The Zimbabwe Situation

By Violet Gonda
2 September 2008

ZANU PF once again proved it does not play by the rules when on Tuesday it
unilaterally appointed non-elected councillors at a swearing-in ceremony in
Makoni, Manicaland province. There was a commotion between ZANU PF and MDC
officials when the District Administrator announced that 'Minister' Ignatius
Chombo had appointed eight non-elected councillors. This move riled MDC
officials who charged that the appointments were made by someone who is 'no
longer Minister,' and that the major stakeholders, the MDC were not
consulted.

There is no new 'government' at present due to the stalemate between the
main political parties, although Robert Mugabe is threatening to announce a
cabinet without the main MDC formation.

Pishai Muchauraya the MDC MP for Makoni South said this showed the sheer
arrogance of the regime to appoint the eight officials without consultation,
especially as the MDC in now the majority party in this region. The Makoni
area became volatile after the MDC won four of the five parliamentary seats
in the district, and has the majority in the Makoni District council.

Muchauraya said a heated argument resulted in the riot squad being called in
and the local MDC MPs and supporters, who had come to observe the swearing
in ceremony, being violently ejected from the council chambers.

The DA claimed the unelected officials represented 'special groups'
including the disabled, but those appointed where ZANU PF supporters
including 'Justice Minister' Patrick Chinamasa's wife Monica. Muchauraya
said the other unelected councillors sworn in were 'Dr Zata from Varichem
Chemicals, a very senior ZANU PF official and Chief Chiduku who lost in the
ZANU PF primaries for the Senate.'

The MDC MPs who were ejected from the ceremony include Muchauraya, John
Nyamande and Proper Mutseyami. Scores of party supporters were allegedly.

The MDC won 23 rural council seats in March while ZANU PF won 16. The party
said as a result of the appointment of the eight unelected councillors ZANU
PF now has 24 seats, a significant number to control the council.

SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news

African Union wants Zimbabwe crisis deal now

Reuters

Tue 2 Sep 2008, 9:13 GMT

By George Obulutsa

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - African Union chair Tanzania wants to see a 50-50
power-sharing deal agreed for Zimbabwe immediately to stem a growing
economic crisis, Tanzania's foreign minister said on Tuesday.

Zimbabwe's main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC),
said talks with President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF that resumed on Friday in
South Africa did not reach agreement.

"There is a problem and we still hope the mediation will continue and we
still hope wisdom will prevail," Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Membe
said in Dar es Salaam.

"We would prefer a solution be arrived at immediately because of the
escalating economic crisis. We still pray that a solution will be found
towards a 50 percent power-sharing solution," he told reporters in
Tanzania's commercial capital.

On Friday, negotiators from ZANU-PF, the main MDC and a smaller breakaway
MDC faction separately met South African President Thabo Mbeki, who is
mediating the discussions.

The power-sharing talks have stalled over how to share executive power
between Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who refused to sign an
agreement two weeks ago that would have made him prime minister.

Tsvangirai protested against the proposed deal, saying it did not give him
enough executive powers.

The opposition leader beat Mugabe in a March 29 election but fell short of
enough votes to avoid a run-off vote, which was won by Mugabe unopposed
after Tsvangirai pulled out citing violence and intimidation against his
supporters.

The economic price of the deadlock is rising by the day.

The hardships -- inflation of more than 11 million percent is the world's
highest -- have already driven millions of Zimbabweans to seek refuge in
neighbouring countries.

Critics say Mugabe's policies, such as seizing white-owned commercial farms
and handing them to blacks, have ruined the country's once-prosperous
agriculture sector.

Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, blames Western
sanctions for the nation's economic collapse.

ZANU PF rejects call to share power equally with MDC

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by Cuthbert Nzou Wednesday 03 September 2008

HARARE - Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU PF party has rejected calls by African Union
chair, Tanzania, that executive power should be split equally between
President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai in a
government of national unity.

Patrick Chinamasa, ZANU PF's chief negotiator in power-sharing talks with
Tsvangirai's MDC party said the ruling party would not agree to cede more
power to Tsvangirai than what the opposition leader has already been offered
under a deal endorsed by southern African leaders.

Chinamasa said the Southern African Development Community (SADC) had since
adopted a framework of a deal Zimbabwe's rival political leaders agreed to a
month ago, before Tsvangirai declined to sign it on the eleventh hour.

"SADC endorsed the framework of the deal and that is what Tsvangirai should
sign," said Chinamasa, who is also Zimbabwe's justice minister.

He added: "What powers should we cede to Tsvangirai when a deal was agreed
to, only for him to renege after consulting outside forces. The party,
government and SADC were satisfied with the powers Tsvangirai was going to
enjoy as prime minister."

A defiant Chinamasa said as far as the government was concerned there were
no longer outstanding issues on the talks, except that Tsvangirai should
simply append his signature to the deal on the table.

"Tanzania's call is not derived from any SADC or African Union position. The
two bodies mandated President Mbeki (Thabo, of South Africa) to come up with
an inclusive government, they didn't specify who should occupy what in that
government," Chinamasa said.

"It was left to the people of Zimbabwe to decide and they have done. We
await Tsvangirai to see reason and sign the agreement," he added.

According to the proposed deal, Mugabe was to remain executive president in
charge of both state and government, while Tsvangirai would virtually be a
ceremonial prime minister supposedly in charge of government policy but
without power to hire or fire government ministers, while he would also not
chair Cabinet meetings.

Tsvangirai, who under the stalled deal would be required to report regularly
to Mugabe, refused to sign the deal saying he could not be prime minister
without executive power.

In what appeared an endorsement of Tsvangirai's demand for more power than
accorded him under the proposed deal, the Tanzanian government said it
wanted to see a 50-50 power-sharing deal agreed to in Zimbabwe to stem the
country's growing economic crisis.

"There is a problem and we still hope the mediation will continue and we
still hope wisdom will prevail," Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Membe
told journalists in Dar es Salaam.

