http://www.dailynews.co.zw
By Staff Writer
Sunday, 18 September
2011 15:00
HARARE - President Robert Mugabe is unable to act on top
Zanu PF officials
and aides implicated in the Wikileaks scandal since he
“commissioned” some
of the clandestine meetings with American
envoys.
Although Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi was the first to
claim that the
octogenarian leader knew of his engagements with Western
representatives,
information at hand shows that people like Gideon Gono had
been involved in
“shuttle diplomacy” since six years ago to undo restrictive
measures on the
regime and other sanctions-busting initiatives.
“As
you know, politics has a funny way of operating. What is good for Mugabe
today (when he dispatched some of these guys on below–the–radar missions to
engage the West on normalising relations) can be extremely unpalatable for
the same party simply because the issues have been aired in public now,” a
source said last week.
“Despite the fact that some of these
encounters and discussions were held
outside the purview of the Foreign
Affairs ministry, they were run through
the old man and pretty much part of
multilateral efforts to engage with
the West, and key political
constituencies. In the end, some of these
engagements culminated in official
engagements between Harare and the
respective global capitals,” they
said.
Analysts said Mugabe’s paralysis and quandary partly explains why
the likes
of political turncoat and chief Zanu PF advisor Jonathan Moyo –
one of those
implicated in the saga – have been hard-nosed about the secret
meetings, and
unofficial engagements.
Apart from Gono, Moyo and
Mzembi, those also embroiled in the Washington
“intelligence debacle”
include Defence Minister and Zanu PF stalwart
Emmerson Mnangagwa, Vice
President Joice Mujuru and several other bigwigs.
While the issue is
likely to put a strain between Mugabe and a coterie of
his trusted
lieutenants due to intense lobbying for a Tsholotsho-type
cleansing or purge
of the party by some hardline politicians, individuals
like Gono exploited
their commercial and social ties to save the embattled
Zimbabwean
government, and which network was built since 2005.
Gono dropped hints
about these “behind-the-scenes manoeuvres” in his
hurriedly written
Zimbabwe’s Casino Economy biography in 2008 when he
claimed American
diplomats had tried to entice him with top World Bank jobs.
Analysts say
Mugabe was his own enemy in the Wikileaks debate not only
because he had
okayed some of these clandestine ‘foreign policy missions’,
but also due to
the fact that he had overstayed his welcome at the helm of
Zanu PF and
government, which affected national cohesion and manifesting
itself through
virulent sentiment.
“As much as the cables have provided fodder for
political skulduggery and
elimination in Zanu PF’s murky politics, they were
also full of
generalisations and the usual name-dropping for self-interest
by those
involved. When you look at the likes of Gono, for instance, he lost
a
fortune when his flower business was affected by a European and western
embargo, so the re-engagement process might have been motivated by
commercial gain,” one commentator said.
Didymus Mutasa, the party’s
secretary for administration, is among those
calling for widespread censure
and punishment of people cavorting with the
“enemy”.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw/
By Chengetai Zvauya, Senior Writer
Sunday, 18
September 2011 14:59
HARARE - President Robert Mugabe will
temporarily benefit from the recent
exposures by whistle blower website,
WikiLeaks as the implicated senior Zanu
PF officials are unsettled by the
exposures and will increase their
bootlicking to appease the 87-year-old
leader.
Zanu PF “sell-outs” met and told US diplomats that they
wanted Mugabe to go
but the veteran leader’s silence over the issue has
increased shivers down
the spines of the officials who are wondering how he
will react.
Mugabe, on the other hand, has emerged a life saver as
loyalists such as
party secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa bay for
the blood of the
“sell-outs.”
Mutasa recently told the Daily News
that sell-outs exposed by WikiLeaks as
having discussed with US diplomats
ways of ousting Mugabe should face the
music.
Faction leaders Vice
President Joice Mujuru and rival succession contender
Emmerson Mnangagwa are
both implicated by the WikiLeaks as having plotted
Zanu PF leadership
renewal and Mugabe’s ouster with US diplomats.
“Party members who are
linked to the Mujuru faction have been implicated in
the cables and the same
applies to some politburo members in the Mnangagwa
camp.
This has
been a heavy blow to these camps and they no longer have the
capacity to
challenge the leadership of Mugabe,” said a close source within
Zanu
PF.
The source said the Mugabe loyalists and opportunists were closing
ranks
against those exposed by WikiLeaks as being against the 87-year-old
strongman.
