Reminder: Please send a blank email to survey@sokwanele.com to receive an auto-respond reply with information on how you can participate in Sokwanele's constitution survey. Alternatively, complete the survey online at www.sokwanele.com/zimbabweconstitution/survey
There has been little change on the Zimbabwean political landscape since our last Zimbabwe Inclusive Government Watch mailing. Certainly, the twenty one-month old Zimbabwean Global Political Agreement (GPA) produced little tangible progress through the month of June.
To find the root cause of this shameful display of negative governance, one needs to analyse the situation. Seventy news articles from the internet media were captured and catalogued during the moneht of June. Each article is a unique record of a breach of the terms of the GPA. Categorising these articles according to the nature of breach, allows basic statistics to be drawn from them.
The results clearly show the cause of Zimbabwe's crisis of
governance. Harassment through the courts of "opposition" supporters and
politicians increased significantly for the second month in a row to top the
list of breaches with twenty-one articles (a staggering 30% of all breaches).
Cases of attempts to derail the outreach phase of the constitution-making
process rocketed to second place as the exercise finally got under way, with ten
articles (14.3% of the total). Summarising just these two most significant
categories, Zanu-PF were accountable for 96.8% of breaches of the GPA that were
recorded for those two categories alone. Overall, Zanu-PF were either
responsible for, or involved in, 97.1% of all breaches recorded for the GPA for
the month of June. Other significant results were cases of violence,
intimidation, hate speech and abductions, cases of deliberate non-cooperation
with GPA partners, and cases of corruption, which all came in as joint third
with 8 articles each (11.4% of the total, each).
The breaches of the GPA listed clearly show that, for the month of June, Zanu-PF were pushing to re-establish a reign of terror throughout the country. Although Zanu-PF blindly deny it, the clear and direct assault on their two political partners in the GPA - MDC-T and MDC-M - is being daily chronicled by both the local and international media. Whilst the pleas of the majority of the Zimbabwean people go unheard, the silence from the majority of African states on the situation in Zimbabwe continues to shame the continent.
In June, Zanu-PF scaled up the use of their control of the Police force and Judiciary to arrest, detain and harass members of any "opposition" political party on trivial or trumped-up charges, forcing the victims to waste valuable time, effort and money defending themselves in court. One of the most illogical events noted this month was the arrest of MDC-T MP for Marondera Central, Ian Kay, for allegedly "distributing expired and unregistered medicines" that had "not been registered by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe", to clinics in his constituency. The medicines - mainly dietary supplements, vitamin pills and aspirin - were donated to relieve the dire lack of resources that the medical facilities in Kay's constituency face.
Interestingly enough, Zanu-PF turned on one of their own this month, which has shaken the party's ranks. Zanu-PF official and businessman Temba Mliswa was arrested after calling police commissioner Chihuri "the most corrupt police officer in Zimbabwe". Mliswa and Chihuri clashed over a company in which Mliswa said he bought 51 percent of the company from Hammerskjold Banda. Banda was in partnership with a Paul Westwood - a business partner of Chihuri - who held the remaining 49 percent. Westwood claims Mliswa fraudulently acquired the shares from Banda and made a police report, leading to Mliswa's arrest.
However, the case of legal harassment that made the biggest news in June was the arrest of diamond rights activist Farai Maguwu - director of Centre for Research and Development in Mutare. He allegedly "made or published falsehoods" relating to the diamond mining operations in Marange. Despite a month having passed, charges against Maguwu are still unclear. Maguwu has been refused bail several times, and State prosecutors on 30th June were seeking to have him detained for another two weeks while police "carry out investigations".
The second-biggest news story of the month detailed a long list of cases in which Zanu-PF launched their countrywide campaign to derail the outreach phase of the constitution-making process. While the Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (COPAC) was deploying outreach teams across the country, the army had already set up bases - up to a week previously - for its soldiers at some rural district offices. It was reported that soldiers camped at Masasa business centre in Buhera central and Mutiusinazita in Buhera south had been force-marching villagers to Zanu-PF meetings for indoctrination and to instruct villagers what to do and say during the outreach programme.
