Zimbabwe PM: Don't recognize our 6 ambassadors

Associated Press

Oct 12, 1:11 PM EDT

By ANGUS SHAW
Associated Press Writer

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) -- More deep divisions emerged in Zimbabwe's shaky
coalition Tuesday as the prime minister asked the United Nations, European
Union and four nations not to recognize six ambassadors the president
appointed without consulting him.

But Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, despite his harshest criticism of
President Robert Mugabe' role in the coalition so far, insists he won't be
pulling out.

"I will not win every fight ... but I am committed to winning the war and
win we shall," he said in a review of the coalition woes circulated by his
party since the weekend.

"I urge my team at every level of government to serve the people ... not the
self anointed who seek to exploit the country."

He said he took a "leap of faith" in signing the coalition deal nearly two
years ago with longtime foe Mugabe and remained committed to seeing it
through.

"I believe in sticking to my word," he said.

The government's power-sharing deal requires coalition partners to agree on
all senior appointments. Tsvangirai's party said Tuesday the diplomatic
postings were made "illegally and unconstitutionally" and should not be
recognized.

Tsvangirai has asked Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and South Africa to reject
the diplomatic credentials of incoming ambassadors.

In another blow to the struggling coalition in the southern African nation,
Mugabe has unilaterally reappointed 10 provincial governors and five new
judges, Tsvangirai's party said.

The party said Tsvangirai wrote to Mugabe urging him to "return the country
to constitutional rule" under the February 2009 power sharing agreement
brokered by regional leaders. Tsvangirai also informed Chief Justice Godfrey
Chiyausiku that his group in the coalition did not accept as valid the posts
of the five new judges.

It was unclear whether that meant the former opposition would not cooperate
with Mugabe's appointees and their rulings or decisions.

In the coalition, Tsvangirai's colleagues have worked alongside Mugabe's
allies though they have been stripped of some of their powers under the
deal.

Tsvangirai controls about half the government ministries, excluding the top
strategic ministries of defense and police. His minister in the key finance
ministry has ended world record inflation and acute shortages of food,
gasoline and other basic goods.

Tsvangirai expressed his dismay and "utter disgust" after Mugabe told him at
their last regular meeting that he had reappointed his ZANU-PF party's 10
provincial governors.

According to the terms of the coalition constitution, Tsvangirai's party,
which won the most votes in violence-ridden parliamentary elections in 2008,
was slated to take over 5 of the governorships, Mugabe received four and a
small former opposition splinter group got one.

Tsvangirai said Mugabe repeatedly vowed to regional mediators he never
violated the nation's constitution.

"Sadly, he has done so not once, but time and time again," said Tsvangirai.

He said Zimbabwe faced a constitutional crisis and he would not "stand back
any longer and just allow Mugabe and ZANU-PF to defy the law, flaunt the
constitution and act as if they own this country."

He rejected "one man rule" and said his party would not recognize Mugabe
appointees that include the long-disputed posts of the governor of the
central bank and the chief law officer, and the attorney general, held by
Mugabe loyalists.

Mugabe blames the standoff on targeted Western economic sanctions against
him and his party elite and insists the coalition can make no further
progress until they are lifted.

"This is rank madness, and utterly nonsensical," Tsvangirai said. "Mugabe
and his colleagues brought these restrictive measures on themselves through
the flagrant abuses of human rights and the economic disaster they
inflicted" on Zimbabwe.
 

‘Illegally’ appointed governors avoid senate confrontation with MDC

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
12 October 2010

Ten provincial governors from ZANU PF, who were unilaterally appointed by
Robert Mugabe a week ago, did not attend Parliament on Tuesday to take up
their seats in the Senate. This comes as legislators from Prime Ministers
Morgan Tsvangirai’s party vowed not to recognize ‘strangers in the house.’

Chisipite Senator Obert Gutu from the MDC-T told SW Radio Africa; ‘Our
position is very clear, we don’t recognize the governors because we say they
were illegally and unconstitutionally appointed.’ Senator Gutu said the
power sharing deal made it clear executive authority lay in the President,
the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

Although other Senators from ZANU PF, the MDC-M and the MDC-T attended the
session it seemed the re-appointed provincial governors were reluctant to be
humiliated or heckled in parliament. ‘It was not a showdown as such. Our
stance is a principled one. We were not going to behave like renegades,’
Gutu told us.

‘If any of those purported governors were going to come to the Senate,
Honourable Morgan Komichi (MDC-T) was going to read out a statement asking
the President of the Senate to chuck them out because they would be
strangers in the house,’ Gutu added. The Senate has since been adjourned to
the 9th November.

