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Over $1 million spent on a concert, despite widespread hunger

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
06 September 2010

More than a million dollars was spent over the weekend for a top billing
concert in Harare, despite international warnings of hunger and child
malnutrition.

The concert at the National Sports Stadium, which was headlined by megastars
Akon and Sean Paul, forms part of the government's efforts to market
Zimbabwe as a top tourist destination. The show was sponsored by the Tourism
Authority and a promotion company called Zimswag, which has revealed that
US$1.2 million was spent on the concert. The company's Chief Executive
Officer, Prince Tendai Mupfurutsa, would not reveal where the money came
from although Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi has claimed the show was
'privately funded'.

The concert was part of the government's celebrity-host programme that was
launched two years ago to help boost Zimbabwe's tourist appeal. The
exercise, which has been dismissed as a waste of money and resources, has
also been veiled in controversy. In April the tourism authority brought in
Jamaican artist Sizzla Kalonji to perform. Not long after that performance,
he was rumoured to have been 'given' a farm by the authorities.

What impact this extravagance is having on tourism isn't known. Concern is
instead being raised that the kind of money being spent could be better used
elsewhere, like feeding starving children. The United Nations (UN) has
warned that almost two million Zimbabweans will need food aid in the coming
year, saying that the humanitarian situation still remains "fragile."

At the same time the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) has said that less than
10 percent of Zimbabwe's children aged two and under are consuming a diet
that is "minimally acceptable." The UN agency said the majority of
Zimbabwean toddlers were at risk of malnutrition due to a lack of balanced
diets.

"Only 8.4 percent of children under 2 are consuming a diet that is minimally
acceptable," WFP said in the latest Global Update: Food Security Monitoring
released last week.

The WFP report corroborates a recent joint survey by the Zimbabwe government
and the UN Food and Nutrition Council, which found that more than a third of
children aged below five in the country are malnourished. The Zimbabwe
National Nutrition Survey carried out in January 2010 revealed a worsening
problem of chronic malnutrition, posing long-term survival and development
challenges for Zimbabwe.

Pedzisai Ruhanya from the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition told SW Radio Africa
that these misguided priorities are a sign that Zimbabwe is still under a
dictatorship. He argued that Zimbabwe will never be a favoured tourist
destination until there is respect for the rule of law and respect for
property rights, among other things. Ruhanya added that these are not
priorities for the dictatorship that is the Mugabe regime.

"This is the reality of living under a dictatorship," Ruhanya said. "The MDC
is just an appendage to this unity government and they wield no power to
change anything."

Meanwhile, money spent on extravagant tourism boosters could also be used to
improve the countrywide power network, as electricity power supply across
the country remains inconsistent. Over the weekend subscribers to Econet
wireless were unable to make calls or send messages because of power cuts.
Econet's corporate communication manager, Rangarirai Mberi, confirmed that
the telecommunications provider had been facing transmission challenges
since Friday.

"Usually, the biggest threat to quality of service is power outages at our
base stations," Mberi is quoted as saying.

In June, the company experienced similar transmission problems which
were blamed on faults in the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority
grid, which also led to extended power outages.

However the government clearly believes it has got it's priorities right, as
there is enough power to keep jamming SW Radio Africa broadcasts, which were
once again intermittently blocked over the weekend


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Akon blasts police for rights abuses

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Staff Reporter
Monday, 06 September 2010 16:59

HARARE - American music star, Akon, who performed in front of a 30 000 plus
crowd at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday morning gave the Zimbabwe
Republic Police (ZRP) a lesson in human rights and freedom of expression.

During his three day visit, he humbled the usually overzealous police by
insisting that he did not want them as part of his security team.

He even ordered them off his convoy as he walked around the streets of
Harare meeting ordinary Zimbabweans.

Akon made it clear at the show that he was not happy with the conduct of the
ZRP officers who were roughing up people and raining batons on them.

Immediately after he got on stage in the early hours of Sunday, Akon started
by telling the overzealous police officers to "stop it."

"Police stop swinging those batons onto my fans," said an enraged Akon
repeatedly.

"I want to meet with my fans so move the barricades forward and let them
come closer."

He later threw himself into the crowd straight off the stage and also got
into a glass balloon and conducted a crowd scanning exercise, a move which
has made his shows around the world popular.

