The ZIMBABWE Situation Our thoughts and prayers are with Zimbabwe
- may peace, truth and justice prevail.
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Profiteering rife in Zimbabwe

Rory Carroll, Africa correspondent
Monday November 25, 2002
The Guardian

Profiteers and government officials are worsening Zimbabwe's food shortage
by hoarding supplies to raise prices and punish political opponents, driving
hungry people deeper into the bush in search of wild berries and roots,
relief agencies said.
Households had either run out or were about to run out of food in all but
one of the 52 districts surveyed by the Food Security Network, a coalition
of 24 non-government organisations.

Published on the eve of an expected European Union snub to the Zimbabwe
government, the report painted a grim picture of an estimated 6.7 million
people struggling to survive drought and political and economic chaos.

A steep fall in grain supplies has inflated the black market price of corn
meal, the national staple, to 20 times the state-mandated fixed price.

As a result families were skipping meals and children were dropping out of
school to help forage for wild fruits.

The NGOs accused the state-owned grain marketing board and some government
officials of exploiting the crisis to deny food to those suspected of
opposing President Robert Mugabe.

Families with the right money and connections could obtain food through
"backdoor sales and non-transparent procedures", said the report. "The
collapse in supply has produced huge reported burdens for the poorest but
super profits for some."

It added that poor communities were selling assets to buy food and spending
large sums on transport in order to source food.

The European parliament is expected to deliver a fresh snub to Mr Mugabe
today by barring two of his officials from a meeting in Brussels with the
African, Caribbean and Pacific nations group (ACP).

EU spokesman Jesper Haglund said yesterday that an EU travel ban on Zimbabwe
officials to protest against human rights abuses meant that the minister for
state enterprises, Paul Mangwana, and the deputy finance minister, Chris
Kuruneri, could not attend the four-day meeting.

The secretariat of the 76-nation ACP said that the EU had no right to meddle
in the composition of its delegation.
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The Times

            November 25, 2002

            Starvation is the price for defying ruthless Mugabe
            From Michael Dynes in Binga, Matabeleland



            AT the age of seven months Thinkmore Mwinde could hardly be
accused of harbouring dangerous opposition thoughts, even in the deranged
political landscape of Zimbabwe.

            The same cannot be said of his mother, Regina, 39, who voted for
the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and is now being punished by
President Mugabe: she is being denied the maize meal that she and her seven
children need to survive.

            Mrs Mwinde, with an overwhelming majority of the impoverished
Tonga people in Zimbabwe's northwestern district of Binga, voted for Joel
Gabbuza in the March presidential elections, giving the MDC its single
biggest parliamentary majority. The Tonga did the same again in the rural
district council elections in August, providing the MDC with its only rural
constituency in the country.

            But the price of such persistent defiance has been high. For
three months the ruling Zanu (PF) party has blocked food shipments into the
district, in what has become the most blatant and ruthless use of food as a
political weapon in the former British colony.

            Cradling Thinkmore in her arms, Mrs Mwinde said that she and her
children, who stood next to her holding their bloated bellies, had not eaten
for two days. They had survived for months on leaves, roots and seeds from
the bush.

            The food situation is the same in scores of villages throughout
the district. Standing in the doorway of his one-room hut, Samson Munkuli,
48, said that he had not eaten for days. The muscle and flesh on his arms
and legs had wasted away. He was a living skeleton, and he will not live
long.

            In the town of Binga the manager of the state- controlled Grain
Marketing Board, which has a monopoly on maize sales, admits that food is
sold only to Zanu (PF) supporters. "We only sell to Shona-speakers," he
said.

            Members of the Central Intelligence Organisation and the
President's Office stand near by, ensuring that he complies with Harare's
directives on food distribution.

            Reports that maize is sold only to card-carrying members of Zanu
(PF) are widespread. There are roadblocks around big cities to ensure that
maize is not smuggled into the urban areas, most of which are hotbeds of
opposition support. But the Government's stranglehold on food distribution
is far more sophisticated than that. Under a deal with the UN World Food
Programme (WFP) in February, Harare agreed to import

            800,000 tonnes of maize; the WFP would import another 800,000
tonnes for distribution among the young, pregnant women and the elderly;
while the private sector would import a further 800,000 tonnes for sale to
adults.

            But the Government is importing only 500,000 tonnes.
International donors have failed to raise enough money for the WFP to fulfil
its commitments, and the Government has refused to grant licences to the
private sector to import food: a flagrant breach of the February agreement.

            The shortfall in imports has enabled Zimbabwe's National Food
Committee, run by Nicholas Goche, the head of state security, to ensure that
only Zanu (PF) supporters get food. The Grain Marketing Board has depots
around the country controlling the distribution of maize stocks.

            Didymus Mutasa, the Zanu (PF) Administrative Secretary, the
party's senior bureaucrat, has said that he would not mind if Zimbabwe lost
half its 12 million people because of the collapse in agricultural
production.

            "We would be better off with only six million people, with our
own people who support the liberation struggle," he said. "We don't want all
these extra people," he added.

            a.. Travel ban row

            A row over the European Union's travel ban on President Mugabe
of Zimbabwe and key members of his entourage is threatening to disrupt a
conference starting today between Euro MPs and their counterparts from 77
developing countries.

            Several countries threatened to boycott the meeting after the
European Parliament refused access to its premises to two ministers in the
Zimbabwean delegation.
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The Age

RBA starts Zimbabwe sanctions
Monday 25 November 2002, 16:06PM
AAP





The Reserve Bank of Australia says it has been directed by the Commonwealth
of Australia to implement financial sanctions against certain ministers and
senior officials of Zimbabwe.

The RBA said under the Banking (Foreign Exchange) Regulations 1959 financial
sanctions against the Mugabe government of Zimbabwe were to be implemented.

These measures form part of the package of sanctions announced recently by
the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer.

The RBA said with effect from Monday it would take action to freeze the
accounts of persons listed in an Annex and available on the RBA's website.

All transactions involving the transfer of funds or payments to, by the
order of, or on behalf of such persons are prohibited.
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The Final Thrust

The power base of the MDC has always been the urban worker - augmented by
workers in the mining sector and farm workers. Since it became apparent to
Zanu PF that this constituency could not be subverted by any other means,
they have turned to other methods to achieve the same goal. The goal was
always to hold onto power and privilege at any cost.

Farm workers and their families (a community of 1,5 million people)
represented about 15 per cent of the voting population. But more
importantly, they held the balance of power between the urban workers and
the voters in the communal areas. Zanu believed (probably correctly) that
the latter community could be controlled politically through the Chiefs,
headmen and then through a simple form of patronage - vote for us or starve.
Peasants understand and believe that kind of talk. They are also in receipt
of "food for work" programs - controlled by Zanu PF Rural District
Counselors and get seed and fertilizer as well as tillage assistance from
the State via the District Development Fund and the Grain Marketing Board.
Although the seed and fertilizer is technically a "loan" in fact everyone
accepts it is in fact a government controlled gift.

So the attack on the farm sector started two years ago - today, what seemed
to be an impossible objective to any sane person, has been virtually
achieved. The commercial farm sector is in complete disarray - 90 per cent
of all white farmers and many black commercial farmers have been displaced
and their farms taken over by Zanu PF elements in many different guises. The
farm workers have been displaced and many are now being forced over the
border into Mozambique. No refugee camps have been allowed to accommodate
these people who have also been rendered stateless by means of a simple ruse
which meant that anyone with parentage of another nationality could not
claim Zimbabwe citizenship, even if they were born here. Usefully, this also
disenfranchised a few thousand white voters, but the real target was the far
m workers and their wives. Not because they worked for white farmers,
because they belonged to the farm workers union, an affiliate of the
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions - the mother of the MDC and had voted MDC
in February and June 2000.

The political cover for this exercise was clever - a justified attack on
historical white privilege and exploitation. We are correcting an
"historical injustice" Mugabe said a thousand times to the roars of approval
from his internal and external constituency. The attack on the UK was meant
to blunt any effective opposition from this quarter because they (Zanu PF)
know that the UK probably has more understanding of the situation here than
any other country. It was amazingly effective as a strategy and has kept
Britain on the sidelines and silent to a large degree. It was largely self
financing in that they allowed the Zanu PF militants to keep the resulting
loot - US$6 billion of farm assets built up by hard work over the past 100
years, now almost 100 per cent in the hands of Zanu PF business and strong
men and women. It must rank as one of the largest single thefts of private
property in history.

It had other useful side effects - it exacerbated the shortage of food -
strengthening the food weapon in the hands of the State and giving them
effective control over the welfare of millions. They are using this
political weapon with devastating effectiveness against the MDC at every
opportunity - punishing communities that support the MDC and allowing their
own hierarchy to profit from the shortages. They are doing this in front of
the whole world, to the applause of gullible audiences everywhere.

The other day a group of unionists were given audience with Mugabe in
Harare, they were told that the "3rd Chimurenga" (war) was over (the
struggle for land) and that they were now launching a "4th Chimurenga" to
take over business and mining assets. One thing you can say about Mugabe,
when he says something he means it and listeners should not be misled by the
saville row suits and the flowers in his lapel. The only issue was how would
he do it?

Well now we know. It was clever - like so many of Zanu PF strategies. (Why
can they not use this sophistication to build rather than destroy?) We first
had the budget for 2003 - notable only for the roars of laughter that it
generated from the MDC benches and the sullen silence of the Zanu PF
benches. There was nothing new in the budget - it was just about what had
been expected. Then on the following three days the State revealed its real
agenda. Two sweeping government notices, the first in the Gazette, which
came out on Friday, imposing a price freeze on virtually everything with
effect from the 14th November. In an economic environment where prices are
rising at about 30 per cent a month, that was pretty breathtaking,
especially when the Minister of Finance the day before had stated that
"price controls do not work". He must have been aware of the Government
notice, which must have been given the OK at the Cabinet meeting in which he
cleared his budget.

But it was the next notice that was the real stunner and which will be the
instrument for the "4th Chimurenga". It came in the form of an advert from
the Reserve Bank. Again this must have been cleared in the same Cabinet
meeting as the budget and the price freeze. The notice was accompanied by a
statement that Leonard Tsumba - the Governor of the Bank, was to get a
further extension to his tenure (how I do not know, as legally he cannot go
on for a further term). The cover was perfect - Leonard is a perfectly
respectable looking, mild mannered man with good credentials. In meetings
with outsiders he carries just the right image. In fact he is the main
architect and executioner of what will be another frontal attack on the
private sector and the trade unions.

What the Reserve Bank advert said was that they were going to increase the
compulsory retention of all foreign earnings, from 40 per cent to 50 per
cent. Further, they were taking over control of all Corporate Foreign
Currency Accounts and that companies wishing to use the funds in these
accounts for their own imports or external services, would now require
"Exchange Control" approval. Any funds not used in 6 weeks after receipt
would be taken over by the Reserve Bank. It must be noted that these
transactions will be at the official exchange rate which is 55 Zimbabwe
dollars to one US dollar or the equivalent for all other external
currencies. The parallel market stood at about 1500 to 1 when this notice
was published - 27 times the official rate of exchange.

