The Zimbabwe Situation

http://www.timeslive.co.za/

Sapa-AP | 17 April, 2013 13:32

The name of Zimbabwe's last white leader, who ceded power to Robert Mugabe
33 years ago and who died six years ago, has at last been removed from the
nation's list of 5.7 million registered voters.

The state Electoral Commission says Ian Smith, the former prime minister, is
among 345,000 dead people who have been struck from the official roll of
voters ahead of crucial elections later in the year. As Zimbabwe celebrates
its 33rd anniversary of independence on Thursday there is fresh focus on the
poll, and a sense of optimism.

Mugabe has ruled this former British colony as president ever since he took
over from Smith and the country changed its name from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe
as it became independent. Mugabe now faces the biggest test of his political
life.

Some Zimbabweans look to the polls with trepidation because of violence,
intimidation and irregularities that have occurred in past elections. High
among the problems in the 2008 election was the voters' lists that included
Smith and his white justice minister who died in 1984 and who, during the
war for independence, had signed the execution warrants of Mugabe's captured
guerrillas.

The party of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Mugabe's main challenger,
alleged the outdated lists were used in past vote rigging. Independent
researchers say incorrect information on the voters' roll opens the way to
change results by including non-qualifying voters in polling in hotly
contested districts.

There are still some problems with the lists: The independent Zimbabwe
Election Support Network notes, for example, that it contains voters whose
names have been duplicated in different voting districts and tens of
thousands more who are living abroad and are disqualified from voting.

Eddie Cross, a lawmaker in Tsvangirai's party, said party officials are
scheduled to meet with the state election body within days on the voters'
lists and to question the role in election preparations of an Israeli
computer technology company that specializes in population registration and
election systems that has raised new fears of high-tech manipulation of
results.

Cross said the company Nikuv has expanded its facilities and increased its
staff in the country and is believed to be working with military and
intelligence chiefs loyal to Mugabe in Harare.

Cross said youth groups loyal to Mugabe still drag travelers from buses and
demand to see Mugabe party membership cards to show their loyalty, a means
of intimidation known as "shaking a box of matches without lighting one."

But he thinks that the vote this time around will be freer of violence and
noted that regional leaders have vowed to closely monitor the situation for
any poll violence.

"I think ordinary Zimbabweans won't be told which way to vote anymore and
perpetrators are learning violence won't help," Cross said. "It is being
neutralized."

The Crisis Coalition, an alliance of rights and pro-democracy groups, says
Mugabe's ZANU-PF party has been trying to re-invent itself and its leader.
Mugabe himself weighed in with repeated recent calls for peaceful
campaigning.

"Even though some have characterized this as deception, Mugabe is no longer
viewed as demonic as he was in 2008 following the violence," the coalition
said. "He has seized every opportunity to put across his message, sparking
debate on whether he has changed or not."

The group said the rebranding of Mugabe comes "in the wake of changing times
and the new democratization wave in Africa."

Mugabe has called for the vote by the end of June. A referendum on a new
constitution won an overwhelming 95 percent 'Yes' vote in March for the new
charter that imposes two five-year terms on the office of president,
strengthens human rights and calls for impartiality in the police and
military.

Human rights advocates hope it will help restore the rule of law and remove
the impunity Mugabe militants have enjoyed since the often-violent seizures
of thousands of white-owned commercial farms began in 2000, collapsing the
agriculture-based economy.

Tsvangirai has proposed September as the earliest timeframe for elections.
The 60-year-old former labor leader has already been on the campaign trail
predicting own victory in the presidential race against an increasingly
frail Mugabe, who is 89.

Tsvangirai is not without problems of his own. Since the death of his wife
of three decades, Susan, in a car wreck in 2009 his name has been publicly
linked to several women, one of whom he reportedly paid $300 000 dollars to
settle a dispute over claims he had married her under African custom that
does not require a church service.

He lives in a $3 million private mansion in Harare and his critics say he
has lacked the leadership to stop his aides from living lavish lifestyles in
this deeply impoverished southern African nation.

That gap between the rich and poor is not lost on voter Anne Katsande, a
home care nurse in Harare's impoverished Budiriro township suburb, who is
disappointed that money wasn't directed toward her district's bankrupt and
dilapidated state health facilities.

Still, she said that Tsvangirai's party offers change and an end to years of
fear.

Zimbabwe withdraws U.N. election funding request - minister

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/

By MacDonald Dzirutwe | Reuters – 8 hours ago

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe has withdrawn a request for money from the
United Nations to fund elections expected this year after refusing to accept
its conditions, including over media reforms and security issues, a minister
from President Robert Mugabe's party said.

The comments, which came days after Finance Minister Tendai Biti said
Zimbabwe could not afford to fund the vote, could undermine the credibility
of the polls in the country which has a history of election violence.

The U.N. assistance was expected to be about $132 million (86 million
pounds). Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told the state-owned Herald
newspaper that the United Nations wanted to interfere in local politics by
attaching conditions to funding.

"It was clear that the (U.N.) team wanted a broader mandate ... They kept
talking about the security sector and media reforms, all sorts of euphemisms
... and that we reject," he said in comments reported on Wednesday.

"We remain alert to any attempts to manipulate, infiltrate and interfere
with our internal processes and we are happy we have parted ways with them,"
he said. "The U.N. avenue for sourcing resources for the election is now
closed."

It was not clear what reforms the United Nations sought, but Mugabe's
critics say his ZANU-PF party maintains tight control on state media and has
stalled a programme to introduce private television and radio stations in
the country.

The president's rivals also say he has used the security forces to crack
down on the opposition, including breaking up their meetings.

Mugabe denies these accusations, saying they are part of a smear campaign by
his political rivals and Western powers.

The U.N. chief representative in Harare, Alain Noudehou, said the U.N.
conditions followed standard guidelines.

"It became apparent that there were different expectations on the modalities
of the needs assessment mission," Noudehou said in a statement.

POLL VIOLENCE

Veteran ruler Mugabe was forced into a power-sharing deal four years ago
with his arch-rival Morgan Tsvangirai, now prime minister, after bloody and
disputed elections in 2008.

Zimbabweans voted overwhelmingly in a March 16 referendum for a new
constitution that would curb presidential powers, paving the way for
elections later this year.

Western countries want to place observers in the southern African country
for the election in an attempt to help prevent a recurrence of the 2008
violence when hundreds of thousands fled across the border with South Africa
seeking safety.

Mugabe's party, some of whose members have been hit with international
sanctions for suspected human rights abuses and alleged ballot-box stuffing,
has pushed to keep observers out.

Zimbabwe's economy has been on the mend since Mugabe and Tsvangirai agreed
to share power but is still suffering a hangover from a decade-long
recession.

Finance Minister Biti, a member of the Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic
Change, has sought foreign funding for the elections which have an initial
budget of $132 million, saying the state's coffers were near empty.

This week, he said that South Africa approved a $100 million loan for
budgetary support. Pretoria has not confirmed the loan, saying only that
talks were ongoing.

"It is self-evident that Treasury has no capacity to fund elections," Biti
said.

Zimbabwe marks 33 years of independence from former colonial power Britain
on Thursday and Mugabe, who is 89 and the only leader the country has known,
will give the main speech at celebrations in the capital.

UN says it is still open to Zimbabwe poll funding despite presidential party's rebuff

http://www.canada.com/

BY GILLIAN GOTORA, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS APRIL 17, 2013 11:40 AM

HARARE, Zimbabwe - United Nations officials in Zimbabwe said Wednesday they
want to seek a new agreement with the cash-strapped government to fund
crucial elections later this year.

But President Robert Mugabe's party said it has "closed the door" on
possible U.N. funding, saying that a visit by its cost assessment mission
would be too intrusive and will interfere in the nation's internal political
affairs.

The United Nations, responding to an official request for funds, said in a
statement its officials wanted to "assess the political, legal, technical
and security environment" surrounding the polls that would encompass free
voting practices.

The nation's finance ministry says it can't raise the $132 million needed
for polls without outside help to bolster its efforts to find the cash
locally.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti, the third ranking official in the former
opposition party now in a shaky coalition with Mugabe, has appealed to
neighbouring South Africa for a $100 million loan to go into Zimbabwe's
national treasury to ease its acute cash shortages.

South Africa says it is still negotiating over Biti's request amid
resistance from that country's main opposition, the Democratic Alliance.

State media reported Wednesday that Mugabe's Justice Minister Patrick
Chinamasa said requests for United Nations election funding will no longer
be pursued. Chinamasa said the United Nations "overstepped its mandate" by
asking to meet with independent civic leaders alongside the state's formal
electoral institutions.

