Mugabe’s double standards on Mujuru death

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
17 August 2011

Robert Mugabe has stirred a hornet’s nest over the death of retired army
general Solomon Mujuru by saying: “I have never seen a person die in such a
horrific manner, we are all shocked.” Mugabe was addressing mourners,
including Vice President Joice Mujuru, who were gathered at the One Commando
barracks where Mujuru’s charred remains were taken.

The comments immediately drew criticism from the families of opposition
activists who were brutally murdered in similar, if not more brutal fashion,
by state security agents working for the regime. Victims of the Gukurahundi
Massacres and MDC-T activists like Tonderai Ndira, Abigail Chiroto, Tichaona
Chiminya, Talent Mabika and others all died truly horrible deaths at the
hands of Mugabe’s henchmen.

If Mugabe’s memory is to be blamed for the remarks we would like to remind
him of some incidents, like the death in 2008 of Abigail Chiroto, the wife
of the MDC-T Deputy Mayor for Harare Emmanuel Chiroto. On the 16th June 2008
a ZANU PF mob descended on the Chiroto house in Hatcliffe. On seeing Chiroto
was not there they destroyed the house using a petrol bomb. The mob then
abducted his 26 year old wife Abigail and their four-year-old son Ashley.

Fortunately for Ashley the mob decided to dump him outside a police station
but his mother was not as lucky as they took her to a nearby farm. Two days
later on the 18th June Abigail was found brutally murdered. She was
discovered with a gunshot wound to the head and a deep cut on her stomach. A
post-mortem report showed she had been savagely assaulted and her limbs
broken. Police have made no arrests, despite one of the killers still using
a mobile phone stolen from Abigail.

In May 2008 prominent MDC-T activist Tonderai Ndira was abducted from his
home in Mabvuku by state security agents. According to his brother Barnabas
Ndira, Tonderai’s body was found by police at a farm in Goromonzi and taken
to the mortuary at Parirenyatwa. He said because the body was partially
decomposed his relatives could only identify him by his legs and a wristlet
he always wore.

He was severely beaten, including deep wounds in his back and broken
knuckles. According to Cosmas Ndira: “His jaw was shattered, his knuckles
broken, a bullet hole below his heart, many, many stab wounds and a large
hole at the back of his head which seemed to have been caused by a hammer.”

In the run up to parliamentary elections in 2000 Tichaona Chiminya and
fellow activist Talent Mabika, who worked as campaign aides to Morgan
Tsvangirai, were brutally murdered when state security agent Joseph Mwale
and Kainos ‘Kitsiyatota’ Zimunya petrol bombed their election campaign
vehicle during an ambush in Buhera.

Sanderson Makombe who survived the ambush told SW Radio Africa he escaped
into the bush and watched as Zimunya and Mwale threw petrol into the car and
set it alight. Vastly outnumbered and faced with thugs armed with AK-47
rifles he watched powerlessly as his colleagues Mabika and Chiminya got out
of the car and ran ‘across the fields burning like balls of flames.’

During the Gukurahundi Massacres in the Matabeleland and Midlands provinces
over 20,000 people were slaughtered by the notorious Fifth Brigade army
unit. During the period, which Mugabe admitted was a ‘moment of madness’,
pregnant women were bayoneted in the stomach with AK47 rifles. Most victims
were forced to dig their own graves before being shot in public executions.

It’s thought the largest number killed in one incident was on the banks of
the Cewale River in Lupane when, in March 1983 62 young men and women were
shot at, resulting in 55 deaths and serious injury to 7. Another often used
tactic by the Fifth Brigade was to burn large groups of people after locking
them in their huts.

Mugabe talking about how ‘horrific’ the manner of Mujuru’s death is, when
his own troops have done worse to thousands of opposition supporters has
left a sour taste in the mouths of many.

Mujuru death raises more questions than answers

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
17 August 2011

The death of retired army General Solomon Mujuru in a farm house fire on
Tuesday has raised more questions than answers. SW Radio Africa
correspondent Simon Muchemwa visited the farm in Beatrice and after several
interviews with farm workers and other witnesses said a lot of questions
were begging for answers.

The role of the fire brigade in responding to the fire has been questioned.
Farm workers say the fire broke out around 1am in the morning but the fire
brigade only arrived around 6am. As the state media itself pointed out, the
fire brigade did not even have water and had to fetch it from surrounding
areas several kilometers away.

Muchemwa told SW Radio Africa the farm was also guarded by two policemen
whose post was only about 50 metres away from where Mujuru died, and it’s
being questioned how and why they failed to react to the fire. The fire
would have also burned noisily and would have easily been heard.

Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena on Tuesday said: "So far, initial
investigations reveal that the fire could have been caused by a candle lit
by a domestic servant when lights went out. That position is not conclusive
as we are still carrying out more investigations.”

But a farmer worker who spoke to SW Radio Africa on Tuesday said when Mujuru
came back to the farm the electricity had come back on, suggesting there
would have been no need for the use of candles at that time. It’s also not
clear why candles would be needed, given the farm had a generator according,
to the farm worker.

Our correspondent spoke to an army colonel at the site who expressed concern
that Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son was one of the earliest
people to be spreading the news about Mujuru’s demise. Mujuru and Mnangagwa
head rival ZANU PF factions battling to succeed Mugabe, so the conclusions
to be drawn are also fuelling intense speculation.

Many people interviewed by SW Radio Africa are struggling to understand why
a retired general with military training could fail to escape from a house
on fire which had windows just a metre above the ground. The spot where
Mujuru’s body was found was also very near the door and there is no
suggestion this door was locked. Additionally even the large windows do not
have burglar bars.

Another journalist who spoke to SW Radio Africa said: “He can’t be burnt to
that level without attempting to run away. Are they saying no-one heard his
cries. He was alone in an 18-roomed house? This is fishy, why are people
saying they found him dead, how can a fire break out for that long in a
compound only to find a person dead, he could have been calling for help if
he was at all trapped?”

Meanwhile our correspondent Simon Muchemwa also told us the radio
communications at the farm were not working. “When we got there they were
actually fixing the radio on the day.” The borehole at the farm was also not
working and this made putting out the fire an even harder task as there was
no water nearby.

Questions over Mujuru death

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

By Taurai Mangudhla
Wednesday, 17 August 2011 11:28

HARARE - Mystery shrouds circumstances that led to the death of retired army
general and national hero Solomon Mujuru (62), husband to Vice President,
Joice in an inferno at his Beatrice farm yesterday.

Mujuru, one of the most respected war veterans in the country, helped
President Robert Mugabe’s rise to power in the 70s after some liberation
fighters questioned the 87-year-old leaders’ credentials.

He stood by Mugabe despite fierce resistance.

This is when Mujuru earned the nickname, “Kingmaker” and it is the reason
why Mugabe still feels indebted to the late former army general.

Mujuru died yesterday at his Beatrice farm when the house he was sleeping in
went ablaze but it was not clear what caused the fire with conflicting
statements coming from farm workers, politicians and the police.

Added to the mystery is the fact that Mujuru’s bedroom is 50 metres away
from where police guarding the premises were stationed.

Some workers interviewed by the Daily News at the farm said the fire was
started by a candle, others said it was an electrical fault while others
claimed it was deliberately started by Mujuru’s enemies although they did
not provide evidence.

Given the bitter succession battle which is escalating in Zanu PF, most
Zimbabweans yesterday questioned how the former army commander could have
perished in a fire.

A visit to the Mujuru farm by the Daily News yesterday points to the fact
that Mujuru could have been trapped in the house when it caught fire.

The remains of the late Zanu PF politburo member were found near the door of
the family’s home, a sign that he
was trying to escape from the inferno. This was confirmed by farm workers at
the scene.

“When we got to the scene, most of the fire was around the bedroom area
where he was sleeping,” said a worker who requested not to be named.

There were rumours that gunshots were heard before the inferno but this was
quickly shot down by the workers saying it could have been windows and the
roof exploding.

Normally, when asbestos is exposed to extensive heat, it produces sounds,
which in this particular case, could have been mistaken for the gunshots.

Mujuru’s farm clerk, Steven Arineyo told the Daily News that workers noticed
the fire — which eventually wrecked most of the roof — around 1am yesterday.

The workers finally managed to gain entry into the house two hours later.

“I noticed that the house had caught fire and we started fetching water to
put it out from a stream about two-and-a-half kilometres away.

“It was difficult to stop the huge fire without fire fighting equipment,”
said the farm worker.

"We managed to get to him at about 3am but it was too late as he had already
died. He was burnt beyond recognition and was glued to the floor that
workers had to use shovels to remove his charred remains."

What further creates more questions is how Mujuru, known to have taken part
in the vicious liberation war, failed to help himself out of the house at
the particular moment when it caught fire.

A man who was with Mujuru a few hours before he died claimed the former army
general had taken three beers at a local motel before deciding to go and
rest at around 7pm.

“I was with the general myself and he only took three or so beers before he
retired to bed. He told me that he was set to travel for some business in
Polokwane the following morning (Tuesday),” said one source.

Other stories revealed that Mujuru had to get spare keys from his housemaid
who resides at the farm’s compound as he had forgotten his set of keys in
Harare.

Farm workers confirmed that Mujuru arrived at his farmhouse alone.

