Zanu PF ministers loot farming inputs

http://www.theindependent.co.zw

Friday, 17 February 2012 11:10

Owen Gagare

ZANU PF ministers and other influential officials are under investigation
for plundering  Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots and looting inputs for
the 2011/12 agricultural season, particularly fertiliser, thus sabotaging
agricultural production at a time when starvation is stalking some regions
of the country.
The move, which has angered small-scale farmers and villagers, would have a
profound effect on the country’s food security situation and Zanu PF’s
political fortunes during the next elections.

Zimbabwe is facing a major food crisis after the Agricultural Technical and
Extension Services revealed only 247 000 hectares of maize was planted
countrywide by December 31 last year, down from 379 993 during the previous
farming season.

Under pressure, President Robert Mugabe and cabinet recently deliberated on
the issue and instructed Agriculture minister Joseph Made to provide details
of who got what and when. The GMB is currently compiling a list of those who
plundered its depots.

Ironically, Made and Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Didymus
Mutasa are among the ministers named in the inputs scam. Details show Mutasa
got 30 tonnes of top dressing fertiliser. Although this was within the
acceptable range for A2 farmers, those who failed to acquire a single bag
are complaining that he used his political muscle to grab the inputs.

Several other A2 farmers among them politicians, senior civil servants and
service chiefs, who were given farms during the controversial land reform
programme, also received large amounts of inputs.

While ministers and other powerful people collected their inputs in trucks,
villagers waited in vain with empty wheelbarrows.  At some depots A2 farmers
reportedly grabbed the entire stocks as helpless villagers stood in queues.

Officials said some influential A2 farmers accessed up to 40 tonnes of basal
fertiliser and an additional 40 tonnes of top dressing fertiliser, resulting
in the outcry.

Presidential spokesperson George Charamba confirmed Mugabe was aware of
complaints from villagers, but said some of the problems were caused by an
arrangement by GMB managers to pay A2 farmers for the produce they had
delivered using inputs.

He said this had resulted in A2 farmers, “who include ministers and MPs”,
taking all inputs at some depots, angering villagers.

“There is so much bitterness and even in my rural home Buhera, people are
not happy. For some strange reason, there was a decision by GMB managers,
that farmers could get inputs from some depots as payment for the produce
they had delivered,” said Charamba.

“This resulted in some A2 farmers getting AN fertiliser while other persons
were waiting and in some cases all of it was wiped out as they watched. The
farmers were getting their value, but naturally that was not understood by
those who failed to get the inputs. Where a commodity is in short supply,
you are bound to have distribution apprehensions.”

Made yesterday blamed GMB managers for the problem, accusing them of failing
to give fertiliser to communal A1 farmers and those in the old resettlement
areas.

He said his ministry wanted to know why GMB officials gave fertiliser to A2
farmers and excluded the needy farmers who were given seeds only.

Made said: “The problem was that GMB managers gave maximum allocation of
fertiliser to A2 farmers when it was clear that the product was in short
supply. Logically the GMB managers should have used their rational in giving
out the fertilizer. It does not make sense to give A2 farmers lorries full
of fertiliser while villagers are waiting with wheelbarrows but failing to
access the commodity”.

The minister added: “There was irresponsibility on behalf of GMB managers at
depots even in communal areas. As a manager if you are inundated with 1000
farmers waiting to get fertiliser then you only give one or two farmers then
there is something wrong with you.”

Made said he has since ordered an audit at GMB to know who got what. He said
cabinet had also directed Finance minister Tendai Biti to pay for 3 800
metric tonnes of urea fertiliser which, however, still falls short of the
national requirement.

With predictions by the Meteorological Department that there are going to be
rains for the next two months a lot of leaching was to be expected hence a
higher demand of the fertiliser, he said.

Charles Taffs,  president of the Commercial Farmers Union, said this week
the hectarage had since gone up to about a million, but the country needs
about two million tones although is likely to harvest around 600 000 tonnes.
This will result in a massive shortfall of 1,4 million tonnes.

The low yields are a result of the combination of late planting, nitrogen
shortage and excessive rains for the late planted crop.

The country produced about 1,5 tonnes of maize in the 2010/11 season, but
still had to import to meet the national need.

The Zimbabwe Farmers Union, which represents the majority of small-scale
farmers, said most farmers had written off their crop after failing to
acquire fertiliser.

“There has been a massive shortage of AN fertiliser on the market. The acute
shortage of that commodity, coupled with the late onset of rains would be
the principal reason explaining the possibility of a reduction in yields
this season,” said the ZFU chief economist Prince Kuipa.

