Army, police 'vacate Zimbabwe diamond fields'

(AFP) - 10 hours ago

HARARE - Zimbabwean security forces have started withdrawing from the
country's eastern diamond fields to meet Kimberley Process reforms over
human rights abuses, the government said Thursday.

Mines Minister Obert Mpofu said Zimbabwe had complied with more than 90
percent of the requirements set by the global watchdog Kimberley Process,
which monitors trade in conflict diamonds.

"We have done a lot since the last review by the (Kimberley Process) as part
of our efforts to comply with their recommendations as well as towards
achieving and fulfilling compliance," the state-run Herald quoted Mpofu as
saying.

"As is evident at these fields, there are no army officers or police" units,
he said during a government tour on Wednesday.

Early this month, Zimbabwe escaped a Kimberley ban despite calls for the
country to be suspended and the scheme's own citation of "unacceptable and
horrific violence against civilians by authorities" in the eastern Marange
diamond fields.

The global scheme gave Zimbabwe a June 2010 deadline to make reforms to
comply with global regulations, rejecting a recommendation by its own
investigators made four months ago that Harare face a six-month suspension.

The withdrawal of the army and police comes as the government has licensed
two South African firms to operate in Marange.

A representative for the investors said 200 private security guards had
replaced the security officials.

"We are taking control of all areas that we have claimed but still working
with state security agents in areas where we are still exploring. But they
will move as soon as we have secured those areas," Dave Kassel was quoted as
saying in the Herald.

International diamond dealers, meeting in Antwerp, Belgium this week, warned
that they will not tolerate human rights abuses linked to diamond mining and
processing.

The International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) and the World
Federation of Diamond Bourses noted Zimbabwe's decision not to export rough
diamonds from Marange pending the Kimberley controls being put in place.

"Any member who trades in rough diamonds from Marange prior to the full
implementation of this monitoring system and in full compliance of the KP
resolution will be subject to expulsion," the presidents of the two groups
said on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, the Kimberley Process outgoing chairman Bernard Esau
said Zimbabwe would have until June to make reforms.

"It was felt that we should give Zimbabwe the opportunity to address issues
of compliance like removing the military from the Marange diamond fields,"
he said.

"If Zimbabwe is not compliant at the next review meeting in June 2010, the
KP will have to think of other measures, but let us give them a chance."

Tsvangirai to discuss Zimbabwe crisis with Gaddafi

http://af.reuters.com/

Thu Nov 19, 2009 4:46pm GMT

By Cris Chinaka

HARARE, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Zimbabwean Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai left on Thursday for
North Africa, where analysts said he would meet
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to maintain
political pressure on President Robert Mugabe to
honour their power-sharing accord.

Tsvangirai and his arch-rival Mugabe joined
forces nine months ago in a coalition to try to
end a decade-long political and economic crisis,
but their government has proved shaky because of
their failure to agree on the implementation of
parts of the unity agreement.

Last month, Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC) announced it was "disengaging" from
the government but rejoined three weeks later
after mediation by the Southern African
Development Community (SADC).

The MDC leader said he was going to Morocco for
diplomatic engagements and would also meet
Gaddafi, chairman of the African Union (AU),
during his five-day trip to North Africa.

"The AU is one of the guarantors of the GPA
(Global Political Agreement) so I am taking
advantage of being in that region to brief the
chairman of the AU on the developments in the
country, what progress we are making and SADC's
progress in dealing with the outstanding issues,"
he told journalists.

Political analysts say Tsvangirai's talks with
the AU chairman will help him to maintain
diplomatic pressure on Mugabe to honour the
power-sharing agreement. Mugabe and Gaddafi have
strong political ties.

Tsvangirai said on Thursday talks between the MDC
and Mugabe's ZANU-PF party would continue to try
to solve differences and to meet a Dec. 5
deadline set by the 15-nation SADC.

He said he had been invited by Gaddafi and was
expecting "significant progress" from the
MDC-ZANU-PF talks.

Asked whether the rival Zimbabwean politicians
would be able to reach an agreement by the
deadline set by SADC, Tsvangirai said: "The
deadlines are not set in stone ... the whole
urgency of the matter is to rescue the
credibility of the inclusive government."

He added: "I am hoping that by the time I come
back there is significant progress."

Besides refusing to allow some of its members to
be sworn into government, the MDC accuses ZANU-PF
-- which it calls an "arrogant and unreliable
partner" -- of persecuting its officials and
delaying media and constitutional reforms needed
for free and fair elections to be held in about
two years' time. (Reporting by Cris Chinaka;
Editing by Andrew Dobbie)

Bennett's lawyers accuse police of pulling a 'PR stunt'

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
19 November 2009

Lawyers for MDC Treasurer General Roy Bennett on Thursday accused the police
of pulling a 'PR stunt' by displaying weapons in court unrelated to his
case, saying they are trying to whip up public sentiment against him.

The treason trial against Bennett continued in the High Court on Thursday,
with the continued cross examination of the state's first witness, Police
Superintendent James Makone. The trial had been postponed on Tuesday, midway
through the cross-examination. The defence's questioning meanwhile of the
police official revealed several holes in the state's already flimsy case,
which has so far been based purely on hearsay.

The state's witness admitted on Tuesday that several weapons being used as
evidence against Bennett, and which have been on full display in court were
not actually found at the home of Bennett's alleged accomplice, Peter
Hitschmann. During questioning, Makone told the court that some of the arms
that the state has as exhibits and claims were bought with money supplied by
Bennett were not found at Hitschmann's house but were in fact found at the
home of another man, an army major Israel Phiri from Masvingo city.

Hitschmann was jailed for illegally possessing six sub-machine guns, a
pistol and two machineguns but the court threw out the more serious
terrorism charges against him and also found that he had licences for most
of the weapons. On Thursday, Bennett's lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa said the
police in Bennett's case had added several other guns, anti-riot grenades,
stun grenades and thousands of rounds of ammunition, whose origins could not
be established and were never produced in Hitschmann's trial.

"This is part of a police publicity stunt to whip up public sentiment and
misrepresent facts to this court," said Mtetwa.
The trial continues Friday.

Four men survive planned execution - ROHR

http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/5235

ROHR Press Release - Four MDC activists from Muzarabani south have fled
their homes after they were tipped of a death threat on their lives
following a resolution to wipe out all MDC party position holding activist
was passed from a ZANU PF meeting that was held on Friday the 13th of
November at Chawarura business centre in Muzarabani. The meeting was
attended by chairman for war veterans Jabulani Sibanda, chief Chiweshe,
district administrator Mike Mazai among others.

Kiswell Masimbisa, MDC district secretary for Muzarabani South told ROHR
Zimbabwe that six men, two of them armed with guns stormed his home the
night of the ZANU PF meeting around 12 midnight looking for him. The six men
gang is said to have paid a visit to Masimbisa's other three colleagues
Jackson Rumero- district vise chairman, Stefan Sado- organizing secretary
and Joram Frank- director of elections but could not find them at home.

Edward Raradza from ZANU PF is currently the member of parliament for
Muzarabani south district. There are fears that youths have been recruited
as officers on ZANU PF payroll to carry out acts of intimidation and
violence with impunity to destabilize MDC party structures in preparation of
the next elections.

A person, who refused to be named, has revealed that the youth officers are
being told not to hesitate or fear any consequences in executing orders
since no one has been arrested for the crimes committed during the
March-June 2008 election violence which saw more than 200 MDC party
supporters murdered and thousands driven off their homes.

The country could be plunged into yet another round of a new wave of
organized violence with the news that the ZANU PF party is now making
preparations for new elections. Morgan Tsvangirai, who is now the prime
minister of Zimbabwe under the GPA pulled off from a second round
presidential election runoff in June last year citing violence after
defeating president Mugabe for the first time since 1980 and only fell short
of the required 51% of the total poll.

This entry was posted by Sokwanele on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 1:49
pm

Zimbabwe, China Sign $8 Billion Investment Accord, Herald Says

http://www.bloomberg.com

By Brian Latham

Nov. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Zimbabwe's government and a Chinese joint venture
signed an $8 billion accord that will result in investment in the southern
African country's mining, energy and housing industries, the Herald
reported.

China Sonangol, a Chinese-Angolan venture, may invest in gold and platinum
refining, oil and gas exploration, fuel procurement and distribution, and
housing development, the Harare-based newspaper said, citing Misheck
Sibanda, chief secretary in the presidency. The deal is the largest since
Zimbabwe formed a power-sharing government in February, it said.

A "significant" amount of the $8 billion is already being held by domestic
financial institutions involved in the deals, the newspaper said.

Weekend GPA talks planned

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tichaona Sibanda
19 November 2009

A top official from the mainstream MDC on Thursday said there were doubts
Robert Mugabe would implement the Global Political Agreement, even if party
negotiators manage to strike a deal.