Last month MDC-T legislators attending a two-day Pan African Parliament
workshop in Victoria Falls, walked out during an address by Matabeleland
North Governor Thokozile Mathuthu from ZANU PF. The MDC-T legislators, who
included Innocent Gonese, Editor Matamisa and Thabitha Khumalo, said they
did not recognize Mathuthu as her term of office expired in August this
year.

Last week a furious Tsvangirai addressed a press conference at which he
berated Mugabe for betraying him in attempts to implement the power sharing
accord. He vowed his party would not recognize the governors, ambassadors
and judges named by Mugabe, without any consultation with him as the Prime
Minister.
Tsvangirai has also advised the United Nations, the European Union, Italy,
Sweden, Switzerland and South Africa to reject the diplomatic credentials of
the ambassadors appointed by Mugabe.

South Africa to ‘engage’ Mugabe & Tsvangirai over latest spat

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
12 October 2010

The South African government says it first has to ‘engage’ the three
principals to the Global Political Agreement before it can comment on the
issue of Zimbabwe’s new ambassador to that country.

The new envoy to Pretoria, Phelekezela Mphoko, is one of six ambassadors
Mugabe appointed without consulting Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, which
is in clear violation of the GPA.

The MDC leader on Monday sent a letter to South African President Jacob Zuma
requesting him not to recognize Mphoko as the new ambassador to that
country.

Mphoko is taking over from long serving Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo, who is
now the national chairman of the former ruling party in Harare.

Tsvangirai’s request seems to have put Zuma in a difficult position as he is
the SADC mediator to the Zimbabwe crisis. Zuma’s three member facilitating
team has been involved in ongoing efforts to try and bridge the gap between
Mugabe and Tsvangirai.

The team, which comprises Charles Nqakula, Mac Maharaj and Lindiwe Zulu, has
so far failed to unlock the log-jam in which the ZANU PF party and the two
MDC formations are deadlocked over a number of contentious issues.

Zulu, the international relations advisor for Zuma, told SW Radio Africa on
Tuesday that they will only comment on Ambassador Mphoko’s position once
they meet the three principals to the GPA. In his letter to Zuma, Tsvangirai
said Mphoko’s appointment was illegal and goes against the GPA.

‘It’s unfortunate that we cannot comment on that issue until we engage the
principals. Only when we speak to them can we have a clearer picture to work
on, otherwise we are not saying anything at the moment,’ Zulu said.

The MDC also wants ambassadors sent to Brussels, Geneva, New York, Rome and
Stockholm not to be recognized by the host countries.

This latest crisis over power-sharing saw Tsvangirai strongly condemn Mugabe
over the appointments of ambassadors, judges and provincial governors
without consulting him, as he is supposed to under the power-sharing deal.

Global Zimbabwe Forum spokesman Luke Zunga said Mugabe is violating the GPA
deliberately, saying that he will not implement it until western nations
lift the travel ban and asset freeze imposed on his inner circle.

‘For what ever reasons, Mugabe has violated the GPA because he knows SADC
will back him to the hilt if he brings up the subject of sanctions.
Unfortunately for South Africa, they go along with this and now it’s
impossible see how they will be able to deal with this latest crisis because
they support Mugabe’s call to remove sanctions,’ Zunga said.

Political analyst Dr John Makumbe said the MDC-T’s decision not to recognize
officials unilaterally appointed by Mugabe is bound to cause all sorts of
problems for all the three political parties that constitute the inclusive
government.

‘We wait to see how the Finance Minister will relate to the Governor of the
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. There is likely to be what Americans call gridlock
in government. But the action is likely to send a powerful message to
Mugabe, that the time for kid gloves is over. The same message is also sent
to all Mugabe’s cronies in the GNU,’ Makumbe said.

Scepticism greets new diamond deposit discovery

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
12 October 2010

There has been a mixed reaction to news that three more large deposits of
diamonds have been discovered, with widespread scepticism that the find will
benefit Zimbabweans.

Early studies by the Mines Ministry indicate that there are at least three
significant diamond deposits, separate from the rich alluvial fields at
Chiadzwa, where rights abuses at the hands of the military have been
rampant. The new discoveries are said to be located in Binga, Tsholotsho and
in parts of Masvingo province along the road to South Africa. Mines Minister
Obert Mpofu told the state-controlled Sunday Mail newspaper that the
government is setting up a body called the Zimbabwe Minerals Exploration
Corporation, to hasten the pace of exploration in order to determine the
extent of the deposits. Candidates are now being considered to head the
proposed entity.

