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Lift sanctions against Zimbabwe, Jacob Zuma urges MEPs

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/

External relations − 29-09-2010 - 12:19
Committee: Foreign Affairs

The international community should lift sanctions against Zimbabwe, so as to
facilitate efforts to resolve its ongoing crisis, South-Africa's President
Jacob Zuma told Foreign Affairs Committee MEPs on Wednesday. On his first
visit to the European Parliament, MEPs urged Mr Zuma to take the lead in
helping to resolve some of Africa’s most acute conflicts.

"On Zimbabwe, we gave leadership before anybody else did and the current
power-sharing deal was facilitated by South Africa", Mr Zuma told MEPs, as
he called on the international community to lift sanctions against it. "This
would give a chance to the efforts we are making there and empower the
Southern African Development Community to do more on Zimbabwe", he added in
reply to questions by Louis Michel (ALDE, BE), Co-president of the ACP-EU
Joint Parliamentary Assembly, Judith Sargentini (Greens/EFA, NL) and
Geoffrey Van Orden (ECR, UK).

Commenting on EU and US travel bans and asset freezes imposed on some of
Zimbabwe's leading figures, including President Mugabe, Mr Zuma said that
"sticking to the sanctions on individuals will give credit to the argument
of the Zanu PF [President Mugabe's political party] that the functioning of
the unity government is not supported to the fullest".

MEPs urged Mr Zuma that South Africa should play a more active role in
helping to resolve some of the continent’s most acute crises.

Asked by Graham Watson (ALDE, UK) about press freedom in South Africa and
the ANC's proposed media appeals tribunals, Mr Zuma said that "as the ruling
party, ANC has a responsibility to protect citizens’ rights to privacy and
freedom of the media is the only unregulated freedom. It cannot be abused".

EU to play a leading role in the developing world

In his initial address to MEPs, Mr Zuma underlined the strong ties between
the EU and Africa’s largest economy. "Trade relations between the EU and the
African, Caribbean and Pacific group of states are of critical importance",
he said, adding that he is committed to concluding an Economic Partnership
Agreement with SADC "provided the issue of rules of origin can be resolved".

"The EU can play an important role in the developing world", he said,
underlining the importance of the EU-Africa Summit to be held in Libya in
November and adding that "the European Parliament and the Joint Parliament
Assembly have a critical role to play in the oversight of relations with
Africa and the developing world in general. It is an engine that can drive
deeper understanding between the EU and the rest of the world".

Michael Cashman (S&D, UK), Chair of Parliament’s delegation with South
Africa, and Michael Gahler (EPP, DE), Chair of Parliament’s delegation with
the Pan-African Parliament, also took part in a bilateral meeting between
European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek and President Zuma.

In the Chair: Fiorello Provera (EFD, IT)
 


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South Africa accused of 'acquiescence' over Zimbabwe

http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/europe/newsid_9037000/9037140.stm
 
 Wednesday, 29 September 2010 10:41 UK
 

South Africa has been accused of "acquiescing" whilst people in Zimbabwe starved, during a hearing with the country's president, Jacob Zuma.

The attack was made by British Conservative MEP Geoffrey Van Orden, as the president appeared in front of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee on 29 September 2010.

However President Zuma - who replaced Thabo Mbeki in March 2010 - defended his country's record.

He told MEPs that South Africa "gave leadership before anyone else did", and claimed the country had forced Robert Mugabe to tighten specific clauses in Zimbabwe's constitution, such as on vote counting.

He also urged the international community to lift sanctions to enable the South African Development Community (SADC) to do more to help Zimbabweans.

Also during the evidence session, Belgian nationalist MEP Philip Claes said that more needed to be done to halt the murder of white farmers, claiming that there had been over 3,000 cases since 1994.

British Liberal Democrat MEP Graham Watson raised concerns over new media laws in South Africa and called on President Zuma to ensure that press freedom was maintained.

The president said he was keen to defend the freedom of the press, but insisted rules were needed to ensure that the press "did not abuse that freedom".

Foreign Affairs Committee
  • Gabriele Albertini (EPP, Ita) Chair
  • Fiorello Provera (EFD, Ita) Vice-Chair
  • Ioan Pascu (S&D, Rom) Vice-Chair
  • Dominique Baudis (EPP, Fra) Vice-Chair
  • Jean-Luc Melenchon (GUE, Fra) Vice-Chair
  • Pino Arlacchi (ALDE, Ita)
  • Robert Atkins (ECR, UK)
  • Johannes van Baalen (ALDE, Net)
  • Bastiaan Belder (EFD, Net)
  • Franziska Brantner (GRN/EFA, Ger)
  • Frieda Brepoel (GRN/EFA, Bel)
  • Elmar Brok (EPP, Ger)
  • Arnaud Danjean (EPP, Fra)
  • Mario David (EPP, Por)
  • Luigi De Mita (EPP, Ita)
  • Michael Gahler (EPP, Ger)
  • Marietta Giannakou (EPP, Gre)
  • Ana Gomes (S&D, Por)
  • Andrzej Grzyb (EPP, Pol)
  • Takis Hadjigeorgiou (GUE, Cyp)
  • Heidi Hautala (GRN/EFA. Fin)
  • Richard Howitt (S&D, UK)
  • Anna Ibrisagic (EPP, Swe)
  • Anneli Jaateenmaki (ALDE, Fin)
  • Jelko Kacin (ALDE, Slo)
  • Ioannis Kasoulides (EPP, Cyp)
  • Tunne Kelam (EPP, Est)
  • Nicole Kiil-Nielsen (GRN/EFA, Fra)
  • Maria Koppa (S&D, Gre)
  • Andrey Kovatchev (EPP, Bul)
  • Pawel Kowal (ECR, Pol)
  • Wolfgang Kreisl-Dorfler (S&D, Ger)
  • Eduard Kukan (EPP, Slv)
  • Alex Lambsdorff (ALDE, Ger)
  • Vaytautas Landsbergis (EPP, Lit)
  • Ryszard Legutko (ECR, Pol)
  • Krzysztof Lisek (EPP, Pol)
  • Sabine Lösing (GUE, Ger)



  • Ulrike Lunacek (GRN/EFA, Aus)
  • Barry Madlener (NI, Net)
  • Mario Mauro (EPP, Ita)
  • Kyriakos Mavronikolas (S&D, Cyp)
  • Willy Meyer (GUE, Spa)
  • Francisco Millan Mon (EPP, Spa)
  • Alexander Mirsky (S&D, Lat)
  • Andreas Mölzer (NI, Aus)
  • Maria Muniz de Urquiza (S&D, Spa)
  • Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck (ALDE, Bel)
  • Norica Nicolai (ALDE, Rom)
  • Raimon Obials (S&D, Spa)
  • Kristiina Ojuland (ALDE, Est)
  • Ria Oomen-Ruijten (EPP, Net)
  • Justas Paleckis (S&D, Lit)
  • Pier Panzeri (S&D, Ita)
  • Vincent Peillon (S&D, Fra)
  • Alojz Peterle (EPP, Slo)
  • Miroslaw Piotrowski (ECR, Pol)
  • Bernd Posselt (EPP, Ger)
  • Hans-Gert Pottering (EPP, Ger)
  • Cristian Preda (EPP, Rom)
  • Libor Roucek (S&D, Cze)
  • José Salafranca Sanchez-Neyra (EPP, Spa)
  • Nikolaos Salavrakos (EFD, Gre)
  • Jacek Saryusz-Wolski (EPP, Pol)
  • Werner Schulz (GRN/EFA, Ger)
  • Adrian Severin (S&D, Rom)
  • Marec Siwiec (S&D, Pol)
  • Ernst Strasser (EPP, Aus)
  • Hannes Swoboda (S&D, Aus)
  • Charles Tannock (ECR, UK)
  • Zoran Thaler (S&D, Slo)
  • Inese Vaidere (EPP, Lat)
  • Geoffrey Van Orden (ECR, UK)
  • Kristian Vigenin (S&D, Bul)
  • Graham Watson (ALDE, Ger)
  • Boris Zala (S&D, Slv)


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Tsvangirai shoots down ZANU PF sanctions argument

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
29 September 2010

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has blamed his coalition partner ZANU PF
for destroying the economy and shot holes into their persistent claims that
targeted sanctions were to blame. Speaking at a public accountability
seminar in Harare on Monday Tsvangirai said; 'Our problems emanated from
mis-governance, the violent land reform and RBZ's printing of worthless
currency, that is the bearer cheques.'

Tsvangirai said all these compounded to turn 'a political problem to an
economic one'. He denied there were any economic sanctions on the country
but said they were 'restrictive measures.' The Prime Minister was referring
to targeted financial and travel restrictions imposed by western countries
on people and companies in Mugabe's inner circle, who have benefited from
human rights abuses.

So why has Tsvangirai's MDC-T party agreed to be part of a government
re-engagement committee campaigning to have the measures removed? The MDC-T
leader told the seminar; 'We have agreed as principals to tackle the issue
of restrictive measures as this isolation has affected the lines of credit.'
He also said ZANU PF's 'deliberate campaign of intimidation, abusing the
rule of law' among other things had decimated the economy and scared away
investors.

This week the re-engagement committee met US politicians in a futile attempt
to get them to remove the targeted sanctions. The US said although it
recognized the economic advances made in Zimbabwe, there was no progress on
the political front or terms of respect for human and property rights. They
said the 'current political and human rights environment in Zimbabwe
remained troublesome' and said 'Zimbabwe must make further progress before
the targeted sanctions would be removed'.

It has not helped that disharmony between the coalition partners has shown
their arrangement to be unworkable. Mugabe has refused to review the
appointments of the central bank governor and attorney general, swear in
MDC-T nominee for Deputy Agriculture Minister Roy Bennett or appoint MDC-T
and MDC-M governors as agreed in the GPA. The ZANU PF leader has used the
maintenance of targeted sanctions as the excuse for not honouring his
obligations under the deal.

The death of ZANU PF spokesman Ephraim Masawi on Saturday also exposed
another contentious issue, that of the partisan nature of national hero
selection. The two MDC formations have said they will not attend his burial
at the national Heroes Acre. MDC-T spokesman Nelson Chamisa likened the
burial to a private ZANU PF ceremony saying, "We have never been known to be
gatecrashers. It's a gated and walled affair and we respect their bedroom,
so why should we barge in?"

When MDC founding figure Gibson Sibanda died in August, ZANU PF refused to
recognize him as a national hero, sparking angry reactions from the two MDC
formations. The granting of hero status to Masawi, who did not even fight in
the liberation war, will further infuriate the coalition partners even more.
 


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Intimidation of farmers intensifies but PM remains silent

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
29 September 2010

The intimidation of the country's remaining commercial farmers is once again
intensifying, and there have been no attempts from the government,
particularly the Prime Minister, to prevent more illegal farm seizures.
Farmers across the country have turned to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
to put a stop to ongoing land attacks, which have continued regardless of
his presence in the unity government. But the pleas appear to have fallen on
deaf ears, and the situation is once again beginning to take an ugly turn.