In a condolence message, President Robert Mugabe said Mujuru’s death had
left a void in the country.

“I learnt with a deep sense of shock and sorrow of the death of General
Solomon Mujuru Tapfumaneyi in a fire mishap at his Beatrice farm early this
morning (yesterday).”

“This horrific tragedy, the full details of which are still coming, has
robbed the nation of a veteran commander of our war of national liberation.”

“As we grieve his tragic departure, we recall and celebrate the exceptional
leadership he showed in the run-up to our independence, most markedly in
1979 as we drifted into the uncertainties of Ceasefire and subsequent tense
General Elections of 1980."

Above all, we recall with the admiration how he successfully steered the
delicate Integration Exercise which brought together the three warring
armies of the Patriotic Front on the one hand, and the remnant Rhodesian
Army on the other, moulding both into one solid and disciplined national
defence force which he commanded until his
retirement in 1992.

“Today, Zimbabwe boasts a professional defence force traceable to his
pioneering command,” said Mugabe.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said Mujuru was an undisputed national hero
who would be remembered for his sterling role in the liberation struggle and
his outstanding and distinguished service in the country’s military.

“It is indeed tragic that we have lost a patriot who served his country with
honour and distinction. The painful national story of our liberation cannot
be told without mentioning the name Rex Nhongo, a true and gallant son of
the soil,” he said.

Meanwhile, investigations into the cause of the fire and Mujuru’s death are
underway. Police forensic unit personnel at the scene told journalists that
results of the inquiry would be made public in due course.

Mujuru death exposes rot

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

By Bridget Mananavire, Staff Writer
Wednesday, 17 August 2011 18:04

HARARE - Retired army General Solomon Mujuru’s death in an inferno yesterday
morning exposes how service delivery has virtually collapsed, 31 years into
the independence the late national hero fought for.

There were reports yesterday that there was no electricity at the farm and
even more shocking, were revelations that the Fire Brigade, as has become
the norm around the country, arrived at the scene without water.

Steven Arineyo, a worker at the farm told the Daily News yesterday that it
took four hours for the Fire Brigade team to get to Mujuru’s Beatrice farm
house, which is about 60km from Harare.

“The Fire Brigade was informed of the fire at around 1am and only got here
around 5am. We had to get water to put out the fire from a stream more than
two kilometres away,” Arineyo said.

“We carried the water using bowsers (tanks) and pulled them with tractors
and only managed to put out the fire around the area where General Mujuru’s
body was at around 3am. But that time he had already been burnt beyond
recognition,” he said.

With reports that cabinet ministers recently splashed close to $20 million
on luxurious vehicles, while the Fire Brigade is running around without
enough equipment, it shows how mismanagement of the economy has left the
country run down.

Two months ago, Harare Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda said the city was at risk of
major disasters as they were not adequately equipped to attend to major fire
outbreaks.

“I want to be frank, the City of Harare’s fire department is facing imminent
collapse. The only working fire tenders are four, of which these have their
own problems. Honestly, we do not have the capacity to deal with any serious
fires,” said Masunda.

Mujuru’s death is one of many that are occurring around Zimbabwe due to a
collapse in service delivery while ministers spend millions on luxury cars.

Mujuru faction regroups

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/

17/08/2011 18:39:00    FAITH ZABA

The Zanu PF faction, led by the late retired army commander General Solomon
Mujuru, said yesterday they will regroup immediately after his burial to
restrategise.

In separate interviews at Mujuru’s Chisipite home, members of his faction
said they had been robbed of a pillar and an anchor.

Mujuru died in a fire early on Tuesday at his Alamein Farm in Beatrice,
south of Harare. He was burnt beyond recognition and what remained of his
body was put in a plastic bag and taken to 1 Commando barracks.

They said they were planning to meet soon after the burial, which is set for
Saturday, to pave the way forward.

“We want to bury General Mujuru first and then meet as a group soon after
his burial to restrategise and decide how we move forward after this tragic
death,” said one key member of the faction, who was very close to Mujuru.

“We will fight our wars after he is buried. There are too many questions
that need to be answered. We will deal with that after the funeral. At the
moment we just want to mourn him and lay him to rest,” said a member.

Another member of the faction pointed out that it was going to be difficult
for their camp to find someone tough and strong enough to replace Mujuru.

“This is very difficult for us and we have been dealt a heavy blow. It is
going to be very difficult for us to replace him. There is no one in our
camp tough enough and courageous enough to fit into his shoes,” he said.

“We admit that we will not be able to replace him, but we will regroup and
restrategise the best way forward and make sure that we remain strong as a
faction.”

Mujuru’s faction was robbed of a pillar, rallying figure and key strategist
in the succession battle.

Mujuru, who headed the military for more than a decade after independence,
was behind his wife’s (Joice) ascendency to the Vice-Presidency.

Vice-President Mujuru had counted on her husband’s support to help her rise
to the helm of the party after President Robert Mugabe leaves
office. -NewsDay

Mujuru Declared National Hero, Burial Saturday

http://www.radiovop.com

Harare, August 17, 2011 - Retired army General, Solomon Mujuru who died in a
mysterious fire at his Beatrice farm on Monday night has been declared a
national hero by Zanu PF politburo as police investigates continue to find
out what happened to the former commander of Zimbabwe's liberation struggle.

"The politburo met today and unanimously declared that Comrade Solomon
Mujuru a national hero. He will be buried on Saturday," Zanu PF spokesperson
Rugare Gumbo said on Wednesday.

Mujuru, who was husband to Vice President Joice Mujuru was burnt beyond
recognition and police have launched a probe to find out out what happened
to one of the commanders of Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army
(ZANLA) during the 1970's war of liberation. He died aged 62.

No statement has been issued on the circumstances that led to his death.

Mujuru served as commander in the Zimbabwe National Army from 1980 and was
promoted to a full General in 1992, the year he later retired. He was Member
of Parliament for Chikomba from 1994 to the year 2000.

In a shocking move President Robert Mugabe appointed Vice President Joice
Mujuru the acting President at a time when she is mourning her husband. The
other Vice President, John Nkomo is reportedly ill.

Mugabe went to the annual Sadc summit in Luanda, Angola on Tuesday.

Joice Mujuru Acting President Despite Mourning Husband

http://www.radiovop.com

HARARE – August 17, 2011 - In a shocking move that confirmed the ill health
of Zimbabwean Vice President John Landa Nkomo, President Robert Mugabe
announced Joice Mujuru would be acting president, when he is away in Angola
for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit a few hours
after the death of her husband Solomon.

Vice President Nkomo was last month reportedly admitted to a South African
hospital with a “life threatening” cancer-related illness. The reports
alleged that Nkomo was "weak and unable to walk unaided" when he was
admitted at the unnamed private clinic.

Nkomo, 76, has not appeared in public over the past two weeks following the
reports that he had collapsed at his home in Harare before being airlifted
to South Africa.

Efforts to get a comment from the Nkomo family proved fruitless as the
landline to the Nkomo residents in Harare’s Milton Park was not being
answered.

Vice President Mujuru appeared on ZBC TV looking very distraught and
traumatised by the death of her husband in a fire accident at their farm
house in Beatrice, early Tuesday morning.

The Police’s forensics team was investigating the cause of the fire which
engulfed the entire house and burnt the former army general's body beyond
recognition.

The body has since been taken to one commando barracks for more pathological
tests to ascertain the real cause of death.

Sadc summit opens, Zim’s political impasse tops agenda

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Tonderai Kwenda in Angola
Wednesday, 17 August 2011 17:13

HARARE - The 31st edition of the Sadc summit kicks off today with reports of
last-minute attempts by regional leaders to bring the Zimbabwe political
feud to an end ahead of the meeting.

Sadc appointed facilitator, Jacob Zuma, was last night reported to have met
Zambian Vice President, George Konda who is representing President Rupiah
Banda, the outgoing chairperson of the Sadc organ troika and Mozambican
President Armando Guebuza, to try and solve the Zimbabwean crisis before the
summit.

The last meeting of Troika took place in April, in Livingstone, Zambia.

The Troika leaders met yesterday evening to discuss the Zimbabwean problem
as well as other regional hotspots such as Madagascar, Malawi and the
Democratic Republic of Congo.

Sadc executive secretary, Tomaz Salamao told the Daily News that the summit
was a review meeting of the political situation in the region.

“This is an ordinary summit and not a meeting of any specific issue. It will
discuss Zimbabwe and other issues facing the region,” said Salamao last
night."

Lindiwe Zulu, the spokesperson of the South African facilitation team told
the Daily News that: “The parties have agreed to timeliness of the electoral
road map as directed by the last Sadc summit but there are outstanding
issues and these will be dealt with by the principals,” said Zulu.

Southern African leaders open talks

http://www.iol.co.za

August 17 2011 at 06:49pm
By Joshua Howat Berger

Luanda - Southern African leaders met on Wednesday for a two-day summit in
Angola, but were largely silent on growing unrest in the region and ongoing
leadership battles in Zimbabwe and Madagascar.

The meeting of the 15-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC)
comes on the heels of recent crackdowns on anti-government protests in
Malawi and Swaziland, which join the other crises on the list of regional
leaders' headaches.

The SADC is under pressure to show its commitment to democracy in the region
at the summit in the Angolan capital, Luanda, but Wednesday's opening
ceremony made no direct references to the spreading political turmoil.

Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos said in a written welcome message
that the summit would allow regional leaders to “harmonise our positions
regarding key current affairs issues that may affect the peace and stability
necessary to ensure sustainable development and the consolidation of
democracy.”

But dos Santos, the SADC's incoming chair, did not mention what a group of
southern African civil society leaders described last week as the region's
growing list of “problem cases”.

Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba, the organisation's outgoing chair,
said “progress” had been made by SADC mediation teams trying to resolve the
protracted stand-offs in Zimbabwe and Madagascar, but did not elaborate
except to say that “all these issues were dealt with” at an SADC meeting in
June.

The SADC has been criticised for dragging its feet in the Zimbabwe and
Madagascar crises, which its mediators have so far failed to definitively
resolve.

In Zimbabwe, long-time President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai are deadlocked over when to hold new elections.

The two leaders share power in a tense “unity government” formed to halt the
country's economic and political tailspin after a bloody and contested
presidential election in 2008.

Mugabe insists new polls go ahead this year, with or without the new
constitution agreed to in the power-sharing deal. Tsvangirai wants reforms
to be implemented first.

Regional mediators also have yet to find a solution to the impasse in
Madagascar, which was suspended from the SADC in March 2009 after elected
president Marc Ravalomanana was ousted by Andry Rajoelina, then mayor of the
capital Antananarivo.

There was no chair for the Indian Ocean island nation at the summit's
opening ceremony.

Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika was also notably absent from the
summit.

His country was shaken last month when 19 people were killed as security
forces used live ammunition to put down demonstrations against Mutharika,
whom protesters accused of becoming increasingly autocratic amid an economic
downward spiral.

After the deadly unrest, the SADC sent an observer mission to the country
that is expected to report back to the summit.

Malawian police tightened security in main cities Wednesday in case of more
protests, even though organisers had a day earlier postponed nationwide
vigils.

Swaziland's King Mswati III, Africa's last absolute monarch, also faces
growing anti-government sentiment. The tiny kingdom erupted in protest in
April over proposals to slash government workers' salaries amid a financial
crisis that has seen Mbabane beg South Africa for money. - Sapa-AFP

Zuma remains facilitator as Troika notes Zim progress

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tererai Karimakwenda
17 August, 2011

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has remained the chief mediator on the
Zimbabwe crisis after assuming his new role of chairing the Organ on
Security (the Troika), at the SADC summit in Luanda on Tuesday.

The news was announced by SADC’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Tomaz Salomao, who
briefed reporters after a meeting of the Troika on Tuesday evening. He said
the Troika also noted progress in Zimbabwe’s negotiations and continuing
disagreements over the elections roadmap and the GPA.

The facilitator reports to the Troika on Zimbabwe’s progress and ZANU PF had
used the state run Herald newspaper last week to campaign for Zuma’s removal
due to a “conflict of interest”. But Dr. Salomao said no formal objections
had been raised by any party during the Troika meeting.

Salomao also told reporters that the Troika had noted “progress” by Zimbabwe’s
political parties, saying they were close to agreement on dates for a
referendum on the Constitution and dates for elections.

But Zim civic groups, lobbying for democracy, said they feared that
elections may be held before critical reforms are made.

A statement from the Crisis Coalition said: “We fear that SADC could support
a premature discussion of election dates in the absence of critical reforms
that guarantee prevention of violence, independent electoral management
institutions and the holding of free and fair elections with the result that
Zimbabwe will go into another sham election whose outcome SADC may endorse.”

Meanwhile Robert Mugabe is reported to have arrived in Luanda late Tuesday.
Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa and
other senior ZANU-PF officials are part of the delegation.
Prime Minister Tsvangirai reportedly met with Angolan President Dos Santos
over dinner to brief him on the ongoing negotiations for an elections
roadmap. It has emerged that Tsvangirai was officially invited to the summit
through the Executive Secretary’s office. Earlier Zimbabwe state media
reports had suggested the Prime Minister was not formally invited.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions issued a strongly worded
statement criticizing President Dos Santos for allowing the detention and
deportation of civic society officials who had come to Luanda last week. A
group of 17 activists were deported upon arrival at the airport without
explanation. Two Mozambican journalists were also deported.

Then this week a delegation of Zimbabwean activists were detained for hours
and hundreds of copies of lobbying material on the Zimbabwean crisis were
seized by Angolan authorities.

“This is unacceptable, particularly coming from someone assigned with the
responsibility of providing leadership to the whole region at a time when
the challenge of democracy, human rights and economic justice are daunting
throughout the region,” Cosatu said in a statement Wednesday.

The union said the incidents also bring into question “Angola’s own record
of freedom of political activity, free flow of information and right to
expression”.

Zimbabwe Parties Disagree Over Security Reforms As SADC Meets In Angola

http://www.voanews.com

16 August 2011

The MDC formation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says a democratic
transition cannot be achieved through free and fair elections if the
military, the police and other security services continue to meddle in the
process

Violet Gonda | Washington

In recent months the issue of security sector reform has moved to the center
of talks within Zimbabwe's chronically troubled power sharing government.

The Movement for Democratic Change formation of Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai says a democratic transition cannot be achieved through free and
fair elections if the military, the police and other security services
continue to meddle in the process.

The phrase security sector reform has become highly politically charged,
however, with ZANU-PF officials bristling over the perceived slight to the
liberation heritage and, where regional mediation is concerned, the
perceived violation of national sovereignty.

Zimbabwe’s constitution says the army, police and Central Intelligence
Organization, must be non-partisan with allegiance to no single party but to
the nation as a whole.

Since Zimbabwe's national unity government was formed in February 2009, both
formations of the MDC have hoped for more accountability on the part of the
military, but to little avail. So the two former opposition parties are
pressing now for reforms.

Civil society also says such reform is essential before the next elections
are held.

Various service chiefs and senior officers have made what some see as
unconstitutional - even treasonous - statements regarding Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai and the outcome of eventual national elections. Yet
President Robert Mugabe and Defense Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa say Zimbabwe’s
military is above reproach.

Thus security sector reform is a key point of dispute in drawing up the
election road map that South African President Jacob Zuma as mediator in
Harare is expected to present to SADC this week. But it is not entirely
clear what proponents of reform really want.

Jameson Timba, a minister of state in the prime minister’s office, says
reform has more to do with the attitudes of senior military branch
commanders than with the law.

MDC formation leader Welshman Ncube says the security sector is an armed
wing of ZANU-PF, and this cannot continue. He says Zimbabwe’s laws on the
military are like those of other nations, but politicians have abused the
defense forces.

Retired Major Cairo Mhandu, ZANU-PF lawmaker for Mazowe North and a member
of the parliamentary committee on defense, dismissed demands for reform,
saying it is unnecessary as the Defense Act and Police Act offer sufficient
safeguards. He says the MDC is pushing reform as a means to remove certain
service chiefs.

Proponents of reform say the 2008 Global Political Agreement for power
sharing states that security forces took a partisan role in the last
elections.

Martin Rupiya, executive director of the Africa Public Policy and Research
Institute, says the pact stipulated the need for reform and recommended the
passage of an Intelligence Act. But he adds that its signatories have
reinterpreted parts of the agreement.

The GPA signatories also agreed to set up the National Security Council to
oversee the national security establishment. But Ncube says that
“regrettably” the National Security Council wields little authority, while
the Joint Operations Command of senior military, police and intelligence
officials continues to function clandestinely.

The two MDC formations and other observers say the main obstacle or threat
to the unity government and to an eventual democratic transition is the
security sector elite whose terms have been unilaterally extended by
President Mugabe.

Rupiya notes that many African countries following liberation placed their
military under civilian control. Even in the Southern African region where
liberation was a relatively recent process, countries like South Africa are
now more focused on development issues and maintain small military
establishments. But Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle has been personalized and
senior military officials answer only to President Mugabe.

Executive Director Gabriel Shumba of the South African-based Zimbabwe Exiles
Forum said ZANU-PF's refusal to discuss reform can only further delay
elections, and therefore SADC, guarantor of power sharing with the African
Union, should intervene.

But ZANU-PF says SADC should not meddle in the military affairs of a member
nation.

Mhandu said the contentious issue should be referred to the parliamentary
committee on home affairs and defense. But Ncube said the president as the
commander in chief must demand that senior military officers heed the laws
regarding their conduct.

Otherwise, Ncube maintained, SADC has the right and the means to pressure
Harare on this issue. Critics say little of substance has been achieved
through SADC mediation in Zimbabwe. But Rupiya believes the regional
grouping remains fully engaged.

This week’s summit may reveal the extent to which SADC leaders are willing
to push Mr. Mugabe and ZANU-PF to reform the military to allow free and fair
elections.

Mugabe And Mutambara Should Go - Poll

http://www.radiovop.com

Gweru, August 18,2011 - Zimbabweans have called on President Robert Mugabe
and disputed leader of the smaller faction of the Movement of Democratic
Change (MDC) Arthur Mutambara to quit politics according to recent results
of the Mass Public Opinion Institute (MPOI) poll.

Presenting the MPOI findings of the research held in July in five provinces,
Principal Researcher, Stephen Ndoma, said when they asked respondents on
what they would tell political figures if given a chance to advise them,
most of the respondents said they would advise Mugabe to retire while he
still commanded respect while the common message to Mutambara was to quit
politics.

