Harare water poisoning suspect bailed

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

04/08/2012 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter

THE manager of a local transport company charged for delivering cyanide to
Harare’s main water treatment works was granted US$1500 bail when he
appeared before a magistrate Friday.

Farai Muchenje, 37, a manager at Pair Trade Investments, faces charges of
conspiracy to pollute by discharging hazardous chemicals and endangering
human and animal life.
Harare magistrate, Anita Tshuma, also slapped him with stringent reporting
conditions as part of his bail.

Prosecutors said his company delivered sodium cyanide - a deadly chemical -
to the Morton Jaffrey water treatment plant by mistake.

The truck driver transported 20,000 kilograms of the chemical from
Mozambique to Zimbabwe on July 19. It was destined for use in gold
processing and industries.
But the consignment accidentally ended up at the water plant, which serves
the city's population of over two million people.

The prosecutors said Muchenje ordered the truck driver Simon Demhe – who is
still at large – to deliver the consignment to the water treatment plant.
None of the material was however, used in water treatment.

Proposed Draft Constitution Could See Mugabe Prosecuted: Biti

http://www.radiovop.com

Harare, August 04,2012-MDC-T Secretary General Tendai Biti says President
Robert Mugabe can no longer deploy tropes and unanimously or declare war
under the new constitution which vests those powers to parliament adding
that if endorsed Mugabe will be liable for prosecution for offences he
committed during or after his tenure of office.

“If he declares war yes ,he can order soldiers to shoot back, but he has to
go to parliament within seven seating days and both houses must have two
thirds saying yes we must go to war. Then the real power to declare war
rests in parliament. I am told this is what ZANU (PF) does not want. On
Wednesday they left that house (meeting) at around 12 in the morning and the
other day they left at around 1 in the morning,” MDC-T Secretary General
Tendai Biti told Reporters Friday in Harare.

Biti told the meeting organised by the Media Centre to make journalists get
an appreciation of issues which ZANU (PF) is against in the draft
constitution.

President Mugabe in 1998 deployed 11 000 troops in the Democratic Republic
of the Congo to help in stopping a Tutsi-led rebellion, trained Interahamwe
Hutu militias fighting Tutsis in the Great Lakes region.

But critics said the ZANU (PF) administration then did this without
consulting citizens, arguing that the deployed soldiers were being paid by
tax payers’ money, and up to now the amount which was used to pay the
soldiers remain unknown.

Biti said if Mugabe is elected in office on the forthcoming elections under
the new constitution he will be liable for prosecution for crimes he
committed before, when and after his tenure of office.

“This constitution does not apply retrospectively that is why the two term
office which we have done does not apply to prevent Mugabe from contesting
for the next election. Suppose Zimbabweans are mad enough to vote for Mugabe
it now mean that he is bound by the wide provisions of this constitution .So
when he leaves office he will be prosecuted for Gukurahundi, Murambatsvina,
because the constitution is now applying introspectively,”Biti added.

Currently ZANU (PF) is still debating the contents of the draft constitution
with the aim of coming up with a common position.

The party met last week Friday and failed to reach a consensus. The party
held another meeting Wednesday and again failed to agree on position.

Contacted for comment on the party’s Draft constitution through a telephone
Friday ZANU (PF) spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said, “I cannot tell you until we
have held another meeting next week.”

The two MDC formations in the inclusive government have already endorsed the
draft constitution.

Statement on resolutions of the MDC National Council on the draft constitution

http://www.mdc.co.zw

Friday, 03 August 2012

Harvest House, 03 August 2012

Today the MDC National Council which is the highest decision-making organ in
between Congresses sat to analyse the Draft Constitution.

After extensive deliberation, the National Council resolved to accept the
Constitutional Draft. This is despite the fact that some aspects which the
MDC would have wanted included in the Draft could not be incorporated.

It recommended Zimbabweans to vote ‘YES’ for the constitution in the
referendum. Among other positives, the MDC is happy the Constitution has a
very comprehensive bill of rights which include the first generation rights
and socio-economic rights.

The constitution makes provisions for free and fair elections and sets
definite time periods in which elections must be held.

The Party is also happy that the dream for a 50-50 representation in
Parliament is becoming a reality. The acceptance of the Draft Constitution
by the National Council follows a similar move by the Party’s National
Executive Committee last week.

The MDC urges the Zimbabweans to ignore prophets of doom who have dismissed
the constitution as they want to reverse the gains made by the people.