"We would prefer a solution be arrived at immediately because of the
escalating economic crisis. We still pray that a solution will be found
towards a 50 percent power-sharing solution," he said.

There were fresh attempts to break the deadlock in the Zimbabwe
power-sharing talks when negotiators from ZANU PF and MDC separately met
Mbeki in South Africa last weekend but there was no breakthrough over the
issue of how to divide power between Mugabe and Tsvangirai.

Meanwhile the MDC welcomed Tanzania's call for a review of the current deal
on the table but said any power-sharing should be based on the March 29
presidential and parliamentary elections won by the opposition party and its
leader, Tsvangirai.

MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said: "There is a realisation by Tanzania that
the proposed deal was not fair, but I don't want to comment on their 50-50
proposal, except to say we need an agreement that reflects the expressions
of Zimbabweans on March 29."

The MDC won 100 seats in March to end ZANU PF's decades-long domination of
the key House of Assembly. Mugabe's party won 99 seats in the lower chamber
while a breakaway faction of the MDC took 10 seats and an independent
candidate took the remaining one seat.

ZANU PF however retained control of the upper House of Senate giving Mugabe's
party powers to block undesirable legislation and bills coming from the
lower chamber.

Tsvangirai defeated Mugabe in a parallel presidential election in March but
fell short of enough votes to avoid a run-off poll, which was won by Mugabe
unopposed after Tsvangirai pulled out citing violence and intimidation
against his supporters. - ZimOnline

Mbeki seeks to salvage deal

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=3328

September 2, 2008

By Our Correspondent

HARARE - South African president Thabo Mbeki is expected in Harare this week
as he tries to salvage a power-sharing deal between President Robert Mugabe
and the two MDC leaders, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara.

Sources close to the negotiations said Mbeki was expected to hold last-ditch
meetings with Mugabe and Tsvangirai.

Mutambara has already endorsed the deal, rejected by Tsvangirai. It is
Tsvangirai's resistance which has given Mugabe and Mbeki sleepless nights.

"President Thabo Mbeki is expected in the country this week to try and help
secure an agreement between Mugabe and Tsvangirai," said the source. "He is
in the difficult of circumstances now because it is evident that if he does
not take these talks seriously, they will surely collapse, and this will be
great embarrassment to him as mediator."

Tsvangirai has refused to sign the deal saying it made a ceremonial prime
minister while Mugabe remained with excessive executive power.

He argues that by simply endorsing the current structure, he would be
overburdened with the job of transforming the national economy while he has
no powers to hire and fire cabinet ministers.

The source added that Mbeki's only option would be to advise Mugabe to amend
the agreement as demanded by Tsvangirai's way.

"Tsvangirai has nothing to lose at the moment," said the source. "He is the
winner in the current circumstances because Mugabe is in a corner.

"He cannot move as he is not sure about what the region and the
international community will say if he decides to form a new cabinet in
defiance of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)."

The mediating teams were in South Africa last week where Mbeki is said to
have pressurised Tsvangirai to append his signature on the deal. But the MDC
leader reportedly declined.

Last week, SADC denied ever giving Mugabe the green light to appoint a
cabinet.

But authoritative sources said Mugabe had put together a cabinet where he
would retain five ministers from the previous one. The sources said Mugabe
intended to offer cabinet post to members of both the Tsvangirai-led MDC and
the Mutambara faction.

This, the sources said, was primarily meant to create divisions within the
Tsvangirai's camp.
Tsvangirai has insisted that appointment of cabinet would go against the MoU
signed by the three negotiating parties.

Mukoni Rashitanga, Mbeki's spokesperson, said it was premature for him to
discuss the South African president's trips in the media.

"The president will be traveling to Zimbabwe at a time he feels right to do
so. For now, I cannot discuss his plans in the media. We will make the
announcement when the time comes," said Rashitanga.

Schools open without a Minister of Education, or teachers

By Violet Gonda
2 September 2008

Children were due to go back to school on Tuesday however teachers have
embarked on a nationwide strike. The main contention is salaries and working
conditions. Takavafira Zhou the President of the Progressive Teachers Union
of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) said: "The eclipse of misery enveloping teachers is too
dark to imagine." He also called for a quick resolution to the political
impasse as there is no Minister of Education.
Zhou said there is confusion in the education system because the "ship has
been left without the captain."

The former Minister of Education Aeneas Chigwedere did not even make it for
the parliamentary elections in March after he lost in the ZANU PF primaries.
But was appointed Governor of Mashonaland East by Robert Mugabe recently,
leaving a hole in the ministry.

Zimbabwe is suffering record inflation exceeding 20 million percent and
teachers' salaries have not kept up with inflation. Because of the unstable
environment the government had started increasing the teachers' pay every
month but the payments are being eclipsed by runaway inflation. The PTUZ
president said: "Imagine, teachers are earning ZW$934 revalued, yet a pair
of school shoes is costing ZW$9 000." As a result the teachers resolved that
until the government pays them a salary equivalent to US$800 per month they
would not report for work.

Zhou said if the government has the ability to print money it should print
for the teachers who play a vital role in the development of education in
the country. "If it means printing, let them print because at any rate they
always print to fund political activities." He said the government's
priorities are misplaced as it paid officials working for the Basic
Commodities Supply Side Intervention (BACOSSI) programme a daily payment
that was more than a teacher's monthly salary. The BACOSSI programme was
largely seen as a political gimmick in the offer of humanitarian assistance,
as the basic goods were still only accessible to ZANU PF supporters at the
expense of the suffering population.

SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news

Teachers go on strike over salaries

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=3325#more-3325

September 2, 2008

By Our Correspondent

HARARE - A strike over salaries by Zimbabwean teachers, which coincided with
start of a new term Tuesday, has led to school closures and class
disruptions as the crisis-torn country battles with the fastest rising
consumer prices in the world.

Thousands of students will be forced to stay at home Wednesday as a national
strike by teachers closed almost a quarter of city schools during the first
day of the third school term in Zimbabwe which started Tuesday.

The walk-out by members of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe
(PTUZ), forced almost a quarter of city schools in the capital Harare to
shut.

