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21 hospitalised as typhoid outbreak hits Harare

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

Saturday, 05 November 2011 00:00

Lloyd Gumbo Herald Reporter
AT least 21 people have been admitted at a Harare hospital, while 54 others
are under obsvervation following an outbreak  of typhoid.

The affected people are admitted at Beatrice Infectious Diseases Hospitals,
with two confirmed cases by late yesterday.
City health services director Dr Stanley Mungofa confirmed the typhoid
outbreak.

"This is an outbreak because it's not normal for the city to have such
diseases like typhoid or cholera," Dr Mungofa said.
"Someone can carry the typhoid bacteria for 20 years and they won't be
having the symptoms anymore, but when they dispose their excreta where it
contaminates other people's food or water, there can be an infection."

He said there were chronic careers of typhoid who posed a threat to members
of the public if they did not practise hygiene.
"It is important for people to practise hygiene and wash their hands before
and after eating. They should not wash hands in a dish because they may get
the disease if those who would have washed before them are infected. People
should also avoid drinking water from shallow wells because there are high
chances that the water will be contaminated."

Harare City Council spokesperson Mr Leslie Gwindi said they had positively
identified the bacteria in two patients and expressed confidence the
outbreak will be contained.
"The big issue is to screen these people who are suspected because most of
them are relatives so there are chances of them spreading it among
themselves," he said.

"The 21 have been admitted on the basis that they have been associated with
each other. At the moment, those who have come for screening are from
Dzivaresekwa."
Mr Gwindi said city health officials and their partners were battling to
contain the disease.

Investigations were still underway to establish the severity of the
outbreak.
Mr Gwindi said typhoid could be caused by dirty water and poultry products,
especially eggs and chicken.

The outbreak follows almost two weeks of intermittent water supplies in the
city's western suburbs.
Water shortages had resulted in residents fetching water from unprotected
sources, including Mukuvisi River which is infested with raw sewage.
Mr Gwindi urged the public to practise hygiene and drink clean water.

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Last year, typhoid claimed five lives in Mabvuku where over 300 people were
infected.

Typhoid symptoms usually develop one to three weeks after exposure to the
bacteria.

Health experts say the symptoms include perforation of bowels, delirium
(severe psychiatric syndrome), dehydration and very high fever.
Other symptoms that manifest in the first and second week include profuse
sweating, non-bloody diarrhoea and painful abdomen.
It is characterised by a slowly progressive fever. Less commonly a rash of
flat, rose-coloured spots may appear.


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Troubled Air Zim Suspended Again

http://www.radiovop.com

Harare, November 05, 2011-Troubled national airline, Air Zimbabwe on Friday
once again suspended international flights due to crippling fuel shortages.

Air Zimbabwe only resumed flights in September after pilots staged a work
boycott that lasted two months from July.

Well placed sources at the state-run airline said fuel suppliers had stopped
supplying jet AI to Air Zimbabwe as they were owed outstanding payments for
some deliveries.

The sources said Air Zimbabwe is now only servicing local and regional
routes such as Harare-Johannesburg and Harare-Lubumbashi and Lusaka.
International flights which were cancelled as a result of the fuel shortages
include the Harare-London flight and the Harare-China flight.

The airline will only resume flying to these two destinations once it
secures adequate fuel supplies.

The fresh challenge is likely to impact on the airline’s already battered
reputation.

Once considered as one of the best airlines in Africa, Air Zimbabwe has been
run down due to successive years of mismanagement, corruption, political
interference and inadequate funding.


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Tsvangirai’s Star Rally Set For Chitungwiza

http://www.radiovop.com

Harare, November 05, 2011 – Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s formation of
the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) is scheduled to hold a ‘Real
Change Peace Rally’ Sunday at Chibuku Stadium.

Zimbabwe's Premier is expected to address issues affecting the party ahead
of next year polls and also on the visit by South African mediation team.

“The President is expected to speak on the life and health of the party
ahead of the next year’s free and fair elections, performance of the
inclusive government and the visit by President Jacob Zuma's facilitation
team” reads part of the MDC-T press statement.

Tsvangirai is also expected to talk and denounce the increase of state
sponsored violence across the country, the constitution-making process and
other issues affecting the people of Zimbabwe,” it added.

The ‘Real Change Peace Rally’ rally comes a week after police in
Matabeleland North province disrupted MDC-T rallies.

On Tuesday, police in Harare armed with AK 47 rifles and baton sticks, fired
teargas into the MDC headquarters, Harvest House injuring scores of people
and indiscriminately beating up people in the process.

Tsvangirai will also introduce the party’s new leadership that was elected
at the party’s 3rd National Congress held in Bulawayo in May.

Similar provincial rallies attended by thousands of party supporters have
been held in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare, Masvingo, Kwekwe, Chegutu,
Marondera and Nkayi.


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UN Secretary General to visit troubled Zimbabwwe

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/

Nkululeko Ndlovu 22 hours 40 minutes ago

HARARE - United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon and his team will be
in the country in February 2012 on a fact-finding mission to establish the
capacity of the country to host the 2013 United Nations World Tourism
Organisation General Assembly.

This comes amid revelations that a United Nations Workshop that was meant to
be held in another country has been redirected to Victoria Falls this
December, while Africa Travel Association Convention has also been
redirected to Victoria Falls in May 2012, and is set to attract 2 000 people
from all over the world.

Speaking at a stakeholders meeting in Victoria Falls, Permanent Secretary in
the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Dr. Sylvester Maunganidze,
urged operators go an extra mile in sustaining a positive image of the
country as it will now be under scrutiny even on matters considered as
minor, adding that there is an urgent need for the expansion of Victoria
Falls International Airport to enable it to handle more and bigger
aircrafts.

“We need to establish how the airport will handle the flights if fifteen
aircrafts are going to land within an hour and how long will the passengers
wait to stamp their passports,” said Dr. Maunganidze.

Dr. Maunganidze emphasised the need for team work and spirit of unity among
the players saying this will ensure that the country maximises business
opportunities for all, with previous hosts having managed to multiply their
Gross Domestic Product by 10 times from hosting the event.

“We must engage the local traditional dance groups and make sure guests are
entertained throughout. Guests should never be given a moment to feel the
heat of the Falls. Let us work together. 3 000 people cannot be hosted by
one company, we will benefit but let us work together,” he added.