Already we have heard of delays in approving the use of foreign exchange
(not foreign exchange from the Reserve Bank - their own foreign exchange in
a FCA). I suspect that the real objective of this exercise is to cut off
those supplies of foreign exchange not controlled by the Bank to all
non-exporters and to limit own use to essentials. This means that over 80
per cent of all foreign exchange earnings will accrue to the Reserve Bank at
55 to 1. If we take total foreign earnings this year at US$1,35 billion,
this means that the state will take 100 per cent of all gold earnings, 100
per cent of all tobacco sales in hard currency, and 80 per cent of
everything else.

It means that total foreign exchange receipts purchased by the Bank will
reach US$1,180 in a year similar to this one. In fact, as foreign earnings
are falling rapidly they will in fact earn substantially less next year -
but still 87 per cent of all hard currency earnings will be at the official
rate or just marginally higher. This means the private sector will be paid
out in Zimbabwe dollars only a fraction of the real value of the currency
they earn. On US$1,180 billion the Zimbabwe dollar pay out from the Reserve
Bank would be Z$65 billion compared to its real value of Z$472 billion (at
an exchange rate of, say, 400 to 1).

The flow of resources to the Zanu PF regime from this exercise will
therefore be in the order of Z$1 billion per day. This flow of resources is
totally at their disposal - they can use it to import food to supply their
own feeding centres and to reinforce their control of scarce food supplies.
They can grant Zanu PF businesspersons foreign exchange allocations at
official rates to strengthen their positions in the corporate sector. They
can sell foreign exchange to the rest of the private sector at parallel
market rates generating huge cash profits in the process - which then can be
used to finance party activities. The employment and support of militia's
and the extension of their own patronage system - and its all legal, out of
sight and free of any forms of public scrutiny or taxation.

In addition to all the advantages that this system gives the Zanu regime,
the tightening up of the foreign exchange net, the closure of all Bureau du
Changes, will plunge all firms in the formal sector into a real crisis. All
mining houses except those with special deals (Zimplats) will have to simply
close down - they cannot survive under these conditions. All importers are
now in an impossible position - forced to rely on the informal sector for
foreign exchange (at even higher exchange rates) or to close down - or to go
the Reserve Bank with a request for a foreign exchange allocation - and to
get that you must be Zanu PF connected or better. All industrial exporters
except those with export processing zone status will also be driven to the
wall.

Once there they will be vulnerable to take over by Zanu PF elements and to
help finance this a further statement from the Reserve Bank this week
announced that "exporters" and others in the "productive sector' can borrow
money at 5% and 15% interest rates respectively. So you can now borrow the
funds at these ridiculous rates of interest to buy out people who are being
driven into bankruptcy by the State. Once this is done, you can turn around
the business using your special connections to get the resources required.

Then, once Zanu PF people own and control the business - you step in as
employers to insist that the staff support the Zanu PF led competing trade
unions. Or you force the existing trade unions to switch sides.

So this is what the MDC is up against. It must not only operate in a
situation where Zanu PF loyalists control the electoral system, where the
voters are intimidated by violence and the threat of starvation. In a
situation where the rule of law is suspended, Judges are partial, the Police
and the Attorney Generals office is all partisan, the army and
paramilitaries are all heavily armed and authorized to use whatever force is
needed to crush any opposition. Where draconian laws repress the freedom of
association and speech, the free movement of people and goods around the
country are enacted and enforced despite the fact that they violate the
constitution. It must also face a political Party which has almost unlimited
funding, with full control of the State budget and a patronage system that
stretches deep into every aspect of life. Now, with effect from the coming
week all civil servants are going to have to go through a test of their
"loyalty" to Zanu PF to retain their jobs.

The whole exercise is undertaken with complete ruthlessness - no regard for
human life or the niceties of human rights, the welfare of children or
development. They have destroyed 400 000 formal sector jobs in the past two
years, the same number of informal sector opportunities. They have put 7
million people at risk of starvation; they have reduced the overall economy
by a third and export activity by two thirds. They have driven up to a third
of the total population out of the country as economic refugees.

It is no wonder that in other African countries the opposition has decided
that conventional means of changing the government are useless - just start
a revolt. Museveni and Taylor did it with a handful of rebels, the Ivory
Coast is being torn apart by a handful of armed men - why not here? Can the
MDC maintain its commitment to democratic, non-violent means of change in
such a situation? If so how and why? Would it not be easier to go the other
route? Certainly if we did go the other route we could be guaranteed of
space in newspapers and TV. We could be guaranteed that our fellow African
leaders would take us seriously. Someone needs to give us an answer on these
questions, and soon.

Eddie Cross

Bulawayo, 25th November 2002.
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Zim Standard

      Moyo confirms MDC fears
      newsfocus By Walter Marwizi

      THE recent call by unelected junior information minister Jonathan Moyo
for the urgent overhaul of the criminal justice system in the country simply
because MDC MPs Job Sikhala and Tafadzwa Musekiwa had been acquitted of
fraud charges, confirms fears that the Zanu PF regime is bent on locking up
the entire leadership of the opposition party, The Standard was told
yesterday.

      According to a report in last Saturday's edition of The Herald, Moyo
who is the government's chief spokesman, disclosed that Zanu PF had not been
impressed by Harare Magistrate Caroline Ann Chigumira's dismissal of fraud
charges against the two MPs.

      Chigumira ruled that the two had acted above board and had therefore
no case to answer. She said Sikhala had satisfied the court that he was
still the owner of the vehicle he had bought using the parliamentary
privilege scheme and that his co-accused, Musekiwa, had paid duty for the
vehicle bought under the same conditions and had therefore complied with the
requirements of the Customs and Excise Act.

      In a move that surprised many people, Moyo said there was an urgent
need to overhaul the entire criminal judicial system because it was allowing
accused MDC persons to go scot free.

      Said Moyo: "Something needs to be done urgently to put the wheels of
our criminal justice system back on track. Purely on the basis of what the
magistrate said, it appears there was a big mess-up by the attorney
general's office... There is something profoundly wrong and rotten between
the AG's office and the magistrates court because the wheels of justice have
fallen off to a point where the police will be demoralised into inaction and
where reasonable members of the public are now concluding that MDC
individuals have a licence to commit all manner or crimes with impunity."

      Moyo, who recently lost cases against the two MPs, added: "Why is it
that the AG's office seems to always handle cases involving the MDC with the
result of inviting suspicions of deliberate bungling? Why are the
magistrates' courts seemingly ready to find an excuse however lame to let
MDC accused persons off the hook to the clear detriment of good
administration of justice?"

      In an interview with The Standard , Advocate Charles Selemani who
represented the two MPs after receiving instructions from their lawyers,
said Moyo's remarks confirmed his clients' fears that their detention had
been extra legal and motivated by politics.

      "It will be recalled that the professor has lost two matters in which
he was the complainant against Honourable Members Sikhala and Musekiwa,
respectively. His loss of faith in the criminal justice system where the law
has been applied without due regard to one's political complexion is
understandable in the circumstances," he said.

      Advocate Selemani added: "The broadside fired against the AG's offices
appears to be an abuse of civil servants, serving under most challenging
circumstances. If at all these professional law officers had been allowed to
practise professional discretion, none of the charges would have been
brought before the courts and embarrass the state.

      MDC spokesman, Paul Themba Nyathi, said Moyo's comments confirmed
fears that the regime wished to destroy the opposition party through the
courts.

      "Zimbabweans should now understand why almost all MDC senior officials
have charges hanging over their heads. It is not because our members have
committed any offence at all. It is purely because the police are working on
an assignment list provided by ministers such as Moyo and (Patrick)
Chinamasa just to mention a few cases in which the police are provided with
details such as who to arrest and when and which charges to raise against
the purported offenders. The grand plan is to destroy the MDC," he said.

      Nyathi added that Moyo had every reason to feel offended since the MDC
legislators who should have by now been eliminated through trumped up
charges, had instead been cleared by the courts.

      "We hail the acquittals of the two legislators and encourage our legal
system to refuse to be intimidated by the regime into passing judgments that
are influenced by politicians in their effort to try and change the course
of political history in our country," he said.

      Speaking on ZBC news hour on Wednesday, attorney-general Andrew
Chigovera said people who criticised his department were ignorant of how it
operated.
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Zim Standard


      'Government promoting genocide'
      By our own Staff

      KELVIN Jakachira, the national executive member of the Zimbabwe Union
of Journalists (ZUJ), says government is sowing the seeds of genocide in the
country by continuing, through the national broadcaster, to fill the minds
of the nation with anti-white, anti opposition propaganda.

      Presenting a paper on ZUJ's position on the Broadcasting Ser-vices Act
(BSA) at a Misa-Mutare Advocacy workshop held in Nyanga at the weekend,
Jakachira said ZBC radio and television had become effective in delivering
the message of hate directly and simultaneously to a wider audience.

      "We do not want what happened in Rwanda to be repeated here," he said.

      Rwanda, which became a centre of ethnic cleansing in the 90s under its
late leader, Juvenal Habyarimana, effectively used the medium of radio to
fan the ethnic hatred which culminated into genocide.

      Millions of people died as the Hutus massacred the Tutsis and turned
the Great Lakes area into a bloody zone.

      Jakachira's warning comes at a time when the state media has stepped
up its campaign to discredit the opposition MDC and the whites by labelling
them as the source of Zimbabwe's misery.

      "Referring to MDC members as terrorists can actually give other people
the excuse to attack them. Genocide starts on a small scale," he warned.

      Hondo yeMinda adverts flighted on television and radio these days
portray whites as evil people responsible for the shortages in the country.

      The BSA which was passed about a year ago opened the airwaves to
private players but up to now no application has being approved.

      He said the delay by the government in offering licences to private
players in the broadcasting sector was a deliberate ploy to continue
enjoying the monopoly and thus be in a position to attack the voiceless
opposition parties.
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Zim Standard

      Leave with your food, chief tells donors
      By our own Staff

      CHIEF Makumbe, of Makumbe communal area in Buhera district, last week
barred food aid from being distributed to his starving folk charging that it
was coming from friends of MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai.

      The highly charged chief, ordered donors who included Christian Care
to take back their food even though hundreds of starving villagers, some of
them who had walked long distances to a business centre in the district
hoping to get some handouts, pleaded with him to reverse his decision.

      "I don't want any food from the people who are sponsoring Tsvangirai
to oust our legitimate leader, Mugabe," said a visibly angry Makumbe
addressing the donors.

      He added: "Proceed to other districts; here in my area l do not need
anything from you, I will assist my people with the Zunde Ramambo."