"The U.N. avenue for sourcing resources for elections is now closed," he
told the state radio controlled by Mugabe loyalists.

Zimbabwe's Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi convened a meeting
Tuesday of Harare-based foreign diplomats.

United Nations officials had failed to propose terms of reference and
responsibility for their elections assessment visit, Mumbengegwi said.

"They wanted to be involved in our domestic political affairs" after showing
hostility in previous fact-finding missions to Zimbabwe, he told the
diplomats.

Ncube accuses Tsvangirai and Mugabe of rewriting GPA

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Violet Gonda
17 April 2013

MDC leader Professor Welshman Ncube has accused Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe of seriously flouting provisions of the Global Political Agreement (GPA). He also warned that the United Nations Development Programme will not conduct an election assessment mission without access to other key stakeholders, contrary to ZANU PF demands.

In a wide ranging briefing with journalists Wednesday, Ncube said the $132 million needed to fund this year’s elections is “nothing compared to the money which is being stolen out of the Chiadzwa diamond fields.”

He said in last three months there has been an “insidious effort” by President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to rewrite the GPA, to be an agreement between the “MDC-T, ZANU PF and one person called Professor Arthur Mutambara.”

According to the MDC leader, this has rendered the foundations of the GPA dysfunctional resulting in his party last month writing to the Southern African Development Community, the guarantors of the agreement, urging them to intervene.

Ncube is currently involved in a leadership wrangle with Deputy Prime Minister Mutambara, although SADC recently compelled the other parties in government to recognise his leadership.

SADC also resolved that the coalition must work on an election roadmap with time lines. But both resolutions remain unimplemented and flouted, according to the MDC leader.

Ncube said: “Today all the newspapers are running with the headline that President Mugabe and Prime Minister Tsvangirai have agreed to appoint a committee of two ministers – Eric Matinenga and Patrick Chinamasa representing the MDC-T and ZANU PF to re-write the election roadmap and clearly we are being excluded quite deliberately.”

He said this latest development also seeks to sideline the regional body from the election process as there were already plans for the negotiators from all three parties to meet with SADC representatives later this month to discuss the election roadmap.

He accused Tsvangirai and Mugabe of holding a private meeting Tuesday without him, where they discussed, among other issues, the UNDP election cash appeal. He said he was blocked from this meeting, although he had been invited by Jameson Timba, a minister in the Prime Minister’s office.

According to Ncube, Finance Minister Tendai Biti called him, “pleading with me that I must without fail attend that meeting otherwise there would be disaster. I indicated to him that I am on standby to attend the meeting but I had not been called.” When Ncube arrived at the meeting he was told that the PM had denied requesting Timba to invite him.

Many observers have been calling for the former opposition parties to form a pact ahead of forthcoming elections, to present a stronger challenge against ZANU PF. But Ncube believes the latest developments show there is now “an alliance between Tsvangirai and Mugabe which is working tirelessly against the MDC that I lead.”

After the Tuesday meeting, the Prime Minister told journalists that there was still no agreement on the UNDP needs assessment visit, as ZANU PF refuses to allow the mission to see other groups outside government.

Responding to questions from journalists on this issue, Ncube said the UNDP will not agree to such conditions and believes they will not provide funding if they are not allowed to see civil society organizations and other stakeholders.

“But I don’t particularly worry about that because there is enough money to fund for elections. All you have to do is stop stealing the diamond money and put it in the fiscus,” Ncube said.

He added: “$132million is nothing compared to the money which is being stolen out of the Chiadzwa diamond fields and elsewhere.”

International Crisis Group Southern Africa senior analyst Trevor Maisiri said the coalition needs to uphold the endorsement of Ncube by SADC. He also believes what is happening is shaped by Ncube and Tsvangirai’s personal relationship, which seems to not have been mended since the MDC split in 2005.

Click here for Welshman Ncube press briefing

Tsvangirai, Mugabe agree on poll plan

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

Wednesday, 17 April 2013 12:59

HARARE - Zimbabwe’s ruling coalition partners are yet to come up with an
election date for this year’s harmonised poll, principals’ spokesperson
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said yesterday.

President Robert Mugabe, Tsvangirai and his deputy Arthur Mutambara this
week agreed to set up a committee to come up with an election roadmap taking
into consideration the need for voter registration and inspection before the
election dates are declared.

“There are no dates for elections yet, we have assigned Justice minister
(Patrick Chinamasa) and Constitutional Affairs minister (Eric Matinenga) to
draw up a roadmap from which principals would be able to set up election
dates that put into consideration the legal and political issues around the
election,” Tsvangirai told a news conference at Munhumutapa Building — the
citadel of government power.

It is the latest twist in the on-going drama over when exactly the
harmonised elections will be held.

The public media and Zanu PF in particular have declared elections will be
held on June 29 while Tsvangirai insists elections are process-driven and
are likely to be held in September at the earliest.

On the other hand, the smaller MDC leader and Industry minister Welshman
Ncube has come up with an August poll date.

While agreeing the current Parliament lapses on June 29, Tsvangirai said the
government principals will still have four months within which to conduct
the harmonised poll from the date of dissolution of the legislature.

“The executive has four months to run an election up to October after the
end of the current Parliament on June 29,” Tsvangirai told reporters.

“Before the end of June, Parliament must have completed the work of aligning
our existing laws to the new constitution especially those that impinge on
our election and those that are not part of the Electoral Act.

“The nation needs to know that there shall be a voter registration exercise
for one month and a voter inspection exercise for another month. I hope the
nation gets this very clear, but subject to funding, these processes can run
parallel to the constitutional process.”

Tsvangirai said the processes could run concurrently because of resource and
time constraints.

The former trade unionist said the principals would consider the election
road map next week.

Tsvangirai however, said there was disagreement in the inclusive government
over the funding of elections by the United Nations, which bankrolled the
just concluded constitution-making exercise.

A UN team has been stuck in Johannesburg, after being denied access to
Zimbabwe by Chinamasa. Chinamasa and Matinenga have been tasked with
breaking the impasse over the UN’s role.

“There is no consensus between the principals on the role of the UN mission
in the country and I hope the two ministers will find consensus because
funding is a problem,” the PM said.

“The UN sought to have an unrestricted mandate to meet whoever they wanted
to meet before they could release funding while some of our colleagues want
them restricted to meeting political parties, political leaders and
organisations like the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission without necessarily
having to go everywhere to meet other bodies and individuals.”

UN resident coordinator Alain Noudéhou said in a statement yesterday that
the government of Zimbabwe wrote to the UN Focal Point on April 4, 2013
indicating its readiness to welcome the UN Needs Assessment Mission (Nam).

“In the course of deploying the mission to Zimbabwe, it became apparent
there were different expectations on the modalities of the Nam,” Noudéhou
said.

“Further efforts were subsequently made by the UN to engage with the
government and explain the purpose and scope of the Nam. As of now, no
agreement has been reached on the modalities. The Nam is therefore not
expected in Zimbabwe at the present moment.

“The UN has been making every effort to respond to Zimbabwe’s request. The
UN will continue to engage with the government of Zimbabwe to determine if
an agreement can be reached on the modalities that will allow the Nam to be
conducted in accordance with the UN General Assembly resolutions.”

With Finance minister Tendai Biti saying on Monday that the country was
unable to single-handedly fund the elections, Tsvangirai said the political
leaders will meet to consider funding options, emphasising the need to raise
funds internally.

Biti said on Monday he hopes to raise $132 million needed for the harmonised
elections from the international community, diamond revenue, mobile
telecommunication firms’ licence fees and mining royalties. - Mugove
Tafirenyika and Richard Chidza

Ministers to draw up poll roadmap: PM

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

16/04/2013 00:00:00
by Joseph Mashizha

TWO cabinet ministers will draw-up an election road-map which will be used
by the ruling coalition leaders to set dates for elections due this year, it
was revealed on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told reporters in Harare that Justice
Minister Patrick Chinamasa (Zanu PF) and his Constitutional and
Parliamentary Affairs counterpart, Eric Matinenga (MDC-T), would work on the
programme.

“(We must) consider the legal and political issues surrounding that
roadmap,” said the MDC-T leader.
“There are legal issues which include the fact that the (new) Constitution
has to be signed by President. We (also) need one month (for) voter
registration and one month (for) voter inspection and we have to consider
the last day of Parliament.”

Tsvangirai said the two ministers would also look at laws that need to be
amended in order to align them with the new constitution.

“We know which laws have to be adjusted. This does not only relate to the
Electoral Act; we are talking about all the laws that impinge on our
electoral process,” he added.

Zimbabweans endorsed the country’s new Constitution in a referendum held on
March 16 but the charter is still to be debated by Parliament before
President Robert Mugabe signs it into law.

