Mbeki jets into Harare in last-ditch effort to revive talks

By Tichaona Sibanda
8 September 2008

South African President Thabo Mbeki flew into Harare on Monday in a
last-ditch attempt to 'bang heads together' and salvage the power-sharing
talks between ZANU PF and the MDC.

Mbeki, the SADC appointed mediator to the Zimbabwe talks, has the task of
attempting to bring together Robert Mugabe, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur
Mutambara to sign a power-sharing deal following weeks of relentless attacks
and counter-attacks. According to media reports he met Mugabe and Tsvangirai
separately, soon after jetting into the country to resume adjourned
power-sharing talks.

Luke Tamborinyoka, the MDC's Director of Information told Newsreel that the
inter-party talks to a negotiated settlement were 'on life support' and
would require 'forceful intervention' by Mbeki if they were to be
resuscitated.

"Mbeki is probably coming to convey his determination that a process in
which he has invested so much of his personal prestige cannot be allowed to
collapse. But our position has been made clear and it will never change,"
Tamborinyoka said. A source said Mbeki may have been told to 'bang heads
together' if necessary, or risk having his role as mediator to the talks
taken away by the African Union or the United Nations.

It's believed the South African leader is going to spend as much time in the
country as necessary in his efforts to secure the signatures of the three
political protagonists. A diplomat in Harare said Mbeki might spend 'up to
three days,' although part of his job has now been made more difficult by
the breakaway faction of MDC led by Mutambara.

A statement from the party said on Monday it will 'remain independent,' and
not work with ZANU PF if no power sharing deal was reached with Tsvangirai.
The party leadership decided that any agreement would have to be a three-way
deal that includes Tsvangirai's MDC.

South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa told
journalists Mbeki would meet all the political leaders in Harare.

Under Mbeki's mediation, Mugabe and Tsavngirai agreed that the MDC leader
should become Prime Minister of a new government, but they reached a
stalemate over how much power Mugabe should wield as President.

Meanwhile the Zimbabwe Standard reported on Sunday that Tsvangirai is
prepared to sign a 50/50 power-sharing deal with Mugabe, provided that he is
given the powerful Ministry of Home Affairs, which controls the police.

The paper quotes an unnamed senior MDC official who reported that Tsvangirai
is ready to sign the deal if he is given real power, and not just a
ceremonial Prime Minister's post as Mugabe has demanded.

SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news

Mbeki expected to stay two days in Zim

IOL

     September 08 2008 at 07:17PM

South African President Thabo Mbeki held talks with Zimbabwe's
political leaders in Harare on Monday, where he is trying to inject new
momentum into stalled multi-party talks on a power-sharing government.

Mbeki, the 15-nation Southern African Development Community
(SADC)-appointed mediator in Zimbabwe, is on his second trip to Zimbabwe in
as many months as he tries to resolve a dispute between Mugabe and Movement
for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

The two men are at loggerheads over how to share power in a unity
government.

Mbeki was met on arrival at Harare airport by Mugabe. The two held
talks at a city-centre hotel. Tsvangirai and the leader of a breakaway
faction of the MDC, Arthur Mutambara, who is also a party to the talks,
joined the talks shortly afterwards, along with their negotiators.

This visit by Mbeki, which a South African embassy official predicted
could last two days, was devoid of the anticipation that surrounded the last
round of talks he brokered between Zimbabwe's leaders in Harare in early
August.

Those talks broke off after Tsvangirai balked at a deal that would
have seen Mugabe retain much of his powers.

A recent summit of SADC leaders in Johannesburg and a later round of
talks in South Africa failed to end the deadlock.

"The issue is about the constitution which gives too much power to the
president," MDC Secretary-General Tendai Biti told a rally in Gweru, 300km
south-west of Harare, on the 9th anniversary of the MDC's founding.

"We need an interim constitution that deals with that," he said.

Mugabe has threatened to forge ahead with forming a government without
the MDC, unless Tsvangirai signs up to a deal that would make him prime
minister but without the full powers of a head of government.

Tsvangirai on Sunday reiterated his belief that no deal was better
than a "bad deal." His party has the most seats in the lower house of
parliament, making it difficult for Mugabe to govern without him.

Tsvangirai also gained more votes than Mugabe in March elections but
failed to pass the 50-per-cent threshold to unseat the authoritarian leader.

The MDC, the West and a handful of African countries refused to
recognise Mugabe's victory in a run-off ballot at the end of June that
Tsvangirai boycotted over a spate of killings of his supporters.

Zimbabweans see a negotiated political settlement as the only panacea
for the country's decade-long political and economic woes.

Mugabe's populist policies are widely blamed for inflation of 11.3
million per cent, widespread food, fuel and drug shortages and mass
emigration.
- Sapa-dpa

Mugabe says no power-sharing deal reached in Zimbabwe talks

africasia

HARARE, Sept 8 (AFP)

Zimbabwe's political rivals had not reached a deal in power-sharing talks on
Monday, President Robert Mugabe said as he emerged from negotiations
mediated by South Africa's Thabo Mbeki.

Asked if he had reached a deal with his rival Morgan Tsvangirai, Mugabe
said: "Not yet".

"We are moving forward, we are not going back. It was a good meeting," he
added.

Officials said that the talks will likely reconvene on Tuesday.

Tsvangirai also left the meeting venue shortly after Mugabe's departure, but
did not speak to journalists.

His MDC party's spokesman, Nelson Chamisa, told reporters that "negotiations
are still in progress" and expressed hope that the talks would be finalised
on Tuesday.

"Negotiations are still in progress. We are trying to find areas of
consensus," he said.

"There are still some serious differences, but we are trying to narrow those
(differences). We are hoping to finalise the process tomorrow (Tuesday)", he
added.

President Mbeki is mediating the talks between Mugabe and his political
rivals -- Tsvangirai, who leads the main branch of the opposition MDC, and
the head of a smaller MDC faction, Arthur Mutambara.

MDC leaders welcome Mbeki

IOL

    September 08 2008 at 01:43PM

Harare - South African President Thabo Mbeki will meet on Monday in
Harare with leaders of Zimbabwe's rival political parties in an effort to
revive stalled power-sharing talks, the foreign ministry said.

"We confirm that the president will visit Zimbabwe today as part of
his ongoing SADC (Southern African Development Community) facilitation
work," said ministry spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa.

Mamoepa said Mbeki, the SADC mediator in the power-sharing talks,
would meet leaders of the negotiating parties - the ruling Zanu-PF, the main
opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and a smaller MDC offshoot.

While the two MDC groups were upbeat about the Mbeki visit, the ruling
Zanu-PF and government officials were reticent to speak about it.

The MDC welcomed Mbeki's visit, saying they expected Mbeki to ease the
current deadlock.

"We welcome President Mbeki's visit. We expect him as mediator to play
the simple but important role of deflating the current impasse in the
negotiations," said MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa.

"He should persuade Zanu-PF to abandon their meaningless hardline
stance. The bottom line is people of Zimbabwe are suffering and they need a
'pain-stop' to come out of these talks," he said.

The MDC splinter group led by Arthur Mutambara said it was hopeful.

"If this meeting with Mbeki takes place, it will be a good opportunity
for the leaders of this country to chart a new path for a new Zimbabwe. We
are excited and hopeful," spokesperson Edwin Mushoriwa told reporters.

"Zimbabwean people are anxious to see an end to this crisis which has
dragged on for too long. We cannot continue to keep the people in suspense,"
he said.

Zanu-PF chief negotiator and Zimbabwe Justice Minister Patrick
Chinamasa simply said: "I am not aware of the (Mbeki) visit. I would not
want to make any comment at this stage."

Talks deadlocked last month when the MDC, the biggest party in
parliament following election in March, balked at a proposal which would see
President Robert Mugabe retain control of the country's security ministries.

It was unclear early Monday whether Mbeki would meet the parties
together or separately.

Mbeki's trip comes after Mugabe threatened last week to form a cabinet
if MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai delayed signing a document to pave the way
for a power-sharing deal.

Speaking at a rally on Sunday, Tsvangirai called for fresh elections,
supervised by international observers, if the deadlocked talks did not reach
a breakthrough.

He also said that he would only sign a deal that gives him
"sufficient" power.

"We would rather have no deal than a bad deal," he said.

Speaking earlier at the same rally, the MDC's deputy leader Tendai
Biti recalled that the talks had stalled over powers invested in the
president by the current constitution.

"The president created in this constitution is a monarch, an imperial
president," said Biti, the MDC's secretary-general.

"That's the sticking point," he said. "It's the issue of the powers of
the president as enshrined in this constitution that is making these talks
not to move forward."

The talks began after both sides signed a memorandum of understanding
on July 21 in Harare.

Mugabe won a June 27 presidential run-off poll after the first-round
winner Tsvangirai withdrew from the vote in protest at widespread election
violence.

Zimbabwe opposition faction denies deal with Mugabe

africasia

HARARE, Sept 8 (AFP)

A splinter faction of Zimbabwe's opposition MDC on Monday stressed that it
would not make any deal with President Robert Mugabe's party that did not
include the main opposition branch.

"Detailed assurances were given by the leadership of the party that no
bilateral agreement had been reached with ZANU-PF and that no bilateral
agreement would be entered with ZANU-PF in future," the splinter faction
said in a statement.

The Arthur Mutambara-led faction of the Movement for Democratic Change, also
known as MDC-M, holds 10 seats in Zimbabwe's parliament. It could swing the
majority in favour of either the MDC, which has 100 seats, or Mugabe's
ZANU-PF, which holds 99 seats.

The statement by the MDC-M faction was issued following a meeting of its
leaders and MPs at the weekend ahead of power-sharing talks Monday in Harare
mediated by South African President Thabo Mbeki.

"The president (Arthur Mutambara) assured the caucus that any agreement
would have to be a tripartite agreement which includes the MDC
(Tsvangirai)," it said.

The statement came after media reports that the smaller MDC had signed a
deal with Mugabe after Tsvangirai refused to sign an agreement to pave the
way for a unity government.

Talks to end Zimbabwe's political crisis following a disputed presidential
run-off election in June deadlocked last month after Mugabe and Tsvangirai
failed to reach a deal over the sharing of executive powers.

Mbeki, the regionally appointed mediator in the talks, was in Harare on
Monday with the three political rivals in a bid to revive the stalled
negotiations.

Tsvangirai said at a rally on Sunday that he would not accept any deal that
did not give him "sufficient" powers.