Jamaican dancehall king Sean Paul who shared the stage with Akon on the
night also weighed in on the issue of human rights in Zimbabwe. He kept on
reminding Zimbabweans to continue fighting for their human rights and used
his now famous beliefs in freedom of expression to rally the strong crowd to
fight for human rights.

"Hello Zimbabwe, those who value human life can I have your hands up," he
said as he psyched up the thousands of fans who packed into the National
Sports Stadium.

"We have to fight for our rights Zimbabwe."

He later invoked the liberation spirit when he sung Bob Marley's song
Zimbabwe.

"I am going to sing the song done by a man whom I respect so much and who
has had much influence in my career and the man loved Zimbabwe," said Paul,
before belting out the rendition of Bob Marley's song, Zimbabwe.

The song which was released by Marley in 1980 as a special independence
dedication for Zimbabwe, talks about the need to free Zimbabwe of
oppression, human rights violations and also encourages

Zimbabweans to fight for their rights.

Some of the lyrics of the song say:  "Every man gotta right to decide his
own destiny, and in this judgement there is no partiality. So arm in arms,
with arms, we'll fight this little struggle, 'Cause that's the only way we
can overcome our little trouble.

"Brother, you're right, you're right, you're right, you're right, you're so
right!

We gon' fight (we gon' fight), we'll have to fight (we gon' fight), We gonna
fight (we gon' fight), fight for our rights."

Although the song was done some 30 years ago with a different meaning ,it
still remains relevant to present day Zimbabwe where human rights violations
and personal freedoms are still to be recognised.

About 500 people were killed during the 2008 presidential poll violence.

Just last week a group of squatters in the Borrowdale area had their houses
razed in a move that invoked the memories of Operation Murambatsvina of 2005
which left thousands of people homeless.

Blessing Chimuti who attended the show told the Daily News that what the duo
did showed that they had done their homework on Zimbabwe.

"Its not by accident that the two guys spoke about human rights, they have
been too many parts of the world and seen suffering, so just like
Zimbabweans they felt they have a duty to encourage us to keep fighting for
a better Zimbabwe," said Chimuti.


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Farmers to stand trial

http://news.radiovop.com/

06/09/2010 09:32:00

Bulawayo - THREE white commercial farmers from Nyamandlovu, Matabeleland
North province on Wednesday stand trial for posing a security threat to the
state after they were found in possession of firearms.

The three white commercial farmers - Nigel Fawcett, Mackomic Russel and Gary
Godfrey - also face charges of refusing to vacate their land after their
farms were gazzetted for acquisition.

Fawcett (56) and Russel (51) reside at Kennelys Farm while Godfrey stays at
Fountain Greaves farm, both in Nyamandlovu.

The trio who are represented by Advocate Tim Cherry will appear at the
Bulawayo Magistrates Court.

Charges against the trio by the state are that they were found in possession
of firearms that were at a gun cabinet at their farms on 17 July, 2010.

According to the state, the trio refused to handover gun cabinet keys to
Nyamandlovu police who wanted to inspect the firearms, a move the police
said posed a security threat to Zimbabwe.

For refusing to allow police to inspect firearms at their farms, the trio
faces charges of contravening Section 13 (1) of the Firearms Act, Chapter
10:09.

Fawcett, Russel and Godfrey who also face charges of refusing to vacate
their farms for the past three years stand accused of violating provisions
of Section 3(2) as read with Section 3(3) of the Gazzetted Land
(Consequential Provisions), Chapter 20:28.

According to the state, a 45 day notice issued to the three to vacate their
farms after were gazzetted for acquisition expired on 4 February 2007. But
they have for the past three years resisted attempts to leave their farms.

White commercial farmers continue to face court action for resisting
attempts to vacate their farms under the agrarian reforms which began at the
turn of the millennium.

Violent evictions of the last remaining white commercial farmers are still
continuing despite the inclusive government having had called to an end to
the farm disturbances.

An umbrella body of human rights groups has urged the government to publicly
denounce the continuing lawlessness and violence in the key farming sector
as one of the conditions of restoring the viability of commercial
agriculture.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum says restoring the rule of law would enable
the government to come up with a credible land reform programme that
addresses historical imbalances and injustices of the 2000 fast track land
reform process.

"The continued violation of property rights has negative impact on economic
recovery," a statement by the forum that is a coalition of 19 human rights
groups recently said in part.
 