Negotiators from the three parties are due to meet at a secret venue from
Friday and throughout the weekend for talks aimed at dealing with the
matters brought on the table through theSADC Troika summit that met in
Maputo two weeks ago.

The agenda for the negotiations was set last week Friday during a meeting
held between Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara.

On Monday Tsvangirai urged party negotiators to the GPA to speed up the
discussions to end the deadlock over unresolved issues. Talks between the
MDC and ZANU PF seem unable to move beyond the starting blocks, because of
pre-negotiation manoeuvring over positions and agendas.

Although still voicing hope that SADC's involvement this time will yield a
breakthrough, the senior MDC official told us their reading of the situation
was that Mugabe would make no major concessions to Tsvangirai.

'We strongly believe that Zuma's personal involvement and SADC's sense of
urgency would produce results. There could be a breakthrough this coming
week, but we doubt Mugabe will implement anything before his party's
congress,' the official said.

Some of the remaining issues in the GPA are around ambassadors and
provincial governors. At the moment it looks as though mbassadors from the
MDC will take up their roles at the various foreign missions from mid
December. Provincial governors may be appointed in December, but well after
the ZANU PF congress.

'To be frank, Mugabe is giving himself breathing space. We will see a lot of
politicking between now and the ZANU PF congress. But after that I can
assure you, things will move at a faster pace than now,' our source said.

The negotiators are expected to compile a report, which will first be handed
to the principals before it can be forwarded to the facilitator Jacob Zuma,
the President of South Africa.

It is still unclear what the situation is around the MDC-M negotiators, who
have been out of the country and delaying the current discussions.

Tortured MDC employee applies for bail after charges dropped

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
19 November 2009

The MDC transport manager, who was severely tortured after he was abducted
by state security agents last month, was finally allowed to apply for bail
on Thursday, after serious charges laid against him were dropped this week.

Pascal Gwezere has remained behind bars at Chikurubi maximum security prison
after he was finally brought to court, a week after he was abducted from his
home. He was facing serious charges of undergoing military training in
Uganda, and breaking into an armoury at Pomona military barracks and
stealing weapons. But Gwezere is now just facing one theft charge after the
other charge laid against him of undergoing military training was dropped
for lack of evidence in court on Monday.
His lawyer, Alec Muchadehama argued in court on Thursday that Gwezere was a
proper candidate to be released on bail, saying his client did not have the
'capacity' to commit the alleged offence as he has no connections in the
army. The defence is arguing that there is no evidence that Gwezere entered
Pomona Barracks either alone or in the company of others. At the same time,
none of the firearms allegedly stolen from the barracks were recovered from
Gwezere and the State has no good grounds for opposing bail.
Muchadehama submitted that the State's case was very weak and that there was
no reasonable suspicion that Gwezere committed the offence. The state is now
preparing their argument in response to the bail application laid on
Thursday.
Bail meanwhile could be the only way Gwezere will be able to receive private
medical care, care he urgently needs after being severely tortured while in
the custody of his abductors.  His lawyers have been fighting for Gwezere to
be seen by private doctors and transferred to a clinic for treatment.  But
Gwezere is still being denied the necessary care, in what his lawyers say is
a 'calculated' and 'deliberate' act by the state.

Gwezere's lawyer, Muchadehama, has criticised prison authorities for denying
his client access to doctors of his own choice.

"It (denial of medical examination) is calculated and deliberate," said
Muchadehama.

Editors sent to China

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

     
      Written by Taurai Bande
      Wednesday, 18 November 2009 12:33
      HARARE - Government-controlled media houses are sending news editors
to China for suspected propaganda training, a source has revealed.
      "News editors from Zimbabwe News Papers group, Zimbabwe Inter-Africa
News Agency, ZIANA, and other government mouth pieces, will be leaving the
country for China from November 25. Two editors will be drawn from each
media house. The course will last two weeks," said the source.
      He added that Zanu (PF) was worried that the editors had failed to
protect President Robert Mugabe's bartered reputation, in face of objective
and critical news coverage in the private media. "The course has been
prompted by impending general elections. Mugabe's chances of winning the
elections are next to zero, and no amount of rejuvenation of the state media
can save him from eventual fall from power," added a source at Herald House.

PM dismisses Mahoso appointment to BAZ

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=25175

November 19, 2009

By Raymond Maingire

HARARE - Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Wednesday dismissed recent
media reports suggesting that former Media and Information Commission (MIC)
chairman Tafataona Mahoso had bounced back as head of the Broadcasting
Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ).

Media and Information minister Webster Shamu announced last month that he
had appointed Mahoso to the BAZ board. This had apparently been done behind
the MDC's back. Shamu and Mahoso are both Zanu-PF loyalists.

Shamu announced Mahoso's appointment despite his dismal failure during
interviews called by Parliament to select prospective commissioners to the
Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC), set to replace the now defunct MIC.

But Tsvangirai on Wednesday moved to allay fears Mahoso, a known supporter
of President Robert Mugabe's who is widely regarded as a "media hangman" for
his role in suppressing the independent media, had bounced back to haunt the
media again.

As MIC chairman, Mahoso banned four independently owned newspapers,
including the popular Daily News, which were viewed as too critical of
Zanu-PF.

"The GPA insists on the immediate processing of all applications for the
re-registration and registration in terms of Broadcasting Services Act and
AIPPA," Tsvangirai said Wednesday.

"The final composition (of BAZ) has not yet been decided upon despite the
premature announcement to the contrary.

".Once it has, I trust that it too will play a significant part in ensuring
that Zimbabwe's broadcasting environment becomes truly representative."

Tsvangirai was addressing media practitioners, diplomats and representatives
of some civic society groups who attended the official launch in Harare of
the Public Broadcast Media in Zimbabwe report.

The survey was facilitated by the Africa Governance Monitoring and Advocacy
Project (AfriMap), Open Society Initiative Southern Africa (OSISA) and the
Open Society Institute Media Programme (OSIMP) and is part of a series that
seeks to examine the state of broadcast media in 10 other countries in
Africa.

Tsvangirai said there was "noticeable progress" in the area of media reform
in the country in spite of the slow implementation of the GPA.

"Together we welcome the demise of the Media and Information Commission," he
said, "We are on the brink of announcing the members of the new Zimbabwe
Media Commission."

He also dismissed a widely held belief that President Mugabe enjoyed the
sole prerogative of appointing commissioners to the country's media boards,
which have been made possible by the Global Political Agreement (GPA).

"The members of the ZMC as with other constitutional commissions are not
chosen by the President alone, but by agreement between myself as Prime
Minister and Mr Mugabe as President," said Tsvangirai.

"A few weeks ago, the two of us met and agreed on the composition of the ZMC
and I am confident that it will turn out to be a fair, representative and
progressive group of people that are determined to put the best interest of
national and its people above all other considerations."

The MDC leader, who said he was a constant victim of vilification by the
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Cooperation (ZBC), said he supported recommendations
in the just launched broadcast media report that the state broadcaster must
be transformed into a "truly public broadcaster".

"I have been a victim," he said, "Sometimes you wonder whether you are
living in two different worlds or whether you are serving two different
governments.

"I don't not know whether that can be assessed as professional but I
certainly believe that our broadcasting services leave a lot to be desired
and I hope that when the final transformation of this institution is
achieved, we can all pay our licenses willingly and voluntarily."

Tsvangirai said ZBC should balance its zealous pursuit of licence fees from
its consumers by satisfying their needs and preferences.

He said he did not support any state regulation of media in spite of strong
beliefs by the state that it (media) wielded enormous power that must be
kept under constant check.

"Indeed, I do not support the argument that due to the potential power of
the media, the state has obligation to ensure it is properly regulated," he
said.

"I do not believe in regulation of the media. Instead I am a strong
proponent of the view that due to its very power and inalienable right of
freedom of information, freedom of expression, the state should play no role
in its regulations.

".The media, like so many other professions, should operate largely on the
basis of self regulation."

Civil service audit to cost US$4m

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by Own Correspondent Thursday 19 November 2009

HARARE - Zimbabwe's civil service audit set to begin end of this month is
going to cost US$4 million but the money will be provided by donors, Public
Service Minister Eliphas Mukonoweshuro told reporters on Wednesday.

Mukonoweshuro, who also announced that there will be bonuses for civil
servants this year, said the funds to bankroll the audit which runs from
November 30 to December 18 have been provided through the Zimbabwe
Multi-Donor Trust Fund - a World Bank administered fund.

"The money is coming to us as a grant, it's going to cost about US$4
million," Mukonoweshuro said, adding: "Good governance is expensive, if you
doubt then try the opposite. Yes, in the context of our dire financial
stress it's a lot of money."

According to Mukonoweshuro, independent auditors called CGI will conduct the
audit, which is meant to ascertain the number of genuine public workers in a
workforce that some say is packed with thousands of supporters of President
Robert Mugabe who draw salaries every month without providing any actual
service to the state.