Thank you.

Mugabe Calls For Lifting of Sanctions, Attacks Bush, Blair

http://www.voanews.com/

03 August 2012

Blessing Zulu | Washington

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, on a three-day official visit to Zambia
has denounced former United States President George W. Bush and ex-British
Prime Minister Tony Blair saying they are "shameless liars."

Mr. Mugabe, who arrived in Lusaka Thursday where he will officially open the
86th edition of the Zambia Agriculture and Commercial Show Saturday, made
the remarks at a press conference after holding a meeting with former
Zambian president Kenneth Kaunda.

Mr. Mugabe said Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair lied about the Iraq war. He also
castigated fellow African States for allowing the West to interfere with the
political processes in Egypt, Libya and other Arab nations rocked by the
so-called Arab spring revolution.

Reports indicate that Mr. Mugabe’s remarks were not well received by a
skeptical press forcing Kaunda to defend him saying the media must not
demonize the veteran Zimbabwean leader.

At a dinner hosted for him by his Zambian counterpart Michael Sata, Mr.
Mugabe described as meaningless the recent gesture by the European Union
(EU) to partially lift targeted sanctions imposed on him and his inner
circle.

He said the sanctions are hurting the ordinary people.The EU has said Mr.
Mugabe must introduce democratic reforms before sanctions can be lifted but
Mr. Mugabe wants the unconditional lifting of the sanctions.

Executive Director Neo Simutanyi of the Lusaka-based Center for Policy
Dialogue told VOA that Harare and Lusaka enjoy cordial relations.

Political analyst Gladys Hlatywayo says Mr. Mugabe must initiate democratic
reforms before calling for the lifting of targeted sanctions.

Chinese Diamond Mining Giant Anjin Fires 1,500 Zimbabwean Workers

http://www.voanews.com

03 August 2012

Gibbs Dube | Washington

Chinese diamond mining giant Anjin Investments (Pvt) Limited has dismissed
1,500 workers it suspended Monday for engaging in a strike that paralysed
the company’s operations.

According to Anjin Investments workers’ committee representatives, the
employees were each summoned Thursday and Friday to a hearing at the company
offices in Marange, Manicaland Province, and told to go home following a
four-day suspension.

One of the dismissed workers’ representatives who declined to be named in
fear of being victimized, told VOA Studio 7 the employees were accused of
engaging in a strike which started two weeks ago.

The High Court ruled that the job action was illegal.

The Anjin worker said the fired workers have been ordered to vacate the
company housing units and file new applications if they want to be re-hired.

The workers went on strike demanding that the least paid worker should be
paid $650 instead of $235 they are currently getting a month.

The workers’ committee representative said they will be taking Anjin
investments, with strong military ties, to court Monday.

The dismissed employees are also claiming that some of their colleagues have
been sodomized by three Anjin Investments managers.

the managers have reportedly written an apology to the workers committee but
police have not taken any action to arrest the suspects.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti has repeatedly accused the company of failing
to adequately account for Marange diamond proceeds though the diamond firm
claims that it has remitted $30 million in diamond taxes to the government
since last September.

Council names road after General Mujuru

http://www.herald.co.zw/

Saturday, 04 August 2012 00:00

Municipal Reporter
HARARE City Council has renamed Enterprise Road after national hero and
retired army General Solomon Mujuru.