Catherine Jouineau-Meredith's Twyford Farm was burned to the ground earlier
this month by the ZANU PF senator who has led violent attacks on the
property since last year, claiming he has an 'Offer Letter' for the
property. Senator Jamaya Muduvuri moved on to the farm in March this year
after successfully evicting Jouineau-Meredith, who was ordered to leave the
farm and fined US$200 for occupying it "illegally".
Muduvuri already owns Shiloh Farm near Kadoma, Mandalay and Brunswick farms
near Chegutu, and Hoffmarie Farm in Kadoma, clearly demonstrating that the
land grab has nothing to do with 'land reform'. Twyford farm is now the
fifth property that he has grabbed to add to his collection of unproductive
pieces of land.

As a French citizen Jouineau-Meredith is meant to be protected by a
bilateral investment protection agreement, signed between France and
Zimbabwe. But this BIPPA, like others meant to protect foreign owned land in
Zimbabwe, has been completely ignored. Jouineau-Meredith also has a High
Court order from 2007 that recognised her rights to the farm. But again, the
total disregard for the rule of law in Zimbabwe means the court order has
offered no protection against illegal land invasions.

Senator Muduvuri has already looted the once productive farm of all its
crops and equipment, and Jouineau-Meredith has repeatedly called on Prime
Minister Tsvangirai to intervene over the past year. In March this year,
Tsvangirai's office told Jouineau-Meredith to "disengage in Chegutu," and
not try to recover her farm equipment and the rest of her belongings. She
was assured that a letter cancelling Muduvuri's Offer Letter had been signed
by the Prime Minister and Vice President John Nkomo. But after several
attempts to get the letter, the Prime Minister's office stopped
communicating with her and refused to return her calls.
Jouineau-Meredith wrote another letter to the Prime Minister's office last
week expressing anger that there has been nothing but empty promises in
reaction to her plight.

"I am now seeking FULL COMPENSATION for the loss of my French BIPPA farm as
per the Land Reform Legislation regarding BIPPA farms. The farm represents a
FRENCH INVESTMENT in Zimbabwe and is therefore liable for compensation in
EURO the day it was taken away from me," Jouineau-Meredith wrote.
Deon Theron, the President of the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), told SW
Radio Africa on Wednesday that the situation "is returning to the old ways
when the land reform programme started." He explained that he is also under
threat, again, after already losing three farms since 2000. Theron has been
living with his mother Hester, who was last year threatened with a jail term
for refusing to leave her dairy farm and home of 50 years. The elderly widow
was eventually granted a court interdict that stopped her eviction and was
meant to protect her from the 'beneficiary' of her property.

But Theron said that the harassment against him and his mother has
intensified despite the court order, and they are now locked out of their
home. Theron explained that land invaders, assisted by the police, have
managed to break into their home on the farm and lock the family out. The
CFU president said that although he has limited access to the farm, land
invaders have taken over and even the police have been involved.

"It is a very scary, tragic situation, and it can only spell out bad things
for the future of this country," Theron said. "There is no respect for
international BIPPAs, no respect for our own courts, and as long as we don't
have respect for the rule of law, then we are lost."

Theron continued saying that similar incidents are occurring throughout the
country, where farmers have reported worsening threats and intimidation over
the last few weeks. He explained that the CFU has tried to get the
intervention of the MDC, to no avail, and even urgent pleas to the
co-Ministers of Home Affairs have been ignored.

"Things are getting very serious, and until someone from government stands
up and says that this is wrong, then we won't have any change," Theron said.


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Zanu PF supporters invade wildlife farms

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

By Oscar Nkala
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 15:50

BULAWAYO - A group led by Zanu PF supporters and war veterans has invaded
Denlynian and Tamari Wildlife farms in Beitbridge where they have ransacked
the places amid reports that property worth millions of dollars was looted.

The Daily News understands that the two farms have been decimated of
endangered wildlife species, while the fence that was used to protect
animals was stolen and 2000 hectares of virgin forest was destroyed by veld
fires.

The group, which calls itself the 'Zhovhe Conservancy Society' is said to be
composed of civil servants, members of the army, the police, the Central
Intelligence Organisation (CIO), Beitbridge Rural District Council staff and
Zanu PF activists.

In a statement, Zimbabwe Conservation Taskforce (ZCTF) chairman Johnny
Rodrigues expressed dismay at the continued invasion of wildlife farms and
the wanton destruction of property, including endangered game species at the
farms.

"It is now ten years since the implementation of the land reform programme
and the very few game farms left are still being invaded. The invaders have
spent the last ten years vandalising the properties and slaughtering the
wildlife that was previously abundant.

"They have especially targeted zebra and eland. The eland population has
dropped from 973 in 2000 to 374 - a drop of 560 animals and the zebra
population has fallen from 871 to 163 animals, a drop of 708 animals,"
Rodrigues said.

He added that the invaders are creating an ecological disaster, destroying
nearly 200 hectares of trees to open up land for tillage when the land is
only fit for wildlife farming.

"The ecosystem is now so fragile that if the land is tilled, the soil will
end up in the river. Seven kilometres of 16 strand game fence has been
stolen to make snares. We have received information that seven animals were
killed last week comprising eland, wildebeest, impala and the slaughter is
continuing."

He said the owners of the invaded game farms had checked with the Deeds
Registry office and found no organisation registered as the Zhovhe
Conservancy Co-operative. The invaders have also reportedly ignored several
court orders to leave the farm, and the police, who are among the invaders,
have so far refused to enforce the court orders.

Environment minister Francis Nhema declined to comment on the developments
in Beitbridge saying he could only do so after receiving a full report on
the situation from his officers on the ground. "For now I cannot comment
because no one has raised the issue with me. It's news to me," Nhema said.

The ongoing plunder of wildlife, particularly elephants, rhinos and zebras
has grown into a highly lucrative industry and security forces and
government officials have been implicated in many detailed reports.

However, no one has been arrested and there are no indications that the
state will be swooping on the high profile poachers who still walk the
corridors of power in this country.


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Arrest Jabulani Sibanda



Wednesday 29 September 2010

The MDC is strongly disturbed that Jabulani Sibanda, a self-styled war veteran, can cause so much suffering in Masvingo province during the past three months without any restraint from the police. It is common cause that Sibanda, with a team of 15 of Zimbabwe’s most violent war veterans, is preaching hate, intimidating and dividing the people, inciting violence and disturbing peace by forcing people to attend his meetings in the province.

Today, Sibanda disrupted classes at Nhema Primary School when he ordered teachers and school children to his rally before proceeding to Fuve Business Centre in Zaka, Masvingo province, where he threatened hundreds of villagers with violence if they stayed away from his meetings in the area. What is further worrying is that this happened in full view of the police. Zanu PF is funding Sibanda in the party’s mission to fight ordinary villagers and to interfere with their normal lives. It is not a secret that on 29 March 2008, the people of Zaka rejected  Zanu PF in favour of the MDC.  Zanu PF should come out clean and denounce him if it is not involved with Sibanda’s machinations. Their silence means he is their functionary on a mission to prop up their electoral fortunes.

Zanu PF thinks it can intimidate them and stop the groundswell of opinion in favour of real change. Once Zimbabweans turn their back on a party that has discredited itself through bad governance, dictatorship and unbridled tyranny there will never change their minds. Sibanda can enjoy himself with his daily threats but by so doing he is driving people further away from politics of intimidation and dictatorship.

However, Zaka and the entire Masvingo province has moved together with the rest of Zimbabwe and made a clear statement that change is inevitable. Any new voices with contrary messages shall have no impact on the ground. He has been to Mashonaland central, Manicaland and now in Masvingo province. That the police have watched Sibanda get away with such a programme of intimidation and disruption beggars belief. The MDC calls on the inclusive government, Police Commissioner General, Augustine Chihuri and his machinery to act on Sibanda as a matter of urgency. 

The behaviour of Sibanda and other destructive elements drawn from the former ruling party poses a real threat to the health of the Inclusive Government and must stop forthwith.

--
MDC Information & Publicity Department
Harvest House
44 Nelson Mandela Ave
Harare
Zimbabwe
Tel: 00263 4 793 250

--
Together, united, winning, ready for a real change
 


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COPAC orders fresh outreach meetings for Harare

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
29 September 2010

The COPAC management committee has condemned the fact that 42 outreach
meetings were not done properly or were abandoned in Harare, as a result of
violence, and wants them done again

COPAC co-chairperson Douglas Mwonzora said they've carried out an exercise
to analyze what happened at each and every meeting held between 18th and
19th September.

Mwonzora, an MDC-T legislator for Nyanga, told us on Wednesday the
rescheduled meetings have been penciled down for weekend after next. But
COPAC has ordered that all meetings should be held under certain conditions
to avoid what happened before.

'Between today (Wednesday) and next weekend we will have ten days to put
down conditions that will allow people in Harare the freedom to air their
views freely,' Mwonzora said.

'First there must be clear mechanisms to contain and maintain law and order.
We will approach the co-Home Affairs ministers and the Commissioner General
to ensure they guarantee the safety of participants,' he added.

The MDC-T legislator said there must be public statements by all political
parties denouncing violence, racism, intimidation and other malpractices
during the process.

'We should also get co-operation from the ZBC as a public broadcaster to
inform people of the venues. Significantly we've had to breakdown the
meetings in Harare into smaller manageable groups. This effectively
increases the number of meetings centres in Harare,' Mwonzora said.

The public hearings had to be called off in Harare and in Chitungwiza after
violence broke out during meetings last week. Crispen Mandizvidza, an MDC
activist, died from injuries sustained after he was assaulted in Mbare.

A row over the aborted outreach program was also threatening to torpedo the
harmony within the COPAC management team after ZANU PF tried to block the
rescheduling of the abandoned meetings.

Mwonzora said they were also looking at recommendations proposing that where
there were doubts about the fairness of the meetings, they have to be redone
as well.

'But before this can happen we urge President Mugabe as Commander-in-chief
of the armed forces to act on lawlessness. In the last few weeks we've
noticed some misbehaviour by members of the security forces. We need the
President to put his foot down and act decisively on errant members of the
uniformed forces,' Mwonzora added.

 


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COPAC Wants Political Leaders To Publicly Denounce Violence

http://news.radiovop.com

29/09/2010 10:18:00

A committee leading the crafting of the country's new constitution wants the
leaders of country's three political parties to publicly denounce violence
before they can resume abandoned consultative meetings in Harare and
Chitungwiza.

The Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (COPAC) says it is necessary for
the leaders to emphatically denounce violence as a measure to help the
progress of the exercise.

"We have said that we want the political parties to speak against violence
publicly and this must be done at the most senior level of
the parties," COPAC co-chairperson Douglas Mwonzora who represents the MDC
party led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told Radio VOP.

His colleague Paul Mangwana who represents Zanu PF in the committee said
there is consensus that the areas that were disrupted must be
redone as was the case in many other parts of the country where violence was
reported.

However Mwonzora said the meetings that were disrupted even those that were
partially completed should be redone. About 42 meetings had been
done out of a total of 72. Apart from the call for the political leaders to
denounce violence the committee also want the Zimbabwe Broadcasting
Corporation (ZBC) which initially denied COPAC adverts airtime to
prominently publicise the venues of the meetings and the time. Furthermore
the committee want Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri to issue a
stern warning to would be perpetrators of violence on national television.
In
addition they want him to set up road blocks at roads leading to meeting
venues to avoid the bussing in of people.

