http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in News,
Politics
THE Sadc facilitation team, which was in the country earlier this
week to
discuss progress in the implementation of the Global Political
Agreement and
in particular the constitution-making process, has raised
security concerns
in the event a referendum is held.
Reported by
Wongai Zhangazha/Brian Chitemba
South African President Jacob Zuma’s
international relations advisor Lindiwe
Zulu, spokesperson Mac Maharaj and
political advisor Charles Nqakula arrived
in Harare on Tuesday, but failed
to unlock the deadlock over the latest
Copac draft
constitution.
According to sources, Nqakula asked what plans were in
place to ensure that
a peaceful environment prevailed to enable voters to
freely express
themselves in the event of one or two drafts being taken to a
referendum.
Nqakula also wanted to know when observers were likely to
be invited for the
referendum.
“Nqakula asked what provisions were in
place to make sure a referendum will
be held peacefully,” said the source.
“(Patrick) Chinamasa responded saying
the way referendums were conducted was
different from elections as eligible
people would only be asked to produce
their national identification
(documents).”
Previous polls have
been afflicted by violence and bloodshed as Zanu PF
battled to retain power
at all costs.The facilitation team is set to brief
Zuma on its latest
Zimbabwe sojourn in Pretoria on Friday.
The MDCs have repeatedly
rejected Zanu PF’s far-reaching amendments to the
Copac draft, and formally
declared a deadlock in the constitution-making
process.
MDC-T
spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora, representing party secretary-general
Tendai
Biti, said the facilitation team reiterated the Sadc August 17 Maputo
resolution that the constitution-making process must be finalised and draft
taken to a referendum.
Mwonzora confirmed the deadlock, saying
the two
MDC formations had refused to open negotiations with Zanu PF on its
266
alterations to the Copac draft.
He said the negotiators agreed with the
facilitation team that a
three-member Sadc team be seconded to the Joint
Implementation and
Monitoring Committee (Jomic) without further delay in
accordance with the
Sadc Maputo and Livingstone resolutions.
There was
also consensus that agreed GPA issues be implemented.
However, Zanu PF
insisted it was not moving an inch from its current
position, arguing that
declaring a deadlock is tantamount to calling for
immediate general
elections under the Lancaster House constitution.
Chinamasa said there is
nowhere in the draft where it says it’s (Copac
draft) final and said we must
respect the will of the people on the gays
issue and death sentence, but
this was dismissed by Priscilla
(Misihairabwi-Mushonga) who accused Zanu PF
of hypocrisy, saying they were
not genuine in respecting the will of the
people.
The MDCs also proposed taking the diaspora vote to a referendum but
Chinamasa shot it down, claiming it had been agreed that people living
outside the country would not vote.
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in
News, Politics
JUDGE President George Chiweshe yesterday evening granted a
consent order
allowing President Robert Mugabe a 30-day extension to today’s
deadline for
him to gazette the dates for outstanding by-elections as
ordered by the
Supreme Court last month.
Last month the Supreme Court
upheld a High Court decision that ordered
Mugabe to call for by-elections in
three constituencies once held by
Abednico Bhebhe, Njabuliso Mguni and
Norman Mpofu. The three were expelled
from parliament after their expulsion
from the MDC.
Mugabe’s lawyer Advocate Ray Goba confirmed the court
accepted a consent
order agreed between him and Beatrice Mtetwa who
represented the three
former legislators. Mtetwa’s clients did not file an
affidavit as they had
indicated.
“The Judge President accepted
the consent order that allows the president a
30-day extension and there was
no question of costs arising. Each party will
bear its costs,” Goba
said.
The ruling effectively means Mugabe now has until October 1 to
gazette the
dates for all the outstanding 38 parliamentary constituencies.
— Staff
Writer.
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in News,
Politics
FORMER Cabinet minister Fay Chung has strongly criticised the
failure by the
inclusive government to solve a plethora of economic problems
stalking the
country, saying Zanu PF and the MDC formations were equally
entrenched in
“self-enrichment, corruption and power
struggles”.
Report by Brian Chitemba
Commenting on the Freedom
House survey which showed Zanu PF gained support
by 31% up from 17% while
MDC-T popularity plunged to 20% from 38%, Chung
said both parties have
abjectly failed to address key issues affecting
ordinary
Zimbabweans.
Rushing to elections to choose a new government,
according to Chung, would
not solve the problems since the unity government
partners were not facing
up to the real challenges facing the
country.
She said Zanu PF was popular because of land reform and
indigenisation while
the MDC-T was unpopular due to its links with its
Western donors, but the
parties were trapped in the same gravy train and had
a penchant for
luxuries.
Chung was dismayed the inclusive
government claims to be broke while
ministers enjoy luxuries such as
Mercedes Benzes and SUVs. The high cost of
foreign travelling which topped
US$157 million in the past four years and
US$45m blown by Copac in hotel
bills and car hire was an indication of the
rot in the inclusive government,
she added.
“Amazingly, we are cutting the amount we spend on
infrastructure. The 20%
which was supposed to be invested into
infrastructure has been cut to 11%,
that is, from US$800m to US$374m. What a
disgrace!” said the former
Education minister. “Only US$49,74m was invested
on energy and power
development, yet electricity is essential not only for
the growing of wheat,
but also for industrialisation.” Chung expressed
concern over failure by the
inclusive government to ensure food security in
recent years, urging the
coalition partners to prioritise
agriculture.
She also suggested a slash of the 235 000 civil service
by 15% over the next
two to three years so money could be channelled towards
agriculture and
industrial production.
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in News,
Politics
UNITED States research and advocacy group, Freedom House, has urged
Sadc
leaders to be firm on resolving the Zimbabwean political crisis by
ensuring
full implementation of the GPA before elections.
The
organisation said the regional bloc should implement mechanisms that
monitor
the political parties’ compliance with GPA provisions. Freedom House
senior
programme officer for Africa Jenai Cox warned political violence
would
engulf the polls expected in 2013 if they are held without
implementation of
critical reforms.
“As the guarantor of the GPA, Sadc has a
responsibility to the people of
Zimbabwe to ensure that the GPA is fully
implemented,” said Cox.
Sadc leaders met in Maputo on August 17 to
discuss progress in GPA
implementation which has dragged since the signing
of the agreement on
September 15 2008. It resolved that the inclusive
government partners — Zanu
PF and the MDC formations — should conclude the
constitution-making process
now deadlocked.
Freedom House
criticised Sadc for repeatedly calling for full implementation
of the GPA
without outlining any consequences if elections were held without
democratic
and electoral reforms.
It said since the violence-ridden 2008
elections, the inclusive government
has failed to make significant progress
on reforms that include the adoption
of a new governance charter, media and
electoral law transformation. — Staff
Writer.
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in News,
Politics
DEBT-RIDDEN Zimbabwe will in October engage the International
Monetary Fund
(IMF) as the nation seeks approval from the Brettton Woods
institution to
settle a ballooning debt overhang currently standing at
US$10,7 billion.
Non-payment and accumulation of debt began in 1999 due to
balance of payment
constraints with a proportion of the debt being inherited
at Independence in
1980.
Newly-formed Zimbabwe Aid and Debt
Management Office head Andrew Bvumbe told
delegates attending a High Level
Economic Forum which ended in Victoria
Falls on Thursday that Finance
ministry officials would meet with the IMF
executive board to propose the
country’s debt relief and arrears clearance
plan.
This follows
cabinet’s recent adoption of the Zimbabwe: Accelerated Arrears
Clearance,
Debt and Development Strategy (Zaadds), a debt plan to deal with
the
country’s arrears trap excluding the country from accessing capital from
global financial markets.
Zaadds was a compromise blueprint after
divisions emerged within the shaky
inclusive government on whether the
country should adopt the Highly Indebted
Poor Countries (HIPC) status or
mortgage its mineral resources to settle the
debt.
Addressing the
same forum, World Bank Country Director for Malawi, Zambia
and Zimbabwe,
Kundhavi Kadiresan said: “Arrears cannot be rescheduled, they
have to be
settled before Zimbabwe can access funds,”. — Staff Writer.
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in News,
Politics
MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai clashed with party spokesperson
Douglas
Mwonzora at a strategic meeting last week amid sharp divisions on
the
findings of a survey commissioned by the United States-based
organisation,
Freedom House, sources have revealed.