Some of the concerns raised in the meeting include the immigration
operations with suggestions to adopt the Korean model which saw immigration
officials being deployed on all international flights to stamp passports in
a bid to reduce long queues at the ports of entry.

The Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry is also set to open a
permanent office in Victoria Falls to enable it to work with operators in
the resort town ahead of the mega event.


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Banks flood to Chipinge as ethanol comes on stream

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Seven banks have opened branches at Checheche growth point over the past
three months as the area starts to develop thanks to the ethanol project in
Chisumbanje.
04.11.1111:18am
by Fungi Kwaramba

In an interview the Chief Executive Officer for Chipinge Rural District
Council, James Mundoma, said controversial ethanol project had not only
redefined Chipinge’s investment worth, but also created thousands of jobs

“In the last three months, seven banks opened branches at Checheche, the
hosting growth point. This part of Chipinge is very dry and yields from
communal dry land agriculture are perennially depressed hence the low levels
of development at homestead levels,” said Mundoma.

However, villagers in Chipinge have had mixed feelings about the Green Fuel
project owned by Zanu (PF)-aligned businessman Billy Rautenbach in a Build,
Operate and Transfer system with ARDA.

Villagers have been complaining that the ethanol project, where thousands of
acres of sugar cane is being planted along the banks of the Save River, has
eaten into their communal lands and also that their animals are dying due to
contamination of water sources by the project.

But Mundoma said local communal farmers would benefit further as already
Green Fuel had extended irrigation facilities to families in the arid region
who usually suffer from food shortages.

“4000 hectares of the land being developed is for communal irrigation and an
initial block of just under 500 hectares has been developed. Allocation to
beneficiaries is underway. We foresee the locals being able to graduate from
subsistence farming to commercial horticulture through access to
 irrigation,” he said.

Through the Green Fuel plant, Zimbabwe is host to Africa’s largest ethanol
producing factory, which will generate foreign currency savings through
import substitution. Over 4500 jobs have been generated around the project
with major sections of the plant being headed mostly by Zimbabweans
returning home from within the region.


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Indian jewellers keen to import Zimbabwean diamonds

http://www.timeslive.co.za/

Sapa-AP | 05 November, 2011 13:08

India's gem and jewellery export council hailed the recent decision by the
Kimberley Process, which governs global trade in diamonds, to allow Zimbabwe
to sell $2 billion in rough diamonds from the Marange fields. The African
nation had been under international sanctions since 2009 because of
allegations of rights violations and torture by government troops in
Marange.

Zimbabwe has denied allegations of human rights abuses. Rajiv Jain,
president of India's Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council, said
Tuesday's decision would stabilize the world diamond business by encouraging
traders to keep illicit diamonds out of the system.

Jain said while it was difficult to estimate the volume of trade from
Zimbabwe, the industry has been keenly awaiting the ruling on exports from
the southern African country.

"Zimbabwe diamonds are 40 to 50 percent cheaper than diamonds from other
sources. This will give a boost to the industry," Jain said.

Sabyasachi Ray, the council's director, said the imports should begin within
weeks, once the government completes formalities to lift an embargo.

India is the world's biggest processor of diamonds, employing more than 1.5
million workers, with thousands of processing units located mostly in the
western Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Eleven out of every 12
diamonds used in jewellery worldwide are cut and polished in India,
according to the council.

According to the council, Indian gem and jewellery exports jumped 47 percent
to $43 billion in the fiscal year ending March 31, from $29.4 billion the
previous year.

With Zimbabwe diamonds off-limits, the industry had been sourcing its stones
from South Africa, Congo and Russia through the diamond hub in Belgium, Ray
said.

The Kimberley Process was set up in 2002 after brutal wars in Sierra Leone
and Liberia that were fueled by "blood diamonds." Participant nations are
now forced to certify the origins of the diamonds being traded, assuring
consumers that they are not financing war or human rights abuses.

The 60,000-hectare (140,000-acre) Marange field in eastern Zimbabwe was
discovered in 2006 at the height of Zimbabwe's political, economic and
humanitarian crisis. It is believed to be the biggest find in the world
since the 19th century, and it triggered a chaotic diamond rush.

Human Rights Watch has accused Zimbabwean troops of killing more than 200
people, raping women and forcing children to search for the gems in Marange
fields, but the Kimberley Process allowed 900,000 carats of diamonds to be
auctioned last year. The latest move allows all diamonds from the area - a
stockpile of 4.5 million stones - to be sold.


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Negotiator for Zimbabwe's ZANU-PF Backtracks on Quitting Intra-Government Talks

http://www.voanews.com

04 November 2011

Chinamasa told the ZANU-PF leaning Herald newspaper that President Zuma’s
facilitation team will spend more time in Zimbabwe stepping up efforts to
resolve outstanding issues related to GPA implementation

Violet Gonda | Washington

Zuma aide Lindiwe Zulu, spokesperson for the South African facilitation
team, said it is true that progress has been slow, but she said no one had
proposed breaking off talks

Remarks by Zimbabwean Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa published Friday in
the state-controlled Herald newspaper suggested the lead negotiator for
ZANU-PF in talks within the fractious unity government has backtracked on
comments earlier this week saying that his party had lost faith in talks
brokered by South African President Jacob Zuma.

Chinamasa told the ZANU-PF leaning Herald newspaper that President Zuma’s
facilitation team will spend more time in Zimbabwe stepping up efforts to
resolve outstanding issues related to implementation of the 2008 Global
Political Agreement for power sharing.

Zuma aide Lindiwe Zulu, spokesperson for the South African facilitation
team, said it is true that progress has been slow, but she said no one had
proposed breaking off talks.

Commentator Stanford Mukasa, a journalism professor in the United States,
said ZANU-PF is attempting a tactical retreat but is caught in a web of its
own contradictions at a time when President Robert Mugabe, the party's
leader, is believed to be ill with cancer.

"ZANU-PF is completely confused," Mukasa said. "They don’t know what to do.
Their leader is sick. They don’t have a successor and they are very jittery
about the prospects of elections." No elections have been scheduled but a
ballot in 2012 seems likely.


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Fresh Mujuru death probe

http://www.dailynews.co.zw/

By Xolisani Ncube/ Nkululeko Sibanda
Saturday, 05 November 2011 16:21

HARARE - Police have launched a second round of investigations into the
death of retired army general Solomon Mujuru amid strong suspicions that he
could have died before a fire that gutted his Beatrice farm house.