      Despite protests from hungry villagers who pointed out that the donors
had nothing to do with Tsvangirai, the chief remained firm, prompting the
donors to leave the township with their food.

      Buhera is the home area for the opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.

      Rangarirai Mhuriyadziwa, the MDC Nhedziwa Branch chairman, said the
chief, who was a staunch Zanu PF supporter, sometimes forced the donors to
chant the ruling party

      "Makumbe said he will give people maize from Zunde Ramambo, but we
know there is no maize in the granaries. Iye ari kugutiswa navaMugabe isu
tichidya nhoko dzezvironda. We can't starve just because Makumbe is a
Zanu-PF member," said Mhuriyadziwa.

      Meanwhile Zanu PF on Friday rewarded chiefs across the country for the
work they are doing for the party by doubling their monthly allowances and
those of headmen. Chiefs will next year receive monthly allowances of $50
000, up from

      $18 000 while headman will be getting $20 000.

      Chiefs' aides have also benefited and will get $8 000 up from their
current $2 000 monthly allowances. Government said the increases were made
as a fulfilment of promises made by Mugabe to the traditional leaders during
the run up to the March presidential elections.

      To date government has electrified homes of 142 chiefs and a provision
has been made in the 2003 budget to have

      $4,5 million set aside for use by traditional leaders in each
province.

      Apart from this, the chiefs, whose demands are increasingly getting
out hand like those of war veterans, want a vehicle loan scheme similar to
that of parliamentarians which could cost the nation billions of unbudgeted
for dollars.
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Zim Standard

      Hail to the chief
      overthetop By Brian Latham

      A NEW law in a troubled central African country makes it illegal to
give the finger to the presidential motorcade.

      The law also says motorists are prohibited from overtaking the
motorcade or talking disrespectfully about the occupants of the various
vehicles in the motorcade.

      While many of the new regulations are likely to be flouted, one is
certainly safe for the moment. Overtaking the presidential motorcade in the
troubled central African nation is impossible because there is no petrol in
the troubled central African nation. And overtaking even a lumbering German
limousine on foot is clearly impossible for people denied the necessary
carbohydrates essential to peak physical fitness.

      It is thought by some that the presidential motorcade uses so much
fuel, there is none left for the rest of the population. This may be an
exaggeration; although it is true that there is no fuel to be had, the
presidential motorcade seems not to be afflicted by the current fuel
shortage.

      As for the other laws, motorists have pointed out to Over The Top that
overtaking the presidential motorcade was always punishable by instant
death, so the so-called new law is hardly new at all.

      Still, motorists complain that giving the finger to the presidential
motorcade is a time-honoured tradition. They also wondered just how the
state planned to prove they were saying disparaging things about the
occupants of the motorcade.

      "Given that the motorcade makes so much noise and that it usually
accounts for 90% of the traffic on the road, how do they propose to monitor
our private conversations?" Asked one citizen of the troubled central
African country.

      Another argued that proof of criminal behaviour in the troubled
central African nation was a flexible business and that it was difficult to
argue with scores of heavily armemen, several motorcycles, luxury German
limousines, pick-up trucks and an ambulance.

      And in compliance with the law, OTT must surmise that of course all
these resources are absolutely essential in order to move the most equal of
all comrades five kilometres from his palatial home to his downtown office.
And if the law demands that citizens smile benignly as he swans past in
Germanic leather-bound luxury, then they shall.

      Of course, most will be smiling at the thought of all those
motorcyclists losing their balance and falling beneath the wheels of the
rest of the motorcade, but there is no law against that. Yet.

      Other citizens of the troubled central African national called OTT to
tell tales of another senile old central African despot who demanded that
women drop to their knees and ululate whenever he drove down the road. Men,
of course, weren't required to fawn to the same degree.

      They just had to clap their hands.

      "It'll happen here, too," said one irate citizen, pointing to a
distressing article in the Zany Party's Horrid newspaper that compared the
most equal of all comrades to a certain famous son of God who caused so much
trouble to the authorities in the Middle East 2000 years ago.

      Still, it was pointed out that the same article also compared North
Korea's Dear Leader, the maddest man in Asia, to the same troublesome son of
God, which rather watered down the authenticity and accuracy of the article.
(It needs to be pointed out to the deluded author of that article that the
troublesome son of God is reputed to have fed 5000 hungry people with a few
fish and a couple of loaves of bread, while both the Dear Leader and the
most equal of all comrades are doing their best to ensure that neither fish
nor bread are on the menu.)

      It has nothing to do with offering salaams to the presidential
motorcade, which is now more of a traffic hazard than ET drivers because
most ET drivers are sitting at home twiddling their thumbs and waiting for
the More Diesel Coming party to get off its backside and do something about
the fuel crisis.
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Daily News

      Sikhala calls for confrontation

      11/25/02 8:16:33 AM (GMT +2)


      By Precious Shumba

      JOB SIKHALA, the controversial MP for St Mary's, yesterday told a
well-attended constituency development meeting that the time had come for
Zimbabweans to confront the government over its continued repression of the
people.

      He said Zimbabweans should rise above party politics and show
President Mugabe and his inner circle that they had the power and authority
to define their destiny. About 5 000 St Mary's residents defied an earlier
police attempt to stop the meeting to listen to their MP, who explained how
they would raise their living standards through their Constituency
Development Trust (CDT).

      The MP said Zimbabweans should expect to see a resolute and
confrontational approach from the MDC revolutionaries who want peace and an
end to dictatorship.

      "In Uganda, Yoweri Museveni displaced Milton Obote but he only had
about 50 committed cadres who really loved their country." he said.

      "It is a time for a total confrontation with this evil dictatorship. A
head-on approach is what we will do. The dictatorship should be gone by
April if all the moral mothers, fathers and youths put their country before
their lives."

      Sikhala, 29, a former student activist, said the bullying by police,
the Border Gezi youths, the war veterans and "those irresponsible ministers"
who made statements against the people, must be stopped immediately.

      He said: "I will not be intimidated. Today is a big day in this great
St Mary's constituency. For the past four days, police have been trying to
arrest me on trumped up charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act. They
wanted to stop this development meeting because of the irregular Public
Order and Security Act.

      "The police force comprises very ignorant people who can't interpret
the contents of an Act they are supposed to implement on a daily basis, as
Zimbabweans agitate for immediate change of government," said Sikhala.

      "Today marks the beginning of our real struggle. Progressive
Zimbabweans, let us move on and confront these instruments of suppression
and chart our own destiny," he said. He said $1,7 million had been raised by
the CDT to initiate development programmes in his area.
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JAG MEMBERSHIP - please read

PREAMBLE
JAG is now formally legalised and registered as a trust, with a board of
trustees comprising eight founder members, all bar one farmers. This was
obviously essential for litigation purposes, especially for class or
representative actions, and particularly in view of the reticence of other
representative organisations to litigate on behalf of farmers. For this
reason, and also because of the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Act,
we have had to form a membership body which will be catered for by
formation of a membership association under the JAG trust. The PVO Act
provides exemption from registration with the Ministry of Public Service,
Labour and Social Welfare as long as the organisation provides legal aid
exclusively for its own members (Section 2, part 4 (H) (v)).

So with a membership body, JAG does not fall under the PVO Act requirement
for registration, and can avoid a situation whereby it is made illegal in a
similar manner to the Human Rights organisation, Amani Trust.

JAG legal strategies have already saved farmers considerable costs. Legal
advice from a senior partner in a reputable law firm costs at least twenty
thousand dollars per hour. A twenty five thousand dollar investment in JAG
membership could save you that in one visit, and the door and phone lines
of the JAG office are open all year round. Furthermore, it is not only
through legal advice that one stands to benefit, but also help in a number
of current pressing issues that challenge the farming community, not the
least of which is restitution or compensation through the JAG loss claim
document.
______________________________________________________________

JAG MEMBERSHIP

Justice for Agriculture (JAG) has now formally been legalised and
registered as a trust. It is set up principally to seek justice through
legal means where other "representative" organisations have been reticent
to do so. JAG believes that whatever legal means at our disposal need to be
used;

· To get all property rights and security of tenure respected and to work
toward restitution so that farmers can get back to farming in the future.
· To assist in helping the hundreds of thousands of farm workers that have
been left destitute as a result of the current land reform programme.
· To challenge the constitutionality of Section 8 legislation which has put
so many people in prison and out of their homes and off their farms.
· To challenge the constitutionality of S.I.6 legislation which has cost
farmers billions of dollars and has resulted in farm workers being made
jobless and homeless.
· To compile loss documents taking into account losses resulting from
illegal activities which have dispossessed people of their farms, their
houses, their assets, their savings, and their income so that future legal
challenges and or negotiations can succeed in getting compensation paid to
you.
· To publicise and hold legally accountable the authors and the
perpetrators of the losses and trauma resulting from illegal activities.

The JAG Association needs your membership in order to be able to take
representative actions through the Zimbabwean and eventually International
Courts. Up until this time we could only set precedents with individual
actions. We are now legally able to litigate on a representative or class
action. You need to be a member to ensure your rights are upheld and that
every legal avenue possible will be pursued to achieve restitution or
compensation, wherever you might be in the future.

JAG is working towards a vision for agriculture in the future which upholds
and respects the rule of law and property rights.

The JAG Trust has now been legalised and registered and can accept
membership under the JAG Association. In order to join the JAG Association
for any of the above purposes, please send a cheque of $25000 (Twenty five
thousand dollars) payable to: Justice for Agriculture, to 17 Phillips
Avenue, Belgravia, Harare or pay cash at our offices. Please also fill
in the form below.

JAG is set up by farmers to represent, help and advise farmers. Our
portfolios include not only legal and publicity, but also housing and job
procurement, trauma and stress counselling, support benefits for both
farmers and their workers, and civil society, CFU and ZTA liaison. Help and
advice in these areas are always available. Needless to say, we must be
farmer funded. All membership fees and donations will be fully accounted
for, receipted and gratefully acknowledged.

All farmers' and non-farmers' donations are greatly appreciated. More
donations will be required in the future as new legal challenges need to be
taken locally and internationally.

For any queries contact:

D. Connolly (Chairman) (011) 431068
W. Hart (Director) (011)207860
J. Worsley-Worswick (Vice Chairman) (011)612595
B. Freeth (011)863354
_____________________________________________________________

MEMBERSHIP FORM - 1st September, 2002 to 31st August, 2003
(print out to fill in, and return to the address provided above)

Full Name:
_________________________________________________________________________

Farm Name (as per Title Deed):
__________________________________________________________

District in which farm is
situated:__________________________________________________________

Province in which farm is situated:
_______________________________________________________

Contact Address:
_____________________________________________________________________

Contact Phone
Numbers:_______________________________________________________________

E-mail Address:
________________________________________________________________


I,___________________________________(name) hereby authorise The JAG Trust
to take any representative or class legal actions that the Trust deems fit,
to bring justice where injustices have been perpetrated in the Agricultural
Industry.