COPAC meetings in Harare and Chitungwiza were suspended two weeks ago after
violence caused by Zanu PF supporters broke out. The violence was so intense
that even the parliamentarians recording the people's views had to take to
their heels. An MDC supporter died from injuries sustained after he was
attacked by Zanu PF supporters.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday decried the violence that has so
far marred the constitution making process and hinted that due
to it the final document might have to be negotiated among political
parties.
On the other hand the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), for long a
critic of the parliamentary led process, says the politicians must
swallow they pride and set up an independent commission to complete the
process.
A new constitution is expected to usher in a new culture of democracy and
the respect of human rights. The country is currently using a patched-up
Lancaster House constitution, which Mugabe has used over the years to
maintain an iron fist rule on the country.

According to a Global Political Agreement (GPA) timeline the country is
supposed to have elections next year soon after the adoption of the
new constitution.
 


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New Constitution: Security forces lay siege in Matabeleland to suppress devolution call

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com

29 September, 2010 03:00:00    Staff Reporter

BULAWAYO – Zimbabwean armed security forces and secret services agents have
been deployed in the Matabeleland Provinces in an “undeclared State of
emergency” geared to suppress inclusion of devolution of power in the new
constitution reform process under way, sources in the coalition government
revealed this morning.

The faltering new Zimbabwe constitution process which is under way is one of
the requirements stipulated by the Global Political Agreement, signed in
September 2008 between Zimbabwe's three main political parties: the MDC, a
smaller group of the MDC led by Arthur Mutambara, and ZANU-PF led by Mugabe,
president in the current coalition government.

With the re-emergency of ZAPU led by former ZIPRA Intelligence Supremo
Dumiso Dabengwa, the political dynamics have changed and the fragile peace
pact that has existed for years as a result of the Unity Accord signed
between two protagonists Robert Mugabe and the late Joshua Nkomo is now
under threat.

In the region, armed soldiers and police officers are making their presence
felt by engaging in unusually busy patrols, and road blocks mounted in urban
areas and highway. Armed helicopters and Airforce jet fighters have been
making sporadic sorties in both Mateleland North and South Provinces.

Heavy artillery military vehicles have been spotted in the streets. Bars and
community gatherings have been swamped by secret service agents.

In the streets of Bulawayo, members of the army and police have been accused
of harassing and intimidating innocent city residents in what is being
called an undeclared 'state of emergency'.

According to the Matabeleland Civil Society Consortium the police have been
rounding up, beating and arresting people in Bulawayo. But while police
officials say they are just tightening security, the Consortium says people
are living in fear as a result of the police's actions.

The 'tightened security' has come in the aftermath of a shooting earlier
this month during an armed robbery, which resulted in the death of a police
chief and many in the region now think the Senior police officer was killed
by secret agents in order to have a reason to deploy State forces of terror.

Some media reports say the senior police officer was gunned down by rival
Zanu PF factions.

The death saw Defence Force Commander Constantine Chiwenga announce that the
army would be sent into Bulawayo to deal with the scourge of armed robberies
in the city. The result has been a clamp down on the public and reports of
police brutality.

The Civil Society Consortium has since challenged the police to come out in
the open and declare that Bulawayo is now under a 'curfew'. The group's
Dumisani Nkomo said it was as if Bulawayo was under a "state of emergency or
curfew" which has not been declared.

"If the police want to impose a curfew for the purposes of hunting down
criminals, then they should do so and if that is the real intention I do not
see any law-abiding citizen objecting to that," he said. "What is obviously
wrong is for the police to work as if there is a curfew when they have not
declared any."

A Bulawayo correspondent for SW Radio Lionel Saungweme agreed that there was
an undeclared curfew, explaining that road blocks are being set up every
evening on the main roads leading out of the city. Saungweme said the public
are being heavily monitored and some have even been forced to undergo strip
searches on the streets. There have also been reports of assault at the
hands of the police, if anyone tries to resist being stopped and searched.

Saungweme continued by saying that there is widespread fear that the army's
deployment to Bulawayo is a "decoy," ahead of possible elections next year.
He said that the public are afraid that the machinations of violence, seen
during the 2008 election period, are beginning to re-emerge.

There is also concern, because of the history of genocide in Matabeleland.
"There is a lot of fear that this could be the second wave of the
Gukurahundi, because this is how it all started originally," Saungweme said.

The outreach process began early in 2010 and is expected to be wrapped up by
the end of September 2010. But since about May 2010, in an operation dubbed
"Vhara Muromo", or Shut Your Mouth, members of the youth militia aligned to
ZANU-PF have allegedly been warning villagers to either shut up or support
the party's views on the new constitution.

ZANU-PF wants an existing draft constitution, commonly referred to as the
Kariba Draft, to be adopted. It places no limit on the number of
presidential terms, and gives the president wide-ranging powers.

Mugabe has ruled since independence from Britain in 1980 and the new
constitution will replace the Lancaster House Agreement, which has been
amended 19 times. The new constitution, if approved in a national
referendum, will open the way to elections in 2011.

John Makumbe, a Harare-based political scientist and university lecturer,
told IRIN he feared a referendum would lead to violence "just as we saw in
2000, when the rejection of the referendum saw the government of Mugabe
unleashing soldiers on civilians".

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, an umbrella body for NGOs promoting human
rights, said the victimization of participants was rife. "The violent
disruptions by suspected ZANU-PF supporters, and the ensuing lethargy by the
police in stopping the violence," the coalition noted in a statement.

"The Harare disruptions give credence to earlier allegations of intimidation
and violence in rural areas, particularly Mashonaland and Manicaland
provinces."
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe government has approached South African authorities
to smoke out and close down South African based Zimbabwean community
internet radio station Radio Mthwakazi FM, the brainchild of a group of
Johannesburg based Zimbabweans from the country’s western region of
Matabeleland.

The radio station was officially launched in Hillbrow towards the end of
March this year.
The Zimbabwe government has likened the radio station to the 1992, Radio
Rwanda station which was first used in directly promoting the killing of
Tutsi in Bugesera, south of the national capital Kigali.Radio Rwanda
repeatedly broadcast a communiqué warning that Hutu in Bugesera would be
attacked by Tutsi, a message used by local officials to convince Hutu that
they needed to attack first. Led by soldiers, Hutu civilians and the
Interahamwe attacked and killed hundreds of Tutsi.

"We are concerned about the erosion of the history, arts and culture
especially in the region of Matabeleland and this radio station aims to
revive that and promote our region," said Gerald Ngulube, Mthwakazi FM
station’s Global Director, and he is also its South African chairman.

Currently doing pre-recorded shows, the station broadcasts in mainly Ndebele
and Khalanga, but said it wants to expand to cover all other languages that
are spoken in the Matabeleland region. The region currently has poor
reception of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, which has a monopoly to
broadcast in the country.

Most people in Matabeleland listen to South African and Botswana radio
stations.

Zimbabwe is required, under the Global Political Agreement (GPA), to open up
airwaves to allow more players in the industry. However the Broadcasting
Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ), which is supposed to be the regulatory body,
still has to be properly constituted. The board announced early this year by
Publicity and Information Minister Webster Shamu, was rejected by the
Movement for Democratic Change party. The board had included Tafataona
Mahoso, previously chairman of the defunct Media Information Commission
(MIC), which closed a number of newspapers and resulted in several
journalists losing their jobs.


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Zim's public sector has no accountability - AG

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Staff Reporter
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 16:47

HARARE - The Office of the Auditor and Comptroller General's has said there
is a general lack of financial accountability in the public sector.
Speaking at a meeting organised by the Media Institute of Southern Africa
(MISA) and the Centre for Public Accountability (CPA) which discussed issues
of accountability in the Zimbabwe government and the larger society, the
Deputy Auditor General Spears Mutsau said the country's public sector
generally lacks corporate governance.

"The inadequacy of sound corporate governance principles is another
challenge common in the public sector. The country does not have  a national
corporate  governance code as in South Africa where they have the King III
code, in USA they have the Sarbanes Oxley Act while in United Kingdom they
have the Combined Code," said Mutsau.

"There is no point of reference and so accountability becomes difficult to
enforce. Without a corporate code that stipulates that there must be a
remuneration committee made up of non-executive directors who should
determine the salary packages of executive directors, we end up with cases
where executive directors award themselves hefty salaries as was reported in
the press some time ago."

A number of executives in various public bodies are reportedly taking home
huge salaries which do not match the level of service delivery.

Mutsau said his office generally faces difficulties in getting the
government bodies and ministries to submit their returns on public funds.

According to the law, the deadline for the submission of the Auditor General's
report is September 30. But the office is still working on the audits of
government ministries for the 2009 financial year.

"There are a number of challenges facing accountability in the public
sector. A number of public entities are in arrears with their financial
statements. Some entities' financial statements are as far behind as 2005
and 2006. This compromises accountability," said Mutsau.

Meanwhile, the government is working on a code of corporate governance which
is expected to be completed early next year. It is expected that the code
will act as a guide to the operations of both public and the private sector
organisations in Zimbabwe.

The government has already passed the Public Finance Management Act which
requires entities to produce plans and to issue annual reports which will
present in detail a report on service delivery as a way of enhancing public
accountability in Zimbabwe.

The Auditor General has in the past produced some telling audit reports
which unearthed how ministers and public bodies executive steal money from
the public purse through questionable transactions as
well as acts of corruption.

However, there have been no concrete follow ups on the recommendations of
the reports with the Auditor General's office largely having its hands tied
because it has no powers to act.


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Top banker arrested on politically motivated fraud charges

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/

29 September, 2010 02:50:00    By Staff Reporter

RENAISSANCE Financial Holdings' chief executive officer Patterson Timba and
brother of MDC's Deputy Information Minister Jameson Timba yesterday
appeared at the Harare Magistrates' Court facing allegations of fraudulently
attempting to take over a mining company.

Timba is jointly charged with his brother Stephenson, the chief executive of
Freshco Resources.

The two are accused of using fraudulent documents to seize ownership of
Glencairn Mine, which has several gold claims in Kadoma.

Harare provincial magistrate Mr Mishrod Guvamombe did not ask the duo to
plead to the charges and remanded them out of custody to October 12 on
US$500 bail each.

Mr Guvamombe warned them against interfering with State witnesses.

Defence lawyer Mr Innocent Chagonda of Atherstone and Cook argued that the
matter was not criminal and should be dealt with in a civil court.

He said the Attorney-General's Office had previously declined to prosecute
the matter and several court applications to have it prosecuted had been
thrown out.

Mr Chagonda described the prosecution as "malicious and vindictive" and an
attempt to deprive the two of their majority shareholding in the mining
firm.

He notified the court of his clients' intention to challenge being further
remanded on October 12.

Prosecutor Ms Tendai Chiduwa alleges that in 2004 businessman Jameson
Rushwaya and his wife Annie saw an advertisement in the local Press for the
sale of Glencairn Mine.

Glencairn, which was at that time owned by Collen Rose and Sarah Hayle, was
registered under Tolrose Investments.

The Rushwayas were interested in purchasing the company and allegedly sought
funding from the Timba brothers.