“They are all at Mugabe’s mercy,” said a
source.
“They have a major task at hand to gain the favour and trust of
the
president again after having been mentioned in the cables betraying
him.
“Mugabe has not commented on the WikiLeaks as he is calculating his
moves on
what to do next. We know that at our conference in Bulawayo (in
December) we
can expect a lot of fireworks.
The WikiLeaks issue has
strengthened Mugabe within Zanu PF because all the
factions who were
thinking of challenging him will not have the stamina to
do so,” said the
source.
On Wednesday, Mugabe came face to face with the “sell-outs” for
the first
time since the exposures in a politburo meeting. He, however,
chose to
sidestep the matter, leaving the sell-outs guessing on their
future.
Author and University of Zimbabwe lecturer, Professor Rudo
Gaidzanwa, said
Mugabe was not likely comment on the hot issue until the
conference for
diplomatic reasons as doing so now will fragment the already
weakened party.
“Mugabe will not likely comment on this issue until the
December
conference,” said Gaidzanwa.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
By Xolisani Ncube, Staff Writer
Sunday, 18 September 2011
14:24
HARARE - Zimbabwe Election Support Network (Zesn) says the
Zimbabwe
Electoral Commission (Zec) is the right body to administer the
voter’s roll
as this enables the elections management body to effectively
run elections
without doctoring the roll.
Zesn, which is the
country’s largest independent election watchdog, said in
a statement this
week the safe-keep and management of the voter rolls should
be left with Zec
as it was the one constitutionally mandated to run
elections in the
country.
Currently, the voters roll is being kept and updated by the
Registrar
General’s office which has in the past been accused of failing to
provide a
credible voter’s roll.
“The Registrar General’s office does
not have a good record in keeping a
clean, accurate and up to date voter’s
roll,” said Zesn.
“There is no reasonable justification as to why the
Registrar General should
be involved in compiling the voter’s
roll.
“Zec was created specifically to take up the role of chief
elections body
and is constitutionally mandated to manage the conduct of
elections,” Zesn
said.
During the previous elections, the Registrar
General Tobaiwa Mudede was
views with suspicion by civil societies and
opposition parties who accused
him of failing to keep a clean voter’s
roll.
They suspect that the current roll contains names of dead
people.
“As the body responsible for elections, Zec should be given due
recognition
by taking up the sole and exclusive ownership of the voter’s
roll, including
its compilation,” said Zesn.
http://www.monstersandcritics.com
Sep 18, 2011,
13:27 GMT
Harare - Health fears were on the rise in Zimbabwe as poachers
began
poisoning water holes in many of the country's biggest game-parks,
killing
dozens of animals, reports said Sunday.
Caroline
Washaya-Mayo, a spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife
Manaagement
Authority, was quoted by the Sunday Mail newspaper as saying
that waterholes
have been contaminated with the unidentified poison at the
Gonarezhou, Mana
Pools, Zambezi, Charara and Matsudona national parks.
'This is the only
time we have had cases of poaching involving chemicals,'
Washaya-Mayo said,
adding that poachers are using different techniques which
are silent and do
not raise suspicion.
Nine elephants, five lions, two buffaloes and
several vultures are among the
animals known to have died after drinking the
water.
Authorities are concerned that the health of nearby villages may
be at risk
if residents accidentally drink the contaminated water and urged
game
rangers patrolling the areas to carry their own water.
In July,
a local conservation group accused Chinese miners of using poisoned
bread to
kill a herd of elephants in the Zambezi Valley. Poisoned cabbage
leaves were
reportedly used to kill rhinos in south-eastern Zimbabwe last
year.
Authorities in once game-rich Zimbabwe have recently stepped up
their fight
against poachers, killing three suspected rhino poachers in the
Chipangayi
Safari area, south-east of the country, on Tuesday.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
Zimbabwe’s capital city is too expensive, say
foreign business people and
diplomats.
16.09.1109:36am
by Ngoni
Chanakira Harare
In an interview at the Zimbabwe Mining Indaba, a
senior official from the
South African Chamber of Mines said: "Last night we
went to the Rainbow
Towers Hotel in Harare and paid 2 000 South African
Rands for a meal for
only four people – not including drinks." He said in
South Africa the same
meal would have cost only 200 South African
Rands.