A Mashonaland Central male said:“I would tell him (Mugabe) that we
appreciate all he did for the country since 1980 but that it is unacceptable
for him to continue holding onto power. I would also ask him to follow
Mandela’s (Nelson) footsteps and retire.”

A Masvingo male said: “I would tell Mutambara to quit politics because he is
not representing anything or anyone. I would tell him that he is a parasite
and should leave politics and ask him to become a politician first before he
gets into politics.”

According to the findings, Matabeleland South described Mutambara as driven
by greed and urged him to give the legitimate MDC president elected at a
congress early this year, Welshman Ncube a chance to be deputy Prime
Minister. Mutambara was also urged by the respondents to pursue his robotics
career.

Mutambara has refused to step down as leader of the MDC party after he was
ousted by Ncube at the party’s congress earlier this year, citing
irregularities.

However some respondents said they were not aware of what Ncube stood for
either while others said they did not know him. Others said he should join
the larger faction of the MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

The research, whose purpose was to monitor the performance of the inclusive
Government, also revealed that the common messages to Tsvangirai were that
of encouragement and to develop the country.

One of the research respondents said about Tsvangirai: “If I happen to meet
him, I would tell him to be strong and keep on fighting for people’s rights.
He should not be afraid even if they continue intimidating him.”

On the Economic direction of the country, most respondents concurred that
while things had stabilised after the formation of the Unity government, the
economy was now again on a downturn agreeing that the USD the common used
currency was hard to get.

One respondent noted: “Money is very difficult to get, you can go for two
weeks without getting a mere rand (R1).”

Mass Public Opinion Institute is an Independent Research Institute in
Zimbabwe. The research was carried out in Mashonaland East, Mashonaland
Central, Masvingo, Matebeleland South and North.

Anglican priest evicted from home by Kunonga gang

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
17 August 2011

An Anglican priest and his family have been forced to flee their Mabvuku
home after they were driven out by supporters of Nolbert Kunonga.

Reverend Dzikamai Mudenda and his family were threatened by the Kunonoga
mob, which carried copies of a shock court ruling giving the renegade
Anglican Bishop control over church assets. The Supreme Court has ruled that
Kunonga, together with six other trustees, is the custodian of the Anglican
Church’s assets in Zimbabwe until the matter has been finalised in the
courts.

According to the registrar for the Anglican Diocese of Harare, Kunonga
supporters have been traveling to vestries and parishes around the country,
with copies of the Supreme Court judgement. They have also been demanding
that the church officers leave. The registrar is quoted as saying that other
priests have also been ordered to leave.

Bishop Chad Gandiya, head of the diocese, has meanwhile expressed fears that
the evictions would disrupt the work of the church and said arrangements
were being made to provide shelter for those affected.

“I now know that all our priests who were still in parish rectories have
received the stamped latest court judgment delivered by Kunongas people and
in one incident they were in the company of the police,” Gandiya is quoted
as saying in an email message to the Ecumenical News International news
service.

“They told our priests to move out. Our parishes are busy finding
alternative accommodation for them. We don’t know who he is going to put in
these houses. This is not going to be easy at all. It will disrupt their
family life and ministry,” Gandiya wrote.

The global head of the Anglican Church meanwhile is reportedly due to visit
Zimbabwe in October to deal with the situation. The Anglican Archbishop of
Canterbury, Rowan Williams, is said to be pressing to meet Mugabe over the
matter. SW Radio Africa was unable to get confirmation from Williams’ office
on Wednesday.

MDC-T councillor arrested & beaten

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
17 August 2011

An MDC-T councillor in Bulawayo has been arrested and beaten by police over
the alleged murder of an unidentified person.

Ward 29 Councillor Monica Lubimbi was arrested early Tuesday morning by
homicide officers and taken to Donnington police station. SW Radio Africa’s
correspondent Lionel Saungweme said that Lubimbi has been seriously beaten
and needs medical attention.

Lubimbi was taken to Bulawayo Central police station on Wednesday and
charged with collaborating with the murder of the unknown individual.
Saungweme reported that at least five other people have also been arrested
in connection with the death, and they are also being detained.

“Sources told me that Lubimbi was seriously assaulted with the butt of a
rifle and with a drink bottle. She had swelling on her knees and elbows and
was seen today with blood on her clothing,” Saungweme said.

Saungweme added that police have tried to cover up the fact that Lubimbi was
beaten, by forcing her to wash the blood off when they heard a lawyer had
been called. But Saungweme explained that Lubimbi could barely walk.

“A person who is thought to be responsible for bringing the councillor into
this, is a person who is alleged to have asked for financial assistance from
her council, which was denied,” Saungweme explained.

He added: “At this point it may be sour grapes that she has been caught up
in this situation.”

Lubimbi is expected to appear for a remand hearing at the Bulawayo
magistrate’s court on Friday. Her lawyer meanwhile is set to make an urgent
application at the High Court for her bail. Until then, she will be held at
Donnington police station.

Security sector reform dominates NGO Expo in Harare

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tererai Karimakwenda
17 August, 2011

The critical issue of security sector reform took centre stage at the
opening of an NGO Expo in Harare on Wednesday, as civic groups united in
calling for a roadmap to “sustainable peace” in Zimbabwe.

Organized by the National Association of Non-Governmental Organizations
(NANGO), the expo provides an annual opportunity for NGOs to showcase their
work and a platform to discuss themes that affect NANGO members.

This year the theme was “Civil Society-Uniting to Create the Road Map to
Peace”. NANGO’s deputy director, Machinda Marongwe, told SW Radio Africa
that the theme was appropriate in an environment where political and human
rights activists continue to be harassed and prosecuted.

The aim of the morning conference was to discuss issues that are hindering
peace in the country. “Security sector reform came out as the most critical
issue keeping the country from being peaceful and NANGO resolved to petition
the inclusive government to make sure that our national institutions are not
partisan,” Marongwe said.

He explained that the unity government must be guided by the Global
Political Agreement (GPA) in approaching institutional reform, as the
political parties all signed the document agreeing to specific measures.

“Socio-economic and political development cannot happen in an environment
where the public institutions are partisan. And it is not acceptable in a
democratic society,” Marongwe said.
The conference also resolved that Zimbabwe’s military must respect and
salute anyone that is voted for by the people in a credible election. This
was in response to public statements that have been made by Zimbabwe’s
military chiefs, declaring their loyalty to ZANU PF only and their refusal
to salute Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

NANGO resolved to approach regional leaders on these issues as they were the
facilitators of the GPA. In a statement, the groups said the Principals
“agreed to establish a new National Security Council which would safeguard
transparency in security policy decision making. However, this agreement
still waits for implementation.”

Over 200 NGOs are participating at the expo this year, including about 60
NANGO member organizations. Guest speakers at the morning conference
included political science Professors John Makumbe and Jane Mudzamiri from
the University of Zimbabwe and Sylvia Chirawu, National Coordinator at Women
and Law in Southern Africa.

The expo continues with a “Knowledge Fair” on Thursday and more activities
planned for Friday.

CZI blasts price increases

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

By Diana Chisvo, Business Writer
Wednesday, 17 August 2011 10:38

HARARE - The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) says the recent
prices increases by local producers are unjustifiable as they do not face
extra costs or tariffs like importers.

The industry representative body, which supported the re-introduction of
duty on imported basic commodities, said the country was now self-sufficient
in production of certain goods such as milk, cooking oil and specific
electricals.

“We recommended the re-imposition of duty on the premise that the pricing in
those sectors was viable for them and that they sufficiently surpass
capacity utilisation to the extent that they would not seek to make super
profits by selling their products at higher prices than is the norm,” said
Joseph Kanyekanye, CZI president.

Kanyekanye said it was only appropriate to reintroduce duty on certain goods
that were available in Zimbabwe to protect local industry.

However, Kanyekanye said, “There have been implementation problems in most
resolutions in Zimbabwe and in cases like these there would be need for the
appointment of a super minister whom the President would appoint.”

He said it was normal to have price increases on imported goods but local
goods had to be priced lower than imports.

“It makes sense for importers to increase their prices because they need to
recover their costs, but local producers do not have import costs or
tariffs. Local goods must be cheaper than imported goods and consumers would
not have to suffer due to high prices at retail level,” he said.

The CZI boss said while wholesalers had not increased prices, retailers
where only taking advantage of the fact that imported goods prices had gone
up.

Kanyekanye said the era when businesses had low productivity, but high
profits was gone.

He added that sectors of the industry that were not affected by the
re-imposition of duty should not increase their prices.

“I am in the timber business and the re-introduction of duty on basic
commodities does not have a direct impact on my business and my prices” he
said.

This comes after the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) raised concern over
the re-introduction of import duty.

The consumer representative body said government’s decision to restore
import duty on basic commodities was ill-timed arguing that local industry
is operating way below capacity.

CCZ executive director, Evelyn Siyachitema, said the Finance ministry should
have first evaluated local industry capacity before imposing duty.

Siyachitema said local industry still faced many challenges among them
financing and shortages of raw materials, which affected production levels.

She said the imposition of the duty will put more pressure on consumers who
are currently struggling to make ends meet.