The constitutional reforms were expected to lead to new elections to replace
the coalition government which came into office in 2009.

But Mugabe and Tsvangirai remain miles apart over the timing of the key
vote.

The Zanu PF leader is pressing for an early election, preferring a date
before the end of the current Parliament on June 29.
Tsvangirai however, insist conditions do not yet exist for a credible and is
demanding the full implementation of reforms agreed as part of the deal
which facilitated the coalition government.

Zimbabwe parties haggle over poll assessment mission

http://www.timeslive.co.za/

Sapa-AFP | 17 April, 2013 10:51

Zimbabwe may fail to secure desperately-needed UN funding for crunch
elections, as political rivals disagree over how much access to allow an
assessment mission by the world body, the prime minister warned Tuesday.

Cash-strapped Zimbabwe has approached the United Nations for help with
financing the general elections which are due later this year, on a date
which has yet to be fixed.

For the UN to consider the request, it was invited to undertake an
assessment mission to the country.

But the main political rivals in the country's uneasy power sharing
government have reached a deadlock on how far to allow the UN panel to go.

"The UN team wants unlimited access but some of our colleagues feel it
should be limited to meetings with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the
registrar-general's office, ambassadors and political parties," Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said, referring to President Robert Mugabe's
camp.

"There is no consensus on that. We have different views," Tsvangirai told
reporters in Harare after holding talks with Mugabe, his longtime political
rival.

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa from Mugabe's party and Finance Minister
Tendai Biti, a member of Tsvangirai's party, have been tasked with looking
for external funding for the vote.

Tsvangirai could only express "hope the two ministers will convince the
mission to proceed."

Biti on Monday said the country was in need of $132 million for the polls
which Mugabe's party wants held as early as June.

He said there was no money in the national coffers for the vote. Apart from
seeking foreign funding, the government would also try to raise funds on the
domestic front.

Biti said Zimbabwe had to raise enough money or risk the credibility of the
vote.

Obama administration reaches out to Mugabe

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

16/04/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter

A TOP envoy from the United States State Department met President Robert
Mugabe in Harare on Tuesday in a development which the state media described
as a sign the West was looking to ditch Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and
his MDC-T party.

Speaking after meeting Mugabe at his Munhumutapa offices, Andrew Young, a
former US ambassador to the United Nations, said the Obama administration
was keen to see an improvement in relations between the two countries.

“The State Department has asked me to come visit; and just to say that we
have Zimbabwe in our hearts and that we would like to see relations with
Zimbabwe resume as they were pre the problems,” he said.

“I hope to see a beginning of freedom, democracy, peace and prosperity in
Zimbabwe and I think the US government would like to help with that and I
think that everybody in Zimbabwe, whatever their party, whatever their
opinion, whatever their race or creed, has got to realise we are on the same
side.”

Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, claims the US and
Britain facilitated the formation of the MDC-T and financed its activities
in a bid to remove him from power as punishment for the land reform
programme.

Relations between the West and the 89-year old veteran leader, who is
seeking another five-year term in office this year, have been frosty for
more than a decade.

Mugabe says former colonial power, Britain, persuaded its allies to impose a
battery of devastating sanctions after he forced some 4,000 white farmers
forced off land which was then re-allocated to hundreds of thousands of
blacks.

The West says the sanctions were aimed at stopping gross human rights abuses
and electoral fraud and denies they are responsible for Zimbabwe's economic
problems.
Ambassador Young’s visit comes after Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa
joined a Cabinet delegation for meetings with British government officials,
the first top level engagement between London and a senior Zanu PF official
in more than a decade.

The European Union (EU) also recently suspended its sanctions to reward
Mugabe for the Constitutional reforms and hinted the measures would be
lifted completely should the country organises credible elections later this
year.

The State-run but Zanu PF-leaning Herald newspaper on Wednesday claimed that
these developments as well as unusually critical international press
coverage of MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai showed the West had grown weary
of its Trojan horse.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Young was also sounded out on Zanu PF’s key themes of
land reform, indigenisation and the lifting of sanctions.

And the envoy duly obliged, saying conditions in Zimbabwe were improving and
that the US was ready to lift the restrictions.
“I should say I have never particularly approved of the sanctions personally
but I have never been able to get rid of them,” he was quoted as saying.

“I think we have an administration now that is ready to move beyond
sanctions but we need reassurance that Zimbabwe is as peaceful and as
positive a society I think it is.”

He was also quoted as saying the land reforms had been successful although
more could be done to improve productivity.
“From what I know about it, (the land reform programme) has been very
successful, but I also know there is always not enough seed, enough
fertiliser, but with help it (production) can multiply ten-fold,” he said.

“Considering what the world has gone through, I think Zimbabwe is doing
fairly well, but we have to do better and we have to do better economically
and I have always seen Zimbabwe as almost the crown jewel in Africa and that
it should be one of the booming economies.”

Obama administration ditching Tsvangirai?

http://www.news24.com/

2013-04-17 13:30

Cape Town – A top envoy from the United States administration reportedly met
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Tuesday in an attempt to "normalise
relations with Zimbabwe ahead of crunch elections" scheduled to be held
later this year.

The Herald reported on Wednesday that the Obama administration dispatched
its former ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young to meet with Mugabe
to convey the message of reconciliation.

The report described the envoy’s visit as a sign the West was looking to
ditch Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his party after they "realised
that the regime change agenda has aborted and MDC-T cannot form the next
government".

Speaking after meeting Mugabe, Young said the US wanted to normalise
relations.

"The state department has asked me to come visit and just to say that we
have Zimbabwe in our hearts and that we would like to see relations with
Zimbabwe resume as they were pre the problems," he said.

Young also condemned the illegal sanctions regime, saying the sanctions
should be removed.

"I should say I have never particularly approved of the sanctions
personally, but I have never been able to get rid of them," he said.

"But I think we have an administration now that is ready to move beyond
sanctions, but we need reassurance that Zimbabwe is as peaceful and as
positive a society I think it is."

Western media, among them CNN, The Guardian and New York Times, recently
attacked Tsvangirai, saying his public image had been soiled by his sexual
escapades while corruption within the rank and file of the party would play
against his party at the polls.

- News24

Zimbabwe Minister Fires Suspended Mutare Mayor

http://www.voazimbabwe.com/

Studio7 Reporters
17.04.2013

WASHINGTON DC/MUTARE — Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo says he has
fired suspended Mutare mayor councillor Brian Leslie James, accusing him of
mismanagement, misconduct and insubordination.

Chombo told VOA Studio 7 that the suspended mayor will not be allowed to
occupy any local authority post for the next 10 years.

The minister suspended Mr. James in March last year claiming that the MDC-T
councilor was incompetent and mismanaged council affairs.

James’ lawyer Blessing Nyamaropa said Mr. Chombo would have acted unlawfully
if he has indeed fired James as the High Court bars him from taking any
further action against the suspended mayor.

David Mukunda of the Combined Mutare Residents’ Trust said Chombo is
predictable in the way he deals with cases involving councilors from the
MDC-T.

Meanwhile, the minister is said to have snubbed acting Mutare mayor George
Jerison on Monday when he visited his offices trying to persuade him to
reverse a decision taken by the city’s Town Clerk to fire 450 contract
workers earlier this month.

Jerrison and his team spent the whole day at Mr. Chombo’s offices but left
empty-handed since he did not entertain them.

A special council meeting last week recommended that Jerison and other
council officials should travel to Harare to ask the minister to intervene
to force the Town Clerk to renew contracts for the fired employees.

Council said pressing financial obligations forced them not to renew the
contracts.

The Town Clerk last week told the special council meeting that he had no
powers to rehire the workers, adding only Mr. Chombo could give such
authority.

Contacted for comment, Jerison said Mr. Chombo did not snub his team, adding
they saw the minister briefly and set an appointment to discuss issues
affecting Mutare city council this Friday.

Councilors are under pressure from their MDC formation to ensure the fired
contract workers are reinstated ahead of crucial elections this year.

Political overhaul key to Zim diamond success

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
17 April 2013

A complete overhaul of Zimbabwe’s political framework has been described as
the key to unlocking the country’s true diamond potential, which remains
under a cloud of corruption and suspicion.

Noted human rights defender Farai Maguwu, who is the Director of the Centre
for Natural Resource Governance, made these comments during an interview
with SW Radio Africa on Tuesday. He was explaining how the Zimbabwe Diamond
Policy, adopted by the government last year, is not enough to ensure the
diamond sector becomes a transparent, accountable, beneficial one.