The audit comes amid reports of thousands of ghost workers, which some
suggest could be as many as 20 000, among the civil service that is
estimated at around 300 000 employees.

In addition to ghost workers, Mugabe and his ZANU PF party are also known to
have rewarded supporters with appointment to non-existent jobs in the civic
service.

But the Public Service Minister from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's
MDC-T party said the audit was not a witch-hunt.

"This audit is not a witch-hunt, neither is it intended to apportion blame
to anyone," he said.

"To ensure that all targeted public servants are covered during the
exercise, the audit will be conducted along the same lines as the national
census."

The payroll and skills audit will cover all public servants regulated by the
Public Service Act and the Health Services Act, excluding the uniformed
forces and other security services.

Mukonoweshuro also announced that civil servants will be getting their
bonuses this year. Government will pay out the bonuses between November and
December, the minister said. - ZimOnline

People to guide constitutional process

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=25189

November 19, 2009

By Owen Chikari

MASVINGO - The Parliamentary Select Committee on the constitution will
respect the views of the people during the constitutional reform process to
such an extent that they will even consider barring President Robert Mugabe
from standing for President, if that is the wish of the people, a member of
the committee has said.

Addressing party supporters in Masvingo the co-chairperson of the select
committee on the constitutional reform process, Tongai Matutu, said that the
people's views were the basis on which a democratic and people-driven
document would be crafted. Matutu represents the Morgan Tsvangirai-led
mainstream MDC.

"Even if people tell us during the outreach programme that they no longer
want President Mugabe to stand for the presidency we are going to respect
that", said Matutu.

"We are not going to have sacred cows during the process but the people's
views have to be respected."

Matutu who is also the Member of Parliament for Masvingo Urban said that the
mainstream MDC would never pull out of the inclusive government but would
instead try to make sure that all provisions of the Global Political
Agreement (GPA) are complied with.

"Our marriage with Zanu-PF in the inclusive government is that of a man and
woman who just bear children but are not in love with each other."

"We are not in love with Zanu-PF that is why you saw us partially pulling
out of the government over the outstanding issues".

"The child that we want to be born out of our marriage with Zanu-PF is a new
democratic and people-driven Constitution".

Matutu said that political parties were free to canvass support over the
manner in which the document should be crafted but there was no single
document which should be used as a yard stick in crafting the constitution.

He was responding to reports that Zanu-PF was already forcing people to
accept the Kariba Draft as the basis on which the country's new constitution
should be crafted.

"We cannot have a draft constitution document when we have not asked the
people what they want," he said.

Zanu-PF co-chairperson of the committee Paul Mangwana dismissed as false
suggestions that the Kariba Draft should be the only document on which the
new constitution should be anchored.

"We are not going to use a single draft document as the basis on which the
new document should be centred on," said Mangwana.

"We are going to use the NCA draft and any other drafts which are of
substance to the constitution.

"The Kariba Draft is like any other draft but we will also consider that it
was crafted by the three political parties in government, hence we will
regularly refer to it."

Zimbabwe is battling to come up with a new Constitution after an earlier
attempt to do so failed when a draft document was rejected by the people
during a referendum held in 2000.

Inadequate funding and disagreements among the three political parties in
government had caused delays in the constitutional reform process.

The country is currently administered through the Lancaster House
Constitution of 1979. The document has so far been amended a total of 19
times.

There are fears among the people that even if they provide their input their
views might be ignored as happened in 2000 during the Godfrey Chidyausiku
constitutional commission.

Tortured MDC employee applies for bail after charges dropped

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
19 November 2009

The MDC transport manager, who was severely tortured after he was abducted
by state security agents last month, was finally allowed to apply for bail
on Thursday, after serious charges laid against him were dropped this week.

Pascal Gwezere has remained behind bars at Chikurubi maximum security prison
after he was finally brought to court, a week after he was abducted from his
home. He was facing serious charges of undergoing military training in
Uganda, and breaking into an armoury at Pomona military barracks and
stealing weapons. But Gwezere is now just facing one theft charge after the
other charge laid against him of undergoing military training was dropped
for lack of evidence in court on Monday.
His lawyer, Alec Muchadehama argued in court on Thursday that Gwezere was a
proper candidate to be released on bail, saying his client did not have the
'capacity' to commit the alleged offence as he has no connections in the
army. The defence is arguing that there is no evidence that Gwezere entered
Pomona Barracks either alone or in the company of others. At the same time,
none of the firearms allegedly stolen from the barracks were recovered from
Gwezere and the State has no good grounds for opposing bail.
Muchadehama submitted that the State's case was very weak and that there was
no reasonable suspicion that Gwezere committed the offence. The state is now
preparing their argument in response to the bail application laid on
Thursday.
Bail meanwhile could be the only way Gwezere will be able to receive private
medical care, care he urgently needs after being severely tortured while in
the custody of his abductors.  His lawyers have been fighting for Gwezere to
be seen by private doctors and transferred to a clinic for treatment.  But
Gwezere is still being denied the necessary care, in what his lawyers say is
a 'calculated' and 'deliberate' act by the state.

Gwezere's lawyer, Muchadehama, has criticised prison authorities for denying
his client access to doctors of his own choice.

"It (denial of medical examination) is calculated and deliberate," said
Muchadehama.

Zimbabwean rights organization to get Kennedy award

http://www.washingtontimes.com

Thursday, November 19, 2009

By Helene Franchineau THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Her hair tightly woven into an African-style braid, Jenni Williams raises
her arm in the air as she asks the crowd at a popular Washington cafe to
chant "the healing wind of WOZA."

The phrase has been repeated over and over since 2002 by women protesting
against the government on the streets of Bulawayo, the second-largest city
of Zimbabwe.

WOZA is an acronym for Women of Zimbabwe Arise, an organization selected to
receive the 2009 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award.

Ms. Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu, co-leaders of the group, are in
Washington to accept the award Monday from the late senator's widow, Ethel
Kennedy, in a private ceremony.

"Bread and butter is not enough. We want more than that. We want healing to
come back to Zimbabwe," Ms. Williams told supporters during a forum Friday
at Busboys and Poets on U Street in Northwest Washington.

Since 2002, the organization has organized more than 100 peaceful marches
for women's rights, democratic reforms and better living conditions. They
often end up being attacked by police.

"What are the issues that make us risk everything," asks Ms. Mahlangu
rhetorically. "Education, malnutrition, women empowerment."

"We want to bring back the attention to the lives of the ordinary people. No
one talks about food insecurity or lack of water," she says, referring to
the government of President Robert Mugabe.

Mr. Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe since the country's independence from Britain
in 1980.

The country began to fall apart in 2000, when Mr. Mugabe's government began
a coercive land-reform program to distribute white-owned farms to landless
black peasants. Combined with a drought, the program resulted in a
disastrous plunge in agricultural production, with famine-like conditions
forcing millions of Zimbabweans into exile in neighboring countries such as
South Africa.

Zimbabwe made headlines last year for fraud-tainted elections followed by
months of violence, in which police and pro-Mugabe gangs beat and tortured
opposition supporters.

A unity government formed in February paired Mr. Mugabe as president with
opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai as prime minister.

At a food summit in Rome this week, Mr. Mugabe blamed his nation's food
shortages on global warming and economic sanctions by "neocolonialist
enemies," according to Agence France-Presse.

The Zimbabwean leader also said climate change has had the "most devastating
impact" on food security in Africa.

The Kennedy award was created in 1984 to support human rights defenders.

"When they are doing the most difficult things, we want to let them know
that we stand in solidarity with WOZA. This is about the people," said
Monika Kalra Varma, human rights director at the Robert F. Kennedy Center
for Justice and Human Rights.

Last year, Ms. Williams and Ms. Mahlangu received a human rights award from
rights watchdog Amnesty International in recognition of WOZA's work.

WOZA has about 75,000 members, almost all of them women. About 3,000 of its
members have been arrested in the past seven years.

"And yet they keep doing it. That is an incredibly powerful statement to an
oppressive regime," said Tracy Leigh Doig, another member of WOZA.

Ms. Mahlangu and Ms. Williams have each been arrested more than 30 times.
Their latest arrest was in October 2008 after a demonstration. They stayed
three weeks in a prison near Bulawayo, making multiple appearances in court
only to have their case postponed each time. They are still waiting for the
court to set a trial date, perhaps with their next scheduled appearance on
Dec. 7.

Zimbabwean law allows police to detain prisoners for 48 hours before taking
them to court.

Ms. Doig said this authority is often abused. WOZA asks people in Zimbabwe
and abroad to call police stations and send letters to the attorney general
to put pressure on them to release people who are arrested after
demonstrating. "It freaks them out," she said.

Once the breadbasket of Africa, the country has been marred by
hyperinflation, sending the prices for basic items such as bread to
trillions of Zimbabwean dollars.