This comes as Mishrod Guvamombe, Harare’s chief magistrate, and police
commissioner-general Augustine Chihuri have confirmed that the police have
approached the courts for an inquest into Mujuru’s death.

“We can confirm that notification of death was made by the police to the
Magistrate in compliance with section 5 of the Inquest Act Chapter 7:0,7,
which provides as follows: (the police officer, shall without any delay,
report to a magistrate, in detail, the circumstances of the case, in order
that the magistrate may take such further steps, if any, as may be needful,
either to ascertain the cause of death or bring to justice such person or
persons as appear to have unlawfully caused such death,” he said in written
responses earlier this week.

In the meantime, government insiders said the new probe will centre on
establishing the human hand or element in Mujuru’s death. The late general,
undoubtedly one of the country’s most decorated liberation war heroes, died
in what many believe are suspicious circumstances and that there was a
hidden hand in the late Zanu PF stalwart’s death.

“The primary investigations did not help much as they left more questions
than answers as to how Mujuru died,” said a police source.

“This time around, we are focusing on ascertaining what really killed the
general because the perception from the investigating team is that something
else besides the fire could have happened,” the source added.

The new round of investigations also comes as there is a feeling that out of
the 23 recorded statements, most of them have been conflicting, thus
triggering further inquiries.

Those quizzed in the earlier probe include farm workers, police who were
manning his farm and other security personnel.

“We will focus on establishing whether he died before the fire breakout or
was killed by the inferno,” said the source.

Mujuru was burnt beyond recognition at his Beatrice Farm in August.

People close to the investigating team, which comprises the police forensic
unit, Central Intelligence Organisation department and other security
chiefs, told this paper that the fresh probe would also seek to determine
whether Mujuru died before the fire.

“We are now focusing on what really happened and this includes an attempt to
ascertain who could have been behind the demise of Mujuru. There is a lot of
anxiety as to what really happened,” added the source.

Mujuru’s widow Vice President Joice Mujuru was among the first individuals
to query how a well-trained war hero like Mujuru would have died in such
circumstances and given his war-time skills and training.

She hinted to a Mighty Warriors squad, which was paying condolences at her
Chisipite home two months ago that the death was suspicious.

“What is surprising is that we don’t know what happened from 8:30 to when
the fire was seen. There are two long windows (from my side and his side,
and) you don’t have to jump out, but just lift your leg. Our grandchildren
used to play getting in and outside the windows and it would have been
difficult for a military man not to have made it out,” she said then.

“The (bedroom) set-up had two western big windows, so if you want to come
out you just jump. Our kids used to jump and we used to laugh about it. It
was closer to come out through the window than the door,” she added.

However, police spokesperson Oliver Mandipaka said he was unaware of any new
investigations or developments in the case and he stuck to the old hymn or
story that they are waiting for the inquest.

“The highest office in the police force gave a statement on this issue and
nothing has changed. For us, the matter is now with the courts and that’s
it,” he said.

From Guvamombe’s response, though, the court only acknowledges the notice of
death and says a full inquiry will only be conducted in terms of Section Six
of the same Act, which says they shall only act upon receipt of a detailed
report from the police.

“The (original) report was somewhat hazy and did not have specific details
about what happened. That is why even the Mujuru family had to seek external
investigators. In comparison, the foreign investigator’s report is probably
way ahead of the local report,” said the source.

“It is difficult for a magistrate to independently conclude on the way
forward. That is why the police have been asked to conduct further
investigations,” they added.


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Mutinhiri terrorizes villagers

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Retired Brigadier Ambrose Mutinhiri, who was publicly humiliated by Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai last week, has used a gun to threaten MDC
supporters in the Marondera West constituency.
04.11.1105:23pm
by Fungai Kwaramba Harare

On Monday last week Tsvangirai deliberately omitted Mutinhiri from an
official tour of Mahusekwa. Mutinhiri has, in the past, vowed to remove the
MDC from his constituency.

After Tsvangirai left the area, villagers told The Zimbabwean that Mutinhiri
has increased his presence in the constituency, which he narrowly won in
2008.

“If we had we tried to respond to this provocation we would have been
arrested. So we just ignored Mutinhiri, who touted a gun, and went home very
scared,” said MDC-T District Chair Eddington Magwenzi.

The villagers said Mutinhiri was usually accompanied by 13 so-called Youth
Officers who reside at Mahusekwa Growth point and receive a salary monthly.
He is the former Minister of Youth Development and Employment Creation and
also a retired army commander and brigadier.

“People are now scared of openly supporting MDC. They are scared of
Mutinhiri’s boys and what they are capable of doing,” said a villager who
asked not to be named.

Villagers in Mahusekwa accuse the former soldier of having politicized the
Constituency Development Fund

The villagers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Mutinhiri gave
door and window frames he bought using the CDF only to Zanu (PF) supporters.

In most parts of the country preparations for polls are already underway but
unfortunately for villagers who belong to the MDC-T in Marondera West they
cannot openly organize meetings for fear of reprisals.

“We are being targeted here and cannot organize meetings without fear of
being attacked, we are being monitored daily,” said Mangwenzi.


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US hails ‘gifted’ Zim students

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Zimbabwe students have been described as “academically gifted” in their
studies in the United States, excelling in many courses when compared to
their African counterparts.
04.11.1109:48am
by REGINA PASIPANODYA

The remarks were made by a visiting American and Canadian delegation from
the Council of International Schools during a well-attended public fair
showcasing various colleges at the Harare Gardens.

Fredrich Schilingemann, the International Recruiter at the Winthrop
University, said that Zimbabwean students were fantastic and usually
excelled.

“There has been an increase in the number of applicants from the country and
we are very pleased about that,” said Schilingemann.

Josh Keller, Director at Thompson Rivers University said: “Zimbabwe has the
second highest number of African students studying at the university and
they are doing exceptionally well.”

The embassy’s education officer, Rebecca Zeigler, said a high number of
Zimbabwean students returned to Zimbabwe after completing their studies in
the US. “Most of the students that have enrolled in colleges in the US are
coming back to work in the country. This is a very positive development.
Some 400 students have been granted visas to study in the US since 2011,”
she said.