The wealth of the new discoveries is widely expected to be high, given the
extent of diamonds already being mined at Chiadzwa. But concern is now being
raised that the involvement of the government from the very beginning could
spell out more abuses. Some commentators have already voiced their concerns
saying that the discovery of new diamond deposits is not likely to benefit
ordinary Zimbabweans.

The government's take over of the Chiadzwa fields was marred by the death of
hundreds of illegal panners, and the brutal military control of the field
has continued ever since. The government made assurances that all abuses
would end, and eventually came to an agreement with the international trade
watchdog, the Kimberley Process, that saw diamonds sales from Chiadzwa
resume.

But reliable sources, who have recently visited the Chiadzwa area, have told
SW Radio Africa that absolutely nothing has changed. The source said that
"rampant and systematic abuses are still occurring," with multiple cases of
violence at the hands of the military. The military is also said to be
behind widespread smuggling syndicates that are responsible for millions of
dollars worth of diamond leaving the country illegally. The source said:
"This is just scratching the surface of what is still happening there."

Dewa Mavhinga from the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition told SW Radio Africa on
Tuesday that lack of political will is essentially the only thing preventing
the proper management of the country's rich mineral resources.
"The problem is not that the rules are not there, the problem is there is no
implementation of the rules," Mavhinga said. "Until we see this, then
Zimbabweans won't benefit from the mineral wealth of the country."

MDC-M Rocked By Power Struggles

http://news.radiovop.com

12/10/2010 16:30:00

Harare, October 12, 2010 - The Movement for Democratic Change party led by
Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara has accused the party's Secretary
General Welshman Ncube and senior official Priscilla Misihairabwi of
conniving to usurp power.

The party accused the two officials of going around the country changing the
party structures by conducting secret provincial elections without the
knowledge of the party's national structures.

"The National Chairperson of the MDC Women's Assembly and the National
Organising Secretary of the same wish to categorically distance themselves
from the unprocedural and unconstitutional actions of Welshman Ncube and
Priscilla Misihairabwi in circumventing the National Women's Assembly
structure," said the party in a statement.

The two are said to have organised a provincial meeting in Chitungwiza at
the weekend where they went on to organise a meeting of the Chitungwiza
Provincial Women's Assembly despite that the entire elected leadership was
absent.

The Vice Chair a Ms Mutenga and the Deputy Information and Publicity
Secretary a Ms Monera were said to have attended the meeting.

The party said the meetings were null and void because they were held
without following the party's procedures of convening such meetings.

The two officials who are Ministers of Industry and Commerce and Regional
Intergration and International Cooperation, were also said to have failed to
give notices of meetings in violation of the party's constitution.

The two were accused of conducting yet another unconstitutional meeting in
Bulawayo which saw the election of the Bulawayo Province Youth Assembly.

"We are surprised that being a constitutional lawyer, the Secretary General
should exhibit such poor governance as to violate the party constitution
left, right and centre," said the party in a statement.

Ncube has been accused of trying to topple Mutambara and take over the
leadership of the party. He is said to have declared that he would want to
take a shot at the presidency in the country's next general elections.
 

Zim Finance Minister Drags Notorious Police Officers To Court

http://news.radiovop.com

12/10/2010 10:19:00

Harare, October 12, 2010 - Finance Minister Tendai Biti has dragged two
policemen notorious for torturing political and human rights activists to
court.

Biti, who serves as secretary-general in Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has taken Chief Superintendent
Chrispen Makedenge, the Officer Commanding CID Law and Order Section at
Harare Central Police Station and Assistant Commissioner Matema to the
Supreme Court, where he is challenging his long drawn out incarceration in
filthy cells for allegedly committing treason.

Biti, the MDC chief negotiator in inter-party talks, was arrested and
detained by Makedenge and Matema in June 2008 on treason charges and
communicating falsehoods prejudicial to the state, soon after his return
from South Africa.

The treason charge emanated from a document he allegedly authored entitled
"The Transition Strategy", while the other charge was about statements he
allegedly made after the March 29 harmonised elections in which MDC leader
Tsvangirai shocked President Robert Mugabe by defeating him in an election.

Although the charges were later dropped by the state after his appointment
as Finance Minister in a shaky a coalition government of Mugabe and
Tsvangirai, Biti wants the Supreme Court to annual High Court Judge Samuel
Kudya's judgment which declared Biti's prolonged detention as lawful.