Tsvangirai seeks to control home affairs

Mail and Guardian

MAIL & GUARDIAN ONLINE REPORTER - Sep 08 2008 14:15

Zimbabwe's main opposition faction, headed by Morgan Tsvangirai, is prepared
to sign a 50-50 power-sharing deal with President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF,
provided that the opposition is given the powerful Ministry of Home Affairs,
which controls the police.

A senior official of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said on Monday
that Morgan Tsvangirai is ready to sign the deal if he is given real power
and not just a ceremonial prime minister's post, as Mugabe has demanded.

Talks on power-sharing between the three key parties -- Zanu-PF, the MDC
under Tsvangirai and the Arthur Mutambara-led faction of the MDC -- have
been bogged down by differences on which ministries Mugabe and Tsvangirai
should control.

The three parties already seem to have agreed that Mugabe will remain
president while Tsvangirai becomes prime minister. Mutambara's party was
supposed to get the post of speaker of Parliament, but the plan was scuttled
after the two factions disagreed on the candidate and it was taken over by
the Tsvangirai faction.

The MDC under Tsvangirai has 100 out of 210 seats in the House of Assembly.
The Mutambara faction has 10 seats, and Zanu-PF has 99. An independent
candidate holds the remaining seat.

Mugabe, in power since 1980, is reportedly insisting that he retain the
security ministries, including defence, justice (along with prisons), and
home affairs.

He has offered economic ministries to Tsvangirai in what observers believe
is an effort to gain sympathy from the West so that sanctions can be lifted
in order to get Zimbabwe's economy back on track. At present, inflation is
put at anything above 20-million percent, and the Zimbabwe dollar has been
losing half its value almost weekly.

Tsvangirai told his supporters on Sunday that he would rather have fresh
elections than accept a deal in which he would not be given real power.

A senior official of the party said the MDC would sign the deal if it was
given the home affairs post because it would be in charge of the police.

"We want that post so that we can arrest the war veterans and the militias
that go around beating up people. If Mugabe retains that post, we are in
trouble [and] the violence will continue, so we won't sign," the official
said.

Asked whether it was not be better to sign the agreement and then try to
reform the government from within, the official said: "That's a non-starter.
You people don't know Mugabe. [Joshua] Nkomo tried it and failed."

South African President Thabo Mbeki was due in Zimbabwe on Monday to try to
seal the deal between the three parties.

Tsvangirai beat Mugabe in the first round of the presidential elections in
March but failed to win an outright victory to avoid a run-off. His party
claims it won an outright victory. He pulled out of the run-off scheduled
for June 27 citing violence that left more than 100 people dead, leaving
Mugabe to win uncontested.

Pessimism over Mbeki's capacity in Zimbabwe talks

SABC

September 08, 2008, 14:30

Political analyst Dennis Kadima has expressed pessimism at President Thabo
Mbeki's capacity to break the deadlock in the Zimbabwe negotiations.

"If somebody else could play that role . South Africa will have the leverage
to look at the process and use its influence to make sure that the parties
don't change the rules of the game, or they don't negate what they had
approved before. At the moment, there is no country that can play that role
..." says Kadima.

Mbeki will meet Zimbabwe's rival parties in Harare this afternoon amid
growing doubts over his chances of securing a power-sharing deal to end the
political crisis.

Yesterday, opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan
Tsvangirai said he would rather quit talks than sign a bad deal and
challenged President Robert Mugabe to hold a new election. Mugabe had
threatened to form a government alone if Tsvangirai did not sign a deal last
week.

South Africa's Presidency has confirmed Mbeki's trip, which many believe
will either culminate in a political settlement or confirm the collapse of
the talks.

Mugabe mobilises for civil war

http://www.zimbabwetoday.co.uk

Military manoeuvres indicate that Zanu-PF is preparing for conflict

With the power-sharing talks between Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF and the
opposition Movement for Democratic Change now stalled and showing no signs
of progress, Robert Mugabe has moved swiftly to prepare for an armed
struggle within Zimbabwe.

A highly-ranked Army commander told me today, Monday: "Civil war is now
definitely in prospect. Our officers currently undergoing training in South
Africa have been immediatly recalled in mid-course, for what were described
as more important military duties.

"I'm also aware that regiments from Imbizo, Mbalabala and Carbone barracks
have been placed on high alert. And their training has been re-focused to
include much more direct action on the ground."

Another sign of imminent action by Zanu-PF is the size of the military
presence on our city streets. Much bigger patrols have been noticed this
week in Harare, Bulawayo and other cities, especially towards nightfall.

Meanwhile, as SADC, the grouping of nations in the region, continue to
insist that the two parties must reach an agreement through negotiation, MDC
leader Morgan Tsvangirai has called for new elections, to be supervised by
the international community.

Speaking at a rally this weekend to mark the ninth anniversary of the
creation of the MDC, he said the talks had deadlocked over Mugabe's
insistence on retaining control over the country's security forces.

And he pointed out that it is these security forces - the police, the army,
the militias etc - which Mugabe has always used to brutalise and terrify the
people of Zimbabwe.

Many observers now believe that he will use the same forces if and when
social order here finally breaks down, and he decides on the violent
elimination of the opposition once and for all.

Posted on Monday, 08 September 2008 at 15:10

MDC demands vs Mugabe's

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk


Monday, 08 September 2008 10:25
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News)---SOUTH African President Thabo Mbeki flew
into Zimbabwe's capital Harare on Monday morning, but the Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai was unlikely to sign a
proposed power-sharing deal with President Robert Mugabe unless his demands
were met.

According to MDC spokesperson, Nelson Chamisa, who spoke to CAJ News
over telephone on Monday, the country's main opposition was demanding that
Tsvangirai becomes the sole leader to chair the cabinet meetings.

Among other demands put forward by the MDC were that Tsvangirai be
allowed to hire and fire ministers and be accorded the opportunity to
control key government apparatus.

"The people spoke on March 29  during harmonised elections, so why is
ZANU-PF complicating things? Our president (Tsvangirai) should be given the
executive powers he deserves by virtue of being the democratically elected
leader of Zimbabwe," said Chamisa.

On the other hand, ZANU-PF's Patrick Chinamasa, said his party would
not allow Tsvangirai to co-chair the cabinet with Mugabe, as that was not
"practical".

"The MDC should understand how government operates. The proposal is
not possible and not acceptable at all," said Chinamasa.

President Mbeki's spokesperson, Mukoni Ratshitanga, confirmed on
Monday afternoon that the SA leader was in the Zimbabwean capital Harare,
but declined to shed more light on the proceedings of the power-sharing
talks arguing that the media would be briefed midweek.

"I am here in Harare with Mbeki, but once again, we are not compelled
to reveal to nature of the discussion. The media will be updated about the
deal when time is ripe," said Ratshitanga.

Close sources within ZANU-PF''s supreme decision making body, the
politburo, said Mugabe was ready to allow Tsvangirai to co-chair other
government meetings other than cabinet.

Mugabe is also said to be unwilling to allow Tsvangirai to take charge
of the defence and security ministries.

"This is where the bone of contention is. Mugabe wants to control all
the important organs of the state while relegating Tsvangirai to a mere
ceremonial prime minister," said a politburo source --CAJ News.

Matonga accuses Tsvangirai of posturing

Mbeki's world crumbling for defending Mugabe

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk


Monday, 08 September 2008 11:56

ZIMBABWE - HARARE - President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa is edging
closer to serious trouble that could see him facing the wrath of South
Africans over his failure to objectively handle the Zimbabwean political
crisis for finding a solution, and now risking his country being stripped of
the right to host the 2010 soccer World Cup. In that context, one of the
serious issues of concern is the political and economic situation in
Zimbabwe.

Mbeki has really backed himself into a cul-de-sac by fatuously
maintaining a supportive and defensive approach towards his handling of an
intransigent Zanu (PF) regime headed by Robert Matibili Mugabe.

As the SADC appointed mediator on the Zimbabwe crisis, Mbeki has,
shockingly, gone out of his way to block censure and punishment of Mugabe
but yet without any workable solution coming out of his infamous quiet
diplomacy strategy.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter in July stated that he had a Plan B based
on three countries he had already advised and obtained commitment from to be
able to step in and take over in the event SA fails to host the tournament.

ZimDaily has it on good authority that FIFA, who are keeping a keen
eye on developments in SA and SADC in general recently sent a secret
investigation team to the region with particular interest on Zimbabwe and
how the situation in this country was affecting the whole region.

A damning report casting aspersions on the Zimbabwean issue was
submitted, triggering desperate deliberations between FIFA, the SA
government, soccer leaders as well as business.

The broader international community, particularly the west, which has
been at loggerheads with Mugabe for close to a decade, is also deeply
involved in the deliberations.

"Mbeki has been forced to explain the situation, particularly by his
government, SA business as well as the 2010 organising committee," a highly
placed source in Mbeki's administration told us in confidence.

"He managed to get another chance by promising that there would be a
solution to the Zimbabwean crisis and seemed to have made a substantive
breakthrough when he succeeded in having the Zimbabwe leaders to sign the
MoU in July. However, his two-week deadline has long elapsed and everything
now points towards a serious confrontation over the matter."

FIFA secretary general, Jerome Valcke has in the past weeks made
several correspondents to Mbeki through the SA organising committee, showing
the deep concern over the situation in Zimbabwe.

"There is concern over the security situation in the SADC region
because of the political situation in Zimbabwe and questions are being asked
on whether this presents a conducive environment for hosting the
tournament," one of the correspondents leaked to ZimDaily states.

It is for this pressure, coupled with a groundswell of grumbling
within his government, which has been forcing Mbeki to spend most of his
time recently trying to scrap a settlement between Mugabe and his nemesis,
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

"Mbeki's last hope is beating the announcement by FIFA that an
alternative host would take over, otherwise he knows what awaits him in SA,"
a member of the ANC, SA's ruling party said.

We also spoke to sources within the SA 2010 organising committee, and
one of them said, "It is unimaginable that after all we have put together
and sacrificed, the finals may be moved to another country.

The amounts put into the preparations are too much to go down the
drain." A massive R5 billion is estimated to have already been spent on the
preparations.

But it is in the ANC that Mbeki faces the worst prospects and harshest
reprimand if the soccer tournament goes because of his "playing with Mugabe"

The troubled SA leader was given the loud message by ANC that he was
no longer popular at Polokwane last year when he lost the party's presidency
to Jacob Zuma, with whom he is engaged in a multi-faceted political battle
often turning ugly.