The Second Secretary in the Japanese Embassy, Masa Iida said:
"Your country
is very expensive indeed. In Japan food is very cheap. You
would need about
$4 for lunch there, whereas here you would need about $25
per person which,
is very expensive."
Harare was last month voted
among the most "unliveable cities in the world"
by an international tourism
firm.
However, some businessmen dispute this saying it must be “the work
Americans
who want to denigrate the country all the time because they hate
President
Robert Mugabe and his Zanu (PF) political party”.
"You
can't compare Harare to Johannesburg, for example, where they kill each
other almost everyday. Harare is expensive but is very liveable," said one
local businessman at the Indaba.
"How can you have such very high
prices when you are trying to court
investment?" asked another
businessman.
"Instead of bringing in much-needed investment you are,
instead, chasing it
away. Many people here cannot wait to go back to South
Africa because the
prices in Harare are very high."
Zimbabwe's
inflation currently stands at about three percent and is the
lowest in the
region, down from a record high of more than 231 million
percent in 2008.
http://www.newzimbabwe.com
18/09/2011 00:00:00
by Staff
Reporter
PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is out of his depth as the
challenges
facing the country are too complex for an “uneducated person”,
MDC leader
Welshman Ncube has said.
Ncube’s attack is the latest in a
series of spats between the former
opposition colleagues undermining
prospects of an election pact between the
two MDC
formations.
According to Newsday, Ncube told about a hundred supporters
in Redcliff’s
Torwood suburb that Tsvangirai, an ex-miner and trade
unionist, lacked the
capacity to lead the country out its present
mire.
“The people who started the struggle for Zimbabwe’s liberation in
1957 were
aware that for them to win over white colonialism they needed an
educated
leader . . . now Zimbabwe has more complex problems than those of
1957,”
Ncube said.
“Business has collapsed, factories ruined and
schools have all but collapsed
and these require a leadership with vision
and capacity, which only this
party has, not a tea boy.
“Tsvangirai
cannot perform miracles and solve problems of our nation. That
era ended
with Jesus who performed them a long time ago.”
The MDC-T leader however,
dismisses Ncube’s personal attacks insisting it
was up to the electorate to
decide who should run the country.
“Ncube continues to attack me over my
leadership because he has nothing to
offer the electorate,” Tsvangirai told
supporters at a recent rally in
Kwekwe.
“What I want to tell him is
that he should concentrate on running his own
party while he lets me run
mine, then the electorate will decide who they
want to trust with running
this country.”
Following its formation more than a decade ago, the MDC
has proved to the
most serious challenge to President Robert Mugabe’s
uninterrupted rule since
independence in 1980.
However, an
acrimonious split in 2005 over strategy and participation in
Senate
elections held then has been blamed for dividing the opposition vote
and
undermining efforts to dislodge Zanu PF from power.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
The reality of upcoming elections in Zimbabwe
does not fill the majority of
people with glee, but rather a sense of
foreboding and fear.
16.09.1102:32pm
by Fungi
Kwaramba
Elections mean that education in government schools will
be disrupted, food
aid will be attached to political affiliation, the media
will come under
fire and most disturbingly, people will be intimidated,
harassed, arrested,
assaulted and even killed.
All this in the name
of elections!
The loss of a loved one
“I will never forget the
early hours of that Monday morning. It was just
after midnight. I was fast
asleep when I heard the knock at the door.”
recalls Taurai (not his real
name.)
“My brother was sleeping in the dining room and I was sleeping in
the
bedroom. Three men forcibly entered our house after we had refused to
open.
One of them then asked who Tonderai was and my brother answered them,
‘It’s
me’. One of them slapped him and he fell down. When I tried to
intervene one
of them pulled out a gun.
“I heard his cry for help as
they threw him into the truck. Then I heard
‘Help!’ again- and the most
awful scream which I can still sometimes hear
when I shut my eyes. He had
never screamed like that before, because he was
such a strong
man.
“After two days we found his body in the nearby bush. He had been
stabbed
with a sharp object all over his body. I still shudder, even though
this
occurred three years ago. My brother’s death left me in a state of
shock and
despair. Nothing can compare to the deep loss of a loved one. I
miss my
brother so much.”
Rapist goes free
Mercy (not her real
name) still has to come to terms with her attack.
“They came and took me
from my house to the base were there were other
activists who they also
accused of supporting MDC-T. I was raped by more
than ten men throughout the
night at different times.