“It is a sad situation really and it is too late even if top dressing
fertiliser becomes available…Most farmers have already written off their
crop as a result of the shortage.”

Zanu PF is said to be pushing for an investigation because it believes the
abuse will cost the party votes in next crucial elections either this year
or next year.

The MDC formations are bitter because they believe the inputs were
distributed along partisan political lines.

Officials in the Ministry of Agriculture said Zanu PF bigwigs took advantage
of the policy inconsistencies and poor planning by the ministry to grab the
fertiliser from GMB depots countrywide starting December 29 last year.

They said there was now tremendous pressure on the ministry to justify its
distribution criteria. As a result, the ministry last week directed GMB to
stop giving fertilizer to A2 farmers while other categories of farmers were
limited to only one bag.

“Please note that no fertiliser will be allocated to A2 farmers under the
current input loan scheme anymore,” reads part of a letter written to GMB by
the permanent secretary Ngoni Masoka dated February 8.

This followed a December 28 directive from the ministry to allow GMB to give
A2 farmers a maximum of 40 tonnes each of basal and top dressing fertiliser
while communal farmers were only allowed to access 25 kgs.

After the directive, GMB generated an internal circular (79 of 2001)
advising depot managers to follow the ministry’s instructions

On January 11, the ministry issued another directive for the tonnage to be
reduced from 40 tonnes to 20 tonnes after it became apparent the shortages
were severe. The tonnage was further reduced, leading to last week’s
directive to stop A2 farmers from accessing fertiliser.

“The problem is that by the time the tonnage was reduced most chefs had
already acquired large stocks, leaving very little for the ordinary people.
It has to be noted however that there were shortages already because
government only managed to acquire 32% of the required stock, so the
majority of farmers were destined to lose out,” said the official.

“What worsened the problem is that the ministry allowed some people to get
about 40 tonnes while others failed to get a single bag. This has caused
serious problems.”

GMB corporate communications manager Muriel Zemura said her organisation had
not acted corruptly but merely followed the ministry’s guidelines on
distributing inputs.

Biti moves to stabilise banking sector outlined

http://www.theindependent.co.zw/

Friday, 17 February 2012 11:09

Chris Muronzi

FINANCE minister Tendai Biti and Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono on
Thursday announced reforms which they expect to improve liquidity and
stability in the banking sector, including, among other things, ordering
financial institutions to remit offshore funds and barring bank shareholders
from day to day management positions.

The move to remit funds kept in offshore accounts is meant to address
liquidity problems in the financial sector and the economy at large.

“With effect from March 1, 2012, banks will, therefore, be required to
maintain in their Nostro Accounts a maximum of 25% of their balances
off-shore,” said Biti.

“The maximum rises to 30% from June 1, 2012.  This would also be in
acknowledgement of the absence of a prudent statutory liquidity ratio.”
A Nostro account is an account held in a foreign country by a domestic bank,
denominated in the currency of that country. Nostro accounts are used to
facilitate settlement of foreign exchange and trade transactions.

Biti said amounts in excess of the set thresholds would have to correspond
to a bank’s demonstrable pending international payment obligations.
Allaying fears, Gono said the offshore balances will continue to be eligible
for liquid asset ratio requirements.

Gono cited an improvement in liquidity already, saying the Reserve Bank
would lift the previously announced cash withdrawal limits with effect from
March 1 2012. Banks were encouraged to continuously apply the Know Your
Customer (KYC) principle in order to avoid the abuse of cash. The bank was
further urging the use of plastic money and cheques.

Gono alluded to an improvement in the RTGS where he said average RTGS
balances had maintained a sustained increase from US$91,8 million in
December 2011 to US$119,3 million in January 2012 and further to US$153,5
million for the first half of February 2012. The central bank governor
disclosed that as at February 3 2012  the total banking sector deposits were
US$3,45 billion whilst total loans were US$2,78 billion.

Taking a cue from Biti’s decision to further support the RBZ’s lender of
last resort function, Gono said based on the size of the country’s GDP, it
was estimated that an amount of US$150 million was required for the smooth
functioning of the Lender of Last Resort. Against this background,
government would avail an additional US$23 million by the end of next week
towards the Lender of Last Resort Fund, to bring the total to US$30 million.
Gono said the US$150 million required could not besustained by Treasury
alone given the current challengesfacing government.