If the strike action continues, officials at city schools said, they will be
sending home their pupils.

On Tuesday, unions representing Zimbabwe's primary and high school teachers
said thousands of their members across the country had gone on strike as
schools opened because of "appalling salaries."

"Officially our strike began today," said an official with the PTUZ.

"We are talking to the authorities over our grievances and our position is
that we will not return to work until those issues are addressed."

The union - which represents about one third of Zimbabwe's 90,000 teachers -
wants the government to raise teachers' salaries to an equivalent of US$979
a month.

Teachers currently earn $1,475 new currency or Z$14.75 trillion in the old
currency. The strike remained open-ended, organizers said.

Although the unions were refusing to be drawn into details of their wage
negotiations, The Zimbabwe Times heard that PTUZ leadership had rejected a
compromise by the Education Ministry permanent secretary, Steven Mahere.

While Mahere was not immediately available for comment, an official in his
office, who declined to named saying he was not authorized to speak to the
Press, said the PTUZ was asking for a huge pay increase.

The teachers had even asked to be paid in foreign currency.

"This is illogical," said the official. "I don't think there is any activity
in the economy that would fund a US$100 salary for each and every teacher."

A striking teacher said: "We are not on strike. We just cannot afford to go
to work with the salaries they are paying us. So we have decided to stay
away."

There were fears among parents that if the strike action was prolonged, it
could affect the end of year examinations.

Figures from the government's statistics agency show that official inflation
is now at a record 11 million percent. This figure is the world's highest,
and analysts say the economy is sinking deeper into trouble.

Bus fare is doubling twice a week, and the increasingly worthless local
currency is ceasing to be instrument of trade, with foreign currency
becoming the major currency preferred in what economists describe as total
'dollarisation' of the economy.

"At least if we are paid in foreign currency, we won't have to grapple with
salaries whose value is rapidly weakening daily," said a striking teacher.

Zimbabwe imposes new checks on aid agencies

Yahoo News

by Fanuel Jongwe 2 hours, 2 minutes ago

HARARE (AFP) - Zimbabwe is imposing strict new conditions on humanitarian
agencies, despite lifting of a ban on their activities last week, a
state-owned newspaper reported Tuesday.

In future, all such agencies will have to submit details of their
humanitarian programmes and funding, as well as areas and modes of
operation, to the government, The Herald reported.

"Government has introduced new reporting mechanisms for private voluntary
organisations and non-governmental organisations ... that will see them
constantly indicating to the parent ministry their programmes, areas and
modes of operations," it said.

Zimbabwe on Friday lifted a ban on aid agencies that was put into place
ahead of the June 27 presidential run-off election, amid claims that some
were siding with opponents of President Robert Mugabe.

A leading official in the social welfare ministry, Lancaster Museka, told
the newspaper all NGOs now were obliged to fill in forms with details of
grants they had received between July 2007 and June 2008, and how they used
the money.

"Through the form, the organisation will give its objectives, programme
details and services that it provided, their implementation levels, sources
of grants and what they were used for," Museka said.

The form should be signed by the head of the organisation concerned, who can
be prosecuted if the information proves inaccurate, the newspaper said.

"For those organisations dealing in food handouts, a declaration of purchase
for both local and imported products and how much has been distributed over
the same period will also be submitted," the official said.

Mugabe's government suspended the operations of aid agencies after accusing
them of using food to direct people to vote for the opposition in the March
29 general elections. Its blanket ban drew international condemnation.

Zimbabwe has been hard hit by the AIDS epidemic, and aid groups warned of a
potential humanitarian crisis if the ban stayed in place.

The National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO) said that
by setting such stringent rules, the government had effectively put a
contentious NGO bill into operation.

"NANGO laments the fact that the lifting of the suspension is selective and
excludes thousands of organisations," it said in a statement.

"NANGO urgently calls upon the ministry of social welfare and other state
parties to create a conducive environment for the civil society to assist
the millions of suffering Zimbabweans."

It said "far-reaching reforms" are needed, not only in the Zimbabwean law
governing NGOs but also in the "entire democratic and human rights
infrastructure in Zimbabwe".

The June elections saw Mugabe's ZANU-PF party losing its majority in
parliament for the first time since the nation won independence from Britain
in 1980.

Mugabe, who later won a one-man presidential run-off after opposition leader
Morgan Tsvangirai bowed out amid widespread electoral violence, is under
international pressure to form a unity government with the opposition.

However, power-sharing talks seem to be deadlocked with the 84-year old
leader threatening to form a new government without Tsvangirai's Movement
for Democratic Change.

Citizens Resigned to Five More Years With Mugabe

The Nation (Nairobi)

1 September 2008
Posted to the web 1 September 2008

Kitsepile Nyathi
Harare

Zimbabweans are slowly resigning themselves to the prospect of another five
years under President Robert Mugabe's rule after last ditch power sharing
talks between the ruling Zanu PF and the opposition at the weekend left the
two parties further apart.

In the clearest sign yet that the dialogue is now destined for failure,
negotiators from both sides failed to meet face-to-face after travelling to
South Africa to meet the mediator, President Thabo Mbeki.

MDC spokesman Mr Nelson Chamisa told the media: "All the negotiating teams
are back.

"Nothing was achieved in the latest round of engagement in South Africa to
break the deadlock. We remain where we were."

Although none of the parties are talking about the way forward as they are
sworn to secrecy on the progress of the dialogue, speculation is rife that
Mr Mugabe was asked to wait for another week before appointing a cabinet.

This will give the mediator time to hammer a compromise deal after
opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai
rejected a proposed Southern African Development Community (SADC) sponsored
settlement that could have seen him become a ceremonial prime minister.

However, Zanu PF insists that it is not prepared to make more concessions,
while the opposition says it would rather go back "to the trenches" rather
than let Mr Tsvangirai to assume a ceremonial post.

"The talks are long dead," Dr Lovemore Madhuku, a constitutional expert and
political analyst told the media at the weekend. "There is nothing coming
out of those discussions.