It also renamed Rotten Row after the late Chief Justice Enoch Dumbutshena
and Churchill Road after the late Professor Walter Kamba.
The renaming of Enterprise Road to General Solomon Mujuru Road is, however,
subject to the concurrence of his widow Vice President Joice Mujuru and the
Mujuru family.
Chief Justice Dumbutshena and Prof Kamba’s families have since agreed to the
changes.
Council will soon notify Government of the new names which were approved at
a full council meeting on Thursday. “Council approves the naming of
Enterprise Road after the late retired army General Solomon Tapfumaneyi
Mujuru after consulting the surviving spouse and his family,” read the
council minutes.
“The city approves the request from executive secretary of the Law Society
of Zimbabwe to honour our distinguished luminaries Chief Justice Enock
Dumbutshena and Professor Walter Kamba by naming streets after them.”
The roads were chosen because they pass through or near institutions that
the luminaries served.
Enterprise Road was named after General Mujuru probably because it is near
KG VI barracks and that it leads to his house.
Council said it was renaming Rotten Row after Chief Justice Dumbutshena
because the Harare Magistrates’ Courts are located along the road. It also
said Churchill Road would become Prof Walter Kamba Road because the
University of Zimbabwe where he was the first black Vice-Chancellor after
independence is in that road.
Government changed names of most roads and cities after independence to
reflect the winds of change sweeping across the country.
Some major roads were named after icons of the liberation struggle such as
Josiah Tongogara, Herbert Chitepo, Jason Moyo, George Silundika, Joshua
Nkomo and Josiah Chinamano.
Other roads were named after regional leaders such as Nelson Mandela of
South Africa, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Kenneth
Kaunda of Zambia, Sam Nujoma of Namibia and Samora Machel of Mozambique.
Some of the leaders played a major role in the liberation of Zimbabwe as
members of the Frontline States.
There have been attempts to rename schools after icons of the liberation
struggle and other luminaries.
Some are not happy that there are schools bearing colonial names such as
Queen Elizabeth, Winston Churchill, King George, Allan Wilson and Prince
Edward.
Council recently converted major roads into one-way lanes as part of
measures to decongest traffic.

Kirsty’s medal dream sinks

http://www.herald.co.zw

Saturday, 04 August 2012 00:00

From Collin Matiza in LONDON
KIRSTY Coventry’s dreams of a golden hat-trick in the Olympic Games women’s
200m back-stroke went up in smoke in the blink of an eye when she finished a
disappointing sixth in last night’s final at the Aquatics Complex.
The 28-year-old Zimbabwean surrendered her Olympic women’s 200m back-stroke
swimming title, which she won at the last two Olympic Games, meekly when she
came sixth in a slow time of 2:08.18.
The gold medal in yesterday’s women’s 200m backstroke event went to Missy
Flanklin of the United States in a new World and Olympic Games record of
2:04.06.
The silver medal was picked up by Russia’s Anastasia Zueva who clocked
2:05.92 while American Elizabeth Beisel settled for the bronze medal when
coming third in 2:06.55.
Great Britain’s Elizabeth Simmonds was placed fourth in 2:07.26, touching
the wall ahead of Australia’s Meagen Nay who clocked 2:07.43 as she came
home ahead of Zimbabwe’s Coventry.
And it’s no secret that Coventry was left devastated after she failed to
defend her Olympic women’s 200m backstroke title last night and she sure
must be considering retiring now, paving the way to the new generation which
includes last night’s gold medallist Franklin, who is only 17-years-old.
Coventry was left searching for answers after another disappointing outing
last night.
Asked on how she felt after coming in sixth place in an event she has won in
the last two Olympic Games, Coventry said: “'Disappointed, I definitely
would have liked to have medalled, but it was awesome to be in the final and
I feel really proud of myself. I have finished in the top eight in the
world. I am sad that I am not on the podium.
On whether she is going to continue in the sport and what she intends to do
next, Coventy said: ''Iam going home after this to set up a foundation for
sport and youth and I am going to focus on life after sport.
And on how she feels about Franklin breaking her world record she said: '”World
records are there to be broken, it means that women’s swimming is getting
better and I am very happy to be able to congratulate her.”
Coventry qualified for last night’s 200m backstroke final with a time of
2:08.32 to pull through to the final as the sixth fastest qualifier and she
was banking on the unwavering support of her hordes of followers back home
in Zimbabwe and across Africa to do well in last night’s final.
Before competing in last night’s final, Coventry sent a number of messages
on Twitter, asking for everyone to rally behind her.
She wrote: '”200 Backstroke finals at 7:30pm London time. Come on Africa, I
want to hear you roar!”
Coventry also thanked her supporters for “pushing” her during Thursday night’s
semis, saying on Twitter: “I could hear humming under water, it was getting
louder. I knew right away that it was all of your shouting and support.
Thank u!”
And in last night’s final, she was placed in lane seven and she found the
going tough as she was nowhere near the top three in the opening 150 metres
of the race.
Coventry tried without success to push hard in the last 50 metres but
American Franklin was already on her to smashing both the Zimbabwean’s World
and Olympic records in the women’s 200m backstroke.
Coventry’s failure to be placed in the top three last night saw the
Zimbabwean failing to get a podium place for the first time at the Olympics
since her heroic achievement at the 2004 Athens Games where she emerged with
a full set of medals — one gold, one silver and one bronze.
She followed this up by winning four more medals — one gold and three
silvers — at the next Games in Beijing, China, four years later to become
the most decorated Zimbabwean athlete in the history of the Olympic Games.
And Coventry arrived at the 2012 London Games hoping to add one or two more
medals to this haul when she entered for three events — the 100m backstroe,
200m individual medley and the 200m backstroke — at these Games.
She was also looking at re-writing the history books by winning the women’s
200m backstroke title at the Olympics for the third time in a row.
This could have seen Coventry becoming only the second representative from
Africa, male or female, to win three Olympic gold medals. In athletics,
Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia, a long-distance runner, has won three Olympic
gold medals.
But Coventry left the scene at the London Games empty-handed after failing
to land a medal of any colour in the three events that she took part in.
This also left Team Zimbabwe still without a medal at the on-going London
Olympic Games which entered its first week yesterday.
Coventry is taking no further part at these Games and it is now left to
three marathon runners Wirimayi Juwawo, Cutbert Nyasango and Sharon
Tavengwa, and triathlete Chris Felgate to salvage something for Team
Zimbabwe at the London Games.
Tavengwa will take part in the women’s marathon on Sunday while Felgate will
be in action in the men’s triathlon next Tuesday.
Juwawo and Nyasango will only enter the fray at the London Games on the last
day of these Games on August 12 when they take part in the men’s marathon
event.