Supreme Court Judges Justice Vernanda Ziyambi, Paddington Garwe and Misheck
Cheda will preside over Biti's appeal.

Kudya declared as lawful Makedenge and Matema's detention of Biti after the
lawyer-turned politician challenged the validity of his detention for five
days instead of being brought to court as stipulated in his warrant of
arrest which the notorious policemen relied upon to detain him.

Human rights groups say although the Supreme Court's consideration of Biti's
appeal, which has been set for hearing on Monday will be academic, its
exposes the slow pace of the country's justice delivery system.

"It however serves to highlight the slow nature of Zimbabwe's justice
delivery system, and how authorities can potentially escape liability for
abuses of fundamental rights because cases take too long to be heard and
finalised," said Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), an influential
rights group, which strives to foster a culture of human rights in Zimbabwe.

Makedenge and Matema have over the past decades been fingered in many cases
of abuse, harassment, arrest and torture of political and human rights
activists.

Early this year Makedenge forced freelance journalist Stanley Kwenda to go
into exile after he threatened him over a story which he alleged the
journalist had authored exposing his private life. More than a dozen victims
of state sponsored enforced disappearance are suing Makedenge for torturing
them during the period they were held incommunicado.
 

Govt bureaucracy grinds business down- Prof Ncube

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Ray Matikinye
Tuesday, 12 October 2010 16:26

BULAWAYO - Zimbabwe risks becoming a country of petty traders instead of
competitive manufacturers unless it resolves some of its political
differences to attract investors with policy assurances that guarantee
security of their investment, Industry and Commerce Minister, Professor
Welshman Ncube, has said.

Ncube said all the three parties in the government of national unity (GNU)
agree on economic policies and  are keen to revive the economy to levels it
had attained before the onset of decline in the mid-1990's.

"We are fundamentally agreed and there is consensus, but we should resolve
political differences to attract investors. We could have done better to
mobilize finance needed to revive the economy but governments, by their very
nature, are bureaucratic. Our inability has been compounded threefold by
disagreements in the government," Ncube told businessmen in Bulawayo.

Since the inception of the GNU, he said, 19 companies in the clothing and
textile industry have closed as did 63 in the motor and allied industries,
while three construction companies collapsed.

"Many more are operating at severely reduced capacity utilisation with food
and beverage industries operating at 30 percent and the wood and wood
products at 10 percent," he said.

The minister attributed the reduced capacity experienced by industries, to
lack of liquidity and the absence of affordable long-term finance which he
said was acute particularly in Bulawayo.

"These are challenges found throughout the economy simply because the centre
of financial services is in Harare. Financiers behave as if Harare was the
whole of Zimbabwe when it came to lending. This problem is acute in
Bulawayo," Ncube noted.

But he said liquidity problems had also been compounded by bureaucratic
dilly-dallying in adopting the South African rand as the official currency
to improve liquidity as well as decisions to funnel money from the World
Bank special drawing rights (SDRs) to public infrastructure other than
directing it into industry and business.

"Half of the $200 million provided would have done wonders if it had been
put into business other than public infrastructure as was the case," Ncube
said.

Ncube blamed the closure of some industries to rigidity in the labour market
and attitude among some entrepreneurs that opt to liquidate than downsize
and re-emerge later when conditions have improved "because of labour laws
and unwillingness by both labour and employers to defer gratification".

"We risk becoming a country to retailers and petty traders instead of
manufacturers. Changing this depends on whether we can increase our capacity
utilization because at the moment 80 percent of products on the market are
imported," the minister said.

Government is working on a comprehensive industrial and trade policy with
support from the European Union that will look at each sector region by
region to see what interventions are necessary to get the economy
functioning at robust levels. The policy document should be ready by the end
of this year.

Ncube said the trade policy would interrogate all Zimbabwe's trade
agreements  with bodies such as COMESA, SADC, those  under the Cotonou
Agreement and the obligations that bind the country's trade with the World
Trade Organisation in order to avoid the risk of coming up with trade
practices likely to cause retaliation from trading partners.

Students plan indefinite class boycott demanding ‘fresh start’

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
12 October 2010

The President of the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU), Obert
Masaraure, has told SW Radio Africa that students countrywide will begin an
indefinite class boycott on Monday next week, demanding a ‘fresh start’ in
the education sector.