“One of the soldiers who was there pierced a
gun into my private parts it
was painful and when I cried for help and they
said ‘cry louder so that
Morgan Tsvangirai can come and help you’.
“I
was released the following morning and I struggled to walk. I reported
the
matter to the police who said they could not help me saying their ‘hands
were tied’. I received counselling from one of their members who deals with
rape victims and she encouraged me to get tested.
“I was tested some
time after this attack and was told I was HIV positive. I
often see one of
the men who raped me when I go to the clinic to collect my
supply of
ARVs.
“I feel dejected when I see him. The man seems not to recognize me
and I
know nothing was done to him. This is what pains me. Perpetrators of
violence are walking free and something must be done before we go for an
election again.”
Education compromised
The education sector
was not spared either.
In 2008, Zimbabwean school children had 27 full
days of schooling, the rest
lost to strikes, teachers being sent on duty as
election officials in two
separate elections, and then a wave of political
violence in which more than
20 teachers were murdered on suspicion of
backing the pro-democracy MDC.
Nokutenda, who was in Form 3 when the last
elections were held, said: “There
is need to wait for a clear election road
map before elections are held or
else we are to experience another wasted
academic year like 2008 were pupils
spent most days not going to
school.”
After the March 2008 polls, the Zanu (PF) regime immediately
embarked on a
campaign of violence and reprisal attacks against the civilian
population.
Violence was targeted at active supporters of the MDC and their
families,
particularly those in rural areas and in low income suburbs where
the MDC
gained more votes than Zanu (PF).
Victims received death
threats unless they voted “correctly” (for Zanu (PF))
in the second round of
voting. Many of the casualties had their homes, food
reserves and livestock
destroyed and were displaced.
Hundreds of homesteads are reported to have
been burnt in Muzarabani North,
Mt Darwin North, Uzumba, Maramba-Pfungwe,
Epworth, Hurungwe North, Mudzi
North, Shamva South and Mudzi
West.
Pedzisai Ruhanya, Crisis Coalition Zimbabwe programmes manager,
said there
were a lot of things to be ironed out before people could even
start talking
about elections.
“Zimbabwe is not ready to hold
elections because the framework for holding
fresh and free elections whose
outcome will be accepted by the people is not
there. The whole
constitution-making process is flawed therefore it will
produce a flawed
result and put into dispute the legitimacy of winners of
any of the
elections. Zimbabwe needs to demilitarize the bodies that run
elections for
any outcome to be accepted,” said Ruhanya.
Closer
monitoring
Lovemore Chinoputsa the former secretary general for the
Zimbabwe National
Students Union said there was need for closer and serious
monitoring of
events in Zimbabwe by SADC as facade elections should never be
allowed again
in this country.
“The people of Zimbabwe should never
allow Zanu (PF) to move ahead with
elections before all the hurdles to free
and fair elections are removed as
there will only be a repetition of
previous elections.”
National Constitution Assembly Information and
Publicity Secretary, Blessing
Vhavha, said “I’m sure every Zimbabwean you
meet in the streets will surely
confess to you that the environment is
unfavourable for the holding of a
credible election.
“The media
polarization, composition of the electoral body (ZEC) and the
violence that
we have witnessed in the COPAC constitution making exercise
will make it
practically impossible for the holding of elections.
“As for us in the
NCA, we have made our position clear - that the holding of
an election under
the present constitution is impossible because of its
flaws that Zanu (PF)
has been using to its advantage to stay in power.
“The most likely
scenario is that Zanu (PF) will insist on going to polls
under the Lancaster
Constitution and participating in that election will
directly or indirectly
mark a total capitulation to the forces of coercion
and
violence.”
Illegitimate elections
Vhavha said all elections in
Zimbabwe remained illegitimate and without
merit until undertaken under a
new democratic and people-driven
constitution, as the Zimbabwe People’s
Charter puts it that the following
should characterize elections:
•
Equal access to the media, one independent, impartial, accountable and
well-resourced electoral management body.
• A process of
delimitation, which is free from political control, which is
accurate, fair,
transparent and undertaken with full public participation.
• A
continually updated and accurate voters’ roll, which is open and
accessible
to all.