The Centre this week released a full analysis of the Diamond Policy, stating
that while the Policy is a good starting point to improve governance in
Zimbabwe’s diamond, it does need revision. The Centre states in its analysis
key issues remain unaddressed, namely investor identification, revenue
transparency, community participation, mine closure, environmental impacts
and access to information, among other things.

Maguwu told SW Radio Africa that the major problem in the sector is a result
of a lack of political will, which is preventing proper governance and
oversight in the industry.

“It is an issue of politics. I have always said that Marange (diamond
fields) should not be seen as an island, because it is a part of Zimbabwe
that is experiencing the same governance problems in every sector in the
country. Unless there is a turnaround in the way we think and the way we do
things politically, there won’t be the quick turnaround we need,” Maguwu
said.

He added: “We need political will; we need good leaders who have the
interests of citizens at heart. Not the current situation where we have
unpatriotic elites who are doing things for themselves and not for the
people.”

Maguwu also explained that aside from the ‘internal’ problems dogging the
industry, there are also external factors.

“We have (diamond) dealers who are taking advantage of the weak political,
institutional, legislation and policy framework in Zimbabwe to do underhand
deals and in the process are prejudicing Zimbabwe of millions of dollars,”
Maguwu explained.

He said that while the Diamond Policy is an acknowledgment by the government
of the need for such a policy, there is still c critical need for revision.

“The Policy does not show that government has learned from it past
mistakes … I don’t think we have addressed the fundamental problems and
checks and balance in whole value chain,” Maguwu said.

WOZA approaches African court for protection

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
17 April 2013

Pressure group Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) has approached the highest
human rights court in Africa for protection from harassment and intimidation
back home.

WOZA filed an official communication at the African Commission on Human and
People’s Rights though its lawyers on Saturday, seeking to have the
Zimbabwean authorities indicted against targeting the group with arrests,
harassment and intimidation, and physical assaults.

In the communication, which was filed during the 53rd ordinary session of
the African Commission over the weekend, WOZA is challenging the pattern of
impunity they have faced in Zimbabwe, where a Supreme Court order
guaranteeing their right to peaceful protests has been ignored. That order
was passed down in 2010, but the group is still the target of arrests and
assaults almost every time they gather for meetings or peaceful
demonstrations.

WOZA leader Jenni Williams, who together with her co-leader Magodonga
Mahlangu has been arrested over 50 times in WOZA’s ten year history, said on
Wednesday that their communication “demonstrates Zimbabwe’s clear and
systematic pattern of suppression of WOZA’s rights to engage in peaceful
protest and public demonstrations.”

She explained during a press conference in Harare that since the 2010
Supreme Court judgment, there have been 24 incidents of violations of WOZA’s
right to freedom of expression, assembly and association, as well as other
rights protected by African Charter.

“The (police) continue to clamp down on WOZA and repression has taken the
form of criminalizing peaceful protests and WOZA gatherings. The police have
disturbed hundreds of processions, indiscriminately beating and arresting
our members,” Williams explained.

She stated: “WOZA are of the view that the right to engage in peaceful
protest is an essential and constituent element of democracies, anchored on
the twin pillars of freedom of expression and assembly. We have requested
the African Commission to grant provisional measures indicting Zimbabwe from
interfering in any way with (our) right to peaceful protests and
demonstrations.”

The African Commission is more frequently becoming the destination for legal
challenges of this nature, because the legal system in Zimbabwe still fails
to protect basic human rights of citizens. Most recently, the Commission
ordered the government to put in place measures to allow Zimbabweans in the
Diaspora to vote using the postal voting measure. But there has been no sign
of Zimbabwe complying.

Supreme Court to hear urgent appeal in by-election saga

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
17 April 2013

The by-elections saga that has pitted three former legislators against
Robert Mugabe will now return to the Supreme Court, after the three filed an
urgent appeal against the latest court decision allowing the President to
postpone the process.

Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku has agreed to hear the appeal on an urgent
basis. The Supreme Court has now ordered the High Court to prepare the
‘record of proceedings’, which will then be transmitted to the higher court
ahead of the hearing. A date for this hearing is yet to be confirmed.

The ex-legislators Norman Mpofu, Abednico Bhebhe and Njabuliso Mguni lost
their seats after being fired by the Welshman Ncube led MDC four years ago.
But they successfully approached the courts in July 2011 in a bid to force
Mugabe to call for by-elections in their areas.

Mugabe then appealed against High Court Judge Justice Nicholas Ndou’s order
to ensure the by-elections were held. That appeal was dismissed by a full
bench of the Supreme Court that ordered new elections to fill the vacancies
as soon as possible, but by no later than 30th August 2012.

However Mugabe once again appealed and was granted a reprieve when he was
given a March 31st 2013 deadline for him to pronounce the date for the
by-elections. This ruling was ignored at the dates were never set.

High Court Judge George Chiweshe then moved to allow Mugabe to ignore the
Supreme Court order, ruling in his favour that the by-elections be further
postponed. Mugabe now has until June 29th to set a date.

Chiweshe said in his reasoning that the holding of the by-elections now
would be costly and unnecessary because the life of Parliament would end by
June 29th.
The former MPs, who also plan to contest as parliamentarians on an MDC-T
ticket, are now appealing this decision arguing that the High Court had no
jurisdiction in this matter.

Zim back on track with IMF

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

Wednesday, 17 April 2013 12:59

Finance minister Tendai Biti
HARARE - Zimbabwe has reached a tentative agreement on an International
Monetary Fund (IMF)-staff-monitored programme (SMP) to help it pursue
economic reforms and clear its debt arrears, according to Finance minister
Tendai Biti.

The southern African country asked for the staff-monitored programme to
“accelerate economic growth, step-up the creation of sustainable jobs and
help reduce poverty.”

The IMF suspended Zimbabwe’s voting rights in June 2003 as the country’s
economy deteriorated and President Robert Mugabe’s government fell behind on
debt repayments, but restored those rights in February 2010 in view of a
significant improvement in the country’s cooperation on economic policies.

The country, which is slowly emerging from years of isolation, has set up a
“Debt Management Office” in Harare to interface with the Paris Club of
creditors to discuss ways to deal with its $10 billion debt owed to the IMF,
the World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB).

Zimbabwe has implemented rapid economic and relatively slow political
reforms since a coalition government between President Mugabe and Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai took over in February of 2009, discarding a
worthless Zimbabwe dollar and implementing a largely successful short-term
economic recovery programme.

Zimbabwe wants the IMF to monitor its economic and financial reforms, and
the deal could lead to the write-off of Zimbabwe’s protracted arrears by the
world lender.

Biti said a deal was being brokered under the Zimbabwe Accelerated Arrears
Clearance Debt Development Strategy (ZAADS) and will include a waiver on
debt.

The debt write-off could help Zimbabwe gain access to fresh capital to shore
up its stuttering economy and bankroll urgent infrastructure needs.

“Significant progress has been achieved towards finalising the negotiations
with the IMF for the Letter of Intent (LOI), the Memorandum of Economic and
Financial Policies (MEFP) and the Technical Memorandum of Understanding
(TMoU),” Biti said.

In a move to improve relations with the IMF which used to be a major aid
provider, Zimbabwe’s government has opted to allow the IMF more oversight in
exchange for a bigger package later.

“I would like to thank Cabinet for its support to this very important
programme of re-engaging with our creditors and international financial
institutions,” Biti said.

“This will pave the way for starting the process of negotiating for arrears
clearance, new financing and debt relief.

“The resolution of our debt overhang will therefore, allow the country to
move forward with its economic development agenda, which focuses on
inclusive growth, poverty reduction and job creation.”

Biti said Zimbabwe received an IMF team from February 25 to March 1, 2013,
where they agreed that under the SMP, the IMF will monitor the
implementation of economic and financial reforms with special emphasis on
key economic and financial policies and targets.

The reforms include strengthening public finance management, keeping
expenditure in check — in line with revenues, increasing spending on capital
projects and social services, tax policy reforms, tighter government payroll
administration, paying off domestic debt, consolidating reforms at the
central bank and tightening governance of the financial sector, increasing
exports and implementing a new diamond policy.

According to the IMF website, staff monitoring does not involve any Fund
financing.

Besides the IMF, the World Bank and AfDB officials and negotiators for
Zimbabwe’s fragile coalition government were also working to finalise an
agreement on an aid package.

The ongoing talks reflect a show of economic goodwill to help revive the
longstanding Western-Zimbabwean partnership that was strained by a decade of
socio-economic and political turmoil.

The IMF and other foreign donors have in the past halted aid over policy
differences with Harare, including its controversial forcible redistribution
of white-owned farms among blacks.