The survey, among
other findings, indicates the MDC-T’s support base
dwindled from 38% to 20%
in the last 18 months, while support for Zanu PF
went up from 17% to 31% in
the same period.
Sources said Mwonzora and other senior party officials were
in the firing
line and left with egg on the face after hasty attempts to
denounce the
report on the grounds there was no way Zanu PF could have
gained support
because of its history of violence and intimidation were
crushed by
Tsvangirai.
“Tsvangirai was not amused by Mwonzora and other
party information chiefs
who rushed to deny the authenticity of the report
instead of using the
information to solve the party’s problems and planning
adequately for the
coming elections,” a source said.
Said another
source: “Tsvangirai was not happy with the press statement
released by
Mwonzora who was asked to read the statement in the meeting and
questioned
why it was different to what had been agreed on.”
It was agreed in
the meeting to acknowledge and respect the Freedom House
report and ideas
were tabled on how the party was going to respond, the
sources
said.Tsvangirai’s sentiments resonate with those of MDC-T
secretary-general
Tendai Biti who, in an article in a weekly paper
yesterday, said it was
clear a chasm had developed between the party
grassroots and its members
seconded into government as suddenly, “one group
was now driving Mercedes
Benzes and on the face of it now at par with the
Zanu PF effigy of power and
corruption”.
In the past surveys by Freedom House have been
favourable to the MDC-T. —
Staff Writer
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in News,
Politics
SINCE the formation of the coalition government in 2009, MDC-T
officials who
joined central and local government have quickly jumped on the
gravy train
together with their Zanu PF counterparts as corruption and greed
took centre
stage tarnishing the image of the party and alienating it from
the masses.
According to MDC-T secretary-general and Finance minister Tendai
Biti, the
trappings of office, luxury and corruption associated with his
party has
cost it dearly in terms of popular support as indicated by the
recent
Freedom House survey.
Biti wrote in a local weekly
yesterday that the MDC-T’s presence in unity
government brought its own
contradictions and challenges.
“The first was that internally a clear chasm
developed between the grass
roots party and its members seconded to
government. Suddenly, one group was
now driving Mercedes Benzes and on the
face of it now on par with the Zanu
PF effigy of power and corruption,” he
said.
Biti’s observations are backed up by an internal party
investigations report
titled Corporate governance and service delivery audit
of 10 selected
MDC-run Local Authority Councils, gleaned by the Zimbabwe
Independent.
The investigation, conducted by members drawn from the
MDC-T’s national
executive and the women and youth assemblies wings, and led
by party deputy
secretary-general Tapiwa Mashakada, shows how councillors
corruptly acquired
vast tracts of land, fleets of luxury vehicles and built
mansions through
proceeds from corrupt activities.
The
report covers 10 councils, Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare, Chinhoyi,
Marondera, Bindura, Kwekwe, Zvishavane and Gokwe.
It notes the “shocking
change of lifestyle of some councillors and sudden
accumulation of movable
and immovable property”.
Procurement is singled out as the breeding
ground for corruption and
self-enrichment among the
councillors.
Harare deputy mayor and councillor for Ward 42 in
Hatcliffe, Emmanuel
Chiroto, is fingered by the report as one of the party’s
most corrupt
councillors.
Chiroto was allegedly involved in the awarding
of a tender to his mistress
to buy 28 Toyota Spacio vehicles for council
officials.
“He went to Beitbridge and personally assisted his
mistress to import and
clear the vehicles as belonging to the City of
Harare,” reads the report.
“His mistress owns a company called Glyns Bolts
which supplies bolts and
nuts to the City of Harare. These Spacio vehicles
were later purchased for
US$5 900 (each) instead of the purchase price of
US$4 500 approved by full
council.”
Chiroto is also accused of
influencing the Marondera municipality to award a
tender for connecting
water pipes from Wenimbe Dam to the town to a company
called BaseQuip, which
is believed to be owned by the same mistress.
The report also says
Chiroto is building a three-storey mansion in Mount
Pleasant using proceeds
from irregular deals and owns a fleet of cars.
Chiroto also stands accused
of manipulating a tender to supply 27 compactor
vehicles and three skip
trucks for refuse collection. The compactors were
reportedly US$24 000 more
expensive than other suppliers.
It states Chiroto allegedly
influenced the system to award the tender to a
Puzza Busta which deals in
Isuzu vehicles and further claims he was rewarded
with a brand new Isuzu
D-tech vehicle by the company.
He is accused of converting US$3 000
from the US$15 000 donated by the
Australian embassy in the 2008 for
councillors’ welfare to his own use. The
report says Chiroto leads one of
the powerful council factions which
influence the awarding of tenders.The
party’s investigations committee
recommended that Chiroto be suspended from
holding public office for a
specific period.
Another councillor
fingered in the report is Peter Gandidzanwa Marange of
Ward 29 Highfield
West who is said to have joined the party with nothing,
but his lifestyle
had dramatically become a “rags to riches” story.
Marange, the report
says, now owns a fleet of cars which include a Jeep
Cherokee, Mazda Cronos
and Nissan Narvara, among others.
He has been a member of the National
Employment Council (NEC) since 2008 and
the group corruptly pays members
hefty allowances, which include a US$500
monthly retainer, US$100 per
seating and travel allowances calculated at
US$1 per
kilometre.
“NEC meetings are conveniently held in Victoria Falls,
Kariba and Nyanga in
order to maximise,” the report says.
The probe team
recommended immediate and effective suspension of Marange
pending dismissal
from the party.
Councillor of Ward 22 Hatfield, Phumulani Musagwiza, was
accused of
establishing a housing cooperative “whose membership is
fictitious in order
to personally benefit from the 80 residential stands he
acquired in Msasa
Park”.
The investigating team questioned why
the case Musagwiza was investigating
as chairperson of the Audit Committee
Council probing the theft of 300
beasts from a council farm by Moses
Chingwena died a natural death.Musagwiza
is also accused of conniving with
council management to allocate him a
residential stand in the affluent
Borrowdale West, as well as owning four
vehicles “from
nowhere”.
The probe report recommended that Musagwiza be suspended
pending dismissal.
It concludes by saying some councillors had become
ambitious as a result of
their “ill-gotten financial muscles” and were
seeking to topple sitting MPs
at the very “earliest opportunity” through
vote buying.
Reached for a comment yesterday, Chiroto said he had not
seen the report and
did not know anything about the alleged corruption. —
Staff Writer.
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in News,
Politics
THE long-stalled Essar deal in which the Indian company signed a
US$750
million takeover of the defunct Ziscosteel looks set to be finally
implemented after a delegation from the firm met President Robert Mugabe
last week to thrash out the shareholding structure that had been a major
sticking point.Report by Brian Chitemba
The deal was first signed in
August 2011 giving Essar 54% control of the new
company NewZim Steel, while
government had 40%, minority shareholders 6%.
As part of the deal,
Essar was also awarded 80% ownership of NewZim
Minerals, formerly Buchwa
Iron Mining Company, with government holding the
remaining 20%, but the
Indian firm could not start operations after
government moved to reverse its
decision on the grounds that the value of
its iron ore claims, which some
allege is US$30 billion, should be verified
first.
As the impasse
unfolded, government again shifted the goalposts and demanded
that the deal
be restructured in line with the controversial indigenisation
policy.
Government wants Essar to reduce its stake in NewZim
Minerals to 49%,
notwithstanding the fact that the company had assumed
Ziscosteel’s debt of
over US$340 million and spent a further US$12 million
paying salaries to
more than 3 500 workers it inherited.
Government wants
its shareholding in NewZim Minerals increased from 20% to
51%.
Essar suspended workers’ salaries in May to press government
to finalise the
agreement. The deadlock seems to have been broken after
Essar’s
representatives met Mugabe, who then instructed Industry and
Commerce
minister Welshman Ncube to table the latest agreement in
cabinet.
Ncube said he would have tabled the report for discussion on Tuesday
but
cabinet did not sit because Mugabe is away at the Non-Aligned Movement
summit in Iran. Cabinet does not sit in Mugabe’s
absence.
“Operations are likely to resume at NewZim Steel following a
series of
meetings with the Essar delegation last week,” said Ncube.
“Contents of the
agreement between the government and Essar will be
announced after cabinet
deliberation.”
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
told journalists this week that the Essar
project has to proceed and the
debate over mining concessions should now be
a thing of the
past.
