HARARE - The government has promised to build houses for
hundreds of thousands of squatters who seized former white-owned peri-urban
farms in return for their vote in next year's crucial parliamentary
elections.
Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo told several
hundreds of squatters at Bunkers Hill farm, about 15 kilometres south of
Harare that the government would soon demarcate the farm into urban
residential stands on which houses will be built.
The Bunkers
Hill families are part of hundreds of thousands of mostly ruling ZANU PF
party supporters who invaded white-owned farms near towns and cities across
the country and set up squatter camps there.
Chombo said: "We are
committed to addressing your housing problems and we will soon be giving you
new stands in Harare.
"We want to assure you that government will
never abandon you and as such you must not listen to what the
British-sponsored Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) (Zimbabwe's main
opposition party) says regarding our policies. Let's prepare for next
year's elections and show the MDC that this country will never go back
to whites again."
Chombo did not say how the cash-strapped
government was going to fund the upgrading of the squatter camps into modern
urban residential suburbs.
The decision to permanently settle the
families on the peri-urban farms, if it is carried through, would be a
policy U-turn by the government which only two months ago was forcibly
evicting some of the families saying their settlements, which have no water
or sanitary facilities, were a health risk.
But the MDC's
shadow minister of Local Government, Gabriel Chaibva, dismissed Chombo's
promise to build houses for the farm squatters as an attempt to hoodwink the
families into voting for ZANU PF.
"It is merely an attempt to buy
votes. ZANU PF has been promising these squatters that it would address
their housing problems for over 15 years," Chaibva said.
Zimbabwe has a huge housing backlog in its towns and cities with Harare
alone having more than 100 000 people on its housing waiting list. -
ZimOnline
JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki has lashed out at the
Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) over its controversial visit
to Zimbabwe last week saying it could scuttle efforts to broker a deal
between President Robert Mugabe and the opposition Movement for Democratic
Change.
Mbeki is said to have attacked COSATU, a key ally in
the ruling alliance, over its botched trip to Zimbabwe during an African
National Congress caucus meeting in the South African parliament on
Thursday.
A 13-member COSATU delegation on a fact-finding mission
on the deteriorating political and economic crisis in the country was
deported last week after Harare condemned the visit as a challenge to its
sovereignty.
The COSATU team planned to meet the Zimbabwe Congress
of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and other civic groups dealing with governance issues
as part of its mission.
The deportation of the team has sparked
discord in the ruling ANC, with Mbeki demanding an explanation from COSATU
saying the botched trip was an embarrassment to the ANC.
South
Africa's foreign affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said: "For us what is
important is that, as government, we have to engage with both ZANU PF and
the MDC and therefore should not be perceived to be one-sided.
"The
litmus test for all of our actions is whether those actions help in
advancing peace and stability in Zimbabwe or not," Mamoepa said.
COSATU has however defended the mission saying there was nothing wrong in
expressing solidarity with their fellow workers north of the
Limpopo.
COSATU deputy secretary general Bheki Ntshalintshali said
his organisation had a right to differ with the ANC on how to resolve the
Zimbabwe crisis.
"There is certainly nothing wrong with trying
to establish exactly where matters in Zimbabwe stand, at grassroots
level.
"We did not contravene any laws and I cannot understand why
the South African government now says we acted irresponsibly," he
said. There are fears that the COSATU visit could have hardened the
ruling ZANU PF's attitude towards Mbeki's efforts to find a solution to the
crisis. Mbeki has been battling for the past two years to find a solution
break the stalemate in his troubled northern neighbour through his "quiet
diplomacy" policy.
Critics have however attacked Mbeki's policy
of "quiet diplomacy" saying it has failed to nudge Mugabe towards a
democratic path. - ZimOnline
Last updated: 11/01/2004
10:30:58 THIS past week unfolded one of the most dramatic and telling
chapters in the on-going crisis in Zimbabwe. A lot of what transpired this
week might actually be a foreboding on the waning political fortunes of
Zanu-PF as a ruling party.
Never has the situation turned so
ominously against the future prospects of the former liberation movement
that has turned against its own people. Indeed, if the events that occurred
in the past week are anything to go by, then the days of Zanu-PF's decades
old hegemony over Zimbabwean politics are finally numbered.
The
week started with the recently acquitted MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai
meeting several stakeholders in Johannesburg.