Zimbabwe abandoned its currency in March, and it now conducts business with
the U.S. dollar or South African rand. As a result, food has returned to
empty store shelves.

But Ms. Williams said she is skeptical that economic stability will last.

"There is food on the shelves. You can see some aspects of business pick up,
but it is not sustainable if it does not come with economic reform," she
said.

WOZA asks its members to come to demonstrations prepared for jail, to bring
any medication and leave babies at home.

Prisoners do not have access to food or sanitation during their stay in
police stations.

Ms. Williams recalled the night of parliamentary elections in March 2005,
when 265 people were arrested after a prayer vigil, including more than 30
babies. Prisoners, she said, were "denied food and water the whole night."

"The babies, crying out of hunger, that was something else. They released
the mothers the next day at noon."

"The award will elevate our voice and will provide some level of protection
to people when they are in custody. It will show that the perpetrators can't
get away with it," said Ms. Doig.

No sewer system for growth point

Written by Grail Kupukawana

Wednesday, 18 November 2009 12:37

SANYATI - For more than three years, residents at Arda Sanyati Growth Point have lived without a sewer reticulation system. (Pictured: Raw sewage flowing in the streets during last year’s cholera outbreak) Residents are still recovering from the effects of last year’s cholera outbreak, and with the rainy season upon them yet again, the likelihood of another outbreak of the disease is high. On an inspection of Sanyati Growth Point’s sewer reticulation plant, The Zimbabwean witnessed signs of vandalism and saw where residents had been digging in sewer ponds to use the waste as manure in their gardens and fields. The engine from the plant had allegedly been stolen several years ago, as well as the asbestos door of the main house. The man holes are blocked and workers have dug a shallow trench as a short term solution. The Growth Point is only 90km from Kadoma and has an estimated population of 20 000. The risk of disease spreading if the situation is not quickly addressed is huge. "We have lived with this health time bomb for years and the council has let us down, despite the fact that we paid the stipulated rates for service delivery,” said Chikomborero Dhliwayo, the Chairman of Sanyati Residents and Ratepayers Association.

Mixed reactions greet central bank reform bill

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
19 November 2009

New plans to reform the structure of the Reserve Bank, in order to restrict
the powers of Governor Gideon Gono, have been met with mixed reaction; with
critics arguing the parliamentary bill will still leave Gono with too much
power.

The Bill, which is still to be debated in the Senate before it is passed to
Robert Mugabe to sign, will see Gono's powers within the central bank
restricted, but with conditions. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Amendment Bill
will see the governor no longer chairing the bank's board, and an
independent board chair will instead be appointed. However, Gono will still
wield significant power by chairing a proposed monetary policy committee.

ZANU PF legislators last week threatened to block the Bill, stating it was
motivated by self-serving 'personal agendas'. They said the Bill aimed to
weaken Gono while giving 'too much power' to Finance Minister Tendai Biti.
But an agreement was reached this week between Biti and the ZANU PF
lawmakers to make changes to the Bill, which was passed on Wednesday. One of
these changes includes a controversial clause giving immunity to the bank
governor and his employees "for anything done in good faith and without
negligence."

It remains to be seen if the restrictions the new Bill is set to impose on
Gono will make a significant difference, as he will still remain in a
powerful position as head of the monetary policy committee. Critics argue
the Bill is merely a compromise, allowing ZANU PF's chief money-man to stay
firmly in a position of financial-wielding power, while appeasing the MDC
who want Gono removed as head of the Central Bank.

Independent economic analyst John Robertson explained that any restriction
of Gono's powers should be welcomed. He did however argue that the success
of the Bill will firmly rest on its full implementation, and on what
independent candidate replaces Gono as Reserve Bank board chairman. Critics
however argue that it would appear that the MDC is merely clutching at
straws, allowing themselves to be forced into comprises that in essence will
bring no change to Zimbabwe.
Political analyst Professor John Makumbe on Thursday explained the Reserve
Bank Amendment Bill highlights the position of compromise the MDC has put
itself in by agreeing to an originally flawed unity deal with ZANU PF.

"This unity deal was always going to be about give and take, but I'm afraid
the MDC has given far too much to ZANU PF," Makumbe said.

The analyst continued that the clause giving Gono immunity was 'unfortunate',
explaining that "Gono is essentially being allowed to get away with murder."
He added that potential foreign investors will likely still adopt a
'wait-and-see' approach to the new bill once it has been signed, arguing
that Gono's firm position of power, however reduced, will leave investors
hesitant to place their money in the Reserve Bank's grasp.

Meanwhile rumours are swirling that plans are underfoot to reintroduce the
Zimbabwe dollar by December, amid reports that a plane-load of the local
dollar was flown into the country last week. Sources say an Air Mauritius
plane unloaded bundles of Zim-dollars at Harare airport last Friday, not
long after Robert Mugabe himself said the local currency would be back..
Earlier this month, during a visit to the Zhombe area, Mugabe made the shock
announcement that the Zim-dollar was coming back, and would be back by the
end of the year.
Economist Dr Eric Bloch, in his weekly column published in the Zimbabwe
Independent, said at the time that Mugabe and ZANU PF demanded the
reinstatement of the Zimbabwe dollar because usage of any other currency
constituted surrender of national sovereignty.
"But the Zimbabwe dollar is so appallingly worthless that its usage at the
present time represents naught, but sovereignty over nothing," wrote Bloch.
Attempts to contact Finance Minister Biti meanwhile were unsuccessful.

UNHCR clarify repatriation programme for Zimbabweans in SA

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Lance Guma
19 November 2009

The United Nations Human Rights Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has denied
running a repatriation programme that promised Zimbabwean refugees in South
Africa R7000, computers and other equipment to start up businesses once back
home. Last month it was reported the refugees signed up for the programme on
the back of these promises but once back home nothing was delivered.

Speaking to Newsreel on Wednesday Tina Ghelli the UNHCR representative for
Southern Africa said they ran a repatriation programme for refugees living
at the Central Methodist church in Johaneesburg some time in July this year.
She said this programme was at the request of the refugees who wanted to go
back home but did not have the resources to do so. Since the International
Organization for Migration (IOM) were already running repatriation
programmes in the region the UNHCR asked them to help repatriate the most
vulnerable refugees.

'IOM assisted UNHCR by arranging pre-travel medical checks and transport,
and providing escorts to facilitate returnees as required to their country
of origin. IOM provided bus transport from South Africa to major drop-off
points in Zimbabwe and covered the cost of transportation from these points
to each returnee's final destination,' a joint UNHCR and IOM statement read.

Ghelli told us R200 was given to each returnee to cover 'incidental expenses
during the remainder of his or her journey home.' This allowance was
provided at the IOM Reception and Support Centre in Beitbridge to each
returnee against a signed receipt.

'Throughout the cross-border journey IOM provides refreshments for the
returnees as needed, and once at Beitbridge, they were given a hot meal.
Upon arrival in Zimbabwe, UNHCR provided blankets, kitchen sets and soap, as
part of the return package. The returnees were also supported through legal
assistance and psycho social counseling. For those returning to rural areas,
seeds and hoes were made available,' the groups said.

So why the confusion? Ghelli said during the registration process the
returnees were asked to list down their skills and this she says might have
raised expectations. She explained that all returnees receive a
pre-departure briefing in which all aspects of the return and assistance
that will be provided are explained to them.

Rautenbach gets served, testifies

http://www.businessday.co.za

     
      Sapa  Published: 2009/11/19 04:23:02 PM

BILLY Rautenbach got an unpleasant surprise when he was served with civil
litigation papers while at the High Court in Johannesburg to testify in the
Jackie Selebi trail today.

Before proceedings began in the former police commissioner's corruption
case, lawyers arrived at the court to serve Rautenbach with legal papers.

The state reacted angrily, telling the lawyers that Rautenbach was set to
testify in the case.

After Rautenbach, dressed in a grey suit, finished his testimony, court
adjourned for tea. While the lawyers and curious journalists waited outside
the courtroom, Rautenbach went into a side room.

After some negotiation, his spokeswoman told journalists he had been served
with unrelated civil litigation.

"Mr Rautenbach has just been served civil litigation related to the affairs
of the Hyundai group," Madelain Roscher said.

"There is no link between the criminal [now resolved fraud] case and the
civil case."

Ex-Hyundai boss and mining magnate, Rautenbach recently reached a R40
million plea agreement with the authorities on 326 charges of fraud. He fled
South Africa in 1999 when his Botswana-based Hyundai Motor Distributors
collapsed. He is also a major shareholder in the Central African Mining and
Exploration Company.

Earlier, while on the stand, Rautenbach testified of a meeting in
Johannesburg between his lawyer James Tidmarsh, convicted drug trafficker
Glenn Agliotti and Selebi about investigations against Rautenbach.