He said cabinet had made a decision and the inclusive
government partners
expect operations at the new steel manufacturer to
start.
“After two years, we must thank Essar for being patient with us,” said
Tsvangirai.
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in News, Politics
THE
European Union this week sternly warned Zimbabwe it could find itself
under
renewed economic sanctions over the controversial granting of Save
Wildlife
Conservancy hunting permits to Zanu PF officials and cronies,
barely a month
after they were suspended.Report by Herbert Moyo
The EU in July
lifted development aid restrictions but Zimbabwe, which is
only due to
benefit from direct economic assistance in the EU’s 2014-2020
plan for
African countries, could lose out if authorities do not reverse the
Save
Conservancy grab. In an interview with the Zimbabwe Independent this
week
EU ambassador to Harare Aldo Dell’Ariccia warned of the possibility of
restoring the sanctions although he expected “reason to prevail” after
meeting Tourism minister Walter Mzembi, who is expected to table the issue
of reversing the hunting permits before cabinet.
“You will recall
that the EU suspended the effect of the restrictive
measures because of
progress achieved by the GNU towards democratising
Zimbabwe and respecting
bilateral investments, but anytime those measures
could be re-imposed if
progress is reversed,” Dell’Ariccia said. A fortnight
ago Dell’Ariccia
raised the possibility of boycotting the United Nations
World Tourism
Organisation (UNWTO) conference to be co-hosted by Zimbabwe
and Zambia next
August saying the parcelling out of the conservancy amounted
to a violation
of bilateral investment protection agreements Zimbabwe
entered into with EU
countries.
The vice-chairman of the Save Valley Conservancy, German
national Wilfried
Pabst said there could be “immediate tourism sanctions and
investment
warnings followed by a scaling down of EU and American
governments’ support
for the economic rescue of Zimbabwe”, in response to
questions emailed to
him. “How can foreign governments spend their tax money
on a country like
Zimbabwe if the government allows a wholesale slaughter in
high profile
tourism destinations like the Save Valley Conservancy?” asked
Pabst.
The conservancy was founded in 1991 and is co-owned by groups
of foreign
whites and black Zimbabweans who control hunting and manage it to
protect
the endangered wildlife that includes elephants, rhinos and buffalo.
Since
its establishment, the conservancy has been run in partnership with
the
Agriculture and Rural Development
Authority.
Pabst said Zanu PF officials like former Gutu
South MP Shuvai Mahofa simply
wanted to make quick profits as shown by a
letter she allegedly sent to
owners of Savuli Ranch in the conservancy on
August 8, 2011 asking them —
according to Pabst — to “please deposit at
least US$20 000 from this year’s
hunting in my account before Saturday
August 13 2011 for my up-keep. Account
details are Shuvai Mahofa, Barclays
Bank, Chiredzi Branch, Account Number 25
95-6007461”.
“They have
little economic background and don’t understand the principle of
philanthropic investment so they think that where a successful businessman
like me is involved, there must be money,” said Pabst. “Well, there isn’t
and most of us would be very happy if we can just break
even.”
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday condemned events
in the Save
Valley Conservancy saying “they send the wrong message at a time
when we are
preparing to host the UNWTO.” Tsvangirai met Mzembi and
Environment and
Natural Resources minister Francis Nhema to discuss the
issue.
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in News,
Politics
COPAC co-chairperson Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana (Zanu PF) on Wednesday
told a
Crisis Coalition Zimbabwe discussion his party’s amendments to the
draft
constitution reflected what the people had said during the Copac
outreach
programme, as heated debate on the latest draft continued at
several public
fora in Harare and on national radio stations.
Mangwana is
however on record as saying: “The truth about the constitution
that Copac is
crafting for the country will come out very soon and media
reports that we
dumped people’s views are not true. We wrote the contents in
the draft
constitution on the basis of what people said during the
constitutional
outreach programmes and such media reports are misleading and
were written
by people ignorant of the constitution-making process.”
Zanu PF
representatives across the platforms had a torrid time trying to
defend
their party’s wholesale amendments which restore the imperial
presidency,
after the last draft incorporated the party’s proposals
contained in a
29-page document with over 200 changes. At the Media Centre
discussion
Godwills Masimirembwa, one of Zanu PF’s Copac technical advisers
argued
Copac had acquiesced to political control the moment it accepted a
management committee that was not part of a parliamentary
committee.
On new radio station Star FM, Zanu PF MP for
Mhondoro-Ngezi Bright Matonga
was at pains to explain that a deadlock would
be pronounced only after party
principals meet, thus for now the draft could
still be amended by
principals.
However, the MDC formations remain
adamant they would not re-open
negotiations and Zimbabweans should be the
arbiters of the draft at the
constitutional referendum.
Copac
information and publicity sub-committee chairperson Jessie Majome
(MDC-T)
told journalists at the Quill Club that Zanu PF was in political
paralysis
because the MDCs would not give in to its draft amendments. She
defended the
Copac draft saying it captured the views of the people and
should be taken
to a referendum without alterations.
Civil society
organisations and other political parties left out of the
Copac process
argue the final draft is flawed because it was produced
through an
exclusionary process limited to Zanu PF and the two MDC
formations.
Audiences at the public fora were as divided as the
political players,
making the outcome of the referendum — if the principals
decide to put the
draft to the people — appear uncertain. — Staff
Writer.
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in
Business
THE Agricultural Bank of Zimbabwe (Agribank) is finalising
negotiations with
the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa
(IDCSA) on a US$30
million fund for possible disbursement as of October this
year.
Gamma Mudarikiri
The bank’s director of marketing and business
development, Joseph Mverecha,
said the funds were expected to bring relief
to cash-strapped sectors of the
economy. Agribank received a similar
facility last year which was disbursed
to several productive sectors. About
a third of the funds were disbursed to
the agricultural sector and this was
expected to be the same this year.
The bank, which is to be
privatised according to a cabinet approval of May
2011, intends to maintain
its bias towards the agricultural sector.
“There are indications that
several investors are taking a long term view of
the economy, the central
role of agriculture in the economy and the
strategic role of Agribank at the
heart of agriculture and agro-based
manufacturing production value chain.
These investors have shown interest
and will get an opportunity to expressly
take up equity in the near future,”
said Mverecha.
The
privatisation exercise will see government, the sole shareholder,
retaining
51% shareholding after disposing of the remaining stake to a
strategic
partner. Mverecha said government had floated a tender for a
financial
advisor for the privatisation process.
Privatisation would also help
Agribank to meet the new US$100 million
minimum capital requirement as
recently stipulated by the Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe.The bank is currently
capitalised at US$13,7 million after
government injected an additional US$1
million early this month.
Agribank this week reported its financial
results for the half year ended
June 30 2012, in which it made an after tax
loss of US$2,4 million, which
loss it attributed to increased operating
expenses. The bank had over the
past year invested US$2,7 million in ICT
upgrade and branch connectivity,
which increased operating costs and
resulted in the loss.
The bank said it had put in motion a process
for comprehensive review of all
operating costs and was implementing a cost
containment programme that would
yield visible gains to the bottom line in
December this year.
Revenue in the period under review grew slightly
to US$9,2 million compared
to US$8,7 million in the comparative period last
year. The bank’s total
asset base increased by 7% to US$110,2 million while
deposits grew by 13% to
US$78,2 million. Mverecha said interest income
constituted 40% of revenue.
Mverecha said although the bank was
pursuing cost cutting and control
measures, it was not considering any
retrenchments and would continue
exploring new revenue lines through new
product offerings and strategic
partnerships.
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in
Business
SEED CO Ltd is this year set to reduce production by nearly
two-thirds due
to carry over stock from last year, according to CEO Morgan
Nzwere.
Gamma Mudarikiri
Nzwere told shareholders at an annual general
meeting this week the company
would cut seed production to 24 000 tonnes
compared to last year’s 64 000
tonnes, a move aimed at clearing carry-over
stock. “Closing stocks by
year-end will be reduced by 47% as compared to
prior year,” he said.
This, however, comes after the company early
this year anticipated to
produce 68 200 metric tonnes of seed for 2012/13 in
correspondence to the
market size.
Apart from carryover stocks,
the company had been set back by debtors,
particularly government, which had
however committed to pay the US$13
million it owed the company by end of
this August. Payment by other debtors,
who owe the company US$16 million,
was slow due to the persistent liquidity
challenges, Nzwere
said.