"The Zuma ANC will relish an opportunity to skin Mbeki alive and that
shall be very possible if the worst comes to happen around the soccer world
cup issue," an SA diplomat based in Harare told us. "They (the Zuma ANC) are
already seeing this coming and busy sharpening their knives for a final
kill."

With unprecedented hyperinflation approaching 30 million percent,
under the iron bondage of a dictator, Robert Mugabe heading a military junta
and one of the worst levels of humanitarian crisis in peace time, Zimbabwe
is simply a bad destination for anyone.

SA has already made it clear that it would need the serious
involvement of its neighbours in hosting the teams and fans that are
expected for the soccer finals, including Zimbabwe.

But not only is the impoverished country doing nothing as way of
preparing infrastructure and other requirements, it is actually further
sliding backwards under the current situation.

Above all this, the major concern is the political chaos Mugabe causes
in and outside Zimbabwe, as recently epitomised by massive demonstrations in
SA, Botswana and other SADC countries against the geriatric dictator.

"FIFA shall never take that risk for anything. There is no way the
west will accept to attend the tournament under such as political
situation," our SA diplomat source privy to the goings-on told us.

  On Monday we reveal how Mbeki now considers ditching Mugabe to avoid
the above-explained trouble, a possibility that could bring a new twist to
the Zimbabwean political issue.
Zimdaily

Former Gweru MP Mukahlera dumps Mutambara MDC

By Lance Guma
08 September 2008

Former Gweru Urban Member of Parliament Timothy Mukahlera has dumped the
Mutambara MDC to rejoin the main party led by Morgan Tsvangirai. Addressing
thousands of supporters at the MDC's 9th anniversary celebrations at Mkoba
Stadium, Mukahlera said he was disenchanted by the leadership of the
Mutambara faction and had decided 'to come back home.' He follows a growing
list of prominent officials that includes Lovemore Moyo, Blessing Chebundo,
Sam Sipepa Nkomo and Gift Chimanikire among others, who have deserted the
party since the acrimonious split in October 2005.

Speaking to Newsreel on Monday party spokesman Nelson Chamisa confirmed he
had re-introduced Mukahlera to party supporters on Sunday. "This is a
people's
struggle. We need to make sure the revolutionary train has enough space and
seats for all democrats," Chamisa said. Mukahlera remarked in the local
shona language, "Chakashata chakashata, ndadzokera kumusangano- What's bad
is bad, I have come back to the party."

Meanwhile, Newsreel is reliably informed that 2 Mutambara MP's almost came
to blows on an Air Zimbabwe flight to Harare from Bulawayo soon after the
vote for the speaker of parliament. Edward Mkhosi (Mangwe) and Siyabonga
Malandu Ncube (Insiza South) are said to have exchanged some harsh words in
front of other passengers. Mkhosi is alleged to have called Malandu a
'sellout' for being loyal to Mutambara, while Malandu accused Mkhosi of
being aligned to the Tsvangirai camp. Mkhosi challenged his colleague to
instigate a by-election in his constituency 'if he saw fit.'

The Mutambara MDC reportedly held heated meetings on Saturday and Sunday at
the Kadoma Ranch Hotel. Members of the top leadership are said to have
demanded an explanation as to why rebels in the party voted for Lovemore
Moyo (Tsvangirai MDC) as parliamentary speaker instead of Paul Themba Nyathi
their candidate. Any future rebels were threatened with by-elections in
their constituencies.

SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news

Canada bans spouses and children of ZANU PF officials in new sanctions

By Violet Gonda
8 September 2008

International pressure is mounting on ZANU PF as another western country has
slapped the regime with sanctions. Canada on Friday froze assets of ZANU PF
officials and banned arms exports to Zimbabwe.
The country's airline Air Zimbabwe has for the first time also been
targeted. The North American country said the Zimbabwean airliner will be
prohibited from flying over, or landing in Canada.
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson said his country was
imposing the punitive measures because there has been no effort to promote
democracy in Zimbabwe, and it does not recognize the illegitimate ZANU PF
government.

Besides the usual names of people who have appeared on sanctions list
imposed by the United States, European Union and Australia, such as Robert
Mugabe, Ignatius Chombo, Patrick Chinamasa and Didymus Mutasa, the list also
includes journalists, spouses and children of ZANU PF officials.
Tanya (19) and Natasha Muchinguri (14) the children of 'Minister' Oppah
Muchinguri have also been included on the sanctions list. Former Minister
Dumiso Dabengwa's 37 year old daughter Ijeoma, and Patrick Chinamasa's child
Gamuchirayi have also been sanctioned.

Chinamasa's wife Monica who was controversially appointed to the Makoni
Rural District Council recently, even though she was not elected, is among
the spouses of ZANU PF officials targeted.
Other spouses include George Charamba's wife Rudo, Reserve Bank Governor
Gideon Gono's wife Hellin, Ignatius Chombo's 'two wives' Marian and Ever,
and the 84 year old leader's 43 year old wife Grace.

Andrew Manyevere, the MDC Chief Representative in Canada says sanctions are
another way of facilitating negotiations and to force the regime to stop
repression in Zimbabwe. He said: "When Mugabe does targeted retribution,
abuse and torture, he tortures the whole village." The MDC official said by
targeting the regime's children and relatives the message is clear that the
Canadians are not only targeting the ZANU PF officials "but targeting their
whole survival thread."

Ceasar Zvayi and Munyaradzi Huni are the only journalists on the list of 181
Zimbabweans. The two were also added to the EU sanctions list in July after
they were accused of hate-mongering against opposition members.

SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news

Zim Targeted sanctions List ; Canadian Govt

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Monday, 08 September 2008 14:11
The following persons have been listed by the Canadian Government for
targeted sanctions. They include Ignatius Chombo's two wives.

Robert Gabriel MUGABE, date of birth: 21/02/1924 President

Joseph MSIKA, date of birth: 06/12/1923
Vice-President

Joyce MUJURU, date of birth: 15/04/1955
Vice-President

Flora BUKA, also known among other names as Flora BHUKA, date of
birth:
25/02/1968
Minister of State for Special Affairs in the President's Office
responsible for Land and Resettlement Programmes

Aeneas Soko CHIGWEDERE, date of birth: 25/11/1939 Minister of
Education, Sports and Culture

Chenhamo Chakezha CHIMUTENGWENDE, date of birth: 28/08/1943 Minister
of State for Public and Interactive Affairs

Patrick Anthony CHINAMASA, date of birth: 25/01/1947 Minister of
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs

Edward CHINDORI-CHININGA, date of birth: 14/03/1955 Formerly Minister
of Mines and Mining Development

Tongesai Shadreck CHIPANGA, date of birth: 10/10/1946 Formerly Deputy
Minister of Home Affairs

Ignatius Morgan Chiminya CHOMBO, date of birth: 01/08/1952 Minister of
Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development, ZANU-PF Politburo
Member, Secretary of the Politburo Committee on Lands and Resettlement

Nicholas GOCHE, date of birth: 01/08/1946 Minister of Public Services,
Labour and Social Welfare, and ZANU-PF Politburo Secretary for National
Security

Rugare Aleck Ngidi GUMBO, date of birth: 08/03/1940 Minister of
Agriculture (formerly Minister of Economic Development); ZANU-PF Politburo
Deputy Secretary for Administration

Tichaona Joseph Benjamin JOKONYA, date of birth: 27/12/1938 Minister
of Information and Publicity

Christopher Tichaona KURUNERI, date of birth: 04/04/1949 Formerly
Minister of Finance and Economic Development

Joseph Mtakwese MADE, date of birth: 21/11/1954 Minister of State for
Agricultural Engineering and Mechanisation; formerly Minister of Agriculture
and Rural Development

Elliot Tapfumanei MANYIKA, date of birth: 30/07/1955 Minister without
Portfolio; ZANU-PF Politburo Secretary for Commissariat

Amos Bernard Muvenga MIDZI, date of birth: 04/07/1952 Minister of
Mines and Mining Development

Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA, date of birth: 15/09/1946 Minister of
Rural Housing and Social Amenities; ZANU-PF Politburo Secretary for Legal
Affairs

Kembo Campbell Dugishi MOHADI, date of birth: 15/11/1949 Minister of
Home Affairs; ZANU-PF Politburo Deputy Secretary for Legal Affairs

Jonathan Nathaniel MOYO, date of birth: 12/01/1957 Formerly Minister
of Information and Publicity

July Gabarari MOYO, date of birth: 07/05/1950 Formerly Minister of
Energy and Power Development; formerly Minister of Public Service, Labour
and Social Welfare

Obert Moses MPOFU, date of birth: 12/10/1951 Minister of Industry and
International Trade; ZANU-PF Politburo Deputy Secretary for National
Security

Olivia Nyembezi MUCHENA, date of birth: 18/08/1946 Minister of State
for Science and Technology Development; ZANU-PF Politburo Secretary for
Science and Technology

Oppah Chamu Zvipange MUCHINGURI, date of birth: 14/12/1958 Minister of
Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development; ZANU-PF Politburo
Secretary for Women's Affairs

Stan Isaak Gorerazvo MUDENGE, date of birth: 17/12/1941 Minister of
Higher and Tertiary Education; ZANU-PF Politburo Deputy Secretary for
External Affairs

Samuel Creighton MUMBENGEGWI, date of birth: 23/10/1942 Minister of
Finance; formerly Minister of Indigenization and Empowerment

Simbarashe Simbanenduku MUMBENGEGWI, date of birth: 20/07/1945
Minister of Foreign Affairs

Herbert Muchemwa MURERWA, date of birth: 31/07/1941 Formerly Minister
of Finance and ZANU-PF Politburo Deputy Secretary for Education

Christopher Chindoti MUSHOHWE, date of birth: 06/02/1954 Minister of
Transport and Communication

Didymus Noel Edwin MUTASA, date of birth: 27/07/1935 Minister of State
for National Security, Lands, Land Reform and Resettlement; ZANU-PF
Politburo Secretary for Administration

Munacho Thomas Alvar MUTEZO, date of birth: 14/02/1954 Minister of
Water Resources and Infrastructural Development

Ambrose MUTINHIRI, date of birth: 22/02/1944 Minister of Youth
Development, Gender and Employment Creation

Sikhanyiso Duke NDLOVU, date of birth: 04/05/1937 Minister of
Information and Publicity; ZANU-PF Politburo Secretary for Education;
formerly Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education