It is the State's case that the Timbas advised them to apply for a loan from
Stanbic Bank.

As per agreement, the couple and the Timba brothers allegedly formed a
company called Aeprom Resources (Private) Limited and restructured
shareholding.

According to the new company, Swimming Pool and Underwater Repairs got 6 150
shares, One Way Ministries Church 1 000 shares, Tongesai Kapondo 499 shares,
Jameson Rushwaya 2 348 shares and his wife a single share, the court was
told.

It is alleged Aeprom Resources got Z$3,480 trillion from Stanbic Bank with
Jameson Rushwaya offering his Bulawayo house.

One of the Timba brothers offered a Harare flat, the prosecution says.

The money was used to buy Glencairn Mine from Rose and Hayle in November
2004.

On February 23, 2005 Rose and Hayle resigned from Tolrose Investments and
the Rushwayas took over as directors.

When Aeprom failed to repay the Stanbic loan, it is alleged Patterson Timba
cleared it, but the firm's operations continued under the Rushwayas
directorship until March 2010.

It is the State's contention that this year, the Timba brothers and Sabtenia
Jakaza, Margaret Ditima, Tongesai Kapondo and Samuel Mazowe - who were all
at large - plotted to oust the directors.

They allegedly originated a fraudulent CR14 form for Tolrose Investments
dated March 31 imposing themselves as additional directors.

The two are also accused of appointing Mazowe as secretary before sending
the document to the Registrar of Companies, the State alleges.

It is the State's case that the Timbas submitted the document with the full
knowledge that it was fraudulent.


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Zanu PF official insists on elections next year

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Sidney Saize
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 16:57

MUTARE - The Zanu PF deputy secretary for information and publicity in
Manicaland province Charles Samuriwo on Tuesday said Zimbabwe would go ahead
with elections come 2011 despite numerous reported cases of violence in some
parts of the country.
He said if volatile countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine could
hold elections, Zimbabwe was no exception.

Samuriwo was presenting his party's position paper on public meeting
organised by the Mass Public Opinion Institute on the question; "Is Zimbabwe
ready to hold credible elections come 2011?"

Samuriwo, admitted that there was political violence in Zimbabwe and said
non-governmental organisations which are calling for the delay in holding
presidential and parliamentary elections next year on the pretext of
political violence and poor performance of the economy, were being naive in
their argument as the poorest of countries were holding the elections.

He said such excuses would in future create dictators who would refrain from
holding elections claiming that the country's coffers are dry and that there
was violence.

"If we fail to hold those elections next year, are we not creating a
platform in which dictators can then determine that because we do not have
funds, we cannot have elections," said Samuriwo.

"Is that implying that poor nations are not supposed to have elections, poor
nations are not supposed to have democracy if funds are the requirement to
have elections. Is democracy a preserve of rich nations?" he asked.

He said the Zimbabweans should not let the prevalence of violence determine
whether to or not to hold elections since some countries with "more"
violence had managed to hold elections.

"Are we prepared to let violence determine when we can hold or not hold
elections? If violence determines when we can and cannot hold elections, why
did we have elections in Iraq, why did we have elections in Afghanistan, why
did we have elections in Palestine.

He said South Africa is a "beacon of greater violence than us" but they held
elections that were said to be credible.

Samuriwo added that Zimbabweans cannot be bound by the dictates of the three
political parties in the inclusive government - Zanu PF and the two
formations of MDC - since other political parties such as Zapu,
Mavambo-Kusile-Dawn should have a say on the issue of elections.

"In any case is Zimbabwe bound by the dictates of three political parties,
are these three political parties Zimbabwe and is Zimbabwe those three
political parties? Are we also setting a precedent where only three
political parties flout the constitution?"

Civic organisations had categorically stated that Zimbabwe was unfit to hold
the elections next year given the orgy of violence that is being reported in
some parts of the country.

Sondon Mugaradziko who is chairperson for the smaller faction of the MDC in
Manicaland province concurred with the civic groups adding that some reforms
needed to be fulfilled before the country goes for another election.

"We need to address the issue of political violence, political and media
reforms before we can meaningfully hold a credible election," said
Mugaradziko.-T, Pishai Muchauraya said his party was ready to stand any
election any time.

"As MDC-T our position is clear. We will stand in each coming election
whatever it takes. We need real change to  move to another chapter in the
history of the country," said Muchauraya.

Moses Semwayo, an academic said based in Mutare said Zimbabwe was not ready
for any elections until key issues to do with the economy and violence are
resolved.

"At the moment Zimbabwe is not ready to hold any free and fair election
because the economy has not picked well enough and some victims of past
political violence associated with elections are yet to heal," Semwayo said.

Cases of political violence have been on the increase especially during the
COPAC outreach programmes leading to some outreach work being suspended in
Harare and other parts of the country.


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2 300 rights abuses during const reforms

http://www.zimonline.co.za/

by Own Correspondent Wednesday 29 September 2010

JOHANNESBURG - A coalition of Zimbabwean civil society groups on Tuesday
said it had recorded more than 2 300 cases of human rights violations during
public hearings on a new constitution last month alone -- casting further
doubt on the credibility of the reforms.

The coalition monitoring constitutional reforms and known by the acronym,
ZZZICOMP, said abuses that include assault, intimidation, suppression of the
freedoms of speech and expression among others totaled 2 359 in the month of
August, a rise of more than 50 percent on the 1 555 incidents recorded in
July.

The ZZZICOMP brings together three of Zimbabwe's top pro-democracy groups -
the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, Zimbabwe Peace Project and Zimbabwe
Lawyers for Human Rights - in a joint-effort to monitor constitutional
reforms and evaluate whether they were democratic and the outcome a true
reflection of the people's wishes.

"The month under review recorded an outreach violation toll of 2359 .. an
increase from the 1555 that were recorded in July," the ZZZICOMP said in its
latest report on constitutional reforms.

"Verbal threats, intimidation, coaching, assaults, presence of state
security agents at outreach meetings, perceptions that recording equipment
will be used to identify individuals making contributions, among others
continue to restrict citizen voice at outreach meetings," it said.

The group spoke as Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned against rising attacks by
supporters of President Robert Mugabe who have targeted people who speak
against the views of the veteran leader's ZANU PF party during the
constitutional outreach meetings.

The New York-based group's Africa director Rona Peligal called on the
government to act to halt the attacks, saying failure to punish perpetrators
of political violence and human rights abuses now will lead to worse
violence during a constitutional referendum and general elections expected
next year.

Peligal said: "This violence and intimidation do not bode well for the
referendum and elections that could be held next year. Without rights
reforms and accountability for continuing abuses, the kind of violence that
plagued the 2008 elections is likely to happen again."

Zimbabwe is writing a new constitution as part of reforms agreed by Mugabe,
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara
to strengthen democracy in the country.

But the exercise to gather public views to be put in the constitution has
been marred by reports of violence and widespread intimidation blamed on
ZANU PF supporters wanting to pressure Zimbabweans to support a new
constitution that will not bar Mugabe from standing for re-election, while
banning the post of Prime Minister.

Public hearings had to be called off in Harare and the nearby dormitory town
of Chitungwiza after violence broke out during meetings more than a week ago
leaving at least one person dead and scores of others injured.

Tsvangirai on Monday told a meeting in Harare that the public hearings that
should have allowed ordinary Zimbabweans to dictate the content of the new
constitution have been reduced to a mere contest between the political
parties.

As a result the three ruling parties - and not citizens - will now have to
decide through negotiations what to put in the new constitution.

Under the power-sharing pact, Zimbabweans will go to elections after a
referendum, which is expected next year but there are doubts the vote will
take place because the constitutional reform exercise is about a year behind
schedule. - ZimOnline.


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Police ‘sprayed Zimbabweans’

http://www.iol.co.za/

September 29 2010 at 01:16am
By Kenichi Serino

Johannesburg - A woman collapsed when Zimbabweans lining up to claim amnesty
at the regional Home Affairs office in Johannesburg on Tuesday were sprayed
with an unknown substance by a police officer.

This happened at around 3pm when chaos broke out amongst the several hundred
Zimbabweans queuing at the office in Harrison Street in the Johannesburg
CBD.

A witness inside the building saw the spraying take place.

“One in a blue SAPS uniform had a can and was spraying a substance that was
like a projectile,” said Tendayi Achiume.

Achiume witnessed the spraying from a window on the other floor. As the
police officer sprayed most of the crowd fled, but several stood their
ground and refused to leave the entrance.

“It seems they were desperate. They wanted to get inside. There was
definitely chaos. There was no order,” said Achiume.

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Xoli Mbele confirmed that the police had
been called in when the crowd of Zimbabweans became disorderly.

“They were fighting amongst themselves so no one was arrested and no case
was opened,” said Mbele.

However, he could not say whether police had used pepper spray.

“I don't have that information whether they used the pepper spray. The
information I have is that the police attempted to calm the situation,” said
Mbele.

The Department of Home Affairs could not immediately be reached for comment.

Hundreds of Zimbabweans were taking advantage of an amnesty which would
allow them to trade in their fraudulently obtained South African identity
documents for valid permits, provided they could supply a valid Zimbabwean
passport. - Sapa


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Zanu (PF) attempts to derail outreach

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

Written by John Makumbe
Monday, 27 September 2010 16:35

There is no way that realistic democrats can sit together with hard core
dictators and successfully forge a democratic constitution.
Desperate to ensure that the next elections will be conducted under the
current Lancaster House Constitution, Zanu (PF) bussed hundreds of rural
folk into Harare to disrupt Copac outreach meetings last week-end. The
situation at Mai Musodzi Hall in Mbare was so violent that even Paul
Mangwana, the Zanu (PF) co-chairman of Copac had to be escorted away from
the venue in fear of his life.
Mangwana was obviously aware that his political party was organising the
disruption of selected Copac meetings, but he was powerless to protect
himself from the actions of the hoodlums. The whole nation is now aware that
it is only Zanu (PF) that is resorting to violence in a futile attempt to
foist the ridiculous Kariba draft onto the nation as it foundation law.
Senior members of that fading political party can deny this allegation all
they want, but the facts speak for themselves.
Civil society reports on the outreach meetings held throughout the country
indicate that Zanu (PF) is responsible for more than 90% of all the violent
acts and disruptions of the Copac meetings.
As usual, the police on duty at Mai Musodzi Hall would not lift a finger to
stop the violence or to bring the perpetrators of the violence to book. They
obviously had been duly instructed by their Commissioner-General, Augustine
Chihuri, not to arrest these culprits since they are supporters of his
political party. History will, one day, judge people like Chihuri and his
ilk very harshly. Fortunately, numerous outreach meetings were successfully
conducted in both Bulawayo and Harare, to the extent that the people's views
were expressed and recorded. Copac has committed itself to re-visit the
venues that had their meetings disrupted in order to accord the innocent
citizens an opportunity to air their views.
The Zanu (PF) hoodlums need to be told that their disruptive actions will
never succeed in thwarting the will of the people of this country. It must
be embarrassing to some of the senior people in the outgoing ruling party
for their political party to be associated with the kind of actions that the
nation witnessed at Mai Musodzi Hall.
Zimbabweans have been aware that the political environment has not yet
become conducive for the proper conduct of constitutional outreach meetings.
People and organisations that have been opposed to the Copac process are now
gloating and rightly saying, "We told you so." But the truth of the matter
is that Copac successfully held outreach meetings in something like
three-quarters of this country, and the people's views were successfully
gathered and recorded. It is from these views that a new, democratic and
people-driven constitution will be drafted. This nation needs to cross that
bridge in order to proceed to a referendum and new elections in 2011. The
few people that are currently arguing for the postponement of elections
until 2015 must realise that they will simply be giving Zanu (PF) and the
merchants of violence ample time to re-group, organise and unleash worse
violence when the elections are held in that year.
It is obvious that the final outcome of the Copac process is going to be a
compromise constitution. There is no way that realistic democrats can sit
together with hard core dictators and successfully forge a democratic
constitution. What we as a nation must hope for is that the forthcoming
elections will result in the emergence of a government of the people's
choice. It is that government that will accord the nation an opportunity to
re-write the constitution and make it truly democratic. For the time being,
and as a means to facilitate effective regime change, we need to stay the
course and write that constitution. Long live Zimbabwe.