According to the Industry and Trade ministry, local industry is currently
operating at 47 percent capacity utilisation and requires over $2 billion to
fully capitalise.

Death of MPs affects constituencies

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

More than 10 constituencies are currently without parliamentary
representation following the deaths of their MPs since the beginning of the
Government of National Unity in 2009, leaving the communities further
marginalized.
16.08.1102:14pm
by Andrew Harare

A clause in the Global Political Agreement (GPA) which sets up the
Government of National Unity (GNU), reads: “The parties hereby agree that
for a period of 12 months from the date of the signing of this agreement,
should any vacancy arise in respect of a local authority or parliamentary
seat for whatever reason, only the party holding the seat prior to the
vacancy occurring shall be entitled to nominate and field a candidate to
fill the seat subject to that party complying with the rules governing its
internal democracy”.

However, the 12 months have lapsed and MPs have either died or, like
Jonathan Moyo, joined another political party and the parties in the
inclusive government have done nothing about the vacancies.

Recently the Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai led MDC-T lost Eliphas
Mukonoweshuro MP for Gutu South, bringing the number of the party’s deceased
House of Assembly representatives to four. At the burial of Mukonoweshuro
people from his constituency said that they had been orphaned as they have
been left with no representation.

Respected election watchdog Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) said in
a statement constitution that have lost MPs face continued marginalization.

“ZESN notes with concern that the moratorium on by-elections for deceased
members of Parliament has adverse consequences for representation of the
electorate. The moratorium on by-elections has resulted in some
constituencies without representation thereby creating their
marginalization.

It is important to begin thinking of mechanisms to ensure these
constituencies are represented in Parliament and that their interests are
taken into account,” said the election watchdog.

Innocent Gonese, the MDC-T chief whip, said that the death of Mukonoweshuro
was a great loss to the party as the numbers in Parliament have been
deflated.

Zanu (PF) spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said that the issue of MPs deaths in his
party was not for him to discuss, but the principals. “Whether there
elections or not that is determined by the principals,” said Gumbo.

In 2010 June the MDC lost Mabvuku MP, Shepherd Madamombe. Cornelius Dube MP
for Entumbane passed away in August 2009 and in November 2009 the party lost
Makoni Central MP John Nyamande in a car accident.

We are neglected: Green Bombers

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Graduates from Zanu (PF)’s notorious Border Gezi national youth service here
feel the party doesn’t love them anymore.
16.08.1101:55pm
by Tony Saxon

The disgruntled members from the National Youth Service, who graduated at
Eagles National Youth Service Training Centre situated about 17km east of
Mutare, are still to get jobs.

Those interviewed by The Zimbabwean last week said they were angry at their
exclusion from developmental projects by the party in the province.

The youths also said they were promised employment at Mbada Diamonds and
Anjin Investments, the companies mining diamonds in Chiadzwa.

“We have played pivotal roles in Zanu (PF) programmes in the province over
the years. We have been campaigning and voting for the party and we used to
intimidate villagers to support Zanu (PF) thinking that in return we would
benefit,” said one irritated graduate who cannot be named for security
reasons.

“We worked hard for Zanu (PF) on the understanding that we would get jobs
that they promised us at Mbada Diamonds and Anjin investments in Chiadzwa,
but up to now nothing has materialised,” said another graduate.

They accused Manicaland’s illegal governor, Chris Mushowe, for facilitating
employment at Mbada and Anjin Investments for Zanu (PF) youths in Mutare
West and his relatives.

Some senior Zanu (PF) officials in Manicaland are also accused of using
their influential positions to facilitate employment for their girlfriends
at the mining companies.

“Sometime last year the governor (Mushowe) through the Ministry of Youth
wrote our names so that we would get employment at the mining companies in
Chiadzwa, but up to now we are still unemployed despite being used by Zanu
(PF). The party’s provincial executive also promised us to facilitate
employment - but now they are avoiding us.

“You can only see some beautiful ladies there who have not undergone youth
service training who are girlfriends of the senior party officials,”
complained the Green Bombers.

“During the last congress here in December we were excluded from the
programme but we were told that we would get powerful positions in the
National youth League. We now realise we have been used. But, we want to
warn them that there is always be tomorrow where the sun shall rise again.
There is a time when they will need us, but it would be too late,” they
said.

Zanu (PF) through the late Border Gezi introduced the National Youth Service
that was popularly known as the Border Gezi Trading, claiming the programme
would instil patriotism, discipline and appreciation of Zimbabwe culture.

The graduates were given preferential access to higher education
institutions and civil service jobs even without meeting basic educational
requirements such as Ordinary and Advanced levels.

Entrepreneurial skills were supposed to be part of the syllabus, but
military training, denouncement of the opposition and chanting Zanu (PF)
slogans took up most of the training time.

They were nicknamed the Green Bombers because of the green military attire.

It is group that became a Zanu (PF) machinery of terrorising civilians in a
crackdown against MDC supporters.

Last white farmers targeted

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Mobs loyal to President Robert Mugabe have launched a new offensive to beat
and intimidate the remaining white farmers, dashing hopes that the
government would keep its promise to restore the rule of law.
16.08.1104:28pm
by Chief Reporter

The latest officially orchestrated attacks come after a pledge by Mugabe to
end the seizure of white land. Accounts from rural areas indicate that Zanu
(PF) thugs have stepped up violence.

Mike Bishop, 44, who farms near Karoi, north-west of Harare, said his farm
was grabbed and when his workers and their wives tried to resist, they were
beaten. About 50squatters have occupied his land and closed the farm's
school.

"I am no longer sure I want to stay in Zimbabwe," said Bishop.

Squatters have prevented Bishop from working his fields and his farm is idle
at a time when 1.5 million Zimbabweans need emergency food supplies to avert
starvation.

Reports from the provinces of Mashonaland West and Central indicate that
Zanu (PF) mobs have forced thousands of workers to attend all night
‘re-education’ camps.

Roy Crawford, 58, was abducted from his farm near Banket, north-west of
Harare, on Friday and tied up with barbed wire. His offence was failing to
chant election slogans supporting Mugabe. Crawford was eventually released
after the police arrived, but his farm has been sealed off by the gang.

Mugabe has promised that violence on farms would be curbed and no more
illegal land occupations would take place.

"In my district alone, the agreement over land has been violated hundreds of
times," said a Commercial Farmers' Union representative in Chinhoyi.

Zanu (PF) interferes in food distribution

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Joshua Sacco, the Zanu (PF) Secretary For External Affairs in the youth
league has ordered NGOs operating in the area to stop distributing food aid
in the absence of Zanu (PF).
16.08.1102:43pm
by Staff Reporter

Sacco, who is eyeing the Chimanimani Central constituency in the forthcoming
elections, has told MDC-T councillors in Chimanimani Rural

District council not to engage the services of NGOs without first consulting
Zanu (PF) leadership in the area.

The Chimanimani Central constituency was previously held by MDC-T’s Roy
Bennett.

According to MDC-T councillors, Sacco, accompanied by Zanu (PF) war veterans
and youth militia, is reportedly addressing council meetings where he is
giving the directive.

A Project Manager with a local NGO operating in the area confirmed Sacco’s
interference and said they were now not able to carry out their operations.

“We are facing problems in executing our core business. We have been
victimised for working with MDC-T councillors as Zanu (PF) was claiming that
we were sidelining the party in our operations. But, we deal with
Chimanimani Rural District council in our entire

developmental project and it is not our fault that the council is dominated
by MDC-T councillors. If Zanu (PF) had more councillors in the council then
we were still going to engage them,” he said.

Another source from an NGO operating in the same area said: “It is
unfortunate that the deserving community is being forced to suffer because
of some few individuals. I think all the parties have to have some talks and
iron

out such issues. But, I don’t think there is need to stop food aid
distribution just because a certain party is not involved.”

NGOs operating in the area include Tsuro DzeChimanimani, Save the Children,
Kellogg Foundation, Christian Care and Medicins Sans Frontier (MSF). Some
said they might be forced to pull out if problems continued.

South Africa seizes children of Zimbabwe beggars

http://articles.latimes.com/

The babies are placed in state institutions for care the government says
they can't get from their homeless mothers. It's not easy for the women to
get their children back — or to live without them.
August 16, 2011|By Robyn Dixon, Los Angeles Times

The young mother crossed the surging Limpopo River, the water up to her
neck, like cruel hands trying to drag her under. Other women traveling with
her were terrified, screaming, "We're going to die!"

Ruvarashe Chibura concentrated all her strength on the little bundle she
held high in the air: her 15-month-old baby, Cynthia.

"I never cried. I had my baby over my head," she says now of that desperate
crossing from her native Zimbabwe to South Africa. "I was afraid that
Cynthia would be swept away."

But it wasn't until two years later that her little girl was swept away,
this time by police and social workers in a country she had hoped would
prove a refuge from the ordeals of her homeland.

Chibura and dozens of other unemployed illegal immigrants from crisis-ridden
Zimbabwe have seen their children placed in state institutions. Their crime:
begging at traffic lights with their babies at their sides.

For a Zimbabwean immigrant with no visa or papers, living illegally in a
shabby city-owned building, South Africa's child welfare bureaucracy has
proved as implacable as the river that nearly took her life three years ago.
Chibura's daughter was taken into state care late last year, and now she
says, despairingly, "she doesn't even remember that I'm her mother."