In reply to the attempts to derail the outreach program, MDC-T's deputy organizing secretary, Morgan Komichi, claimed CIO operatives were speaking on behalf of Zanu-PF during the exercise. Komichi said that Zanu-PF were making it impossible for ordinary Zimbabweans to participate freely in the outreach by issuing threats and intimidating MDC supporters. 'If they had support, as they claim, why don't they let the people speak for themselves?' Komichi added.
Sadly, Zanu-PF's culture of violence took its toll again, marked by a violent clash between MDC-T and youths of the newly-formed MDC99, in the city of Gweru, each accusing the other of selling out. MDC-T's Youth Assembly Organising Secretary for Chiwundura District was badly injured. The incident happened at a bar in Mkoba Village, after the MDC-99 held its national executive meeting in Gweru. Three MDC-99 members were involved in a dispute with youths from their former party while drinking beer at the bar, which degenerated into a brawl with pool sticks, a knife and bar stools.
Meanwhile elsewhere, Zanu-PF's vindictiveness has blocked the building of a badly-needed clinic in Chegutu East. A former Zimbabwe student leader and Namibian businessman, Charlton Hwende, offered to fund the clinic's construction, but Webster Shamu, local Zanu-PF MP for Chegutu East, has ordered the District Administrator not to release the paperwork that is required before building can begin - because Hwende is a member of the MDC.
Not to be outdone, Police commissioner Augustine Chihuri has demonstrated innovative corruption in the use of idle State assets. He has been using the Police force's anti-riot trucks to ferry water to his house in Borrowdale. Neighbours said the trucks supply water to Chihuri's house every day. The water is also used for watering the garden - in a city where many residents go without running water for weeks at a time.
On the regional scene, Zanu-PF displayed their continued contempt for co-operation with their GPA partners and the regional SADC Tribunal. The Zimbabwean government boycotted a hearing in the SADC court at which a group of white farmers were seeking suspension of Harare from the regional organization for ignoring a 2008 ruling by the SADC court. The tribunal found the seizures of white-owned commercial farms discriminatory and illegal. Despite Harare's failure to send a representative, the tribunal heard arguments from several farmers organisations, as well as farmers. The tribunal was asked to propose a special SADC summit to look at ongoing seizures of white-owned farms in Zimbabwe.
Turning to Zanu-PF's well-known tendency to subvert matters legal, the arrest of Farai Maguwu, director of the Center for Research and Development (CRD) has clarified that the Joint Operations Command (JOC) continues to function. Maguwu is alleged to have leaked a document compiled by police for the JOC titled "Brief for Sub-National JOC by Assistant Commissioner Mawere N. on Operation Hakudzokwi Phase V11 on 07/05/201." Under the GPA, the JOC should have been disbanded and replaced by the National Security Council.
This month's footnote serves to again highlight how Zanu-PF's refusal to apply internationally accepted human rights standards are affecting minority groups. It appears that Zimbabwean HIV&AIDS researchers are afraid of including homosexual and drug injection communities in the national HIV&AIDS priority research document they are working on, because of the criminalization of the activities associated the latter communities by the country's government. These two areas among other minority groups are key drivers of HIV&AIDS. Zimbabwe AIDS Network National Director Lindiwe Chaza-Jangira said there was need for the nation to prioritize them and have national campaign programs targeted at them.
A summary of breaches mentioned in this mailing appear below. Further information, with links to original sources for all cases logged, are available online. Please visit www.sokwanele.com/zigwatch for counts and tallies of ongoing breaches of the Global Political Agreement.
MDC Marondera Central MP Ian Kay arrested
SW Radio Africa (ZW): 04/06/2010
MDC-T MP Marondera Central, Ian Kay, was arrested for allegedly 'distributing expired and unregistered medicines' to three clinics in his constituency that had not been registered by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe. Police say Kay went around his constituency donating medicines, mainly dietary supplements, vitamin pills and aspirin. Kay denied committing any criminal offence. The medicines in question were a donation from the church of Later Day Saints which was distributing medicines as part of their humanitarian programmes, because of the dire lack of resources that the medical facilities in Kay's constituency face.