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North Korean statues open wounds in Zimbabwe

Associated Press

By ANGUS SHAW (AP) - 6 hours ago

HARARE, Zimbabwe - The two North Korean-made statues were meant to honor a
national hero but people were so offended because of Pyongyang's links to a
blood-soaked chapter of Zimbabwe's history that one was taken down almost
immediately and the other has not been erected.

Besides, at least one of them didn't even resemble Joshua Nkomo, a former
guerrilla leader known as "Father Zimbabwe" who died in 1999 at the age of
82.

That the statues were designed and made by North Koreans is an affront to
Zimbabweans who blame North Korean-trained troops loyal to President Robert
Mugabe for massacring thousands of civilians as the government tried to
crush an uprising led by Nkomo in the 1980s. The uprising ended when Nkomo
signed a unity pact in 1987 and became a vice president.

No offense was intended by the choice of North Korea to make the statues,
Godfrey Mahachi, head of the state National Museums and Monuments, told The
Associated Press. He said North Korea was chosen simply because it won the
bid for the work, promising favorable prices.

One of the Nkomo statues was erected briefly last month in Bulawayo,
Zimbabwe's second-biggest city, on the site where a statue of British
colonial era leader Cecil John Rhodes once stood. Nkomo's family called his
statue artistically "ineffectual."

While there were no organized protests, criticisms were widespread before
the unveiling. Nkomo's relatives were quoted in newspapers complaining that
they had not been consulted. Simon Dube, a Bulawayo businessman, said the
Nkomo statue was shrouded under a black cloth under police guard. Dube, who
glimpsed it, said the statue's head was too small for Nkomo's famously heavy
and imposing build.

Organizers kept the police on hand during the unveiling ceremony and took
the statue down within hours.

The other statue was to have been placed in the capital, Harare, outside an
office tower known as Karigamombe, which in the local Shona language means
"taking the bull by the horns and slaying it." Some saw that as adding
insult to injury: the symbol of Nkomo's Zimbabwe African People's Union
party and his former guerrilla army was a rampaging bull.

Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi said that despite the kerfuffle, the
North Koreans have been paid their $600,000 for the two statues, state media
reported.

Mahachi said officials are considering where else to put the two 3-meter (10
foot) statues.

"We still have to look at different options. They might go to museums, but
that will be discussed to reach a final decision," he said.

The Bulawayo statue is for the time being kept at the Bulawayo Natural
History Museum, where the deposed statue of Rhodes is also kept.

Nkomo spent his adult life fighting colonialism and was also imprisoned for
a decade for his political activism against white rule in Rhodesia, as
Zimbabwe was previously called. "Father Zimbabwe" spearheaded black
nationalist resistance to white rule well before Mugabe came on the scene.
Nkomo's image has appeared on postage stamps and the Bulawayo international
airport has been named after him.


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Dollarisation: its immediate impact, how did we survive?

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
 
Written by BRIAN MACGARRY   
Monday, 27 September 2010 17:07
zim_dollar_picThe year 2009 began with Z$ inflation running at about 10,000%/month; i.e. currency adding 24 zeroes in a year. The ten zeroes lopped off in August 2008 were back and pressure to change to using the US$ increased from all sides. More employers were paying wages in US$, which were also accepted in payment of taxes, utility bills and in most shops. Mid-January saw the introduction of a trillion dollar note (12 zeroes) and 100% inflation in a day. A last-ditch effort, in February,  to preserve a 'new' zimdollar' with the 12 zeroes lopped off, failed and reality was officially recognised. All payments could be made in any of five foreign currencies: rand, pula, pound, Euro and US dollar, with the US$ as the reference currency (i.e. when the rand rose against the dollar, Harare prices in rands dropped). In Harare, effectively only dollars and rands are used, but more people accept pulas in Bulawayo.
This ended hyperinflation overnight. We saw 'negative inflation' for most of the year. By December, the annual inflation rate was -7.7%. Table 1 compares wage data (from LEDRIZ) with cost of living figures (inflation, poverty datum line [PDL and food poverty line [FPL]. These figures are only rough approximations, the PDL being based on calculations of basic needs per head without allowing that different people have different needs, varying most notably with with age and gender and the 'average minimum wage' is a very rough approximation. PDL figures from the Consumer Council for November and December 2009 are included to illustrate this point. Nonetheless, we can safely say the purchasing power of an average minimum wage at least doubled over the year 2009, due to a combination of wage increases and price decreases.

Wage and cost of living comparisons.

Month

Inflation /Month,%

Average Min.wage (US$)

All items CPI (Dec 2008=100)

CSO PDL (US$)

CCZ PDL (US$)

CSO FPL (US$)

CCZ FPL (US$)

Minimum wage/PDL (%)

Minimum wage/FPL (%)

Real avg min wage, in Dec 2008 US$

Jan'09

-2.3

69.75

97.7

552.09

 

177.35

 

12.6

39.3

71.39

Feb'09

-3.1

109.66

94.6

495.33

 

157.95

 

22.1

69.4

115.92

Mar'09

-3.0

118.72

91.7

461.29

 

143.13

 

25.7

82.9

129.47

Apr'09

-1.1

128.81

90.7

437.53

 

133.21

 

29.4

96.7

142.02

May'09

-1.0

129.81

89.9

418.08

 

127.49

 

31.0

101.8

144.39

June'09

0.6

133.20

90.4

429.55

 

128.53

 

31.0

103.6

147.35

July'09

1.0

138.76

91.3

450.22

 

133.71

 

30.8

103.8

151.98

Aug'09

0.4

138.98

91.7

459.57

 

136.03

 

30.2

102.2

151.56

Sept'09

-0.5

142.02

91.2

445.49

 

130.95

 

27.8

94.7

155.72

Oct'09

0.8

142.24

92.0

451.22

 

131.98

 

31.5

107.8

154.61

Nov'09

-0.1

142.46

91.9

446.68

492.1

124.77

136.79

31.9

114.2

155.02

Dec'09

0.5

142.46

92.3

 

488.11

 

132.8

 

 

154.34

Source:

LEDRIZ

CSO

CSO

CCZ

CSO

CCZ



But the only available figures since then look distinctly funny. LEDRIZ has some figures for the period up to May2010, which is no further behind than these statistics usually are, but I have to assume that their sudden jump in the average minimum wage to $410 is in fact a mistake for $140. This does not mean that the minimum wage has dropped. It may just mean they decided they cannot calculate the average minimum wage and more accurately than this. That means they are saying we can be sure it is between $135.01 and $145.00 but we can't be more exact than that. This is a reasonable thing to say, because an 'average minimum wage' is a very slippery concept. Since nobody knows how many workers are formally employed, it is easier to take the average of the known minimum wage for each sector of the economy. If each sector employed the same number of workers, this would give the same answer as taking an average of the wages of every worker. They are not all equal, so so the average minimum given here is not exact. We do not know how many workers there are in formal employment, so we cannot calculate the correct figure. What you have here is the best we've got.
Having said that, I take the liberty of using the November and December figure from the table above as the minimum wage up to May. This does state one truth: the average minimum wages in industry have not changed significantly since last November. They haven't increased noticeably (certainly not to $410, a 188% increase) and they didn't suddenly drop by $2.46 (1.7%) in January. Then the table above continues like this:

Month

Inflation /Month,%

Average Min.wage (US$)

All items CPI (Dec 2008=100)

CSO PDL (US$)

CSO FPL (US$)

Minimum wage/PDL (%)

Minimum wage/FPL (%)

Real avg min wage, in Dec 2008 US$

 

Jan'10

0.7

142.46

93.0

495.00

182.16

28.8%

78.2%

153.18

 

 

Feb'10

1.0

142.46

93.9

490.00

180.32

29.1%

79.0%

151.71

 

 

Mar'10

1.1

142.46

95.0

492.00

181.06

29.0%

78.7%

149.96

 

 

Apr'10

0.1

142.46

95.1

491.00

180.69

29.0%

78.8%

149.80

 

 

May'10

 

142.46

 

482.00

177.38

29.6%

80.3%

 

 



and since this has the virtue of matching our memory of what has happened to the money in our pockets since last January. This extended table says that in April we had slipped back to where we were late in June 2009. We will probably agree that we were slipping back. We have no better measure of how far or how fast we were slipping, so this is at least an expression of how we feel things were going.
There is another problem with the figures. Between January and February 2009 it is difficult to get continuity between figures in the incredible vanishing zimdollar and those in real money, whether you use US$, rand, pula or renminbi yuan. The change brought some sense back into the system. Our wages could buy something again. Beyond that, the figures are not clear. Could prices drop by 36% and wages rise by 47% when we simply translated both from Z$ to US$? That is one of the mysteries of hyperinflation economics I don't understand. Nor, I suspect, does anyone else.
What we do know is that we could once again plan how to spend our money. Our family budget made sense and that was an improvement. Let's just say we suddenly becameap better off; whether by 50% or 100% doesn't matter or mean much.
A very dubious figure in the table above is the "Food Poverty Line". Now, it should be possible to calculate the cost of feeding a family the minimum needed for survival: that would be a "Food Poverty Line". Unfortunately, the CSO don't think that way. They si,mply choose to call food costs 36.8% of the total "Poverty Datum Line". We know this is nonsense, because we know the poor spend more of their income on food than the rich do. CSO used to know this: in the pre-1980 European Consumer Price Index, food accounted for about 20% of the expenditure that made up the Consumer Price Index(CPI), while food accounted for about 55% the African CPI. This distinction was kept, with slightly different figures, in the "upper income" and "lower income" CPI calculations used until ESAP dictated that we should not be interested in distribution of the nation's wealth or expenditure, just in its overall size. But we are interested in the distribution, unless we get such a big share that we never feel hungry.

How did we survive?