Signature:_________________________________



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Please send any job opportunities for publication in this newsletter to:
JAG Job Opportunities <justice@telco.co.zw>


HARARE
Harare based company looking for someone to manage their security section.
Suit farmer with Police / security company experience. Phone Mel (011) 604
009 mkenchington@dulux.co.zw


WANTED: FARM TRIAL BALANCE BOOKKEEPER, computer literate, based Harare.
Pleasant environment at Fife Ave/10th Street - hassle free on site car
parking. Full time preferably, but part-time/flexi-time will be
considered.
Negotiable salary based on experience.
Contact Norma Gordon Tel. 04-704949 email norma@zimcor.co.zw

Australia (Rent) Furnished Flat to Rent December/January- Toowoomba, Qld,
Australia Fully furnished flat available, 3 bedrooms with main en suite.
Close to City Centre in quiet suburb. Rent Aus$155 per week. Would be
ideal for new immigrants. Interested ? E-mail; mhmead@bigpond.com

Opportunities in The Comores :
Hope that this is the right route to get info to you on possible job
opportunities!
1. The French Government is anxious to help farmers with EU (ie UK, Dutch
etc) nationality to settle in Mayotte, Comoros Islands (off the coast of
Mozambique). Mayotte is a Departement of France and so stable and law
abiding. Offered are tax rebates, cheap loans etc. More information from
the French Embassy in Harare, I understand.

SOUTH AFRICA:
Our IT teacher, Sasha Piek, knows someone desperately needing a farm
manager in the Barberton area. With all your contacts, I thought it
possible that you might know of someone from Zimbabwe needing some refuge.
If you are able to help, perhaps you could communicate directly with
Sasha. Her email address is spiek@uplands.mpu.co.za

Position offered as Manager on Sheep Farm, South Africa We are looking for
a farmer to manage a sheep farm in the North Western Cape. The area is
quiet and peaceful. Please phone Mrs. Van Dyk on 0027-16-9822169

South Africa Two people in South Africa have manager positions on their
farms vacant and are willing to keep these positions open for two Zimbabwe
farmers who lost their farms. If interested please contact: Mr de Villiers
(012) 361 7703 (after hours) (012) 315 7556 (at work)

SOUTH AFRICA
Dear Sirs/Friends,
I have a high regard for the work ethic and commitment that
Zimbabweans/Rhodesians in South Africa have. I am looking for someone to
handle my premium brand of German manufactured Homeopathic remedies
(approx. 100 different items covering virtually any ailment. The Dr
Reckeweg & Co brand has been available in South Africa for 15 years and is
sold in over 40 countries around the world. Is there someone out there who
would like to represent us in Natal. Calls would include Pharmacies,
Health Shops, Doctors and Homeopaths. Earnings would be as a percentage of
sales (10%).

Regards John
J.B. Smithers Dr.Reckeweg & Co. S.A. Tel: +27 11 447-3222 Fax: +27 11
447-7846

SOUTH AFRICA
I am not sure if you assist in finding evicted farmers new employment but
I have a friend in Natal who sells semen mainly to dairy farmers. He
imports semen from Australia and the progeny is now having a major impact
on the dairy industry resulting in his business really taking off so he is
looking for someone to assist. I quote his request to me : "The person we
are looking for would have to be qualified, Gwebi or varsity, with a
background in dairying and be able to visit dairy farmers and advise them
on breeding and be familiar with, or be prepared to learn, the bulls that
are currently being used in the dairy world and how they breed. We have
had the agency for the biggest AI organisation in Australia, Genetics
Australia for the last three years, so the first Australian progeny
started calving down at the beginning of the year. We must expand now as
they are doing well and the demand is there, we just need more good men in
the field." His name is Tim Arnot and can be contacted either by email-
semark@mweb.co.za Semark P O Box 30 Cramond, 3220 South Africa Tel/Fax 033
569 1738 Mobile 083 630 4124

South Africa
Our company is a sawmilling, forestry and farming operation in
Stutterheim, Eastern Cape, RSA.  We recently acquired some extensive land
for cattle farming and with this, "inherited" some 40ha of irrigable land
on the Kei River, with unlimited water and high heat units.  This area can
be expanded. There are vacant houses adjacent to the irrigable areas which
are not utilized for cattle farming operations. We're looking to employ
someone with crop farming/irrigation experience to develop this land and
would consider some form of share scheme. No crops are established, there
is currently no business going on with the irrigable areas and we need an
experienced person to advise what best would be suited for the area and
its potential markets. Capital is not a constraint. Should anyone be
interested, contact John Rance at jcrance@rancetimber.co.za tel: 27 43
6837330 fax: 27 43 6837208.  For a Zim reference on our company, contact
Basil Kinsey, or Bob White, or Graham Hingeston, or Tim/Trish Broderick in
Harare, or Peter Hingeston in Triangle.

South Africa
Looking for a recently displaced, RELIABLE, ZIM Farming Family
rod_benn@hotmail.com

As a modestly successful South African businessman, my wife and I are
continually appalled at what is still happening daily to white Zimbabwean
farmers. Yesterday there was a radio news clip interviewing a farmer who
was physically and literally crying at the sight of his cattle being led
away as he was forced to get off his land. I am currently not in farming
at all, but I do have significant technical, marketing and International
contacts in various industries.

I am looking at an investment opportunity on farmland in the Northern
Province (old Northern Transvaal) bushveld, but I am not limited to this
-it could be anywhere in South Africa. There are some farms in South
Africa which can be purchased still at reasonable prices. My idea is that
I will buy the farm and allow a deserving displaced ZIM farmer to work it
on a 50/50 basis. IE. He gets 50 % of the income generated. We would run
the farm on a partnership basis (I would be a non-active investor, but
would like to stay interested and be consulted on the various businessses
we would do from the farm).

All I would ask is that we would like to be able to visit the farm
whenever we liked (assuming there was, say, a seperate cottage available
for us.) Can you perhaps put me in touch with a deserving farming family
who have a good track record and who might like to enter into this type of
relationship?

NO Chancers please !  We will screen the applicants very well and
establish their bona-fides before signing anything finally. We really want
to do this to firstly , help a really destitute farming family who ,
without their land, are rendered virtually penniless. Secondly, if such a
family exists that you could recommend to us, then I think with their
knowledge of farming, their need and drive to re-establish themselves,
plus my business skills , and financial guarantees that I could muster, we
could probably start a very lucrative partnership that hopefully would
allow this family to re-establish themselves - albeit not in their beloved
Zim, but as close to home as possible. I am actually taking a shot in the
dark by writing to you, because I am not sure if this would be attractive
to anyone, or maybe it has been tried and did not work for some reason.
Perhaps you could give us some advice ? - we would be grateful for that.
Any other ideas which I am sure you come up against daily, would be well
received as well. Regards, Rodney and Mariette Benn Pretoria South Africa.

South Africa
Farming Opportunity in SA My family has a farm in Lowveld (Nelspruit),
which was once regarded as the best tobacco ground in the lowveld. We
would love to offer the land to evicted land owners from Zimbabwe, to use
and restore their lives again. Please could you let me know if you know of
people that would be interested!!?? My uncle up in the northern province
can be contacted regarding this matter. Dennis Traynor +27 15 295 9247.

Regards Jack Smith
083 235 5615
South Africa

We have a farm in the Eastern Tvl between Machadodorp and Nelspruit.Fairly
remote on 5000 hectars it is used for running a few cattle plus horses
where we take clients on rides and as an outward bound area for school
children. There are two houses with all elect water etc should you have
someone who might like to move there they are available.There are numerous
other facolities plus 25 odd km of the Crocodile river. The offer is to
some self motivating people on a partnership basis.If they need set up
costs these can all be negotiated. Should you have any takers cud you e
mail me at tn@earthport.co.za many thanks. Tony North.

South Africa
I know of someone in RSA who is looking for a Zimbabwean couple to
caretake a plot in Potgietersrus.  If you know of anyone who may be
interested you can contact Nicola on msahome@iafrica.com Regards Debbie Du
Plessis ZAMBIA Zambia Opportunity FARM MANAGER required for large mixed
farm close to Lusaka.  A mechanical background would be advantageous.
Mature man with no school going dependants preferred. Relevant
qualifications and experience are essential. The position offers
expatriate employment conditions and usual farm benefits. Please apply to
khazna@africaonline.co.zw

Mozambique:
Position available in Mozambique. Applicant should be experienced in
Horticulture or be prepared to learn. This is a management position and
has good prospects for the future. Property is already operating. House
is being built and the usual perks etc. go with the the
position as well as a forex package.  Phone: Harare 490583

Beitbridge
Zimbabwe: We have a position that would suit a couple - he in a management
position at Beitbridge and she running a small stationary business. Flat
provided. Schooling in Messina if Zim. private schools not on. They can
contact me at Bulawayo 240093. Eddie Cross

Harare
WANTED: Full time Personal Secretary/Assistant for busy Harare based
accounting and secretarial practice.

Must be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook and have general
all round computing skills. Shorthand not essential. Position involves
general typing, client liaison, diary and appointment keeping, stationery
control, letter dictation, some staff supervision. Previous experience
with the Registrar of Companies Office would be an advantage.

Salary and conditions of service negotiable and dependant upon
qualification and experience. Contact Miss Amanda Jones, 793107/8; 706959,
736281 or email lemacc@africaonline.co.zw or fax 736324.

Mutare AN URGENT POSITION EXISTS WITHIN COLBRO TRANSPORT IN OUR
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE CENTRE A workshop manager, to be based in Mutare -
starting immediately. To run small workshop, stores, fuel stocks, tyres
and labour. Incumbent to have management skills and be able to lead and
supervise a competent team of artisans and ancillary workers.  Our work is
with International Trucks, therefore a mechanical knowledge is essential.

Also workshop admin, job cards, invoicing and payroll knowledge is
necessary. The Workshop Manager is to adher to and practice the Colbro
principals of accounting (based on ISO), human resources management,
workshop practices, stores control and customer relations.  A further
requirement is to ensure the production of good quality work within a
reasonable time frame. Training and assistance will be given to the
correct person to ensure full awareness of our quality and systems. Salary
is negotiable, dependant on experience and knowledge. Any interested
persons are to please contact Bob Collett on Cell phone no: 091 200 519 or
e-mail us on rcollett@mweb.co.zw with CVs, questions and a contact
telephone number.

Harare
Wanted Immediately: Farm Manager to manage 2 ha roses 10km west of Harare
and a 10 ha paprika/20 ha tobacco (agronomy and industrial) project with
EPZ status on Shamva road 30 kms east of Harare. Ideal for a farmer
already residing in Harare with experience in the above fields. Excellent
salary prospects forex linked - successful experience essential. Please
send or drop off C.V.'s at 11 Clarence Drive, Newlands. Phone 091237411
Interviews will be arranged to suit candidates. Best wishes Peter Dobson

Transport Investment Opportunity
TO ANY INTERESTED FARMERS Opportunity for Business Investment in Transport
Industry with Colbro Transport: There exists an opportunity of investing
in transport by purchasing sections of 10 to 20 complete rigs along with a
franchise to run for Procon RSA, on all routes run by Colbro.