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Zim should adopt Chinese Yuan as currency – Vice president

http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za

Eyewitness News | 2 Hours Ago

Last year Zimbabwe officially adopted the US dollar as its national
currency. However, the vice president said on Monday the nation should
consider adopting the Chinese Yuan.

Joyce Mujuru said the move makes sense because of Zimbabwe’s "Look East"
policy.

Mujuru said China is now Zimbabwe’s biggest trading partner.

The Asian giant absorbs most of Zimbabwe’s mineral and agricultural produce.

She said adopting the Chinese Yuan would be a logical step and could help
solve some of the country’s liquidity constraints.

Top Zanu-PF officials have welcomed the suggestion but economists are not so
sure.

However, economic consultant John Robertson told Eyewitness News the idea
was not workable.

He said Zimbabwean retailers are already supposed to accept the Euro and the
British Pound but those two currencies have never caught on.


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Unity government endorsed decision to deport Zimbabweans from SA

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
6 September 2010

The inclusive government reportedly endorsed a decision by the South African
government to end a special dispensation that allowed thousands of
Zimbabweans, to enter that country without documents.

The special dispensation was introduced in April last year after the
economic meltdown, created by Robert Mugabe's policies, saw hundreds of
thousands flee to South Africa.

With the end of the special dispensation set for 31st December, Zimbabweans
would have to apply for new permits if they wished to stay in South Africa.
Many would also have to have accompanying documentation issued by Zimbabwean
consulates and embassies in South Africa.

But it has emerged that the co-Home Affairs Minister, ZANU PF's Kembo
Mohadi, held a meeting with his South African counterpart Nkosazana
Dlamini-Zuma, where they agreed to the withdrawal of the special
dispensation.

The bilateral meeting which centred on immigration issues was held at the
Castello De Monte Guesthouse, Waterkloof Ridge in Pretoria.

Dewa Mavhinga, a leading Zimbabwe human rights lawyer based in Johannesburg
told SW Radio Africa on Monday that the meeting between the Home Affairs
ministers from the two countries took place on 17th June.

Questions have also been raised as to how the South African Home Affairs
Ministry will manage to process applications from an estimated million
Zimbabweans, in the four months that are left. There is already a backlog of
200,000 asylum seekers from Zimbabwe whose papers have yet to be processed.

Mavhinga, who is the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition's regional director in
South Africa, said the decision to stop the special dispensation was
ill-timed.

'We met today (Monday) with the director-general of the Home Affairs
ministry who told us the Zimbabwe government, through its co-Home Affairs
Ministers endorsed the decision to start deporting illegal Zimbabweans from
December,' Mavhinga said.

He added; 'It's not only ill-timed but it is of no benefit to Zimbabweans
who are suffering as a result of political persecution. What shocked many of
us was that we were meant to believe this was a unilateral decision made by
the South Africans, not knowing the Zimbabwe government knew from June that
this was going to happen.'

There has been widespread anger over this decision, with many analysts
pointing out that it sends a wrong message to suggest things are improving
on the ground in Zimbabwe, when for most people living in the country there
has been no change whatsoever.

There are no definitive figures on how many Zimbabweans are in South Africa,
although the International Organisation for Migration estimates the figure
to be between 1.5 to 2 million.


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Concern over new permits for Zimbabweans in SA

http://www.mg.co.za

KENICHI SERINO | JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - Sep 06 2010 15:34

Plans to have Zimbabweans in South Africa apply for new permits following
the end of a special dispensation by home affairs are impractical, the
country's MDC party said in Johannesburg on Monday.

"It is highly fortuitous for anyone to expect home affairs to process
Zimbabweans' applications in four months, when there is already a backlog of
200 000 asylum-seekers who have not been processed," Movement for Democratic
Change South Africa (MDC SA) chairperson Austin Moyo told reporters in
Johannesburg.

"We urge the ANC-led government to be compassionate and considerate."

Last week, the Home Affairs Department announced it was ending a special
dispensation for Zimbabweans on December 31 this year. The dispensation,
implemented in April last year, allowed Zimbabweans crossing into South
Africa the right to live, work, study and access basic healthcare for six
months.

Moyo said it was too early for Zimbabweans to return to their country as the
situation there had not yet normalised.

"We are appealing for patience from the South African government until at
least the elections are held in Zimbabwe. Then we can start to have the
negotiations over a managed repatriation process [instead of a situation]
where people are just dumped in the country."