Efforts were underway to mobilise additional resources in excess of US$73
million. In this regard, the Reserve Bank would coordinate the establishment
of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) where financial institutions and
otherinvestors will contribute to the Lender of Last Resort Fund.
The SPV would be owned by the contributors who would be shareholdersand will
also be represented in the board running the affairs of the fund chaired by
the Reserve Bank.
Following the resuscitation of the Lender of Last Resort the RBZ was
encouraging banks to improve on the subdued deposit rates currently
prevailing in the market. The RBZ was imploring banks to take a cue from its
Overnight Accommodation rate on the directionof their lending rates.

The RBZ is to also launch instruments to be issued against its statutory
reserve liabilities, with features such as prescribed asset status; liquid
asset status; half-yearly coupon; tax exemption; tradable; and overnight
accommodation status. The paper has varying tenors of between two and four
years and interest rates of 2,5% to 3,5% per annum respectively. Another
option is a 15 year bond at 3% per annum.  Treasury willimmediately
establish a Sinking Fund to cater forservicing of interest payments and
maturities, Gono said.

In announcing measures to stabilise the banking sector yesterday, Biti said
the proposed Banking Act review would focus on capital adequacy of banks and
governance deficiencies in the banking sector.He said there was need to
ensure that bank shareholders had no role to play in the management of
banking institutions so as to limit the incidence of insider loans, abuse of
depositors’ funds and conflict of interest.

Biti also said the Securities Act; Microfinance Bill; Insurance Act; and the
Pensions and Provident Funds Act would be reviewed but did not elaborate on
the nature of the changes.

Biti reiterated that banks would be compelled to merge in line with
government’s goal of a strong financial services sector.

“It is regrettable that five banks still remain under-capitalised in spite
of moving the deadlines for compliance several times,” said Biti. “Given the
importance of having a strong and secure banking sector that is immune to
systemic risk, I have mandated the Reserve Bank to develop a framework for
mergers between the banking institutions.”He, however, said the modalities
of mergers framework would be announced in due course.

Meanwhile Biti also announced government would issue infrastructure
development bonds with almost the same features as the treasury bills save
for the tenor, which will be for five years with an interest rate of 10% per
annum.

Constitution: Parties divided on five issues

http://www.theindependent.co.zw/

Friday, 17 February 2012 11:05

Faith Zaba

RENEWED political battles have erupted between the three political parties
in the inclusive government , Zanu PF and the two MDC formations, over at
least five disputed issues in the controversial new draft constitution,
further stalling the process towards fresh elections.
In separate interviews with the Zimbabwe Independent this week, Zanu PF,
MDC-T and MDC negotiators, who make up the management committee of the
Parliamentary Constitution Select Committee (Copac), said they were still
negotiating the contested issues.

The issues in dispute include:

lStructure of government;

lDevolution of power;

lDeath penalty;

lDual citizenship;

lIndependent Prosecuting Authority.

The three drafters of the new constitution, Justice Moses Chinhengo, former
High Court Judge Priscilla Madzonga and Brian Crozier have presented 13
draft chapters which are yet to be completed after the management committee
reaches a consensus on the five issues.

The management committee is expected to meet on Monday to try and resolve
these outstanding issues.

MDC-T secretary-general Tendai Biti this week said there were issues which
had been “parked” while negotiations on them continued.

“We have parked issues. I am shocked that we have parked them. There is the
issue of dual citizenship, the issue of capital punishment, the issue of the
structure of government — do we have a Prime Minister or do we have a
president and the powers thereof?

“There is also the issue of devolution and decentralisation and the debate
between whether we should have the AG’s Office and an independent
prosecuting authority.”

Biti added: “Speaking as a negotiator, given some of the issues that we have
had to reach an agreement on, I don’t see us failing to agree on any of
these issues”.

MDC secretary-general Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga said on devolution,
the debate was now on the structure — whether there should be five or 10
provinces, whether people should be elected or appointed into those
positions and what would be the relationship should be between the central
government and provincial arrangements. The issue of devolution has caused a
stir on provinces which feel marginalised by central government, mainly in
Matabeleland where most people want devolution, which is just one form of
decentralisation as opposed to federalism.

Devolution differs from federalism in that devolved powers to a sub-national
authority ultimately reside in central government. Legislation creating
devolved structures can be repealed or amended by central government, which
is different from federalism.

Misihairabwi-Mushonga felt that the most contentious issue was going to be
the death penalty. The three parties have to decide whether or not the death
penalty should still form part of the law.

“The death penalty is very emotionally driven. It is driven not just by
emotions but also by people’s experiences and not what makes sense. It’s
either you are for or against it,” she said.  “We are divided on party lines
on this issue,” but refused to state her party’s position on the matter.