Agliotti has testified that Rautenbach paid him $100,000 (about R743,500) as
an alleged bribe for Selebi to assist him with his run-ins with the law.

At the time, Agliotti asked for a R1 million fee for access to Selebi.
Rautenbach said he felt this was exorbitant and declined, the court heard.

"The meeting took place on 19 April, 2005. After the meeting, Tidmarsh came
to the DRC [Democratic Republic of Congo] where I was. He came to greet me
and said he met the commissioner of police and they discussed my case.

"[Tidmarsh told me that] obviously Agliotti had the contacts and maybe this
is a way of taking this thing forward."

Rautenbach said he then made a payment of $100,000 to Agliotti in an airport
parking lot.

"We believed he had the necessary contact to get my case resolved. He was
obviously connected."

Rautenbach testified that at one stage his lawyer James Ramsey met with
officials of former prosecutions head Bulelani Ncguka's office, but the
issues discussed did not relate to his tax or Hyundai issues.

"His people were trying to gather intelligence about Zimbabwe and the DRC."

He said some of this was about mining, but also related to the bank accounts
of officials and who was behind the companies.

Allegations Ncguka tried to obtain a bribe from him were untrue.

"There was no bribe whatsoever," he said.

Earlier as Rautenbach sat waiting to testify, he turned and nodded at
Selebi.

Also on the witness stand on today was Superintendent Adriaan Jacobus Nel
who was involved in covert police operations along with police informer Paul
Stemmet.

He testified that Stemmet asked for Agliotti to share reward money he got
for providing information leading to a drug bust.

Court adjourned until tomorrow after prosecutor Gerrie Nel said the next two
witnesses were unwilling, and he needed time to discuss the matter with
their legal teams.

Selebi is being tried on a count of corruption and another of defeating the
ends of justice in connection with at least R1.2 million he allegedly
received from Agliotti, Rautenbach and others in return for favours.

Zimbabwean man spends over a year in immigration detention

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tichaona Sibanda
19 November 2009

A 24 year-old Zimbabwean man has been languishing inside an immigration
detention centre in Portsmouth for over a year, awaiting deportation.

Tatenda Jera has lived in the UK since 2000 when he fled the country of his
birth. He got into trouble with UK authorities in July last year when he was
arrested for not paying fines.

Speaking from the Haslar detention centre on Thursday, Jera told SW Radio
Africa that due to lack of money he accumulated substantial fines for not
paying fares on London's public transport network in 2008.

'I was picked up by the police in July last year and taken to court where I
was sentenced to serve two weeks in jail. I only served one week and it was
at that time that immigration officials visited me in jail.' Jera said.

Jera was taken into custody by the UK border agency for violating his
visitor's visa. He immediately claimed asylum and his application has been
denied three times.

He said he has been denied his quest for freedom for over a year now, while
some hardcore criminals are granted bail within days of detention.

Jera said he was originally detained because Home Office officials believed
he would be difficult to find when it came time to deport him.  The British
government wants to deport him after he lost a claim for refugee status, and
two other applications to stay in the UK, including one made on the basis of
humanitarian and compassionate grounds, were also turned down.

'I'm not a criminal. I left Zimbabwe to flee violence and try to make ends
meet. Although they treat us nice in detention the fact remains that I'm
behind a wall and don't enjoy my freedom. My family has tried to help but
nothing is moving on the ground,' he said.

Jera is detained with two other Zimbabwean men, one of them a well known
cartoonist Victor Chadoka. Chadoka has published on the internet satirical
cartoons denouncing Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF regime.

Jaison Matewu, the MDC-UK's organizing secretary, said he would enquire
about Jera's predicament. He said the fact that Jera has spent over a year
in detention meant he was probably not an active MDC member.

'When one of our members is detained we usually get notification of their
arrests almost immediately, but in this case I'm surprised Jera has spent
over a year in detention. Even if he's not MDC the fact remains that Jera is
Zimbabwean and needs our help,' Matewu said.

Tsvangirai officially launches Public Broadcasting Report

http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com

19th Nov 2009 18:21 GMT

By a Correspondent

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has launched a public broadcasting report
on issues surrounding the sector in the country.

The report is based on a survey entitled  "Public Broadcasting In Africa
Series" commissioned by Africa Governance Monitoring and Advocacy
Project(AFRIMAP), Open Society Initiative Southern Africa(OSISA), Open
Society Institute Media Programme(OSIMP) and MISA-Zimbabwe.

Addressing delegates, including diplomats, journalists, government
officials, parliamentarians, civil society and media stakeholders, the PM
impressed on the need for the media industry to regulate itself as opposed
to statutory regulation.

"I am a strong proponent of the view that due to its very power, and the
inalienable right of freedom of information and freedom of expression, the
state should play no role in its regulation. Instead, the media, like so
many other professions, should operate largely on the basis of
self-regulation," said the Prime The PM's position on the state of the
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holding (ZBH) resonates with MISA-Zimbabwe's position
that there is an imperative need to transform ZBH from a state broadcaster
into a genuine public broadcaster.

". let me say that I'm in favour of moves to transform our state broadcaster
into a truly public broadcaster," Tsvangirai insisted.

Tsvangirai called for editorial independence within the media, saying this
would lead to the public making informed decisions on a day to day basis.

"I look forward for a day when the coverage of events attended by political
leaders is decided by editors who have only one consideration - what is in
the best interest of their reading and viewing public," Tsvangirai said.

MISA-Zimbabwe's National Vice Chairperson Njabulo Ncube applauded the launch
of the report as timely and critical given the stagnancy which defines
broadcasting industry in Zimbabwe.

"In the last ten years, there has been little to no change in the regulation
of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings, which has functioned more as a state
broadcaster than a public one.

Neither has there been any granting of television nor radio broadcasting
licenses to interested media players. Instead, the general tendency has been
that previous governments have promised to free the airwaves only in word,
but not in deed," said Ncube

He, however, pointed out that the formation of the coalition government
presented opportunities for policy reforms which are critical in the
realization of the right to freedom of expression and the media. "We must
however qualify our optimism with caution.

This is because we are worried that Article19 of the Global Political
Agreement recognizes laws that have been used to repress the media in
Zimbabwe, namely,  the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) and the Access to
Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).

And it is our fervent hope that in the current round of negotiations between
the three political parties, this particular concern be recognized, in
tandem with the fact that there are no new newspapers in the country,"
argued Ncube.

The meeting was chaired by MISA-Zimbabwe board member Faith Zaba, with a
panel of discussants consisting of Ozias Tungwarara, Director of AFRIMAP,
Chris Mhike, a lawyer and nominee to the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) and
Andrew Chigovera, a former Attorney General.

Tungwarara said the survey was aimed at citizen participation in decision
making, based on research findings carried out in a framework guided by
international and regional standards.

Chigovera said the survey was a positive step towards media freedom and as a
reference point for the media stakeholders and further research in the field
of broadcasting.

He added the research was compiled in accordance with international and
regional treaties such as African Charter on Broadcasting (ACB), African
Charter on Human Rights and People's Rights (ACHPR) among others.

Shelves full but people still going hungry

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=25206

November 19, 2009

By Sibangani Sibanda

"THERE is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse;
as I have found in traveling in a stagecoach, that it is often a comfort to
shift one's position and be bruised in a new place". Washington Irvine,
Tales of a Traveler.

It is generally agreed, in Zimbabwe at least, that 2008 was the worst year
in the modern history of the country and its people.

It was so bad, in fact that Zanu-PF, the main architects of that misery,
"accepted" change and agreed to "share" power with an opposition that they
had ridiculed and vilified. 2009 therefore started with an optimism not seen
in the country for many years. It was an optimism based on some changes that
we all thought would bring relief to our bruised and battered selves. There
are changes such as the "inclusive" government already alluded to and the
dollarisation (or "forexisation") of the economy.

As we come to the end of 2009, the optimism, still in evidence if only
because there is no other option, is beginning to wane and one senses the
dropping of shoulders as Zimbabweans realize that the changes are not
delivering - at least not at the pace they expected.

The inclusive government is still in place, but seems to lurch from one
crisis to the next, offering little relief to "the people". In fact, it
appears to me that the various parties concerned are interested more in
positioning themselves for the expected elections, even though the dates for
these elections are still an "outstanding matter". Zanu-PF appears to be
sitting back and waiting for the two MDC's to fail, at which point they can
point fingers and remind people of their own "good" record.

The MDC's on their part are determined to forge ahead and prove how much
better they are. There is, therefore, little cohesion in government's
decision- making with different policies being pronounced by different parts
of the same government.

So we have a situation where the government owned providers of utilities, at
dollarisation, seemed to pluck figures out of the air and stick them on our
bills. As many people had just lost all their money - the Zimbabwe dollars
that are still sitting in our now obsolete bank accounts - their ability to
pay was somewhat curtailed and they just stopped paying. Even for those who
are employed and are now receiving remuneration in foreign currency, the
utility bills alone are more than their monthly incomes.

