the military and the rampant smuggling. Abbey Chikane, who was appointed by the international diamond trade watchdog the Kimberley Process, to monitor Zimbabwe’s attempts to fall in line with trade standards, on Thursday said the country was “on the right track.”

Ironically, his comments coincided with the raid at the CRD offices.

Australia demands removal of Mugabe before aid for Zim

By Alex Bell
28 May 2010

The Australian government has insisted that Robert Mugabe must be out of Zimbabwe’s political picture, before international aid will be available to help rebuild the country.

In an interview with the Zimbabwe Independent in Canberra, Australia this week, the country’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Stephen Smith, said his government wanted Mugabe to go before financial aid for reconstruction can be extended to Zimbabwe.

“Our position is that Mugabe should move off the stage to allow a new beginning,” he told the Independent on Tuesday. “The coalition government has failed to implement the global political agreement in full because of Mugabe. He should move off the stage if the country is to reengage with the international community.”

Smith said Australia wanted democratic reforms to take root in Zimbabwe, leading to free and fair elections. In a recent ministerial statement in parliament, Smith said Australia was looking forward to seeing “a full and fair” election in the country.

“Despite Zimbabwe’s modest recent progress, Australia remains deeply concerned that ZANU PF is not motivated to adhere to its obligations under the global political agreement,” Smith said. “For that reason, Australia’s long-standing position on financial and travel sanctions will not change.”

These statements come ahead of a meeting of global superpowers, known as the ‘Fishmongers’, who are discussing Zimbabwe next month in Norway.

America, Britain, Japan, Germany, France, Sweden, Holland, Norway, Canada and Australia make up the Fishmongers Group and their meeting next Tuesday will deliberate on the state of the inclusive government, debt relief, public finance administration and the controversial indigenisation regulations.
 
Diplomatic sources quoted by the Independent said that the Fishmonger group was likely talk about increasing humanitarian aid to Zimbabwe.
The Fishmongers, also known as Friends of Zimbabwe, would not extend any financial help to revive the comatose economy “unless and until” the country returns to democracy. The group is chaired by the German ambassador to Zimbabwe, Albrecht Conze, who is expected to hand over the chairmanship to Barbara Richardson of Canada at the end of the Oslo meeting. The meeting will be attended by ambassadors of the respective countries, among other senior foreign affairs officials.

MDC MP summoned to court over a case dating back to 2002

By Tichaona Sibanda
29 May 2010

MDC-T MP for Makoni South in Manicaland, Pishai Muchauraya, has been summoned to appear in court over a case the state claims took place eight years ago.

Police officers from the Law and Order section in Mutare have visited his home twice since Wednesday, with an order for him to present himself to the Murambinda magistrate court on 4th June.

‘To be frank, I cannot recall any police case against me dating back to that period. This is pure harassment by ZANU PF using state resources,’ Muchauraya told SW Radio Africa on Friday.

The MP, who is also party spokesman for Manicaland, claimed there is a plot being engineered by ZANU PF to open fresh dockets against MDC MPs ahead of the constitutional outreach programme.

‘One way or the other, almost every MDC MP has faced trumped up charges since the formation of the party. Most of the cases against the MPs were thrown out by the courts, but ZANU PF wants to revive them in the belief there would be convictions this time around.’

In February, Douglas Mwonzora - the prominent MDC MP joint head of the parliamentary commission which is drafting a new constitution - was charged for allegedly calling Robert Mugabe a ‘goblin.’

Mwonzora allegedly made the goblin reference at a political rally before presidential and parliamentary elections in 2008, but was only charged in February this year.

Muchauraya believes he’s being targeted for exposing the crackdown on MDC supporters by armed soldiers, youths and war veterans in the province.

‘There is lot of violence in Manicaland at the moment, waged by armed solders who are intimidating villagers to attend ZANU PF meetings. From Chipinge, Chimanimani, Nyanga and Makoni there is massive intimidation by ZANU PF for people to support the Kariba draft,’ the MP added.

Crisis Coalition in Zimbabwe reported on Friday that families have been fleeing the escalation of violence in Chiweshe and Murehwa in Mashonaland Central and East provinces.

In Epworth, closer to the capital, ZANU PF thugs are threatening to mete out violence to anyone who defies their formula for the constitution-making process.

A statement from the advocacy group, The Union for Sustainable Democracy, tells of how people in Epworth have been ordered by ZANU PF to report for political meetings against their will.