Sylvester Robert NGUNI, date of birth: 04/08/1955 Minister of Economic
Development; formerly Deputy Minister of Agriculture

Francis Dunstan Chenayimoyo NHEMA, date of birth: 17/04/1959 Minister
of Environment and Tourism

Michael Reuben NYAMBUYA, date of birth: 23/07/1955 Minister of Energy
and Power Development

Sithembiso Gile Gladys NYONI, date of birth: 20/09/1949 Minister of
Small and Medium Enterprise Development; ZANU-PF Politburo Deputy Secretary
for Indigenization and Empowerment

David Pagwese PARIRENYATWA, date of birth: 02/08/1950 Minister of
Health and Child Welfare; ZANU-PF Politburo Deputy Secretary for Health and
Child Welfare

Sydney Tigere SEKERAMAYI, date of birth: 30/03/1944 Minister of
Defence; ZANU-PF Politburo Secretary for Health and Child Welfare

Webster Kotiwani SHAMU, date of birth: 06/06/1945 Minister of State
for Policy Implementation; Member of ZANU-PF Politburo

Samuel UDENGE
Minister of State for State Enterprises, Anti-Monopolies and
Anti-Corruption; formerly Deputy Minister of Economic Development

David CHAPFIKA, date of birth: 07/04/1957 Deputy Minister of
Agriculture

George CHARAMBA, date of birth: 04/04/1963 Permanent Secretary,
Department for Information and Publicity

Phineas CHIHOTA, date of birth: 23/11/1950 Deputy Minister of Industry
and International Trade

Abigail DAMASANE, date of birth: 27/05/1952 Deputy Minister of Women's
Affairs, Gender and Community Development

Lazarus DOKORA
Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education

Aguy GEORGIAS
Senator; Deputy Minister of Economic Development

Saviour KASUKUWERE, date of birth: 23/10/1970 Deputy Minister of Youth
Development and Employment Creation; ZANU-PF Politburo Deputy-Secretary for
Youth Affairs

Andrew LANGA, date of birth: 13/01/1965
Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism

Jaison Max Kokerai MACHAYA, date of birth: 13/06/1952 Formerly Deputy
Minister of Mines and Mining Development

Shuvai Ben MAHOFA, date of birth: 04/04/1941 Formerly Deputy Minister
of Youth Development, Gender and Employment Creation

Titus Hatlani MALULEKE
Deputy Minister of Education, Sport and Culture

Reuben MARUMAHOKO, date of birth: 04/04/1948 Deputy Minister of
Foreign Affairs; formerly Deputy Minister of Home Affairs

Joel Biggie MATIZA, date of birth: 17/08/1960 Deputy Minister of Rural
Housing and Social Amenities

Bright MATONGA, date of birth: circa 1969 Deputy Minister of
Information and Publicity

Obert MATSHALAGA, date of birth: 21/04/1951 Deputy Minister of Home
Affairs; formerly Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

Melusi Mike MATSHIYA
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs

Partson MBIRIRI
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and
Urban Development

Tobaiwa Tonneth MUDEDE, date of birth: 22/12/1942 Registrar General

Edwin MUGUTI, date of birth: 02/05/1964
Deputy Minister of Health and Child Welfare

Tracey MUTINHIRI
Deputy Minister of Indigenization and Empowerment

Kenneth Kaparadza MUTIWEKUZIVA, date of birth: 27/05/1948 Deputy
Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Development

Walter MZEMBI
Deputy Minister of Water Resources and Infrastructural Development

Abedinico NCUBE, date of birth: 13/10/1954 Deputy Minister of Public
Service, Labour and Social Welfare

Hubert Magadzire NYANHONGO
Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications

Tinos RUSERE, date of birth: 10/05/1945
Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development

Morris SAKABUYA
Deputy Minister of Local Government, Public Works and Urban
Development

Isaiah Masvayamwando SHUMBA, date of birth: 03/01/1949 Deputy Minister
of Education, Sports and Culture

Mishek SIBANDA
Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet

Timothy STAMPS, date of birth: 15/10/1936 Health Advisor, Office of
the President

Patrick ZHUWAO, date of birth: 23/05/1967 Deputy Minister of Science
and Technology; nephew of Robert MUGABE
(President)

Cold Comfort Farm Trust Co-Operative
Address: 7 Cowie Road, Tynwald, Harare, Zimbabwe Other information:
Owner: Didymus MUTASA (Grace MUGABE also implicated).

Jongwe Printing and Publishing Company
Address: 14 Austin Road, Coventry Road, Workington, PO Box 5988,
Harare, Zimbabwe Other information: Editorial-writing branch of the ZANU-PF.

ZIDCO Holdings
Address: PO Box 1275, Harare, Zimbabwe
Other information: Financial holding company for the ZANU-PF.

Zimbabwe Defence Industries Pvt Ltd
Address: 10th Floor, Trustee House, 55 Samora Machel Avenue, PO Box
6597, Harare, Zimbabwe Other information: Directors include Leo MUGABE and
Solomon MUJURU.

Michael Chakanaka BIMHA
Chairman, Air Zimbabwe

Joseph CHINOTIMBA
Deputy Chairman, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association

Miriai CHIREMBA
Chief, Financial Intelligence Unit, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe

Pirirayi DEKETEKE
Chairman, Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe

Tshinga Judge DUBE, date of birth: 03/07/1941 CEO, Zimbabwe Defence
Industries

Gideon GONO, date of birth: 29/11/1959
Governor, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe

Munyaradzi KEREKE
Chief Counselor, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe

Tafataona P. MAHOSO
Chair, Media Information Commission

Kenneth Vhundukai MANYONDA, date of birth: 10/08/1934 Vice Chairman,
Air Zimbabwe

Justin MUTASA
Chairman, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings; CEO, Zimbabwe Newspapers
Group

Herbert NKALA
Chairman, Zimbabwe Newspapers Ltd.

Douglas NYIKAYARAMBA
Chairman, National Railways of Zimbabwe

Jabulani SIBANDA, date of birth: 31/12/1970 Formerly National
Chairman, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association

Fred ZINDI
Chair, Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe

Fortune Zefanaya CHARUMBIRA, date of birth: 10/06/1962 President of
the Council of Chiefs; formerly Deputy Minister of Local Government, Member
of Parliament and ZANU-PF Central Committee Member

Alice CHIMBUDZI
ZANU-PF Politburo Committee Member

Victoria CHITEPO, date of birth: 27/03/1928 ZANU-PF Politburo
Committee Member

Dumiso DABENGWA, date of birth: 06/12/1939 ZANU-PF Politburo Committee
Member

Sobuza GULA-NDEBELE, date of birth: 12/08/1954 Attorney-General

Richard HOVE, date of birth: 23/09/1939
ZANU-PF Politburo Secretary for Economic Affairs

Munyaradzi HUNI
Journalist for state newspaper "The Herald"

Kumbirai KANGAI, date of birth:17/02/1938 ZANU-PF Politburo Secretary
for External Affairs

Thenjiwe LESABE, date of birth: 05/01/1933 ZANU-PF Politburo Member

Edna MADZONGWE, date of birth:11/07/1943 President of the Senate;
ZANU-PF Politburo Deputy Secretary for Production and Labour

Joshua MALINGA, date of birth: 28/04/1944 ZANU-PF Politburo Deputy
Secretary for the Disabled and Disadvantaged

Fidelian MAPHOSA
ZANU-PF Politburo Committee member

Dzikamai MAVHAIRE
ZANU-PF Politburo Member; Deputy Secretary of the Politburo Committee
on Lands and Resettlement

Gilbert MOYO
Directed ZANU-PF militias.

Headman MOYO
ZANU-PF Provincial Chairman, Matabeland North

Musa MOYO
ZANU-PF Politburo Committee Member

Simon Khaya MOYO, date of birth: 01/10/1945 Formerly ZANU-PF Politburo
Deputy Secretary for Legal Affairs; Zimbabwe Ambassador to South Africa

Leo MUGABE, date of birth: 28/08/1962
Member of Parliament; Nephew of Robert Mugabe (President)

Sabina MUGABE, date of birth: 14/10/1934 ZANU-PF Politburo Senior
Committee Member

Solomon Tapfumaneyi Ruzambo MUJURU, date of birth: 01/05/1949 ZANU-PF
Politburo Senior Committee Member; formerly Commander, Zimbabwe Defence
Forces

Tsitsi MUZENDA
ZANU-PF Politburo Senior Committee Member

Naison NDLOVU, date of birth: 22/10/1930 ZANU-PF Politburo Secretary
for Production and Labour

Richard NDLOVU, date of birth: 26/06/1942 ZANU-PF Politburo Deputy
Secretary for the Commissariat

John Landa NKOMO, date of birth: 22/08/1934 Speaker of Parliament and
Chairman of ZANU-PF

George NYATHI
ZANU-PF Politburo Deputy Secretary of Science and Technology

Bharat PATEL
Public Prosecutor

Khantibhal PATEL, date of birth: 28/10/1928 ZANU-PF Politburo Deputy
Secretary for Finance

Selina M. POTE
ZANU-PF Politburo Deputy Secretary for Gender and Culture

Stanley SAKUPWANYA, date of birth: circa 1945 ZANU-PF Politburo
Secretary for the Disabled and Disadvantaged

Eunice SANDI
ZANU-PF Politburo Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs

Tendai SAVANHU, date of birth: 21/03/1968 ZANU-PF Politburo Deputy
Secretary of Transport and Social Welfare

Nathan Marwirakuwa SHAMUYARIRA, date of birth: 29/09/1928 ZANU-PF
Politburo Secretary for Information and Publicity

Absolom SIKHOSANA
ZANU-PF Politburo Secretary for Youth Affairs

Solomon Chirume TAWENGWA, date of birth: 15/06/1940 ZANU-PF Politburo
Deputy Secretary for Finance

Jabulani TSHAWE
ZANU-PF Provincial Chairman, Bulawayo

Charles UTETE, date of birth: 30/10/1938 Chairman of the Presidential
Land Review Committee; Chairman, Industrial Development Corporation

Vitalis ZVINAVASHE, date of birth: 27/09/1943 Member of the ZANU-PF
Politburo, Secretary of the Politburo Committee on Indigenization and
Empowerment

Abu BASUTU
Air Force General; Matebeleland South

Happyton BONYONGWE, date of birth: 06/11/1960 Director-General,
Central Intelligence Organisation