Patrice Gumbo, a Lower Six student at Zengeza High I School in Chitungwiza,
attended the fair and said he would try to access a scholarship to study in
the US or Canada.

Gail Nyikayaramba, from Girls High, said the fair had opened her eyes to
opportunities abroad as local universities lacked many facilities.


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Controversy as Zimbabwe Media Commission Proposes Monitoring Panel

http://www.voanews.com

04 November 2011

Critics say the new council looks very much like the Media and Information
Commission which shut down a number of publications under the previous
government of President Robert Mugabe

Tatenda Gumbo & Sandra Nyaira | Washington

The Zimbabwe Media Commission, reconstituted in 2010 as a step to
liberalizing the long-repressed sector, has proposed to set up media council
to monitor practitioners, a move press freedom advocates say will put a
chill on independent reporting.

Commission sources said the media council will function as a statutory body
under the authority of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy
Act, which press rights advocates say is repressive and should be repealed,
to guide the industry with powers to see prosecute, suspend or withdraw the
credentials of journalists.

Critics say the new council looks very much like the Media and Information
Commission which shut down a number of publications under the previous
government of President Robert Mugabe, including the independent Daily News
in 2003 (since resurrected).

To some that is not surprising as the chief executive of the reconstituted
Media Commission is Tafataona Mahoso, former chairman of the infamous MIC.
Though he does not sit on the commission, he heads the secretariat,
controlling administration.

Press freedom advocates say self-discipline by the media would be
preferable.

Zimbabwe Media Commission Chairman Godfrey Majonga says that by law the
council will work to protect and promote ethics and journalistic standards.
He told reporter Sandra Nyaira the council will represent all media
stakeholders.

Voluntary Media Council Director Takura Zhangazha said the proposed council
will work under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act,
which he says was put in place to repress free media expression. He says in
such a political climate a statutory council would only stifle the freedom
of the press and other media.


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Mugabe Appeals Against Decision Forcing Crucial By-Elections

http://www.voanews.com/

04 November 2011

Harare police late this week gave the Movement for Democratic Change
formation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai clearance to hold a rally in
Chitungwiza on Sunday, following his protest of recent rally bans

Blessing Zulu | Washington

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has launched appeals in the High Court
and the Supreme Court seeking to nullify a High Court ruling last month
giving him 14 days to set dates for by-elections for vacant House seats in
Bulilima, Nkayi and Lupane, all constituencies in the country's western
Matabeleland region.

Mr. Mugabe and others in the unity government have been reluctant to hold
by-elections which might destabilize power-sharing. No by-elections have
been held since 2009. There are currently 19 seats to be filled in the House
of Assembly and Senate.

The Office of the Attorney General said the High Court judge who issued the
latest ruling erred as as Mr. Mugabe cannot be compelled to call
by-elections.

Former Nkayi lawmaker Abednico Bhebhe, one of those who brought the suit
demanding the by-elections, told VOA's Blessing Zulu his lawyers are filing
opposing papers.

Elsewhere, Harare police have given Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s
Movement for Democratic Change formation clearance to hold a rally in
Chitungwiza on Sunday.

Sources said the police move came after the prime minister protested to
President Mugabe signaling his intention to appeal to the Southern African
Development Community after rallies in Matabeleland North were prohibited
last weekend.

Political analyst Trevor Maisiri said ZANU-PF is torn by in-fighting and
reluctant to see Prime Minister Tsvangirai gaining electoral traction in the
presidential race.


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'We won't rejoin Commonwealth' - Zanu PF

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com

by 4 hours 15 minutes ago

Zanu PF National Chairman, Simon Khaya Moyo says his party's government has
no intentions of re-joining the Commonwealth of Nations despite calls by its
members for the Southern African nation to be re-admitted.

Moyo’s statements following reports from Perth, Australia, at a Commonwealth
summit of government heads held in late October where members were said to
be looking forward for Zimbabwe to join the group of former British
colonies.

Khaya Moyo said it is surprising that Zimbabwe never expressed its
willingness to re-join the group of nations which has become racist, but
already there is talk of Zimbabwe to rejoin it.

Zanu PF's government was booted out of the Commonwealth group of countries
in 2003, for gross human rights abuses.

Ever since Zimbabwe has intensified its failed look east policy which has
yielded nothing beneficial the Southern African country.


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Coltart: Cricket can help sustain Zimbabwe's recovery

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

05/11/2011 00:00:00
    by nzherald.co.nz

SPORTS minister, David Coltart insists the coalition government has managed
to haul the country back from the brink of implosion and believes increased
cricket tours such as New Zealand’s can help sustain the country's recovery
from the chaos of the last decade.

Coltart believes greater international engagement can help build on the
progress made since the formation of the coalition government following the
disputed 2008 general elections.

But critics arguethat there should be a mandatory boycott of sporting links
with Zimbabwe until President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party are
removed from office.

Mugabe led the liberation movement against white minority rule and assumed
power in 1980. He has led the country since but his health is reportedly
deteriorating and is said to regularly travel to Singapore for medical
treatment.

Coltart is the first to admit the running of the country is flawed but says
the installation of democracy is a process, not a one-off event.

"The situation is far from perfect. It is a fragile transition. There are a
lot of things I dislike but we have no viable non-violent alternative. It is
not as bad as it was before the 2008 elections.

"We faced rampant cholera, hyperinflation, the closure of schools and
politically motivated murders. Today none of that applies. We tackled
cholera, controlled the currency, got teachers back to work and there has
not been a single politically motivated murder this year."

Coltart draws comparisons to South Africa's return from boycott in the 1990s
when apartheid was in its death throes. While Nelson Mandela was released by
president FW de Klerk's government as part of a conciliatory step in 1990,
he did not take office until 1994.

"There are always hardliners in and out of government determined to derail
the process. In South Africa there were political assassinations as late as
1993. Yet the international cricket community embraced the South African
cricket team as early as November 1991 when they went to play a one-day
series in India. That was long before any guarantee everything would end
happily. We are in a similar position."

Coltart claims cricket is a microcosm of Zimbabwean society where those in
charge have brought past players back from premature retirements instigated
by Mugabe's regime.

"We had ructions with white players leaving and racially discriminatory
policies appearing to be implemented. We've sought to reconcile the racial
fractures by bringing back disaffected players like Heath Streak and Grant
Flower to coach. Some black players like Tatenda Taibu have returned as
well.