“As the NCA we are saying that elections should only be conducted
after the
writing of a new genuine people driven constitution. That new
constitution
should guarantee a free and fair election. And we expect them
to be held in
2013.”
http://www.radiovop.com
Bulawayo, September 18,
2011--Soldiers manning the country’s second State
House in Bulawayo arrested
15 youths from the smaller faction of the
Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC) led by Professor Welshman Ncube last
Saturday.
According to the
MDC Bulawayo spokesperson, Edwin Ndlovu, the youths were
arrested whilst
doing a door to door campaign at houses adjacent to the
State
House
“While our party youths were doing a door to door peaceful campaign
in
Saursetown a group of soldiers came in an army truck and arrested them
before taking them to the State House. We condemn such harassment of our
party members by soldiers,” said Ndlovu.
When contacted yesterday the
MDC youths’ lawyer Matshobana Ncube said: “I am
still waiting at Saursetown
police station but there are being detained at
the State House, our hope is
that they will be handed over to the police”.
The State House is usually
used by President Robert Mugabe during Zimbabwe
International Trade Fair
(ZITF) period every year.
In March this year in Harare a Chegutu man was
in trouble with security
forces guarding the main State House after caught
with an unregistered gun.
The man Josphat Tarubinga, was handed over to
police and dragged to court
where he appeared before Magistrate Archie
Wochiunga on charges of
contravening Section 4 (1) as read with 4 (2) (b) of
the Firearms Act,
chapter 10:09) for unlawful possession of a firearm.
http://www.thedailystar.net/
Monday,
September 19, 2011
Afp, Harare
Pakistan
completed a clean sweep of Zimbabwe by winning the second and final
Twenty20
international by five runs at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
Pakistan
made 141 from their 20 overs with man-of-the-match Mohammed Hafeez
top-scoring with 51 before Zimbabwe were held to 136 for seven as the
tourists gave coach Waqar Younis a winning send-off.
"We really thank
Waqar. The way he worked with everybody. He did a wonderful
job, the way he
came in at a difficult time. He had good inputs. A lot of
youngsters came
in. I'm going to miss him," said skipper Misbahul Haq.
"I'm really
satisfied with the way the team played. All the players got a
fair chance
and everybody performed.
"It's been a good tour for us. The Sri Lanka
series (in the UAE in October)
means a lot for us, we're going to prepare
well and play well against them."
Hafeez added: "It was a great tour for
me. Thanks to the team, they
supported me, our coach Waqar Younis. I'll miss
him."
The home side went down fighting, with Tatenda Taibu at the centre
of the
action in a dramatic last-over finish.
With 20 runs required
off the final six balls, Taibu smacked the first for a
six over long-on and
took a couple off each of the next four deliveries to
leave six required off
the last ball.
But Sohail Khan coolly bowled a full toss, wide outside
off stump which
Taibu was unable to get his bat on.
Zimbabwe openers
Vusi Sibanda and Chamu Chibhabha had struggled to keep
ahead of the run-rate
and the brakes were slammed on by slow bowler Saeed
Ajmal, who dismissed
Chibhabha.
Hafeez then caught Sibanda before getting rid of Cephas
Zhuwao, Hamilton
Maskadza and Zimbabwe skipper Brendan Taylor.
Elton
Chigumbura (24) and Taibu (37 not out) provided late fireworks, but
the home
side fell short.
Pakistan had been 34 for three at one stage before
Hafeez, who scored 71 and
took four wickets in Friday's 85-run win, took
charge.
He hit 51 off 38 balls before eventually falling to off-spinner
Ray Price.
Pakistan's run-rate was slowed and they scored just 36 runs in
the last five
overs, but it eventually proved just enough.
SCORES IN
BRIEF
PAKISTAN: 141 for 7 (Hafeez 51, Akmal 28, Misbah 15, Shah 11 not out;
Jarvis
3-15)
ZIMBABWE: 136 for 7 (Sibanda 15, Chibhabha 10, Zhuwao
12,
Taibu 37 not out; Chigumbura 24; Junaid 2-23, Hafeez
3-11)
Result: Pakistan won by five runs and clinched the two-match series
2-0.
Man-of-the-match: Mohammad Hafeez.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
By Everson Mushava, Staff Writer
Sunday,
18 September 2011 15:20
HARARE - Mashonaland East provincial governor
and former Education Minister
Aeneas Chigwedere thinks President Robert
Mugabe is a liability to Zanu PF
and needs to be retired, according to
leaked secret United States diplomatic
cables.