Masaraure said; ‘The current state of education is abnormal and yet everyone
is trying to normalize an abnormal situation.’ He said their union is
pushing for a ‘mass class boycott’ which will be complemented by several
‘street protests’. Asked if they did not fear victimization he said; ‘This
generation is now used to victimization, we have lost a lot and this is our
time to gain.’

Among the demands in the ‘FRESH START’ campaign is the re-instatement of all
students who were expelled, suspended or who dropped out due to problems
paying tuition fees. They want government to re-introduce student loan and
grant schemes and to cancel all tuition fee debts incurred by students.
Masaraure also said they wanted all colleges in the country to release exam
results for students who have failed to pay the exorbitant tuition fees. He
said they will also demand the opening of halls of residence at the
University of Zimbabwe and other tertiary institutions in the country.

Although ZINASU has for the past few years been crippled by infighting which
has seen the emergence of two factions, Masaraure vowed they would ‘up the
tempo using different methods until the government of the day comes to the
negotiating table.’ They have set January 2011 as the deadline by which
their demands should be met and they have threatened to not let up the
pressure to ensure the deadline is met.

Meanwhile two students arrested two weeks ago in Bulawayo remain locked up
in remand prison. Archford Mudzengi and Samson Nxumalo were accused of
violating their bail conditions set in 2008 following an NCA demonstration.
Masaraure told us the students, one of whom stays in Hwange, did not have
transport money to keep traveling to the designated police station.

They will next appear in court on the 16th October.

Mabhena family gets death threats after rebuffing ZANU PF

http://www.swradioafrica.com

by Irene Madongo
12 October 2010 2010

The younger brother of the recently deceased Welshman Mabhena says he has
started getting death threats after the family rejected ZANU PF's offer to
bury Mabhena at Heroes Acre.

Former ZAPU stalwart Welshman Mabhena died last Tuesday from an undisclosed
illness. A family spokesperson said that he had developed serious health
problems with high blood pressure and diabetes, after he was detained and
tortured by ZANU PF, soon after independence. He had stated that in the
event of his death he did not want to be buried at National Heroes Acre,
which he regarded as a ZANU PF shrine full of crooks.

But following his death ZANU PF sent a high-powered delegation to negotiate
with family members to have Mabhena buried in Harare at the Heroes Acre. The
delegation, which included Vice President John Nkomo, was turned away and
told that the funeral would take place on Saturday at Lady Stanley cemetery
instead.

Welshman's brother, Norman Mabhena, told SW Radio Africa that he is now
starting to get death threats over the phone and thinks ZANU PF or the
Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) are behind it.

On Tuesday he got such a call. "The caller said 'What you did to snub Mugabe's
offer for Mabhena to be buried at Hero's Acre - you think you are so
special. I want to tell you that what you did was not proper. If we say a
hero is going to be buried at Heroes Acre, he must be buried at Heroes
 Acre."

Norman also got another threatening call on Monday, where the caller
expressed resentment that the ZANU PF leaders who attended the funeral on
Saturday, were not introduced before the Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

"Yesterday someone asked if I was Norman Mabhena, and I said 'yes', and he
said 'Who do you think you are? We thought you were one of us. Let me warn
you that you are playing with fire and you are going to see what will happen
to you. Why did you disgrace our leadership? You didn't introduce our
leaders. Our leaders were only introduced when Tsvangirai appeared. If he
had not appeared you were not going to introduce our leaders," Norman said.

When asked who he thought was behind the threats Mabhena explained: "This is
a police state, it is full of crooks. It could be ZANU PF or the CIOs or
both."

Norman Mabhena is the MDC's Secretary for Reconciliation, Integration and
National Healing.

Our correspondent Lionel Saungweme attended the funeral at Bulawayo's Lady
Stanley cemetery on Saturday and said most of the proceedings were handled
by the Mabhena family. "This was not a political event, and that's why all
the leaders were introduced at the same time. The ZANU PF leaders were
introduced when Tsvangirai appeared."

"When it came to lowering the casket, the chaplain gave the opportunity for
John Nkomo to speak. It is not like Mabhena refused ZANU PF to speak. Even
the Prime Minister or ZAPU's Dumiso Dabengwa did not get an opportunity to
speak. What ZANU PF would have wanted is for the body of Welshman to be
taken to Harare, and then lambast the MDC, but the Mabhena family were
against that," Saungweme said.

MDC official dies from car crash injuries

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
12 October 2010

Another MDC official, who sustained serious injuries in the car crash that
claimed the lives of three party officials last month, has died.