But perhaps what was
more telling for Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF was the fact that Tsvangirai
was accorded all the high status befit of a respected statesman by none
other than the COSATU leadership. The South African labour movement is the
key grassroots member of the ANC's ruling tripartite alliance. It has
derived its powerful voice in the ANC decision-making process from the odd
1.5 million members it has across South Africa.
Zanu-PF must
have been mortified to learn the bad news that not only had the COSATU
leaders met Tsvangirai but it also said that it had held what was termed as
'fruitful and insightful deliberations' with him. (Whatever that is supposed
to mean!) The tacit fact is that by meeting Tsvangirai for several hours
here in Johannesburg, the COSATU leadership clearly sent a signal that they
had not bought into the rhetoric signals being emitted from Harare's vibrant
propaganda outlets such as the Zimpapers, New Ziana and ZBC.
The MDC did well in both the 2000 and the 2002 elections. In fact some
analysts believes that it actually defeated Zanu-PF in both polls. But the
regime has always sought to portray Tsvangirai as a Bush baby and Blair
puppet. In fact to this day, the regime is still living in political
self-denial. It continues to defy logic and overwhelming evidence of the
political reality and threat that MDC has become in the past five
years.
Yet even more ominous for Zanu-PF is the mere fact that
COSATU is insisting that it now keen to be more involved in the crisis
resolution process mainly because of the 'plight' of its fellow workers in
Zimbabwe. In so doing, COSATU has somehow turned the applecart against the
Harare regime in the sense that it has now fully acknowledged that there is
both a political and socio-economic crisis in Zimbabwe.
The
regime has always sought to deny that there is any form of crisis whatsoever
in Zimbabwe. This 'ostrich head on the sand' strategy has led to Zanu-PF
pretending that the MDC is not a home grown political movement.
But
it is now very evident that COSATU has not bought the cheap story. If
anything, it is apparent that COSATU fully appreciates the strong ZCTU
influence on the origins and membership of the MDC.
The
majority of the MDC leaders, including Tsvangirai and his deputy, Gibson
Sibanda, are former celebrated labour leaders. Some MDC leaders still remain
in both structures, making it difficult to separate the ZCTU from the
opposition party. A very good case in point is Lucia Matibenga who is both
the leader of the MDC Women's wing and the Vice President of ZCTU. I am also
reliably informed that she is also the President of SACTU, the southern
African regional labour movement.
But the Johannesburg meeting
was just a forerunner of the real big story of the week. Immediately after
their 'fruitful and insightful deliberations' with the MDC leader, the
COSATU leaders came upon on the regime, all guns blazing!
They
announced to a bemused South Africa that they intended to go ahead with
their controversial plan to send a fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe. This
was so in spite of the fact that the regime had sent COSATU a letter that
was tantamount to an 'order' not to visit Harare. The letter had imposed a
lot of several pre-conditions for the visit that included an open censure
not to meet various key stakeholders in Zimbabwe.
The regime
furnished COSATU with a list of what it deemed where quasi-political NGOs
who were moonlighting on behalf of the British sponsored MDC! The list of
'prohibited' interest groups included such organisations such as the NCA,
Crisis in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and surprise, and the
Zimbabwe Council of Churches!
But against all odds, COSATU
announced that contrary to Harare's innuendos and maneuvers it reserved the
right not only to visit Zimbabwe but also to meet with which ever interest
groups it deemed necessary for the success of the fact finding
mission.
And as fate would have it, the COSATU mission flew into
Harare on Monday evening. There, they where met by government functionaries
who as expected, demanded that they sign an agreement consenting not to meet
the specified organisations. (By the way, the listed organisations should
prepare for the worst-case scenario once the NGO Bill is enacted) and to the
complete chagrin of Zane-PF, the visitors flatly refused to sign any form of
binding commitments and where admitted in the country without any strings
attached to their mission.
And so after some serious
deliberations in the weekly Cabinet ministers meeting on Tuesday morning,
the regime resolved to deport the visitors. It then did the unthinkable! It
disrupted a COSATU-ZCTU meeting and bungled the unwelcome visitors to the
airport. But upon realizing that there was no booking space available for
them, it went on to organize road transport for them. The COSATU mission
then came to a speedy end via a grueling 600km overnight journey from Harare
to Beitbridge border post!
The crude manner in which Zanu-PF
resolved to end its standoff with COSATU has only served to underline its
level of anger and disappointment. It is evident that according to the
party, there was definitely nothing serious that would have occasioned the
unsolicited visit from COSATU.