She said if they were to reach a consensus at their Monday meeting, the
draft constitution should be ready to go for a referendum by August this
year.
Zanu PF chief negotiator Nicholas Goche said they were preparing a report
for the principals on the draft chapters.

However, Copac sources said the three political parties are deeply divided
on whether there should be a president and prime minister or an executive
president, deputised by one or two vice presidents.

One Copac insider said: “People are saying with (President Robert) Mugabe,
may be we can let him get away with it since he is a founding president. But
can we trust another person to have the same powers?

“It is not only about abuse of power but also issues around competence.
Whether you like Mugabe or not, he had a certain degree of understanding of
issues, so the next guy who will come, the question is will that person have
that kind of knowledge?”

Another source said: “These are the debates that informed people are asking
themselves. Can we afford a situation where we have an individual coming in
after Mugabe with the same powers that he had?”

On devolution, Zanu PF political gurus, mainly in Mashonaland provinces, are
opposed to reducing provinces from 10 to five as they suspect the move is
designed to deal with the Zezuru hegemony.

“Zanu PF is opposed to the five provinces. It means that provinces will
merge and the political gurus in Mashonaland provinces will have to fight it
out for supremacy in one region,” the official said. “They don’t want that”.

Zanu PF wants to retain the old system of a powerful executive president who
has vast unchecked powers. In its position paper during outreach meetings in
2010, Zanu PF said: “We need an executive president who shares executive
authority with the cabinet and not a prime minister as this results in an
endless unproductive contest for power between the president and the prime
minister that results in a weak state in which neo-colonialism can thrive.”

By contrast, the MDC-T preferred a system with an elected president who has
limited powers and a prime minister with significant power as well, in what
it calls a co-habitation system. It proposed an elected president who
appoints a prime minister from a party which commands a majority in
parliament and a cabinet chosen by the prime minister.

On devolution, MDC-T is proposing a three-tier government composed of
national government, provincial councils and local authorities made up of
urban councils and district councils. District councils would be mandated
with the responsibility of managing the affairs of rural areas. While Zanu
PF wanted governors to chair the country’s 10 provincial councils to be
appointed by the president, elected rural and urban councils, MDC-T was
pushing for elected provincial councils and local authorities with as much
autonomy as is compatible with governance.

Indigenisation: Masawara given 14-day ultimatum

http://www.theindependent.co.zw

Friday, 17 February 2012 11:08

Chris Muronzi/ Gamma Mudarikiri

THE Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment ministry has
given Masawara plc a 14-day ultimatum to demonstrate that it complied with
indigenisation requirements that were pre-conditional to its acquisition of
BP & Shell Marketing Services (BPSMS) Zimbabwe.
Masawara is said to have misrepresented its shareholder composition, amid
indications that 74% of the shares could be held by off-shore non-indigenous
shareholders.

Permanent Secretary in the ministry, George Magosvongwe, told the Zimbabwe
Independent that government wanted to know whether any conditions were
breached before taking action.

Among some of the conditions were that the company that would acquire BPSMS
would be an indigenous company, honour agreements with dealers,  dispose of
some of the service stations to indigenous Zimbabweans, come up with an
employee share-option scheme and stick to the same conditions of employment
of staff post the acquisition,  Magosvongwe said.

He denied reports his ministry would cancel the deal.

He said: “Our primary concern is to see whether the conditions have been
fulfilled. We met them (Masawara) last week and they reaffirmed their
commitment to the conditions. They could be lagging behind in terms of
implementation of some of the conditions but we believe they are on course
to implement the conditions.”

Magosvongwe said it was up to the minister (Saviour Kasukuwere) to give
Masawara a chance to respond to the allegations and then make a decision.
“The minister has requested FMI (Masawara’s operating company) to respond to
the questions,” he said.

“Until we get a response, we cannot take any action. We want to retain the
stability and integrity of the economy. Our intention is not to destroy the
companies that we are dealing with and other companies but to expand the
economy and have a strong national economy.”

Kasukuwere was not available for comment at the time of going to print as
his phone was not reachable.

The National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board has recommended
the cancellation of the acquisition deal but Magosvongwe said the company
had to respond to the board’s findings and recommendations first.  The
initial proposed structure at the time of the acquisition provided for three
entities, Masawara plc, Masawara Mauritius Ltd (MML) and FMI Zimbabwe.

FMI Zimbabwe is wholly-owned by MML, while in turn MML is wholly owned by
Masawara plc. Shareholders in Masawara plc are institutional and private
investors, primarily based in the United Kingdom. The only single
shareholder is Invesco plc which holds approximately 29,5% of Masawara.