In a 2000 meeting
with Tom Macdonald, a former US ambassador to Zimbabwe,
Chigwedere predicted
Mugabe would eventually resort to the military in the
face of waning public
support, according to US diplomatic cables wired to
Washington by Macdonald
on 21 September 2000.
“Mugabe has become a liability for the party, and
the sooner he retires the
better. It would be very difficult for him to do
so, however, because it is
not in the African tradition for chiefs to simply
step aside and become
“ordinary men. Only God can retire a chief,” said
Chigwedere.
A fundamental traditionalist and historian, Chigwedere,
quickly fell back to
his beliefs during the meeting despite his anti-Mugabe
sentiment.
Chigwedere was described by Macdonald as someone who “provided
an unusually
frank and, in our judgment, accurate description of the current
state of
Zanu-PF politics.”
Chigwedere told the US diplomat that
Mugabe had been misled by his circle of
sycophants who could not tell him
the truth even if they felt it was time
for him to go.
“Mugabe has
been misled by his circle of sycophants, who, as in another
African
tradition, only wish to please their chief and are loath to say or
do
anything that would upset him,” commented Macdonald.
When asked if there
was anyone who could succeed Mugabe, Chigwedere said
most Zanu PF
heavyweights had lost in parliamentary elections against the
MDC early that
year and so would not be ideal candidates.
“When asked if there is anyone
who could succeed Mugabe, the deputy minister
said only Finance Minister
Simba Makoni would come close to filling his
shoes, as Mugabe’s inner circle
had been rejected by the people in the June
24-25 election,” wrote
Macdonald.
This included Defence Minister Emerson Mnangagwa, the leader
of a faction
tussling with the other led by Vice President Joice Mujuru to
succeed
Mugabe.
Makoni, Chigwedere said, did not however, have a
broad base of support since
he belonged to the younger
generation.
“Makoni, however, does not have a broad base of support since
most of the
younger generations have not been permitted to advance in the
party. He did
not see any good prospects for young blood to filter up the
party hierarchy
so long as the old guard remain firmly entrenched,” added
Macdonald.
Macdonald also spoke to Chigwedere about Zimbabwe Democracy
Bill (ZDB) that
was being tabled before the House of Representatives at that
time.
Chigwedere, who Macdonald further described again as “a reliable
embassy
interlocutor in his earlier positions, who was characteristically
frank in
his discussion of Zanu-PF politics, warned of dire consequences for
Zimbabwe
if the US congress passes the ZDB.”
Macdonald commented:
“While recognising the government’s failings since
independence, and even
calling Mugabe a liability, Chigwedere argued that
the passage of the ZDB
would only accelerate chaos in Zimbabwe.
“Chigwedere predicted that if
the ZDB does pass, it will lead to an army
takeover. When asked to explain
how this might happen, Chigwedere said the
ZDA would accelerate Zimbabwe’s
economic decline and lead to unrest that
would force the army to
intervene.
“Zimbabwean urbanites would not “lift a finger” to oppose the
military
because of the memory of the recent elections and the Matabeleland
massacres
of the 1980s, and Zimbabwe would be stuck with a military
government for
three to five years.
“There is no doubt of the
government's failures since independence,
Chigwedere opined, but the
military, police, and war veterans would never
permit a government that was
not sympathetic to their cause.”
When asked what he thought about the
army if Tsvangirai wins the 2002,
Macdonald further commented: “Chigwedere
added that the military would never
support Tsvangirai as president should
he come to power in some kind of
popular revolution, but was vaguer when
asked if the military would support
a legitimately elected Tsvangirai.”
No sooner did the
Vigil speculate last week about a meeting between beleaguered Mugabe and
American Ambassador Ray than confirmation was forthcoming.
‘Just finished a
pleasant one-hour chat with President Mugabe’, Ray posted. He was ‘mentally
alert and engaging’ and I wished him a good trip to the UN General Assembly. Ray
added ‘no discussion of wikileaks, no rants’.
But Vigil supporters
have an advance from the next engrossing batch of wikileaks: ‘Is there anyone I
can trust?’ Mugabe asked the American Ambassador. ‘Is it true about Grace and
Gono, about Moyo and Mujuru . ..’
We understand that
Mugabe asked Ray for advice on Attorney-General Tomana’s plan to take the EU to
court for their illegal sanctions which have plunged Zimbabwe into such a
desperate situation that it is now 234 out of 237 in the world’s poverty
ratings.