The ruling party assumed that like
Thabo Mbeki, the labour movement was part of the 'quiet diplomacy' lobby
group. It never anticipated that a key ANC partner like COSATU would even
have dared assume that there was a legitimate reason to send a 'fact
finding' mission to Harare.
The regime has always and still insists
that all is well in Zimbabwe. It concedes that there are some socio-economic
problems but has a different theory on its roots cause. According to the
regime, the nation's so called problems have their origins in the
government's decision to seize farms from white commercial farmers. The
regime argues that the root cause of the furore is the land acquisition
programme.
If anything, they expected COSATU to send a solidarity
mission that would offer a message of support in its presumed war against
Anglo-American neo-imperialism as represented by the MDC.
So
for COSATU to even dare to propose that it would be hosted by ZCTU, an
assumed MDC affiliate and then go ahead and meet the soon to be banned
'pseudo-NGOs' was not only unthinkable but also unforgivable.
In fact by daring to associate itself with such presumed enemies of the
State, COSATU immediately violated the nation's territorial integrity and
sovereignty. And thus appropriately, they were given some kind of
'terrorist' status, hence the crude deportation.
The regime's
low level of desperation was underlined by the reports that its verbose
spokesperson, Jonathan Moyo had alleged that the COSATU team was a mere band
of British sponsored hirelings. He accused them of being secret spies and
ambassadors of the Anglo-American led agenda for regime change in the
country.
The bad news for Zanu-PF is that SADC, Africa and the rest
of the global community were watching. As such, the COSATU fiasco has only
served to give credence of the cries of harassment and intimidation from the
MDC. Many assumed that if the regime could deal with COSATU so harshly, then
how much more would they do so when it comes to the opposition
parties.
The good news for Zimbabweans both at home and abroad is
that the COSATU saga has only opened a Pandora box that has within it an
anatomy of the regime's politics of repression and suppression. The
long-suffering people of Zimbabwe should also be encouraged by the resolute
supportive stance from the South African labour movement.
The public attack on COSATU by Harare merely serves the growing level of
international isolation that Zanu-PF is facing in the southern African
region.
Further good news can be derived from the fact that the
regional tour seems to have gone well for Tsvangirai. He was well received
by all the SADC leaders he decided to visit.
There is thus hope
that the MDC might benefit from a concerted diplomatic effort from the
regional leaders. In particular, the issue of the regime's need to comply
with both the letter and spirit of the SADC Protocol on elections that was
recently ratified in Mauritius.
There is also the good news that
Mbeki is soon expected to lead another SADC leaders initiative to Harare to
give some fresh impetus on the need for a negotiated peace settlement. The
MDC stands to benefit a lot from such a visit.
It is therefore
my hope that sooner or later the situation will improve for better back at
home. It is even my hope that a successful political settlement will be
agreed upon by the two main parties in Zimbabwe.
But in the
meantime I just cannot help but start to feel that something good is about
to happen back at home. May be the new Zimbabwe we have all been waiting for
is about to come. Please pardon my rather unwarranted optimism, but I am
beginning to hear myself ask this simple but difficult question - is the
writing on the wall for Zanu-PF? - danielmolokela@yahoo.com
Daniel Molokela is the National Co-ordinator of the Peace and Democracy
Project Johannesburg, South Africa. His column appears here every
Monday
Bill to reward ex-political prisoners, detainees sails
through
Herald Reporter AT least 6 000 ex-political prisoners,
detainees and restrictees will be rewarded for their contribution to the
liberation struggle following the passage of a Bill in Parliament paving way
for the Government to render them assistance.
The Bill sailed through
Parliament last Thursday and will become law once President Mugabe assents
to it.
In a rare meeting of minds, both ruling Zanu-PF and opposition MDC
legislators backed the proposed law, saying it was long
overdue.
Debating the Bill on Tuesday last week, Rushinga Member of
Parliament Cde Lazarus Dokora (Zanu-PF) said the Bill was noble.
He
urged the Government to commit adequate resources for the welfare of the
ex-political prisoners, detainees and restrictees.
Bulawayo South MP
Mr David Coltart (MDC) said the white population in Zimbabwe was responsible
for the injustices, including torture of incarcerated political activists,
that occurred during the liberation struggle.
"As a white Zimbabwean,
I find it shameful that it was whites who were responsible for this. It is a
shameful chapter in this nation's history," Mr Coltart said while making his
contribution to the debate.