Moyo was accompanied by representatives from the Zimbabwean Exiles Forum,
the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, and Central Methodist Church Bishop Paul
Verryn. Verryn was representing the organisation Peace Action, but is best
known for providing shelter to thousands of Zimbabwean migrants at the
church in the Johannesburg CBD.

'Situation is still desperate'
Verryn backed Moyo's claim that Zimbabwe was not yet ready for the return of
its migrants.

"The allegations that things have improved in Zimbabwe to the point where
people can return, we can only interpret as a statement which relates to the
middle and upper classes of Zimbabwe.

"But for the vulnerable in the country the situation is still desperate."

Verryn accused the South African government of mismanaging its policy
towards Zimbabwean migrants, because of its own position as a mediator
between that country's political factions.

"At no point in South Africa has there been a concession that conditions in
Zimbabwe are refugee-producing conditions. The reason for that, I think, is
that South Africa is directly involved in the negotiations.

"To concede that Zimbabwe is a refugee-producing country is to concede
failure [in negotiations]."

Verryn said that Peace Action's worry was that the special dispensation's
cancellation would lead to an increase in xenophobic attitudes.

"It will send a message that these people are not bona fides, that they are
criminals. So our anxiety about xenophobia is raised to another level.

"The anxieties are that xenophobia is going to be fuelled out of
recognition. The reason being that home affairs has found it very difficult
to cope with legitimising Zimbabweans in this county. With new legislation,
we doubt they will be able to address this new spate of applications."

With the end of the special dispensation in December, Zimbabweans would have
to apply for new permits if they wished to stay in South Africa. Many would
also have to have accompanying documentation issued by Zimbabwean consulates
and embassies in South Africa.

"Zimbabweans are comfortable being documented," MDC SA spokesperson
Sibanengi Dube said. "But what we are saying is that South African home
affairs will not produce the documents.

"It would be a mission for them to process all the applications for
Zimbabweans when they are having trouble themselves producing documents for
South Africans," said Dube.

Dube said the issue was "not incompetence but inefficiency".

Unprepared
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition regional coordinator Dewa Mavhinga said the
Zimbabwean government was also not prepared for the potential flood of
applications.

"The government of Zimbabwe does not have the resources to issue the
millions of permits and passports," he said.

Dube also expressed fears that the end of the dispensation would make life
more difficult for Zimbabweans in South Africa, empower human traffickers
and encourage police harassment and bribery.

"You will see police raiding buildings either to evict Zimbabweans or to ask
for "cooldrinks money"," said Dube.

Verryn said new legislation that encouraged foreigners to prove their
legitimacy was reminiscent of pass laws.

"We are being bedevilled with this legislation, which is so reminiscent of
the apartheid era.

"My anxiety is that we will see an increase of police needing to check the
validity of people living in this country, and that in itself creates the
old problem that we were suffering the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s of people
being pursued under pass-law legislation." -- Sapa


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SADC troika to discuss Zimbabwe political deadlock in Maputo

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com

06 September, 2010 02:59:00    APA

Maputo - The Mozambican capital on Thursday will host a special summit of
the Southern African Development Community (SADC) billed to discuss the
political deadlock situation in Zimbabwe, state-controlled Radio Mozambique
reports on Monday.

The summit to be attended by the SADC Troika on Security Policy will discuss
the situation in Zimbabwe which has deteriorated after the Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai has decided to suspend cooperation with the party of
President Robert Mugabe.

This decision, taken more than two weeks ago, is threatening the functioning
of the Unity government signed by both parties in 2009 to end political
violence and rebuild the wrecked economy.

"They agreed to hold a meeting in Maputo on Thursday, but we still do not
know any details about the meeting," Mozambique Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Yunassy Muchanga told the station.

James Maridadi, spokesman for the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, confirmed the
involvement of Morgan Tsvangirai in the Maputo meeting.

"The Prime Minister will be in Maputo on Thursday to attend the conference
on the power sharing agreement ," he said.

Last month, Mozambican President Armando Guebuza received the first vice
minister of Zimbabwe Thokozani Khupe who called for "help" to "resolve
certain differences in that country."

The request was made days prior to the SADC annual summit held last month in
Windhoek, Namibia.


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Man jailed for one year for ‘insulting’ Mugabe

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
06 September 2010

A 23 year old man has been sentenced to a year behind bars with hard labour,
for ‘insulting’ Robert Mugabe.