Advantages being you walk into 100% organised fleet, drivers, maintenance,
fuel, tyres, contracts etc. Any interest: Please contact Bob Collett on
091 200 519

Operations Manager - possibly Beira TO ANY INTERESTED FARMERS URGENT - A
vacancy exists in Colbro Operations for a Business Manager. Preferably
degreed with business experience. Possible first posting to Beira to run a
fleet of vehicles, after transport training.

Transport Controller
2nd vacancy exists for less qualified energetic transport controller to
handle daily operations and drivers, certain "out of town" travelling
needed.

Kariba 3rd vacancy exists for couple in Kariba - lady to run books with
other management responsibilities at Kariba Marina.  Gent to manage and
maintain boats, big and small as well as other management duties.

Harare 4th possibility for couple to run a procurement business in Harare
for Kariba and surrounding areas - preferably a farmer who has a 7 ton
truck to enter into a partnership. Any interested party to contact: Bob
Collett - 091 200 519 Bernice Wilde - 091 314 353 or 757295

Nyamandhlovu
OSTRICH MANAGER: young, keen person wanted to take over all aspects of
ostrich management, starting soonest, on Cawston Game Ranch, Nyamandhlovu,
to work under general ranch manager.  We are major ostrich producers
currently slaughtering 1500 birds per year, and are also developing an
outreach programme.  Common sense, a work ethic and computer literacy more
important than ostrich experience.  An interest in the workings of the
game ranch, and participation in it, would be an added advantage.  Usual
farm perks plus good salary and bonuses offeredm to the right person.
Please write with CV to Cawston Ranch, P.O. Box 9057, Hillside, Bulawayo,
or email rosslyn@gatorzw.com or rosslyn@netconnect.co.zw.


Norton
GENERAL MANAGER - FARMING we are looking for a Farm Manager for a
cereal/row crop farm near Norton.  Must have an agricultural
diploma/degree and at least 7 years' cropping experience.  Knowledge of
cattle will be advantageous, as will tobacco experience.  Write sending CV
and contact details, together with details of present and required salary
to The Company Secretary, P O Box WGT 10, WESTGATE, Harare or e-mail to
anne@kencor.co.zw.


Gwebi
FARM ACCOUNTANT - to be based Gwebi area.  At least 10 years experience
and able to prepare and present Monthly Management Accounts.  Do books for
2 farms, stock schedules, debtors/creditors, wages etc.  Write sending CV
and contact details, together with details of present and required salary
to The Company Secretary, P O Box WGT 10, WESTGATE, Harare or e-mail to
anne@kencor.co.zw.

Harare
Business in Harare looking for secretary/bookeeper in agricultural based
operation. Experience in Computers and Pastel bookeeping necessary. Job
in a busy environment with an attractive salary being offered. Looking
for suitable encumbant to start asap. Please contact on the below
address. Farmers wife would be good! Contact - sales@maguires.biz

Harare
I write on behalf of a company called Instamac (Pvt) Ltd. We are a medium
sized construction/development company specialising in residential and
other developmental infrastructure. Amazingly enough in these troubled
times, we currently have a large volume of works on our books.
Subsequently, we are urgently looking for suitable persons to recruit as
staff in the following fields :
(a) Construction Site Management ;
(b) Workshop Management.

(a) above would involve managing at least one construction site in or near
to Harare (i.e.Ruwa and Norton). The type of construction we are currently
mainly involved in, is that of providing roads, water and sewerage to
residential stands. Construction of housing may come in at a later
stage.The incumbent manager would be responsible for at least one site,
and all the construction works on it (i.e.plant, labour, materials, etc.).
The works on site are not highly technical, but does require a person with
a practical mind, motivation and initiative.
(b) above would involve the daily management of our central workshops in
Harare, plus the liaison of our various site workshops and personnel. This
vacancy again requires a hands on type of person, with some mechanical
experience, but not necessarily a formal qualification in mechanics.

We are prepared to offer the right type of person a good package. It would
be good if the person(s) had their own transport. We would obviously pay
for this.

We have contacted yourselves since we admire your positive and motivated
stance in these difficult times, and because you may have a database of
ex-farm owners/managers who have experienced problems recently, and may be
looking for something to do. We feel these types of people would be ideal
for the vacancies we have described above.

Thank-you for your time, and we would greatly appreciate it if you
wouldn't mind possibly posting a copy of this E-mail onto your
noticeboards, and/or with the relevant persons in your organisation.

Thank-you once again for your kind cooperation on this issue.

Yours faithfully Paul Brown Contracts Director for Instamac Norton GENERAL
MANAGER - FARMING we are looking for a Farm Manager for a cereal/row crop
farm near Norton.  Must have an agricultural diploma/degree and at least 7
years' cropping experience. Plus a suicidal tendency to not want to be
around very long. Contact John Smith at cryforfreedom@powernet.com

Beitbridge
We are urgently seeking a mature couple for an established horticultural
farm in the Beit Bridge area. Work involves Citrus production,protection
and export and field crop production. Office work with basic computer
programmes. All normal farm perks with house and farm vehicle. No section
5 or 8 yet and no deals made.

Applicants CVs to: Benfer Estate P.O. Box 46 Beit Bridge or fax 086-2611
or e-mail: benfer@mweb.co.zw


Saudi Arabia:
DAIRY INDUSTRY SECTION HEAD: ANIMAL HEALTH SAUDI ARABIA

A leading Saudi Arabian Dairy Farm is seeking a suitably qualified and
experienced candidate to occupy the post of Section Head Animal Health.The
successful candidate will head a multi-national team of 18 persons
comprised of Veterinarians, Specialists and Laboratory staff. He will
report to the Herds Manager. The successful candidate will be required to
manage and control an ISO 9002 certified Animal Health Section, to
maintain the highest standards of overall health care on the Farm. 
Duties will include conducting disease control measures, control of Animal
Health Warehouse and Budget.

An attractive remuneration package includes, furnished accommodation on
the farm, medical care, use of company car, annual vacation entitlement
including airfare. This position is unlikely to suit candidates seeking
education for children in the Kingdom, due to the location of the farm,
approx. 100km from the capital, Riyadh.

Interested individuals should send full CV to:-

ROBERT H FIDLER YORK PERSONNEL SERVICES P O BOX 391, UMHLANGA ROCKS, 4320,
SOUTH AFRICA Tel: 0027-31-562 8712 / Fax: 0027-31-562 8753 e-mail:
recruit@yorkpersonnel.com

SAUDI ARABIA
DAIRY INDUSTRY SECTION HEAD: PARLOUR MAINTENANCE SAUDI ARABIA

A leading Saudi Arabian Dairy Farm seeks an experienced Milking Equipment
Engineer, to head an 18-strong multinational maintenance team for an ISO
9002 compliant section.  He would report to the Herds Manager.

Duties The successful candidate would be responsible for the maintenance
and technical management of:- 540+ (De Laval) state-of-the-art milking
points in 7 parlours, including vacuum, pneumatic, electrical & hydraulic
peripheral equipment, in order to maintain this equipment integrity, to
guarantee milk production. A computerised cattle housing cooling system,
together with corral fencing, and above-ground, cattle water supply.

Sectional responsibility includes budgetary, administrative and spare
parts control.

Candidate: The successful candidate should hold a recognised technical
qualification in Electro/Mechanical Engineering and have at least 8 years
experience in milking equipment. He should have a good command of English,
both spoken and written, and be computer literate.

An attractive remuneration package including furnished accommodation on
the farm, use of company car, medical care, and generous annual vacation
leave entitlement including, airfare is provided.

Interested individuals should send full CV to:-

ROBERT H FIDLER YORK PERSONNEL SERVICES P O BOX 391, UMHLANGA ROCKS, 4320,
SOUTH AFRICA Tel: 0027-31-562 8712 / Fax: 0027-31-562 8753 e-mail:
recruit@yorkpersonnel.com

Australia:
Radiographer Mark Palmer from the Royal Darwin Hospital writes:

I have job vacancies for radiographers at Royal Darwin Hospital. We are
willing to sponsor suitably qualified people. I can be contacted via email
Mark.Palmer@nt.gov.au. Here is a brief description of the place: RDH
Radiology Department

RDH is a 350 bed general hospital, admitting a wide range of patients
including general medicine, surgical, paediatrics, obstetrics,
orthopaedics, renal, A&E etc. This is one of the large general hospitals
still operational.

RDH radiology performs approximately 50,000 examinations per annum. This
includes:-
1. CT - 3,000 examinations
2. Nuclear Medicine - 600 examinations
3. Ultrasound - 4,500 examinations
4. MRI - 400 examinations

The department outsources radiology, service is supplied by NT Medical
Imaging. CT, MRI and Nuclear Medicine are currently fully serviced by NT
Medical Imaging.

The General Radiography and Ultrasound are performed by RDH radiographers.
There are 19.5 FTE RDH radiographers. All staff participate on the shift
roster except the chief radiographer. Hours of operation are 8am until
2am, 7 days per week, 365 days per year. Shift radiographers commence
their shifts at either 1600hrs or 1730hrs. Normal hours per week are 35
hours, ie commence at 8am until 4pm. RDH operates an on-call system for
radiography after 2am, although the radiographer often does not leave work
until 0230-0300hrs. Within a few months the Radiology Department will be
moving into new premises. Some work at remote health units may be required
from time to time. RDH provides an ultrasound service to Gove,TennantCreek
and Kununurra as required. Chest Xrays for the chest clinic may require a
radiographer to travel to various Aboriginal Communities. These are
opportunities to see some of the remote health sites in the NT. Staff may
be absent for periods up to 5 days. There are circumstances when staff may
be asked to relieve other radiogr Salary range for a P1/P2 from $36,178 to
$60868 depending on years qualified. Additional to this there are shift
penalty payments and on-call payments, which generally may increase income
by 10-15% annually.

There are 10 clerical staff including 2 report typists, 2 front desk
receptionists and 6 other clerical staff who sort and file Xray films.
There are 3 main general rooms, one DSA room, 3 ultrasound rooms with 2
Acusons Xp10/128's and a Toshiba Corevision Pro. There is a general Xray
room in the emergency department. Two radiographers per day are rostered
to theatre and mobiles.

RDH has many other advantages. It is located 5-10 minutes from Casuarina
beach and the Casuarina shopping centre. Within the hospital complex is
parking for all staff and visitors, there is a large swimming pool,squash
courts, tennis courts, gymnasium and on-site accommodation. We are 90
minutes from Litchfield National Park and 3 hours from Kakadu National
Park and very close to Bali too.