Ray said ‘You may
have a small problem here. Mr Tomana argues that sanctions violate the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights’ provision that no one should be arbitrarily
deprived of his or her property. But perhaps some of the people relieved of
their farms and businesses might argue the same’.
But Mr Ray added that
the President might still be entitled to be treated by the UK National Health
Service on humanitarian grounds. And he might be entitled to a council
palace.
Anyway those of us at
the Vigil battling with our tarpaulin against the drenching rain didn’t have
much to celebrate on the third anniversary of the signing of the GPA. There has
been no progress towards implementing the GPA that we can detect – even the
promised SADC contribution to activate the moribund JOMIC has failed to
materialise.
The Zim Vigil band
reflects our frustration with lack of progress in their latest postings of two
new protest song videos (Shungurudza and Zimbabwe Blood Diamonds) on youtube (http://Shungurudza.notlong.com and http://blooddiamonds.notlong.com). Band
members Farai Marema and Dumi Tutani have been interviewed by Zim Diaspora,
check: http://zimdiaspora-zimvigilband.notlong.com.
Other
points
·
Our condolences to
Vigil regular Margret Tandi on the death of her sister in Zimbabwe this
week.
·
Thanks to Silethiwe
Ncube for providing a new table cloth for the Vigil
table.
For latest Vigil
pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/.
Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website – they
cannot be downloaded from the slideshow on the front page of the Zimvigil
website.
FOR THE
RECORD: 83 signed the
register.
EVENTS AND
NOTICES:
·
The Restoration of
Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s
partner organisation based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil
to have an organisation on the ground in Zimbabwe which reflected the Vigil’s
mission statement in a practical way. ROHR in the UK actively fundraises through
membership subscriptions, events, sales etc to support the activities of ROHR in
Zimbabwe. Please note that the official website of ROHR Zimbabwe is http://www.rohrzimbabwe.org/. Any other
website claiming to be the official website of ROHR in no way represents the
views and opinions of ROHR.
·
ZBN News.
The
Vigil management team wishes to make it clear that the Zimbabwe Vigil is not
responsible for Zimbabwe Broadcasting Network News (ZBN News). We are happy that
they attend our activities and provide television coverage but we have no
control over them. All enquiries about ZBN News should be addressed to ZBN News.
·
The Zim Vigil
band
(Farai Marema and Dumi Tutani) has launched its theme song ‘Vigil Yedu (our
Vigil)’ to raise awareness through music. To download this single, visit: www.imusicafrica.com and to watch the video
check: http://ourvigil.notlong.com. To watch other
Zim Vigil band protest songs, check: http://Shungurudza.notlong.com and http://blooddiamonds.notlong.com.
·
ROHR Manchester
Vigil. Saturday
24th September from 2 – 5 pm. Venue: Cathedral Gardens, Manchester City Centre
(subject to change to Piccadilly Gardens). Contact; Delina Tafadzwa
Mutyambizi 07775313637, Chamunorwa Chihota 07799446404, Panyika Karimanzira
07551062161, Artwell Pfende 07886839353. Future demonstrations: 29th
October, 26th November, 31st December. Same time and
venue.
·
‘The Rain that
Washes’ – Zimbabwean theatre production. Performances:
Thursday 29th and Friday 30th September at 7.30
pm, Saturday 1st October at 6 pm, Tuesday 4th and
Wednesday 5th October at 7.30 pm, Saturday 8th October at
6 pm. Venue: Studio Theatre, Chickenshed Theatre, Chase Side, Southgate, London
N14 4PE. Tickets £8 (£6). To book,
call 020 8292 9222, email bookings@chickenshed.org.uk or book online at www.chickenshed.org.uk. Chickenshed
is between Oakwood and Cockfosters tube stations, and on bus routes 298, 299,
307 and N91. Free parking is also available.
·
ROHR Manchester
Meetings. Saturday
8th October (committee meeting from 11 am – 1 pm, general meeting
from 2 – 5 pm). Venue: The Salvation
Army Citadel, 71 Grosvenor Road, Manchester M13 9UB. Contact; Delina
Tafadzwa Mutyambizi 07775313637, Chamunorwa Chihota 07799446404, Panyika
Karimanzira 07551062161, Artwell Pfende 07886839353. Future meetings:
12th November, 10th December. Same times /
venue.
·
Vigil Facebook
page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8157345519&ref=ts.