Wayne BVUDZIJENA
Assistant Police Commissioner

Augustine CHIHURI, date of birth: 10/03/1953 Police Commissioner

Constantine CHIWENGA, date of birth: 25/08/1956 Lt. Gen.; Commander
Zimbabwe Defence Forces

Thomsen JANGARA
Assistant to Police Prefect, Chief Police Commissioner based in
Southerton, responsible for Harare South

Musarahana MABUNDA
Assistant Police Commissioner

Barbara MANDIZHA, date of birth: 24/10/1959 Deputy Police Commissioner

Godwin MATANGA, date of birth: 05/02/1962 Deputy Police Commissioner

Innocent MATIBIRI, date of birth: 09/10/1968 Deputy Police
Commissioner

Bothwell MUGARIRI
Senior Assistant Police Commissioner

Munyaradzi MUSARIRI
Assistant Police Commissioner

Elisha MUZONZINI, date of birth: 24/06/1957 Brigadier; formerly
Director-General, Central Intelligence Organisation

Perence SHIRI, date of birth: 01/11/1955 Air Marshal, Air Force

Levy SIBANDA
Deputy Police Commissioner

Phillip Valentine SIBANDA, date of birth: 25/08/1956 Commander;
Zimbabwe National Army

Innocent Tonderai MATIBIRI
Assistant Director General of the Police; Relative of Robert MUGABE
(President)

Edmore VETERAI
Senior Assistant Police Commissioner, Officer Commanding Harare

Paradzai ZIMONDI, date of birth: 04/03/1947 Prisons Director

George CHIWESHE, date of birth: 04/06/1953 Chairman, Zimbabwe
Electoral Commission

Joyce KAZEMBE
Deputy Chair, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission

Lovemore SEKERAMAYI
Chief Election Officer, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission

Abina CHAPFIKA, date of birth: 23/08/1961 Spouse of David CHAPFIKA
(Minister of Agriculture)

Monica CHINAMASA, date of birth: 03/05/1905 Spouse of Patrick Anthony
CHINAMASA (Minister of Justice)

Gamuchirai CHINAMASA, date of birth: 11/11/1991 Child of Patrick
Anthony CHINAMASA (Minister of Justice)

Jocelyn CHIWENGA
Spouse of Lt. Gen. Constantine CHIWENGA (Commander Zimbabwe Defence
Forces)

Ever CHOMBO, date of birth: 20/09/1956
Spouse of Ignatius CHOMBO (Minister of Local Government, Public Works,
and Urban Development)

Marian CHOMBO, date of birth: 11/08/1960 Spouse of Ignatius CHOMBO
(Minister of Local Government, Public Works, and Urban Development)

Hellin Mushanyuri GONO, date of birth: 06/05/1962 Spouse of Gideon
GONO (Governor, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe)

Natasha MUCHINGURI, date of birth: 16/06/1905 Child of Oppah Chamu
Zvipange MUCHINGURI (Minister of Women's Affairs)

Tanya MUCHINGURI, date of birth: 11/06/1905 Child of Oppah Chamu
Zvipange MUCHINGURI (Minister of Women's Affairs)

Grace MUGABE, date of birth: 23/07/1965
Spouse of Robert MUGABE (President)

Rose Jaele NDLOVU, date of birth: 27/09/1939 Spouse of Sikhanyiso
NDLOVU (Minister of Information and Publicity)

Georgina Ngwenya NKOMO, date of birth: 4/08/1966 Spouse of John NKOMO
(Speaker of Parliament and Chairman of ZANU-PF)

Louise S. NKOMO, also known among other names as Louise Sehulle NHEMA,
date of birth: 25/08/1964 Spouse of Francis NHEMA (Minister of Environment
and Tourism)

Peter Baka NYONI, date of birth: 10/01/1950 Spouse of Sithembiso NYONI
(Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise
Development)

Tsitsi Chihrui SEKERAMAYI, date of birth: 27/04/1905 Spouse of Sydney
SEKERAMAYI (Minister of Defence)

Tinaye Elisha CHIGUDU, date of birth: 13/08/1942 Provincial Governor,
Manicaland

Willard CHIWEWE, date of birth: 19/03/1949 Provincial Governor,
Masvingo

Josaya Dunira HUNGWE, date of birth: 07/11/1935 Formerly Provincial
Governor, Masvingo

Ray Joseph KAUKONDE, date of birth: 04/03/1963 Provincial Governor,
Mashonaland East

David John MAFA
ZANU-PF Provincial Chairman, Mashonaland West

Sekesai MAKWAVARARA
Acting Mayor of Harare; Member of ZANU-PF Politburo

Ephraim Sango MASAWI
Governor, Mashonaland Central and ZANU-PF Politburo Deputy Secretary
for Information and Publicity

Angeline MASUKU, date of birth: 14/10/1936 Provincial Governor,
Matabeleland South and ZANU-PF Politburo Secretary for Gender and Culture

Cain Ginyilitshe Ndabazekhaya MATHEMA, date of birth: 28/01/1948
Provincial Governor, Bulawayo Metropolitan

Thokozile MATHUTHU
Provincial Governor, Matabeland North and ZANU-PF Politburo Secretary
for Transport and Welfare

Rido MPOFU ZANU-PF
Provincial Chairman, Matabeland South

Cephas George MSIPA, date of birth: 07/07/1931 Provincial Governor,
Midlands

Nelson Tapera Crispin SAMKANGE
Provincial Governor, Mashonaland West

Cesar ZVAYI

Rudo Grace CHARAMBA, date of birth: 20/06/1964

Ijeoma DABENGWA, date of birth: 27/10/1971

Ruth Chipo MURERWA, date of birth: 27/07/1947

Beauty Lily ZHUWAO, date of birth: 10/01/1965

Bill Watch 35 of 6th September 2008 [By-elections, Talks,  Cabinet]

BILL WATCH 35/2008

[6th September 2008]

Parliament is adjourned until October

No Bills or Statutory Instruments were gazetted this week

No Acts await gazetting - all Acts previously passed have been gazetted

No Dates for By Elections Announced

There are two vacant seats in the House of Assembly and three vacant constituency seats in the Senate.  The proclamation/s calling the by-elections to fill the vacancies must be gazetted within 14 days after the President is notified of the vacancies by the Speaker or the President of the Senate [Electoral Act section 39].  As all the vacancies were known early last week, the proclamation/s should be gazetted very soon. 

House of Assembly vacant seats:  Gokwe-Gumunyu [resulting from the death of the incumbent] and Matobo North [seat vacated by Mr. Lovemore Moyo on election as Speaker].

Senate vacant seats:  Chegutu [seat vacated by Mrs Madzongwe on election as President of the Senate], Chiredzi [seat vacated by Mr Maluleke on appointment as Provincial Governor, Masvingo] Gokwe South [seat vacated by Mr Machaya on appointment as Provincial Governor, Midlands]. 

Reports from the Matobo North constituency say ZANU-PF supporters moved into by-election campaign mode immediately after Mr Moyo's election as Speaker and are employing intimidatory tactics of a kind that attracted condemnation of the run-up to the Presidential run-off election from SADC, AU and PAP election observers.  This also violates the MoU and the Inter-Party Declaration condemnation of political violence.

Progress on Talks

The lack of progress in the SADC-sponsored MoU talks has reportedly resulted in moves to return the Zimbabwe situation to the agenda of the UN Security Council.  The Security Council has asked for a detailed report on the status of the talks from Haile Menkerios, UN Special Envoy to Zimbabwe and UN representative on the Reference Group set up on 18th July to liaise with the SADC-appointed mediator, President Mbeki.

There has been pressure on the leader of the MDC, Mr Tsvangirai, to sign the agreement but he has refused on the grounds that the deal does not yet include the power sharing demanded by the election results.  The secrecy surrounding the talks makes it difficult for this to be assessed.  The talks were supposed to be completed after two weeks, but they have dragged on and it is about time the Facilitator, President Mbeki, released an official statement giving the citizens of Zimbabwe details on what has been agreed, and the sticking points.  Speculation and unofficial "leaked" information breeds mistrust and enables propaganda, which in turn breeds violence.  

A Zimbabwe Government spokesman has announced that President Mbeki is expected in Harare on Monday 8th September to continue his efforts to break the current deadlock in the talks.

Ministers and Cabinet Not Yet Announced

There has been no announcement of a new Cabinet, although Mr. Mugabe was reported as having said on Wednesday that "If after (Thursday 4th September) Tsvangirai does not want to sign, we will certainly put together a cabinet."

Latest reports suggest, however, that no announcement will be made before President Mbeki's imminent visit to Harare.

In spite of Ministers not having been appointed, the official attitude is that former Ministers have continued in office.  However, as outlined in Bill Watch 34, once Parliament opened, former Ministers who failed to gain seats in the election, and were not given appointed Senate seats, automatically became ineligible to continue as Ministers [Constitution, section 31E(2)].  But there has been no sign of any vacation of office by the individuals concerned.  Reports in the State media this week are still referring to some of them who lost their seats as Ministers and as carrying out their Ministerial functions, eg. Sikhanyiso Ndlovu is being referred to as Minister of Information, Joseph Made as Minister of Agricultural Mechanisation, Mike Nyambuya as Minister of Energy and Power Development.  The others who lost their seats and should no longer be functioning as Ministers are: Samuel Mumbengegwi [Finance], Amos Midzi [Mines and Mining Development],], Munacho Mutezo [Water Resources and Infrastructural Development], Oppah Muchinguri [Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development] and Rugare Gumbo [Agriculture]. 

Provincial Governors and Appointed Senators

All ten Provincial Governors have been appointed [names in Bill Watch Special of 25th August and Bill Watch 34 of 30th August], but there has not been any announcement of the swearing-in of the six new Provincial Governors [section 7 of the Provincial Councils and Administration Act requires provincial governors to swear oaths of loyalty and of office before assuming office].

There are still two appointed Senators to be announced and sworn in.

Election-Related Court Cases

Election petitions

More election petitions were dismissed by the Electoral Court, this week and last week, all for failure to comply with the procedures laid down for such petitions by the Electoral Act.  The total number of petitions dismissed on such grounds now stands at 33.  The decisions affect both MDC and ZANU-PF petitioners.  Appeals against the earlier decisions have been lodged in the Supreme Court, but have not been set down for hearing.   If the appeals are dismissed by the Supreme Court, it is likely that all the election petitions will end up being dismissed on similar purely procedural grounds, i.e., without ever reaching the stage of hearing evidence on the allegations of electoral malpractices on which the petitions are based.