Chivero boat disaster a ‘ritual killing’

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

04/08/2012 00:00:00
by Phyllis Mbanje

STATE lawyers have said the 2011 Christmas Day Lake Chivero boat disaster
which claimed the lives of eleven children was a ritual killing masterminded
by the boat owner and his employees.

Boat owner Latif Ameer (53) and crew members Fadil Ramon Weale (27), Enock
Yolani Zulu (36) and Joseph Abrahams (37) are facing 11 counts of culpable
homicide after the Christmas Day cruise turned into a horrific tragedy when
the overloaded boat sank.

Prosecutor, Michael Reza, accused the four while cross examining Zulu of
conspiring to murder the children as part of a ritual sacrifice.

"As is synonymous with most ritual killings which occur mostly on special
holidays, you chose Christmas day to perform your ritual killing,” he said.

"I put it to you that all the four of you conspired to kill these innocent
children on December 25 . . . From the winking of eyes between Weale and
Zulu , the immediate switching off of the engine and the statement by Weale
'kiss your lives goodbye' are all indications that it happened just as it
was planned.”

Zulu – who drove the boat on the fateful day - however, dismissed the
allegation, telling the prosecutor: "Kufunga kwenyu." (That is your
opinion).

He also dissociated himself from a report he allegedly gave the police,
claiming detectives had simply gave him the document to sign.

Zulu and his co-accused had applied for discharge at the close of the State’s
case but magistrate, Tendai Mahwe, dismissed the application saying
prosecutors had managed to prove a prima-facie case against them.

Meanwhile Zulu exonerated Ameer, telling the court that he had not been
authorised to drive the boat and never met its owner on the day.
Abrahams also denied collecting money for the boat cruise.

He said he was busy on his mobile phone when the boat was loaded and did not
pay much attention to what was happening at the harbour.

Zimplats lends ZESA US$25 million

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

04/08/2012 00:00:00
by Roman Moyo

PLATINUM miner, Zimplats advanced a US$25 million loan to ZESA which the
power utility used to reduce its indebtedness to Mozambique’s Hidroelectrica
de Cahora Bassa, enabling the resumption of power imports.

The Mozambican company had cut supplies to Zimbabwe after ZESA failed to
reduce its mounting debt but the facility extended by Zimplats would enable
power imports to resume.
Zimplats said, in return, ZESA would guarantee power supplies to its
operations for three years.

“During the quarter, Zimbabwe Platinum Mines (Private) Limited advanced a
$25 million loan to the power utility ZESA which was used to reduce the
utility's overdue indebtedness to Hidroelectrica de Cahora Bassa of
Mozambique in respect of power imports,” the company said in its latest
financial report.

“The loan facility enabled Zimbabwe to resume power imports from Mozambique
to augment the country's constrained power generation.

“The loan principal and interest were converted into power units which will
be redeemed over three years. In return, Zimplats is guaranteed
uninterrupted power supplies for its operations for five years.

Meanwhile Zimplats posted a 52% drop in operating profit in the fourth
quarter to June, due to weaker platinum group metal prices.