The government says its main concern is the best interests of the children.
And even the mothers acknowledge that sitting by the road in traffic fumes
in Johannesburg's desolate winter chill is a dismal environment for a baby.

"It's not good," says Memory Konjiwa, another young Zimbabwean mother whose
child was taken into care.

But for the women, it's a difficult and lengthy process to get their babies
back, because social workers and judges require proof that they are living
in suitable, permanent housing, the very thing that most jobless Zimbabwean
immigrants lack. They are told they will get their children back once they
find a job, a nearly impossible task in a country where unemployment is
estimated at 40%.

Simon Zwane, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Social
Development, confirms that women must have jobs and housing before they can
recover their babies, to prove they are capable of caring for them.

"We have taken babies into places of safety until parents can prove they can
look after their babies, they have fixed places of abode and they have
partners or they have found employment and they will not be on the streets
with babies," he says.

Konjiwa, 26, spends her days remembering. Her 2-year-old son, Joe, is
growing up fast without her in an institution far from the squalid building
where she lives. She too carried her child across the Limpopo River.

"I can't survive without my baby," she croaks miserably. "I miss him more
than anything."

Zwane says some women use their babies to beg. But Konjiwa and Chibura say
they cannot feed their children without begging, let along afford child care
while they seek money.

As many as 2 million Zimbabweans have flooded into South Africa in recent
years looking for work after fleeing their country's economic collapse and
political violence. They find they are not especially welcome, particularly
in townships where xenophobic violence in 2008 saw machete-wielding mobs
storm through, beating up Zimbabweans and other migrants, burning some to
death.

Konjiwa, who left her older son, 4, in Zimbabwe with her mother, says
passing drivers shout abuse, telling them to get out of South Africa or to
get a job. Many shout "Kwere-kwere," an abusive term in South Africa for
foreigners.

It would be unbearably bleak but for the coins dropped like pearls by some
drivers, or the food and clothes that others donate.

"Everyone shouts at you, 'Find a job, find a job!' You feel shame that
people are shouting at you. I just want money for my children. The fact that
I don't have an ID or passport makes it hard to get a job because no one
will trust you," Konjiwa says.

In October, police arrested her and another Zimbabwean beggar woman with
their babies at traffic lights in the upscale suburb of Bryanston.

"At first I thought it was a joke," she says. "When I realized it was
serious, I was so agitated. They just grabbed the babies by force and the
babies were crying."

Konjiwa went to court to try to get her child back, but the judge told her
she wouldn't get him until she had decent housing.

She lives in dire conditions, squatting in a freezing city building, with
hundreds of other Zimbabwean refugees.

"We don't regard that as an appropriate environment to bring up children,"
says Zwane, the government spokesman. Authorities have accused some of the
women of "renting out" their children to other beggars.

Kaajal Ramjathan-Keogh of Lawyers for Human Rights said that although
roadside begging was against a child's interests, the situation was complex
because unemployed Zimbabwean women often lack the means to earn money for
food, and can't afford child care.

But she said the requirement that women find housing and jobs before
recovering their children was unfair. "It seems like people are being
penalized for being poor and for not having a home at whatever standards the
social workers are holding them up to."

Chibura has been ordered to attend classes on how to look after her
daughter. But she says she can't afford them.

"It's so painful," Chibura says. "I think about her every day."

robyn.dixon@latimes.com

China reaffirms support to Zimbabwe

http://www.timeslive.co.za

Sapa | 17 August, 2011 07:36
China will continue supporting developing countries such as Zimbabwe by
pursuing non-interference policies and open strategy for mutual benefit.

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Xin Shunkang, last week reaffirmed China's
desire to see Zimbabwe develop, Zimbabwe's Herald Online reported on
Wednesday.

"We will continue pursuing an open strategy of mutual benefit; promote the
building of a harmonious world with lasting peace and common prosperity.

"China is committed to the non-interference policy and will always support
the just call of developing countries including Zimbabwe," he said.

China has used its veto power in the United Nations Security Council
together with other progressive countries to quash Britain and its allies to
invoke Chapter 7 against Zimbabwe.

China, he said, cherished its traditional friendship with Zimbabwe and was
ready to pursue joint ventures to push bilateral relations to a "new high".

Bilateral trade volumes between the two countries have grown by 60 percent
to about US445 million in May this year compared to the same period last
year.

"The mutually beneficial economic co-operation is bearing more and more
fruits," he said.

Cops refuse post-mortem for murdered activist

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Police are refusing to conduct a post-mortem on the body of MDC Midlands
North provincial director of elections Maxwell Ncube, gruesomely murdered by
unknown assailants last week.
17.08.1107:47am
by Chief Reporter

Ncube was a director in the MDC led by Professor Welshman Ncube, the
Industry and Commerce minister in the GNU.

Maxwell Ncube was abducted on August 6 after an altercation with Zanu (PF)
thugs at a nearby shopping centre in Malamulela village in Zhombe. His body
was found on August 9 half buried in a shallow grave, his head covered with
a sack.

His wife said she raised the alarm immediately after his abduction, but a
follow-up by villagers with the assistance of the police did not yield
anything until the discovery of his body.

MDC spokesman Kurauone Chihwayi told The Zimbabwean that his body was yet to
go for post mortem in Bulawayo, a week after his body was discovered.

"The body has been in the custody of the police in Zhombe," Chihwayi said.
"Following numerous follow ups by the MDC officials and the family, the
police have been giving numerous excuses ranging from lack of fuel and
breakdowns of their transport fleet for their failure.

This is despite uncountable offers by the party to assist with the
transport." Chihwayi said the MDC found it difficult to believe that the
transport excuses were genuine after the decline of party assistance.

"It is curious that the police could not treat the matter with urgency that
it deserves," Chihwayi said. "We find their deceitful actions not only
subjecting the body of our deceased member to torture after death as Zanu
(PF) supporters did during his life but also an insult to our sacred
cultural value of respecting the dead.

"The MDC is concerned that our member, who suffered at the hands of Zanu
(PF) on multiple occasions in his life, has been murdered and his body left
to lie in anguish the same despicable way as other victims during the height
of the Gukurahundi massacres."

Police spokesman Oliver Mandipaka said the force was aware of the murder of
a villager in Zhombe, but professed total ignorance about the pussy footing
with regards to his post mortem. "All I know is that investigations into
that matter are underway," he said.

Political intolerance - SANToC

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

A coalition of South African anti-torture organisations this week expressed
concern at the continuing and apparently intensifying climate of political
intolerance and lack of respect for the rule of law in Zimbabwe.
16.08.1102:16pm
by Mxolisi Ncube

Member organisations of the South African No Torture Consortium (SANToC)
organization, which also sent a letter to the Zimbabwean government
expressing its disappointment with Mugabe’s continuing intransigence, also
called on leaders of the regional Southern African Development Community
(SADC) bloc to stop the atmosphere of impunity that is currently prevailing
in Zimbabwe.

“SANToC member organisations express deep concern at the continuing and
apparently intensifying climate of political intolerance and a lack of
respect for the rule of law in Zimbabwe,” read a statement from the
organization.

“We decry the apparent continuing hounding of Zimbabwean activists who have
been forced to flee political persecution, intimidation, harassment and
torture in their own country. Reports of physical attacks, killings and
disappearances are increasing. SANToC deplores the failure of the Zimbabwean
state to guarantee the safety of all Zimbabweans regardless of their
political affiliation.”

The organisation bemoaned the fact that three years after the devastating
post-election violence of 2008 in Zimbabwe, there were still genuine fears
that the country was heading towards a repeat of the atrocities that
characterised that period.

“Any election conducted in a climate of political fear and violence cannot
bring a legitimate and accountable government into power,” added SANToC. “A
government elected through violence is one that will not serve the best
interests of its citizens on the basis of equality and non-discrimination.

SANToC thus, calls on the Heads of States of all the countries of the region
to demand that the Zimbabwean government respect the fundamental rights of
all its citizens in recognition that Zimbabwe belongs to all its people,
irrespective of their political affiliation.

“We call on these governments to reject the continuing oppression of
Zimbabweans by their own state. We call on the South African state to
protect Zimbabwean asylum-seekers in South Africa.”

SANToC said that there could be no peace in the region without an end to the
injustices being perpetrated with almost total impunity by Zimbabwean
officials against Zimbabwean civilians, adding that it was time for of
Southern Africa to demand an end to the atrocities in Zimbabwe.

Uncertainty threatens Zimbabwe’s recovery

http://www.ft.com

August 17, 2011 5:25 pm

By Andrew England in Harare

Political uncertainty, disputes within the ruling coalition and a liquidity
squeeze together threaten to bring Zimbabwe’s fragile economic recovery to a
halt after two years of rapid expansion.

Since the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) joined a coalition
with President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party after disputed and violent 2008
elections, relative stability has helped the country become one of Africa’s
fastest-growing nations.
More
On this story

    General’s death opens Mugabe succession race
    All eyes on military ahead of Zimbabwe poll
    Opinion It is time for Britain to talk to Mugabe
    Interview Zimbabwe’s tough line on nationalisation
    Mugabe warns against interfering in Zimbabwe

A move to dollarisation in February 2009 also spurred the recovery, ending a
disastrous period of hyperinflation during which banknotes in denominations
as high as Z$100,000bn lost their value almost as soon as they left the
printing presses.