·
Vigil Myspace
page: http://www.myspace.com/zimbabwevigil.
·
‘Through the
Darkness’, Judith Todd’s
acclaimed account of the rise of Mugabe. To receive a copy by post in the UK
please email confirmation of your order and postal address to
ngwenyasr@yahoo.co.uk and send a cheque for £10 payable to “Budiriro Trust” to
Emily Chadburn, 15 Burners Close, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 0QA. All
proceeds go to the Budiriro Trust which provides bursaries to needy A Level
students in Zimbabwe.
Vigil
co-ordinators
The Vigil,
outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place every Saturday
from 14.00 to 18.00 to protest against gross violations of human rights in
Zimbabwe. The Vigil which started in October 2002 will continue until
internationally-monitored, free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe.
http://www.zimvigil.co.uk.
Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, 18/09/11
There is an urgent need for the
clarification of confusion caused by
contradictory statements by COPAC and
the Prime Minister’s Office on the
subject of the Diaspora
Vote.
Recently, COPAC spokesperson, MDC-T’s Jessie Majome reportedly said
that the
constitution was silent about people outside the country, adding
that there
was also reluctance by partners in the Government of National
Unity (GNU for
the Diaspora to participate in the process.
“The
legislature did not envisage the participation of the people in the
Diaspora, so our referendum will not include the people in the Diaspora,”
said Majome (The Zimbabwean, ‘No Vote for Diaspora’ 06/09/11).
Also
intriguing are media reports that “not a word” of the new constitution
has
so far been written although Zanu-pf has released its election manifesto
giving March 2012 as a deadline for elections.
Last month, Luke
Tamborinyoka, the spokesman for Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai said in
statement it was agreed by the principals that the
Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission be tasked with producing a report on the issue
of the Diaspora
Vote.
In March 2005 Zimbabwe’s Supreme Court shuttered hopes of an
estimated three
million exiles represented by the Diaspora Vote Action Group
led by Jefta
Madzingo saying there was no merit in their wanting the right
to vote.
Calls for the Diaspora Vote (DV) have not been confined to those
abroad
only. For instance a public meeting of the Zimbabwe Election Support
Network
(ZESN) held in Harare last month on the Electoral Amendment Bill
called for
among other things including citizens in the Diaspora to be
allowed to vote.
There is need for clarity on this fundamental issue by
the GNU rather than
leaving people to guess. Expats would be outraged by any
acquiescence to the
Electoral Amendment Bill which seeks to ensure Mugabe
another term of office
in the planned 2012 elections.
What lacks
merit are the numerous flimsy excuses given by the Mugabe regime
to deny
exiled Zimbabweans the right to vote.
Firstly, the excuse of lack of
funding is not convincing after Zanu-pf
reportedly turned down an offer of
EU and UN funding for elections. The GNU
has not yet clarified if that was
its official position because other
countries have received funds for
elections.
Secondly, Zanu-pf claims that its candidates would need
targeted sanctions
lifted to enable them campaign abroad is equally
unconvincing, because, in
the same way those banned individuals are able to
travel to and from United
Nations conferences abroad, they should be able to
make arrangements with
host governments to meet their supporters at such
neutral UN venues in the
US and Europe.
Thirdly, logistical problems
are purely imaginary because the same machinery
for postal ballots in place
at all Zimbabwean embassies should be made
available to all foreign based
citizens whereby people would simply queue
with their passports or IDs to be
checked by polling officers before casting
their votes.
As for the
potential for vote rigging which has been heavily associated with
postal
ballots could be easily eliminated by using a transparent ballot box
placed
prominently for election agents, monitors, observers, candidates, and
police
to see the process.
Furthermore, having the votes counted at each polling
station in the
presence of election agents, observers, monitors and the
media - with
results displayed and relayed to Harare immediately at the
close of polling
like was done in 2008 until the regime reneged could also
help.
Exiles are able and willing to volunteer for any roles at such
events. There
is no justification for continuing to deny exiled Zimbabweans
the right to
vote as was done in 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2008 when other
countries like
Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Iraq facilitate voting
by their
foreign based nationals.
With possible help from the
Commonwealth, the EU and the United Nations,
exiled Zimbabweans will be able
to organise transparent and credible
elections at Zimbabwe’s embassies
without costing the country’s treasury not
even a penny or a
cent.
Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, Political Analyst, London,
zimanalysis2009@gmail.com