"They are just wasting time. They should just go public and say that the
talks have collapsed."

The MDC says President Mugabe has already undermined the dialogue by
convening parliament and appointing provincial governors, which were on the
agenda for the talks.

The appointment of a cabinet, which the government says would be "soon", is
seen as the potential "deal breaker."

But the MDC remains "cautiously optimistic" that the talks could yield an
agreement, keenly awaited by millions of Zimbabweans hard hit by an
unprecedented economic recession characterised by the world's highest rate
of inflation.

"There will be no agreement between Zanu PF and the MDC, not in the
immediate term," said Professor Eldred Masungure, a lecturer at the
University of Zimbabwe. "Zanu PF has dug in and is not prepared to cede more
power and I see the same in the MDC."

The talks, viewed as the only solution to Zimbabwe's multifaceted economic
and political crisis first reached a deadlock two weeks ago over who between
Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai should control a unity government.

At the weekend state media reported that the MDC suggested that Mr Mugabe
and Mr Tsvangirai should jointly chair cabinet but Zanu PF found the idea to
be "not just as insolent, but also stunning ignorance on how government
works."

The MDC leader had insisted that he must given the post of executive prime
minister with Mr Mugabe serving as ceremonial president, but has apparently
toned down that demand by suggesting that he and Mr Mugabe should co-chair
cabinet.

In a revealing interview with weekly Standard newspaper, Mr Tsvangirai said
he believed that he made enough concessions to Mr Mugabe for the sake of
progress but he was rebuffed.

"Fully aware that we won the March 29 election, we could have demanded
nothing but outright victory," he said. "But we reached a position where we
said it was important for cohabitation with Zanu PF for the sake of the
country.

Show we were genuine

"We hoped this would show we were genuine in the quest to find an agreement
to establish a transitional government that rebuilds confidence in Zimbabwe
and ensure there is food, jobs and justice for Zimbabweans."

But there is still consensus that the political and economic crisis, which
has already driven millions of Zimbabweans into exile and left almost five
million on the brink of starvation, can not be allowed to continue.

"We need to have a solution to this," said Dr Themba Dlodlo, a lecturer at
National University of Science and Technology (NUST). "This crisis must end.
"Why not give power to parliament to choose a President. "We cannot move
forward in a situation where the governing party has a minority and the
opposition has a majority in parliament."

President Mugabe's Zanu PF lost its parliamentary majority to the MDC for
the first time since independence during the March elections.

The 84 year-old leader also lost the first round of the presidential
elections to Mr Tsvangirai but went on to win the second round after the
opposition leader was forced to pull out because of state sponsored
violence.

Analysts say any government that does not include Mr Tsvangirai would not
receive backing from the international community particularly from Western
nations whose financial assistance is vital to any effort to resuscitate
Zimbabwe's comatose economy.

Western governments and the MDC blame Mr Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe
since independence from Britain in 1980, for ruining the economy through
repression and wrong policies.

Maternal Deaths, the Neglected Tragedy

http://www.radiovop.com

By Tonderai Kwidini

"It is a nasty experience which I do not want to be reminded of. But
if you try to keep it to yourself it will remain a shock for a long time. I
cannot even explain the pain I felt after being told that I was carrying
dead bodies in my womb," said Sesedzai Manzanga, a Harare teacher, as she
recounted giving birth to a dead set of twins two years ago.

"But I thank you for coming to hear my story because I am still alive
and I know that what I am going to tell you will help a lot of women out
there."

Improving maternal health is fifth among the eight Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs). In Zimbabwe, the ruling ZANU-PF has insisted that
the figures are improving.

But Manzanga's husband Cecil blamed the current contraceptive methods
available to Zimbabwean women and falling health standards. He said "it is
always painful when your wife fails to deliver but it is better if she
survives the ordeal because some women end up dying. At one time I got so
stressed that I had to seek counseling from my friends.

"I thought a bad omen had been cast upon me and that I was going to
lose my wife. I am glad she is still alive even though she has to live with
a lot of pain and various other complications," said Cecil Manzanga, who was
reluctant to talk about the issue.

One of the consequences is that Sesedzai Manzanga is unable to have
any other children, shattering the couple's dream of having four children.

"Although I feel sorry for my husband who has always wanted a baby
boy, I think I have to stop trying because it seems as if luck is not on my
side. I am afraid I will end up dead," said Sesedzai Manzanga.

For a long time maternal mortality has been a neglected tragedy as
traditional societies accepted the lethal risks of child bearing as normal
and unavoidable.

Making matters worse currently is the state of paralysis that the
Zimbabwean health sector is in. The costs of maternity services have been
going up, making it difficult for pregnant mothers to seek proper medical
attention.

Shortly after Zimbabwe attained independence in 1980, the government
constructed maternity wings at all major hospitals, provided the necessary
drugs and recruited well-trained midwives. At one time the government even
abolished maternity fees at all health institutions, except central
hospitals.

But over the past decade the health standards in the country have
fallen as experienced health personnel leave the country. There has also
been a marked reduction in fiscal allocation to the health sector.

The cheapest maternity health services in Zimbabwe's capital Harare
are offered by the City Council clinics whose workers were on strike at the
time of writing. Pregnant mothers registered at these clinics have not been
able to access the necessary health care.

According to the 2005 Zimbabwe Millennium Development Goals (ZMDG)
report maternal mortality continues to be a major challenge in Zimbabwe with
most women dying due to pregnancy-related complications because of limited
access to antenatal, delivery and post natal care.

Alice Mutema, an official at the Southern African HIV/AIDS Information
Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS), said if drastic action was taken to revive
the collapsing health sector, the Zimbabwean government can at least get
closer to attaining MDG five.

She said: "The health sector has to get its act together and avail
more funds for other projects other than HIV/AIDS. Maternal health is not
being given the attention it deserves, but even if this happens, I do not
think we can achieve the 2015 target. But at least we can get closer to the
target."