Residents are being told that during the outreach programme they should leave the task of answering questions to those selected to do so.

‘In the unlikely event of ordinary residents having to respond to questions, they are to answer in a particular fashion. In particular they have been instructed to emphatically state that the new constitution must not put any limit on a president’s term of office. Clearly, the intention is to confirm Mugabe as president for life, the statement said.

Student leaders hospitalised after CIO assault

By Alex Bell
28 May 2010

Two student leaders from the Zimbabwe National Student’s Union (ZINASU) were hospitalised on Friday after they were abducted and severely assaulted by Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operatives.

The pair, Godfrey Kurawone and Alec Tabe, was scheduled to address a students gathering at Masvingo Polytechnic before they were picked up by the CIO Thursday. They were later taken to Masvingo Central police station and on Friday were ordered to pay US$20 fine each for public disorderly charges. According to the MDC the two leaders have been admitted to a private hospital and are receiving treatment for the injuries sustained.

At the same time over 1 700 families have been ordered to vacate their villages in Chiadzwa by next Tuesday, apparently to pave the way for more controversial diamond mining in the area. The MDC said on Friday that the affected families have been ordered to relocate to a farm in Odzi “to create room for the ZANU PF elite and senior officers in the security forces who are feeding off the diamond reserves, while civil servants struggle to get decent salaries.”

The farm where families have been told to relocate to is already occupied by 92 other families, which the MDC said makes it “impossible to cater for the evicted Chiadzwa families.”

The families were on Wednesday given verbal eviction orders by heavily armed police and soldiers. There are now fears of a serious outbreak of diseases at the Odzi farm, as there are no mechanisms in place for the expected influx of people.

The eviction orders came the day before an international diamond expert, tasked with monitoring the human rights situation in Chiadzwa, said that Zimbabwe was on the “right track” to meeting international standards. Abbey Chikane was appointed as a monitor by the Kimberley Process, the international diamond trade watchdog. He is set to recommend that diamonds from Chiadzwa be certified and sold, despite evidence of ongoing abuse at the diamond fields.

Analysts fear Chiweshe’s appointment may influence next election

By Makusha Mugabe
26 May 2010

The unilateral appointment by Robert Mugabe of ZANU PF sympathizer George Chiweshe as Judge President, has been extremely controversial.
Some analysts are concerned that Chiweshe has been made President of the High Court as a strategic move, in the context of future elections. Part of his job will be to single-handedly pick judges from the High Court bench to sit on the Electoral Court, to preside over any future election related disputes.
University of Zimbabwe academic John Makumbe was quoted by Zimonline saying the appointment was well calculated to enable Chiweshe to determine the outcome of all disputes brought to the electoral court.
A new Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) was named last month and is chaired by former High Court Judge Simpson Mutambanengwe, who is considered a ‘moderate’. Although some amendments to the electoral rules have been made, if there are disputes, the Electoral Court is the first port of call.
MDC Secretary for Legal Affairs, Innocent Gonese, said the role played by Chiweshe in the chaotic and violent 2008 elections and his general conduct inspires little confidence.

However Dr. Lovemore Madhuku, the chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly, believes Chiweshe’s influence would be minimal in the next election.

Madhuku said the power to run the election lay in the electoral commission and he said the new ZEC is more powerful and the role of any judge would only come in if there was an electoral dispute, and this would only arise if ZEC failed to do its job properly.

He said the only thing that should be read into the appointment was that Mugabe was rewarding Chiweshe for a job well done in the 2008 elections, which ensured that Mugabe held on to power.

MDC-USA condemns Mahoso new role in ZMC

MDC‐USA. www.mdc‐usa.org. Chinja Maitiro. Guqula Izenzo

Office of the

Information and Publicity

MDC –USA joins other progressive forces in calling for the immediate firing of the AIPA architect

and media hangman, Tafataona Mahoso from any and all positions associated with the new

Zimbabwe Media Commission. Mr. Mahoso cannot and should not have any direct leadership

role let alone be the chief executive officer of the ZMC given his checkered role in the now

defunct Media and Information Commission. Mahoso singlehandedly and in cohorts with the

nutty professor destroyed a once nascent and vibrant media in Zimbabwe by needlessly

pandering to the whims and caprice of his masters in ZANU PF. The rest is now history as one

media house after another was condemned, bombed or simply haunted out of existence by

Mahoso and his political handlers.