"Successive white minority governments
subjected blacks to torture. We are responsible for this situation that has
led to this Bill," he said.
But the Minister of Public Service, Labour
and Social Welfare, Cde Paul Mangwana, said the confession by Mr Coltart was
not enough as it should have included the part which he played personally in
the torture of former freedom fighters.
Cde Mangwana was steering the
Bill.
The assistance by the State to the beneficiaries will be in the
form of one-off payment gratuities, educational and health
benefits.
The Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare will
determine the amount of gratuities to be paid to the ex-political prisoners,
detainees and restrictees.
Under Clause 2 of the Bill, an
ex-political prisoner, detainee or restrictee is a person who, after January
1, 1959, was imprisoned, detained or restricted in Zimbabwe for at least six
months for political activity in connection with bringing about the
country's independence.
The Government will provide destitute former
political prisoners, detainees and restrictees with some means of
subsistence to cater for their basic needs.
Assistance may also take
the form of grants or loans for income-generating projects or grants for
physical, mental or social rehabilitation or for acquiring vocational or
technical training.
Schemes established in terms of the Bill permit
differential treatment between ex-political prisoners, detainees and
restrictees.
Although every person who qualifies for registration will be
registered, only those in need of assistance will benefit from the proposed
schemes.
Thus, the schemes will carry out means-testing for evaluating
the ex-political prisoners, detainees or restrictees before they are
considered for assistance.
There shall be a committee of the board
responsible for vetting the ex-political prisoners, detainees and
restrictees.
It will be composed of members from various ministries
responsible for social welfare that include Home Affairs, Defence, Justice
and the Office of the President and Cabinet.
Dishonest conduct in
relation to the receipt of assistance under the proposed law will constitute
an offence.
A person will be liable to refund any form of assistance
received by him or her if he or she was not entitled to such
assistance.
Voting Record on Hon. Roy Bennett Report and Sentence - Parliament
Thursday 28 October 2004
Note: The Privileges Committee consisted of 3
ZanuPF nominees - Paul Mangwana (Chairman), Chief Mangwende and Joyce Mujuru
- plus 2 MDC - Prof Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti. Voting was to adopt the
Report, including most importantly the recommended sentence: 15 months in
prison with labour, 3 months suspended on condition of good
behaviour. …………………………………………………………........................................
THURSDAY,
28TH OCTOBER
DIVISION OF THE HOUSE ON REPORT OF PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGES
COMMITTEE ON HON. ROY LESLIE BENNETT OF CHIMANIMANI
CONSTITUENCY
Question again proposed: That this House adopts the Report
of the Parliamentary Privileges Committee on the alleged breach of privilege
by Hon. Bennett arising from the events of 18th May, 2004 (S. C. 28, 2004).
– The Minister of Public Services and Social Welfare, Paul
Mangwana.
Motion put and the House divided:
AYES- 53: Buka
F-Gokwe East (Minister of State), Bushu S-Mashonaland Central, Chapfika
D-Mutoko North, Chimutengwende C – Mazowe East; Chinamasa P-Minister of
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs; Chindaya J. J- Zaka West;
Chindori-Chininga, E -Mazowe East; Chimombe G. M-Manicaland; Chipanga T.
S-Makoni East; Chirau Chief-Mashonaland West; Chiyangwa P-Chinhoyi; Chombo
I-Zvimba North (Minister Local Government etc); Dokora L-Rushinga; Dzinzi
N-Muzarabani; Goche N-Shamva (Minister National Security); Gumbo
R-Mberengwa East (Minister State Enterprises & Parastatals); Malaba
Khumalo-Matebeleland South; Mathema Chihota-Bulawayo; Hungwe J-Masvingo;
Kasukuwere S- Mt Darwin South; Kaukonde R- Mudzi; Madiro M- Hurungwe West;
Madzongwe E-Non Constituency (Dep Speaker); Mahofa S. B-Gutu South; Majange
C-Chivi South; Makokove B. J- Chikomba; Mangwana P-Kadoma East (Minister
Public Service, Labour & Social Welfare); Mangwende J-Non Constituency;
Mangwende W-Harare; Masawi L-; Matiza B. J-Murewa South; Mkandla E- Gokwe
North; Mohadi K- Beitbridge; Moyo J-Minister of State for Information and
Publicity in the President’s Office; Moyo J-Minister of Energy and Power
Development; Muchena O-Minister of State for Science and Technology in the
President’s Office; Mudenge S-Masvingo North (Minister Foreign Affairs);
Mugabe S- Zvimba South; Mujuru J- Mt Darwin North (Minister Water Resources
& Infrastructure Devpt); Mukota Chief-Mashonaland East; Murerwa H-
Goromonzi (Minister Higher & Tertiary Education); Samkange N-
Mashonaland West; Mutinhiri A- Marondera West (Minister Youth, Gender &
Employment Creation); Mutiwekuziva K- U M P; Ncube D. M- Zhombe; Nyauchi
E- Gokwe West; Parirenyatwa D- Minister of Health and Child Welfare; Shamu
W- Chegutu; Tungamirai J- Gutu North.