"How did we survive the years of economic depression and hyperinflation?" The International Fund for Agricultural Development, a UN agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty, estimated that $361 million came into Zimbabwe as remittances in 2008 and this could easily double in 2009. Eddie Cross reckoned the total might be a billion, which is far more than anyone had expected. If this much was coming as remittances, it would explain how people survived. Otherwise, we'd have expected to see more people die of hunger and disease than actually did in these recent years. Maybe. Or maybe more did die than we heard about. Population figures have been unreliable at least since the results of the 2002 census were quietly stuffed away in a dusty closet and forgotten. That census gave the population of Zimbabwe in August 2002 as 11.3 million. This was about what we should have expected from the 1997 intercensal survey which showed that the population growth rate, which had dropped from 1982 to 1992, was still dropping, as we would expect with HIV?AIDS still spreading. In fact Timothy Stamps, then Minister of Health, stated about the end of 2001 that birth and death rates had equalised. Allowing that the flood of emigration had already started, this meant that the population was already decreasing in 2002. We have no evidence of any change in those trends, so it is hard to claim realistically that we now have more than 10 million people living in the country.



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Opinion: Is the EU about to sacrifice Zim for Mugabe



Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, Political Analyst, London, UK.

29 September, 2010

Before the EU lifts targeted smart sanctions on Mugabe and his inner circle,
they should note that the whole of Zimbabwe is a giant crime scene based on
what happened before and after the 2008 elections as well as what is
happening on the ground now. Until a full 'forensic' investigation is
carried out into electoral violence, political murders and human rights
abuses in the country leading to the prosecution and conviction of the
culprits, targeted sanctions must stay.

What are the EU sanctions against Zimbabwe? The EU sanctions ban the sale
"of arms and of equipment that can be used for internal repression," prevent
Mugabe and his allies from "entering or transiting the EU member states and
impose an asset freeze on people and firms suspected of supporting the
regime, a European Union statement was quoted as saying (Timeslive,
15/02/10). The sanctions are supposed to remain in effect until February 20,
2011 (on the eve of Mugabe's 87th birthday!!).

Why where they imposed? The restrictive measures were imposed in 2002 in
reaction to allegations of electoral rigging and human rights abuses by
Robert Mugabe's regime. Jacob Zuma's South African government has declined
to release a report of the role of the Zimbabwe military in the 2008
election violence (SW Radio Africa, 26/03/10). Also of concern is the claim
by the Democratic Alliance that South Africa gave a total of R600 million
rand in "economic assistance" to Robert Mugabe's regime under the African
Renaissance Fund (ARF) even though the ARF "does not track how the funding
is spent" (The DA Newsroom, 05/08/10).

One of the reasons why some people feel the measures should stay is the
alleged revelation by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, Gideon Gono in
a huge advert in 2009 that he had spent US$18 million destined for accounts
belonging to tobacco growers (Times - SA, 29/04/09). In the absence of a
Freedom of Information Act in Zimbabwe, it is unlikely that the full extent
of the raids on foreign currency accounts by the Mugabe regime and their use
will ever be audited transparently. However, the cash strapped government
was said to be paying back the farmers with fertiliser! Other reasons for
supporting targeted sanctions are alleged rights abuses.

According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), there were human rights abuses by the
Zimbabwe Defence Forces and the Airforce of Zimbabwe in the Marange diamond
fields including extra judicial killings, beatings, torture, forced labour,
and child labour during the period October 2008-June 2009. "The first three
weeks of the operation were particularly brutal over the period October 27
to November 16, 2008 the army killed at least 214 miners. The army has also
been engaged fully and openly in the smuggling of diamonds, thereby
perpetuating the very crime it was deployed to prevent," the HRW said
("Diamonds in the Rough", 26/06/09).

On Monday, October 27, 2008 elements of the ZNA, AFZ and CIO agents
reportedly launched Operation Hakudzokwi (No Return) in Marange District.
The report goes on to disclose that there were massacres in Chiadzwa during
the period October 27 to November 16, 2008. "Five military helicopters with
mounted automatic rifles flew over Chiadzwa and began driving out local
miners. On the ground, over 800 soldiers were ferried to Chiadzwa in seven
large trucks, several smaller trucks, and an army bus. From the helicopters,
soldiers indiscriminately fired live ammunition and tear gas into the
diamond fields and into surrounding villages," says the human rights
organisation.

Prospects of any criminal investigations in to the alleged human rights
abuses have dwindled with Mugabe's recent declaration that there would be no
trials. Furthermore, it has been alleged that economic inducements and
threats of physical harm have kept Zimbabwe's judiciary "beholden" to Robert
Mugabe with the new coalition doing nothing to re-establish the integrity of
the compromised bench, according to "A place in the sun: A report on the
state of the rule of law in Zimbabwe after the Global Political Agreement"
24 Oct - 4 Nov 2009.
Unimpressed by the failure of the coalition government to prosecute
perpetrators of violence, in January, HRW slammed Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai's MDC party for shielding abuses by Zanu-pf "in the name of
trying to save Zimbabwe's coalition regime (Zimonline, 26/01/10). But that
did not stop MDC from promising amnesty to Mugabe and senior army officers
"implicated in atrocities if they voluntarily vacate office" according to
press reports quoting the party's Secretary General Tendai Biti (Zimonline,
19/07/10).

Have the sanctions been effective? Who are they hurting if at all, and how?
It is the contention of this opinion paper that the smart sanctions, though
not perfect, have worked and are working, therefore should be retained and
only reviewed when they expire on 20th February 2011. In view of the fact
that in July, the EU invited sanctioned Zimbabweans to make individual cases
for delisting (Zimbabwe Metro, 29/07/10), it is very worrying to note that
the same EU is reportedly "ready to take a fresh look at sanctions against
Zimbabwe" (Zimbabwe Metro, 29/09/10). The EU should not flip flop on this
crucial issue. The German Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Albrecht Conze recently
made a pertinent observation saying: "For the past three years those that
have put restrictive measures on about 200 people in this country regarding
travel and assets have helped this country with between 600 and 800 hundred
million dollars per year. I fail to understand how travel restrictions and
restrictions on personal assets for a small number of people can be
considered a threat to the economic revival of this country."

However, the South African based, Institute for Security Studies argued in a
report in June that the targeted sanctions "are not smart enough" saying,
"targeted individuals can therefore easily find ways to circumvent the ban -
either by travelling to (and shopping in) countries that have not imposed
such restrictions or by attending international conferences or humanitarian
events while at the same time pursuing their private interests in whichever
countries they visit," ("Zimbabwe: are targeted sanctions smart enough?"
ISS, 04/06/10).

On the contrary, evidence that the sanctions are working is documented in
Mugabe's endless mourning and whingeing about "illegal sanctions"at almost
every forum including funerals at heroes acre and conferences he attended at
SADC, EU, UN and he has not been short of sympathisers. South Africa's Thabo
Mbeki and Jacob Zuma as well as Malawi's Bingu WaMutharika have all lined up
to call for the lifting of the "illegal sanctions" which we are being made
to believe are ineffective. Isn't that a contradiction?

It's said that a week is a very long period in politics. A snapshot of
Zimbabwean events in one week paints a gloomy picture of the so-called
progress that should be rewarded as long as someone is honest with facts,
for example:

"2300 rights abuses during constitutional reforms" (Zimonline, 29/09/10);
"Parties must negotiate new charter: PM" (because of Zanu-pf violence at
COPAC meetings) (Zimonline, 28/09/10); "Security forces violating rights -
NGO" (Zimbabwe Peace Project) (Zimonline, 28/09/10); "Military intimidating
civilians: Tsvangirai" (Zimonline, 23/09/10); "Victims of violence arrested:
MDC" (Zimonline, 22/09/10); "Zim halts reform exercise in Harare" (because
of violence) Zimonline, 21/09/10); "Tsvangirai hints at poll boycott"
(should resurgent political violence deteriorate and the polls are virtually
reduced to warfare) (Zimonline, 21/09/10) and "Zimbabwe flogs 400 000 carats
at secret auction", (Zimonline, 16/09/10); "Mugabe abuses cover up will be
rejected: Analysts" (Zimonline, 15/09/10); "Memorial for murdered activist
postponed," SW Radio Africa, 28/09/10).

The EU needs to realise that the ordinary people in Zimbabwe are anxiously
waiting for justice and it is therefore not surprising to note that eighteen
Zimbabweans including a five year old boy, who were arrested on trumped-up
charges of terrorism in 2008 have reportedly brought an exemplary lawsuit of
US$22 million against Robert Gabriel Mugabe's government, (Zimdiaspora,
"Demands for justice: Mugabe sued by victims for US$22 million," 31/08/10).
Where in the EU is that happening?

Before sanctions were enforced, it's alleged, Mugabe planned to buy his wife
a Scottish castle and that when in London, Grace Mugabe would insist on
taking over a suite at the exclusive Claridge's Hotel and that on one of her
shopping sprees spent £40,000 in an afternoon (Claire Donnelly, Daily
Mirror, UK 26/06/03). By lifting targeted sanctions without real change, who
will be the EU sacrificing for Mugabe's and his wife's shopping trips
abroad?


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Seems like a good idea: News from Kubatana - 29September, 2010

 

From: Kubatana.net - Admin
Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 2010 10:23 PM
To: News
Subject: [Kubatana.net] Seems like a good idea: News from Kubatana - 29September, 2010


If you assume that there's no hope, you guarantee that there will be no hope. If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom that there are opportunities to change things, there's a chance you may contribute to making a better world. That's your choice.
- Noam Chomsky




Did yer miss us?


The Kubatana Team says sorry for not sending you a newsletter last week but we were overseas speaking about the Kubatana project . . .
we were being Proudly Zimbabwean. But now we’re back.




Mass Public Opinion Public Seminar

Topic: Is Zimbabwe Ready for Credible Elections?
Venue: New Ambassador Hotel 
Date: Thursday, 30 September 2010
Time:17:30 to 20:00 Hours

Speakers:
1.    Hon. David Coltart: Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture
2.    Ms. Emilia Muchawa: Director, Zimbabwe Women’s Lawyers Association
3.    Prof. John Makumbe: Political Science Lecturer, University of Zimbabwe
4.    Mr. Francis Zimunya: Interim Provincial Chairperson for Harare, Mavambo / Kusile / Dawn

Chairperson: Mr. Herbert Ndoma

Admission: Free. All are welcome!

For further enquiries please contact: Mass Public Opinion Institute: +263 4 771358 / 758700

Police clearance has been granted

‘Could it be that public opinion is “the missing link” in the democracy debate in Zimbabwe, and indeed, in Africa today?’



Making the world a better place . . .

The all-volunteer facial reconstructive surgical team, Operation of Hope, will be in Zimbabwe during October to perform 50 surgeries for children suffering from facial deformities.
Change lives today and make miracles happen! Our doors are always open! Please visit our website or give us a call: +1 949 463-1795 or visit
www.operationofhope.org




Mvurwi Arts Centre

For the finest creations of artistic intellect in Shona sculpture please visit Mvurwi Arts Centre.

- More than 200 genuine pieces for your selection advantage
- Five star lodge within 300 metres from the centre
- Latest creations in soapstone and opal
- Very friendly artists

Centre opposite Bindura Haulage, Independence Way, Mvurwi

Phone Benjamin for directions: 0912 904 927 or email marovadombo@gmail.com



Article VII: Voices for Healing

This DVD produced by ZimRights “brings to life the dirt that has been swept under the rug” in Zimbabwe and discusses politically motivated violence. After watching a Rooftop Productions play called “Heal the Wounds”, ZimRights took it to the communities. Through the testimonies of the people who viewed the play, it emerged that giving survivors the opportunity to speak out is a deep relief to them. In collaboration with ZimRights Kubatana has fifty (50) Voices for Healing DVDs to share with our membership. If you would like us to post you a copy please send us an email to products@kubatana.net

Action! When you receive the DVD we ask that you screen it with friends and colleagues and start discussion groups on ways in which we can build peace in Zimbabwe. We always welcome feedback so . . . please email us with your feedback on the film and how you shared it with others.