Minister of Health and Child Welfare David Pairenyatwa said,
"Zimbabwe's maternal death figures have been showing a tremendous reduction
in the recent past. The figures we received recently show a reduction from
900 cases to about 550 cases.

"It is a pity that some people claim that the health delivery system
is collapsing when we have such progress and given the work we are doing
with our international health partners. We remain hopeful that we will
achieve our MDG target despite the hardships we are facing," Pairenyatwa
said.

According to the Demographic Health Survey (DHS) report covering the
period from 1999 to 2006, the maternal mortality rate in Zimbabwe has
decreased from 695 deaths per every 100,000 live births in 1999 to 555
deaths in 2006.

The DHS report is compiled by a US-based organisation, Macro
International, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC),
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the ministry of health and the
Central Statistical Office (CSO). The technical assistance is provided by
the United Nations.

"The decline in mortality is not a significant one and can be
attributed to things such as the fertility rate going down as more and more
people opt to have less children because of the economic hardships. And I
think Zimbabwe will not meet the 2015 target because the risk for reversal
is big, even for those MDGs that are going well," said Festo Kavishe, the
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) country representative.

"The decline is not because the quality of services has improved but
because people are no longer having children like they used to do in 1999,
therefore the problem remains huge." (Inter Press Service)

Abandoned and starving in Zimbabwe care homes

http://www.channel4.com

Last Modified: 02 Sep 2008
By: Guest blogger

Mentally challenged adults are being abandoned with no-one to pay fees and
provide clothing or medication, writes our Zimbabwean blogger.

Three packets of biscuits; 16 slices of bread; one large bowl of porridge;
one boiled egg; two dishes of oxtail soup with added potato and pumpkin; two
large plates of macaroni and salad; one litre of milk, six cups of tea and
two scones.

This was what Daniel ate on the first day of a recent outing from a
residential institution. With the exception of the milk and eggs, all the
food that Daniel ate had been imported from South Africa as none of the
ingredients are available in Zimbabwe.

Daniel isn't obese or even overweight - quite the opposite in fact. 33 years
old, six foot two inches tall, Daniel doesn't speak. He is mentally
handicapped and lives in a residential home outside Harare.

I hadn't seen Daniel for about four months and he had clearly lost weight in
that time. In April Daniel weighed 128 pounds, by August he had dropped to
120. The loss of eight pounds have made a dramatic difference to Daniel's
appearance.

Daniel has a shortage of vitamin BE which leaves him with almost
continuous ulcerous sores on his shins and ankles.

His arms and legs are painfully thin, ribs and shoulder blades clearly
visible and his face is gaunt and sculpted with eye sockets, cheekbones and
forehead pronounced. Daniel used to weigh 160 - 170 pounds before Zimbabwe's
political and economic turmoil began in 2000 and when food was plentiful and
inflation was around 40 per cent.

Of the 120 men and women resident in the home for mentally challenged
adults, 20 have been abandoned and no one pays their fees, provides
clothing, toiletries or medication.

The Zimbabwe government are supposed to pay a monthly grant for every
resident of the institution but the grants stopped coming a while ago - the
government say they have no money.

Before the seizure of commercial farms, a steady stream of food donations
were made to the institution. Farmers in the area regularly delivered eggs,
milk, meat, potatoes, fruit and vegetables.

This doesn't happen anymore as agriculture has all but collapsed in the
country and food surplus is non existent. The odd donation does come in but
with 120 people to feed, they don't last long or go far.

Daniel and the other residents are surviving almost entirely on maize meal
porridge and cabbage. Most are not getting enough to eat and none are
receiving a balanced diet. Eggs, milk, meat, rice, beans, cheese and fruit
are almost never provided to residents and vitamin deficiencies are rife.

Daniel has a shortage of vitamin BE which leaves him with almost continuous
ulcerous sores on his shins and ankles. At another institution for mentally
ill adults, four residents died of malnutrition a few months ago and there
were reports that a number of others had pellagra - a deficiency of
nicotinic acid which often results in insanity.

Daniel has a very sweet tooth and added to his extraordinary menu that first
day was one very large, family size packet of pink and white marshmallows.
He ate the whole bag in one sitting! Vitamin content nil but his smile worth
every extravagant un-nutritious mouthful!

Zimbabwe will take years to recover

From The Cape Argus (SA), 1 September

Peter Fabricius

It will take many years for the ruined Zimbabwean economy to recover, even
if a political settlement is reached and a credible government espousing
sensible policies takes over the country, says a top economist. Zimbabwean
economist Tony Hawkins, professor of the Graduate School of Management at
the University of Zimbabwe, was speaking in Pretoria on Friday as President
Mbeki tried once again to persuade Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu PF and the two
opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) factions to agree on a
power-sharing unity government. This would be the first step on the road to
recovery for an economy with an official inflation rate of 11.2 million
percent, though Hawkins thinks the real rate might be as high as 30 million
percent. He said 10 years of disastrous policies, including President Robert
Mugabe's landgrab, had fundamentally changed the structure of the economy so
that it could never return to what is was.

For instance, commercial farming, which used to drive the economy, would
probably never recover its old prominence - most skilled Zimbabweans who had
fled the country (including white farmers) would probably never return, at
least not as owners. As a result, he predicted, it would take at least 10 to
12 years to regain 1998 per capita income levels and 15 years-plus to get
back to where the economy would have been without the downturn of the last
decade. Hawkins was speaking on the prospects of a post-crisis Zimbabwean
economy at Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (Tips), an independent
research institute in Pretoria. He said there was a widespread belief that
if a new government took over and began practising sensible policies,
foreign donors and investors would pour money in and the economy would
recover quickly. This idea was partly based on several myths - including
that Zimbabwe had once been one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most successfully
economies in the '90s, that it was a resource- rich country and that it had
been "the bread basket of Southern Africa".