On Friday Chipinge provincial magistrate Samuel Zuze handed down the stiff
sentence to Gift Mafuka, who was accused of make an “insulting” remark to
two children wearing pro-Mugabe T-shirts. Mafuka apparently asked the boys
why they were wearing T-shirts, picturing an old person with wrinkles.
Mafuka was found guilty of contravening the Criminal Codification and Reform
Act, by “insulting the office of the President.” However, his sentence was
reduced by two months on condition he does not call Mugabe ‘old’ again in
the next five years. Mugabe will be 91 by that time.
Human rights lawyers have called the sentence “political” as Mafuka’s
comments could not in any way be considered a crime. The lawyers have
encouraged Mafuka to appeal, saying his conviction and sentence were
unlikely to stand up in a higher court.
May we suggest to Mr. Mugabe that he checks in with his plastic surgeon the
moment there is a window of opportunity in his busy schedule, as clearly he
is in need of a top up of the Botox he has on a regular basis.


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MDC-T Manicaland refutes Theresa Makone’s praise for police

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Irene Madongo
06 September 2010

Members of the MDC-T say the police are still supporting ZANU PF militia
terror campaigns during the constitutional outreach exercise, despite claims
by Theresa Makone, the MDC-T’s co-Minister of Home Affairs, that the police
have turned over a new leaf.

According to Pishayi Muchauraya, the MDC-T’s Manicaland province
spokesperson and Makoni South MP, the police still continue to support the
militia in areas in Nyanga, where he says ZANU PF has set up terror bases.

He said, for example, that on Saturday there was a Constitution
Parliamentary Committee (COPAC) meeting, at Bhumbira Primary school in Ward
Nine Nyanga South. But it was aborted when violence perpetrated by war vets
and ZANU PF militia broke out. Instead of the police arresting the
perpetrators of the violence, they arrested the injured MDC members instead.

Yet in an article in the Zimbabwe Independent on Friday, Makone had vouched
for the police saying they had turned over a new leaf and were no longer
partisan.

When told that his fellow MDC-T member Makone was claiming that the police
are now neutral Muchauraya emphasized that the police are still supporting
ZANU PF.

“At Bhumira Primary School we had ten uniformed police officers who also had
some guns. But what they did is they had to arrest those people who were
injured and make sure they are not spotted by some COPAC observers. It was
the entire MDC executive in the area which was injured, and arrested by the
police. The other one who nearly had his eye removed was also arrested upon
making a report,” Muchauraya said.

“Police will be present at all COPAC meetings,” he said. “The Zimbabwe
Republic Police is acting like an extension of ZANU PF and they are actually
assisting the militia.”

Makone’s praise for the police directly contradicts many observers and human
rights groups who maintain the police still enforce the law in a partisan
manner and fail to arrest and prosecute known ZANU PF perpetrators of
politically-motivated violence.


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Jamming of SW Radio Africa broadcasts continues

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
06 September 2010

Since Wednesday there has been intermittent jamming by Robert Mugabe's
regime of short wave broadcasts from SW Radio Africa. Using a heavy noise
like a slow playing record, some of our programming and news bulletins have
been drowned out.

Experts say jamming radio broadcasts is expensive to do and you need a lot
of power. Last week our sources said the Central Intelligence Organisation,
which falls under the President's Office, is running the operation.

The Zimbabwe National Students Union criticized the jamming describing it as
'an attempt to subvert a people's right to receive and impart information as
prescribed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to which Zimbabwe is
a signatory.' The union said it had hoped the inclusion of the MDC in
government 'was a buffer against such authoritarian tendencies' but it
seemed 'politicians are of the same make, no matter which political
organization.'

As yet no government official has issued a statement on the jamming. This
has been the trend over the years where they choose not to say anything. It
was only in March 2007, after jamming had begun in 2005, that the then
Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga admitted they were jamming our
broadcasts. Speaking in parliament at the time Matonga boasted the
government was generating electronic interference to block the broadcasts.

But what is different this time is that we now have a government of national
unity, made up of two formations of the MDC who have clearly stated a
commitment to freeing the media. This is the perfect opportunity for them to
prove their commitment. And if they can't put a stop to the jamming, it is
then made absolutely clear to everyone that the unity government is nothing
more than a sham.