The government maintains an optimistic growth forecast of 9.3 per cent this
year, similar to 2010. But against a backdrop of volatile politics and a
concerted effort by Zanu-PF to hold on to the economic levers of patronage,
the International Monetary Fund has warned that growth could decelerate to
5.5 per cent.

Uncertainty has been exacerbated by calls by Mr Mugabe for early elections
this year, concerns about the health of the 87-year-old president, and a
looming succession struggle rendered yet more unpredictable by the death in
a fire this week of General Solomon Mujuru, the leading kingmaker in
Zanu-PF.

Officials from both the MDC and Zanu-PF say trying to work together has been
like mixing oil and water. One of the most public recent disputes has been
over Zanu-PF’s demands for public sector pay rises – a campaign tailored
seemingly with elections in mind but which economists warn will drain state
funds away from productive investments.

Tendai Biti, the feisty finance minister and senior MDC official resisted,
arguing that the government could not afford the rise. But he was forced to
cave in after bearing the brunt of vitriolic attacks in parliament. As the
arguments raged, Mr Biti’s offices were targeted by protesting war veterans
and his home compound was struck by a mysterious night-time bomb attack.

“We are in a ‘trilemma’”, he told the Financial Times. “That of huge
demands, huge expectations, yet the absence of fiscal space.”

The pay increases will raise the public sector wage bill from $120m to $160m
a month, he said, while the government collects only $200m in monthly
revenue. The country is saddled with a fiscal deficit of about $500m and has
outstanding external debts of about $9bn, about 110 per cent of gross
domestic product.

Another bone of contention is revenue from diamonds mined in the Marange
region, where some fields are allegedly controlled by the military.

The finance ministry received $174m from the diamonds in 2010. But Mr Biti,
whose powers – with those of his MDC party – are limited, has battled
unsuccessfully for increased transparency in the management of the revenues,
which became a prime source of Zanu-PF patronage as other sectors of the
economy collapsed in the aftermath of a violent land reform programme and
steadily worsening mismanagement of state finances before the formation of
the coalition.

“We have provided leadership in the economy – but that doesn’t mean we win
all the battles.There’s so much politics in Zimbabwe and the management of
public finances has also been largely politicised,” Mr Biti says. “It
explains much of the onslaught against me.”

A controversial indigenisation programme has also deterred fresh investment
in the country, with Zanu-PF pushing for majority local ownership in mining
and other sectors. Critics of the programme say it is an attempt by Zanu-PF
to enrich politically connected individuals.

Outside government, a liquidity crunch in the banking sector has exposed the
fragility of the recovery. Bankers and businessmen warn that there is not
enough cash in the system to support the next stage of expansion.

Like businesses, banks began the era of dollarisation from zero with little
more than physical assets. It is estimated that the total deposits in a
country of 10m people amounted to about $300m, as dollars that had traded on
the black market were pulled from beneath mattresses.

Deposits have since grown to about $2.8bn and banks have rapidly rebuilt
their loan books, predominantly by means of loans of 30 to 90 days with
interest rates in the high teens or above. The result was loan-to-deposit
ratios soaring to about 70 per cent to 80 per cent in local banks.

The lending has helped companies raise production levels from about 5 per
cent of capacity to 40 per cent, bankers say, but most banks have now
reached a ceiling. The challenge for them now is that there are negligible
sources of credit, no inter-bank market and no lender of last resort. The
central bank, which was accounting for about a third of gross domestic
product and was seen as the cash machine of the Zanu-PF regime, is in effect
bankrupt, with about $1.2bn of debt.

Without a clearer picture of where Zimbabwe is headed politically, the
problems will continue to fester, bankers warn.

“Our headquarters say they want to be supportive – but they need some clear
economic fundamentals and a clear political framework,” said an executive at
a foreign bank in Harare.

Militarised Control of Diamonds and Power in Zim

PARTNERSHIP AFRICA CANADA REPORT:

DIAMONDS AND CLUBS
The Militarised Control of Diamonds and Power in Zimbabwe

June 2010

The Political Economy of Mugabe’s kleptocracy

What is playing out in the diamond concessions of Marange and River Ranch is
an all too familiar Zimbabwean story.

Each time President Mugabe and his inner circle have faced a crisis of
political legitimacy they have resorted to carefully crafted campaigns of
economic theft with which to engage in crass patrimonalism to placate key
constituencies and buy more time in office. As such, the involvement of ZANU
elites in the country’s diamond resources is the latest chapter in a long
continuum by which the violent expropriation and manipulation of economic
resources have been used for their political and economic gain.

It is a continuum manifested previously by three key events: Zimbabwe’s
plunder of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the orchestrated invasion and
seizure of white-owned farms, and the manipulation of foreign exchange rates
during recent years of hyper-inflation. An examination of these events shows
not only a similarity of tactics, but also the same personalities
orchestrating and benefiting from such schemes.

These individuals, who have perfected their illicit behaviour to a niche
specialty, are the same principals now battling for control of Zimbabwe’s
diamonds, ZANU, and the country as a whole.

The public faces of this power struggle are ostensibly the Minister of
Defence Emmerson Mnangagwa and his long time political foe, General Solomon
Mujuru, the retired head of the armed forces and one of Zimbabwe’s richest
men. Mujuru is also the husband to First Vice President Joice Mujuru, who at
times is considered an equal partner in his presidential aspiration, but
remains in the shadows so as not to cause offence to President Mugabe14.

While both men have long considered themselves the dauphin to President
Mugabe, the true power brokers of Zimbabwean politics are members of the
Joint Operations Command (JOC).

The members of the JOC are the high priests of Zimbabwean politics, the
final arbiters of tough decisions15, and the architects of every single
government-sponsored act of repression from the 1985 Gukurahundi massacres
in Matabeleland, to the farm invasions, to successive episodes of
election-related violence.

The JOC is the ultimate Praetorian Guard, its tentacles control every facet
of state security. It is an organization driven by two simple concerns:
safeguard Mugabe’s place as president, and neutralize any potential legal or
political threats to their power. The JOC will likely decide who succeeds
Mugabe.

At first glance it would appear Mnangagwa has the inside track to win their
support, as he doubles as chair of the eight-person group16. He is also
considered more of a hardliner and closer to most “securocrats” including
Defence Force Commander General Constantine Chiwenga, perhaps the most
influential of all JOC members.17 In 2007 Mnangagwa won the president’s
personal favour after Mujuru’s aspirations got the better of him by openly
campaigning within ZANU to replace Mugabe, whom many thought would not
contest the 2008 election.

Despite this misstep, Mujuru is well known within the JOC and wider military
circles from his past role as head of the military and, through his wife,
controls some formidable levers of power in his own right. Among them is
ZANU’s Politburo, the most powerful party organ and widely considered a more
influential decision-making body than the cabinet. The Mujuru’s strategy is
to consolidate their control of internal ZANU structures, build
behind-the-scenes alliances with the MDC, and present themselves as the
compromise candidate(s) once Mugabe dies.18 There are rumours that some
western governments
have given their tacit approval to such a scenario.

While the succession issue is far from settled between these two camps, both
Mujuru and Mnangagwa are intimately involved with efforts by the JOC to
monopolize the country’s diamond resources —just as they have been with all
previous economic self-enrichment schemes on which the JOC has embarked.

River Ranch: Solomon’s Mine

River Ranch is known colloquially as “Mujuru’s mine.” There is even
paperwork to prove it.1 Which in the tussle for control of Zimbabwean
diamonds is a rarity. The corporate ownership and shareholder structure of
Mbada and Canadile, by comparison, remain largely cloaked in mystery —
despite the public scrutiny and best efforts of Zimbabwe’s Parliamentary
Committee on Mines and Energy.

But while Mujuru’s ownership may be common knowledge, many other things
about River Ranch remain in the shadows. The reason: the mine goes to the
very heart of Mujuru’s struggle for control of ZANU, and allegations it is
being used to launder some of the plunder he and his allies secured in DRC.

In April 2004 Mujuru controversially grabbed the mine with the help of Adel
Abdul Rahman al Aujan, a billionaire Saudi real estate developer who also
owns luxury beach resorts and safari camps in Eastern and Southern Africa
that operate under the name Rani Resorts.

At the time River Ranch Mine was owned and managed by Bubye Minerals which
took possession of the once insolvent mine in September 1998. The
proprietors of Bubye Minerals are Adele and Michael Farquhar, who managed to
turn things around so the mine was producing an average of 30,000 carats per
month.

The Farquhars’ misfortune began after they gave Aujan a 30 percent stake in
the company in 2002 after they ran into some financial difficulties caused
by a cyclone.

By 2004 the two parties had a falling out, and Aujan abruptly called in his
loans. Shortly afterwards he convened a meeting at the exclusive Meikles
Hotel in Harare, unilaterally reconstituted the company as River Ranch
Limited and appointed Mujuru and Trivanhu Mudariki, another senior ZANU
politician, as directors.

Days later the Farquhars were escorted off the property by police at
gunpoint. The case has been before the courts ever since, with several legal
judgments upholding the Farquhar’s legal rights. Despite this, River Ranch
Limited continues to occupy and mine despite a lack of clear title.