Application to set aside Presidential election

On 1st August Mr Chiota and Mr Shumba succeeded in a Supreme Court application for a declaration that the Presidential election nomination court's refusal to accept their nominations was not in accordance with the law.  Mr Chiota is now seeking a Supreme Court order nullifying the Presidential election results.  The matter has not been set down for hearing.  It has been reported that Mr Chiota has also made an application to the SADC Tribunal.

MDC MPs in custody on criminal charges

Of the six MDC MPs arrested last week on various criminal charges, three were still in custody at the time of writing.  The others had been released on bail.  Of the three still in custody one was denied bail by the magistrates court and has appealed to the High Court against that decision, while the other two, although granted bail by the magistrates court, continue to be detained pending the State's appeals to the High Court against the granting of bail.

SADC Tribunal - Land Case

The Land Reform Programme case - decision soon

The SADC Tribunal is expected to hand down its decision on 11th September.  The applicants have applied for a ruling that the Government's land reform policy as embodied in Constitution Amendment No. 17 of 2005 is in breach of Zimbabwe's treaty obligations as a member of SADC.

Contempt ruling against the Government - no action yet

On 18th July 2008 the Tribunal ruled that the Government was "in breach and contempt" of the Tribunal's December 2007 and March 2008 interim restraining orders, which prohibited the Government from directly or indirectly interfering with the applicants' occupation of their land pending the Tribunal's decision of the main case.  In accordance with the SADC Protocol setting up the Tribunal this ruling was referred to the recent SADC Summit for the Summit's decision on appropriate action.  The Summit referred the matter to the Committee of SADC Ministers of Justice for advice on what would constitute appropriate action.  It is not yet known when that Committee will meet. 

Veritas makes every effort to ensure reliable information, but cannot take legal responsibility for information supplied.

Airforce pilot steers stricken jet away from primary school

By Tichaona Sibanda
8 September 2008

An Airforce of Zimbabwe fighter pilot used his last moments to steer his
stricken jet away from a primary school situated within Thornhill airbase in
Gweru and managed to avert a major disaster.

The K-8 jet, a two-seater basic trainer and light attack aircraft finally
hit two high rise flats, and then plunged into a house, which was empty, and
burst into flames killing the two pilots instantly on Friday.

During its final few seconds, the pilot also avoided a children's playing
field inside the base's married quarters. The US$20 million jet that carried
no armaments had taken off from the airbase for a training exercise. It's
believed the two-man crew were part of a group of airmen from the airforce
who were going to take part in an airshow in South Africa later this month.

Witnesses told Newsreel the pilot must have known he was going down but
wanted to make sure he didn't hit the school or hit the more densely
populated areas of the airbase.

The pilots, well known figures in the base were praised for steering the jet
clear of the school moments before it crashed. The jet is thought to have
developed power loss as witnesses on the ground reported it lost altitude
while flying over the base.

It skimmed over trees and houses as it headed for the school before turning
sharply and smashing into two high rise residential flats as witnessed by
the horrified residents. In one flat, there were two children who escaped
unhurt. The two flats and the house were extensively damaged.
Debris was scattered across the housing estate and witnesses said it was a
miracle that there were no deaths on the ground. The crash happened in the
morning when children had gone to school and most adults were at work.

"If it had been early or late evening or on a weekend, we could be talking
of a different story. But those guys could have ejected from the stricken
jet but they stayed with the plane to prevent it from crashing into
heavily-populated areas. They are heroes," said one distraught witness who
knew both the pilots.

..

SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news

Bulawayo TB Hospital, Clinics to Close

Zimbabwe Standard (Harare)

6 September 2008
Posted to the web 8 September 2008

Most of the council's clinics are now closed during weekends and holidays
because the local authority cannot provide transport for its workers on a
regular basis, a report released last week has revealed.

Thorngrove Hospital, the country's biggest tuberculosis treatment centre
would also be affected by the measures described as "desperate" by
councillors.

The closure of the clinics, which council says would be for a period of
three months in the hope that the dire economic situation in the country
improves, is expected to pile more misery on city residents.

The majority of the residents can no longer afford astronomical fees
demanded by private service providers.

Council's 19 clinics, mainly in the poor high-density suburbs, had become
the only alternative for residents shunning poorly resourced government
referral hospitals and private clinics now charging in foreign currency.

But according to a report tabled before a full council meeting on Wednesday,
only the four clinics that provide maternity services namely Pelandaba,
Nkulumane, Luveve and Northern suburbs will remain open during weekends and
holidays.

"The service provision rationalisation is a temporary measure that will be
reviewed from time to time and cut across other council services that are
currently being examined such as sewer and water workshops, libraries, grave
digging and banking services," the report said. "TB patients would collect
all their medication during the week from the nearest clinic so that their
treatment is not disrupted."

Thousands of TB patients are treated at the Thorngrove Hospital every week.

Initially, the council's General Purposes Committee had proposed that the
measures should be in place for the next six months but the period was
reduced to three by council, fearing this would have a serious impact on the
health of the city's more than 1.5 million inhabitants.

Council said it had tried to provide transport to its workers to enable them
to report for duty regularly but this was proving to be difficult because of
perennial fuel shortages.

The country's health delivery system has virtually crumbled under the weight
of the deadly economic and political crisis in the country with most
government hospitals operating without essential drugs and personnel.

Poorly paid doctors and nurses are on strike most of the times as the
government struggles to give them salaries that match the country's
rampaging inflation.

Cholera outbreak points to service collapse

Photo: IRIN

Do-it-yourself water service

CHITUNGWIZA, 8 September 2008 (IRIN) - The Zimbabwean government has confirmed the deaths of four people from cholera, and is verifying the cause of death of eight others in the dormitory town of Chitungwiza, 25km southeast of the capital, Harare.

Persistent water cuts, breaks in the sewerage system that allow raw sewage to flow into the streets, and the inability of the local authorities to collect and dispose of domestic refuse have all been blamed for the outbreak. Health officials confirmed that 35 people were admitted to the local hospital for treatment of the waterborne disease.

Chitungwiza town council buys treated water from Harare, but the capital is not supplying its own residents with enough clean water, causing diarrhoea and cholera outbreaks earlier this year after some areas went for more than three months without water.

The state-run Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), which is responsible for treating and distributing water, has admitted to pumping raw sewage into Lake Chivero, Harare's main water source, because it could not afford to treat it. Local authorities like Harare and Chitungwiza have not collected domestic refuse from residential areas for more than six months, forcing residents to dump garbage in available public spaces.

Deputy health minister Edwin Muguti, who visited Chitungwiza, immediately banned fruit and vegetable sales by street vendors "to contain the disease outbreak ... What is needed is clean water and proper disposal of human waste."

ZINWA has managed to restore water supplies to some areas in response to the outbreak, and the fire brigade has begun delivering water to homes and clinics unable to be reconnected.

Never ending crisis

Tapuwa Taruvona, who lives in Chitungwiza, told IRIN that the outbreak was an indication of how bad Zimbabwe's political and humanitarian crisis had become.

"No aspect of Zimbabwe is functioning properly. What we need is a new government that will sort out the mess that we are in. If the cholera outbreak is contained it will only be briefly, because water cuts will return, sewage will continue to flow in the streets, while refuse will not be collected."

Precious Shumba, coordinator of the advocacy group, Harare Residents Trust, which promotes good local governance, said: "ZINWA does not have the capacity to treat and distribute water. It does not have the capacity or ability to attend to sewerage treatment, and that is why we have these disasters happening and waiting to happen. ZINWA should allow other players to come in and offer better service to the residents."

Zimbabwe is in limbo after presidential elections in June were won by President Robert Mugabe, the sole candidate, following a boycott by the opposition protesting the political violence that claimed the lives of over 80 of its members.

Mugabe blames the country's eight-year recession on Western powers determined to secure regime change; the opposition accuses the government of wholesale mismanagement and corruption in its bid to stay in power.

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Mugabe To Open Chiefs Indaba

http://www.radiovop.com


Bulawayo - Traditional chiefs throughout the country will be holding
their annual retreat in Bulawayo starting from Tuesday to Friday.

President Robert Mugabe is expected to deliver a keynote address
during the indaba.

" We had to postpone the meeting last week because some of the chiefs
were in Libya where they were attending the country's national independence
day. Everything is now in place for the meeting and all the chiefs have been
booked at local five star hotel in the city,"' said an official of the
Ministry of Local government in Bulawayo.

The official said the chiefs were also expected to tour the Matopos
National Park on the outskits of Bulawayo, the Njelele shrine and Cecil Jonh
Rhodes's grave in Matopos before being hosted to a receiption on Friday
night.

During the meeting the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gono
is also expected to address the chiefs on the central bank's new farming
inputs scheme which the chiefs are expected to spearhead in the rural areas.

During their last meeting in Bulawayo, the chiefs literally fell over
each other in praising the 84 four year Mugabe, with chief Serima of Gutu
shocking all and sundry  by calling Mugabe to rule Zimbabwe until donkeys
have developed horns.

The government has been accused of bribing chiefs with luxuries such
as vehicles, cellphones, sofas, generators in retain for political fovours.
During the just ended elections chiefs openly campaigned for the ruling
party in rural areas.

Last year the annual meeting was held in the resort town of Nyanga.

Panic As By-Election Nears

http://www.radiovop.com

Bulawayo - Panic and fear has already gripped Matobo constituency
where a bye-election will be held in the near future.

The election will be held to replace Lovemore Moyo, the opposition
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) national chairman who was appointed
Speaker of Parliament.

Ruling Zanu PF has warned villagers that a repeat of the terror in the
run up to the presidential run off is coming to weed of pockets of MDC
strongholds.

A government official revealed that Zanu PF was already recruiting
people in Bulawayo who will visit the constituency to educate people ahead
of official campaigning and election.

"They have already started to recruit young men who will go there and
assist war veterans to make sure that no one votes MDC. They want that sit
they lost in 2000 to MDC and they will use all the machinery like in the run
up to the presidential run off. People are scared and they are saying Moyo
should not have gone for the post of speaker to save them from more
brutality. They saw bad things in the past election and some of them are
still in Botswana in refugee camps," said a police officer from Kezi who
chose to remain anonymous.