Seed Co was striving to reduce borrowings in the current
financial year to
US$40 million, compared to US$44 million in the year ended
March 31 this
year. Borrowings in the year March 31 2012 had doubled to
US$44 million to
fund carryover inventory. This resulted in net finance
costs going up 70% to
US$4,33 million from US$2,92 million the previous
year.
The Seedco group recorded a 20% rise in turnover to US$117
million in the
year under review, helped by a 22% increase in sales volumes
to 67 240
metric tonnes.
In terms of contribution by market,
Zimbabwe brought in 38% to turnover,
Zambia 23%, Malawi 10%, East Africa 9%,
Botswana 7%. Cotton seed producer
Quton contributed 13% to group
turnover.
Zimbabwe sales volume grew 74% as the group fought to
increase market
coverage, taking into account the abundant viability of
stocks. Nzwere said
the company’s market share in Zimbabwe remained flat at
70%, Zambia 51%,
Malawi 50%, Tanzania 46% and Kenya 10%.
The
group reported a net profit of US$19,08 million, an increase of 10% in
the
comparable period, while earnings per share also grew 10% to 9,90 US
cents.
Nzwere said a new seed processing plant was currently being
installed in
Kenya while an acid delinting plant was also being installed in
Malawi and
Tanzania.
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in Comment,
Opinion
FREEDOM House, the United-States non-governmental organisation which
conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedoms and human
rights, last week released results of a controversial public opinion survey,
mainly indicating the MDC-T’s popularity was plunging ahead of crucial
elections.Editor’s Memo: Dumisani Muleya
By contrast the survey
says Zanu PF is recovering from years of decline. The
study polled a sample
of 1 198 adult Zimbabweans between June 23 and July 7.
Topics addressed
included political power, elections, fear and violence, the
constitution,
and socio-economic conditions. The survey follows similar
Freedom House
polls conducted in November-December 2010 and September
2009.
The survey, commissioned by Freedom House and conducted
by South African
political analyst Susan Booysen and Mass Public Opinion
Institute in Harare,
says Zimbabweans remain anxiously uncertain about the
political future of
their country.
Findings from Change and ‘New’
Politics in Zimbabwe say despite widespread
optimism the next elections will
bring change, many Zimbabweans continue to
fear the lead-up to polls will be
characterised by heightened levels of
political violence and
intimidation.
However, the key findings of the survey show 47% of
respondents said they
would not vote, or refused to indicate who they would
vote for (up from 41%
in 2010). Of the 53% who declared their choice, 20%
said they would support
MDC-T (down from 38% in 2010) and 31% Zanu PF (up
from 17% in 2010).
Responses from different political parties, civil society
groups and
analysts were varied and attention-grabbing. Some approvingly
endorsed the
survey, others angrily rejected it, while certain stakeholders
were
sceptical. Yet others reacted with paranoia and conspiracy
theories.
In the end, it appears Freedom House, accused of being a US
foreign policy
instrument and linked to the CIA despite no such evidence in
public, has
thrown the cat among the pigeons, leaving a lot of people
worried.
Zanu PF was divided on its take. The reformist wing said it
was good as it
revamped the battered image of the party and shored up its
popularity ahead
of elections. Hardliners, prisoners of their own
propaganda, had no choice
but to dismiss or at least be coy about
it.
Even the state-controlled media, Zanu PF’s propaganda platforms
which have
dismally failed to influence voters’ choices judging by the
party’s
persistent defeat in urban areas where state mouthpieces occupy vast
swathes
of public space, were confused about it.
In the MDC-T,
the survey wreaked havoc. The party’s top leadership, which in
the past
endorsed favourable Freedom House surveys, had no choice but to
grudgingly
accept the bitter pill to swallow. However, others tried to
discredit it,
forcing their bosses to come out and clear the air to avoid
charges of
hypocrisy and denial.
Conspiracism was also prevalent. Those who push
it say the survey is a plot
aimed at either lulling Zanu PF into a false
sense of security (in the
process helping the MDC-T), leaving it to suffer a
shock defeat, or an
indication Western powers have now ditched the MDC-T and
want to work with a
reformed Zanu PF.
Some conspiracy theorists
claim the survey is designed to put MDC-T leader
Morgan Tsvangirai on notice
that he has become a liability and will be
dumped in favour of
secretary-general Tendai Biti. They see the survey as a
product of a secret
plot to redefine the electoral landscape ahead of
elections to achieve
hidden political agendas.
Booysen argues it reflects the current
political environment and trends
since the formation of the inclusive
government. Biti’s piece in the media
yesterday concludes as
much.
Whatever the case, certain issues are clear. The MDC-T
involvement’s in the
unity government — some say joining the gravy train —
has undoubtedly
damaged its reputation. The party is now seen as part of the
problem, not
necessarily a solution in many respects as it has been tainted
with the same
brush as Zanu PF.
The MDC-T now stands accused of
leadership and policy failures, incompetence
and corruption, service
delivery miscarriage, as well as detachment from
reality and the masses.
This feasibly explains the survey’s findings.
It is possible Zanu PF
is benefiting from the MDC-T’s decline. But the
explanations given for the
party’s purported recovery, which include land
reform, indigenisation and
other such controversial policies, leave a huge
credibility gap and somewhat
impugns the contentious findings.
Although the MDC-T must take it
seriously and confront the elephant in the
living room — its plunging
popularity — analysts have to interrogate the
findings. Otherwise, it could
be premature and irrelevant as findings could
only be meant to justify
methodology. But in the absence of alternative
material, the survey stands
despite paranoid reactions from all over the
place.
dumisani@zimind.co.zw
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in Opinion
IN
this penultimate instalment of the latest Global Witness report,
Financing A
Parallel Government? which makes interesting revelations about
Chiadzwa, the
article, through analysis, identifies which companies are
controlled wholly
or partially by members of the Zimbabwe’s intelligence
service.
The
Global Witness report sheds light on activities unfolding at Marange
diamond
fields, detailing who is involved and the intricate networks
comprising the
Chinese and Zimbabwe security forces dealing in diamonds,
cotton and
property sectors.
In July 2010, Cotton Ginners Association of
Zimbabwe (CGAZ) filed a case at
the High Court, in which they accused
Sino-Zimbabwe Cotton of purchasing
cotton already contracted to other
companies and violating terms of their
licence.
Sino-Zimbabwe
Cotton denied the allegations entirely. In a media report
Jimmy Zerenie,
described as Sino-Zimbabwe Holding’s director, said the
company had not
“induced any contracted farmers to breach the law” and the
application had
misled the court. In the case against Sino-Zimbabwe Cotton,
the judge ruled
that the case had been brought in the wrong forum.
CGAZ then made
an application to the Cotton Marketing Technical Committee,
asking them to
withdraw Sino-Zimbabwe Cotton’s licence. During meetings
between the
parties, Global Witness was told that Sino-Zimbabwe Cotton was
represented
by former (and one serving) members of the CIO.
The dispute was
settled out of court and Global Witness has seen no further
evidence to
suggest impropriety or improper behaviour by Sino-Zimbabwe
Cotton Holdings
in the cotton sector.
Properties Sino-Zimbabwe Development is
reported in the press and in
Zimbabwean government documents seen by Global
Witness to have bought
include Livingstone House, Gecko Gardens hotel and
conference centre,
Highlands Park Hotel, the Pangolin Lodge, and Imba
Matombo Lodge, all
located in Harare.
Structure of Sino-Zim
Development
Here we describe the corporate structure, directorships and
shareholdings of
related companies — first in Zimbabwe, then in Hong Kong,
and finally in
Singapore and the British Virgin Islands. Through this
analysis companies
controlled wholly or partially by members of the
Zimbabwean intelligence are
identified.
Sino-Zimbabwe Development
(Pvt) Ltd
The Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) has claimed that
Sino-Zimbabwe Development is established as a joint venture with the ZMDC.
However, in reality this claim merely provides cover for the involvement of
CIO members.
Sino-Zimbabwe Development (Pvt) Ltd was incorporated
in Zimbabwe on the May
14 2010. Its offices are at the 3rd Floor Livingstone
House, Samora Machel
Avenue, Harare and 14 Selous Avenue, Harare. The
Zimbabwean directors of
Sino-Zimbabwe Development are Gift Kalisto
Machengete and Pritchard Zhou.