To even imagine that Mahoso can be entrusted with supervising the process of bringing about a

new media era in Zimbabwe is not only insulting but a sure way to continue the same failed and

vindictive media policies that have resulted in Zimbabwe being one of the world’s most media

hostile societies of all time. Zimbabwe has no dearth of able men and women who could be

entrusted with implementing the mission of new Zimbabwe Media Commission. Whose interest

is Mahoso serving by occupying such a powerful and influential position of Chief Executive

Officer for ZMC? It is obvious that the new chairman of ZMC, Godfrey Majonga either has no

idea of what the role of CEO ought to be or that he is willfully negligent in carrying out the

mandate so entrusted to him and his commission.

The CEO, Mr. Chairman, is responsible for the day to day implementation of your Board’s

decisions not to mention the very important advisory role he plays within the ZMC. Mahoso

who has been rightly characterized as the master media hangman in Zimbabwe cannot be

rehabilitated. Instead he should be confined to the ZANU PF partisan media houses where he can

continue to spew the same old and tired conspiracy theories about some imaginary forces

reading to re-colonize Zimbabwe. Of course this is a figment of his and his masters’ imagination.

Most Zimbabweans know that it is the failed and myopic policies of his masters that have

brought this once beacon of Africa to its economic knees. The role of the media cannot be

overemphasized as we try and get our country back up on its feet. Whom we entrust with this

critical role sends a message of how serious we are as a nation in our attempts to create a new

nation. Mahoso is hardly that confidence builder.

Mahoso has not in any way demonstrated that he is now willing to give media freedom a chance.

He is occupying that very important office for the same reason that ZANU PF has retained his

services ten years back, to muzzle a free and vibrant media in Zimbabwe. MDC –USA supports

the statement by MISA-Zimbabwe, the MDC and all those who cherish a free media environment

in Zimbabwe that Tafataona Mahoso be hereby and without further delay relieved of all his

responsibilities as the CEO of ZMC. It is naïve to assume that as head of the secretariat Mahoso

will “just implement the decisions of the commissioners.” This is far from the real world reality.

Mahoso cannot be relied upon to undo the damage he did to the media landscape in Zimbabwe.

He is so much invested in the old order that his continued occupation of the CEO office is

anathema and a sure way for the ZMC to fail.

END

MDC-USA Information and Publicity

Movement for Democratic Change

United States of America

(MDC-USA)

With Licensing of New Zimbabwean Daily Papers, Media Demands Airwave Reforms

voanews.com

Zimbabwean journalists at a media stakeholders conference in Harare welcomed the licensing of new daily newspapers, but expressed concern that the country's airwaves are not being liberalized along with the press

Sithandekile Mhlanga | Washington28 May 2010

The Zimbabwe Media Commission followed through Friday on the decision announced earlier this week to issue licenses to four more daily papers that will compete with the state-controlled Herald newspaper.

Chief Executive Officer Raphael Khumalo of Alpha Media Holdings, which plans to launch Newsday in June, told VOA Studio 7 reporter Sithandekile Mhlanga that the commission issued a four-year publishing certificate.

Other publications heading to newsstands include the Daily News, the Gazette and the Mail. The Worker, published by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, will step up from a monthly to a weekly publishing schedule.

Elsewhere, journalists at a media stakeholders conference in Harare welcomed the licensing of new daily papers, but expressed concern that the s airwaves are not being liberalized too, as Irwin Chifera reported.

Millions of Children at Risk of Measles in Zimbabwe

VOA News

U.N. agencies report some five million children in Zimbabwe are at risk of getting measles.  They say hundreds of children already have died from this preventable disease.   

The World Health Organization, U.N. Children's Fund and other agencies are in the midst of a huge campaign to immunize about five million children, aged six months to 14 years, against measles.  

This comes in response to current measles outbreaks that have affected 55 out of Zimbabwe's 62 districts since September.

A spokeswoman for the U.N. Children's Fund, Christiane Berthiaume, tells VOA that, since September, nearly 400 children have died from measles and around 7,000 cases have been reported.

"Measles is really a preventable disease," said Christiane Berthiaume. "Normally, kids do not die of measles.  But, in Zimbabwe where before kids were immunized against measles, I mean 80 percent of the children were immunized against that disease 10 years ago.  But, this coverage has dropped to less than 50 percent."  