JOHANNESBURG - A locally-based Zimbabwean
Non-Governmental Organisation says Zimbabwean soldiers must be reined in
before next year's parliamentary elections so as to respect the election
result.
A civic group the Concerned Citizens of Zimbabwe (CCZ)
told the Daily News Online that holding elections when the army has declared
that it would not allow the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
to take over power would be a "waste of time and
resources."
President Mugabe's Zanu PF party faces a stiff
challenge from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan
Tsvangirai in elections penciled in for next March. Tsvangirai's party has
however threatened not to take part in the elections if the electoral
playing field is not levelled.
Commander of the Zimbabwe
Defence Forces (ZDF), General Constantine Chiwenga two months ago said that
the army would not allow the MDC to run the country because it was
"foreign-driven."
His utterances were a repeat of similar
utterances by the then commander of the ZDF, General Vitalis Zvinavashe in
January ahead of the 2002 presidential election that the presidency was a
"straight jacket" that was not up for grabs.
"It would be
pointless to have the elections because what it means is that the army can
refuse to recognise the results. We therefore want SADC leaders to
discipline the soldiers and make sure that they respect the wishes of the
people," said CCZ chairman, Luke Zunga.
He said Zimbabwean
soldiers were not disciplined and were now openly assaulting opposition
supporters and taking part in Zanu PF activities in clear violation of the
constitution.
"Those soldiers must make an undertaking that
they will serve any party that is elected by the people of Zimbabwe," said
Zunga.
Zunga said his organisation would soon engage SADC to
ensure that it moves to instil discipline among Zimbabwean
soldiers.
Ex-army captain and former lecturer at the Zimbabwe
Military Academy, Alex Genius Mupa said the statements by Chiwenga and
Zvinashe had serious implications and should be revoked.
"Those were military statements which were never revoked. What it means is
that those elections mean nothing because if the party that the soldiers
back loses, they will take over the country," said Mupa.
He
said President Mugabe as the commander-in chief of the ZDF was tacitly
backing a "coup" even before the election.
The army in Zimbabwe
has been actively involved in running Zanu PF activities, training the youth
militia and assaulting civilians who are perceived to be pro-opposition
MDC.
HARARE, Nov. 1 (Xinhuanet) -- Wu
Bangguo, chairman of the StandingCommittee of the Chinese National People's
Congress (NPC), arrivedin Harare from Nairobi of Kenya on Monday evening to
start an official goodwill visit to Zimbabwe.
It is the
first visit to Africa by China's top legislator sincethe country's new
leadership took office.
Wu was accorded a warm welcome by
Zimbabwean Vice President Joseph Msika and Speaker of the parliament
Emmerson Mnangagwa whenhe arrived at the airport in Harare.
Wu said in a written statement upon his arrival that "the Chinese side
stands ready to work with the Zimbabwean side, in keeping with the
principles of long-term stability, equality, mutual benefit and all-round
cooperation, to promote mutual understanding, consolidate traditional
friendship, improve the effectiveness of cooperation and push forward the
development of China-Zimbabwe relations."
In spite of the
vicissitudes of the international situation, Wusaid, China and Zimbabwe have
witnessed smooth development of bilateral relations ever since the
establishment of diplomatic ties 24 years ago.
He said the two
countries have enhanced political mutual trust,continuously expanded
economic cooperation and trade, carried out fruitful exchanges and
cooperation in all other fields, and enjoyed close coordination and mutual
support in international affairs.
"I look forward to having
in-depth exchanges of views on bilateral relationship and other issues of
common interest with President Mugabe, Vice-President Msika, Speaker
Mnangagwa and other Zimbabwean leaders," he said.