According to the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board
(NIEEB) the indigenous partner, Shingi Mutasa, through his FMI Zimbabwe
(Pvt) Ltd in the Masawara group has possibly far less than 26%, with the
balance being held by non-indigenous off-shore groups.

The NIEEB feels the transaction was approved through misrepresentation and
fraudulent non-disclosure of information, an offence in terms of the
regulations.

Masawara is also behind schedule in terms of implementing an employee
share-ownership scheme that would see workers getting 10% of the company’s
equity.

Muted reaction to lifting of sanctions

http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za/

Eyewitness News | 9 Hour(s) Ago

There was muted reaction in Zimbabwe to the lifting of European Union
sanctions on 51 of President Robert Mugabe's closest supporters.

State media said the move is inadequate and that all current sanctions must
be lifted.

The Herald newspaper said that the partial lifting of sanctions may be
encouraging, but actually it's not enough.

Among those who are no longer under sanctions is Tafataona Mahoso, the
former head of Zimbabwe's Media and Information Commission.

President Robert Mugabe's nephew Leo has also had sanctions on him lifted,
as have white businessmen John Bredenkamp and Billy Rautenbach.

In an editorial, The Herald claimed that 13 million Zimbabweans are under
sanctions and asked what difference the removal of 51 names from the EU
sanctions list would make.

ZANU-PF and Mugabe blame sanctions for Zimbabwe's decade of economic woes
though critics and the MDC maintain the president's controversial policies,
especially on land reform, precipitated the crisis.

Essar Africa To End Zim’s Electricity Woes

http://www.radiovop.com/

Bulawayo, February 18, 2012- Essar Africa Holdings Limited (EAHL), an Indian
steel making company has applied to the government to construct and operate
a 600 Megawatt (MW) station to generate and supply electricity across the
Zimbabwe.

According to a notice by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA),
the proposed electricity generation station by EAHL will be situated in the
Sinamatela area, about 2kilometres from the Hwange airstrip.

EAHL is a subsidiary of subsidiary of the Indian based Essar Group that
snatched 60 percent shareholding in the ailing Zimbabwe Iron and Steel
Company (ZISCO) that amounts to 53 percent stake-in a partnership deal that
seeks to revive operations at the steel company.

“Notice is hereby given that the ZERA has received an application from Essar
Africa Holdings Limited (EAHL) to construct, own, operate and maintain a 600
MW generation station for the purpose of generation and supply of
electricity in Zimbabwe.

“This is in terms of the provisions of the Electricity Act (Chapter 13; 19)
of 2002 section 40 as read with statutory instrument 103 of 2008
(Electricity Licensing Regulations),” a notice by the ZERA reads in part.

The application comes at a time when the country’s power utility is scouting
for international investors to fund a US$1.3 billion expansion programme
meant to end the country’s worsening electricity shortages.

ZESA is generating only up to 1200 megawatts against daily demand of between
1900 and 2200 MW.

Energy problems caused by ZESA’s failure to generate enough electricity are
among the key challenges said to be holding back the country’s economic
recovery.

Since the turn of the new millennium, the country has struggled with
intensifying blackouts of up to 18 hours a day.

The power cuts have plunged many factories and homes into darkness, as
demand outstrips supply.′

Various high energy consuming industries have been forced to invest in
expensive alternatives such as generators.

Typhoid, result of govt maladministration: Chamisa

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Ngonidzashe Mushimbo, Staff Writer
Saturday, 18 February 2012 14:19

HARARE - Kuwadzana legislator Nelson Chamisa has called on the people to act
as doctors in treating the government which he described as suffering from a
“sickness” that has perpetuated the typhoid disease.

Speaking at a gathering in Kuwadzana yesterday, Chamisa blamed the current
situation facing the general population to maladministration within the
government and city council.

“The warning system by the community and the people suffering with typhoid
is as a result of mal-administration and the sickness of the government and
that of the city council. You the masses, the people are the doctors of the
government to cure and end typhoid permanently,” said Chamisa.

He went on to express the need to look into the population growth issue in
the residential areas, highlighting that suburbs’ carrying capacity has been
overpowered by the people’s responsibilities.

“Capacity has been overpowered by our responsibilities and we need to look
into the issue of capacity to end overcrowding which leads to sewerage in
our areas,” Chamisa said.

Refuse collection, uncontrolled vending and personal hygiene are some of the
main causes of typhoid in Kuwadzana and other affected areas and this needs
to be addressed early.

Meanwhile, Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) official Itai Rusike
told the Daily News that the causes of cholera have not been dealt with and
there is need to rectify the problem.