"I believe efforts like that deserve to be rewarded by the ICC and national
boards when deciding whether to tour. They are not superficial decisions.
Our team is selected on merit. Any suggestion of discrimination is gone. It
is reflected on the playing field. We could barely get through two days of a
test six years ago. We were annihilated and axed from test cricket as a
consequence. Compare that to now. We've beaten Bangladesh and competed
against Pakistan and New Zealand.

"The relevance to New Zealand Cricket and other cricketing bodies is that we
are making steps to rectify the situation. I'm hopeful people seeking reform
from us will be encouraged. It is about rebuilding a national spirit."

World cricket's scepticism about Zimbabwe ambitions is not helped by Mugabe
remaining the Zimbabwe Cricket patron, a curious affinity for the game
driven by the British once piping the BBC's Test Match Special radio
commentary into his prison cell as a form of audio torture. He came to love
or at least tolerate the game, but Coltart says Mugabe's involvement is
largely irrelevant these days.

"That fact is used against us because he looms large in all facets of our
society. The reality is he has not been involved in cricket in any way since
I became minister."

Zimbabwe Cricket has still had problems of late. Taibu complained ahead of
the New Zealand series that no player had received match fees or signed a
contract for more than a year. Coltart acknowledges the issue.

"No sane person would argue Zimbabwe is perfect, cricket included. Zimbabwe
Cricket is in financial difficulty but not alone in that regard around the
world. Look at Sri Lanka and the West Indies. While you can't condone the
non-payment of match fees it is not a deliberate act."
New Zealand Cricket Players Association boss Heath Mills visited Zimbabwe
last year as part of pre-tour security.

"Our health and safety concerns were met, there were no issues from that
perspective. We were comfortable the infrastructure would support the tour.
The New Zealand government was supportive of us being there following David
Coltart's visit to New Zealand which demonstrated progress was being made.

"Coltart were desperately keen for touring to resume. He felt the country
had started to rebound from rock bottom following the establishment of the
Unity government. You could see things were far from perfect but cricket
coming back was a big thing for those trying to bring about change."


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A Million Face Hunger As Zimbabwe Fails to Provide Seeds to Farmers

http://www.voanews.com/

04 November 2011

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network earlier this week warned that one
in 10 Zimbabweans will need food aid through year’s end, more in early 2012
as the so-called hunger season develops before harvest

Violet Gonda | Washington

Parts of Zimbabwe suffered serious crop failures earlier this year and a
million people are likely to need food assistance as a result, according to
a report by the Solidarity Peace Trust, a civic organization based in South
Africa

Though the rainy season has begun in Zimbabwe, the organization warns that
next year could see increased food insecurity because the government has
failed small farmers by not making seed and fertilizer widely available to
them.

The group said Harare should urgently spread seed and fertilizer among small
farmers, and is urging South Africa to hold off on deportations of
undocumented Zimbabweans who may only face hunger if they are sent home in
the months ahead.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network earlier this week warned that one
in 10 Zimbabweans will need food aid through year’s end, more in early 2012.

Solidarity Peace Trust director Shari Eppel, the report's co-author, said
there is grinding poverty in the frequently parched province of Matabeleland
South in particular.

She said that in Gwanda, for example, half of the households interviewed
spent a day without food, and most of them lost livestock to drought and
marauding baboons.

Gwanda North lawmaker Thandeko Zinti-Mnkandla said hunger is widespread due
to a poor harvest this year and insufficient assistance from government and
NGOs.

Eppel said the Finance Ministry has announced it will fund crop inputs for
100,000 small farmers and subsidize them for another 250,000 through a
system of vouchers that will be administered by the state-controlled Grain
Marketing Board.

“But when you speak to people on the ground they have never heard of this
system," Eppel said, "and yet the rains have already started and people
should be planting.”

 


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High Court rules in favour of tortured MDC member

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/

President Robert Mugabe was dealt a humiliating blow this week when his Zanu
(PF) party thugs were ordered by a High Court judge to pay $12 000
compensation to a victim of violence that engulfed Zimbabwe's 2008
presidential run-off election.
03.11.1110:03am
by Chief Reporter

It is unlikely that the money will be paid, but lawyers for the victims plan
to begin appropriating assets in Zimbabwe.

The plaintiff, Western Katiyo, who was abducted and sustained a fractured
knee at the hands of Zanu (PF) militants, said the award proved that some of
Mugabe's followers "are absolute thugs and terrorists".

Even if he never sees the money, he said, the case brought further
credibility and attention to the accusations of human rights abuses in
Zimbabwe.

"At least I can tell my children I did everything in my power," he told The
Zimbabwean. Any money received from the suit will go first to settle medical
bills.

The award was made against Robson Marozva and Phanuel Nhenda, who assaulted
him in Murehwa, in 2008, breaking his leg.

Katiyo testified in the High Court how he was abducted from his home and
assaulted by the defendants - who are self-proclaimed Zanu (PF) supporters.
He was taken to a base at Madamombe Township in Murehwa where he was
detained for three days and nights under inhuman conditions.

During his detention, Katiyo was denied medical treatment and was forced to
share the room with a corpse of a fellow villager who had succumbed to
gruesome treatment by the defendants.

Katiyo's crime was supporting the MDC, according to the thugs. Katiyo did
not deny the allegations as he believed it was his constitutionally
guaranteed right to freedom of association.

As a result of the assault, Katiyo sustained numerous injuries and had to
undergo a total knee replacement operation. He is currently unable to walk
without the aid of crutches. He is also undergoing continuous analgesic
treatment to help alleviate constant pain.

The High Court awarded compensatory damages for "shock, pain and suffering,
loss of amenities of life, unlawful detention, loss of property" in a
default judgement handed down by High Court judge, Justice Martin Makonese.

Summonses were issued against the two assailants on March 24, 2011 but the
defendants, despite acknowledging receipt did not file a response and were
accordingly barred from doing so in terms of the law.

Consequently, the judge granted the application for a default judgement
sought by Katiyo's lawyers.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum documented more than 200,000 crimes from
beatings to torture committed during the 2008 election campaign.

It said over 200 people were killed in violence widely attributed to
supporters of the ruling Zanu (PF), who were later given an amnesty for
their crimes.