In fact the economy had been going down since the mid-60s. Zimbabwe was
classified by the World Bank as a resource-poor landlocked country and only
in a few good years did it export as much as 200 000 tons of maize -
compared to South Africa's average of 1.5 million tons. He said economic
decline had accelerated since 1999 when the economy had shrunk every year -
by as much as 15% in 2003 and by an estimated 10% this year. "Optimists
believe that when the politics normalise, Zimbabwe will revert seamlessly to
the - mostly unsuccessful - growth path of the 1990s. That is wrong," he
said. Zimbabwe would have to discover a new economic model in which mining,
tourism, construction and financing would be dominant. Hawkins stressed that
international donors would not support a new government in which Mugabe or
Zanu PF still had a big say in policy- a fact which, he said, Mbeki did not
seem to understand as he tried to retain a prominent role for Mugabe in a
new government.

Zanu PF Wants Mugabe Hecklers Prosecuted

http://www.radiovop.com

BULAWAYO, September 2008 - Zanu PF is pushing for the prosecution of
MDC legislators who heckled President Robert Mugabe during the official
opening of the 7th parliament of Zimbabwe last week.

The party's Secretary for External Affairs, Kumbirai Kangai, Monday
night said on the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Cooperation Television (ZBCTV) that
his party wants the individual MPs who were involved in the heckling of the
octogenarian leader to be prosecuted.

"We are calling upon the speaker of the House of Assembly, Lovemore
Moyo, to set up a special committee to investigate the conduct of the MDC
MPs during the official opening of parliament. The committee should identify
the culprits, the reasons for the parliamentarians behaviour and recommend
their prosecution to parliament," Kangai who was the Deputy Speaker of
parliament in the last parliament said on national television.

Kangai said the MDC MPs, if found guilty by the committee, should be
jailed like what happened to the former Chimanimani MP Roy Bennet, who was
jailed in 2004 for flooring the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary
Affairs, Patrick Chinamasa in parliament.

"If convicted, the MDC MPs should be jailed like what happened to
Bennet. The speaker should not take sides in this issue," added Kangai.

Thabitha Khumalo, the MDC-T deputy national spokesperson, who is also
the Member of Parliament for Khumalo said what happened in parliament, is a
clear indication that Mugabe's legitimacy is in dispute.

'There is no way the MDC MPs can be prosecuted because they are
protected by the laws governing parliament. In fact these people should be
asking why Mugabe was treated like this. As long as the issue of legitimacy
is not resolved some of us will have serious problems recognising him as the
country's head of state,' said Khumalo who was singled out by the state
media as one of the MPs involved in the jeering.

A friend dies in prison

http://www.zimbabwetoday.co.uk

Life and death in Zimbabwe's horrific jails

My good friend Howard died in Mutimurefu Prison, in Masvingo, Zimbabwe, last
week. the victim of abuse, starvation and infection. Many more are suffering
similar fates within our places of detention, every day of the week. I am
writing this to mark the death of Howard Erika, Prison No. 1141/03.

Mutimurefu is a dreadful place. It is almost literally falling down due to
consistent neglect. The sewage system is disfunctional, and human effluent
flows through the corridors. It took four months for these conditions to
kill Howard.

There is an ironic twist to his death while in the hands of Mugabe's
so-called security system. He was no gallant fighter for the Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) Quite the reverse. Howard, with a wife and three
children to feed, joined one of the Zanu-PF terror squads.

But his conscience troubled him. He made contact with some MDC supporters,
and gave them information about action to be taken against them. Suspicions
were aroused, and eventually he was arrested on the almost unbelievable
charge of beating up MDC people.

The case never came to court. Instead, inside Mutimurefu, he was locked into
a two-man cell with up to twenty other men. The only food they received was
a bowl of vegetable soup once a day. They fell ill, but requests for
medicine were denied. They were beaten, and sexual abuse was rife. The
results included tuberculosis, pellagra (caused by diet deficiency) mental
illness, and in all likelihood, Aids.

With no washing facilities available, all the prisoners became infested with
lice.

I know these details thanks to a sympathetic source from within the prison.
He told me that when a prisoner died he was simply dumped into a cell used
as a mortuary. The authorities took their time informing relatives, and the
corpses decayed. Eventually they were given a pauper's burial.

"You must be very careful, if you have a relative imprisoned here," my
source told me. "Unless a prisoner has his own source of food, he will
surely die."

The deaths of six other inmates of Mutimurefu were announced along with
Howard's. The men were Patrick Bhumera (PN 1594/06), Ceplos Lasani (PN
1656/06), Pedzisai Muvengwa (PN 747/07), Alimony Dzaromba (PN 248/07),
Skubekhile Masuku (PN 320/08 and Josephe Mahumbike (PN not known.) R.I.P.

Posted on Tuesday, 02 September 2008 at 14:04

What are the prospects for Zimbabwe’s turnaround?

Written by Zachary Ochieng

Empty shelves in a Harare supermarket. A series of wrong policy choices, such as price controls have crippled the productive sectors

September 3, 2008: Necessity is the mother of invention. And the crisis in Zimbabwe has sent experts scratching their heads for a solution. Observers believe that the Zimbabwean economy can be salvaged through efforts to reform the country’s political corruption and irresponsible monetary policies.

Against this background, a group of experts last week held a roundtable discussion at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington and came up with a report titled Depoliticizing Zimbabwe’s Economy: Solutions for Two Million Per cent.

Raymond Gilpin, Director of USIP’s Sustainable Economies moderated a panel of experts comprising Callisto Madavo, visiting professor at the African Studies Programme at Georgetown University. Keith Campbell, managing director at the Executive Research Associates; Bernard Harborne, Lead Conflict Specialist at the World Bank and Frank Young, Vice President of Economic Policy Research think tank, Abt Associates.

The report says Zimbabwe’s deep-seated economic malaise has robbed citizens of their savings, rendered incomes practically worthless and undermined domestic productivity.

It adds that soaring inflation and currency depreciation have been the most visible manifestations of Zimbabwe’s economic woes during the first half of 2008. By mid-July, estimates of annual price increases exceeded a mind-boggling 2,000,000 per cent, while the domestic currency lost practically all its value every time it changed hands. According to some estimates, the Zimbabwean dollar (ZIM$) depreciated three-fold in June 2008.