He hoped
his current visit contribute to further enhancing mutual understanding,
strengthening traditional friendship and advancing bilateral exchanges and
cooperation in all fields, he said, noting "I believe, with the thoughtful
arrangements of my host, this visit is bound to yield positive
results."
Ever since gaining independence, he said, the
Zimbabwean government and people have stood firm on safeguarding national
sovereignty and independence, made arduous efforts in the exploration of the
road of development that fits in with its national reality and devoted
themselves to developing national economy and creating a well-off
life.
He said the Zimbabwean government pursues an independent
foreign policy of peace, takes an active part in international andregional
affairs, and plays a constructive role in safeguarding the legitimate rights
and interests of developing countries as well as promoting regional peace,
stability and development.
Wu had just concluded his
three-day official goodwill visit to Kenya, before coming to Zimbabwe, the
second leg of his four-nation African tour, which will also take him to
Zambia and Nigeria. Enditem
[ This report does not
necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]
HARARE, 1 Nov
2004 (IRIN) - Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is
to ask the courts to review a sentence handed to jailed MDC MP Roy
Bennett.
On Thursday last week the ruling party, ZANU-PF, used its
majority in the house to impose a sentence of one year in jail with hard
labour on Bennett for pushing Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa during a
debate on 18 May.
A ZANU-PF dominated parliamentary committee had
recommended, after investigation, that Bennett be sentenced to 15 months'
imprisonment, with three months suspended.
An attempt by the MDC to
challenge the committee's report in court was blocked by the Speaker of
Parliament, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who issued an order in terms of the
Privileges, Immunities and Powers of Parliament Act barring the courts from
hearing Bennett's case.
The subsequent vote on the committee's
recommendation was decided by the ruling party's majority in parliament,
with 53 ZANU-PF members voting to commit Bennett to prison against the MDC's
42 votes opposing the motion. Bennett has been in custody since Thursday
last week.
MDC secretary for legal affairs David Coltart told IRIN "the
punishment of Bennett was grossly unjust".
He said the sentence in
criminal cases with more aggravating circumstances was usually a Zim $80,000
(about US $14) fine or a jail term of 50 days for non-payment of the
fine.
"Our legal team is looking at a variety of options, including a
review of the sentence by the courts and a constitutional challenge to the
method that was used to come up with this sentence. We are in the process of
gathering an international team of lawyers and, at the earliest possible
time, we will be going to the courts to challenge this," Coltart
said.
Human rights lawyer Brian Kagoro also questioned the severity of
the sentence, saying that in an ordinary criminal court Bennett's case would
have qualified as a common-law assault case.
Bennett pushed Chinamasa
to the floor after the latter had referred to his ancestors as "murderers"
and "thieves" who stole Zimbabwe's land from blacks.
Bennett has
become the first MP to be jailed for contempt of parliament and the first
person in the country to be sentenced outside the court
process.
HARARE - Four journalists will go on trial
in Zimbabwe in January on charges of defaming President Robert Mugabe in a
report that said he had used a plane from the national carrier for his
holidays, a court ruled on Monday.
Editors Iden Wetherell and Vincent
Kahiya, and reporters Dumisani Muleya and Itai Dzamara from the privately
owned Zimbabwe Independent are to return to court on January 10 for the
start of the trial, said the magistrate's court.
They are accused of
criminally defaming Mugabe in a story published in January this year that
said the leader took a wide-bodied Boeing 767-200 Air Zimbabwe aircraft to
"ferry him around the Far East" during his vacation.
The article said
that Mugabe and his family had flown to Malaysia from Johannesburg on a
scheduled commercial flight, but that the leader later ordered that a plane
be sent to Malaysia to carry him around the region.
"This court is of
the view that there is reasonable suspicion that an offence was committed,"
magistrate Omega Mugumbate said.
The journalists, who were arrested in
January and locked up for 48 hours before being released on a 20,000
Zimbabwe dollar (about US$4) bail each, had applied to have the charges
dropped.
Harare - Zimbabwe's state-controlled press has
reacted angrily to criticism of President Robert Mugabe by a former Botswana
cabinet minister.
Patrick Balopi described Mugabe as "greedy"
over the weekend, saying he had ruined Zimbabwe's economy.
In a
front page lead in the state-run Herald newspaper, Balopi, a former home
affairs minister in the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), was described as
"ill-informed."