“The causes of cholera are yet to be dealt with and failure to do that we
won’t win the typhoid war. There is also need to review the Public Health
Act of 1924 to give people power to participate in the health issue."

“If you calculate very well you will see that the health act is 88 years old
which is insane,” said Rusike.

Rusike added that the primary health care is poor as compared to the rural
health care whereby they have community groups to deal with their health
issues and this needs to be implemented in urban areas too.

Kuwadzana residents have been told to look for permanent solutions to the
outbreaks in their midst and take responsibilities in monitoring cleanliness
within their community.

Cases of typhoid have been on the increase, with Kuwadzana recording the
highest number, 1279 out of 2 716 cases of typhoid in Harare.

Headmaster warned

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Zanu PF supporters last week warned school heads in Masvingo province to
show allegiance only to Zanu PF or face the consequences for failing to tow
the Zanu PF line of thinking.
18.02.1212:24pm
by MDC Information & Publicity Department

Addressing villagers at Muchakata Business Centre in Masvingo Central
district, Zanu PF Bikita District Coordinating Committee chairperson,
Saviours Masase warned school heads to start actively supporting Zanu PF or
face the dire consequences reminiscent of the atrocities during the
liberation struggle.

He said his warning was in line with the forthcoming crucial polls.

“The time has arrived for teachers, especially headmasters to closely
support Zanu PF. Elections are around the corner and school heads that do
not support us will face the music. We will deal with those who don’t
support us,” said Masase.

Masase’s utterances are a direct violation of the provisions of the Global
Political Agreement (GPA) as well as the calls by the three principals to
end political violence and intimidation.

The Progressive Union of Zimbabwe last week castigated Zanu PF for issuing
the threats saying the statement was loaded with stage-managed bravado.

“We are too used to such bravado. Our experience is that there are serious
implications for such fly-by-night politicians and this little politician
must ask other politicians from his party who tried to use the same path to
advance their political ambitions - they only saw their fall,” said the PTUZ
in a statement issued in Masvingo.

Mineral proceeds for industry revival — CZI

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

By Bulawayo Correspondent
Saturday, 18 February 2012 14:30

BULAWATYO - Mineral proceeds should be used for the revival of local
industry, Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) president Joseph
Kanyekanye says.

He said despite vast mineral wealth, the country continued to struggle with
liquidity challenges and the revitalisation of various sectors of the
economy.

“Zimbabwe is a rich country. We have lots of minerals such as platinum and
many others whose proceeds can be used to revive the industries,” Kanyekanye
said during a press conference in Bulawayo.

Kanyekanye said the country could easily raise over $2 billion required for
industry resuscitation through the sale of the country’s resources.

“We have the resources. Government should continue improving its
relationship with other countries so as to attract investment in the
economy,” the CZI head added.

Meanwhile Kanyekanye said the only solution to Zesa’s problems was through
its privatisation as the challenges dogging the power utility were affecting
the operations of industry.

“Zesa has a debt of approximately $470 million and the only way they could
clear it is through private partnerships. Power distribution in Zimbabwe has
been declining while load shedding is increasing in most parts of the
country and this is negatively affecting the industry,” said Kanyekanye.

He said the chipping in of private partners would increase in power
generation and distribution seen by New Zimsteel majority shareholder Essar
Africa Holdings (Essar) apllication for a power-generation licence, which
could see the company producing 600 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

Zimbabwe produces slightly more than 1 000MW of electricity against a daily
requirement of 2 100 megawatts, 298 at Kariba compared to 920MW installed
capacity while Hwange produces 740MW, 10MW short of installed capacity.

The country’s electricity demand has been projected to increase by 29
percent this year due to anticipated growth in the mining sector.

The country is likely to lose a 50MW power import deal from Mozambique’s
Hydro Cabora Basa over a $5m debt despite exporting 100MW to Namibia,
leaving a national shortfall of 517MW.

RioZim’s plans to build a 2 400MW coal power plant at Sengwa Coal Fields
have been tainted by uncertainty due to funding constraints.

Other power producers include Green Fuel’s Chisumbanje ethanol
power-generation project which is currently producing 6MW.

Triangle and Hippo Valley are producing electricity for own use.

The Mutirikwi mini hydro station is currently at an implementation stage
with the developers still negotiating for land rights and favourable water
tariffs with the local authorities.