The company said operating profit was $25m, down from $52m in the previous
quarter as metal prices were depressed during the period while operating
costs rose 17%, in line with higher sales volumes.

“Operating costs were 17% above previous quarter in line with the higher
sales volume. In addition, the first tranche of $3.3 million was paid to the
Community Share Ownership Trust in terms of an undertaking to make available
to the trust, $10 million over a three year period,” the company said.

“Royalties continue to be accounted for at the higher rates set in terms of
the Finance Act whilst the company awaits resolution of the dispute which is
currently before the courts. As a result of the above, operating profit
amounted to $25 million, 52% lower than the previous quarter.”

Zimplats, which is 87% controlled by Implats , said in March it had agreed
to a deal that would see it comply with Zimbabwe’s requirement that 51% of
shares in Zimplats be held by locals.
The firm said it was in discussions with the government over the
implementation of the ownership agreement.

“A Joint Technical Committee comprising Government of Zimbabwe
representatives and management has been set up to work through material
issues pertaining to the agreement. Discussions are on-going and
shareholders will be updated on major developments," the company said.

Civil servants purge continues

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

Written by Chengetai Zvauya, Parliamentary Editor
Saturday, 04 August 2012 15:05

HARARE - Purging of civil servants suspected to be MDC supporters continues
with the latest victims being teachers at Domboramwari School in Epworth who
are being pushed out of the census programme by Zanu PF leadership in the
area.

From August 17 to 28 the country will embark on its fourth population census
since independence in 1980.

MDC Harare Province spokesperson Obert Gutu confirmed to the Daily News he
had received reports that Zanu PF members had started vetting the
enumerators and are refusing to accept known MDC members in the constituency
to participate in the census exercise in the area.

“We have received reports that some teachers at Domboramwari School in
Epworth are being subjected to vetting by Zanu PF leaders who are trying to
determine who should participate in the exercise or not. We condemn these
actions by Zanu PF as there is no need for politicisation of this programme,’’said
Gutu.

The victimisation of MDC members in the census count programme started last
week in Mashonaland West Province when three school teachers at Chikwangwe
High school in Karoi who are members of MDC Mashonaland West Province were
barred from participating in a training workshop to train as enumerators,
which was being conducted by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

Close to 31 000 enumerators will be engaged, the majority of whom are
teachers.

They are expected to take part in the census programme and schools closed
yesterday to allow the teachers to participate in the enumerators training
programme.

The first, second and third census were conducted in 1982, 1992 and 2002
respectively.

The census programme will cost $37 million and government has managed to
mobilise resources for the exercise.

Census provides data on the demographic and related socio-economic
characteristic of the population at national level.

It is also used for planning and implementing development programmes such as
housing and provision of water and sanitation.

Police stop re-burial of Gukurahundi victims

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

Written by Pindai Dube
Saturday, 04 August 2012 15:03

MATOBO - Matobo police on Sunday blocked a family from conducting a reburial
ceremony of their father and relative who were killed by the Fifth Brigade
during the 1980’s Gukurahundi massacres.

The blocked programme took place in Silozwe area, ward 16 in Matobo where
the Nyathi family and villagers had gathered to re-bury the remains of a
Gukurahundi victim, Mvulo Nyathi.

Nyathi was allegedly beaten to death by soldiers in 1984 and his body
“stashed” at a cave in a hill behind Silozwe High School. The Nyathi family
wanted to take the remains and rebury them at their homestead.

The Daily News was told during a visit to the area that the family,
relatives and other villagers slept at Nyathi’s homestead on Saturday night
conducting traditional rituals in preparation for the reburial the following
morning.

However, police stormed the homestead on Sunday morning just before the
family went to collect the remains for reburial.

“The burial failed to take off as Matobo police refused to clear it saying
they had not been given orders to ‘deal with Gukurahundi issues’. Police
said we should not go ahead lest we cause tension.

“Police said we should seek the authority of the Provincial Administrator,”
Emma Nyathi, an aunt of the late Mvulo Nyathi told Daily News.

She added: “I am very traumatised about this. Imagine being refused to
rebury your own relative. This is so painful and saddening.”

She said they had brewed traditional beer, dug a grave, bought a coffin,
bought a cow for slaughter and food to feed everyone who was attending the
ceremony but all had gone to waste because of the police action.

“This whole event was meant to appease the spirit of Mvulo. We wanted him to
rest in peace,” she added.