Meanwhile Zimbabwe's ambassador to Botswana,
Phelekezela Mphoko said: "For Mr Balopi to evaluate himself as more
intellectual than the Zimbabwean electorate and issue such an arrogant and
hostile statement against President Robert Mugabe is unacceptable. The
electorate in Zimbabwe is very literate and politically mature (enough) to
make decisions that benefit them."
Speaking at a BDP rally in
Gaborone's White City Stadium over the weekend, Balopi had described Mugabe
as "a greedy leader who does not have the interests of his people at
heart".
He said Mugabe had "run down the economy of Zimbabwe",
adding, "but still he doesn't want to leave office."
Relations
between Zimbabwe and Botswana have been frayed since Zimbabwe's 2002
presidential election when the Southern African Development Community
Parliamentary Forum described the elections, that saw Mugabe triumph over
opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, as "not being a free expression of the
will of the people". - Sapa
BULAWAYO, Nov 1 (IPS) -
Wooden panels in the main hall still list the fading names of outstanding
students who attended Milton Junior School in the southern Zimbabwean city
of Bulawayo, during the last century.
In the sharpest of ironies, the
gold-engraved names include that of Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd - better known
as the architect of apartheid in neighbouring South Africa. Verwoerd's
family lived in what was then Rhodesia for four years, while his father
served in the Dutch Reformed Church.
However, the parents now assembled
in the hall for a meeting are not only of a different colour to Verwoerd -
but have little time to contemplate his political sins. They are here to
approve next year's budget for the school: a Herculean task.
The
government set October as the month by which schools - both public and
private - should submit their 2005 budget proposals for approval. The
amounts set will have to cover the whole of next year, as the Ministry of
Education has indicated it will not entertain requests for supplementary
levies.
Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate is amongst the highest in
the world, however - officially pegged at 252 percent. The continual
escalation in prices for goods and services - everything from chalk to fuel
- makes projecting financial needs a year ahead akin to gazing in a crystal
ball.
Even if their budgets for next year are approved, many schools will
have difficulties closing their books for the current year. Milton Junior's
request for a "top-up" budget four months ago was turned down, leaving the
school almost 3,000 United States dollars in the red.
"There is no
money coming from the government, even for telephones or electricity," says
school principal Patrick Nyoni.
The school has been unable to carry out
any improvements or repairs, such as attending to blocked toilets or the
once-green sports field. Even worse, it cannot afford to provide its 1,044
pupils with books.
Milton Junior's proposed budget for next year requires
a 2,000 percent increase in levies to 90 U.S. dollars per year. In a country
where unemployment is above 70 percent and few of those with a job earn more
than 100 U.S. dollars a month, not all parents favour the
increase.
According to the 2004 Human Development Report, published by
the United Nations Development Programme, about 36 percent of Zimbabweans
live below the poverty line of one U.S. dollar a day.
While many
other schools are experiencing a similar cash crunch, rural institutions and
boarding schools generally appear worse off.
"Things are so tough, we
don't even know where we could get the money to get through the year," says
Isiah Dube who administers two high schools on behalf of the Presbytarian
Church.
He says that if the two institutions, which are boarding schools,
are to maintain minimum standards while remaining affordable, they will have
to go back to producing their own food.
"If we were to buy
everything, we would never afford to run these schools," notes Dube. "The
price of beef alone has gone up four-fold in the last three
months."
While private schools have in many instances operated
without state interference, this situation changed abruptly five months
ago.
Over 50 elite private schools were shut down for raising fees by
more than 10 percent without state approval. The schools maintained that
given runaway inflation (then at over 400 percent), the increase was needed
to ward off financial collapse.
But, Education Minister Aeneas
Chigwedere accused the schools - many of which are favoured by the country's
white minority - of being racist institutions that had raised their levies
to keep out blacks. Armed police were stationed outside school gates to bar
teachers and pupils from entering.
Brian Raftopoulos of the Zimbabwe
Institute of Development Studies says other factors may have influenced the
Education Ministry's actions, however.
"One theory is that many among the
ZANU-PF elite have their children in those schools," he notes, adding that
this would give ruling party officials a direct interest in having fees and
levies capped.
In January, fees at the country's most expensive private
school rose by over 70 percent to almost 1,800 U.S. dollars per three-month
term.
Although a High Court order upheld the schools' right to increase
fees, government obliged the institutions to sign an undertaking stating
they would keep their fees at the official level, or remain
closed.
Institutions such as Petra Junior private school attempted to
circumvent this development by having parents supplement fees and levies
with donations. However, government ruled that this too was
illegal.