Newsreel tracked down the controversially appointed Broadcasting Authority
of Zimbabwe chairman, Tafataona Mahoso, and asked him if they were taking
applications for independent radio stations. "I can't answer that question'
he told us before referring us to 'the media centre at the Harare Sheraton.'
He said the Chief Executive of BAZ, a Mr. Muganyuka, would answer our
question. Mahoso then launched into a vitriolic attack against SW Radio
Africa, describing it as a 'pirate radio.'

Reminded that we were Zimbabweans broadcasting from exile because of
repressive media legislation, Mahoso hung up his phone.


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Governor Maluleke appeals for money to avert starvation

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Energy Bara
Monday, 06 September 2010 14:53

MASVINGO - As hunger and starvation stalk some parts of the country, the
inclusive government is battling to resuscitate the food for work programme
amid reports that over USD 200 million is required to avert disaster.

Under the food for work programme,  hungry people, mostly villagers , are
engaged to work on government development programmes in return for either
food or cash.

Masvingo Governor Titus Maluleke yesterday said that the government would
re-introduce the food for work programme but was battling to start the
project due to lack of  money.

The failure by the government to raise money for the food for work programme
comes at a time when some humanitarian food aid agencies have indefinitely
suspended working following interference in their operations by politicians
mostly from  Zanu PF.

"The government is battling to reintroduce this programme which, when
further delayed, might result in loss of lives due to hunger", said
Maluleke.

"As funds  to start the project are made available  people will be engaged
to repair schools, bridges , clinics and other infrastructure which had been
neglected for years" added Maluleke.

"We are appealing to government to  urgently look for funds for the project
because the situation in some areas of Masvingo is catastrophic".

According to Governor Maluleke areas like Chiredzi , Mwenezi, Zaka , Gutu
and parts of Masvingo district are the hardest hit with some families
already surviving on either wild fruits or food hand outs from fellow
villagers.

"The situation is critical in some areas and some families are already
relying on fruits or food handouts from fellow villagers who have some food
to spare", said Maluleke.

The government needs more than USD 200 million to avert starvation in the
country where most people failed to yield anything due to poor rainfall.

Government sources said that no money was budgeted for humanitarian aid
during the 2009 2010 announced by finance minister Tendai Biti.

"We are looking at over USD 200 million to make sure that we procure food
for the starving populations", said the source.

Prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai has already toured different parts of the
country to assess the crop and food situation.

During his tour he described  the situation in some of the affected areas as
catastrophic adding that government has to immediately come up with
resources to deal with the food situation.

"We have come up with a cabinet task force on food", said Tsvangirai . "The
task force will have to come up with ways to avoid starvation".
Some humanitarian food aid agencies have stopped operations due to political
interference.

In Gutu, two humanitarian aid agencies suspended operations after  the
Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chairman threatened to take over the
distribution of food aid arguing that Non- Governmental Organisations were
biased towards other political parties.


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Key donors give inclusive gvt thumbs up

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

By Staff Reporter
Monday, 06 September 2010 16:57

HARARE - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident
co-ordinator Alain Noudehou and incoming Word Vision country director,
Edward Brown, have given a vote of confidence to the Zimbabwe inclusive
government which they say has made progress since its consummation in 2009.

After meeting Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai at his Harare offices, the
duo said they had seen positives  between Tsvangirai, his deputy, Arthur
Mutambara and President Robert Mugabe  which they are pleased to support.

Noudehou, who replaced long-serving resident representative Agostinho
Zacarias  said his courtesy call on Tsvangirai was a continuation of the
UNDP's support for the inclusive government.

The UNDP has been at the centre of the constitutional making funding which
last week was  dealt a body blow when donors pulled the plug on the
supplementary budget which had been drawn up to conclude the outreach
programme in Harare and Bulawayo.

An estimated US$8 million had been budgeted for the remainder of the
national outreach programme.

World Vision, which has in the past clashed  with Mugabe and his combative
Zanu PF supporters, said it is pleased with the actions of the country's
leaders.

Brown said although he is yet to meet with partners that include Non
Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and continue with dialogue which his
predecessor had been actively involved in, the signs were good.

"So far so good", Brown told journalists when asked if the trio of
Zimbabwean leadership was working from the same template.

Both the UNDP and World Vision have been heavily involved in humanitarian
aid in Zimbabwe.

World Vision was once banned by Mugabe in 2008 when political temperatures
hit a boiling point prompting its temporary withdrawal from humanitarian
relief and development operations.