I hope that you will consider the RDH for your future employment as I am
sure that the job will be interesting, culturally enlightening, fulfilling
and challenging. For any more information contact: Mark Palmer Chief
Radiographer Royal Darwin Hospital Te: 81 8 8922 8732 Darwin, NT.

Australia
Lynnford Stephenson, grandson of Don Stephenson - ex-Salisbury Tobacco
Floors - is now an IT consultant in Brisbane, Australia. He is always on
the look-out for software specialists and believes that there may be such
people within farming families in Zimbabwe who could resettle in Oz
(Lynnford arranges Residence Permits) and then in due course send for
their families. More gen from Lynnford at: Scott-Merrick Associates, Level
6 Northpoint Building, 231 North Quay, BRISBANE, Qld 4000, Australia.
e-mail Lynnford@scott-merrick.com.au

Australia
Australian Farming Opportunity CITRUS FARM, NOOSA, SUNSHINE COAST,
AUSTRALIA

Please forward this to any Zimbabwean farmer who you think might be
interested in living on a citrus farm in Noosa, Sunshine Coast,
Australia,rent free.  The farmer who owns the farm would like a farming
couple to look after his citrus trees and there might be other farming
opportunities.Please contact: richard.annabel.hulme@i-biz21.com if the
offer is of interest to you.  Thank you.

Australia
Herd Manager - Central Queensland Australia Married couple required for a
Central Qld cattle fattening property. Prefer training in Allan Savory's
Holistic Management. Responsible for stock management, welfare and
waters. Skilled in welding, record keeping and computers. Details as
follows:

Herd Manager at 'Huntly'

Job Description Hickson Grazing Company are looking for a married couple
to manage Huntly a cattle fattening property in Central Queensland,
Australia. They will be working closely with me, Bloss Hickson, the owner
who lives up the road with her husband Rodney. The company structure:
Huntly is a cattle fattening property in the Central Highlands. It is a
part of a family company, Hickson Grazing Co, which includes another
property, Melinda Downs a breeding property north of Cloncurry in North
Queensland about 12 hours away.

Huntly is 5400Ha and carries between 1500 - 2500 head of cattle, depending
on the season. Melinda carries a breeding herd of over 1000
Charbray/Droughtmaster cross cows. Calves are weaned down to Huntly 2-3
times a year where they are kept on improved buffel grass pastures for two
years and sold straight to the meatworks.

The company structure includes the three family directors, Peter, Robert
and Bloss Hickson and the manager of Melinda Downs, Bill Shepherd. Peter
runs his own accounting company in Brisbane, Robert is returning from 3
years in Africa to his new property east of Goondiwindi, while Bloss has
been managing Huntly for the past 15 years. The company works very closely
as a team and weekly telephone hook up discusses and deals with all the
current issues.

The philosophy: The company has adopted Allan Savory's Holistic Management
approach on both properties. At Huntly, this involves rotating two herds
around the property and monitoring closely the vegetation and pasture.
Paddock sizes range between 150-200Ha and the fences are slowly being
upgraded from electric to barb wire. Huntly lies in the scenic Arcadia
Valley in the fertile brigalow belt of Queensland. It is an area that has
been dramatically cleared over the past 30 years. There are many valuable
tree species reestablishing themselves on Huntly and reforestation and
biodiversity are an integral part of the property's holistic goals. We are
looking to reach a sustainable level of production that involves the
native species, improved pastures and the cattle with a future view of
organic production. It is a fascinating position for the right person. The
Job: The job involves managing the two rotating herds, reading the
pastures and native vegetation and knowing when to move them. Stock
knowledge, husbandry and stock work are essential and horse riding is
strongly recommended. Recording herd movement, pasture quality and paddock
conditions are important. The herd manager will also be responsible for
recognising the finished cattle and sending them away.

The couple will be in charge of all the cattle work and cattle related
responsibilities such as the waters, fences and any feeding that might be
happening. Knowledge of watering systems is essential, windmills,
monopumps, Kubota diesel engines, Honda water pumps and polypipe and
fittings. There are some open dams and we hope to build many more to
assure more reliable water supplies. Controlling the brigalow regrowth is
the major issue for the next 3 years. While there is a great need to do
something about it, we have been very selective, leaving regular strips
and nature corridors. Blade ploughing contractors are the most effective
and expensive method we have used and we will continue to plough certain
places every year. A small D4 dozer is being prepared with a stickrake to
clean up smaller areas and thin out thicker areas. Some working and
mechanical knowledge of dozers would be an advantage.

All fence posts, gates and the cattle yards are made of steel, so welding
is an important skill. Computer skills are also useful to record cattle
numbers and paddock reports and send them out on email. Accommodation and
Community The house is made of timber, stone and mud, it is very cool and
earthy but it is suitable only for a 'frog-friendly' family. There is a
large living area under one roof (with two bunk beds) and a large bedroom
and ensuite close by, under another roof. This is a temporary situation as
a new cottage is to be built to better accommodate the couple needs.
Children's accommodation is less private and more difficult at this stage.

Huntly is 80km from the small town of Rolleston at the head waters of the
Fitzroy Catchment, about 3 hours drive west of Rockhampton and 8 hours NW
of Brisbane. The Arcadia Valley school and its rural community are 40km to
the south and the popular Carnarvon Gorge lies 60km to the west in the
mountains. It is an isolated and very peaceful existence and would only
suit someone with a love of bush life.

If you are interested in the position, please send your application,
resume and references to: Bloss Hickson, 'Huntly' Rolleston 4702 or email
them to bloss@rocknet.net.au


Nigeria: Two opportunities have arisen in Nigeria: Northern Nigeria: Farm
Manager required for 3500 ha farm, mostly cereal/row crops, but some other
crops also. Owner is offering an expat package, with usual perks.
Interviews will take place in Johannesburg between 10 & 15th December
2002, expenses paid. Please submit CV with full particulars to
masibs@zol.co.zw, or fax to 04 744166. Schools are available, and Nigeria
is only 5 hrs' flight time away! Phone Mary Cosgrove for more details on
011-613735


Eastern Nigeria : Timber/forestry Specialist required to manage a 114 ha
forestry concession, with sawmill and furniture factory. Successful
applicant must be capable of managing the concession and running the
furniture factory & sawmill. Expat package with usual perks
offered.Interviews will take place in Johannesburg between 10 & 15th
December,exps paid. Please submit CV with full particulars to
masibs@zol.co.zw, or fax to 04 744166, or contact Mary Cosgrove on 011
613735. Greece Greece: A job is available for a single or married man, in
Thesalonica, Greece, overseeing Burley production. Knowledge of Virginia
production adequate for applicant. The incumbent would report to HQ in
Switzerland.Please send full CV to Mr.M.Cutter, Avenue Felix Cornu 29,
1802 Corseaux, Vaud,Suisse. (Switzerland).


The Ukraine:

I should explain that my company Britanica is mainly British owned and is
engaged in the import and manufacturing of consumer products for onward
sale in Ukraine and other countries of the former Soviet Union.  The
business has been established for more than eight years and is profitable.

I was in touch with Derrick Arlett-Johnson of the Zimbawe Farmers Trust
earlier this year about an opportunity which had arisen for my company to
acquire a substantial parcel of high quality land in Ukraine at a very
good price. ( 17,000 acres ). The opportunity had arisen following a
Presidential decree permitting private ownership of land. My partners and
I have no knowledge of agriculture but are well experienced in the ways of
doing business in the former Soviet Union.  We were working with other
British parties interested joining with us in investment. We considered it
to be wortwhile investigating the possibility of bringing on board a
dispossessed farmer from Zimbabwe who had knowledge of working a large
holding.

The earlier deal was abandoned when the Presidential decree permitting
private ownership of land was overturned by the Ukraine Parliament.
Presently there is a moratorium. Land acquired under the Presidential
decree remains in private ownership but no new sales are permitted and
land which had been acquired by private buyers cannot be sold on until
there is a new legislation. However the lease of land for a period of less
than 50 years is not proscribed.

Now a new opportunity has arisen. There are two agricultural holdings
which have fallen into disuse which could be available to rent. One is
some 4000 acres the other much larger. The lease would be for 49 years.
The suggested rent is $8 per acre per year. I suspect a lower figure can
be negotiated. The quality of land is high - more than 1 metre deep of
black alluvial soil.  The smaller unit has no equipment. The larger unit
comes complete with Soviet style equipment. We would be dealing with the
lead creditor which is the local authority. We are looking for someone
experienced in farming on a large scale with whom we can explore the
possibility of creating a profitable unit with a view to an eventual sale
at a premium, hopefully after acquiring the freehold. My partners and I
have no farming know how.  We have funds available but expect the project
would require us to look for an additional capital injection. We are not
expecting the farmer who joins us to make a financial investment.

Life in Ukraine is tough but I am sure nothing like Zimbabwe under Mugabe.
There is a small Western / British Community. People here are generally
very friendly, especially to anyone willing to commit themselves to
getting something worthwhile off the ground.  Language will not be a
problem.

The workforce is generally well educated, technically competent but
usually lacking any understanding of business. If we can be pointed to
someone suitable, it is highly likely there can be a positive outcome.
Kind regards, Robert Tyldesley.  robert@britanica.com.lg.ua

U.K From: James Maberly Dear All, I have had a request from a friend to
offer a post to a Zimbabwean couple who may be in the process of leaving
or who have already left Zimbabwe for England.

The offer is for a post livng on a farm near Newbury in Berkshire. The
family have two small children, 3 and 6 years of age respectively and they
need a lady to come and assist with all things domestic in the house, as
well as looking after the children. They also need a man to take over the
role as gardener and general help.  They have a two bedroomed cottage
available and they will also provide a car. They propose that the role
would be best suited to a couple whose family have already left home. Pay
and conditions will be well within given guidelines. The post is available
almost immediately.

Anyone interested, please contact me, James Maberly, at this email address
jamab@tiscali.co.uk Thankyou. James

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Starving Samson Munkuli

Samson Munkuli, 48, a member of the Tonga people in Binga district, who says he has been surviving on a diet of salt and millet for months.   Just so you do not forget that statistics have faces.
 
This is the price of voting for MDC in Zimbabwe.
 
We will not forget.

Eddie Cross 25 November 2002
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Mogae tilts at Mugabe in UK-based magazine

Business Day 1st Edition: Nov 25 2002 07:26:30:000AM Jonathan Katzenellenbogen

International Affairs Editor

BOTSWANA's President Festus Mogae, the only president in the region to criticise Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, has done so forthrightly in the latest issue of the London-based African Business magazine.

In an interview with the magazine, Mogae said the Zimbabwe crisis would be difficult to solve because it amounted to a drought of good governance.

He also displayed frustration about what he said was an inability to bring pressure to bear on the country.