This is why the World Health Organization, or WHO, recommends routine immunizations be strengthened after the measles campaign.

Aid agencies are hoping the immunization campaign, which runs through June 2, will stop the spread of the killer disease.

Zimbabwe is also beset by other health problems, including water and sanitation issues and the loss of health personnel who are lured abroad by higher-paying jobs.

The World Health Organization reports that cholera, once again, has broken out in Zimbabwe.  But, so far, it says the outbreak is not too serious.  It notes 15 out of the 62 districts in the country have been affected since early February, compared to 54 districts last year at the same time.

WHO says Zimbabwe's Ministry of Health and Child Welfare reports that by May 9, there were 477 suspected cholera cases and 15 deaths.  However, at the same time last year, more than 4,000 deaths and nearly 98,000 cases of cholera were reported.

Because of the country's poor water supply, WHO says hundreds of people have become sick with typhoid and at least eight deaths have been reported.

ZIMBABWE: Life is just not getting any better

IRIN news

HARARE, 25 May 2010 (IRIN) - The death of Zimbabwe's secretary for agriculture, Renson Gasela, and two other senior officials from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in a car accident recently has highlighted the country's inability to respond to accidents, emergencies or disasters. 

It took more than eight hours for the men to receive assistance after the accident because police in the nearby southeastern mining town of Zvishavane had no transport, and fire brigade units had no fuel to make the 25km journey. Emergency services only arrived after the MDC secretary general, Welshman Ncube, provided fuel. 

"That incident alone is a small representation of how the coalition government has dismally failed the people of Zimbabwe," political analyst John Makumbe told IRIN, because the response time probably would have been quicker if senior officials from ZANU-PF - the other party in Zimbabwe's unity government - had been involved in an accident. 

"The truth of the matter is that the inclusive government is failing to deliver, or to improve the lives of Zimbabweans. When schools opened recently, a majority of students were turned away because their parents or guardians could not afford to pay school fees; supermarket shelves are full of goods and food, but a visit to many households will reveal that people are starving in their homes." 

The unity government - a fragile coalition between President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC, and an MDC breakaway faction led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara - has failed to inspire since its formation in February 2009. 

Collapsing services 

National Railways of Zimbabwe, the country's train service, is on the verge of collapse, as is the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company, the public bus service; domestic refuse has begun piling up in urban areas as municipalities fail to collect it; Health and Child Welfare minister Henry Madzorera revealed that 78 percent of midwife positions are vacant. 

The intermittent supply of electricity is expected to get worse because Zimbabwe will be exporting 300 megawatts of electricity to South Africa during the FIFA World Cup competition beginning in June. 

Barbra Mawara, a junior manager at a manufacturing company in the capital, Harare, told IRIN that she had decided against leaving the country after the formation of the unity government, but was once again toying with the idea. 

"Over the last few months it has dawned on me that we are certainly going nowhere in terms of the improvement of our lives - life has become even more expensive. The present and the future are bleak; there is fatigue and lack of will among Zimbabweans. The politicians have certainly let Zimbabweans down while fighting over jobs among themselves," she said. 

The exasperation over any real progress is also affecting politicians. "The MDC has been taken over by greedy people with self-serving interests. We have started campaigning among the people in preparation for elections [expected to take place in 2011 or 2012]," said Job Sikhala, a former senior official in Mutambara's party who has broken away to form the MDC 99 party. [The MDC was formed in 1999]. 

He said the coalition government had made little progress in improving people's lives, as Mugabe continued to control the national agenda. "In the inclusive government Mugabe remains the driver of the bus, with Tsvangirai as the bus conductor, while Mutambara is the baggage loader, and that will not result in any meaningful changes." 

The latest example of Mugabe's apparent disregard for his coalition partners and the Global Political Agreement, which paved the way for the unity government, has been the appointment of George Chiweshe to head the High Court. 

Chiweshe was head of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission in 2008, which the MDC claim saw large-scale rigging to ensure that Tsvangirai did not win an outright victory in the presidential poll and the election result was delayed for month. 

A band aid 

"The inclusive government only managed to stop the bleeding but did not cure the wound. Some stability was attained, but there has been no progress," political commentator Luke Tamborinyoka told IRIN. 

"There is no progress on the land audit, the constitution-making process, and the opening of media space; there is high unemployment and poverty, and although supermarket shelves are full, few can afford the commodities," he said. 