Three main factors have accounted for this precipitous decline in the country’s economic fortunes. The first is bad economic governance perpetrated by President Robert Mugabe and his team. Excessive government spending and a series of wrong policy choices, such as price controls and fixed exchange rates, have crippled the productive sectors.

Chronic fiscal indiscipline is the second. Rather than take steps to correct policy failures and institutional weaknesses, the Mugabe regime ran substantial ongoing budget deficits.

They deficits were primarily financed by Zimbabwe’s central bank, which injected money at extraordinary rates. Third, the failure to uphold the rule of law created chaos and uncertainty, which eroded business confidence, led to the misallocation of resources and depressed economic output. This has been particularly worrying in relation to corruption and land ownership.

In addition to creating a litany of economic woes, these factors have also stymied prospects for peace. Bad governance has fostered a culture of impunity and helped reinforce the political and economic muscle of the regime’s leadership.

This group has become deeply vested in the status quo. They have demonstrated a capacity to do whatever it takes to maintain their privileged positions, which guarantee unfettered access to wealth and power—at the expense of the vast majority of Zimbabweans. At the household level, severe and deepening deprivation contributes to a sense of helplessness and frustration.

Failure to resolve Zimbabwe’s political and economic problems could exacerbate horizontal tensions (as groups compete for dwindling resources) and vertical tensions (as individuals and groups try to change the system of governance).

In March, the Zimbabwean currency tumbled to a record 25 million dollars for a single US dollar.

According to Madavo, the deliberate mismanagement of Zimbabwe’s economy by the Mugabe regime shows that they “care more about themselves than about their people.” The economic policies they adopted deepened poverty and made doing business in the formal sector prohibitively costly.

For example, while the mismanaged exchange rate and staggering inflation make the earnings and savings of Zimbabweans worthless, the government insulates itself by conducting transactions at an overvalued “official” exchange rate.

“The government ignored the implications of this policy (such as foreign currency shortages and an increasing parallel market premium) and sought to mitigate its effects by introducing price controls and imposing limits on daily bank withdrawals”, Madavo says.

Politics and economics are very closely intertwined in Zimbabwe. The Mugabe regime views both the finance ministry and the central bank as its money machines.

Continued government intervention in credit allocation, resource distribution and trade has progressively weakened the economy and its institutions. This is why Campbell believes that “Zimbabwe’s economy won’t get fixed until politics gets fixed.”

Harborne reiterated the importance of “a political breakthrough” and outlined steps that could be taken to encourage meaningful economic reform in Zimbabwe.

These include designing a clearance mechanism to address the massive debt amassed by the Mugabe regime, developing a comprehensive strategy and mobilizing external resources to help finance reform and provide social safety nets. Zimbabwe’s external debt was estimated at $4.8 billion in 2007, while domestic debt rose from ZIM$346 billion in December 2002 to ZIM$1.4 trillion in June 2005.

International strategies and domestic commitment to reduce this burden are critical for adequate investment flows and buoyant private sector-led growth to resume.

A comprehensive strategy should guide efforts to mobilize and utilize external financial support. Harborne talked about the importance of coordinating international assistance in order to ensure aid effectiveness and maximize development impact.

The country’s exchange rate policies should also be revised. The effects of the failed fixed system have been felt across the economy and it will take some time to restore confidence. During this period, the Zimbabwean currency could be pegged to a convertible currency (or basket of currencies). The ultimate goal would be to effectively unify the official and parallel market exchange rates and ensure some predictability in the foreign exchange market.

At the same time, steps should be taken to re-establish the rule of law, remove punitive trade controls, encourage private sector development and institute public expenditure management reform.

Ultimately, the report says, rebuilding Zimbabwe’s economy will require concerted effort from a wide range of stakeholders, especially Zimbabweans. True country ownership and broad-based participation are critical.

Appropriate Zimbabwean individuals and institutions must assume leadership of this process because any strategy must fully reflect the country’s changing economic relationships and address current and emerging challenges.

A political solution that wrests control of Zimbabwe’s economy from Mugabe and his regime is a precondition for sustainable economic reform. In addition to correcting the failed policies of the past, this would also dismantle Mugabe’s collectively reinforcing network that has monopolized access to government subsidies, contracts, public institutions and finance.

Promotion of democracy banned

Photo:

President Robert Mugabe

HARARE, 2 September 2008 (IRIN) - Strict operating procedures for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in Zimbabwe have been introduced since a ban on their operations was lifted, but pro-democracy organisations - perceived by President Robert Mugabe's government as fronts for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) - remain banned.

A blanket ban on all NGO operations, apart from those conducting HIV/AIDS-related work, was imposed on 4 June, a few weeks ahead of the second round of voting in the presidential ballot on 27 June, for alleged political bias against the government. Mugabe, the only candidate, won the run-off ballot, but the election was widely condemned as flawed.

The social welfare ministry announced on 29 August that NGOs involved in humanitarian food aid, family and child protection, and the care of elderly and disabled persons would be permitted to resume their work, but NGOs concerned with human rights, justice and governance would remain banned.

Lancaster Museka, permanent secretary in the ministry of labour and social welfare, summoned the representatives of NGOs to a meeting on 1 September in the capital, Harare, to "clarify operational modalities".

Out in the cold

After the meeting, Fambai Ngirande, a spokesman the National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO), an NGO umbrella body, told IRIN: "It appears that the plan is to leave organisations working in governance, democracy and human rights out in the cold.

The effect of these requirements means NGOs which were operating as trusts, such as the National Constitutional Assembly, Crisis Coalition and Lawyers for Human Rights, will not be allowed to operate

"There shall be a new requirement for organisations who have been allowed to operate to submit registration particulars, lists of personnel, budgets and workplans to the ministry. These will be used to monitor and evaluate their operations," he said.

"These details will also have to be submitted to district and provincial government offices and the local police. The effect of these requirements means NGOs which were operating as trusts, such as the National Constitutional Assembly, Crisis Coalition and Lawyers for Human Rights, will not be allowed to operate."