Government has made various pronouncements about how they will cushion the
people but, unless our incomes increase dramatically, I see a situation
where the bills will continue to be ignored - and as ZESA are now
threatening to cut defaulters off, I see some confrontation looming.

Much has been said about the availability of goods on our shelves. While
this is one of the more visible successes of dollarisation, many people
still go hungry as they cannot afford those goods. In a country where
unemployment is estimated at 90 percent, the majority are relying on either
buying and selling whatever they can, or on handouts from friends and family
in the Diaspora. In 2008, there were many opportunities for "deals" as
pretty much everything was in short supply. In 2009, it is difficult to find
anything to sell and even when one does get something to sell, there is not
enough cash in the economy to go round, which means that there are no
customers.

And the world recession means that our families in the Diaspora are less
able to assist.

This year, I have seen the old practice of people waiting outside factory
gates in the hope of getting employed. But the few companies that still
operate are woefully short of working capital (and work) and are more likely
to retrench than employ. The only companies that seem to be doing well are
security companies who still continuously recruit new guards. Even the
banks, so far the employers of choice for most, have to reduce the working
hours of staff.

Meanwhile, the state media continues to insult our collective intelligences
by selling us the Zanu-PF line on everything and blaming all our problems on
the evil West. They have not changed in the least. And Gideon Gono is still
governor of the Reserve Bank.

It seems to me that even shifting our positions has only led to us being
bruised in the same places.

Weapons theft stokes fears of instability

Photo: LAZELE/Kubatana

Fears of a return to violence

HARARE, 19 November 2009 (IRIN) - The recent "suicide" of a senior army officer in the wake of a break-in at a military armoury in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, is sowing fears that the missing guns may be used to fuel instability.

In late October, 20 Chinese manufactured AK-47s and a number of shotguns were stolen from the armoury at the Pomona army barracks in Harare. The deputy commander of Pomona barracks, Major Maxwell Samudzi, had "committed suicide" while being held in solitary confinement, according to a report in the government newspaper, The Herald.

Local media reports said as many as 120 serving soldiers were detained in connection with the theft and allegedly tortured. Since then, a member of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Pascal Gwezere, has been arrested, allegedly tortured, and charged with the theft.

Morgan Komichi, deputy organising secretary of the MDC, told IRIN that Gwezere's arrest was part of "short- to long-term strategy" by President Robert Mugabe to destabilise the MDC party, led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, which joined Zimbabwe's fragile unity government in February 2009.

The unity government - an uneasy partnership between Mugabe's ZANU-PF party and the MDC - broke down in October after Tsvangirai "disengaged" from it, returning to the fold only after the Southern African Development Community (SADC) intervened.

"What we are witnessing is a ZANU-PF tried-and-tested strategy which has been used since the 1980s, so that they can crack down against our party [MDC]. Searches [by the police and military] have already been conducted at one of the houses used by senior party officials in Harare, while the transport manager [Gwezere] was kidnapped and now faces charges of stealing the guns," Komichi said.

"My interpretation of the development is that there are elements, especially from the military, who are [allegedly] behind the break-in; who, in the event of a constitutional referendum or election, would use the guns to terrorise people," he said.

"If, as is expected, the MDC wins the next election - if it is free and fair - we could see the emergence of armed people with roots in ZANU-PF who would create an unstable environment for an MDC government."

Political analyst John Makumbe told IRIN it was unlikely that the theft of weapons was part of a plan to create a resistance movement to any future MDC government, and was more likely to be the work of one of two ZANU-PF factions, which both wielded influence over the military.

What is happening is that the two factions in ZANU-PF are trying to upstage and outflank each other in the battle to succeed Mugabe, and we may see some people being eliminated

"What is happening is that the two factions in ZANU-PF are trying to upstage and outflank each other in the battle to succeed Mugabe, and we may see some people being eliminated," Makumbe commented.

"It is important to remember that the Air Force commander [Perrance Shiri] survived an attempt on his life [in 2008], and although it turned out that the attempt on his life was based on a love triangle, the suspects have not been arrested, even though the gun used was traced back to the military armoury."

General Solomon Mujuru, a retired Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander, leads the ZANU-PF faction that wants his wife, Zimbabwe's vice-president Joyce Mujuru, to succeed the 86-year-old Mugabe, who has held power since independence from Britain in 1980; the other faction is led by the defence minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa. ZANU-PF will hold its annual conference in December.

"The MDC may still be harassed in connection with the missing guns. However, the most frightening and unsettling prospect is that if there is a referendum, an election, or the power-sharing deal collapses ... ZANU-PF is not capable of winning a free and credible election without terrorising people," Makumbe said.

A relapse into violence?

Political analyst Eldred Masunungure told IRIN the current developments were pointers indicating that the political instability and violence which had rocked the country during the elections in 2008 could return.

"The possibility of a relapse into the 2008 violence is an omnipresent danger; those who engineered the violence are still around, and still have the same resources. All it might take would be the issuing of a new command to unleash more violence. The announcement of the date for another election will see violence increasing, as the infrastructure of violence is still there," Masunungure said.

In 2008 ZANU-PF lost its majority in parliament for the first time since independence, and Mugabe lost the first round of the presidential poll to his rival Tsvangirai - who narrowly missed the 50 percent plus one vote that would have seen him elected president.

Tsvangirai withdrew from the run-off in protest over political violence that killed over 120 people and displaced thousands. Mugabe won the run-off unopposed, but his victory was not recognized by international observers, including SADC.

The politics of central bank reform in Zimbabwe

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

Thursday, November 19, 2009 12:00 AM
Alex T. Magaisa

            I HAVE been following developments around the proposed reforms
of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, the country's central bank. Having spent a
few years at a financial regulator, the subject of the central bank is one
that interests me greatly. It is also a subject that often occupies me a lot
in my day job at the university.

            The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Bill, i.e. the proposed law to
reform the central bank, was passed by the House of Assembly on Wednesday.
This was, according to the reports, after a last minute deal between the
main political parties that form the government of national unity, i.e. Zanu
PF and the MDC. Apparently, the Bill had been 'watered down' although it is
not at present quite clear how much 'water' was added to dilute the effect
of the original Bill.

            Whilst the passage of the Bill by the House of Assembly is a
significant step, it is by no means the end of the legislative process. In
the life cycle of a Bill, it now has to go to the Senate after which it will
have to be signed into law by the President, a consequence of the executive
powers that he holds under the constitution. Masimba acho akawanda (The
President has very wide powers).

            But given that the Bill is a product of Cabinet deliberations,
of which President Mugabe is the chair, one would imagine that he will not
have problems with it.

            But why has there has been inter-party tension over the Bill, as
reported in the media, given that it is essentially a product of Cabinet
discussions and consensus meaning that both Zanu PF and the two MDCs have
agreed on it at the highest levels?

            Could it be that this is an indication of Parliament (in this
case the House of Assembly) showing its independence from the Executive
(cabinet) and therefore flexing its muscle to scrutinise every bill before
it is passed into law? If that is so, then there is much to be commended
because that is exactly what citizens expect Parliament to do.

            End of 'Outstanding Issues'?

            Yet somehow, I do not think it is some new found independence on
the part of Parliament that is behind this challenge. Instead, the Bill has
become a factor in the negotiation of that old and notorious 'outstanding
factor', i.e. the matter of Governor Gono's position at the summit of the
RBZ.

            It is a plain fact that the position of the RBZ Governor has
been one of the most contentious issues between the MDC and Zanu PF since
the signing of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) in September 2008. The
MDC does not like Gono. But Zanu PF likes him. The MDC's efforts to relieve
Gono of his position have been in vain. The gentleman continues to enjoy the
pleasures of his station courtesy of Zanu PF's religious backing.

            The Bill represents the MDC's attempt to gain some foothold in
its tussle with Zanu PF over this 'outstanding issue'. Now that the MDC
seems to have had its way in respect of the Bill, albeit having to accept
some 'watering down', what effect does this have on the 'outstanding issue'
of Governor Gono's position?

            To my mind, the MDC have accepted that ''Your Governor' will not
be going anywhere yet. He is there to stay, a semi-permanent fixture at that
grand building along Samora Machel Street.

            On the other hand, Zanu PF is saying, 'Look guys, tabvuma wani
kuti mudzore masimba ake, Chamuchada chii? (We have accepted your Bill which
reduces Gono's powers. What else do you want?).

            Zanu PF were never going to accept the humiliation of being seen
to be climbing down which would be the case if they were to agree to Gono's
exit at this stage. So this seems to me to be the best that the MDC have
accepted they can get as far as this 'outstanding issue' is concerned.

            With the Governor's office now firmly under the control of the
Minister of Finance, room for Gono to dabble in quasi-fiscal activities will
now be severely circumscribed.