The rights group commended the ruling by Justice Makone as a positive step
towards promoting respect for human rights. "This serves to deter future
violators of human rights thereby fostering a culture of accountability in
the communities," said the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum in a statement.

"The order serves not only to compensate Katiyo for the ordeal he suffered
but also as an expression of the shared societal outrage at the
ill-treatment he experienced. This is a positive step towards promoting
respect for human rights and serves to deter future violators of human
rights thereby fostering a culture of accountability in the communities."


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Arrest of youth leader will not derail us: MDC-T

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

The arrest of members of the MDC-T Youth League including national
chairperson, Solomon Madzore, will not stop the party from making
preparations for the coming election, said Mashonaland East Youth Organising
Secretary, Brighton Takavadini.
04.11.1107:21am
by Jane Makoni

Speaking to The Zimbabwean on Monday, Takavadini said: “Though the arrests
are a cause for concern, they will not derail party programmes or the
mobilisation of party supporters to fully participate in the coming
elections. We are ensuring that every youth casts his deciding ballot as
Zanu (PF) should be dealt the fatal blow at the election.

Zanu (PF) might have thought that arresting youth leadership would deter the
electorate from voting for political change, but the recycled and failed
strategy was bound to backfire against them. The arrest of Madzore and his
team left the people more determined to tame tyranny”.

Madzore and dozens other MDC-T youths were arrested early this year for
allegedly taking part in the murder of a police officer in Glen View. They
remained in custody as the state denied them bail. He said as provincial
youth executive they were conducting youth voter education programmes to
educate the youth about the need to register as voters.

“The youths, who make up the majority of the electorate, realised that Zanu
(PF) had no capacity to improve their lot but only used them as agents of
violence against members from rival parties. Every youth wants to be
identified with the machinery that will drive the final nail into Mugabe’s
coffin.”

Takavadini also said the youths were asking the party leadership to
introduce a youth quota system in all elected portfolios.

“To enable the youths to fully participate in determining the future of the
country, we felt they should be allocated a quota share in contested local
authority and parliamentary seats. Representation of youths at these levels
remained poor resulting in perpetuated suffering of the future leadership”.

The youth leader said that to help push their agenda, party members would
soon finalise a resolution stipulating that youths would only vote for adult
election candidates interested in championing the course of young people.


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Exclusive Interview with Diamond Expert Farai Maguwu

http://www.radiovop.com

Harare, November 05, 2011 - Centre for Research and Development director,
Farai Maguwu (FM) has been honoured with the Alison Des Forges Award for
extraordinary Activism for his contribution in fighting for human rights in
Zimbabwe.

RadioVOP’s Nkosana Dlamini (ND) spoke to the diamond rights researcher to
hear the journey he has travelled to earn this prestigious award and to also
hear his views about the decision by the Kimberly Process Certification
Scheme to allow Zimbabwe to export her rough diamonds.

Nkosana Dlamini (ND): You have tested state persecution in its form. I refer
also to your incarceration by the state for four weeks? How has been the
experience?

Farai Maguwu (FM): Zimbabwe is a country where the rule of law is in an
intensive care unit. As such, those like me who seek to hold the state to
account have no protection. Life has been extremely difficult. I live one
day at a time. At our offices we have CIO people parked at the gate many
times during the day, monitoring who comes in and out of
CRD. I receive threats over the phone and sometimes I have people following
me wherever I go in Mutare. I am constantly checking who is in front, behind
and on my sides. However, I have committed my life to God and in His hands I
take my refuge.

ND:  Tell me about two occasions where you can say you suffered the most in
the hands of the state.

FM:  When I got arrested I got very sick with a high fever, throat infection
and chest infection. Lawyers demanded that I be taken to hospital but the
police would have none of it. The lawyers then brought in a medical doctor
and he was denied access. My condition worsened and for a while I began to
smell death. I cried at one point, thinking my life was being prematurely
terminated. In the end I had to be operated to remove my swollen tonsils.
The doctor advised that I stay in hospital for 12 days but I was only
allowed 2 days and a prison doctor came to demand that I be released into
his custody. He successfully took me back to jail but never came to see me
thereafter. I was writhing in pain for 2 weeks before my wounds healed.

ND: Is there a time you can recall when your inner Farai told you “no this
is dangerous business. Please quit this human rights business? If so, what
had happened?

FM: When I was released from jail I was under intense pressure to slow down.
I strongly felt the high risk involved in my work as surveillance around me
intensified. At the same time I had a strong conviction that told me not to
betray my conscience. I decided to continue with my work.

ND: Do you fear for your life any time?

FM: Yes sometimes I do fear for my life, but I also try not to be paranoid
about security. I strive to live a normal life just like any other person.

ND: Do you ever joke with some security agents when you meet them and in
what form are those jokes?

FM: I joke with a number of security agents. Recently I met one at an
intersection in Mutare and he shouted, “Maguwu, when will you be arrested
again”.

ND: What would be your response to government claims that you were being
used by the powerful West in an attempt to throttle the country's economy by
blocking the sale of Zimbabwe’s diamonds?

FM: It’s difficult to respond to rhetoric. The issues that we advocate for
are very domestic and easily verifiable. We are saying government should
stop brutalising its citizens in order to secure diamonds. Further, we are
saying diamonds must not enrich a few people, as is the case now and for the
foreseeable future, but rather should benefit
the whole country like is happening in Botswana. I don’t see an imperial
hand in such advocacy work. All right thinking Zimbabweans see reason in our
advocacy work. A country cannot survive on donor funds but must make the
most out of its God given resources.

ND: Do you have any evidence of human rights abuses in Marange and where do
you premise that?

FM: There is overwhelming evidence of human rights abuses in Marange by both
state security agents and private companies.

ND: What is your reaction to the green light that has been granted to
Zimbabwe to export her rough diamonds?

FM: The deal is a step in the right direction but it falls short of our
concerns as Zimbabweans. It does not protect the Marange community from
abuses. The deal is silent on human rights nor does it call on the
Zimbabwean authorities to protect the Marange community. The deal sweeps
under the carpet the failure by Zimbabwe to implement earlier agreements
reached in Namibia and St Petersburg recently. This is the third deal on
Zimbabwe in as many years and there is no justifiable reason to think this
‘deal’ will mark a turning point in Zimbabwe’s commitment to the KPCS and to
transparency and accountability. It is largely a blank check to the
privileged few who are making a killing
out of Marange diamonds.