There will also be a by-election in Edna Madzongwe's constituency
following her appointment as president of the senate and two more to replace
appointed governors. Elections will be held before the end of the year,
according to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.

Doctors Demand Forex

http://www.radiovop.com


BULAWAYO - STRIKING Zimbabwe doctors are demanding that government pay
their salaries in foreign currency and have vowed not to go back to work
setting the stage for a bruising confrontation with the government.

The doctors, who have now been on strike for close to two weeks, were
early this year awarded "hefty salaries" and a package that included being
supplied with vehicles by the government.

The doctors are demanding that government peg their salaries in either
United States dollars or South African rand in order to hedge the salaries
against rampant inflation.

The doctors' representatives earlier met with the Health Services
Board (HSB) and failed to reach an agreement.

However during a meeting held in Harare on Friday the doctors vowed
that they will not return to work unless and until the government gives in
to demands to pay their salaries in foreign currency.

Health Deputy Minister, Edwin Muguti, said the government was looking
into the doctors demands and said something was being worked out by his
ministry.

 "We are putting together a package for the doctors and the doctors
will get handsome salaries we are through with the new salary structures and
we have also hiked the cost of living adjustment allowances for them I will
not get into details on how much they will get,"Muguti said.

Hospitals Doctors Association president, Amos Severegi, said nothing
has been reached with the government and said the doctors were still on
strike as they have not yet reached an agreement with the government

Severegi also confirmed that the doctors wanted their salaries to be
pegged in foreign currency saying the local currency was losing value at a
faster rate.

"We have not agreed on anything with the Health Services Board and I
do not know where the minister's statements are coming from but however we
have asked some few doctors to attend to go back to work for the sake of
patients,"Severegi said.

Doctors and nurses across the country went on strike two weeks ago
demanding better working conditions and demanding to be paid in foreign
currency.

Law Firm Forced Closure

http://www.radiovop.com

HARARE - Marauding Zanu PF youths from Bindura last week forced a law
firm that has been representing MDC activists in Bindura in the town to
close.

The  Zanu PF youths last week raided the offices of Dinha, Bonongwe
and Partners, before taking away with them office furniture and hundreds of
files.

Sources from the politically volatile Mashonaland Central Province
said the youths were allegedly working on instructions from recently
appointed Mashonaland Central Governor Advocate Martin Dinha. Dinha is one
of the founder members of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Justice and a silent
partner in the firm.

"The youths took with them hundreds of files, office furniture and
equipment, locking the doors on their way," said one of the sources.

A professional assistant in the firm, only identifying himself as Mr
Jena said the raid and the closure of the offices had left them homeless.

Jena said he had been handling most of the MDC activists'cases and was
brutally assaulted in June in the wake of the June 27 Presidential run-off.
He has since moved away from Bindura as he fears that the youths might
return with other instructions.

Zimbabwe Lawyers from Human Rights (ZLHR) communication officer
Kumbirai Mafunda confirmed the devolopment saying the firm had in the past
represnted more than 238 opposition activists including Bednock Nyaude the
MDC MP for Bindura South.

He said as a result of the closure lawyers from other towns will be
attending to the trials and remands of the activists where necessary.

Lives Sacrificed While Zinwa Incomptence is Protected

Zimbabwe Standard (Harare)

EDITORIAL
6 September 2008
Posted to the web 8 September 2008

IF ever evidence of the scale of sheer incompetence of the Zimbabwe National
Water Authority (Zinwa) was required, it was there last week for everyone to
see: at least 10 people died from cholera in Chitungwiza.

The latest outbreak, comes after weeks of increasing numbers of cases and
reports of serious diarrhoea across the capital city, as a result of sewage
spills that have contaminated Harare's water reservoirs.

There have been previous outbreaks of cholera in Kadoma, Chegutu, Mabvuku,
Epworth and the western sections of Harare. These should have prepared the
authorities to cope with such emergencies.

There is not much point in suggesting that the Ministry of Water Resources
and Infrastructural Development cracks the whip on Zinwa because the
collapse of the water utility and sewer system has taken place on its watch.

The government fails to appreciate why the majority of the people are
against it. It is because of its dismal record of delivery! People want
service not slogans. Voters want results not uninterrupted record of
unfulfilled promises. This has absolutely nothing to do with sanctions!

The latest victims of the cholera outbreak in Chitungwiza need not have
died, but the government's record of neglect is breathtaking. Chitungwiza is
an area enveloped by the stench of sewage - similar to the one that greets
visitors to Zimbabwe on their way from the Harare International Airport at
Queenspark shopping centre or near 1 Commando Barracks.

The question the government must answer is how many more lives is it
prepared to sacrifice before it can act- soon after it allowed food
shortages brought about by its ban on non-governmental organisations to
threat lives of the most vulnerable groups of Zimbabweans? This government
does not care!

But it is also incapable of realising the extent of the collapse of such
services as the urban and national road network, water, electricity, sewer
network and telecommunications is beyond it and requires external expertise
and funding. This is why it is critical for Zanu PF to agree to a
power-sharing deal with the MDC so that external assistance can revitalise
collapsed infrastructure, while key personnel critical for recovery are
attracted back to the country.

The latest deaths provide a compelling argument for the disbandment of this
creature of incompetence called Zinwa immediately. How many more lives
should be lost and how many more children must be imperilled before the
government recognises that it has an emergency?

It is inexcusable that the government can be allowed to experiment with
people's lives all because it wants to remain in control. If it wants to
remain in control, then the best way is to ensure that people who know their
work are appointed to the right position instead of the current system of
patronage. Voters would not care about who is in power as long as they
served the people first and not their personal or party interests.

It is irresponsible, reckless and criminal that we can have a government
that specialises in fire-fighting problems, which are essentially the result
of its own making, negligence and incompetence. The government has no
plausible defence for not disbanding Zinwa.

Food insecurity and orphan hood in Zimbabwe

International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

Date: 08 Sep 2008

By Sitambule Kim, Zimbabwe Red Cross communications manager in Midlands
Province, Zimbabwe

When his mother finally succumbed to AIDS and passed away in 2005, six year
old Tinashe Magama was taken in by his grandmother. The grieving family were
immediately made beneficiaries of the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society's food
assistance programme. For Tinashe and his grandmother, their trauma was
lessened in a small but meaningful way.

But the food assistance programme phase came to an end in 2006 and since
then life has become more and more difficult for Tinashe and his 66 year old
grandmother. His grandmother, because of her age, really needs to be looked
after herself. But instead, like so many of her generation, she must try to
find ways to make ends meet - to make sure that Tinashe goes to school and,
most importantly, has regular meals.

"Soon after his mother's death, the Red Cross incorporated us in their food
distribution programme and at least with food on our table, life was
bearable," says Mrs Enia Magama, Tinashe's grandmother, who has lost six
children to HIV and AIDS over the past four years.

"After the end of the programme, I had to resort to illegal gold panning in
the nearby disused mines which are death traps as they may collapse whilst
one is underground."

Food in the area is generally inaccessible, with the area - Lower Gweru
district in Midlands Province - having suffered through consecutive droughts
in recent years.

"A 20 kilogramme bag of maize meal is quite exorbitant as we have to compete
for it when it's available," Mrs Magama continues. "Those with money are
able to buy at our expense.

"We rarely have two meals per day. We have a small garden where we grow
vegetables which we prepare without any cooking oil as we cannot afford it.
We cannot even dream of having meat; it's unaffordable."

On top of all this, the family from the effects of the floods which hit most
parts of Zimbabwe early this year. The rising waters left only one hut
standing at their homestead - the other three having been washed away.

Sometimes Tinashe has to forego attending school as he helps his grandmother
in the panning fields, 30 kilometres away from their home.

"Its difficult going to school on an empty stomach so sometimes I don't go
to school," says Tinashe. "Instead, I accompany my grandmother to the gold
panning field so that we get something to buy some food.

"At times we go for some days without any meal and neighbours, if they have
any to spare, generously give us something."

But this generosity is increasingly on the decline. No one has much to spare
nowadays.

For Tinashe and the other 53,000 orphans and other vulnerable children who
are supported by the Red Cross in Zimbabwe, their sole hopes are pinned on
the Red Cross; that one day the food which they used to get will be back
again.

This year's harvest in Zimbabwe is expected to provide only 40 per cent of
the country's food needs. The ability of the government to import food will
be constrained by soaring global prices and hyper-inflation. Through its
community home-based care programmes across the country, the Red Cross will
provide food aid to thousands of people living with, or affected by HIV and
AIDS, including orphans and vulnerable children.

Country Risks Missing Out On Vital Aid - EU

Zimbabwe Standard (Harare)

6 September 2008
Posted to the web 8 September 2008

Jennifer Dube
Accra

While the European Union welcomes the Zimbabwe government's recent decision
to lift a ban on humanitarian activities of non-governmental organisations
in the country this does not alter the way it has been channelling funds to
Harare, EU Director-General Stefano Manservisi said last week.

Speaking during a multilateral conference on aid effectiveness in Ghana,
Manservisi said Zimbabwe risked missing out on a rekindled global
determination to improve aid delivery.

He said although favouring budgetary support -- massive funding amounting to
millions of American dollars and co-ordinated by several donors in direct
contact with governments -- as the best form of aid, the EU would continue
operating through non-government organisations in Zimbabwe.

In a report -- Aid Effectiveness: A progress report on Implementing the
Paris Declaration -- released ahead of the Forum, Uganda and Tanzania are
cited along with Ghana as "good examples of good practice" and Manservisi
said the EU could afford extending budgetary support particularly to Ghana
because of its entrenched democratic system.

"The decision by Zimbabwe to lift the ban, although not applicable to all
aid agencies, is very welcome," Manservisi said. "But I am sorry to say that
nothing will change as long as no sound democratic reforms are put in
place."

On June 4 the government banned local and foreign donors from providing
vital food and other relief to poverty-stricken rural families, accusing
them of politicising aid distribution to campaign for the opposition MDC.

The EU was among other groups which repeatedly called for a reversal of the
ban which was affecting about 1,5 million aid beneficiaries.

But speaking at the forum, representatives of governments, donor community
and civil society said it was imperative for stakeholders to take more
tangible steps towards the achievement of a 2005 Paris Declaration on
improving aid in all receiving countries.

Putting more emphasis on five principles for effective aid -- prioritising
recipient countries' national development strategies and procedures,
collective donor projects which are relevant to community needs, managing
for results and mutual accountability -- the Paris Declaration, received
mixed assessments.