            The only possibility would be that if the Governor is a man who
truly believes in and values his professional integrity and personal
dignity, there is no point of him staying in a position where as Governor he
has become little more than a titular head of the central bank.

            Having enjoyed the pleasures of exercising so much power in the
last six years, all of which he justified on the basis of the law, the
reduction in his powers represents a real smack in the face. Munhu anenyadzi
anotuta twake oenda (Anyone who has pride and dignity will not stay longer).
But plainly, that is like thinking the desert will suddenly transform into a
tropical rainforest. The man is likely to stay on.

            It is likely that when Comrade Zuma comes to town, Zanu PF's
position will be that the RBZ Governorship is no longer an 'outstanding
issue'. Comrade Zuma is then likely to turn to the MDC and say, 'Boys, why
don't you accept and move on to other things? Inga vabvuma wani? (They have
accepted to limit his powers, haven't they?). And that will be the end of
the matter as an 'outstanding issue'. But it is unlikely to be the end of
the tensions around the central bank.

            All this, of course, is very regrettable because it detracts
from an otherwise noble mission to regularise relations between the central
bank as the monetary authority and the ministry of finance (treasury) as the
fiscal authority. I cannot possibly see how a country in which the fiscal
and monetary authorities that are at loggerheads can succeed in its mission
to reconstruct the economy.

            A government with parties struggling for power, and therefore
fighting over the key sources of power, cannot possibly find long lasting
solutions because at every turn they are keen to outdo each other as opposed
to formulating national solutions.

            The politicisation of the matter has compromised the central
equation that should define matters at the country's central bank. It is
regrettable because it adversely affects the critical equation that is
necessary in the work of the central bank and its relations with those who
appoint it. This equation consists of two aspects: independence and
accountability of the central bank.

            Independence

            The independence aspect is essential for the professional and
efficient execution of the bank's mandate. Ideally, the power to perform the
central bank's functions rests with the people. But they do not have the
expertise to do it, so they elect representatives (politicians) to
Parliament. The representatives do not necessarily have the expertise
either, so they appoint an authority to do it on their behalf and
consequently, on behalf of the people. That authority, which is set up under
a law made by Parliament, is the central bank.

            For the job to be done properly, the politicians ideally
acknowledge that they need to confer independence to the central bank. This
allows the experts to do the job efficiently outside party political
interests, which are often limited, partisan and populist. If politicians
chose to do it themselves or if they interfered too much, the risk is that
there would be too many populist policies that would not properly deal with
the task at hand. That is why the independence of the RBZ must be maintained
at all costs.

            Some people have argued, wrongly in my view, that the RBZ
engaged in quasi-fiscal activities and behaved recklessly because it was too
independent. This misses the point. It is precisely the lack of independence
that caused the RBZ to dabble in quasi-fiscal activities - it became
difficult to separate the RBZ from the government or indeed, to distinguish
the RBZ from other political structures of the then ruling party.

            The authors of the RBZ policies saw themselves as performing
heroic exploits oblivious of the fact that they had become political agents.
It became difficult to distinguish the expert central banker from the
politician and the populist policies that followed proved in the end to be
disastrous.

            If anything, therefore, the current reforms of the central bank
must have tried to enhance the independence of the RBZ so that never again
should it be beholden to or pander to the whims of politicians or political
interests. Sadly, the Bill seems to try to tackle the waywardness of the
central bank by placing under yet more control of politicians.

            Accountability

            The other part of the equation is of course 'accountability'.
Independence does not mean being unaccountable. You have to be accountable
to those who appoint you, in this case, Parliament and the people. The
trouble is that for the past six years it has seemed as if the Governor was
only accountable to one authority, the office of the President.

            The RBZ went beyond the remit set by the law because authors of
its work thought they were performing a national service. Parliament itself
did not do a good job of making the RBZ accountable and they let their
electors down. Any reforms should have ensured that Parliament strengthens
the tools it has to hold the RBZ accountable.

            As things stand, the equation between independence and
accountability is unlikely to balance. Haisi kubalancer. In the past six
years, the central bank has been too dependent on the government of the
day - pursuing populist policies and causing hyperinflationary effects. It
has not been properly accountable for its actions because Parliament has
been weak.

            The pursuit of accountability should not undermine independence
just as independence should not compromise accountability. There must be a
balance. In all this, we have to remember that neither Biti nor Gono are
permanent fixtures in Zimbabwe's political and financial architecture. One
day, they will depart but the institutions will and should outlive them.

            Alex Magaisa is based at the Kent Law School, University of
Kent. He can be contacted at wamagaisa@yahoo.co.uk

The Land Question: A Case for a Transparent Agrarian Reform & Land Audit Process

A sober interrogation and an intellectual conversation focused on Zimbabwe’s agrarian reform, devoid of partisan emotion, incendiary sloganeering, and ideological vitriol, is now necessary for the formulation of a people driven land reform programme. A comprehensive independent land audit conducted by a civic commission, whose findings are to be made public, must be a precursor to this endevour.

As much as the government published the lists of all farms gazetted for acquisition, in the name of transparency and political fair play Zimbabweans deserve to know who the recipients and beneficiaries of all the seized land are.

Sustainable economic growth can only be attained with the permanent inclusion of Zimbabwe’s communal farmers into the mainstream economy. The peculiarity of our history is such that most commercial farmers were white. It is time to recognise that fact and realise that the land issue is both an economic and political imperative, an issue that supersedes one’s race or ethnicity.

In 1888, white colonists under the auspices of the British South Africa Company, led by Cecil Rhodes, expropriated the country's best agricultural lands and began colonial rule.

The solution to correcting this colonial imbalance, decongesting communal areas, and empowering previously disadvantaged indigenous citizens through agriculture, while maintaining productivity is attainable.

White farmers wanting to sell land were legally obliged to offer it to the state first. If the state did not want the land, it would issue a “no present interest” certificate (valid for one year), which then enabled the seller to dispose of the land on the private market. Throughout the 1980's there was a steady flood of land available to the Government of Zimbabwe. The land acquired included that abandoned by white farmers during the war, as well as land sold willingly by some landowners.

Senior members of ZANU (PF) under the VIP Farm Scheme acquired farms by taking advantage of the state's “no present interest”. Farm land totalling over a million hectares was transferred and the VIP Farm Scheme also leased state land acquired under the resettlement programme to ZANU (PF) officials and government ministers—none of these farms are in production today.

In 1981, the Government of Zimbabwe passed the Communal Land Act, which changed the name of the Tribal Trust Lands to Communal Areas and transferred authority from the traditional leaders to the local authorities. The 1992 Land Acquisition Act was enacted to speed up the land reform process by removing the "willing seller, willing buyer" clause, limiting the size of farms and introducing a land tax (although the tax was never implemented.) The land protection clauses of the Lancaster House Agreement expired in 1990.

As part of the Lancaster House Agreement signed in London in 1979, a land-reform program was established, under which land was to be purchased from white farmers for redistribution to landless peasants on a "willing seller, willing buyer" basis. Australia, Britain, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the U.S. and the World Bank signed on to provide funds for this program, as well as funds for development. Total funds pledged for both amounted to $1.9 billion, but the land redistribution program was so grossly mismanaged that most countries withdrew their financial support in 1992.

In the first phase of the Land Reform Programme (1980-85) the Government of Zimbabwe announced its intention to resettle 162 000 families on 10.5 million hectares of land within five years. By 1986, 3.4 million hectares had been acquired at a cost of £ 80 million, reducing the amount of land under white ownership to 29 percent.

By 1996, the United Kingdom had contributed in terms of aid to Zimbabwe £500 billion pounds since Independence. Of this total, £47 million was targeted for land reform, and approximately £100 million was budgetary support which should have been used for land reform. What happened to all those funds? The UK Land Resettlement Grant closed down with £3 million still unspent following the discovery of massive corruption and the misuse of land resettlement funds.

The following criterion constitutes the noble Government of Zimbabwe parameters by which all land was to be acquired:

i)                    Derelict land;

ii)                   Under-utilised land;

iii)                 Land owned by absentee landlords;

iv)               Land from farmers with more than one farm or with oversized farms, and

v)                 Land adjacent to communal areas. (However, if this was the only farm of the farmer’s possession and if the farmer wanted to continue farming, he would be offered another farm).

These principles were discarded before implementation. The day after ZANU (PF) lost the constitutional referendum, violent farm invasions commenced.

The government had further stipulated maximum farm sizes for each agro-ecological region as follows: 

Today senior members of ZANU (PF) own multiple farms and are absentee landlords; most of these properties are underutilised—hence Zimbabwe’s perennial food shortages.

By 1997, the end of phase one of the land reform and resettlement program, the government had resettled 71 000 families (out of a targeted 162 000) on almost 3.5 million hectares of land. Close to 400 black political acolytes leased 400 000 hectares of state land and about 350 black people had bought their farms.