Connie Taruvinga died Tuesday at Parirenyatwa hospital, exactly a month
after she was injured in the accident along the Gokwe-KweKwe highway in the
Midlands province. She was the St Mary's Organising Secretary. A statement
from the party said she would be buried at the Warren Hills cemetery on
Wednesday.

Three other Chitungwiza based MDC-T officials died on the 11th September, on
their way back from the MDC 11th anniversary celebrations that were held at
Gokwe Centre. Those who died at the scene of the crash were Alex Magunda the
district chairperson for St Mary's, Loveless Sango the vice chairperson of
the district and Innocent Muzuva, the secretary for ward 1.

Last week Anna Mubaiwa who was also injured in the same accident died after
failing to recover from her injuries. Taruvinga becomes the fifth person
from the MDC-T to die from the crash.
 

One Million Zim Children Orphaned By Aids

http://news.radiovop.com/

12/10/2010 12:27:00

Harare, October 12, 2010 - Over one million children have been orphaned by
the HIV and AIDS pandemic, the National Aids Council (NAC) has said.

Presenting a report on the current HIV/AIDS situation, NAC Chief Executive
Officer Tapiwa Magure, said Matebeleland South topped as the province with
the highest prevalence rate of 21.6 percent.

The HIV/Aids prevalence rates for the other nine provinces are Manicaland
20.2 %, Masvingo 19.7%, Midlands 16.3%, Bulawayo 14.1%, Harare 12.2 %,
Matebeleland North 17.4 %, Mashonaland East 13.7 %, Mashonaland West 16.7 %
and Mashonaland Central 12.9 %.

"Orphans due to AIDS are estimated at 1000 000," Tapiwa Magure, said.

The Zimbabwe National Aids Council receives funding from government through
the Aids levy introduced years ago but says funding has been a major problem
over the years especially when the country was still using the Zimbabwe
dollar.

However, last year when the country introduced the US dollar and other hard
currencies the organisation managed to get US$ 5 million dollars while this
year they are expecting to get US 15 million dollars.

NAC which receives its funding from international donor organisations has
been dwindling due to the global financial crisis that hit developed nations
last year.

"International financial crunch has resulted in limited funding towards
HIV/AIDS," Magure said.

Magure currently 315 617 people are receiving anti-retroviral drugs while
close to 600 000 people are in urgent need of the life saving drugs
according to the new World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.

WHO said all the people living with HIV and Aids with a CD4 count of below
350 must be on the anti-retroviral treatment.

Zimbabwe has seen a decline of HIV prevalence rate over the last from 15.6 %
in 2007 to 14.2 % in 2009, a decline attributed to behavioral change and
awareness campaigns.
 

Journalist Edwin Dube dies in car crash

http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com/

12th Oct 2010 17:52 GMT

By a Correspondent

THE Zimbabwean journalism fraternity had been thrown into mourning once
again after being robbed of a fine journalist, Edwin Dube, in another road
accident.

Today the fraternity woke up to the sad news that Dube, the deputy editor of
the Zimbabwe Independent, had died in a car crash.

Dube, 37, was killed in a traffic accident in Gweru on the evening of 11
October 2010. He was driving from Bulawayo to Harare when the accident
happened.

MISA-Zimbabwe, which sent out one of the first statements on his death,
could not immediately ascertain what exactly transpired as details of the
accident were still sketchy. Funeral arrangements were still to be
announced.

He is survived by his wife and three children.

Writing to inform friends and colleagues of Dube's death, Brilliant Mhlanga
said: This is a serious loss and blow to the Journalism fraternity. For most
of us who knew him at personal level and were close it is a great loss. Once
again, we have been robbed of a very special part of our lives; a brother, a
friend and colleague. This, indeed, is the greatest form of robbery by
death."

He continued: "For some of us who taught him in the Department of Journalism
and Media Studies at NUST, we will remember him not only as a student, but a
brother and comrade. We will remember him as a sensible man who was also
very commited to journalism in Zimbabwe. Even during the peak of the crisis
he was among the few at Zimpapers who kept their heads above water."

"The earth never gets fat by continuously receiving our loved ones," said
Mhlanga. "Honestly, if it did, we would not be in so much of sorrow all the
time."

Meanwhile Dube's Facebook page was filled with loving and sorrowful messages
from his friends, family, workmates and colleagues. All testifying about the
great journalist, father, businessman and leader who loved his profession
and was fearless in his fight and quest for truth.

