HRD’s Alerthttp://www.dailynews.co.zw
By Guthrie
Munyuki
Tuesday, 22 February 2011 15:58
HARARE - Human rights and pro-democracy groups have warned that
they will
soon stage protest marches to force President Robert Mugabe to
halt the
nation-wide violence perpetrated by his
supporters.
Mugabe’s supporters have swamped Harare’s poor townships
where they have
launched violent campaigns against supporters of Prime
Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai’s MDC party.
Thousands of MDC supporters
have been displaced and are living in safehouses
although some of them have
been raided by government intelligence agents.
“We have agreed to
confront the inclusive government if our advocacy and
lobbying fail. There
is the coming together of pro-democracy groups and
there is consensus that
we must revert to our strategy of 2007 which brought
results,” spokesman of
the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, Phillip Pasirayi
told the Daily
News.
On March 11, 2007, the civic society groups staged prayer marches
in Harare’s
Highfield township which were violently crushed by armed
police.
The marches were organised by the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
under the
auspices of the Save Zimbabwe Campaign.
Tsvangirai and a
number of civic society leaders were severely assaulted by
police, prompting
Sadc leaders to convene an emergency summit in Tanzania to
try and resolve
the Zimbabwean crisis.
The Dar-es-Salaam summit tasked former South
African leader Thabo Mbeki who
brokered the power sharing deal which led to
the formation of the inclusive
government.
“We believe that the
government is not taking us seriously. That’s why we
have agreed to come
together and map this strategy,” said Pasirayi.
The civic society groups
which make the Coalition in Zimbabwe Crisis include
women, youths and church
organisations.
They want President Jacob Zuma as facilitator of the power
sharing deal to
force Mugabe to end the violence against his
opponents.
Zuma’s mediation team is expected in Zimbabwe this week to
meet the
negotiators in what are fast becoming fruitless sojourns to
Harare.
Tsvangirai has said Mugabe as commander-in-chief of the defence
forces, is
responsible for the violence.
“We have a structure where
we have a commander-in-chief who purports not to
know what is happening, but
indirectly orders the army to act.
The buck stops with Mugabe. If they
(uniformed forces) defy his orders
against violence, then we can say we have
a coup in the country and I don’t
believe there is one," said
Tsvangirai.
Pasirayi said Zuma should be made aware of the developments
in Zimbabwe and
weigh them against claims that the country is ready to
conduct free and fair
elections in 2011.
“He must be made aware that
there is no peace in Zimbabwe, it is being
disturbed by the military,” said
Pasirayi. “What we are saying is that this
country is not ready for
elections.”
Zuma, said Pasirayi, should effectively declare that
conditions currently
prevailing are not conducive for democratic
elections.
“These should include among others dealing with violence and
intimidation of
citizens and the removal of impediments to democratic
expression such as
repressive laws and unprofessional and partisan conduct
by the justice
system.”
Despite the political parties meeting in
Harare a fortnight ago in a joint
session held under the National Security
Council banner, violence has
continued to rock Harare.
Police claim
one person died in Mbare last week when violent youths
attacked a man
coming from Matute bar allegedly for wrong “sloganeering”.
Although Zanu
PF has condemned the violence, its critics say the liberation
movement is
behind the orgy that has made Mbare a “lions den” at night.
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Lance
Guma
22 February 2011
Close to 54 activists arrested on Saturday while
watching video footage of
protests in Egypt and Tunisia, remained locked up
on Tuesday as police and
state prosecutors played legal games to frustrate
and detain them longer.
Munyaradzi Gwisai, the radical leader of the
International Socialist
Organisation (ISO) Zimbabwe chapter, and close to 53
other activists, were
arrested over claims that they screened videos to
inspire “Egypt style
protests’ in Zimbabwe. Those arrested are mainly
members of ISO, Zimbabwe
Congress of Trade Unions and the Zimbabwe National
Students Union, who
attended the Harare meeting.
SW Radio Africa
spoke to Darlington Madzonga from the Students Solidarity
Trust, who was
attending to those arrested. He told us police claim to have
identified 7
ring leaders and these were meant to have been brought to court
Tuesday
around 2:30pm, but this never happened.
Gwisai, former student leader
Hopewell Gumbo, gender activist Tafadzwa Sando
Choto, labour activist Mike
Sambo, Welcome Zimuto (ZINASU Deputy Secretary
General), Tatenda Simukai and
one other activist have been particularly
targeted. Gwisai for example is
said to have been so severely beaten during
the arrest he is unable to walk.
This is according to another activist who
brought him food on
Monday.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights issued an alert saying that
when they
finally gained access to their clients it was clear that at least
7 of them
had been tortured by a group of unidentified men. The men said
they wanted
the detainees to tell them about the discussions held at the
meeting.