In November 2002, Agriculture Minister Joseph Made said the land-grab was over. He said in total the government had seized 12 million hectares of land from white farmers. In January 2006, Agriculture Minister Joseph Made said Zimbabwe was considering legislation that would compel commercial banks to finance blacks who had been allocated formerly white-owned farmland in the land reforms. Made threatened local banks with withdrawal of their banking licenses, should they fail to lend a substantial portion of their income to these land occupiers.

The current fast track land reform programme in Zimbabwe is chaotic and was fashioned as a political survival stratagem by ZANU (PF) designed to appease a restive peasantry and to punish perceived enemies. Gradualist land tenure reform that pays special attention to the legal status and economic activities of women must also avoid arbitrary evictions of the landless and ensure landholders invest in the land. Leaving things the way they are is not a viable option, agrarian reform is an urgent national endevour. 

2010 Proposed agrarian reform roadmap:

1. All land must be converted into 50 year leaseholds.
2. Each commercial farmer must be allocated a group of communal farmers whom the farmer assists with agronomic advice and expertise.
3. The farmers pay no corporate tax for the duration of the lease once the farmer has built a school, clinic and adequate housing on their farm or collective community.
4. A fund, managed by the Revenue Authority, comprising of all civic stakeholders is inaugurated with the purpose of financing smallholder farmer development.
5. Young farmers are attached to farmers as understudies and included in tenant farming schemes run by the respective Farmers Associations.
6. Each Farmers Association is allocated additional state land under trust which is eventually resurveyed and apportioned to new qualified farmers.

Phil Matibe – www.madhingabucketboy.com

Of Ghost Voters...

Robert Mugabe once threatened that he would rule Zimbabwe ‘from beyond the grave’. Well, it looks like some of his supporters have started without him!

I am 46 years of age - and in Zimbabwe I would be an old man - someone who has lived beyond the expected lifetime, which sits at about 44 years old.

And yet the Registrar-General, Tobiwa Mudede, would have us all believe the information in the current voters’ roll in Zimbabwe.

I would hazard a guess that my name is still on that roll, even though I never registered as a voter and my first vote ever was here in the United Kingdom!

But the fraud goes much further than that…

“A Zimbabwean MP shocked parliament when he produced evidence that the voter’s roll used in last year’s elections had names of hundreds of dead people who had been registered to vote.

MP Tongai Matutu said the anomaly showed “the extent to which the voters’ roll should represent the graveyard”.

“Of those 503 (dead voters), the surprising thing is that they all have a similar date of birth which is 1 January 1901,” said Matutu.

Matutu is a member of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change.

“I have the list of those people who are 107-years-old still appearing on the voters roll,” said Matutu.

He said he had copies of the voter’s roll used in the disputed elections, which resulted in the formation of the unity government.

“We have 144,202 [people] over the age of 90 on the voters’ roll,” said the fiery MP, adding that the average life expectancy of Zimbabweans was about 44 years.

“There were 115 voters who were below the age of 18 (legal voting age) with the youngest being one-year-old at the time of 2008 elections,” said Matutu. “So what it simply means is we are going to have more ghosts than registered voters.”

Right now there is much noise in Zimbabwe about an intended audit of the civil service - which, according to an article today, will not include the Zimbabwe National Army.

Why should an audit of the voters’ roll not be undertaken? No doubt those of ZANU PF influence will maintain that there is no money - and when some kind international body is prepared to finance such an exercise, the ZANU PF support would protest in the streets that the money should be channelled to some other project which would see them gaining the advantage.

Audits in Zimbabwe are something which we would all want to see, and even when the Auditor-General tabled a report after a check of one governmental department, it was very quickly swept under the carpet and no one has mentioned it since.

The land needs to be audited. With the land changing hands - invariably into the hands of the chosen ZANU PF few - there is a huge need to know who is responsible for the agricultural sector and the produce therein.

It would be unacceptable for a ‘new’ farmer (perhaps the word farmer should also be in inverted commas) to not be held accountable for their produce, just as it would be unacceptable for a farmer to export all of his produce, ignoring the needs in the domestic market.

But Mugabe would prefer that the various sector - and the Reserve Bank - are not audited for fear that such an audit would prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that his tenure in office is built on nothing more than disinformation, misinformation, lies, deceit, threats, theft and ‘lootocracy’…

A simple look at the evidence provided by the MDC MP in parliament would convince any ditherer that Mugabe is nothing more than a man placed in power by his own hand…

Robb WJ Ellis
The Bearded Man

PACHEDU Zimbabwe

PACHEDU (Roy Bennett) – By Pastor Duane Udd

Racist taunts from Chinamasa

  Made Roy Bennett cross the line

Minor scuffle led to trauma

  Jail was worse than any fine

Justice more than once miscarried

  Babe knew naught of lost Estate

Nor how much Heather was harried

  Brutalized by greed and hate

Tortured thoughts of one in prison

  Suffering subhuman woes

Lice enjoy incarceration

  With its excremental clothes

Freedom led to swift self-exile

  Branded with new trumped-up charge

Treason in false weapon stockpile

  One more travesty writ large

Promise of assured protection

  Brought him back with hopeful heart

But denied his new position

  Prosecutors made fresh start

With stale case and perjured witness

  They made mockery of law

Tomana robed in absurdness

  Ought to shamefully withdraw

Are they bent on a death sentence

  Or eventual amnesty

To prop up their crumbling pretence

  That Zimbabwe’s really free

Keep Roy Bennett here between us

  Lend support through thick or thin

Justice can emerge victorious

  Evil forces must not win

            © duaneudd.com

                18^th Nov 2009

Diary of a traveller: a calming sunset

 

Coolness descends ... Sunset as seen from a boat cruising on the Zambezi

19/11/2009 00:00:00 by Scott Ramsay

Majestic ... Sunset on the Zambezi   Day 1: Diary of a traveller Day 2: Diary of a traveller Continuing serialisation of our travel correspondent Scott Ramsay's diaries following a recent two-week trip to Zimbabwe as a guest of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority. This is the third part in the series -- read PART ONE and PART TWO:   Monday, October 19 WE flew to Victoria Falls, where we were taken first to The Kingdom hotel, but they knew nothing of our supposed reservation, so we were then taken to Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, a highly regarded hotel. The change in plans was representative of the fluidity of our itinerary on the entire tour. Many times our itinerary changed without explanation or reason, and travel trade personnel must be prepared for this (The other thing to note is the wonderful disregard that tourism trade officials in Zimbabwe had for meeting times). Victoria Falls is simply wonderful, which is no surprise, given that it is frequently featured in the many lists of Natural Wonders of the World. A walk along the edge is a must, and something that tourists will always remember. Known by the locals as Mosi-oa-Tunya (The Smoke that Thunders), the falls are neither the highest nor the widest but they are claimed to be the largest ,by virtue of its width of 1,7 kilometres and height of over 100m. It therefore forms the largest falling body of fresh water in the world, with a peak recorded flow of 12,800 cubic metres per second, more than both Iguazu Falls on the border of Brazil and Argentina, and Niagara Falls in the United States of America. Surrounding the falls is Victoria Falls National Park, comparatively small in relation to Zimbabwe’s other parks, but still containing elephants, buffalos, lions and leopards. That evening we went on a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, and saw three elephants crossing the river, not twenty metres from our boat. The sun went down in typically spectacular African fashion, and everything seemed perfect. No-one ever talks of an American, Chinese or Australian sunset ... but there's plenty of literature about African sunsets (and sunrises). It’s all my personal perception of course, but the colours are that much diverse and brighter ... and older. Jumbo surprise ... Elephants swim a few metres from a boat cruising on the Zambezi And my attempt at an admittedly sentimental analogy is this: sunrises and sunsets have always represented hope -- the forgetting of the day’s tumult, the mental and physical peace and coolness that everyone feels in the early stages of an African evening or morning. My analogy is this: that in Africa, despite the many failures, there is always more hope here than anywhere else – and the sunrises and sunsets are commensurately spectacular. And maybe this hope has carried the continent many times to various important successes, despite plenty of problems. Victoria Falls Safari Lodge is a superb hotel with superb views of the woodlands near the falls. There is a waterhole in front of the dining and pool area, and elephant, buffalo, kudu and hyena were spotted while we were there. The food is very good, and the service too. Rooms are clean and comfortable, and most have views over the plain below. A highlight is a visit to The Boma, an outdoor restaurant, where guests are entertained by Zimbabwean music, and everyone is invited to an impromptu dancing session with the band. The food comprises, among other things, buffalo and warthog, while mopane worms make a tasty snack. It’s well worth a try! Overall, our stay at Safari Lodge was a highlight, and is a fantastic symbol of what the rest of Zimbabwe could be like when things get better. Majestic ... A rainbow cuts across the Victoria Falls gorge (Don't miss Ramsay's diaries throughout this week)