"We try to engage them. We are not the UK, we are not the US, we are not the European Union. We are just their neighbour. There are 14-million of them, there are less than 2-million of us," he told the magazine.

Mogae said his country was paying a growing price because of the Zimbabwean crisis with mounting numbers of illegal immigrants.

His government had put up, "security fences, enclosures to hold the illegal immigrants. Journalists came, photographed them and said there are concentration camps in Botswana," he said.

He went on to say that "these are just waiting places where, while we make arrangements with the authorities on the other side, we can look after them".

"What can we do? This is a humanitarian crisis. We are trying to handle it humanely as possible. But within the limits of our capacity, of our resources. We have no choice," Mogae said.

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Daily News

      Gwisai ouster hailed

      11/25/02 8:10:12 AM (GMT +2)


      By Luke Tamborinyoka Political Editor

      PROFESSOR Welshman Ncube, the MDC secretary-general, on Saturday said
the Highfield MP, Munyaradzi Gwisai should feel relieved after being
expelled from a party whose policies he vehemently disagrees with and which
he has taken every opportunity to attack.

      Ncube was speaking to journalists soon after the party's national
executive had adopted the recommendations of the disciplinary committee that
Gwisai, who said he was in the MDC under the banner of the Zimbabwe Chapter
of the far-left International Socialist Organisation (ISO), be expelled for
bringing the party into disrepute.

      Gwisai was found guilty of six charges of misconduct, most of which
had to do with giving interviews that were at variance with MDC policies and
position on various economic and political issues.

      "Gwisai should feel happy and relieved that he has been expelled from
a party with which he differs in every respect. He has taken every
opportunity to attack the party and its policies yet he claims to be one of
us, while he disagrees with all of us, including the party policies and
constitution," Ncube said.

      He said Gwisai, could still appeal to the national council if he was
not happy with the decision of the national executive.

      Gwisai walked out of a disciplinary committee hearing, chaired by MDC
vice-president, Gibson Sibanda, saying he did not agree with its
composition. Ncube said the composition of the committee was clearly stated
in the party's constitution and by defying the committee, Gwisai was defying
the constitution of the party. Sibanda said Gwisai had threatened to resign
from the party, but had not done so. "By expelling him, we have done what he
has always wanted to do, but was too cowardly to do," Sibanda said.

      The MDC said it was going to inform the Speaker of Parliament,
Emmerson Mnangagwa, so that the Highfield seat is declared vacant.

      Gwisai could not be reached for comment yesterday, but Ncube said the
party's president, Morgan Tsvangirai, had briefed the MDC leadership in
Highfield and the Harare province executive about the unanimous decision to
have Gwisai expelled.

      Highfield constituents yesterday said Gwisai deserved expulsion. Peter
Mudenda, an MDC member in the constituency, said: "Although I supported
Gwisai on a number of issues, his expulsion was overdue because he blundered
on many occasions by attacking the party, which he is supposed to defend. We
will certainly not miss him."

      Another Highfield resident, Alfred Mukeya, said: "Once he agreed to
stand as an MDC candidate, he was expected to abide by its position. He
cannot be an MP on an MDC ticket when, in fact, his heart is with ISO. He
was supposed to run on an ISO ticket," he said.

      University of Zimbabwe professor and politician, Heneri Dzinotyiwei,
said there was nothing unusual in the expulsion. "It happens in all
organisations that people are expelled for not conforming with party
policies and ideology. Of course, a movement should have differences. Maybe
the MDC was incensed that his position, especially on land, was against the
party's position," he said.

      Shylet Mashava, of New Canaan, Highfield, said Gwisai was a leader who
spoke his mind and that should be respected in a democratic party.

      "But once he starts questioning the party's constitution, attacking
the party at every turn and walking out of a meeting chaired by the party's
vice-president, then his discipline becomes questionable."

      The controversial Gwisai has clashed with the MDC's stance on land by
endorsing the Zanu PF government's chaotic and often violent approach.

      He also attacked the MDC leadership for engaging in the now stalled
talks with Zanu PF, which were brokered by South Africa and Nigeria in an
attempt to narrow polarisation after the bitterly contested and widely
condemned March presidential election won disputably by President Mugabe.

      In April, Highfield residents demanded the resignation of their MP
after he was quoted by The Herald as saying that he would quit the party if
the MDC continued with the talks. Speaking at Saturday's Press conference,
Ncube also said the MDC would contest the by-election in Kuwadzana.

      The MDC secretary-general said the national executive had also
resolved to continue participating in elections and to apply for an import
licence to bring in food and help avert the starvation in the country.

      "We have a mandate from our people and one of those is to participate
in the elections and expose the fraud. We are a government-in-waiting and we
should participate in the elections and in the process expose the
irregularities," he said.

      The MDC's official spokesman, Paul Themba Nyathi, also said they would
participate in elections while at the same time challenging the electoral
fraud in court.

      Ncube said the national executive had discussed the 2003 Budget,
HIV/Aids, the continued use of violence by Zanu PF and the starvation in the
country, which they said Zanu PF had failed to solve.

      "The shadow minister for lands is engaged in discussions with
government officials on the possibility of having an import licence so we
can bring food into the country, but we do not know whether that application
will succeed," he said.

      The government has seized 132 000 tonnes brought in by the MDC. The
maize is still impounded at the Beitbridge border post.
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Daily News

      Dabengwa blasted over water project

      11/25/02 8:13:50 AM (GMT +2)


      From Oscar Nkala in Bulawayo

      Politicians in Matabeleland have accused former Home Affairs Minister,
Dumiso Dabengwa, of being used by Zanu PF as a political tool. They are
demanding that Dabengwa, who is the chairman of the Matabeleland Zambezi
Water Project (MZWP) stop making what they described as false statements on
the date for the implementation of the project.

      Since the beginning of the year, Dabengwa has issued four statements
announcing implementation dates, but they have all passed without the
project taking off.

      Agrippa Madlela, the president of Zapu, said: "Dabengwa is part and
parcel of Zanu PF's policy of abusing Matabeleland.

      "We are playing second fiddle in issues like infrastructural
development because of people like Dabengwa, who claim to be speaking or
doing things on behalf of the region when in reality they are part of the
same system that has since independence given this part of the country a raw
deal.
      "Until the dam and the pipeline reach Bulawayo, we should not fool
ourselves and say something is being done."

      Paul Siwela, a former Zapu secretary-general who stood as an
independent candidate in the presidential election, accused Dabengwa of
using the MZWP to maintain his own political position and also to further
Zanu PF hegemony in the region.

      Said Siwela: "We are tired of being constantly misled by Dabengwa.
There was a time when people respected him, but he has stripped himself of
all that by trying to keep his party, Zanu PF, in power."

      Siwela said the $550 million recently allocated to the project under
the 2003 national Budget was inadequate. He accused Zanu PF of deliberately
neglecting the region's development, as demonstrated by the meagre
allocation of resources for roads and water projects. The project was
described as "a reality" by the State-controlled media last year when a
consortium of Malaysian investors said it would supply $33 billion to fund
the Gwayi-Shangani dam segment of the project in January this year.

      When the Malaysians failed to turn up, Dabengwa announced that they
would start work after the March presidential election. After that election,
the Malaysians failed to turn up again, forcing Dabengwa to issue another
statement, saying the project would begin in the second half of the year.

      The fourth statement announced a shift from the Malaysians to a hunt
for Chinese investors.

      "He keeps on promising new developments, but never bothers to explain
what happened to his earlier promises. We want to see things happening on
the ground. People should not believe the political promises he makes to buy
votes for Zanu PF whenever there are elections."

      The Bulawayo Executive Mayor, Japhet Ndabeni-Ncube, professed
ignorance about why the dam project is now to be funded from the national
Budget.

      "I do not know anything about this shift, and I will be pleased to
hear what the MZWP chairman, Dabengwa, has to say about it." The Bulawayo
City Council is one of the key stakeholders in the project. Obert Mpofu, the
Matabeleland North provincial governor refused to discuss the issue.

      Dabengwa dismissed claims that he was politicking on behalf of Zanu
PF, and said work on the Gwayi-Shangani Dam was due to begin in earnest in
January next year.

      "The money allocated to us in the Budget is meant to kick-start the
project. We asked the government for the funds and they listened. I admit
that other components of the project, which include the pipeline were not
covered, but we are still negotiating with the Malaysians.

      "The dam should be completed in three to four years. That is when we
can start talking about the rest of the components of the project," said
Dabengwa. He refused to comment on why the MZWP sought investors from China
when it had made an agreement with Malaysians

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Zim Standard

      Teachers rehired on contract basis
      By our own Staff

      THE ministry of Education, Sports and Culture, which last month
engaged relief teachers, some of them graduates of the Border Gezi training
centre to invigilate 'O' and 'A' level examinations, has rehired suspended
teachers on a contract basis to ensure that examinations are properly
conducted, it emerged this week.

      Over 600 teachers who heeded the strike call of the Progressive
Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) were issued with suspension letters
prohibiting them from leaving Zimbabwe without the authority of the
ministry.

      Education Permanent Secretary, Dr Thompson Tsodzo, had earlier said
they had been fired.

      Government proceeded to hire relief teachers, some of them militias
from the Border Gezi institute, who were charged with invigilating
examinations already in progress.

      This move created problems since most of the relief teachers were
ignorant of examination procedures and led to the ministry recalling the
suspended teachers.

      PTUZ national co-ordinator, Innocent Sibanda, confirmed to The
Standard that the teachers had indeed been lured back to work and had been
made to sign "dubious agreements" which did not address their grievances.

      "The ministry capitalised on the desperation of teachers and
hoodwinked them into signing agreements so that they would return to work,"
Sibanda said.

      "I am, however, not privy to the contents of the contracts since they
were signed in an individual capacity with the ministry retaining copies. It
is surprising, though, that the teachers who returned to work did not get
their November salaries just like those who snubbed the call," he said.

      "We have a record of 38 teachers at Mufakose High 2 and three at Lord
Malvern, plus others at Dzivarasekwa High 1 and Churchill who returned to
work but did not get their salaries this week," he said.

      In the suspension letters issued from 24 October, the ministry served
notice of its intention to terminate the remuneration and allowances of
affected teachers.

      The letters also barred teachers from leaving the country without the
authority of the ministry.

      "You may not leave Zimbabwe without the authority of the head of
ministry and shall inform the disciplinary authority of any change of
address," the letters said.
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Zim Standard

      Josaya Hungwe's 'pure lie'
      By Parker Graham

      MASVINGO-Agricultural Research and Extension Services (Arex) experts
say Masvingo governor, Josaya Hungwe, lied to the nation recently when he
said the winter maize crop being harvested in Chiredzi will feed Zimbabweans
for the next 10 months.

      Describing Hungwe's claim as a "pure lie", the experts said such a
statement, coming as it did from a senior government official expected to
tell the nation facing a food crisis the truth, was unwarranted and
unfortunate.