ND: By the way, did you finally get back your laptop and other valuables
that were seized from you by state agents at the airport?

FM: The court order to return my property has been ignored.

ND: How serious are human rights violations in Zimbabwe and what is your
assessment of other human rights defenders? Are they cut out for the
gruelling task of standing up to the regime?”

FM: The human rights situation in Zimbabwe remains terrible. Citizens do not
have protection of the law. The level of risk human rights defenders face is
commensurate with the level to which they hold government to account.

ND: Perhaps last Farai, you have been awarded the Human Rights Watch Alison
Des Forges Award for extraordinary Activism, how do you feel about the
honour?

FM: I feel very much humbled to be recognized by such an international
organisation working in 90 countries. Being chosen amidst many great people
doing incredible human rights work around the world is something very
special. I keep asking sarcastically, "why me!"


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Zimbabwe lose the game, but win respect

http://www.cricket365.com/

Saturday 05-November-2011 17:33

Long-time supporters of Zimbabwe will recognise Sunday's headlines - after
all, plucky Zimbabwe snatching defeat from the jaws of victory is an old
habit from the 1990s. But even if we're to take the pessimistic view, and
see Zimbabwe losing seven wickets in the final session to go down in a Test
match they could have won, then we unavoidably arrive at an overwhelming
positive: they have competed to the last, and deserve to be playing Test
cricket again. In their own funny way, Zimbabwe are back.

There were many times over the past five days when they could easily have
given up on themselves and folded. On day one New Zealand won a useful toss
and lost few wickets, but at no point were they allowed to score freely as
Zimbabwe showed intelligence in setting straight fields and bowling tightly,
a ploy which ultimately paid off as they limited the Kiwis to 426 when 526
looked more likely.

In their own first innings Zimbabwe fell to 198 for five with only debutants
and tail-enders to come, as opportunities were wasted, yet they recovered to
post a total that kept them in the game more than anyone would have
predicted at the time. They took early wickets in New Zealand's second
innings, and very nearly bowled them out despite the Black Caps reaching a
breezy 155 for three on the fourth afternoon.

Yet it was day five on which they lost the match but gained admirers, not
just for their continued refusal to lie down but also for their insistence
on pushing for the win. A draw would have looked a highly respectable result
in the record books, but Zimbabwe shunned mediocrity and won everyone's
respect in the process.

"There were a lot of nerves, but the guys carried on and kept trying to push
for the win, and that's why we're all very proud of each other," Brendan
Taylor said afterwards. "We could have shut up shop with an hour and a bit
left in the game but the guys were still fairly positive, so it was just a
good positive day today and the guys can hold their heads high."

Taylor will no doubt be accused by some for turning the game in New
Zealand's favour when he senselessly got out in the same fashion as he'd
earned a lucky reprieve before the tea break. Yet he only carries that
burden because he gets his team into match-winning situations in the first
place, and he can certainly find consolation in the words of Daniel Vettori.

"The innings that he played today would rival the innings that any of the
best batsmen in the world could play," Vettori told Cricket365. "We realised
what a special innings it was, and that's what put us on the back foot.
There aren't many guys in Test cricket who can play that well."

Taylor's dismissal to the second ball after tea would have put the shackles
on most other teams. But this new Zimbabwe team have shown that they have a
bit of attitude - most notably when they chased down 328 in the third
one-dayer - and even after Tatenda Taibu and Malcolm Waller had gone through
a cautious period it was clear that they weren't settling for the draw. When
Taibu and Regis Chakabva had been dismissed, they even sent in Njabulo Ncube
as something of a pinch hitter.

"It put us under pressure the whole time but in some ways it probably opened
the door for us as well," Vettori reflected. "I think if they'd shut up shop
on that wicket it would have been difficult, but good on them for trying. I
think everyone would have sat back and said that this was a great Test
match, to go into the final six overs, people want to see those sort of
matches."

If there is a concern it is that Zimbabwe will slide back into those old
habits from the '90s, and habits can be difficult to break. Victory here
could have broken the spell and provided the unwavering belief required to
win from similar positions in the future. But this is still an inexperienced
team who should get better with time. For now they can look back with pride
and enjoy the new supporters they gained on a great day for them, and for
Test cricket.


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Waiting for dead bodies

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Either the fact that cholera killed more than 4 000 Zimbabweans in 2008/9 is
simply not enough make the government to want to do something to prevent
another outbreak, or the administration is purposely and perversely
oblivious of the time bomb dangerously ticking away right under its nose.
04.11.1102:03pm
by Editor

How else can one explain the appalling fact that a mere 24 months since the
last cholera outbreak we face exactly the same awful conditions that led to
that deadly epidemic?

The chief source of cholera two years ago were the hand-dug wells in Harare’s
low-income suburbs that desperate residents resorted to for water as the
capital’s water supply system failed.

It is these same dig-it-yourself wells, which are unprotected and into which
sewage water seeps, that have in recent weeks become the main sources of
water for tens of thousands of households in poor townships.

In Harare, which was the epicenter of the last epidemic, as well as in other
cities and towns it has become normal to go with dry taps for days or even
weeks on end. The sight of women and children balancing buckets and other
types of containers on their heads trooping to the nearest open well, stream
or, if they are lucky, donor-sunk borehole, has become common sight in
Harare and other urban centres.

It is to state the obvious to say that the water supply systems in Zimbabwe’s
cities, especially Bulawayo and Harare, are so overburdened that they could
anytime collapse altogether.

Take for example the case of Harare, which because of its location in a
higher rainfall area is supposed to be in a better situation than Bulawayo.
The capital city requires 1 400 megalitres of water per day for its three
million residents. But by the city council’s own figures, it can only
process 650 megalitres - or less than half of what is required.

No one needs to be told that the collapse of service delivery in cities and
indeed across the entire country is because of the failed policies of
President Robert Mugabe and his previous governments.

But what everyone needs to know is whether this present government actually
needs to first count dead bodies from cholera before it can start doing
something to fix the broken water and sewer systems in our urban areas?

Well, if corpses are what shall move the government it looks like it won’t
be long before that happens.