Mugabe Must Explain Mbare and Zaka Murders Before Zuma Comes

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

President Jacob Zuma is said to be Zimbabwe-bound again to meet President
Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and the other principal.
18.02.1212:52pm
by Solomon Mashiri

According to President Zuma’s advisor quoted in the Press, the December
negotiators' report sshowed that were still some outstanding issues to be
resolved by the Principals. Two weeks ago the principals met and we received
two contradictory reports on what they had agreed on the Police Commissioner
Generals tenure of office.

So we do not even know even whether there is any agreement on the other
issues that MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara reported
had been agreed among the principals. We believe these opaque sessions
behind closed doors, and the all-night SADC Heads of States meetings that
come after them, while Zimbabweans are kept in the dark, are not helping us.

While we are not asking the principal to negotiate in public, we believe
that Zimbabwean people have the right to know the positions that are keeping
the principals apart, and prolonging their uncertainty and suffering.

We should have a clear statement from President Mugabe as well in a joint
press conference about what it is that he objects to in Prime Minister
Tsvangirai’s proposals, and he should reconcile his actions with the
Zimbabwean constitution as amended by the Global Political Agreement.

What are these outstanding issues in the GPA and on the election roadmap
that Ms Lindiwe Zulu thinks can be resolved by President Zuma going to
Harare for a meeting, which they could not be resolved in the last four
years of negotiations?

A statement from President Mugabe is necessary before President Zuma goes to
Zimbabwe so that we, the affected, know what the deliverables of his visit
are.

While we appreciate that President Thabo Mbeki, President Monthlante, and
now President Zuma, have been seized with our country’s problem, we have
seen them all going to Harare and coming out of meetings “success and
challenges”, yet and we cannot assess whether or not they succeeded because
we did not know what the deliverables were.

For Zimbabweans, now facing a typhoid outbreak, food shortages despite good
rains, 95% unemployment, and a daily struggle just to get from one day to
the next, nothing has changed.

Despite presidential spokesperson George Charamba being told on previous
occasions that he is not a spokesman for the principals who could pronounce
on their deliberations, he has apparently done so again, and pronounced
contrary to what the principals say they agreed.

He has not been censured in any way. As MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai said
last week, maybe he is doing so with the blessings of President Mugabe,
while he is continuing to present that he is committed to the transition to
democracy.

President Zuma’s impending visit comes as President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu
(PF) hardliners are saying one thing and doing the opposite; stepping up
violence against the MDC supporters. Youth leader Madzore remains
incarcerated and two MDC activists were brutally murdered only last week, by
Zanu (PF) activists.

An MDC branch treasurer in Harare was murdered on Friday by known Zanu (PF)
youths operating under the notorious Chipangano wing, sponsored by Zanu PF
through losing Zanu (PF) MP TendaiSavanhu, Zanu PF Harare provincial
chairperson, Amos Midzi, and the MP for Harare South, Hubert Nyanhongo- a
retired army colonel.

And in Masvingo MDC activist SharukaiMukwena woke up to discover that his
granary on fire. He confronted the ZANU-PF youths who had set it ablaze and
they attacked him and chopped off his hands before killing him.

Under the circumstances we demand a categorical statement from President
Mugabe about the murders in Zaka and in Mbare this week, before President
Zuma even gets on his plane to Harare. Otherwise we would say President Zuma
has no respect for human life, if it is the life of MDC supporters.

We are also forced to conclude President Mugabe is making a mockery of the
office of the SADC Facilitator and therefore SADC itself, and the AU which
gave SADC the mission to resolve the Zimbabwean crisis more than five years
ago, in May 2007 when SADC mandated President Mbeki to negotiate a political
agreement the Zimbabwean parties.

SADC Troika meetings were held last week to discuss political and economic
matters in the region, so why was Zimbabwe not being discussed there?
Because President Zuma is still trying to resolve the crisis by himself? Or
is he trying to hoodwink Zimbabweans with sugar-coated words that mean
nothing?

How deep is his concern about Zimbabwe, in the face of the current assault
on freedom of expression and assembly, and a growing crackdown on civil
society and members of the political opposition? We now urge President Zuma
to invoke his power to call in the African Union and the UN to come and help
him to resolve the situation in Zimbabwe.

We demand that President Zuma treat the issue of Zimbabwe with the
seriousness it deserves. That is why we are continuing with our mass action
on Tuesday February 21 from 12:00 at the Zimbabwean Embassy on the Strand in
London, and moving to the South African Embassy at 2:00pm.

Our comrades will be undertaking the same actions in America, mainland
Europe, South Africa, and Australia. We hope Zimbabweans from all walks of
life, and all friends of Zimbabwe will join us so that we can send a clear
message to President Zuma.