The non-Zimbabwean directors of Sino-Zimbabwe
Development are:
Lo Fong Hung, a Chinese citizen. Lo is a
director of at least sixty other
companies in the Queensway
syndicate;
Veronica Fung Yuen, a Chinese citizen and director of at
least 30 other
companies in the Queensway syndicate;
Jimmy
Zerenie, a Singaporean. All of the non-Zimbabwean directors record the
same
residential address, in Chisipite, Harare in company records.
One
source told Global Witness that Masimba Ignatius Kamba holds a
leadership
position in the company, however, it has not been possible to
confirm
this.
Jimmy Zerenie holds 49% of the share capital of Sino-Zimbabwe
Development
while Gift Kalisto Machengete, owns the other 51% cent. Global
Witness
believes Machengete holds these shares on behalf of the CIO rather
than for
his personal benefit, given his senior role in the CIO, the
presence of
other CIO members as directors, and the funding which sources
say Sam Pa
gave to the CIO.
Hong Kong: Sino Zim Diamond
Ltd
Jimmy Zerenie is also a director of Sino Zim Diamond Ltd, registered in
Hong
Kong. The other director of this Hong Kong company is Eliezer Nefussy,
an
Israeli citizen resident in Namibia.
Nefussy is also director
of Orient Treasure International Trading Ltd, which
is registered in Hong
Kong and owned in turn by Samicor, registered in
Namibia. Nefussy is also
the chief executive of Samicor. The registered
address of Sino Zim Diamond
Ltd is 27/F, 8 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong.
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in
Opinion
LESOTHO Prime Minister Tom Motsoahae Thabane, on what the government
called
a “state visit” to Zimbabwe last week, said his country was praying
for
President Robert Mugabe to take a leading role in Sadc if he finishes
with
the country’s politics. Report by the MuckRacker
He showered Mugabe
with praise describing him as “courageous”.
“We pray to God that if
President Mugabe finishes with his politics he can
devote his time to Sadc,”
Thabane said. The Lesotho PM was here to open the
Harare Agricultural
Show.
But for those reading between the lines the message was
obvious: It’s time
to retire.
The distasteful pill was clearly
manufactured by Sadc and sugar-coated with
heaps of praise to assist
digestion! His Zimbabwean hosts obviously missed
the point and concentrated
on the praise. Not only was this dimension given
emphasis, but Thabane’s
official visit, as we pointed out last week, was
elevated to the status of a
state visit when obviously it wasn’t.
There was another point which
Thabane had clearly been mandated to convey.
“The people of Lesotho join you
in support of the full implementation of the
GPA,” he said.
Again
that was a sugar-coated pill as it was tied to a call for the lifting
of
sanctions. And Thabane kept on reminding his audience that he was a
junior
leader obeying Mugabe’s command to visit Zimbabwe.
“When an elder
statesman of his age and stature invites an equally young
newly-elected PM
like me, the invitation is a command,” he said.
So there you have it.
Thabane’s “state” visit had a diplomatic sub-text.
“Time to
go”.
Muckraker was interested to see how the Freedom House report
on Zimbabwe
would be “spun” by Zanu PF’s apologists. Zanu PF had overtaken
the MDC-T in
the popularity stakes according to their report on data from a
survey
undertaken by the Mass Public Opinion Institute
mid-year.
It claimed that support for the MDC-T had dropped from 38%
to 20%. In 2009
it put support for Zanu PF between eight and 10% and for the
MDC at 57%. The
report claimed most Zimbabweans relied on the state media
and trusted the
military.
But Morgan Tsvangirai’s spokesperso01n
Luke Tamborinyoka gave a neat twist
to the claims as reported in the Sunday
Times.
“With all those satellite dishes at police stations and even
at army
barracks, the Freedom House-sponsored survey says the state media is
the
media of choice in Zimbabwe? That Zimbabweans trust the army and
police?”
Obert Gutu, the MDC-T spokesman for Harare and Deputy
Minister of Justice
and Legal Affairs described the survey as fatally
flawed.
“It is the height of intellectual delinquency for any
right-thinking person
to argue that all of a sudden the people of Zimbabwe
now have increased
faith and trust in the army, police and CIO as well as
the AG’s office. More
poignantly, it is an unmitigated absurdity for any
sane person to believe
that ZBC is the most trusted source of news in
Zimbabwe.”
The state media gave the survey a muted reception. The
reason is not
difficult to find. It used all its resources to denounce the
2009 MPOI
report and its authors. It can hardly argue now that Freedom House
and the
MPOI are credible sources!
Zanu PF spokesperson
Rugare Gumbo recently claimed that despite claims by
other parties that they
are sabotaging the constitution-making process, they
are actually protecting
the “national interest”.
The MDC formations endorsed the draft
constitution while the “revolutionary
party scrutinised the whole document”
making proposals to include some views
of the majority that had been left
out, we are told.
According to Mugabe Zanu PF is an “enlightened”
party that will not accept a
document that goes against its “revolutionary
ideals”.
Mugabe and his party’s approach to constitution-making is
quite strange.
They take the draft, make a whole range of amendments,
and then Gumbo
declares nobody else will be allowed to do the same
thing.
“Zanu PF won’t move an inch,” Gumbo says. Having thoroughly
politicised and
re-written the draft, he claimed the constitution was a
national initiative
that did not belong to individual
parties.
However, experts who, according to ZBC “have been
following the constitution
making-process” say Zimbabwe can hold elections
using the Lancaster House
constitution because of the current
stalemate.
Zanu PF politburo member Jonathan Moyo said the essence of
the GPA was never
about writing a new constitution, but to create a
conducive environment for
conducting free and fair
elections.
Sharing similar sentiments National Constitutional
Assembly (NCA) chairman,
Lovemore Madhuku, said it was very clear from the
beginning that no
constitution was ever going to be produced by the
political parties as they
have to agree on all the issues.
“It
was clear from the beginning that the three political parties would not
produce a new constitution,” he said.
“Elections should be held
using the old one. The parties should just agree
so that we go for
elections,” Madhuku said.
Fancy seeing Madhuku singing from the Zanu
PF hymn sheet! Was Zanu PF the
party he was referring to when he said in
April that he would relinquish his
post at the NCA and venture into “active
party politics”?
The Sunday Mail’s columnist Udo Froese once
again showed a farcical
appreciation of Zimbabwean
issues.
Perched in Johannesburg, Froese opined that the “foreign
guiders of the
opposition” had limited the powers of the president in the
draft
constitution to ensure they were safe since they were not sure that
the MDCs
will actually win.
Despite the draft constitution being
a product of all the parties in the
inclusive government including Zanu PF,
Froese now claims it is the product
of the West.
“The president
would have two terms of office only, together amounting to 10
years,”
complains Froese as if it is a really bad thing.
“Let us be honest
and pragmatic,” Froese asserts, “despite being part of the
inclusive
government, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his Minister of
Finance,
Tendai Biti, were not successful in having the sanctions against
their
country lifted.”
“So, why then vote for a failure?” he
asks.
According to Froese, this is the question in the minds of most
Zimbabweans,
“even of those living here in South
Africa”.
Zimbabweans living in South Africa, Froese would have us
believe, are more
concerned with sanctions on Mugabe and his coterie than
the economic havoc
engineered by his regime which left them with no choice
but to brave the
crocodile-infested Limpopo River and xenophobic attacks in
the townships.
Fat chance!
Despite admitting that the
government “dropped its currency, the Zimbabwe
dollar, and based its economy
on the United States dollar and the South
African rand”, Froese does not
bother to explain why.
“With a booming mining industry, Zimbabwe was
able to rejuvenate its economy
and to improve the lives of her people,”
Froese declares.
The writer is clearly in cloud-
cuckoo-land!
Despite ZBC defending its steep licence fees of US$20
annually for radio
fees and US$50 for television per household, saying they
are necessary to
meet operating costs, they on the other hand stopped paying
the royalties
due to musicians for the music which they play on
air.
ZBC spokesperson Sivukile Simango recently declared that paying
licence fees
was a statutory requirement and viewers/listeners should abide
by the law or
face the consequences.
This, however, does not
apply to ZBC itself as far as its own obligations
are
concerned.