Zimbabwe has of late sent a clear signal to the multilateral financial
institutions of its intention to comply with a tough economic structural
adjustment regime if the world lenders write off the $10,7 billion debt

Speaker in catch-22

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

By Chengetayi Zvauya, Parliamentary Editor
Wednesday, 17 April 2013 12:59

HARARE - Speaker Lovemore Moyo is finding it hard to expel from Parliament
five legislators who crossed the floor from the Welshman Ncube-led MDC to
join the mainstream MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

The smaller MDC has requested that Nomalanga Khumalo, who is deputy speaker
of Parliament and MP for Umzingwane, Dalimazi Maxwell Dube (Tsholotsho),
Thandeko Mkandla (Gwanda North) and Senators Dalumuzi Khumalo (Lupane) and
Kembo Dube (Umzingwane) be dismissed as legislators.

But Moyo told the Daily News he is agonising over the issue.

“It is one of the most difficult decisions one has to make to expel these
MPs as they were democratically-elected by people from their
constituencies,” Moyo said.

“It is very agonising as one has to consider the time and resources these
MPs could have spent in campaigning.”

The smaller MDC secretary-general Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga has
written letters to Moyo and president of Senate Ednah Madzongwe demanding
that the five legislators be expelled from Parliament and their
constituencies be declared vacant claiming they were not representing
anyone in Parliament.

Five other MPs managed to continue their tenure in the Seventh Parliament
after ditching Ncube’s MDC to join Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara’s
party.

The DPM wrote letters to Moyo and Madzongwe advising them to disregard
attempts by the Ncube-led MDC to have the legislators fired from Parliament
for allegedly crossing the floor claiming that they belonged to his faction.

Since the begging of Seventh Parliament in August 2008, eight MPs from
Matabeleland who entered Parliament on the Ncube-led MDC ticket have ditched
the party and joined the MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

In 2010, Ncube officially expelled three MPs who were subsequently expelled
from Parliament.

Parliament resumes business on May 6 and is expected to end its term on June
29 this year.

Farmers to benefit from EU grant

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

17.04.13

by Tarisai Jangara

About 50, 000 rural farmers are set to benefit from a $12 million project
under the Zimbabwe Extension Support and Training initiative funded by the
European Union.

Last week the EU unveiled a $12 million contribution, which will run from
2013 to 2015 and is aimed at increasing agricultural productivity and food
security.

The project will be carried out in Chivi, Gutu, Masvingo and Centenary and
is mainly targeting youths and the disabled who have access to land and
labour.

Speaking at the official launch of ZEST, EU Ambassador, Aldo Dell’ Ariccia
said the project is aimed at developing and testing methods of improving
access to agricultural extension for field crops, livestock and
horticulture.

ZEST will improve farm and household productivity through the adoption of
higher yielding and drought tolerant crops, strengthening farm management
skills through training and the provision of input support.

“With this support farmers will intensify and diversify production with a
leaning towards improved food security, dietary requirements and income
generation, thereby increasing resilience to external shocks and mitigating
the impact of HIV/AIDS,” Aldo Dell’ Ariccia said.

The funds will be administered by the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organisation, the German Academy for International Cooperation and a
non-governmental organisation, HELP, from Germany.

Zimbabwe deputy PM tells Africa to be tough on China

http://www.globalpost.com/

Agence France-PresseApril 17, 2013 12:31

Africa must learn to dictate its own terms when dealing with China and stop
blaming Beijing, apartheid or colonialism for its economic woes, Zimbabwe's
deputy prime minister said Wednesday.

Arthur Mutambara said it was time for Africa to stop taking a "romantic
view" of China because it has grown from a "comrade in poverty" to a global
economic giant and superpower.

"Why are we not making sure the engagement with China is on our terms, as
Africans? Labour, skills, technology, value addition," he said at a
China-Africa conference.

"The Chinese must come to Africa on African terms. The terms that will allow
the Chinese to make money but the terms that will also allow Africa to
develop, win-win. China wins, Africa wins."

He said Africa has been free for a long time -- two generations in countries
such as Ghana -- and it should not be wasting time making excuses for its
tardy development.

"Africans must not blame China, or any other power for that matter. We must
take charge of our lives, we must take responsibility for our problems and
solve them."

He added: "Yes, there are things we can trace back to apartheid, to
colonialism, but we must take charge of our lives and not justify
incompetence by talking about apartheid, colonialism."

South Africa has lately been embroiled in a fierce debate over whether -- 19
years on -- apartheid can still blamed for current government policy
shortcomings.

Mutambara said that for Africa to maximise benefits from its ties with
China, it must speak with one voice as a continent or regional economic
blocs such as the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

"Let us discourage bilateral deals -- you get shortchanged. We won't make it
as individual countries. We need a mind shift. We are obsessed with our own
countries," he said.

Mutambara, who is part of an uncomfortable power-sharing government with
longtime leader Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe, said the continent needs the type
of leadership that will press for a pan-African agenda.

China has driven much of African growth in recent years. Bilateral trade has
expanded rapidly to hover around $200 billion (150 billion euros) last year,
a leap of almost 19 percent from 2011, according to Jianye Wang, chief
economist with the Export-Import Bank of China.

But trade remains heavily skewed in favour of China.

By the end of last year China's direct investment in Africa had reached $20
billion.

At the same time African investors are making little inroads, with a few
notables such as South Africa's SAB Miller, which has become the single
largest brewer in China.

"Our footprint is small," Martyn Davies, CEO of Frontier Advisory, the
conference organisers, told AFP, adding: "We are far behind our Australian
peers."

Yansong Rong, the commercial counsellor at the Chinese embassy in South
Africa, hit out at growing anti-Chinese sentiments in Africa, especially
concerning labour practices.

He dismissed as "ridiculous" criticism that Chinese investors bring their
own workers, defeating the whole idea of creating desperately needed jobs.

Local workers account for more than 80 percent of the employees at the
dozens of Chinese firms operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, he
said.

Muchauraya charged with ‘murder’ of John Nyamande

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tichaona Sibanda
17 April 2013

The case in which the MDC-T MP for Makoni South, Pishai Muchauraya is facing
charges of making threats to commit ‘murder’ took a twist on Wednesday, when
police charged him with the murder of the late parliamentarian, John
Nyamande.

The police admitted they don’t have any evidence linking Muchauraya to the
death of Nyamande but told him they will proceed with the case by way of
summons.

Muchauraya, the MDC-T spokesman for Manicaland province was however made to
sign a warned and cautioned statement at the Harare central police station
on Wednesday.

The man he is accused of killing, Nyamande was the MDC-T MP for Makoni
Central, who died in a horrific car crash in November 2009 near Ruwa that
left his Isuzu KB vehicle a mangled wreck.

The 57 year-old Nyamande was killed instantly when his car collided with a
stationary truck that was partially parked off the Harare-Marondera highway.

After the crash, police who attended the scene of the accident told Nyamande’s
best friend, Hebson Makuvise (Zimbabwe’s current ambassador to Germany) that
the MP died after suffering multiple broken bones as well as severe head and
chest injuries.

Muchauraya’s defence lawyer Tonderai Bhatasara told SW Radio Africa that the
case against his client took a sinister twist when police summoned him just
before his Wednesday court appearance, where he stands accused of making
threats to commit murder.

On Tuesday Muchauraya was charged with two counts of threats to ‘murder’ his
party’s political rival, Geoff Nyarota. One of those who allegedly received
death threats from the legislator is Sophia Chibayambuya, an aunt to Nyarota
and an MDC-T aspiring councilor in the same constituency.

Muchauraya and Nyarota are expected to square off in the party primaries for
the Makoni South constituency that are to be held between the 3rd and 15th
May. For this case, Muchauraya appeared in court on Wednesday where he was
granted $100 bail and ordered not to interfere with witnesses. The state set
23rd April as the trial date.

“It’s very interesting to note that the murder charge stems from an
affidavit that was generated by Nyarota in his case against the MP. It means
the complainant in the death of John Nyamande in a car accident is Geoff
Nyarota,” Bhatasara said.

The ‘murder’ case against Muchauraya centers on the same affidavit submitted
to the police following threats allegedly made to Nyarota and Chibayambuya.

Nyarota accuses Muchauraya of calling Chibayambuya on the 25th February and
telling her: “Mava kuda kutanga hondo. Munoziva here kuti ndisu takauraya
John Nyamande? (You want to start a war? Do you know it’s us who killed John
Nyamande?).”

Harare census staff yet to be paid

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

Wednesday, 17 April 2013 12:47
HARARE - Zimbabwe is yet to fully pay some enumerators who conducted the
fourth national census in August last year, nine months on, the Finance
minister confirmed on Monday.