Bulawayo Agenda director, Thabani Nyoni condemned the police for blocking
the reburial ceremony saying it showed government wanted to sweep the
Gukurahundi issue under the carpet.

Nyoni said the move by the Nyathi family to rebury their father and relative
who was killed by soldiers during the Gukurahundi disturbances “is a clear
message that Gukurahundi is not a closed chapter.

“It is evidence of a hurt community who, although traumatised, have defeated
fear by letting their voice be heard on Gukurahundi issues. The conduct of
the Matobo police, Matobo District Administration Office and conditions set
by the PA’s office is evidence of the Government’s attempts to sweep
Gukurahundi under the carpet, which is a direct affront to national healing
and reconciliation efforts by Zimbabweans at large.”

More than 20 000 innocent people are believed to have been murdered by
members of the North Korea-trained Fifth Brigade, with the President Robert
Mugabe then led government claiming at the time that they wanted to crush a
rebellion by supposed dissidents in Matabeleland.

Zimbabwe cattle die due to lack of pastures

http://www.farminguk.com

03-08-2012 21:30 PM

Zimbabwe livestock farmers have warned of beef shortages owing to an increase in the number of cattle dying due to lack of pastures.

The lack of pastures has been blamed on the raging drought due to poor rains recorded in the last rainy season.

About 50 cattle are reportedly dying every week due to lack of pastures and the situation has been further worsened by water shortages.

The drought prone Matabeleland South province is the hardest hit, according to the chairman of Matabeleland South livestock farmers association, Retired Major Clement Bishop Malaba.

Rtd Maj Malaba who said the situation is critical as cattle were now in a deplorable state making it difficult to sell them called for urgent government intervention.

"The situation is extremely bad and if no mitigatory measures are taken, people will lose all their cattle.

“There are no pastures anymore in Matabeleland South province,” Rtd Maj Malaba said.

He said the worst affected districts of Matabeleland south province were Gwanda, Kezi, Mangwe and Bulilima.

"Buyers are no longer interested in the cattle because they are below the grade which is a big loss to farmers," said Rtd Maj Malaba.

He said the state of cattle in the area is forcing farmers to sell their cattle for as little as $50 while some exchange their beasts for solar panels and motor vehicles.

A recent study by the government department of Livestock Production and Development warned that a total of 200 000 cattle might succumb to drought in the Matabeleland South province.

Matabeleland South province, which experiences poor rains yearly compared to other provinces, has about 389 000 cattle.

The country's cattle population stands at 5 156 753.

Presenting his Mid Term Budget Review Statement a fortnight ago, Finance Minister Tendai Biti said there was a need for mitigatory strategies in the form of supplementary feeding and relocation of cattle from drought stricken areas to areas with enough pastures in a bid to save cattle.

Zimbabwe is one of the six southern African countries hit by drought this year, leaving over 14 million in the affected countries in need of food aid.

Biti says Mugabe should fund ‘Presidential Scholarship’

http://nehandaradio.com

Headlines, News — By admin on August 4, 2012 5:09 pm

HARARE – President Robert Mugabe should mobilise resources to bankroll the
presidential scholarship, finance minister Tendai Biti said yesterday. Biti
said treasury cannot continue to bankroll the controversial scheme as it is
Mugabe’s personal initiative. MDC youths and students associations claim
only people aligned to Zanu PF benefit from the presidential bursary scheme.

There are reports that the scheme is facing budgetary constraints with
Zimbabwe’s students seeing red at South African colleges. However, Biti who
is also the MDC secretary general said it is not his concern that the scheme
is facing challenges. “That is not my problem because it is a presidential
scholarship. A private scholarship of the president,” said Biti
dismissively.

Information with the Daily News shows that the cash strapped government has
scrapped food allowances. Zimbabwe’s students are reportedly resorting to
manual labour in South Africa as they seek to make ends meet. An estimated 4
000 Zimbabwean students are studying at different universities in South
Africa. Colleges in South Africa are now threatening to expel the students
if they fail to settle their mushrooming arrears.

An average 250 students per institution are enrolled at 15 universities in
South Africa. These include the university of Johannesburg, university of
Kwazulu-Natal (UKZN), university of Pretoria, Monash university, and Fort
Hare university. The students are entitled to R1 000 allowance for food and
stationery, but they also have to pay for electricity and water bills. Many
students at the colleges claim they have not received anything this year
resulting in power cuts.