At the time, World Vision had activated a relief programme that involved
distributing 4 000 metric tonnes of food that benefited  about 700,000
people,  including 400,000 school children in supplementary feeding programs
and 100,000 elderly and chronically ill people in institutional feeding
programs.


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Ministers forced to flee fire at gvt offices

http://news.radiovop.com/

06/09/2010 19:29:00

Harare, September 6, 2010 -There was drama on Monday morning at the Ministry
of Education, Sports, Arts and Culture headquarters in Harare when
Ministers, senior officials and the entire staff stampeded to get out of
18-floor building after malfunctioning elevators developed an electrical
fault which caused fire at the building.

So hectic were the corridors of the building as ministers, senior staff and
ordinary members of staff jammed the corridors in an enduring physical
exercise climbing down the stairs to safety.
No-one was hurt during the incident because the fire was immediately put out
by Harare City Council Fire Brigade whose response was swift.
The electrical fault occurred in the 18th floor around mid-morning.
Ironically the floor houses the offices of Education Minister David Coltart
who is said to have been out of office when the fire broke
out. But his deputy, Lazarus Dokora was not as lucky as he had to endure the
climb down using the stairs from his high rise office.
Dokora was said to have been forced to abandon the meeting when the fire
broke out.

Staff from the ministry could be seen milling outside the building telling
tales of how they escaped after the fire started.
"I was in the lift that jammed for some 15 minutes before we were rescued by
people from the company that made the elevators," an
unidentified man could be heard saying. "The smoke actually came into the
lift."
The lift was later fixed by EICCO, the company which installed and maintain
lifts at the ministry's offices.
The staff later refused to get back into the building after the fixed lifts
malfunctioned again.  government offices have malfunctioning elevators which
are always
down. Maintenance at the government offices is sub-standard. Last year at
the inception of the Government of National Unity (GNU) the
Minister of Environment and the Minister Health teamed up to lead a group of
volunteers to clean government offices at Mukwati Building in
Harare.
 


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Construction of regional railway line to start soon

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Written by Steven Nyathi
Monday, 06 September 2010 12:38

Harare - Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique have signed access agreements
paving the way for the construction of a $7 billion new railway line linking
Botswana to a new deep-water port to be built near Maputo in Mozambique.
According to a statement by Australian mining giant, Walkabout Resources the
arrangement of finance for the project is expected to be completed by the
end of 2011.
The first phase of construction is due to start between 2012 and 2015.
Alan Mulligan, managing director for Walkabout Resources told delegates at
the Africa Down Under conference being held in Western Australia that the
proposed line is set to benefit companies currently exploring for coal
projects on the continent.
"Access agreements have already been signed between the three countries over
the route of the 1,100km heavy haul railway line," he said.
The mining giant is expected to build a heavy haul connecting line through
to the coal rich Hwange region. The main line will run close to a number of
projects proposed for coal fields in southern part of the country.
Walkabout said the railway line would start from the eastern Botswana town
of Serule and end at a new deep-water port to be built near Maputo at
Technobanine point in the district of Matutuine.
A number of private consortiums are looking at funding and building the line


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NGO launches HIV/AIDS info in braille

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Sidney Saize
Monday, 06 September 2010 15:14

MUTARE - A Mutare-based non governmental organization,(NGO) the Family Aids
Support Organisation, FASO made up of people living with HIV/AIDS on
Saturday launched information on HIV and AIDS in braile language.

The new information brochure is targeting the blind who say they are
overlooked when such critical information is disseminated by most civic
organizations in the country.

FASO, which was founded in 1992, has at least 6 000 members in Manicaland
province, all living positively.

Casper Pound , the FASO's programmes officer said the decision to come up
with information in braille was taken after noticing that the society for
the blind was being marginalized in many ways especially with regards to
information on HIV/AIDS.

"We were touched by the plight of the blind with regards to lack of
information in braille for the minority groups in our communities," said
Pound.

A braille teacher, Ernest Mahuni says the inclusion of the blind is
commendable.

Mahuni who is blind, said FASO had taken a move that  should  be amulated by
other organizations.  He said the introduction of such information in
braille will go a long way in saving many lives.

Information packaging in the country has been leaving minority groups such
as the blind.

HIV and ASIDS information has been unavailable in braille for the blind to
access and use in making  informed decisions abut the killer virus.

Numerous pleas on the need for most important information to be in
transcribed into braille have not been heeded.

The blind are saying they expect the current constitution making outreach
programme to cater for them.

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