Zimbabwe conducted its fourth population census since independence from
August 17 to 27 last year, but enumerators in Harare province are yet to be
paid.

“Treasury is pleased to report that $4,8million in outstanding payments to
enumerators in Masvingo, Mashonaland West and Mashonaland East were cleared
in March 2013,” Biti said.

“This has reduced overall outstanding obligations to enumerators to
$2,7million, now only for personnel in Harare province.

“However Zimstat (Zimbabwe Statistics Agency) also has some $6,3 million
outstanding obligations with regards to payment to some of the catering
service providers for the August 2012 population census programme which some
cooperating partners had committed themselves to supporting.

“Zimstat is in discussion with both the UNFPA and cooperating partners to
come up with a disbursement plan to liquidate these obligations.”

The first, second and third censuses were conducted in 1982, 1992 and 2002
respectively, and payment was timely.

The 2012 census was conducted by 1 320 district level, 6 000 enumeration
area supervisors and about 31 000 enumerators.

According to the census results, Zimbabwe’s population is growing
marginally, with women still in the majority.

The southern African nation had a population of 12,9 million on August 18,
2012, which has expanded by 1,1 percent over the past decade, the census
showed. If the current growth rate continues, the country — which is
recovering from a decade of economic meltdown — will see the population
double in 70 years. - Staff Writer

ZANU PF an enemy beyond conciliation-ZINASU

http://www.zimeye.org/

Published: April 17, 2013

Briggette Katiyo Magaya

The Zimbabwe National Student Union (ZINASU) has sworn to vote against Zanu
PF asserting that the party has dismally failed to meet the needs of the
masses.

“Students have unilaterally declared that ZANU PF is an enemy beyond
conciliation and as we go for the elections expected this year we will
mobilise students to vote against ZANU PF,” said Pride Mkono the president
of ZINASU.

Speaking at a press conference held in the capital today, Mkono urged the
MDC-T and MDC led by Professor Welshman Ncube to unite and create a grant
coalition against President Mugabe.

“ZINASU condemns with uttermost contempt the idea of a one man rule,
Zimbabwe has been led by one Robert Gabriel Mugabe who seem not keen to hand
over power even at the age of 89.

“Zimbabwe is full of young intellectuals and this in it self provides a
fertile ground for power transfer and generational empowerment,” said Mkono.

Mkono said that ZANU PF has been carrying out cheap propaganda to swindle
and confuse the masses using state media.

He stated that the State media carried falsehoods in blatant attempts to
paint a bad picture of ZINASU claiming that it is developing a soft spot for
ZANU PF.

Mkono compared the level of enmity towards ZANU PF to the one that
Zimbabweans had against white minority.

He called for peaceful free and fair elections in which the will of people
will be respected, unlike the bloodshed 2008 presidential runoff elections.

“Youths need to be part of the electoral processes through massive voter
registration. The registration procedures should be flexible to allow
students to register as voters,” said Mkono.

DA query R900m loan to Zimbabwe

http://nehandaradio.com/

on April 17, 2013 at 12:12 pm

SOUTH AFRICA – The standing committee on finance agreed yesterday to ask
Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan to appear before it to provide more detail
on the R900 million loan reportedly extended to Zimbabwe to assist with its
upcoming national election.

DA finance spokesman Tim Harris said he had submitted a parliamentary
question to the minister to clarify the terms of the supposed funding.

“If we indeed intend providing the loans to Zimbabwe then Minister Gordhan
has a duty to explain to South Africans the motivation for extending such
generous financial support.

“There are three main issues that urgently need to be clarified: the
motivation for the loan, the terms of the repayment and any conditionality
attached to it.”

“We believe that any financial support provided to Zimbabwe should be
conditional on the money being spent on specifically defined projects that
will improve the prospects for real democracy in Zimbabwe through free and
fair elections.”

Under no circumstances, said Harris, should South Africa tolerate extending
credit without strict political conditions. Reserve Bank governor Gill
Marcus was also asked about the Zimbabwe loan when she appeared before the
standing committee on finance yesterday.

She said: “We need to be clear. This is a government to government
discussion. Should there be any agreement on terms and conditions, whatever
they are, they would be sorted out at government level.”

The responsibility for this would most likely be delegated to the Treasury.
“Once that is done we would simply be the executing arm, we are not involved
in the discussions… we don’t know any more than you do. I thus can’t answer
your questions about the conditions,” she said to David Ross, another DA MP
on the committee.

It seems that the Treasury – and Gordhan – is the right place to go for
answers. Gordhan met Zimbabwean Finance Minister Tendai Biti in September
last year to discuss Zimbabwe’s loan request. iol.co.za

ACDP, IFP favour Zimbabwe loan

http://www.news24.com/

2013-04-17 16:38

Cape Town - Two opposition parties said on Wednesday they were in favour of
loaning money to cash-strapped Zimbabwe to fund its coming elections.

The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) said money spent helping
Zimbabweans take ownership of their future through a fair democratic
election was "an investment worth the risk".

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) said it supported such a loan on condition
it be used primarily for the elections.

It was reported on Tuesday that talks between the two countries about
financial help were at a "sensitive stage".

On Monday, Zimbabwe's Finance Minister Tendai Biti said his treasury did not
have the capacity to fund the elections, for which the country needed about
R1.2bn.

Biti said the Zimbabwean government had written to the UN, South Africa, and
Angola asking for loans.

He was reported later on Monday as saying South Africa would contribute
R900m.

The elections are scheduled to be held later this year.

The IFP said in a statement on Wednesday it supported such a loan "on
condition that it will be utilised primarily in bringing about inclusively
free and fair elections later this year in Zimbabwe".

In a separate statement, ACDP MP Cheryllyn Dudley said it was in South
Africa's best interests to help Zimbabwe.

Trading partner

The political situation in that country had "impacted significantly" on
South Africa over the past 13 years, with many Zimbabweans taking refuge in
the country.

However, Zimbabwe had the potential to be a significant trading partner and
trading route to the rest of Africa, "making positive relations with our
neighbour highly desirable".

The situation was "unfortunate" and clearly an unfair burden on South
African taxpayers.

"If, however, we want Zimbabweans to have a stable country to live in, we
will have to actively support the democratic elections, and this will mean
providing the funds needed," said Dudley.

"The ACDP accepts that money spent on helping Zimbabweans to take ownership
of their future through a peaceful and fair democratic election is an
investment worth the risk and a move in the right direction."

Earlier on Wednesday, it was reported that Zimbabwe had withdrawn a request
it had made to the UN for money to fund its elections, after refusing to
accept UN conditions, including media reforms and security issues.

- SAPA

How can SA give R900m to keep alive a reign of terror?

http://www.timeslive.co.za/

Erwin Schwentzek, by e-mail | 17 April, 2013 00:12

It is another great mystery how the Reserve Bank can bail out Zimbabwe ("SA
bails out Zimbabwe to tune of R900m", yesterday). It is neither morally nor
economically justifiable, especially in the light of the gross human rights
violations in that country.

President Robert Mugabe's refusal to have observers from truly democratic
states monitor the elections should tell us a story. Zanu-PF is not
interested in a fair election.

The recent harassment and arrests of people aligned to the "opposition" are
proof of this.

Zimbabwe got itself into the mess it is now in with its disastrous economic
policies.

Why do we, as a democratic country struggling to get ourselves onto a sound
footing, give money to a dictator?

The Zimbabwean government under Mugabe is neither democratic nor
transparent. It is a government that has "stolen" vast fortunes from South
African companies and individuals who owned land there or had investments
taken from them through the kleptomaniac nationalisation policy.

The finance minister Tendai Biti has only his own administration to blame
for the sorry financial state of Zimbabwe. After all, a well running country
was turned into a disaster through unsustainable and unrealistic policies.

New website

You will see on our index page a link to a new website dedicated to the upcoming election

http://zimbabweelection.com/

A new Zimbabwe beckons

http://www.mdc.co.zw/

Tuesday, 16 April 2013 16:23

The MDC is poised to win overwhelmingly in the coming elections because of
its impressive performance in the inclusive government where the party has
managed to restore political, social and economic stability in the country,
President Tsvangirai has said.

President Tsvangirai said this while addressing thousands of party
supporters at Tshovani Stadium in Chiredzi on Saturday where he called on
the electorate to reflect on the horrific mayhem of 2008 in order to
understand the importance of the coming watershed polls.

The rally was the launch of the MDC victory rallies which are meant to
celebrate the gains made by the party since its formation with the latest
being the people of Zimbabwe voting yes in the referendum for a new
Constitution in March.