River Ranch is as illustrative of Mujuru’s disdain for the rule of law, as
his abilities to flex his political muscle to get his way. On several
occasions he has secured interventions very few other Zimbabweans could.

The first came in November 2005 when then Minister of Mines Amos Midzi
issued a letter “correcting an administrative error” in a bid to overturn a
court decision that had upheld legal title to the Farquhars.

This effort ultimately failed, but it showed the ease with which Mujuru
could give marching orders to a minister’s office.

Other interventions were more successful. In Zimbabwe it is the Minerals
Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe, a parastatal within the Ministry of
Mines, which issues Kimberly Process certificates needed for the legal
export of rough diamonds.

Despite controlling the mine, Mujuru was initially prevented from legally
selling any diamonds, thanks to an injunction won by the Farquhar’s legal
team. Undeterred Mujuru repeatedly pressured Priscilla Mupfunira, the
chairwoman of the MMCZ, to issue the certificates anyway. She refused.
Mujuru turned to the Central Committee, the second most powerful ZANU organ
whose main duties include dispensing patronage. The Committee is firmly
controlled by Mujuru’s wife, Joice, and includes Mudariki among its members.

In late 2008 Mupfunira and most of the MMCZ board were abruptly replaced.
(Retired Lt-Col) Nelly Abu Basutu assumed the top job. She came with
impeccable connections: her husband is Air Vice-Marshal Titus Abu Basutu,
the deputy to Air Force Chief Perence Shiri.

Mujuru has also controversially obtained technical assistance — after the
takeover — from the African Management Service Company, a joint entity
managed by the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank’s
International Finance Corporation.

There are also persistent questions surrounding the company’s “official”
production numbers. Although there is no definitive proof Mujuru is
laundering Congolese diamonds, RRL’s numbers don’t tally.

Consider the following: River Ranch Limited did not publicly declare its
production from 2004 to 2008. The first public declaration was made by
Finance Minister Tendai Biti, who stated that the Annual Return for RRL for
2009 was 75,000 carats — exactly 25% of the potential annual yield.

RRL sold its first diamonds in June 2007, amounting to almost 50,000 carats,
despite statements unveiled by Biti that showed that they had been mining
continuously from November 2005 to May 2007, some 16 months.

RRL should also have declared and marketed another 600,000 carats between
May 2007 and December 2009.

No rational explanation has ever been forthcoming as to why it did not. One
reason could be because River Ranch, as with Marange, has a direct
connection to internecine squabbles that broke out within ZANU in 2007.

At the time it appeared Mugabe would not contest the 2008 election and the
Mujuru and Mnangagwa factions set about securing support for their
respective presidential bids.

Among some key western countries the Mujurus were perceived to be the
acceptable face of ZANU, and a more realistic bet than the MDC, who was
facing its own internal divisions at the time.

The thinking was to create an entity from within ZANU that was financially
able to assume power smoothly and restore relations with the west.

Mnangagwa and the securocrats sponsored a counter revolt to destabilize the
party — which Mujuru largely controlled — with funds from Marange.

Much of ACR’s problems stem from the fact that Solomon Mujuru is a
shareholder. ACR contends that his share is no bigger than 3%, worth a
monetary value of 240,000 pounds sterling.3 No one believes that.

“There is nothing about Solomon Mujuru that is small time,” says one
industry insider. “He is not the kind of guy who buys shares and sits back
waiting for the investor newsletter.”

Mujuru was to provide Cranswick political coverage, as the latter comes from
a family with the wrong political pedigree. (His family was known to be big
supporters of Ian Smith’s Rhodesian Front). Instead, Cranswick is now paying
the price for backing the wrong horse in the ZANU succession race.

As is explained elsewhere in this report, it is often erroneously assumed
that the only fight for power in Zimbabwe is between the two parties, ZANU
and the MDC. In reality, the more explosive turf war is within ZANU.

While Mnangagwa’s support base within the JOC places him closer to Marange’s
riches, River Ranch affords Mujuru unfettered access to his own diamond
resource — one that he has protected with no less ruthlessness.

Those who have borne the brunt of Mujuru’s persecution are the Farquhar’s
and their immediate supporters.

The couple has repeatedly been singled out for special harassment, including
frequent imprisonments, house break-ins and death threats, in an attempt to
force them to give up the mine.

The intimidation campaign took a very personal and tragic turn in February
2010, when Adele’s brother Richard Amyot and his wife Tecla were murdered.

Police ruled it a murder-suicide but forensics done by the family disputed
that finding. Tecla was shot four times, including once from close range at
the back of her head while she was lying on the floor. Richard was found
slumped in a door frame as though running from the room. He, too, was shot
in the head, but from medium range. No gunpowder residue was found either on
his hands or at the bullet’s entry point.

Despite all this, the Kimberly Process has never seen fit to interview the
Farquhars.

River Ranch is not the only kimberlite mine operating under the radar of the
KP. There is “Gono’s” mine, near Gweru in Midlands, named after Reserve Bank
Governor, Gideon Gono. It is comprised of two sites, the revenues from which
are untraced. Lesser known mines have also come on line near Shangani, again
in Midlands; and another RRL-owned mine in Mwenezi, in Masvingo Province.

Extract from:

Diamonds and Clubs
The Militarised Control of Diamonds and Power in Zimbabwe
By Partnership Africa Canada

http://www.pacweb.org/Documents/diamonds_KP/Zimbabwe-Diamonds_and_clubs-eng-June2010.pdf

 

Solomon Mujuru: An obituary

Was General Solomon Mujuru assassinated?

By Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, 17/08/11

There are growing calls for a probe into the suspicious death of General
Solomon Mujuru amid fears that the Chimurenga revolution may now be
devouring its own sons and daughters.

The key issue here is which authority inspires enough confidence and has
credibility to carry out that task in Zimbabwe and probably even in the SADC
region itself?

Sadly, there is no tradition of transparency in Zanu-pf and that seems to
have rubbed on to current Zimbabwe Government. For instance, in addition to
massacres and torture camps, all suspicious deaths and even known
assassinations have gone un-investigated or unreported by the Mugabe regime.

Notable suspicious deaths of key politicians and guerrilla leaders include
those of Herbert Chitepo, General Josiah Tongogara, Lieutenant General
Lookout Masuku, Mrs Susan Tsvangirai wife of MDC President Morgan
Tsvangirai, Cde Edgar Tekere who said in his book he was poisoned so as to
die slowly (Kafiramberi) and so on.

According to media sources, Morgan Tsvangirai believed that the accident
that killed his wife Susan and injured him was an assassination attempt and
told Botswana President Ian Khama (Zimbabwe Metro.com, 04/05/09). No probe
was launched.

Mystery surrounding General Mujuru’s sudden suspicious death is compounded
by a reference in Fay Chung’s book to a fire which started in Mujuru’s hotel
room on the 4th floor in Geneva where he was attending a Conference on
Zimbabwe as commander of the ZANLA guerrillas (New Zimbabwe, 16/08/11).
General Mujuru survived that fire although Zanu-pf has not yet disclosed any
findings assuming it was investigated.

It was also disappointing to note that General Solomon Mujuru had to seize a
farm/s when the Government should have properly rewarded all generals of the
liberation movement with lawfully purchased farms soon after independence as
funds were still available. Strangely, Mugabe’s family now allegedly
controls 39 farms (Daily Mail, 03/08/11).

There are so many questions that need to be answered to dispel rumours that
General Mujuru may have been murdered before his house was set on fire. It
goes without saying that Gen Mujuru had enemies especially within Zanu-pf
who may be shedding crocodile tears right now. From the little information
trickling out of Zimbabwe, the retired General’s security appears not to
have been adequate.

Ironically, ZRP Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri reportedly had more
than 20 armed police officers in riot gear during his tour of Bulawayo in
July last year when his ‘kilometre long motorcade’ allegedly brought
business to a standstill in the city (RadioVop, 22/07/10. One wonders what
criteria is used to provide security cover for VIPs in Zimbabwe.

In view of Zanu-pf’s factionalism, which is threatening the party with
implosion, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe Military Police, the
Zimbabwe National Army and the Central Intelligence Organisation lack
credibility and don’t inspire confidence to professionally probe the tragic
death of General Mujuru on Monday 15 August 2011.

What further undermines trust in the Zimbabwe Government is the fact that at
a time when people were expecting the Mugabe regime to order forensic
investigations into the Chibondo skeletons some of which had fluids
suggesting the victims did not die 30 years ago, Zanu-pf is defying world
opinion by re-burying them thereby tempering with potentially incriminating
evidence.

The Mugabe regime cannot be trusted. Neither, is SADC credible enough to
handle the sensitive role because its participant, the South African
Government is holding on to an explosive report of the political violence
that engulfed Zimbabwe’s elections despite two court orders for its release
to the Mail and Guardian newspaper.

The only credible police authority that can command enough international
respect and confidence is Interpol. People are very bitter at the sudden
death of one of Zimbabwe’s finest sons and distinguished guerrilla leader of
the liberation struggle, the charismatic Comrade Rex Nhongo.

It remains to be seen how the coalition government in Harare is going to
respond to public demands for a thorough investigation without haste.

Was General Solomon Tapfumaneyi Mujuru assassinated? May his soul rest in
peace.

Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, Political Analyst, London
zimanalysis2009@gmail.com