Peace Watch 10/2010 of 10th October [September Monthly Roundup]

PEACE WATCH 10/2010

[10th October 2010]

Monthly Roundup

Once a month Peace Watch will be sending out a summary of events and issues of interest to peace workers highlighting reports of political violence, reports on Zimbabwe that have been launched, examples of peace initiatives from Zimbabwe and from other countries, training, workshops and other peace-related news.  Information sources are given and where full reports can be obtained.

Constitution Related Violence

Reports from ZZZICOMP [the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, the Zimbabwe Peace Project and Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights joint Constitution Monitoring Project] which has accredited observers attending the constitution-making process outreach meetings: 

August Country-Wide Report  [Note the ZZZICOMP reports are a month in arrears – in our August Roundup we gave highlights of their July reports].  The report records an increasing number of incidents of violence or intimidation during the outreach consultations.  The following is a brief extract from the report:  “in rural communities, outreach violations remain systematically organized and are committed through an array of strategies. The month under review recorded an outreach violation toll of 2359, pointing to an increase from the 1555 that were recorded in July. Of the August record, 30% [699] were coaching incidents, 27% [643] political interference, 32% [547] freedom of speech violations, 20% [461] harassment and 0.3% [9] violence.”

Harare/Bulawayo Report states that while constitution outreach consultations in Bulawayo went ahead as planned under relatively peaceful and inclusive circumstances, though with a few isolated incidents, those in Harare had to be abandoned midstream because of deep-seated inter-party violence. The nature of violations swung from subtle to extreme forms of violence, culminating with the death of Crispen Mandizvidza.  A total of 307 outreach violations were recorded in Harare and Bulawayo during the period under review with an incident spread of 78 cases of coaching, 77 of political interference, 72 of harassment and 8 of violence. Politically motivated violence, intimidation, verbal threats, racial intolerance, assaults, fistfights, whistling and booing of participants presenting different views, bussing-in of participants, among other things, characterized outreach consultations, with Mbare, Budiriro, Greystone Park and Dvivarasekwa as lead hotbeds of politically motivated violence. A politically electric atmosphere prevailed at almost all outreach meetings.  

[Complete reports available from: zzzicomp@gmail.com]

Further Reports

Mbare resident dies after assault during the constitution-making process: Crispen Mandizvidza, a Mbare resident, died after he was assaulted during the Harare constitution-making process. Mandizvidza died as a result of complications from the ruptured bowel he sustained after being assaulted on the abdomen with blunt weapons. Mandizvidza was one of 11 Mbare residents and MDC supporters who were assaulted by ZANU PF youths, supporters and some uniformed members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police [ZRP] on September 19 after attending a Constitutional Parliamentary Select Committee [COPAC] meeting at Mai Musodzi Hall in Mbare. The meeting was aborted after violence broke out.

In Kadoma: COPAC team leader and Bindura South Member of Parliament Bednock Nyaude was assaulted beginning of September by a COPAC rapporteur

The Mudzi community voiced grave concerns in connection with the constitution-making process, with high levels of coaching and intimidation of citizens by ZANU PF in the area. It was reported that villagers were divided into 17 groups based on the thematic areas and furnished with answers to different talking points by leaders of the political party. It was further alleged that once a week, meetings are convened where villagers are threatened with unspecified action if they fail to give ‘appropriate’ responses.  [Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition]

Manicaland: Blessing Matake, the MDC Organising Secretary for Buhera South district, was abducted by four armed and unidentified men at Birchenough Bridge business centre on September 22 ahead of the COPAC meetings in Buhera South. This was after the cancellation of 39 COPAC meetings in Manicaland in September because of violence being perpetrated by Zanu (PF) supporters and war veterans  [5 in Makoni, 11 in Chipinge, 7 in Nyanga, 9 in Makoni South, 4 in Headlands, 2 in Makoni Central and 1 in Makoni West.] Muchauraya the MDC- T MP for Makoni South claimed all disturbances were reported to the police but nothing had been done and no one had been arrested. Instead of the police arresting the perpetrators of the violence, they arrested the injured MDC members. Where ZANU PF supporters are outnumbered at outreach meetings, their representatives on outreach teams now resort to boycotting the meetings, forcing an abandonment of the proceedings. [http://www.swradioafrica.com]

Women Arrested During Peace March

WOZA members arrested: 600 members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe marched to Parliament in Harare to mark International Peace Day. The aim of the peaceful protest was to highlight community safety issues and police behaviour in communities. 25 members were arrested at Parliament and taken to Harare Central Police Station. 59 more handed themselves in, in solidarity with their arrested comrades. It took over 48 hours for them to be released, after they had been refused permission to receive food and one of them had been heavily assaulted.