The new Constitution is part of the MDC’s agenda to give the people of
Zimbabwe a new Charter that will lead the country to holding elections in a
free and fair manner which will usher a new Zimbabwe with an MDC government
in office.

He said when the MDC formed the inclusive government, the party managed to
restore political social and economic stability adding that although there
was anxiety and speculation about the date for elections – the principals to
the Global Political Agreement (GPA) will sit down and come up with the date
for polls.

“We have come a long way –we won the 2008 elections but we came up with the
transitional government,” said President Tsvangirai.

“We must not forget the misery of 2008 because a reflection of the past,
will help us to come up with an informed political decision as we approach
the coming elections.

“In 2008, we had reached a point of no return – schools had been closed, the
economy was grounded and there was no medication in hospitals but when the
MDC formed the inclusive government, there was a notable change. We can all
agree that the MDC brought political and social stability in the past four
years – things have improved but we have not yet arrived at our destination.

“As we prepare for the coming polls, we have very simple questions to
answer – who brought the country to a standstill in 2008 and who brought
political stability to the country?”

He said these questions formed the basis of the crucial plebiscite.

“These are the questions that are going to be answered as we go for
elections. The inclusive government was the only option to soft land the
Zimbabwean crisis. We know that people are curious about the date for
elections but myself and (Robert) Mugabe will sit down and come up with the
date for elections,” said President Tsvangirai.

He said the issue of employment was a key issue that will be urgently
addressed once the MDC formed the next government because thousands of
youths were wallowing in poverty due to the Zanu PF economic and political
crises that ravaged the nation for close to three decades.

“As we go for elections, the MDC is concerned about the level of
unemployment in the country. While Zanu PF destroyed employment
opportunities, the MDC has a clear jobs plan to make sure everyone gets
employment.

“We are going to attract foreign direct investment in order to revive the
country’s economy .We can say the country’s economy is in doldrums. We have
to revive agriculture, mining and industry among other crucial sectors.

“The MDC will never tolerate any form of corruption –if you are a corrupt
councillor, MP or President, then get out of the MDC immediately. We have
to introduce a new culture of zero tolerance to corruption,” he said.

President Tsvangirai explained that the MDC once in office it is also going
to revive the education and health sectors as well as infrastructural
development.

“We will certainly engage the international community so that we can get
assistance. Of course we are going to safeguard our sovereignty as a nation
but we must remember that we are living in a global village where you cannot
avoid interaction with the international community .We will not say much
about Zanu PF because they have failed dismally to run the country,” he
said.

President Tsvangirai said the MDC made tireless efforts to drag Zanu PF and
its leader Mugabe to the negotiating table and that is how the MDC had
managed to handle a dictatorship in a democratic way by taking Mugabe
through the democratic journey.

“We made tireless efforts to bring Mugabe to the negotiating table and we
also made tireless efforts to put pressure on the Zanu PF regime. The MDC
managed to handle the dictator through democratic means. We will continue to
use peaceful and democratic means to win.

“Nobody wants war and nobody wins in a war. The MDC will never tolerate war
in Zimbabwe and the shedding of blood because that is not our philosophy,”
said President Tsvangirai.

Turning to voter registration, President Tsvangirai said there was need for
the country to embark on a mass voter registration exercise in the rural,
urban areas, farming and mining communities. “Every one of you has to
mobilise new voters. As the MDC, we are happy with the democratic process
so far in which women have been empowered in the new Constitution.

“The new Constitution will also address the issue of national languages
because there is need to be well versed in all the country’s main languages.
In addition we also have to consider minority languages, matters of
citizenship have been addressed as well in the new Charter.

“We now have the new Constitution in place –we are going to have a new
President for the country and a new Zimbabwe. For change to come every
Zimbabwean who has turned 18 years has to register to vote,” said President
Tsvangirai calling upon the uniformed forces to exercise their duties in a
professional manner at all times.

“As the MDC, we don’t hate the army and our police force. We want them to
be professional. We want to improve their welfare. The MDC will not fire
people from the army. We want them to be professional and not subvert the
will of the people,” the President said.

He called for urgent media reforms before going for elections – pointing out
to the blatant attempts by the ZBC and The Herald in taking turns to attack
President Tsvangirai and his lieutenants.

Hon. Lovemore Moyo, the MDC national chairperson who is also the Speaker of
Parliament urged party supporters to focus on the next election in ensuring
that President Tsvangirai emerges the ultimate winner and becomes the new
President of Zimbabwe.

Similar victory rallies will be held in every province with President
Tsvangirai and the party’s top leadership addressing them.

Transcript of Tsvangirai interview with Becky Anderson of the CNN

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1304/09/ctw.01.html

Excerpt

Aired April 9, 2013 - 16:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE
UPDATED.

ANDERSON: A marriage of convenience, that is how Morgan Tsvangirai,
Zimbabwe's prime minister, describes his country's power sharing agreement
with Robert Mugabe. A general election is due in Zimbabwe this year. And in
a moment, we'll be hearing more from Mr. Tsvangirai.

First, a look at how this political pairing came to be.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: 1980, Zimbabwe gains its independence from Britain. And guerrilla
leader Robert Mugabe wins the country's first parliamentary election. He's
ruled the country ever since.

Among Mugabe's early and most ardent supporters was Morgan Tsvangirai, an
ambitious union leader who has since become his fiercest rival, leading
strikes and forming his own political party.

During his bid for the presidency in 2002, Tsvangirai was accused of treason
and a suspected plot to assassinate Mugabe, but was later acquitted of the
charges.

TSVANGIRAI: It was not Morgan Tsvangirai who was on trial, it was democracy
and the freedoms of the people of Zimbabwe.

ANDERSON: Undeterred, Tsvangirai continued to challenge Mugabe. And in 2007
was arrested on his way to an anti-government rally and severely beaten in
police custody.

TSVANGIRAI: This physical threat of physical harm to individuals, me
included, has not had any effect at all in discouraging further (inaudible)
of the opposition.

ANDERSON: Indeed, a year later he claimed victory in the presidential
election with a majority vote over Mugabe. Though it ended in farce, with
the electoral commission calling for a runoff poll.

TSVANGIRAI: We in the MDC resolve that we will no longer participate in this
violent, illegitimate sham of an election process.

ANDERSON: In the end, a compromise, Mugabe remained president and Tsvangirai
was declared prime minister in a power sharing agreement that, to say the
least, has been uneasy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Morgan Tsvangirai is in London. I asked him earlier to explain the
reason for entering into that power sharing agreement with Robert Mugabe
five years ago. This is what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TSVANGIRAI: It was a bleak situation. And I think what was important at that
stage was to intervene and save the country. So, what were the objectives?
Firstly, is to contain the hyper inflation and stabilize the economy.
Secondly, to reform, to give reforms that will be necessary to carry out a
free and fair election. And thirdly, to intervene in those critical social
sectors like water sanitation, education and else.

So, on those three benchmarks, I can tell you that anyone will confirm that
things are much better than they were in 2008.

ANDERSON: Many people I speak to in Zimbabwe, with respect, are frankly fed
up with your leadership. They say that you have compromised the power
sharing agreement. There are stories about your social life. There were
stories about your finances. So some go so far as to say you have
legitimized Robert Mugabe.

Does your MDC party, and do you still have any teeth?

TSVANGIRAI: Well, the -- let's look at it this way, the MDC was formed to
achieve a certain benchmark. We have gone through a road map that we have
designed, we have outlined for ourselves. What are we going to do to
confront this crisis? Firstly, we said we're going to drag -- we're going to
apply pressure to drag Mugabe to the negotiating table. We are going to
negotiate a transition. We're going to have a constitution and we're going
to go to free and fair election.

So far, the three steps have been achieved. We are on the rail on the
objectives that we set for ourselves.

Now, when people criticize, they want us to go back to the confrontational
state. We are part of the government. There's no way we can be
confrontational when we have set a path for ourselves.

ANDERSON: Let me put this to you again, they don't want to see, it seems to
me, your social life and your finances making headlines when for so many
years people in Zimbabwe and on the outside world relied on you as this sort
of official opposition figure who might be able to take Mugabe down.

At this stage do you think you're still in the position to do that? Or is it
now time for a new generation of Zimbabwean leaders?

TSVANGIRAI: Well, I think that I cannot determine. I mean, the determination
of who is going to be leader at any one point is to the people. We go to a
congress and the people elect their leaders. I've just come out of a
congress, people still have very good faith in my leadership.

But it's not about the personal, it's about the objective. I have
(inaudible) Mugabe down. Let's not be paranoid about an individual, let's be
clear about what the role road map and the objective of why we feel the MDC
is all about, it's about change, it's about transformation.

Are we on course? Definitely on course. Are we going to deliver this?
Definitely we're going to deliver...