      "That's why our country is always experiencing problems; the national
planners are misinformed by politicians such as Hungwe who want to gain
mileage out of anything.

      "Suppose they stop making prudent plans to acquire grain from abroad
in view of the assertion by Hungwe that there is already enough stocks to
feed the nation for 10 months, what will happen to the starving nation? Such
misleading information is poisonous to the nation," said an Arex official.

      He added: "What I know as an expert who is on the ground is that the
winter maize is able to feed only a fraction of the Chiredzi population for
eight months and not the district, province or the entire country as
claimed."

      Masvingo provincial administrator, Alfonse Chikurira, told The
Standard the maize from Chiredzi could not possibly feed the entire nation
for 10 months .

      "The winter maize crop had a total tonnage of 8 000 under a 1 800
hectare piece of land. This maize will be shared throughout the country in
small quantities so that others may taste the winter maize," said Chikurira.

      Zimbabwe requires well over 1000 000 tonnes of maize for 10 months.

      Early this year Joseph Made, the minister of lands and agriculture,
after going around the country monitoring the crop situation from a
helicopter, dismissed expert advice on looming maize shortages saying
Zimbabwe had enough to last until the next agricultural season.

      He is now eating his words.
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Zim Standard

      ZNA gear stranded in DRC
      By Debra Mazango

      ZIMBABWEAN taxpayers continue to pay dearly for the country's
misadventure in the DRC with news that the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) lost
billions of dollars worth of equipment during its four-year campaign in the
vast central African country.

      The Standard is informed that the heavy military equipment-some of
which might never make it back home-is lying idle in the jungles of the
beleaguered country.

      Due to the acute shortage of foreign currency, the government has
failed to secure spare parts for the equipment which broke down while being
used against rebels seeking to topple President Robert Mugabe's ally, the
late DRC president, Laurent Kabila.

      Military analysts say it is extremely difficult to repatriate the
machinery as it is scattered in the thick and intermittent forests of the
populous country.

      This state of affairs, which leaves the ZNA ill-prepared to defend the
country in the event of war, prompted finance minister, Herbert Murerwa, to
allocate $76 billion to the ministry of defence at a time when Zimbabwean
troops have pulled out of the Congo.

      The Standard understands that General Constantine Chiwenga recently
testified at a Parliamentary Defence Portfolio Committee meeting chaired by
Saviour Kasukuwere, that millions of dollars were needed to trace lost and
broken down military equipment in the jungles of the DRC.

      Said member of parliament for Mhondoro, Hilda Mafudze, who is a member
of the committee: "Chiwenga told us that the ZNA would soon embark on a
mission to recover lost or broken down equipment since the DRC government
has refused to take responsibility. He said no agreement to that effect had
been made when Zimbabwe entered the DRC. He pointed out that the exercise
would be costly as it was no mean task."

      To complicate the situation further, when Zimbabwe first sent its
troops to the DRC, without consultation with both Zimbabweans and fellow
Sadc states, Mugabe failed to sign any agreement on the benefits his country
would derive from the war.

      There have been, however, reports of individual Zimbabweans including
politicians and army generals making a fortune from the country's diamonds.

      Several Zimbabwean soldiers lost their lives in a war to prop up the
late dictator, President Laurent Kabila, who was Mugabe's close ally.

      The losses are still to be made public.
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Attorney-General Is the Chief Culprit



Zimbabwe Standard (Harare)

EDITORIAL
November 25, 2002
Posted to the web November 25, 2002


It is the attorney-general's office which must get real. When you go on to
prosecute a case which you clearly know has no hope in hell of succeeding
but nevertheless proceeding headlong under political pressure, what do you
expect?

There lies your bungling Mr Attorney-General

Political theatre is worlds apart from sharp legal analysis. Leave
theatrical posturing to that purveyor of evil gifts - Jonathan Moyo. Your
incompetence Mr AG is that you do not hesitate to plead professionally when
deep in your heart you do not think much of the political cases that you are
forced to prosecute by the government

You must learn to say 'no' Chigovera. You only make a fool of yourself in
the eyes of the Zimbabwean public when you capitulate to the whims of
government. Advise it objectively and honestly. You are supposed to be a
professional and they, as politicians, are self-serving. You are supposed to
be democratic, they are diabolical. It is that simple!

As self-serving politicians whose main motivation is to remain in power at
any cost, it is expected that they will continually beat your office
mercilessly. But you have to show that you can take it, and take it and take
it with cool and courage. You have to show that you are one helluva gutsy
fighter. The minister of information's obsessional and below-the-belt
comments on anything and everything will continue until he falls - and fall
he will. Remember that pride goeth before a fall

The attorney-general's office must remember that it is dealing with people
who have irredeemably lost their moral authority and the confidence of most
of the country. We are dealing with unharnessed egos of small children,
people with a craze for attention and reverence - literally clowns

There is no one left undenounced by these crazy guys in the whole of
Zimbabwe except of course their bosses. When a whole minister stoops so low
as to describe a respected and admired man of the cloth, Archbishop Pius
Ncube, as mad, then you should know that this country has gone to the dogs

Have you no sense of decency Minister Moyo?

It is most unfortunate for our country that a person of such cruelty and
recklessness holds a position of such importance. In a Zimbabwe that has
reached such a nadir of economic and social despair, the last thing that we
need is barbaric authoritarianism. Is Zimbabwe so emaciated in human
leadership that God has seen it fit to thrust upon us the likes of Jonathan
Moyo, Patrick Chinamasa and Joseph Made?

The attorney-general must prove his mettle. His office must be galvanised by
a single impulse: independent-mindedness in the face of heavy political
pressure. You must be mindful of the fact that democracy is a hurrah word;
everyone including the unelected ministers claim to be democrats

The judiciary, the independent press and some civil society groups and
individuals have taken up the cudgels to keep up the pressure, to challenge
the excesses of government. As the AG's office, are you equal to the
challenge? Or will you acquiesce to the evil machinations of these dictators
and in the process denigrate your profession?

These are the great questions of our time. The AG's office can complement
the efforts of some of the fiercely independent judges and magistrates we
have in the country by refusing to prosecute politically-motivated cases
which have no leg to stand on, whatever yardstick is used

There is nothing 'profoundly wrong and rotten between the AG's office and
the magistrates courts', as Jonathan Moyo said last week. Just because a
magistrate refused to place two opposition MDC legislators, Job Sikhala and
Tafadzwa Musekiwa, on remand because of the failure of the State to
demonstrate otherwise does not mean that "the wheels of justice have fallen
off". The wheels of justice might have fallen off in the mind of Jonathan
Moyo but certainly not in the minds of straight-thinking Zimbabweans. What
if the tables are turned and Moyo finds himself in the opposition, will he
say the same thing? How good for Zimbabwe it might be if only Jonathan Moyo
could direct his dynamic energy and drive to positive pursuits rather than
these destructive ones

There have been tyrants and despots in history - where are they now? Kamuzu
Banda, Mobutu Sese Seko, Ian Smith, Slobodan Milosevic, Nicolae Ceausescu -
the list is endless. Things will change. Nothing in life is permanent. Only
God is permanent

The forces of darkness and evil in this country have to be defeated - there
is no doubt about it. All we ask is for all Zimbabweans, including the
judiciary and the attorney-general's office, to stand firm

The present rulers might appear invincible now. So did Smith and Banda in
their time. So the wild men of Zimbabwe will be defeated. And the sooner
they grasp this one quite simple fact, the better

It is only a matter of time.
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Zim Standard

      Zanu PF gets UK aid.as the party's hypocrisy is exposed  11/25/02
      Story by By Chengetai Zvauya

      WHILE the Zanu PF propaganda machinery has dismissed the opposition
MDC party and various civic rights groups as fronts for western imperialism
because of the support they receive from the western communities, it has
emerged that Zanu PF is itself receiving aid from the west.

      Two months ago, a pro-government weekly, in what it considered a
scoop, reported that leading human rights group, Amani Trust had received
support from the British High Commission and it published a copy of the
cheque on its front page.

      Even though the British justified their support for Amani, which
supplies legal and material aid to victims of political violence, the
government still insisted that the donation was part of a wider campaign by
the west to discredit Zimbabwe.

      This week, however, The Standard can reveal that Zanu PF MPs
themselves consider western countries as worthy sources of aid. In fact this
has been the norm since independence in 1980, but Mugabe's increasingly
anti-western regime has, as part of its futile propaganda campaign, has of
late sought to portray anyone who receives assistance from the west as a
sell out.

      Documents at hand show that Zanu PF MP for Zhombe, Daniel Mackenzie
Ncube, successfully sought aid from the British for development projects
within his constituency.

      Other MPs who have sought assistance from western diplomatic missions
include Paul Mazikana (Guruve North), Innocent Chikiyi (Chirumanzi) and
Lovemore Mupukuta of Gokwe Central.

      Although Mazikana and Mupukuta could not be reached for comment,
Chikiyi confirmed that he had approached the British High Commission for
assistance for several projects within his constituency. "We worked together
in 2000 and 2001 in the installation of water tapes at St Joseph's Hospital
and the building of a canal for school children at Mbesi Dam," Chikiyi told
The Standard last week.

      "They also assisted in the construction of an administration block at
Holy Cross Secondary School and a classroom block at Rambangomba Secondary
School. There is also a project pending at Hama Secondary School and at
Gonawapotera Secondary School which they will also assist with,'' added
Chikiyi.

      For his part, Ncube applied for a grant from the British for the
construction of a mortuary at Zhombe Mission Hospital in 2001. The Standard
has a copy of a letter dated 8 January 2001, written by Ncube to the British
High Commission's assistant projects officer, in which he seeks a grant for
the construction of a mortuary with a carrying capacity of 12.

      The British agreed to fund the project, and the donation will be
handed over this Thursday at Zhombe Mission hospital.

      Over and above this, the British High Commission will also donate
school furniture to Muchape School which lies within this same constituency.

      Ncube himself confirmed having approached the British High Commission
for aid: "We approached them for help in setting up body cubicles at the
Zhombe Hospital mortuary because of the high rate of deaths in the area. The
British came to assist us and we welcome and appreciate their aid. My party
also appreciates their help and we look forward to a speedy normalisation of
relations between the two countries.''

      Diplomatic relations between Zimbabwe and Britain have sunk to their
lowest level ever, with the two countries imposing travel sanctions on
selected members of each other's government.

      President Mugabe has also used the few international gatherings he has
addressed, to hit out at British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

      At the Earth Summit in Johannesburg in September, Mugabe urged Blair
to "keep your Britain and let me keep my Zimbabwe". He repeated similar
sentiments at a UN General Assembly meeting later that month.

      The increasingly paranoid president has also blamed the country's
political and economic problems on the British government.

      Zimbabwe is a former British colony and has thousands of white
Zimbabweans of British descent, many of them being commercial farmers who
were evicted from their land during the fast track land resettlement
programme.

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