Zimbabwe's success in boosting access to education for the
country's black majority after independence from Britain in 1980 has
received widespread acclaim.
The UN Children's Fund says policies on
free and compulsory schooling enforced in the 1990s resulted in near
universal primary education with gender parity. The literacy rate for 15 to
24-year-olds rose to 98 percent by 2000.
However, the introduction of
fees and levies in the 1990s and subsequent political and economic decline
undermined these gains. School completion rates that had peaked at 82.6
percent in 1990, declined to 75.1 percent in 2000.
Today, says
UNICEF, the education sector is buckling under a number of challenges,
including inadequate financing, low enrolment, erratic attendance and high
drop-out rates.
Other constraints are an inadequate capacity for planning
and management of schools, high rates of HIV/AIDS amongst teachers, pupils,
and parents - and low teacher morale.
Indeed, nothing illustrates the
depth of Zimbabwe's education crisis more than the plight of teachers - who
are amongst the country's most eager emigrants. Educators are so badly paid
that their earnings fall within the non-taxable bracket.
"It's
unheard of, anywhere (else) in the world. Teachers are in the same grade as
gardeners, domestic workers and tree-cutters," says Raymond Majongwe,
secretary-general of the Progress Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, which
represents a quarter of the country's 109,000 teachers. (END/2004)
A Zimbabwe politician's wife
has been jailed for six months after Birmingham Crown Court heard she gave
false information to illegally come into the UK.
Mother-of-two Jean
Mapuranga, 31, of Tewkesbury Road, Perry Barr, pleaded guilty to a charge
under the Immigration Act.
Phil Bown, prosecuting, said Mapuranga went to
the British Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe, last April with documents claiming
she wanted to visit her cousin in the UK, staying for ten days.
He
said this was a ruse and when she arrived with her two children she
travelled to Birmingham to live with her husband, an opposition politician
in Zimbabwe, and got a job in a care home.
Mugabe Government to Challenge Tsvangirai
Acquittal
"PA"
President Robert Mugabe's government plans to
appeal the acquittal earlier this month of opposition leader Morgan
Tsvangirai on capital charges of treason, acting attorney general Bharat
Patel said.
"The acquittal judgment has many flaws and we don't think it
should stand unchallenged," said Patel, in comments published in a
newspaper.
"Certainly by the middle of November we should have filed the
appeal," he said.
David Coltart, shadow minister of justice for
Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change, said the 52-year-old former
trade union leader would return from a current tour of southern African
states to face renewed trial, which may prevent him from travelling until
the appeal is heard.
Unlike the United States, Britain, and many
developed states, Zimbabwe does not have a "double jeopardy" law that
prohibits trial twice on the same accusation.
This allows the state
to appeal the October 15 finding of High Court Judge Paddington Garwe
dismissing charges that Tsvangirai asked Canadian-based political consultant
Ari Ben Menashe to assassinate 80-year-old Mugabe in 2001, at a secretly
videotaped meeting in Montreal.
"From a legal perspective the appeal is
baseless," said Coltart.
"The state will have great difficulty
(appealing) because the trial judge found no request was made. I think that
the facts and the law in this case are so overwhelmingly in favour of Morgan
Tsvangirai that the Supreme Court would find it difficult to arrive at any
other decision than his innocence."
If convicted, Tsvangirai could be
sentenced to death.
The appeal before Zimbabwe's highest tribunal, the
seven member Supreme Court, could be delayed up to three years. The court is
headed by chief justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, a former minister under Mugabe,
who was appointed when his internationally respected predecessor, Anthony
Gubbay, quit in the face of death threats.
Patel denied the appeal
was "political" but "was made on strong legal grounds after carefully
analysing the judgement."
Coltart believed the attempt to revive the case
against Tsvangirai was a direct response to the opposition leader's current
tour of capitals of the 13-nation South African Development Community, or
SADC, to seek their leaders' support for free and fair parliamentary
elections next year.
Previous polls in June 2000 and March 2002, when
Mugabe claimed a mandate for a further six year presidential term, were
marred by widespread allegations of intimidation and
rigging.
Tsvangirai, deprived of his passport and unable to travel for
nearly three years while his High Court trial was pending, last week met
South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki, to the dismay of Mugabe's government
in Harare.
Tsvangirai faces a second High Court trial on separate treason
charges, arising from his 2002 call for "mass action" to demand fresh
elections. He is due back next week for a routine remand hearing but no date
has been set for a formal trial.