Solomon Mashiri – MDC UK and Ireland Midlands North Chairman
solomonmatoro@yahoo.co.uk

Keeping the pressure on Mugabe

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

The EU has today renewed its "restrictive measures" against Mugabe and his
inner circle for another year.
18.02.1212:13pm
by The Zimbabwean Harare

Geoffrey Van Orden MEP, who spearheads the European Parliament's campaign
for freedom and democratic change in Zimbabwe, welcomed the Council's
decision to maintain restrictions.

"While there has been some progress in Zimbabwe, not enough has changed in
the political situation and basic democratic freedoms continue to be
seriously abused. Mugabe and Zanu-PF continue to flout the key terms of the
'Global Political Agreement' they signed with Tsvangirai's MDC party more
than three years ago.

"A visibly ailing Mugabe, ever more dependent on his security service
chiefs, still clings on to the levers of power and manages to trample on the
basic rights of the Zimbabwean people. In the run-up to future elections,
which must be held before April 2013, attacks on journalists, MDC supporters
and civil society activists at the hands of Zanu-PF and security service
personnel have worryingly increased.

"Key elements of the economy - diamond mining in particular - are still
controlled by the Mugabe clique.

"Until Mugabe and his cronies step aside and there is real evidence of
change, including free elections and an end to harassment of the opposition
and journalists alike, the EU is right to keep its measures in place.
Contrary to the false claims by Mugabe's Zanu-PF loyalists, these are not
'sanctions' against the Zimbabwean people but carefully targeted measures
against 112 individuals and 11 companies that have directly supported Mugabe
and his oppressive agenda," said Van Orden.

24 carat pigeons

Dear Family and Friends,
The chat around the table the other day was how many fat pigeons were
shot with stones from the catapults of kids in the areas of Hot
Springs and Nyanyadzi as the road heads south to Birchenough Bridge.
It is the most amazing 125 kilometre stretch of road which starts
eleven hundred metres above sea level in Mutare and drops to four
hundred and fifty metres by the time it gets to Birchenough Bridge. In
the space of half an hour you go from the lofty mountains and lush
green of Mutare to the hot, dry scratchy lowveld and Baobab trees of
Hot Springs which is two thirds of the way to Birchenough Bridge.
It’s a road that used to be much travelled by families and school
groups heading for the hot mineral springs and pools at the Hot
Springs resort in the ‘good old days’ before the diamond
discoveries of 2006. All along the immediate west of this road are the
diamond fields which could and should be Zimbabwe’s saving grace but
aren’t.

“I know the money is being stolen but I don’t have any proof of
how it is being stolen,” the Minister of Finance, Tendai Biti said
this week about the money from diamond sales. Biti was commenting on a
report just released by Global Witness on the ownership of two of the
main diamond mines which are right near that Hot Springs road. The
report called “Diamonds: A good deal for Zimbabwe?” makes for
gripping and chilling reading. Contained in the Global Witness report
are the names of seven Chinese executive directors and board members
and seven Zimbabwean board members of one of the diamond mining
companies, Anjin. In the Zimbabwean list, five of the board members
are senior security personnel whose names are preceded with titles
like Air Vice Marshall, Brigadier, retired Colonel, Commissioners in
the police force and the permanent secretary in The Ministry of
Defence. The principal officer and company secretary of Anjin is a
brigadier who is on the EU sanctions list. Global Witness urge the
Zimbabwe government to cancel the Anjin agreement and say consumers
should not buy diamonds from the Marange mines until they can be sure
they are not funding human rights abuses.

The Global Witness report raises eyebrows over the decade long
rallying call of ‘indigenization’ and ‘Zimbabwe for
Zimbabweans.’ Reading the list of Chinese directors and board
members of a diamond mine near Hot Springs, leaves you wondering who
really owns Zimbabwe and if the ordinary people of our country will
ever see the benefits from the stones under our feet.

Ironically, in the same week that Global Witness raise questions about
the ownership of diamond mines and the ‘opaque’ company
structures, the EU removed 51 people from their Restrictive Measures/
Sanctions List. The list includes many shocks, including the wives of
a number of senior Zanu PF officials. It doesn’t need a rocket
scientist to read between these lines and think about what happens
next.

Back at the table with friends came the real question about birds and
catapults which is how many of those stones were actually diamonds and
how many pigeons went to meet their maker on the back of 24 carats.
Until next time, thanks for reading, love cathy. 18th February 2012.
Copyright � Cathy Buckle. www.cathybuckle.com

Bill Watch - Parliamentary Committees Series - 18th February 2012 [Meetings Open to Public 20-23 February]