According to the Herald, the Zimbabwe Music Rights
Association (Zimura) has
applied for a court interdict stopping ZBC from
playing music on their radio
and television stations. This is due to
non-payment for the second time, of
royalties due to Zimura by ZBC since
2009.
Albert Nyathi, Zimura’s board chairman, said a High Court
interdict to bar
the broadcaster from playing any music will soon be put
into effect.
Musicians also accuse ZBC of robbing them of their full
payments by
submitting inaccurate music log sheets to
Zimura.
Undeterred by this shocking duplicity ZBC in May issued 40
people from
Chitungwiza with warrants of arrest for failing to pay ZBC
television and
radio licences.
ZBC Legal and Corporate Services
Manager Irvin Mhlanga said ZBC will “bring
to book” all radio and television
licence defaulters.
The question is who will bring ZBC to book for
cheating musicians and
viewers/listeners alike?
Meanwhile, Zanu
PF Harare provincial secretary for information and
publicity, Claudious
Mutero, recently tried to distance his party from the
activities of gang
leaders extorting kombi crews.
The Herald reports that Harare kombi
operators said they were worried by
government’s failure to protect them
from the “thugs” who were forcing them
to pay protection fees which at some
ranks is US$2 per trip per kombi.
Donning Zanu PF regalia, they operate
“mafia-style” and collect over US$1
000 daily.
Mutero, however,
tried to dissociate his party from the shadowy groups
contradicting Zanu PF
secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa’s recent
admission that groups
like Chipangano are aligned to the organisation.
Mutasa proceeded to instruct
Zanu PF Harare province chairman Amos Midzi to
ensure the unruly youths are
brought under control.
Mutero, however, would have us believe
Chipangano is not Zanu PF when we all
know it is.
Said Mutero:
“These are people trying to soil the name of the party. They
are just using
the name of our party. We do not get money as a party from
the
ranks.”
As far as soiling Zanu PF’s image is concerned that ship
sailed a long time
ago!
Muckraker was amused by a picture on the back
page of the Herald on Monday
headed “DeMbare, You Beauty”. It was captioned
“On top of the world…Dynamos
fans are in seventh heaven and show which
newspaper they read as they
celebrate their first goal at the National
Sports Stadium…”
Everybody was holding up a Herald billboard saying
“Come on Dembare!”. What
we weren’t told was that these were in all
probability troops of Herald
vendors out there!
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in Opinion
OF
Zimbabwe’s many economic ills, the greatest must be the magnitude of
poverty
of its population. According to estimates, 80% of the employable
population
lacks formal sector employment. Most people are struggling to
survive on
incomes below the poverty datum line (PDL), and survive as a
result of
support from those few gainfully employed and from relatives
abroad.
Report by Eric Bloch
In desperation to survive, some
are resorting to crime ranging from
burglaries to car-jackings, armed
robberies and corruption.
As if living below PDL incomes is not bad
enough, more shocking is that
almost 60% have incomes below the food datum
line (FDL), and therefore
suffer from under-nourishment and malnutrition
which endanger their lives.
However, a close second in the economic
ills that afflict Zimbabwe, which is
also an indirect contributor to the
population’s poverty, is Zimbabwe’s huge
national debt. In his 2012
mid-year budget review, Finance minister Tendai
Biti disclosed that national
debt is more than US$10 billion — more than
three times Zimbabwe’s annual
total economic output (GDP).
Moreover, even if Zimbabwe now
succeeds in adhering to the minister’s
declared objective of containing
expenditure to revenues instead of
recurrently incurring further debt, the
interest burden on the existing debt
increases national loan liabilities as
Zimbabwe does not generate sufficient
income to service the interest
charges.
Despite Biti’s endeavour to contain state expenditure to
match revenue, and
the intense attempts by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority
(Zimra) to increase
receipts, the reality is that the sum of expenditures
government must incur
continuously exceeds revenue. Zimbabwe’s essential
infrastructure is aged
and in need of urgent maintenance and upgrading. This
includes its energy
generation resources, water procurement and delivery,
rail and air services,
telecommunications, roads, health and education. But
state revenue is
grossly inadequate to meet infrastructural costs, in
addition to ongoing
government’s operational expenditures.
So
that despite the declared intention to progressively reduce national
debt,
the reality is that government still has to resort to borrowings,
resulting
in its debts increasing by a combination of unserviced interest
charges and
additional borrowing. Zimbabwe is consequently becoming, to all
intents and
purposes, more and more insolvent.
Admittedly, there are many
(including politicians and civil servants) who
contend that Zimbabwe’s
borrowing is not excessive in relation to the
magnitude of its mineral
reserves which include gold, platinum, diamonds,
lithium, chrome, coal,
methane gas, uranium and much more. This contention
is fallacious, for
although Zimbabwe has such reserves, they are intangible
assets because of
Zimbabwe’s inability to access and process them
adequately.
They are not realised reserves, but only
potentially realisable and they
yield comparatively little for the servicing
of national debt. Zimbabwe is
thus over-borrowed, and the extent of the
increasing indebtedness is
worrisome.
Because Zimbabwe is
virtually insolvent, and because of its recurrent
failure to service its
debts on time, the country has very limited access to
the loan funding it
requires for overdue infrastructural maintenance and
repairs.
Many of the world’s key lenders such as the
International Monetary Fund and
the World Bank are precluded by their
constitutions from making advances to
debt-servicing defaulters. Others, not
precluded from making advances to
Zimbabwe, are reluctant to do so for they
inevitably perceive Zimbabwe
defaulting in its debt
servicing.
Therefore, government is very constrained in seeking
desperately-required
loans from the few countries (and their institutions)
willing to provide
funds. Those countries do so not out of magnanimity and
generosity, but in
order to gain benefits over and above the accrual of
interest. Countries
still willing to loan fund Zimbabwe are from the Far
East. In so doing,
they are not driven by philanthropy or generosity, but
by the benefits from
lending.
Among the benefits are concessions
in the award of mining rights. They also
demand trading benefits that
include concessions on import duties
(notwithstanding the resultant harm
inflicted on Zimbabwe’s manufacturing
sector, which is unable to compare
with imported products benefitting from
the concessions).
Other
benefits demanded by loan providers include exemptions from Zimbabwe’s
empowerment laws, tax concessions, residence permits, encumbrance of state
assets and awarding of government contracts (frequently at high charges) in
respect of the infrastructural projects funded by the provided loans.
Often, political concessions and support are also sought in exchange for
loan funding, such as in the deliberations of the United Nations and the
African Union.
Thus the consequence of government’s self-imposed
quasi-insolvency has been
to mortgage Zimbabwe and its economy to an
untenable extent. This has
resulted in increased poverty and suffering,
with Zimbabwe virtually
forfeiting its Independence. The situation will
continue unless Zimbabwe
repairs its damaged international relationships
with many countries, and
seeks debt forgiveness and substantial foreign
investment.
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in
Opinion
ZANU PF’s proposed amendments to the latest Copac draft constitution,
which
largely curtail President Robert Mugabe’s imperial powers widely
blamed for
his authoritarian rule and ruining the country, are likely to be
rejected
ahead of elections by the people clamouring for reforms that
promote
democracy, human rights and good governance, among other
things.
Report by Brian Chitemba
Analysts say if the amendments are to
be put to a referendum as part of what
effectively amounts to an alternative
Zanu PF draft, they would be rejected
by voters mainly because the agenda
behind them — the attempt to retain the
status quo — is thinly-veiled. The
far-reaching changes are seen as an
effort to save and reinstate the current
executive presidency, with all its
imperious powers, to defend Mugabe’s
waning career and ward off his possible
defeat in the coming crucial
elections by June next year.
After the Copac draft was completed on
July 18, the Zanu PF politburo held
meetings day and night which lasted
about 50 hours ostensibly to rewrite the
document to “reflect people’s
views” although the move was designed to
retain Mugabe’s sweeping powers
significantly whittled down by the draft.
The two MDC formations have
rejected the amendments off-hand, insisting
there would be no further
negotiations on the draft with Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai, who is also
MDC-T leader, saying “we cannot negotiate in
perpetuity”. He even rejected
the idea put forward by MDC leader Welshman
Ncube of putting both the Copac
and Zanu PF drafts to the referendum,
arguing it would “complicate our
people’s lives”.
Tsvangirai’s suggestion: “My advice to Zanu PF is
vote against the Copac
draft if they are not happy.”