Human rights activist and political commentator Rejoice Ngwenya told IRIN: "Politicians argue that because of the inclusive government there is little political violence and that supermarket shelves have goods, but that can hardly be an acceptable excuse because violence and the poor economic environment was brought by politicians." 

Ngwenya commented: "In any case, violence is on the increase while many people can not afford to buy the food, which is expensive. Because of failure to secure credit lines to improve the performance of the inclusive government, the coalition has weakened over the months since its formation." 

Book Review: Zimbabwe: Years Of Hope And Despair

Thursday, 27 May 2010 19:48

EXPLAINING Britain’s silence on Zimbabwe’s Gukurahundi atrocities Sir Martin Ewans, their then representative here, said:  “It wasn’t pleasant and people were being killed but ... I don’t think anything was to be gained by protesting to (Robert) Mugabe about it ... I think the advice was to steer clear of it in the interests of doing our best positively to help Zimbabwe build itself up as a nation.” 
This stance continued throughout the 1980s when, to quote Philip Barclay’s book, Zimbabwe’s first Prime Minister was “collecting, centralising and concentrating power”, adjusting the constitution to transform himself into an executive president, and demonstrating a capacity “for savage social engineering”. 
Imagine, therefore, the shock in Harare when the cosy relationship with Britain’s Conservatives terminated with the 1997 election of Tony Blair’s New Labour government  which, while  emphasising development and Africa, demanded a matching emphasis on good governance by would-be recipients of British aid. 
Posted to the British Embassy here as a political officer from 2006 to 2009, Barclay fell in love with Zimbabwe, taking to heart its “hope and despair”.  Thankfully his ultimate boss, Foreign Secretary David Miliband, broke with Britain’s tradition of secrecy and encouraged blogs for employees to publish personal views on the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.  Hence the creation of this immensely important record  in which, against the delineated background of economic and social collapse, Barclay examines the roles played by South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki, Sadc, the AU and others in forcing Zimbabwe into a “global political agreement”.
Vital in enabling the gathering of all this information was Barclay’s accreditation as an observer right to the ballot boxes during the March 29 2008 elections, and the June “run-off”.  He initially concentrated on the Gutu, Zaka, Bikita and Chivi constituencies and then recorded the subsequent weeks of horrendous, punitive attacks on people in Masvingo and Manicaland.  Although these elections saw mass exclusions of Zimbabweans from voting procedures (apart from the disenfranchised millions in the diaspora, an estimated 20% of those who actually got to the polls to vote were turned away) determination for change was in the air and the eventual results caused panic in government. 
Barclay’s thesis is that then a shocked Mugabe “wobbled” and wanted to retire quietly abroad.  “Money would not be a problem.”  But escape was not permitted as his continued presence was required to protect his security chiefs in the Joint Operations Command (JOC).  Amongst these, more vulnerable than he to prosecution, were “Major-General Paradzai Zimondi, who has turned a term in Zimbabwe’s prison into a death sentence, allowing 20% of prisoners to starve and rot each year; Air Marshal Perence Shiri who led the 5th Brigade’s Gukurahundi purges ....”, and all the others  involved in the land occupations which resulted in “around 400 000 avoidable, premature deaths  ...  an estimated 40%” of the afflicted 1,5 million workers and dependents driven off the  commercial farms.  
The recounting of votes started “to buy a dying regime time to plan”, to force a presidential runoff between Morgan Tsvangirai and Mugabe in June and to ensure “a radically more favourable electoral climate –– one in which people were afraid to vote against Mugabe.”   Barclay reports that the JOC thus activated Zanu PF’s youth militias by channelling money, vehicles and weapons to them with the required help of Gideon Gono and his Reserve Bank.
“Most of Zanu PF’s wet work in 2008 was carried out by youth militias ... mind-controlled children have shown the greatest capacity for subhuman cruelty.   Grown-ups are required to manage logistics, deliver materials and insert incendiary propaganda into damaged minds.  But when it comes to the intimate work of torturing to death... crazed, indoctrinated teenagers have an unparalled talent.”   In later months, of course, nemesis caught up and, stripped of their “state-funded beer and marijuana,” they “felt the vengeance of their victims rising from shallow graves, saw the hatred on the faces of their former friends and family and knew that they were going to pay some day for what they had done.”
Having given the JOC over a month to restrategise, George Chiweshe’s Electoral Commission announced the presidential percentage results as being Tsvangirai 47,9;  Mugabe 43,2;  Simba Makoni 8,3 thus requiring the bloody run-off from which Tsvangirai withdrew.
“Tsvangirai’s enormous popularity ultimately had to be admitted and his bid for power could no longer be denied.  Though the cruel old men fought, and fight still, the historic courage Zimbabweans had shown on March 29 marked the beginning of their end”.
Perhaps, we can hope. But what is certain is that this beautifully written history meticulously exposes, and in good time too, precisely from what and from who Zimbabwe’s voters will need protection before and during any future election.