Email of the week . . .

The refuse at my factory in New Ardbennie has been collected 3 times since February 2009. I deduct the refuse amount from my bill every month and pay the balance. However the water people come every month to cut off my water and after showing them that I do pay the water and that the only amount missing off my bill is the refuse they go away. I get numerous letters threatening to take me to court. I have written to numerous people including the Manager of waste Management with NO success. I was so fed up with this treatment so made an appointment to see the councillor of my area and met him at town house. He was very pleasant and saw my point. He then took me up stairs to see someone and this very well dressed man came out of a meeting to see me and was extremely rude. He told me that the law in Zimbabwe stated that no matter whether you received a service or not by law you have to pay. He said that this was a written down law and that I was breaking it and MUST pay. He said that it was written down this way so that if the council was experiencing difficulties then they had money to fall back on. This I find very distressing as why must I be responsible for a council that DOES NOT carry out their duties. I may as well just take the money and throw it out a window as this is all it is worth. Does a person go into the supermarket buy a trolley full of groceries pay for it and then leave it behind? This is what City of Harare is asking me to do. Because of my refusal to pay my refuse bill I have a large $ figure outstanding on my bill as I have NOT paid since February 2009. As I explained to the Manager of Waste Management in a letter that the first month that I can record that my refuse has been collected every week I will start to pay my monthly bill. This amount is $138 (R1000), which I am sure you will agree is VERY large amount of money for refuse collection. I personally have to take care of the rubbish at my factory. – Kubatana subscriber

Please email us your positive and negative experiences of service delivery in Zimbabwe. info@kubatana.net and your suggestions about ways in which we can Wake Up city officials!



What’s new on Kubatana blogs

The life and death of the amazing Dr Monica Glenshaw . . . people are doing it for themselves and cleaning up the sunshine city . . . urban accommodation woes . . .
mixed opinion on the issue of pregnant school girls . . .






Resources . . .

Small Tech Grants, Big Differences
For women living in rural areas, access to ICTs means first overcoming multiple barriers relating not only to their location, but also their gender. In a new publication, 'GenARDIS 2002 - 2010: Small grants that made big changes for women in agriculture', Jenny Radloff explores how seed grants were disbursed to innovative initiatives. Find out more


Calls for papers . . .

Zimbabwe Scholars Network: Call for Papers
Deadline: 30 September 2010


The Zimbabwe Scholars Network (ZIMSCON) (a network formed by and supporting emerging activist scholars and scholarly interrogation on Zimbabwe) is pleased to announce that a Conference on Zimbabwe's Progress will be held in Bulawayo from the 3rd-6th of November at Holiday Inn. A key deliverable of the conference is the launch of an association of young and emerging social scientists, and the production of a publication of perspectives of young scholars on Zimbabwe's interregnum.

This conference will interrogate Zimbabwean history and its current conjuncture through the lens of the idea of 'progress' in the social science disciplines closely associated with politics and policy as well as the investigation of the structures underpinning these.

The Young Scholars will have a full day to present, respond and debate papers in an inter-disciplinary approach. As such we calling on young people interested to present papers along the following themes:

(i) Political parties and political change in post-colonial Zimbabwe
(ii) Labour and political change in Zimbabwe (pre/post colonial)
(iii) Women/Feminist Struggles (pre/post colonial)
(iv) Discourses and Contestations on economic change and development
(v) Contestation on land and agrarian change in Zimbabwe
(vi) Constitutionalism and the struggle for 'democracy' in Zimbabwe
(vii) Youth and politics in Zimbabwe (pre/post colonial)

ZIMSCON welcomes young and emerging scholars, activists and professionals to submit abstracts of not more than 250 words broadly exploring the conference theme. The presentations may be completed research, research in progress, or case studies especially those interrogating themes highlighted above.  Each presenter will speak for 15 minutes and after that the presentation will be open to the floor for 20 minutes. The deadline for abstracts is 27th of September 2010. The reviewing will be done not later than the 09th of October 2010. Plans are underway to get the presented papers to be edited and published either as a Special Journal Issue or as a separate Edited 'book' volume.

Important Deadlines:

-    Submission of Abstracts not more than 250 words 30th September 2010
-    Candidates informed about status of their abstracts 09th October 2010
-    Candidates present Papers at Conference 3rd November 2010
-    Candidates present revised draft papers 15th January 2011
-    Submission of final paper for publication 15th February 2011

Submissions and/or questions may be made via email to zimscon@gmail.com

Submissions will be acknowledged within 5 days of receipt. Notifications of acceptance of proposals will be sent as soon as the reviewing process is completed, not later than October 09th, 2010.



SAfAIDS News:  Call For Papers SAfAIDS
Deadline: 4 October 2010

SAfAIDS News and Noticias SIDA invites papers or articles for the next issue of the newsletter, which targets:

-    Professionals working in the HIV and AIDS sector -Staff in ASOs, NGOs, FBOs, government bodies, United Nations agencies and universities in the region.
-    Policy makers.
-    Community based organisations

Areas of primary interest are:

-    HIV and AIDS and the workplace
-    Stigma and discrimination
-    Access to treatment and care
-    Gender
-    Human rights

Articles should focus primarily on southern Africa or sub-Saharan Africa. However, topics are not restricted to those mentioned above and topics of international interest may also be submitted. In the selection of articles, SAfAIDS will place an emphasis on gender, human rights and development as crosscutting issues. There are four categories of article; -Features: analytical articles focusing on HIV and AIDS related issues and policy. -Current and ongoing research. -Project activities: explore project / programme information on critical lessons learnt. -Best practices: explore interventions that have worked elsewhere and can be replicated. Articles can be sent together with good photographs and should be a maximum of 2,000 words. They can be in either Portuguese or English. Please avoid scientific language for the sake of our general readership. The deadline for submission of articles for the next issue is October 4th 2010. Please inform us if the articles have been submitted/ published elsewhere. SAfAIDS reserves the right to edit all articles. Editing is done for reasons of space, accuracy or clarity. SAfAIDS News and Noticias SIDA can be accessed on the SAfAIDS website

For more info please email: editor@safaids.org.zw


Taking yourself further . . .


Annual Global Linking And Learning Programme: 9th Annual Global Linking & Learning Programme - Human Rights-Based Development
, Malaysia
Course dates: 1-10 December 2010

For the ninth consecutive year, Dignity is proud to invite applications to the Annual Global Linking and Learning Programme. This programme will build on the successes of the previous learning programmes on “Human Rights-Based Development”, and on “Economic Social and Cultural Rights” organised by Dignity International with a range of national, regional and international partners. One key feature of the programme will be a field visit to expose participants to see, hear, smell, taste, touch and feel for themselves the struggles of people living in poverty or facing discrimination (indigenous communities; asylum seekers; migrant workers; plantation workers). Human rights struggles are not theoretical or paper struggles but real struggles of real people affecting real lives. The field visits will be organised by Dignity’s partners in Malaysia - Pusat KOMAS and JKOAP.

The programme will take participants on a ten day intensive but enjoyable learning journey that will equip the participants with knowledge of the key elements of human rights-based development, and enhance skills for its practical application. Participants will see the link between human rights and development, and become more committed to the work ahead to achieve the unified human rights and development vision of human dignity for all. Find out more


Gender And Media Literacy Course


Back by popular demand, this time with full accreditation! Gender Links, a leading Southern African NGO that promotes gender equality in and through the media, invites applications for a SAQA accredited gender and media literacy course that involves three full days of participation at the Gender and Media Summit from 13-15 October; five two hour modules on a Thursday evening from mid October to mid November and a project to be implemented during the Sixteen Days of Activism from 25 November to 10 December after which successful participants will be awarded certificates of competence worth five credits. The course will equip participants with gender analysis and a range of communication skills including media monitoring, how to take up complaints, design and cost campaigns, and use new media to leverage these campaigns. It is open to anyone with matric, and especially suited to government, NGO and private sector communicators who seek to promote gender justice in innovative ways. Course fee: R2000 per person. Individual and group bookings accepted (discounts can be negotiated for the latter). More on this and similar courses can be found on www.genderlinks.org.za

Become a volunteer . . .

Tag a Life International is looking for volunteers to work with children from grade 5 to 7.  People with Developmental studies, Psychology and related fields ought to apply.  At the moment it is purely voluntary as the project awaits funding.  Transport and lunch will be however provided.  Interested candidates should email tag.alife@gmail.com or phone Nyaradzo on +263 913 194 271 for an interview.

Funding . . .

Call For Proposals For Fund For Women’s Property And Inheritance Rights In The Context Of HIV/ADS
Deadline: 20 October 2010


UNIFEM (part of UN Women), with the generous contribution of the Canadian International Development Agency, today launches a Call for Proposals for the Fund for Women’s Property and Inheritance Rights in the Context of HIV/AIDS. The Fund will provide small, catalytic grants totalling US$700,000 in 2010 to grassroots and community-based organizations or networks in sub-Saharan Africa working to improve women’s access to property and inheritance rights within the context of HIV/AIDS. Women’s property ownership and inheritance rights can play a significant role in potentially breaking the cycle of AIDS and poverty. There is growing evidence to suggest that where women’s property rights are upheld, women acting as heads and/or primary caregivers of HIV/AIDS-affected households are better able to mitigate the impact of AIDS on their families and communities and can also help prevent the further spread of HIV/AIDS. Realistic and workable strategies at the grassroots have demonstrated that increasing women’s economic security and empowerment, increases their negotiating power in the household and is a means to reduce their physical and social vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. Interested applicants from sub-Saharan Africa are invited to apply. Find out more

Fellowships . . .

The Community Solutions Program
Deadline: 10 November 2010


IREX, a Washington, DC based non-profit is now accepting applications for the Community Solutions Program

The Community Solutions Program, a program funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, seeks to enhance the skills of civic and community leaders to more effectively address current economic, environmental, political, and social challenges in their communities.  In 2011-2012 sixty-six selected applicants will participate in:  a four-month fellowship at a U.S. community-based, non-profit or other organizations, government offices or legislative bodies where fellows will work with seasoned community leaders; a Community Leadership Institute where fellows will spend more than 500 hours developing practical leadership skills in Goal Setting, Monitoring & Evaluation, Organizational Team Building, Networking & Partnering, and Communications & Advocacy; and, follow-on projects in their home countries.  Specific themes for professional fellowships for this program are: Transparency and Accountability; Tolerance/Conflict Resolution; Environmental Issues; and, Women’s Issues. Find out more


Tenders . . .