Director of the presidential scholarship programme Chris Mushowe was not
available for comment but admitted in the local media that they are behind
in paying the students bills and tuition. “No, it’s not the case, our
relations with South African universities continue to be cordial and we have
asked them to assist with things like transport for our students where, in
some cases, students may come forward and say that they do not have any
funds to travel back home.”

“I personally wrote to South African universities a few weeks ago and it is
positive to see that they are helping our students”. Daily News

Zanu PF mafia looks after its own

http://www.cathybuckle.com/

August 4, 2012, 2:01 am

It never ceases to amaze me that the self-appointed ‘Bishop’ Norbert Kunonga
wields so much influence in the Anglican Church. They call him ‘Mugabe’s
Bishop’ apparently so I suppose that explains everything. In Zimbabwe,
loyalty to Mugabe will open every door and now Kunonga has the ZRP in his
cassock pocket. It’s coming up to that time of year when Anglicans celebrate
the life of Arthur Shearly Cripps, the early Anglican missionary. There is a
shrine to Cripps’s memory in Chivu where every year Anglicans hold a
memorial service and a procession of the faithful. Not this year though,
this year the police have – not for the first time - banned the memorial on
the grounds that it is ‘an illegal gathering’ and rumour has it that Kunonga
has taken over the shrine along with 78 other church sites in Masvingo
Province.

As with farms, so it is with churches; for any loyal Mugabe follower it’s
all about grabbing ownership of the land by any means, fair or foul. Kunonga
has the backing of Chief Justice Chidyasiku, another loyal Mugabe supporter.
It was Chidyasiku who granted Kunonga guardianship of the Harare diocese
last year. In short, the Zanu PF mafia looks after its own.

The argument that has been going on this week that Mugabe’s departure would
make no difference to the situation in the country misses the point. Without
this cult of the personality, Zimbabwe would be a very different place. It
is the unconditional loyalty of his followers that distorts the political
situation. With the police force, the judiciary and the military all
supporting him, Mugabe can sit back in the belief that his legacy is
assured. He will die in office and mourners at a state funeral will praise
him to the skies as Zimbabwe’s great Liberation hero. There seems to be
nothing to threaten that dream; Mugabe certainly has little to fear from the
MDC, comfortably ensconced in a Unity Government and apparently happy to
play second fiddle to Zanu PF. Roy Bennett’s call to the MDC to “Wake up and
finish off Zanu PF” is a timely reminder of the opposition’s principal task.
Instead of using their position to get the job done, the MDC leadership
heaps praise on the man they should be going all out to remove. Tsvangirai’s
talk of ‘mutual respect’ in his dealings with Mugabe must have sent a very
mixed message to his audiences during his recent Far East tour. All the
praise heaped on Tsvangirai by his hosts in comparing him to Nelson Mandela
only succeeded in irritating Mugabe who said in effect that the MDC leader
was no better than a puppet of the west.

The truth is that support of Mugabe and Zanu PF leaves no room for even the
mildest dissent. Objective thinking goes out the window and despite the fact
that Zanu PF is clearly in disarray over the draft constitution and deeply
divided on the succession issue, only unquestioning loyalty to Mugabe and
the party will be tolerated. It is the clause in the draft constitution that
threatens Mugabe’s thirty-two year hold on power that has divided the party
more than anything. There is, so they say, no one who could take his place
and certainly no one who could command the unquestioning loyalty that Mugabe
has enjoyed over the years. But that is all changing now as a new generation
of ‘born frees’ prepare to go to the polls. The fact that neither ZEC nor
the political parties have access to the Voters’ Roll is thanks to another
loyal Mugabe follower, Tobaiwa Mudede. An election without a clean Voters’
Roll would surely be as suspect as any of the rigged elections that Zimbabwe
has had in all the years of Mugabe’s rule?

Unless the MDC ‘wakes up’ Zimbabwe will be condemned to years more of Zanu
PF’s rule. Mediocrities, such as Norbert Kunonga and illiterate war veterans
like Joseph Chinotimba flourish in a dictatorship for no other reason than
their slavish devotion to the ‘Dear Leader’. These nonentities are able to
get away with theft and murder while a partisan police force looks the other
way. A fundamental and drastic change is needed if Zimbabwe is ever to
become the true democracy we believed would be a reality with Independence.

Yours in the (continuing) struggle, Pauline Henson