While donor and government representatives said significant implementation
progress was made over the past three years, civil society representatives
dismissed the declaration as a failure and seemed especially irked by an
alleged desire by government and donors to sideline them in issues of policy
making.

While Ghana was repeatedly cited as a model of a successful implementation
of the Paris Declaration, aid experts painted a gloomy picture over
Zimbabwe's chances of keeping pace with other countries in implementing the
plan.

"Aid has always been political," said Antonio Tujan Jr., Philippines
politician and chairman of the Reality

of Aid, an independent reviewer of poverty reduction and development
assistance. "Dealing with franchise countries like Zimbabwe continues to be
a challenge."

He said without responsible governance and ownership, donors would face
challenges in engaging in large-scale programmes, including budgetary
support, aimed at developing a country as opposed to merely providing
humanitarian relief to those most in need.

Overall however, the stakeholders were optimistic the Accra Forum was a
major tangible step in the world's aim to achieve a better life for all by
2010. It resulted in a joint document called the Accra Agenda for Action,
which spells out steps to improve performance in terms of the Paris
Declaration. The forum was attended by more than 2 000 delegates and
Zimbabwe was conspicuous by its absence.

Nationalisation as weapon against poverty unproven

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

By Mutumwa D. Mawere

Last updated: 09/09/2008 18:46:00
WHAT should the role of the State be in the war against poverty in
post-colonial Africa ?

After 52 years of independence, the experience of State ownership of
economic assets in post-colonial Africa is mixed and what emerges is that
there exists no empirical evidence supporting the proposition that the State
can be a more reliable and efficient manager of assets.

The absence of black corporate role models in post-colonial Africa is not
accidental but is largely a consequence of policies that were put in place
to exclude blacks from meaningfully participating in the formal economy.

The enlightened black elites who took over the control of the State saw in
the State a convenient window to redirect resources to the poor as well as a
friendly investment platform to advance the cause of nation building.
Regrettably, the State has not been effective as a shareholder.

In response to the ineffectiveness and inefficiency of the State as a
shareholder of productive enterprises, many of the African countries now
have adopted market friendly policies notwithstanding the absence of serious
domestic capitalists.

Africa's key productive assets remain foreign controlled resulting in
critical decisions on investment being made outside the continent.

South Africa is Africa 's youngest country and the most developed but
already there are calls for the nationalisation of economic assets.

The labour movement, a key alliance partner of the ruling African National
Congress (ANC), together with the South African Communist Party (SACP) has
been vocal about the need to use the State as a an instrument of asset
ownership transformation.

In response to the country's energy crisis, South Africa 's largest
mineworkers union, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), on May 23, 2008,
called for the nationalisation of the country's coal mines.

The NUM president Senzeni Zokwana said: "If the ANC is saying that the price
of coal is a problem why must you buy coal that is expensive, why can't you
nationalise one mine or two or three and begin to say this mine is
State-owned to feed Eskom?"

In February 2008, the ruling ANC's secretary-general, Gwede Matashe, also
said that the country had to create more State-owned enterprises in the
mining industry. He particularly highlighted the platinum industry.

Nationalisation is the act by which a nation takes possession of assets
without requiring the owner's consent, with or without payment of
compensation. The link between nationalism and nationalisation is often
direct and causal.

In many developing countries the call for nationalisation is mostly
associated with the level of mistrust between State actors and the owners of
private enterprises. Nationalisation is not unique to developing countries
but has been used by many developed countries concerned about job losses as
well as in response to economic crises.

The main wave of nationalisation in Britain was under the Labour government
of 1945-51 when public utilities such as electricity, gas, and the railways,
and basic industries such as coal, were brought into public ownership.

The steel industry was nationalised, and then partially denationalised by
the succeeding Conservative government, only to be renationalised by the
Labour government of 1966-70. Aerospace and shipbuilding were nationalised
by the Labour government of 1974-9.

Failing companies such as British Leyland were also coming into public
ownership, but with government shareholdings placed under the supervision of
the National Enterprise Board rather than as public corporations.

The political, constitutional, and administrative problems associated with
nationalisation have created a lively conversation point on such questions
as what form the relationship between State and the public corporations
should take and how the legislature could secure the accountability of the
nationalised industries.

The emergence of sovereign funds as players in the global marketplace has
given a new impetus to the call for nationalisation. However, in the case of
post-colonial Africa, the political actors operating in the State are never
accountable to the citizens to make nationalisation a viable policy
instrument.

There is a deeply held view in Africa that ownership change alone can be an
effective instrument for promoting resource utilisation and allocation
efficiency.

To the extent that the actors in the State in most of the African economies
lack commercial and business experience, the viability of a strategy
premised on the State assuming the ownership role is, therefore,
questionable.

Mutumwa Mawere's weekly column is published on New Zimbabwe.com every
Monday. You can contact him at: mmawere@global.co.za

Power Outages Set to Ease

Zimbabwe Standard (Harare)

6 September 2008
Posted to the web 8 September 2008

Ndamu Sandu

POWER utility, the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) Holdings
says the restoration of electricity supplies from the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC) and Zambia will help alleviate the power cuts which have
delivered a blow to Zimbabwe's already battered economy.

Zimbabwe's power crisis has been aggravated by problems facing regional
utilities to satisfy the growing demand.

Members under the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) are struggling to
contain growing demand resulting in some of the regional utilities cutting
down on exports.

ZESA used to import power from DRC's Snel but supplies were stopped owing to
a technical and supply and demand problems faced by the company.

Fullard Gwasira, ZESA spokesperson told Standardbusiness the struggling
parastatal had a power purchase agreement with Snel and Zambia Electricity
Supply Company (ZESCO) that runs until next year.

"However, once the technical fault has been repaired, normal imports will
resume from Snel as it has always shared a cordial business relationship
with ZESA Holdings," he said. "We actually have a power purchasing agreement
with Snel into 2009."

Gwasira said ZESA has in the past imported from ZESCO as well as using the
utility as a conduit for imports from the DRC.

"ZESA is currently not getting electricity supplies from Zambia due to the
fact that ZESCO is currently refurbishing their system, just like we are
doing, and are thus not in a position to export power until they have
completed the refurbishment," he said.

Gwasira said the temporary interruption of electricity supplies from Snel
had an effect on the severity of load-shedding "and the local power supply
challenges should be viewed from such a broader picture encompassing SAPP,
to appreciate that the local power utility does not operate in isolation".

"The eventual position is that a challenge of one utility translates into a
challenge of the other utility as well," he said.

In the absence of imports from Snel and ZESCO, ZESA, has been relying on
imports from Mozambique's Hydro Cahora Bassa (HCB). Once the country's
saviour, HCB, has become impatient with ZESA's delays in payment and
resorted to switching off the power utility.

HCB supplies ZESA with 185 MW.

Locally, ZESA Holdings is generating an average of about 1050MW from its
electricity generating power stations at Hwange and Kariba. The small
thermal power stations have not been generating owing to a host of problems.
Harare Power station, which was generating 25MW recently shut down owing to
a milling plant problem. The utility's engineers and technicians are
currently working on the problem, Gwasira said.

Munyati and Bulawayo power stations have been operating intermittently as
and when coal is available.

"ZESA Holdings is pleased to note that coal deliveries are improving as the
colliery has taken delivery of conveyor equipment from an external supplier,
a factor we communicated in a joint communiqué a month ago as the source of
the coal constraint," Gwasira said.

With demand slightly under 2000 MW, it means that at any given time nearly
half of the country will be load shed.

Load-shedding by ZESA has been a blow to the economy tottering on the brink
of collapse. Faced with incessant power cuts, some sectors have resorted to
settling their electricity bills in foreign currency. Regrettably, despite
paying in foreign currency, they have not been immune from load shedding.
Two weeks ago Collen Gura, Metallon Gold Zimbabwe told a business meeting
that despite settling their bills in foreign currency, miners continue
experiencing power outages.

But Gwasira was singing from a different song sheet insisting ZESA had
fulfilled its end of the bargain by supplying uninterrupted electricity to
customers paying their bills in foreign currency.

"... not all mining houses are part of this scheme," he said. "Those who are
outside this scheme unfortunately are affected by load-shedding whenever
demand outstrips supply."

More power from Zim

From New Era (Namibia), 8 September

By Petronella Sibeene

Windhoek - The power purchase agreement signed between Namibia and Zimbabwe
continues to bring more power to Namibia, with 40 megawatts more flowing in,
an increase from 80 megawatts to 120 megawatts since end of last month.
National power utility, NamPower, confirmed to New Era on Friday that the
agreement is on course and Zimbabwe through its Zimbabwe Electricity Supply
Authority (Zesa) has since last month increased its export to Namibia by 40
megawatts from 80 megawatts. Under the deal signed between the two
countries, Namibia will receive 150 megawatts for a minimum of five years as
part of a power purchase agreement with Zimbabwe Electricity and
Transmission Company (Zetco)'s holding company, Zesa. The US$40 million
provided by Namibia would be used to refurbish and expand Hwange Power
Station. The four generators at Hwange are capable of generating a total of
480MW, but have operated erratically as the station struggles to cope with
frequent equipment breakdowns and coal shortages. The first 40 megawatts
from Zesa started flowing into Namibia on January 3 this year, with the
additional 40 being imported from June and the latest by end of last month.
The remaining 30 megawatts that will fulfil the agreed quantity for a period
of five years will start flowing in before end of year, NamPower said.

The imports take place amid reports that Zimbabweans have to be subjected to
blackouts most of the time because that country has to save electricity to
export to Namibia given the binding agreement. NamPower Corporate Affairs
and Marketing Manager, John Kaimu, said the increase in power supply from
Zimbabwe has come at the right time as Namibia experiences a drop in the
generation capacity from its dependable Ruacana Hydro Power Station. Being a
seasonal power station, during September, the generation capacity of the
station goes down as the water level or flow in the Kunene River also drops.
During this period, NamPower collects water in its dams for hours before it
releases it to run the turbines. Kaimu said the Kunene River water inflow
stands at 62 cubic metres per second, making it difficult to run the
turbines at the station. Three months ago, the inflow stood above 300 cubic
metres per second. "We are collecting water until a certain level and
release it for hours to run turbines. We cannot run all the generators the
entire day," Kaimu said. The seasonal power generation plant continues to
constitute 63 percent of the country's generation capacity contributing 240
megawatts of the country's 384-generation capacity. "We are importing more
from other countries," Kaimu said.