ANDERSON; Does it include Mugabe or not, though?

TSVANGIRAI: No. President Mugabe will be contested, just as I will be
contested. And it will go to the people. and the people will choose.

ANDERSON; How would you describe life in Zimbabwe today?

TSVANGIRAI: I think there's comparatively, comparatively better than it was
in 2008. People have food. People can actually have real money. People can
have stability and normalcy, that was uncharacteristic in 2008.

ANDERSON: It's a country worth fighting for.

TSVANGIRA: It's everything worth fighting for.

No Zimbabwe Media Reforms, Just More Intimidation

http://www.ipsnews.net/

By Jeffrey Moyo

HARARE, Apr 17 2013 (IPS) - As Zimbabwe heads to the polls later this year,
media analysts and journalists are concerned about increasing crackdowns on
both the judiciary and the media.

This comes as stalwarts from President Robert Mugabe’s ruling Zimbabwe
African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) remain defiant about
implementing the media reforms outlined in the Global Political Agreement
(GPA). The GPA is a 2008 pact between Zanu-PF and the Movement for
Democratic Change that paved the way for the current unity government and
the elections later this year.

“Forget about security sector reforms, forget about media reforms. What we
are going to have are elections soon after Jun. 29 this year when the term
of parliament expires. Zimbabweans should brace for the polls,” Goodson
Nguni, a well-known Zanu-PF leader, told IPS.

According to the GPA, for Zimbabwe to hold credible, free and fair elections
in 2013, it needs to implement media and security sector reforms. It is also
required to revamp the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, which is suspected to
be staffed with state security operatives.

The country also needs to amend repressive laws like the Access to
Information and Protection of Privacy Act, which stipulates that journalists
should be registered annually with the Zimbabwe Media and Information
Commission, and the Public Order and Security Act, which criminalises
reporting falsehoods and leaves journalists open to litigation.

According to U.S.-based global watchdog Human Rights Watch, both laws have
been used by Zanu-PF to “to harass political opponents and rights activists”
and to prevent criticism by the media and public debate.

Nguni’s remarks have left many journalists in this Southern African nation
bracing for a difficult road ahead as they come at a time when High Court
Justice Charles Hungwe faces persecution from the government over recent
court rulings.

Hungwe has allegedly been targeted by Zanu-PF for his decisions to grant the
Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission leave to institute investigations
against ruling party politicians implicated in corruption, and for granting
bail to prominent human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa.

She is accused of obstructing the course of justice after she requested that
police produce a search warrant when they raided Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai’s offices in March.

Hungwe was reportedly summoned to appear before Chief Justice Godfrey
Chidyausiku for misconduct, a move that the Law Society of Zimbabwe called
the deliberate targeting of the judge.

“What Nguni said, added to the recent arrests of civil society leaders and
human rights lawyers like Beatrice Mtetwa, sends shivers down our spines. It
means that worse is coming for us as the elections loom, especially in the
face of unimplemented media reforms four years after the formation of the
unity government,” Evans Muranganwa, a freelance journalist, told IPS.

Political analyst Rejoice Ngwenya said that if media reforms were not
implemented, journalists would be headed for a confrontation with the
country’s national security officers.

“Right now journalists are vulnerable and the law may be used against them
during elections and the already-jittery security sectors see themselves
brandishing an open (invitation) to intimidate journalists.

“Media reforms have to be enforced as part of the GPA, but Zanu-PF still
resists this, although the new constitution makes it clear that they should
be implemented before the elections,” Ngwenya told IPS.

The Daily News, NewsDay and Zimbabwe Independent, which are privately-owned
newspapers, are being sued for millions of dollars by top politicians for
various investigative pieces they published. It is a move that analysts say
is aimed at incapacitating independent newspapers ahead of the elections.

Ernst Mudzengi, director for Media Center – Zimbabwe, said it has become a
tradition for journalists in Zimbabwe to face intimidation around election
time.

“We have always had the intimidation of journalists. There is no enabling
environment for journalists to carry out their duties during the elections,
contrary to the country’s GPA,” Mudzengi told IPS.

But Bright Matonga, a media analyst for the state Zimbabwe Broadcasting
Corporation and Zanu-PF parliamentarian for the Mhondoro-Ngezi constituency,
told IPS that contrary to claims by most independent journalists that the
media climate was repressive, this was not the case.

“The media environment has always been conducive, although some journalists
have been irresponsible in their reportages, blatantly distorting stories,
blending them with truths and half-truths. But it is now up to them to abide
by the law as the elections approach,” Matonga told IPS.

However, journalists who operate from the Media Center – Zimbabwe in Harare,
said they were suspicious of strangers.

“We are certainly (living) in fear because there are strangers who we
suspect are state spies who were sent to man our operations,” Vimbai Kamoyo,
an independent journalist, told IPS.

The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) has taken the reports of journalists
being intimidated seriously.

“The level of fear among our journalists as the country gears up for the
elections is certainly not an exaggeration. But as a union we have
mechanisms to act as a safety net for journalists who may fall prey to
intimidation. We are part of a campaign to demand the safety and protection
of our journalists from African governments,” ZUJ secretary general, Foster
Dongozi, told IPS.

He also said owing to Zimbabwe’s traditionally volatile environment during
elections, ZUJ has placed a team of lawyers on standby to defend journalists
who may be arrested.

“Around the time of the elections, we will have a rapid legal reaction force
on standby to defend journalists who may fall prey to arrest,” he said.

Freelance journalists like 28-year-old Thomas Madhuku, who was arrested by
police in 2012 after they accused him of tampering with the voters’ roll,
said Hungwe’s persecution signalled increased intimidation ahead of the
elections. Charges against Madhuku were dropped because of a lack of
evidence.

“If interpreters of the law like Hungwe are being persecuted for executing
their duties, what is going to be the fate of ordinary journalists like us
who happen to be the fourth arm of the state? Certainly, it’s not going to
be an easy road for journalists ahead of the polls,” Madhuku told IPS.

With elections looming, hopes and fears mark Zimbabwe 33rd independence anniversary

http://www.washingtonpost.com/

By Associated Press, Published: April 17

HARARE, Zimbabwe — The name of Zimbabwe’s last white leader, who ceded power
to Robert Mugabe 33 years ago and who died six years ago, has at last been
removed from the nation’s list of 5.7 million registered voters.

The state Electoral Commission says Ian Smith, the former prime minister, is
among 345,000 dead people who have been struck from the official roll of
voters ahead of crucial elections later in the year. As Zimbabwe celebrates
its 33rd anniversary of independence on Thursday there is fresh focus on the
poll, and a sense of optimism.

Mugabe has ruled this former British colony as president ever since he took
over from Smith and the country changed its name from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe
as it became independent. Mugabe now faces the biggest test of his political
life.

Some Zimbabweans look to the polls with trepidation because of violence,
intimidation and irregularities that have occurred in past elections. High
among the problems in the 2008 election was the voters’ lists that included
Smith and his white justice minister who died in 1984 and who, during the
war for independence, had signed the execution warrants of Mugabe’s captured
guerrillas.

The party of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Mugabe’s main challenger,
alleged the outdated lists were used in past vote rigging. Independent
researchers say incorrect information on the voters’ roll opens the way to
change results by including non-qualifying voters in polling in hotly
contested districts. There are still some problems with the lists: The
independent Zimbabwe Election Support Network notes, for example, that it
contains voters whose names have been duplicated in different voting
districts and tens of thousands more who are living abroad and are
disqualified from voting.

Eddie Cross, a lawmaker in Tsvangirai’s party, said party officials are
scheduled to meet with the state election body within days on the voters’
lists and to question the role in election preparations of an Israeli
computer technology company that specializes in population registration and
election systems that has raised new fears of high-tech manipulation of
results. Cross said the company Nikuv has expanded its facilities and
increased its staff in the country and is believed to be working with
military and intelligence chiefs loyal to Mugabe in Harare.

Cross said youth groups loyal to Mugabe still drag travelers from buses and
demand to see Mugabe party membership cards to show their loyalty, a means
of intimidation known as “shaking a box of matches without lighting one.”

But he thinks that the vote this time around will be freer of violence and
noted that regional leaders have vowed to closely monitor the situation for
any poll violence.

“I think ordinary Zimbabweans won’t be told which way to vote anymore and
perpetrators are learning violence won’t help,” Cross said. “It is being
neutralized.”

The Crisis Coalition, an alliance of rights and pro-democracy groups, says
Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party has been trying to re-invent itself and its leader.
Mugabe himself weighed in with repeated recent calls for peaceful
campaigning.

Zimbabwe marks 33rd anniversary of independence