However,
Zanu PF negotiator Patrick Chinamasa said negotiating was the only
way
forward given the nature of the process. “The PM is aware that the
constitution-making process is built on consensus and that without the
support of Zanu PF the process will not move forward,” he
said.
When it gets to parliament, parties need each other because the
draft
requires a two-thirds majority to pass. No party has such a majority
in
parliament.
Zanu PF’s extraordinary politburo session last Saturday
insisted its
alterations be incorporated into the Copac draft despite
resistance by
coalition partners, arguing they represented “the views of the
people” as
captured during the constitution-making’s outreach
programme.
Mugabe handed over his party’s amendments to Tsvangirai
and Ncube last week.
After Copac produced its last draft,
incorporating last minute Zanu PF
proposals contained in a 29-page documents
with over 200 changes, the MDC
parties quickly endorsed the revised draft
charter, but the politburo
virtually shredded the document, making wholesale
modifications while
expunging chapters, clauses and sections including those
proposing
presidential running mates and devolution.
Zanu PF’s
draft retains the current imperial presidency by restoring all the
presidential powers, and consolidating them through a new provision stating
cabinet can only exercise authority under the direction of the president who
takes precedence over other people.
The Copac draft, on which
Zanu PF negotiators appended their signatures
alongside those of their MDC
counterparts, provides for executive powers to
be partly dispersed to the
legislature and judiciary.
Although parties involved in the
constitution-making process are all making
claims that people’s views have
not been captured and reflected adequately
in the Copac draft, they are
either unwilling or unable to publish the
national report for people to read
and make their own conclusions.
Ncube described the Zanu PF draft as
worse than the current Lancaster House
constitution amended 19 times, mainly
to consolidate power in Mugabe’s
hands.
However, Zanu PF
politburo member and party strategist Jonathan Moyo has
defended the
amendments, saying they purportedly reflect “people’s views”.
Analysts say
Zanu PF hardliners like Moyo want to use Mugabe to ensure early
elections
under the current constitution to secure their own uncertain
future.
Political analyst Rodrick Fayayo said one of the
challenges in the current
constitution-making was the emergence of
self-centred extremists who include
Moyo and others within Zanu PF
ranks.
“Zanu PF political extremists’ rely on Mugabe for their
political survival,”
said Fayayo. “Without Mugabe, they are doomed. It is
against this background
that they want, and desperately so, to have
elections like yesterday under
the current constitution or any other which
they prefer,” Fayayo said.
MDC director of research and policy
Qhubani Moyo said Zanu PF’s amendments
were designed to provoke a deadlock
to enable Mugabe to call for elections
under the Lancaster House
constitution which tilts the playing field in
their favour.
He
said the Zanu PF hardliners would not be open to progressive negotiations
because they knew their survival lies in an imperial presidency and an
unstable environment.
Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs
minister Eric Matinenga said taking
the two drafts to the referendum would
further polarise the already tense
political environment, triggering
violence and intimidation before the
elections.
“If we have a
Copac document and the so-called Zanu PF document or other
drafts for people
to choose during the referendum, what it means is we are
simply going to
have an election where people choose what is perceived to be
MDC or Zanu
PF,” Matinenga said. “Such situations are often characterised by
political
violence and it means we are going to be in election mode for up
to 15
months and violence for a long time. Zimbabweans do not want to see
that.”
The latest Zanu PF demands appear to be a clear indication
that the party is
determined to spoil the already delayed
constitution-making process, despite
earlier complaints about the
constitution-making process dragging on. This
has betrayed Zanu PF’s
“throw-in-the-spanners at the works” strategy to
scuttle the adoption of a
new constitution.
Zapu spokesperson Methuseli Moyo said Zanu PF was
likely to face resistance
from Zimbabweans because of the reactionary
amendments, particularly on
devolution and dual citizenship.
“It
is the same Zanu PF that created economic turmoil which drove away
millions
of people out of the country, but now wants to deny them dual
citizenship,”
said Moyo. “That is going to spark a fight with the masses.”
Moyo
said Zanu PF’s resistance to devolution was futile because the current
situation demands that power must be distributed from the centre to the
provinces through an effective decentralisation model.
He said
the likely scenario out of many other possible ones was that Zanu PF
amendments would be rejected and Mugabe would call for polls using the
current constitution.
Due to the long-running battle among
coalition partners, Sadc has repeatedly
urged Zanu PF, MDC-T and MDC to
conclude the constitution-making process to
pave way for fresh
elections.
Sadc mediator and South African President Jacob Zuma’s
facilitation team
arrived in Harare on Tuesday to get an update on the
contentious
constitution-making process.
But analysts say major
obstacles have to be overcome for the process to move
forward.
“What is simply going to happen is that supposing all
the drafts were put
before the referendum and people decided to vote for the
Copac draft for
instance, then Zanu PF can decide to block it in parliament
where it needs
two-thirds approval by MPs in the House of Assembly,”
constitutional expert
Greg Lennington said.
As matters stand, the
situation remains touch-and-go, showing major hurdles
ahead and the country
may well be heading for renewed trouble before and
after what promises to
be watershed elections unless a breakthrough is
found soon.
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in
Opinion
IN the next 12 months Zimbabwe will hold elections but we need to ask
ourselves several critical questions. The most central concern is what these
elections will really be about. Are these elections merely going to be about
removing President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF in as far as the MDC formations
are concerned?
Report by Dumisani Nkomo
At a more critical level,
what is at stake for ordinary Zimbabweans and will
elections change their
lot? Does the MDC-T — which according to the Freedom
House survey has
plunged in popularity ratings — deserve our vote and will
they deliver real
change or will they perpetuate the Zanu PF legacy of
kleptocracy,
dictatorship, corruption and poverty?
Does Welshman Ncube’s MDC have
anything to offer and does his party stand a
realistic chance of making an
impact in the elections? Will these political
parties proffer quality
candidates and quality policies beyond the tired
“Mugabe must go” mantra
when people are beginning to ask, “and then what
after that?”
Or
will this be an election without a choice given Mugabe, Tsvangirai and
Ncube?
Without a shadow of doubt, the rallying call for elections
in 2000, 2005 and
2008 has been the “Mugabe and Zanu PF must go” slogan. The
major beneficiary
of it has been MDC-T and Tsvangirai.
While it
is quite obvious to all right-thinking Zimbabweans that Mugabe and
Zanu PF
do not deserve another term of office, it is increasingly becoming
clear
that the electorate needs political parties and leaders who offer much
more
than promising to remove Mugabe without a clear plan of how they
intend to
govern the country afterwards. This probably explains why possibly
Tsvangirai and the MDC-T’s support is now dipping. They have not really
offered much beyond the “Mugabe must go” refrain.
Political
parties have to offer serious and quality policies through which
they
intend to transform the country from a poor authoritarian to a
prosperous
democratic state, and possibly a regional economic giant. Parties
have to
lay on the table clear policies on how they are going to deliver
socio-economic reform and change. This must go beyond shallow and deceptive
party manifestoes that promise everything and deliver
nothing.
The electorate has to know how the MDC formations, Zapu,
Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn
and other parties will create industrial growth,
activate the potential of
the extractive sector and unlock value in the
tourism sector, for instance.
Voters want to know how these parties are
going to formulate policies that
will lead to economic recovery, growth and
employment as well as effective
efficient service
delivery.
Whoever is running for president must convince us that
he or she has a
holistic plan for the revival of infrastructure, the health
delivery system,
education and to combat the ever-growing threat of
unemployment and poverty.
Candidates for the presidential
elections should as is the norm in
democracies debate issues that affect the
nation and the electorate. The
days of demagogues’ ranting and raving
through political monologue at
rallies will come to an end as the voters
mature and start demanding
answers.
Zanu PF – which the Freedom
House survey claims is recovering lost ground –
appears articulate in terms
of ideological clarity concerning land,
indigenisation and a unitary system
of governance even though their policies
are discredited. This is regardless
of the fact that their policies and
positions on these issues is steeped in
the authoritarian politics of social
engineering and political control which
has systematically decimated the
economy. What is troubling though is the
inability of alternative political
parties such as the two MDC formations to
clearly articulate alternative
policies covering these and other
issues.