Invitation To Tender: Video Filming and Editing for Theatre for Development Activities in Muzarabani
Deadline: 4 October 2010 (3pm)


Tender No. HA-WVZ-2010

A Christian Humanitarian Organization is inviting tenders from registered video filming companies to submit bids for filming and editing theatre for development activities for two days (four hours footage) in Muzarabani community meeting places and schools. The bidders are required to submit an undertaking on their organization’s letter-head duly signed and company stamped making the declaration that the organization has:
-    Never been convicted of an offence concerning their professional conduct
-    Never been subject to fraud, corruption, involved in a criminal organization or any other illegal activity
-    Prior work experience in theatre for development work with children in primary schools
-    Demonstrable experience of video filming and editing
-    Ability to translate Shona to English
-    To submit a copy of company registration and tax clearance or registration as a PVO, Trust or registration by the National Arts Council
-    To provide a short profile on similar work.  

Email: tawanda_chisango@wvi.org or tawandachisango@gmail.com



Consultancies . . .

Transformation-Ready: The Strategic Application of Information and Communication Technologies in Africa - Request for Expressions of Interest (EOI): Consultant firms

The World Bank Group and the African Development Bank, with the support of the African Union (“the partners”), intend to produce a new flagship report on how ICTs, especially mobile phones, have the potential to change fundamental business models in key sectors for Africa. The overall goal is to raise awareness and stimulate action, especially among African governments and development practitioners, of how ICTs can contribute to the improvement and transformation of traditional and new economic and social activities and how to scale up their successful application and to further operationalize ICTs within a number of strategic sectors, while paying appropriate attention to associated risks. In order to provide analytical background for the study, the partners intend to award a series of contracts to consultant firms to conduct sector studies of the actual and potential use of ICTs in the African economy. Interested firm can apply by registering online at www.worldbank.org/econsultant and searching for selection # 1016549.




Vacancies . . .


Office Manager - Search for Common Ground (SFCG)
Deadline: 1 October 2010

Search for Common Ground (SFCG) is a NGO operating in 20 countries around the world whose mission is to transform the way individuals, groups and societies deal with conflict: away from adversarial approaches, toward cooperative solutions.  With headquarters in Washington, DC and Brussels, Belgium, we design and implement programmes aimed at resolving conflict and promoting nonviolence.  We look to aid parties in conflict to understand their differences and act on their commonalities.  SFCG has established a programme in Zimbabwe and is in need of a strong and capable Office Manager.

Responsibilities:
Skills/Qualifications:
Required knowledge, qualifications and competencies for position:
Interested candidates should submit their application letter and CV via email at zimbabwe@sfcg.org


Grants Manager: USAID
Deadline: 4 October 2010


Management Sciences for Health (MSH) saves lives and improves health by helping public and private organizations throughout the world to effectively manage people, medicines, money and information. MSH seeks a qualified professional to work for the Building Local Capacity Project, (BLC), in the Southern Africa region to strengthen the overall sustainability, quality and effectiveness of HIV/AIDS interventions in the region.

This position, based in South Africa, will be responsible for managing contractors' grants portfolio in accordance with USAID procedures. The Grants Manager will participate in evaluating grant recipients' progress and monitor, on an on-going basis, the performance of grantees with respect to the activities, reporting deliverables, and milestones agreed upon in their contract. S/he will work closely with administrative staff and technical advisors to facilitate the capacity-building of the grant recipients. Must have a degree in Accounting or Business Administration with at least 5 years relevant experience in grants management and financial/operational systems preferred. Substantial experience implementing USAID-supported projects and knowledge of USAID regulations and procedures strongly preferred. Experience working with and providing technical assistance to NGO's and/or local organizations. Previous supervisory and training experience preferred.

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit concise and well thought out applications that clearly demonstrate attainment of the relevant experience and qualifications outlined above. Applications should include a cover letter, CV, daytime telephone contact and three traceable references from previous employers and should be sent by regular mail or email (preferred) to the addresses listed below. Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Director of Finance and Administration, Management Sciences for Health, PO Box 2202, Faerie Glen, 0043 Email: carolee@msh.co.za Fax: +27 12 9912714

Humanitarian Programme Officer - Zimbabwe Office
Deadline: 6 October 2010

Trócaire is a Development Agency of the Irish Catholic Church, and the Agency works in Zimbabwe under an MoU with the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference. A vacancy for a Humanitarian Programme Officer has risen within its Zimbabwean Office. The successful candidate will report to the Country Representative. The key deliveries for the position are the management of Trócaire's humanitarian programme in Zimbabwe, including the phase out of this programme over a 9 month  period.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

-    Managing Trócaire's Humanitarian programme in Zimbabwe.
-    Meeting all reporting requirements within Trócaire and with Irish Aid.
-    Managing the relationship with partner organisations, being the primary contact with the partners.
-    Managing programme finances  and monitoring partners' project financial reporting.
-    Management of partner capacity building by directly providing technical advice or facilitating the provision of technical advice.
-    Managing communications and visibility of the programme in line with Trócaire requirements. ·    Contributing to advocacy initiatives on Zimbabwe.
-    Contributing to the overall achievement of Trócaire's Zimbabwe Country Strategy.

Duration of contract: 9 months

The ideal candidate will have:

-    A degree in Development Studies, Rural Development, or similar.
-    At least 2 years experience working in the Humanitarian sector in Zimbabwe.
-    Excellent report writing skills and proven experience of managing back donor grants.
-    Excellent financial management, project cycle management and Monitoring &Evaluation skills and proven experience in each of those fields.
-    International Driving Licence.

In return we offer a competitive salary and package commensurate with education and experience.

Full job description available on request from

To apply: Email your cover letter and detailed CV to
sheilla@kfm.co.zw  with "Humanitarian Programme Officer" in the subject line. Interviews will be held on Thursday 14th and Friday 15th October 2010.

Administrator (One year fixed-term contract): Tearfund
Deadline: 8 October 2010


We are seeking an Administrator for our Zimbabwe country office to provide ongoing logistical and administrative support with regards to partner related projects, office setup and management. The Administrator will report directly to the country representative and work closely with all members of the Tearfund team.  This position is only open to Zimbabwean nationals or residents.

The ideal candidate for this position should meet the following criteria:

Key Competencies:
-    Five years administration experience of which two years should be in the non-governmental sector
-    Work with a variety of groups, including churches, para-church organisations, local NGOs, and international NGOs
-    Office management and event organisation
-    Human Resources including work permit applications and residents permits
-    Logistics, estate management, procurement and/or finance, IT support, security support
-    Work within the coordination system for NGOs and UN bodies
-    Work with relevant government ministry
-    Well versed with ZIMRA, NSSA, NEC requirements and Zimbabwe labour laws

Skills / Abilities
-    Good cross cultural communication
-    Computer literate (Microsoft Excel, Word, Office)
-    Networking and influencing
-    Class 4 Drivers license with at least 2 years driving experience
-    Good analytical skills

Personal Qualities
-    Committed evangelical Christian
-    Humanitarian & Christian motivation
-    Emotionally and spiritually mature
-    An understanding of and a commitment to Tearfund's Mission, Values and Beliefs Statement

Directions to candidates:
1. Interested candidates should e-mail their CV and cover letter outlining the reasons they believe they are suitable for the job to: Zimbabwe.recruitment@tearfund.org
2. Correspondence will be limited to short listed candidates.

Two (2) Health Officers: International Rescue Committee
Deadline: 8 October 2010

The Health program aims to improve the health delivery systems in Mutasa, Mutare and Nyanga Districts and will focus on emergency response, surveillance, drugs management systems and emergency obstetric care. This position will be based in Manicaland.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

- Program Implementation
- Participate in needs assessment as necessary
- Work in coordination with the MOHCW staff to implement the IRC's health programs
- Monitor project indicators
- Ensure that program targets are met

Training And Capacity Building

-    Identify training needs for MOHCW health staff, organize and mobilize a training plan for the MOH Health staff.
-    Provide support to MOHCW staff and ensure health services remain within national and international standards, that MOHCW treatment protocols are adhered to and provide on-job training as deemed necessary.
-    Work with community health staff / village health workers in mobilization and awareness raising on health promotion and emergency response.
Coordination And Representation
- Liaise with the MOHCW, local authorities, local partners, community leaders and other key stakeholders in areas of operation regarding health related issues.

Other

-    Report weekly to the Health Project Manager on project implementation, progress, constraints and lessons learnt.
-    Writing of reports for internal and external circulation.
-    Participate in the development of future health interventions and contribute to donor concepts and proposals, including budgets, when required.
-    Perform any other duties as assigned by the Project Manager.

Qualifications

-    Diploma in (Public) Health or Nursing
-    Experience in surveillance systems, drugs management systems and/or emergency obstetric care
-    Experience working for NGO
-    Proficient in working with Word, Excel
-    Team player
-    Good communication skills
-    Willingness to camp overnight in rural areas

Please send your CVs to Zimbabwe@theirc.org with the title Health Officer in the subject line. 

New Data Specialist: UNICEF
Deadline: 13 October 2010

UNICEF is seeking a New Data Specialist for a 9-month assignment, where the candidate would be outposted to the UN Secretariat’s Global Pulse team.  The Global Pulse is developing a real-time system to monitor how the most vulnerable cope with global crises. The system should improve the flow of information already available, build on networks that already exist, and harness new technologies for data collection. The ultimate goal is to provide actionable, timely information that can be of use to decision makers at local, national and global levels in the aftermath of global shocks.  The Global Pulse is organized around three primary strategies: First, to develop an analytical framework for the monitoring system; second, to develop a free and open source software platform which can integrate disparate existing sources of data from within and outside the UN and support team-based analysis and decision-making; and finally, to set up "Pulse Labs" in developing countries as innovation centers which will serve to both develop innovative data collection tools and approaches and to ensure that the information is imbedded into local and national government information streams. Find out more

Executive Director: Women'sNet
Deadline: 21 October 2010

Women'sNet, a feminist NGO based in Johannesburg, which promotes the strategic use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) for social change is looking for a competent, experienced and self motivated woman with leadership qualities for the position of Executive Director.

Overview of Responsibilities:

The Executive Director will provide strategic leadership to the team and effectively manage organisational resources to ensure the organisation meets its goals and those of its stakeholders and partners. She will lead the organisation to develop and deliver a range of programmes in line with the overall objectives of Women'sNet and she will interact with stakeholders and partners.

Main areas of responsibility:
Key Performance Areas

1. Fundraising to secure the necessary resources for the sustainability of the organisation.
2. Strengthen the profile of Women'sNet as a leading network and actor in the field of the use and support of information and communications technologies.
3. Contribute to the development of the strategic vision of the organisation.
4. Leadership and monitoring of the effective implementation of Women'sNet strategic plans and action areas.
5. Build an empowered, skilled and professional internal staff capacity to meet delivery requirements.
6. Ensure the integrity of financial systems.
7. Add to Women'sNet knowledge creation through recording meetings, speeches, conference attended and contact details of participants.

All interested candidates should submit their CV and a motivation letter to eunice@womensnet.org.za
Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.




The Kubatana Trust of Zimbabwe and
The NGO Network Alliance Project
PO Box GD 376
Greendale
Harare
Zimbabwe

Tel: +263-4-776008/746448
Fax: +263-4-746418
Email: admin@kubatana.net
Website: www.kubatana.net

Visit www.kubatana.net Zimbabwe's civic and human rights web site incorporating an on line directory for the non-profit sector


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