Ngirande said the work of civil society engaged in justice, human rights, governance and democracy could not be separated from organisations working in the relief and humanitarian sector. "It [the ban] does not recognise the inseparability of civil society's social, economic, cultural, political and civic responsibilities."

Operating conditions for NGOs in Zimbabwe have become increasingly difficult in recent years, with an official annual inflation rate of 11.2 million percent, and shortages of basic foodstuffs, electricity and fuel commonplace. The UN estimates that about 5.1 million of Zimbabwe's 12 million people will experience food insecurity by early 2009.

The price tag for NGOs resuming operations is a blizzard of red tape, which, if not followed to the letter, could result in prosecutions.

Museka told the government daily newspaper, The Herald, that "For those organisations dealing in food handouts, a declaration of purchase for both local and imported products, and how much has been distributed over the same period, will also have to be submitted."

Silencing democracy

Wellington Chibhebhe, secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), told IRIN the government was attempting to silence all organisations they saw as MDC-aligned.

"It is obvious that the thrust that has been taken is that of muzzling pro-democracy organisations. The move is designed to silence and divide the NGO sector, and that should not be accepted," he said.

"Talking and fighting for democracy is not a crime. The problem ... is that we do not have a government, which is why those wielding power want to shut down those who advocate for democracy."

Lovemore Madhuku, chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), an NGO lobbying for a new people-driven constitution, said although the organisation recognised that Mugabe's government wanted to silence them, "The ban was unprocedural from the beginning, and we have never observed it."

We have organisations which call themselves 'Crisis in Zimbabwe'. What crisis are they talking about? They are ones who are encouraging the crisis, and as a government we cannot accept that

He told IRIN that "We have been operating as an organisation because of freedom of association and not through registration. As NCA, we don't need a licence or registration to exist. We have not heeded the so-called suspension and have continued with our civic work, be it at night or in private. Police have visited our offices and ordered us to close but we have resisted that."

Information and publicity minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said the civic organisations that remained suspended were "MDC NGOs".

"Some NGO organisations have been operating outside their mandate. We have reports that they want to smuggle themselves into communities in order to campaign for the MDC. If they genuinely want to assist the people with food aid then they should work with government structures," he told IRIN.

"We have organisations which call themselves 'Crisis in Zimbabwe'. What crisis are they talking about? They are the ones who are encouraging the crisis, and as a government we cannot accept that."

Call in Annan

http://www.businessday.co.za

02 September 2008

With 14 Movement for Democratic Change MPs on a police "wanted list"
following statesponsored violence during the recent Zimbabwe elections, 135
opposition officials and supporters murdered and thousands displaced, not to
mention an unthinkable 40-million percent inflation, the situation "up
north" goes from worse to catastrophic.

Robert Mugabe is trying desperately, by hook or by crook, to overturn his
Zanu (PF) party's poor showing and defeat in the parliamentary vote.

That the Thabo Mbeki-sponsored talks have collapsed shouldn't come as a
shock. My view is that you need an unbiased mediator of the calibre of
former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan.

Annan was faced with a similar predicament in Kenya after the rigged
elections, and he achieved a stabilising interim settlement for the east
African nation.

With no disrespect to Mbeki, who has done his best over 18 months of
"mediation," I suggest Zimbabwe's awesome problems of a starving and jobless
population require a new input if the donor countries are to be persuaded to
come to the country's urgent rescue.

Ivor Davis
Sandton

Mugabe to attend Mwanawasa burial: minister

LUSAKA (AFP) - Zimbabwe's president is one of the more than 14 African heads
of state and leaders who will attend the burial of President Levy Mwanawasa
on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Kabinga Pande said Tuesday.

Mwanawasa had been an arch-critic of Robert Mugabe, once referring to
Zimbabwe as a "sinking Titanic."

"We have confirmation from 14 heads of state and government who have
indicated their attendance at the burial," Pande told reporters.

Most of them will arrive in the capital Lusaka on Tuesday, while South
African President Thabo Mbeki and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame are
expected to arrive on Wednesday, the date of the burial, he said.

Mbeki will be accompanied on the trip by Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana
Dlamini-Zuma, an official statement in Pretoria said.

Mwanawasa, 59, who died in a Paris hospital on August 19 after suffering a
stroke, will be buried in the capital Lusaka at Embassy Park, situated
outside the presidential secretariat.

Mwanawasa was until his death chairman of the 15-nation Southern African
Development Community, and one of the few African leaders to speak out
against the policies of Mugabe.

Mbeki took over the leadership of the Community during a summit of the body
in Johannesburg last month.

It's Your Legacy

State Media Launches Witchhunt

http://www.radiovop.com

BULAWAYO, September 2 2008 - State media journalists are living in
fear after management at Zimpapers and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings
ordered a sniff out of those freelancing for 'hostile' media houses.

After the suspension of Umthunywa editor, Bheki Ncube in Bulawayo last
week, there have been attempts by management to check all journalists'
computers to find out whom they communicate with.

"Bheki was accused of stringing for Zimpatriot and now everyone is a
suspect. They are taking our computers under the pretext of wanting to flush
out a 'virus', when in actual fact they are checking who we are
communicating with.

"This is not fair. We are now living in fear because when these people
no longer want you they can plant things in your machine," said a reporter
who did not want to be named for fear of victimisation.

Zimpapers CEO Justine Mutasa is spearheading the campaign as more
journalists resort to freelancing to supplement their meagre incomes.

Zimfest ‘08 – Party for a cause (Cape Town)

ZimFest in UK -pictures

Hi Guys

Some shots of Zimfest 2008!!!

It was absolutely fabulous!!! A brilliant, fantastic day....Zimbo
accents, REAL people, sadza, real non-Tesco steak.... in the words of
Tuku..."if you have never been to or know Zimbabwe...THIS IS
ZIMBABWE!"

M

MDC MPs ejected from swearing-in ceremony as ZANU PF appoints 'unelected' councillors