Because of this, sadly some of Zimbabwe’s urban and emerging
young populace,
particularly the generation which was young when the MDC was
formed in 1999
and may not necessarily share its vision (whatever that is)
may fall for the
Zanu PF empowerment bait in the absence of clear
alternatives from other
parties.
Critically though, as we head
for the elections it is cardinal for parties
which want to be taken
seriously to be coherent in their vision and strategy
concerning the
following issues:
Parties must come up with well-though-out policies
and programmes on
re-industrialisation,competitiveness, value-addition,
enhancing regional and
international trade, productivity and how to situate
Zimbabwe in the
changing global economic landscape.
We do not
need them to talk about de-industrialisation as we are
sufficiently and
practically informed about what has been in that area.
Parties thus should
prescribe solutions to de-industrialisation, not just
outline and harp on
the problem.
Parties must convince the electorate that they have
strategy to restore
reliable, efficient and effective service delivery
through a governance
system that ensures equitable and sustainable resource
allocation,
responsiveness to citizen–consumer demands and good
governance.Given the
critical role of energy in how the economy functions
and people live,
parties must proffer solutions to the endless challenges we
have been
experiencing in accessing regular and efficient supplies of
power.
They have to convince us that they have a plan to ensure
there is
alternative “green energy” in the context of what is happening
around the
world. The debate on “green energy” in Zimbabwe is disappointing
and the
political leadership does not seem to be providing leadership or
direction
on this matter. In fact, the stalled and controversy-ridden
Chisumbanje
ethanol project shows government leaders, including ministers,
simply don’t
understand these things.
Parties also need to give
clarity on how they will address issues relating
to water supply,
infrastructure and transport, among other things. Any
political party that
does not provide a clear plan on how these issues
should be addressed face
rejection by the people.
Civil society and the media will play a key
role in giving space to various
political players to articulate their
policies through public debates,
inter-party dialogue, opinion pieces, live
debates and broadcasts, and
internet communications. Obviously, there is a
huge challenge in Zimbabwe
because the electronic media is firmly in the
grip of Zanu PF but this is
not an excuse for any political party to fail to
articulate its policies in
this age of the internet.
Linked to
the above issues, leaders and their parties must commit themselves
to
building a democratic and developmental state anchored on a good
constitution which protects civil and political liberties, human rights,
rule of law, good governance and accountability. They also need to rebuild
democratic institutions and foster a new political philosophy, culture and
value-system which embrace diversity and tolerance.
To achieve
these things, parties must field quality candidates during the
elections. I
am not necessarily referring to educational or academic
qualifications,
although they are a key component, because it is quite
possible to have
academically capable suitable but functionally illiterate
leaders.
In essence we need leaders with a track record of
leadership and delivery in
their life endeavours. These leaders must be
social entrepreneurs (people
able to respond creatively and proactively to
relevant situations) who have
the ability to tackle socio-economic
challenges in their constituencies.
They should have basic social
intelligence as well as ability to engage in
complex national and policy
issues. It is simply scandalous and
counter-productive to blindly vote for
leaders who lack leadership
credentials and capacity to
deliver.
In short, Zimbabwe desperately needs serious and effective
leaders to rise
from its ruins. The country has great potential but lacks
visionary
leadership and direction.
Nkomo is CEO of
Habakkuk Trust and spokesperson of the Matabeleland Civil
Society Forum. He
writes in his personal capacity.
Email:dumisani.nkomo@gmail.com and
dumisanionkomo.blogspot.com
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
August 31, 2012 in
Opinion
In the fifth part of his article on the topical issue of Zanu PF
succession,
Derek Matyszak takes a further look at the administrative and
co-ordinating
bodies within Zanu PF and their influence, functions and
duties.
Report by Derek Matyszak
Last week we noted Zanu PF’s
executive posts roughly match the executive
positions noted in respect of
the elected and co-ordinating bodies, though
several additional departments
have been established. The intention seems to
be to create positions which
accord governmental ministries and positions,
which are as
follows:
i) President and first secretary;
ii) Two vice-presidents
and second secretaries;
iii) National chairperson;
iv) Secretary for
administration;
v) Secretary for finance;
vi) Secretary for
commissariat;
vii) Secretary for external relations;
viii) Secretary for
national security;
ix) Secretary for transport and social welfare;
x)
Secretary for information and publicity;
xi) Secretary for legal
affairs;
xii) Secretary for indigenisation and economic empowerment;
xiii)
Secretary for production and labour;
xiv) Secretary for health and child
welfare;
xv) Secretary for economic affairs;
xvi) Secretary for women’s
affairs;
xvii) Secretary for youth affairs;
xviii) Secretary for
education;
xix) Secretary for gender and culture;
xx) Secretary for
welfare of the disabled and disadvantaged persons;
xxi) Secretary for land
reform and resettlement;
xxii) Secretary for science and
technology;
xxiii) Committee members;
xxiv) Deputies to the heads of
departments of the politburo.
The persons occupying these positions,
and 10 other members appointed at the
same time by the president from the
central committee, form the body known
as the politburo. In terms of the
party constitution, there should thus be
53 members. In fact, some 58
persons are part of the politburo currently
appointed by Mugabe. The list of
members as set out in the party
constitution and reproduced above, is also
stated to be the “rank” of
members “in order of precedence”.
The
last in the order of precedence, the 19 deputies, have no voting powers.
The
politburo’s function is to act as the secretariat to the central
committee.
It is the administrative organ of the central committee, and
implements all
decisions, directives, rules, and regulations of the central
committee. It
meets at least once a month, or more often as directed by the
president.
With the central committee holding all the plenary powers of
congress, and
with the politburo comprising the persons charged with
executing these
powers, this is the most powerful body within Zanu PF.
Consultative
fora
In theory, the principal body of Zanu PF is the national people’s
congress.
It is composed of:
i) All members of the central
committee;
ii) All members of the national consultative assembly;
iii) All
members of the women’s league;
iv) All members of the national council of the
youth league;
v) All members of the provincial co-ordinating committees
(PCCs);
vi) All members of the district co-ordinating committees
(DCCs);
vii) The chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, political
commissar and
treasurer, and two members each from the women’s and youth
league from every
district.
Executive council of the party
The
powers of congress have already been described in relation to the
central
committee which, as stated, exercises most of the powers of congress
when it
is not in session. Although congress ordinarily convenes every five
years,
extraordinary sessions of congress may be convoked at the instance of
the
majority of the members of the central committee, or by the president at
the
instance of not less than one-third of members of the central committee,
or
following the resolution to do so by five provincial executive
councils.
However, six weeks’ notice is required to convene such an
extraordinary
session of congress. The procedure for the business of
congress is
determined by the central committee. Nominally, congress has
elective
powers, which will be considered further below.
In
addition to congress, there are two other consultative bodies, the
national
people’s conference and national consultative assembly. The former
is
composed of:
i) All members of the central committee;
ii) All
members of the national consultative assembly;
iii) All members of the
national council of the women’s league
iv) All members of the national
council of the youth league;
v) All members of the PCCs;
vi) All members
of the provincial councils;
vii) All members of DCCs; and
viii) All
members of the district executive councils as may be determined by
the
central committee from time to time.
The “people’s conference”
convenes yearly and the press often erroneously
refers to its meeting as a
Zanu PF “congress”, though it is obviously
important to distinguish between
a conference and a congress. The purpose of
these yearly conventions is
somewhat vaguely defined and loosely
interpreted. It is essentially to
receive feedback from and to monitor the
central committee on the
implementation of decisions and programmes
determined by congress. It also
considers reports submitted to it by the
central committee.
As
stated, it is also required to “declare the president of the party
elected
at congress as the state presidential candidate of the party”. The
last body
to be considered under this head is the national consultative
assembly,
comprising:
i) All members of the central committee;
ii) All
members of the national assembly of the women’s league and their
deputies;
iii) All members of the national assembly of the youth league
and the
deputies;
iv) All members of the 10 provincial executive
councils;
v) Such other members designated by the central committee on
account of
their contribution to the liberation struggle or development of
the country
after Independence; and
vi) All former members of the central
committee.
This body convenes twice yearly and is intended as a sounding
board for the
central committee. It debates issues of policy referred to it
by the
president or central committee, with a view to making appropriate
recommendations to the central committee.
— To be continued next
week.
Matyszak is a former University of Zimbabwe law lecturer,
constitutional
expert and researcher with Research and Advocacy Unit.