By Judith Todd

Zimbabwe Independent

Brazil To Face Zimbabwe On Wednesday - Report

Coach Dunga and his World Cup squad flew into South Africa yesterday morning ahead of the tournament next month.

By M. J. Somoni

Zimbabwe's Warriors will face world football heavyweights Brazil at the National Sports Stadium next Wednesday.

In a report posted by the Herald, the Zimbabwe Football Association chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya and Paul Leisegans, a representative of Kentaro, Brazil's sports agent, officially signed the contract that will take the Samba Boys to Harare for Wednesday's clash.

Zimbabwe minister for tourism and hospitality, Walter Mzembi, said Brazil's visit was a fulfillment of the objectives and tasks that cabinet had given his ministry, which included bringing at least one of the 32 World Cup teams to the country.

"It's now confirmed that Brazil will play Zimbabwe on June 2 in Harare.

"It's the fulfillment of objective number one, which was the luring of teams to come and play in Zimbabwe. The other objective was to increase the number of tourist arrivals in the country before and after the World Cup.

"Through our partnership with NetOne [mobile phone operator], we will also have fan parks with NetOne funding 16 public viewing points - eight each in rural and urban areas - but the aim is to have the fan park project spread to all the 73 districts.

"Luring teams has been a tall order from the time we travelled to Brazil, but as I have said before, if you lure Brazil you have lured the rest of the world.

The minister and Mr Leisegans insisted the costs of bringing the Samba Boys were not as high as the figures of between US$1.5 and US$1.8 million that had been thrown around.

"The deal is signed and we are all happy about it. We have come to a price that I know and I am certain that we are all happy about. The Government of Zimbabwe is happy and we are happy. The deal is 100 per cent confirmed.

"But it is far lower than the figures that have been reported," Leisegans said.

Dunga and his World Cup squad flew into South Africa yesterday morning with the Samba Boys immediately heading to their base within Randpark Golf Club in Johannesburg.

www.goal.com

Zimbabwe claims shock win over India

Posted May 29, 2010 10:00:00

A maiden century for India by Rohit Sharma was not enough to stop Zimbabwe from snatching a dramatic victory in the first one-day international of a tri-series in Bulawayo overnight.

The home team won at a gallop with 10 balls and six wickets to spare in the first of two matches between the two in a series which also includes Sri Lanka.

All six top Zimbabwe batsmen, led by man-of-the-match Brendan Taylor, contributed significantly towards a surprise victory as they overtook an India total of 5 for 285 to record an impressive 4 for 289 in reply.

The home team performed with skill and sometimes disdain, setting about their task of overtaking the Indian effort in both workmanlike and spectacular manner, as varying situations demanded.

India's new captain Suresh Raina, who had won the toss and opted to bat, praised the Zimbabwe batsmen but blamed the defeat more on the inexperience of his team.

"Some of them have never played at this level," he explained. "However we should have been able to defend 285 runs."

Taylor's innings of 81 runs, cut short with a boundary catch when approaching his second ODI century, was backed up principally by Craig Ervine in his first ODI innings for Zimbabwe.

He made 67 with Hamilton Masakadza contributing 46.

Sharma's hundred earlier in the day was a mix of caution and boundary hunting as he gained confidence. He came in when India lost three wickets for 61 and was momentarily on the back foot.

Its recovery from this, led by Sharma, came with a flurry of boundaries in later overs and 285 runs seemed likely to be sufficient to beat a home team with no great record in internationals.

But the Zimbabweans, who have done their Test cricket return aspirations a boost with this result, set about the task with inspiration and confidence.

The one blot on Zimbabwe's day was the bowling performance of new captain Elton Chigumbura, who contrived to give away no fewer than 20 wides in his two overs.

- AFP

ABC.NET.AU