Violence on Farms and against Farm workers

BIPPA protected farm burned: Catherine Jouineau-Meredith's Twyford Farm was burned mid September.  The alleged perpetrator, a Senator, is also alleged to have led violent attacks on the property since last year.  As a French citizen Jouineau-Meredith is meant to be protected by a bilateral investment protection agreement signed between France and Zimbabwe.  But this BIPPA, like others meant to protect foreign-owned land in Zimbabwe, has been completely ignored. Jouineau-Meredith also has a High Court order from 2007 recognising her rights to the farm.

General Agriculture and Plantation Workers Union of Zimbabwe [GAPWUZ] reported that a team they sent to hand over mealie-meal and other food to 180 former farm workers, who were rendered jobless after the farm they worked on was taken over last year, were forcibly  prevented from doing so by the new farm owner’s guards

Other Incidents of Concern

Chiadzwa villagers being harassed by soldiers and relocated:  Since government declared Chiadzwa a protected zone, dozens of families have since been relocated to Odzi's Transau Farm against their wish.  Currently 44 Families are resisting relocation, demanding full compensation for their properties first.  They are also complaining the soldiers in the area have stopped public transport from operating near Chiadzwa so villagers are being forced to disembark from buses and walk long distances of up to 20km to their homes.  Manicaland provincial administrator Fungai Mbetsa said the government was still trying to negotiate in good faith, but villagers are unhappy with the promise that full compensation would only be paid when they are at permanent structures; for now they would be paid US$1 500 disturbance allowances.  betsa said it was improper to pay for compensation now when the families are not yet properly settled since Arda Transau Farm in Odzi is only a provisional settlement.  At least 12 families initially settled at Arda Transau Farm complain of inadequate housing for their families.  The families also want the issue of farming land resolved promptly so they can begin land preparation ahead of the rainy season.

Jamming of short wave broadcasts from SW Radio Africa:  Using a heavy noise like a slow playing record, some of our programming and news bulletins have been drowned out.”  [http://www.swradioafrica.com]

Zimbabwe war veterans national chairman Jabulani Sibanda intidmidating Zaka people:  Sibanda is reported to be conducting rallies warning villagers that he was "sent to warn all sell-outs in the area that Zanu (PF) is ready to kill them if they fail to join his party before campaigns for next elections has begun”. [http://news.radiovop.com]

Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa’s statement on the Human Rights Commission:  The Minister has said that a Bill is being drafted to flesh out the bare bones of the Constitution’s provision for the new Human Right Rights Commission.  He has said the Commission will not investigate human rights violations that were committed before the formation of the inclusive government.  This has disturbed many Zimbabweans who hoped that the Commission would be tackling such issues elections violence over the last ten years, Murambatsvina and, going further back, the Gukurahundi.

Genocide Watch Statement on Zimbabwe

The Gukurahundi massacres that saw tens of thousands of innocent Zimbabweans killed in the mid eighties, have been classified as genocide by the internationally recognized group Genocide Watch.  [For full statement email genocidewatch@aol.com or visit www.genocidewatch.org]

Training, Workshops and Conferences

Gender and Conflict transformation:  11 Oct - 5 Nov 2010. The aim of the course is to empower women to become key agents in conflict transformation. Specific aims of the course are: develop strategies to overcome gender specific barriers in conflict transformation, provide inspiring examples, share experiences, and connect the local and international level.

[For more details: http://www.netuni.nl/demos/genderconflict/index.html].

Human Rights-based development learning program:  1-10 December 2010 in Malaysia. The programme will take participants on a ten day intensive but enjoyable learning journey that will equip the participants with knowledge of the key elements of human rights-based development, and enhance skills for its practical application. Participants will see the link between human rights and development, and become more committed to the work ahead to achieve the unified human rights and development vision of human dignity for all.
 [http://www.dignityinternational.org/dgi/news.php]

Expert Training Programme on Peace Building, Conflict Transformation and Post-War Recovery and Reconciliation:  1 – 5 November, 2010 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. PCTR provides a global policy and operational overview of the latest lessons learned, tools, and methods in peacebuilding, conflict transformation and post-war stabilization and recovery, bringing together experienced practitioners and policy makers from governments, the United Nations, EU, national and international organisations and agencies.

[For more information   visit www.patrir.ro/training]

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Remarkable Rock: The Great Dyke of Zimbabwe