All that is needed is one case of cholera infection – which you can bet will
come soon as the summer rains approach – and the backyard wells will come in
handy to ensure the killer disease spreads like a wildfire.


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A traumatized nation: RAU report

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

The wounds of the liberation struggle through to the Gukurahundi phase and
contemporary acts of violence and torture have seen Zimbabwe increasingly
becoming a traumatized nation, with large sections of the community
suffering from mental disorders.
04.11.1105:30pm
by Fungi Kwaramba

A report by the Research and Advocacy Unit released on Friday says at least
one in every 10 Zimbabweans suffers from a mental health disorder.

The research, in graphic and empirical terms, details the cases of violence
and torture in Zimbabwe, mainly drawing on statistics from the 2001-2009
period, but in some cases going back further.

“Zimbabweans have suffered during this period of complex emergency, when the
infrastructure of the country has collapsed around them,” said the report.

Damage to the psychological well-being of the population, according to the
report, is likely to have enduring effects on the populace as evidenced by
war veterans who participated in the 1970s war of liberation but are still
suffering mentally 31 years on after independence.

Government sponsored programmes such as Gukurahundi of the 1980 when a
estimated 20 000 people were killed by the government army and also
operation Murambatsvina which saw the displacement of close to a million
people have heightened mental suffering of many.

In addition, many thousands of Zimbabweans have been affected by torture and
organized violence. The prevailing situation, where national healing and
reconciliation is proving difficult to establish, has made it difficult to
collect accurate figures of people who are suffering from mental health
problems.

“The true scale of the problem will not be known until an enabling political
and legal infrastructure is in place to facilitate the research needed to
generate accurate figures. The most obvious effects are physical, seen in
illnesses and injuries, which may be short-lived, but also may lead to
long-term disability. However, the most persistent consequences will be
psychological, and especially if the trauma was deliberately inflicted, as
in torture,” said the report.

“There clearly are people who need individual treatment and provision has to
be made for this through development of mental health services within the
existing health system. At the same time, it is argued here that healing
interventions of quite a different kind, focusing on communities and the
social/political context, will constitute the majority of the work that
needs to be done.

“One small study, in Gwanda district, indicated that five adults in 10 over
the age of 18 were suffering from significant psychological disorders, with
over 90% of the sample reporting an experience with organized violence and
torture,” noted RAU.


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From Dictatorship to Democracy

Click here to read From Dictatorship to Democracy

From Dictatorship to Democracy was originally published in Bangkok
in 1993 by the Committee for the Restoration of Democracy in Burma
in association with Khit Pyaing (The New Era Journal). It has since
been translated into at least thirty-one other languages and has been
published in Serbia, Indonesia, and Thailand, among other countries.
This is the fourth United States Edition.


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Here we go again

Dear Family and Friends,
The searing heat and record breaking temperatures melting Zimbabwe in
late October were finally broken by rain a few days ago. Never have
thunder, lightning and mud been so welcome. There’s nothing quite so
delicious as walking out on a quiet dirt road early in the morning
after a night of noisy rain storms. It’s that time of day when yours
are the first footprints to mark the wet sand. The ground is soft and
springy underfoot, the air cool and clear and if you are lucky you may
see the tracks left by an animal of the night. It always comes as
something of a surprise the way a single rain storm awakens an
extravaganza of weird and wonderful beetles, spiders and insects.
Almost overnight they are back: Flying ants, Tsongololos, Sausage
Flies, Rhino beetles and giant moths the size of saucers.

As the sun lifts from the horizon its not long before the voices of
the crickets fall silent, to be replaced by the screeching of cicadas
as the day heats up. The reality of Zimbabwe is sitting in a heap at
the side of the road. There’s obviously been a burglary in the
neighbourhood during the night and the unwanted, discarded items are
lying in the wet grass: a black sun hat, an ornamental carved wooden
assegai with steel tips, a plumber’s rubber plunger and an
assortment of car parts. Walking a little further down the road the
day’s work has already started for two young men who are digging a
foundation for a new house. Damp soil thuds off shovels, their
laughter rings out in the quiet of the dawn; a raised hand is lifted
in greeting. A builder strides past carrying his spirit level; smiles
and greetings are exchanged. A school girl meanders along, a little
pink satchel on her back; she casts her eyes down and responds shyly
when you say good morning. The first vehicle approaches, it is an
early commuter minibus going towards the half built high density
housing complex nearby. They started building there after the
government’s Operation Murambatsvina (clear out the rubbish) of 2005
left 800,000 people homeless. Four workers wearing overalls emerge
from a gate, we chorus early morning greetings. A woman carrying a hoe
and a bag of seeds heads down to a roadside field; a man inspecting
his newly germinated maize crop lifts his hat and we exchange a few
words about the rain, the weather, the hope for his crop.

With encounters like these to illustrate the face of Zimbabwe at the
start of every new day, it’s hard to comprehend the turmoil that
engulfed the capital city this week. Apparently a choir member
complained that street vendors were selling pirated CD’s in central
Harare, right outside the building that houses the offices of the MDC.
Police arrived to arrest vendors who ran into the MDC headquarters.
Minutes later the police were firing teargas, first into the MDC
building and then at the large crowd of bystanders who had gathered to
watch. The independent papers had screaming headlines and frightening
pictures the next day. “Mayhem,” was the banner covering the front
of the Daily News with headlines: “Police turn city centre into
battlefield,” and “Teargas thrown on civilians.” NewsDay’s
front page screamed: “Hell Breaks Loose” and showed pictures of
riot police, men and women running and clouds of tear gas engulfing a
street in the centre of the Harare.

The next day Prime Minister Tsvangirai said Zimbabwe was retreating
into ‘siege mentality.’ He said political violence was on the
increase and that 800 cases had been reported in September. Talking
about the teargassing of MDC headquarters, the PM said police had
threatened bystanders, thrown teargas into crowds of people going
about their business and bought the capital to standstill. “The
police say they are for the law, for the people, for the country,’
the PM said, “but what we have witnessed is that they are anti law,
anti people and anti country.”

At the end of it all, looking at pictures of rows of helmeted riot
police in grey police trucks two thoughts were uppermost; the first
was ‘oh no, here we go again’ and the other was: ’goodbye
tourists.’ Until next time, thanks for reading, love cathy 5th
November 2011. Copyright � Cathy Buckle. www.cathybuckle.com

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