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE XI : RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS
- ARTICLE XIII : STATE ORGANS AND INSTITUTIONS
Mliswa Arrested After Calling Chihuri Corrupt
RadioVOP:
29/06/2010
Zanu-PF official and businessman Temba Mliswa has been
arrested for an undisclosed offence after calling police commissioner Chihuri
the most corrupt police officer in Zimbabwe. Mliswa and Chihuri clashed over a
vehicle repairs company which Mliswa said he bought majority 51 percent of the
company from Hammerskjold Banda. Banda was in partnership with a Paul Westwood
who had remained with 49 percent. Westwood claimed that Mliswa fraudulently
acquired the shares from Banda and made a police report leading to Mliswa's
arrest. Westwood and Chihuri are business partners . Mliswa said Chihuri was
conniving with Westwood to have him arrested and possibly tortured. Mliswa is
expected to appear in court Wednesday after completion of investigations.
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE XI : RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS
State prosecutors seek extension of Farai Maguwu detention
SW
Radio Africa (ZW): 30/06/2010
State prosecutors on Wednesday sought
to have diamond rights activist Farai Maguwu detained for another two weeks.
Maguwu has now spent nearly four weeks in custody while police claim to be
carrying out investigations. Prosecutors on Wednesday claimed that the
investigating officer in the case, Detective Inspector Dowa, had evidence to
support their application. The court will now wait to hear Dowa's testimony on
Thursday morning before ruling on the matter. Maguwu's defence team objected to
the application, pointing out that prosecutors had submitted in writing that
police investigations would be complete by the 22nd June, but now they were
seeking a 'blind remand' without good reason.
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE III : RESTORATION OF ECONOMIC STABILITY AND GROWTH
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE XI : RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS
- ARTICLE XIII : STATE ORGANS AND INSTITUTIONS
Outreach program begins as soldiers set up bases in rural areas
SW
Radio Africa (ZW): 21/06/2010
The Constitutional Parliamentary
Committee (COPAC) was on Monday overseeing the deployment of outreach teams to
the country's 10 provinces. But while COPAC was busy deploying teams, the army
has already set up bases, up to a week ago, for its soldiers at some rural
district offices. It is reported that soldiers camped at Masasa business centre
in Buhera central and Mutiusinazita in Buhera south have been force-marching
villagers to ZANU PF meetings for indoctrination. A top MDC official said the
armed soldiers were deployed with specific orders to instruct villagers what to
do and say during the outreach programme.
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE VI : CONSTITUTION
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE VIII : RESPECT FOR NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND EVENTS
- ARTICLE XI : RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS
- ARTICLE XIII : STATE ORGANS AND INSTITUTIONS
CIO 'speaking' on behalf of ZANU PF at constitution meetings
SW
Radio Africa (ZW): 30/06/2010
The MDC-T's deputy organizing
secretary, Morgan Komichi, on Wednesday claimed CIO operatives were now speaking
on behalf of ZANU PF during the constitutional outreach program. 'It is clear ..
that they don't have people to articulate their views on the new constitution.
.. the CIO's are now their voices during consultative meetings,' Komichi said.
Komichi reiterated that ZANU PF is once again hiring it's 'thugs and
killers'from the 2008 presidential run-off to do their dirty work. He said these
people were making it impossible for ordinary Zimbabweans to participate freely
in the outreach, by issuing threats and intimidating MDC supporters. 'If they
had support, as they claim, why don't they let the people speak for
themselves?,' Komichi added.
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE VI : CONSTITUTION
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE VIII : RESPECT FOR NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND EVENTS
- ARTICLE XI : RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS
- ARTICLE XIII : STATE ORGANS AND INSTITUTIONS
- ARTICLE XVIII : SECURITY OF PERSONS AND PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE
Sellout accusations cause violence in MDC-T and MDC99
youths
ZimDiaspora: 21/06/2010
There was a violent clash between
MDC-T and MDC99 youths in the city of Gweru at the weekend, each accusing the
other of selling out. MDC-T's Youth Assembly Organising Secretary for Chiwundura
District was badly injured. The incident happened at a bar in Mkoba Village, a
few hours after the MDC-99 held its national executive meeting at a Gweru hotel.
Three MDC-99 members were involved in a dispute with fellow youths from their
former party while drinking beer at the bar, which degenerated into a
brawl
with pool sticks, a knife and bar stools.
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE X : FREE POLITICAL ACTIVITY
- ARTICLE XI : RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS
- ARTICLE XVIII : SECURITY OF PERSONS AND PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE
Minister Shamu blocks building of clinic in Chegutu East
SW Radio
Africa (ZW): 08/06/2010
A former Zimbabwe student leader, and
successful Namibian businessman, Charlton Hwende, is being blocked from building
a clinic in Chegutu East by Information Minister Webster Shamu. Building plans
for the clinic have been sitting in government offices for over 29 years. Hwende
offered to fund the clinic's construction, but Shamu, local ZANU PF MP for
Chegutu East, is resisting. Shamu ordered the District Administrator not to
release the paperwork required before building can begin. Shamu remains
determined to politicize the issue because Hwende is a member of the MDC.
- ARTICLE III : RESTORATION OF ECONOMIC STABILITY AND GROWTH
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE X : FREE POLITICAL ACTIVITY
- ARTICLE XI : RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS
- ARTICLE XIII : STATE ORGANS AND INSTITUTIONS
Chihuri abuses Police vehicles
ZimEye:
15/06/2010
Zimbabwe's Police commissioner Augustine Chihuri is using
the force's anti-riot trucks to ferry water to his garden in Borrowdale. Two of
the trucks were seen Friday supplying water to Chihuri's residence. Neighbours
said the trucks, originally used with water cannons against anti-government
demonstrators, currently supply water to Chihuri's house every day. "Obviously,
this is too much water to be used for household purposes alone," said an
observer in the area. A source at Chihuri's house confirmed that the water was
needed for watering the garden.
- ARTICLE III : RESTORATION OF ECONOMIC STABILITY AND GROWTH
- ARTICLE XI : RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS
Zimbabwean Government Boycotts Regional Tribunal Hearing on Farm
Seizures
VOANews (USA): 01/06/2010
The Zimbabwean government
boycotted a hearing in the SADC at which a group of white farmers lodged an
application seeking suspension of Harare from the regional organization for
ignoring a 2008 ruling by the SADC court. The tribunal found the seizures of
white-owned commercial farms discriminatory and illegal. Despite the Harare
government's failure to send a representative, the SADC tribunal heard arguments
from the Commercial Farmers Union, the Southern African Commercial Farmers
Alliance and several farmers. The tribunal was asked to propose a special SADC
summit to look at ongoing seizures of white-owned farms in Zimbabwe. The
tribunal reserved judgment in the case.
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE V: LAND QUESTION
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE XI : RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS
- ARTICLE XIII : STATE ORGANS AND INSTITUTIONS
- ARTICLE XVII : LEGISLATIVE AGENDA PRIORITIES
'Disbanded' Joint Operations Command still operational
SW Radio
Africa (ZW): 03/06/2010
Farai Maguwu, director of the Centre for
Research and Development (CRD) is said to be being victimised for leaking a
document compiled by the police for the Joint Operations Command (JOC). It is
titled "Brief for Sub-National JOC by Assistant Commissioner Mawere N. on
Operation Hakudzokwi Phase V11 on 07/05/201." The document raises serious
questions over the security sector reform under the GPA as, under the GPA, JOC
was supposed to have been disbanded and replaced by the National Security
Council. The document reveals that JOC is still very much operational.
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE XI : RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS
- ARTICLE XIII : STATE ORGANS AND INSTITUTIONS
- ARTICLE XXII : IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISMS
Zimbabwe Homosexuals excluded from HIV-AIDS resource
ZimEye:
28/06/2010
Zimbabwean HIV&AIDS researchers are afraid of
including homosexual and drug injection communities in the national HIV&AIDS
priority research document they are working on because of the criminalization of
these areas by the country's government. These two areas among other minority
groups are key drivers of HIV&AIDS and researchers said they was need for
the nation to prioritize them and have national campaign programs targeted at
them. Zimbabwe AIDS Network National Director Lindiwe Chaza-Jangira said the gay
and lesbians as well as the drug injectors should not be ignored in the
research. She said it was disturbing to note that researchers have not
highlighted these groups as key priority areas in their research because of the
criminalization of the activities associated with gays, lesbians and drug
injecting communities.
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE XI : RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS
- ARTICLE XVI : HUMANITARIAN AND FOOD ASSISTANCE