Madzonga said the state was applying for warrants of further
detention for
the 7 alleged ring leaders and it looked likely the other
remaining
activists would be freed. But the senior police officer with power
to
sanction the release had still not arrived at the station by the time we
went on air.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has
meanwhile condemned
the arrest of the activists. A statement from COSATU
said the detention of
the activists “on baseless charges of plotting to
topple the government
indicates the state of insecurity in that
country.”
COSATU said the arrests showed that ‘democratic and constitutional
rights’
in Zimbabwe are still a distant dream and the coalition government
had not
changed the situation for the better. They said events in Egypt and
Tunisia
have inspired many people all over the world to stand up and demand
an end
to dictatorship and corruption. The union urged SADC and the AU to
act in
support of democracy.
In a different but similar case of
victimization, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for
Human Rights condemned what it
described as the ‘malevolent and unjustified
actions’ of prosecutors in the
Attorney General’s Office, who vetoed a bail
order granted to Nyanga North
MDC legislator, Douglas Mwonzora, and 23
villagers.
Mwonzora and the
villagers are facing trumped up charges of political
violence but Nyanga
Magistrate, Ignatio Mhene, granted them bail of $50
each. But, as is now the
norm, prosecutors on Monday invoked the notorious
Section 121 of the
Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act to suspend the bail
order for 7 days
pending the filing of an appeal by the state.
Analysts believe the
ongoing crackdown on perceived opposition activists is
meant to act as a
deterrent against any street protests in the country. It’s
also thought ZANU
PF is trying to steamroll the country into another bloody
election and have
Mugabe installed as President, before his health problems
catch up on him.
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Alex Bell
22
February 2011
Various campaigns hoping to defy Robert Mugabe’s clampdown
on civic action
have been launched, trying to encourage Zimbabweans to
follow the lead of
other African countries protesting against their
dictators.
The campaigns, launched over email and through the social
networking
websites, Facebook and Twitter, encourage Zimbabweans to hold
peaceful
marches calling for Mugabe to step down. The ‘Zimbabwe Million
Citizen March’
was launched a week ago, and calls for a mass protest next
Tuesday under the
theme ‘Power in numbers to remove dictatorship’. At the
same time, the
‘Mugabe Must Go’ campaign is also calling for peaceful
marches against ZANU
PF, while the ‘Mugabe must go in seven days’ campaign,
has given Mugabe a
seven day ultimatum to step down.
The campaigns
have been inspired by the uprisings in Libya, Tunisia and
Egypt, which have
sparked debate across other African countries still ruled
by despots. There
are high hopes that the fall of the ruling family in
Tunisia and that of
Hosni Mubarak’s administration in Egypt, will have a
domino effect
elsewhere.
Currently in Libya, notorious dictator Muammar Gaddafi is
facing what
analysts say is the most significant threat to his 40 year rule,
and his
response has been unsurprisingly violent.
Protesters in both
the capital Tripoli and the city of Benghazi have come
under attack by
security forces, with the death toll believed to be in the
hundreds. Gaddafi
is also said to have recruited African mercenaries to
carry out brutal
killings of protesters, with Zimbabwean mercenaries
believed to be part of
this killing team. The effect has been a terrified
but still angry nation
and a host of diplomatic ties with Libya being
severed in recent
days.
Libyan Ambassador to the United States, Ali Aujali, has cut ties
with
Gaddafi and called on the Libyan leader to step down. Several other
Libyan
envoys have said that they resigned, including the ambassadors to
India and
Indonesia and a senior diplomat in China. At the same time,
Libya’s
embassies in Malaysia and Australia said they no longer represent
Gaddafi,
while even his Justice Minister, Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, resigned
Monday in
protest at the crackdown. Even some members of the usual loyal
security
forces have changed sides over the attacks. This week two Libyan
fighter
pilots flew their jets to Malta, saying they had defected, after
being
ordered to attack demonstrators, something they refused to
do.
Libyans and observers to this most recent revolution are now waiting
to see
what Gaddafi’s next move will be, with people pondering which country
will
be next.
Some Zimbabwean commentators have said this kind of
revolution is not
possible in Zimbabwe, while others have said that the time
is ripe for
public action against Mugabe. The question remains, is an Egypt
style
revolution possible in Zimbabwe?
The most noticeable difference
between Egypt and Zimbabwe is the extent of
internet penetration in the two
countries, with Egypt’s revolution
coordinated and displayed for all to see
through Twitter, Facebook and on
blogs. According to the United Nations,
internet penetration in Egypt is at
nearly 25% of the population, with a
strong contingent of respected bloggers
who helped mobilise the nation. By
contrast, in Zimbabwe internet access is
measured at just 13% in urban
areas. Efforts such as the Zim campaigns to
get rid of Mugabe, have been
greeted with a level of indifference by most
Zimbabweans, with less than a
hundred people showing their support for these
groups on
Facebook.
Some observers have also commented that Zimbabweans are too
afraid to
publicly protest against ZANU PF, when the party has so
effectively quelled
even talks of uprisings. At the weekend over 50 people
were arrested and
many seriously beaten after gathering to talk about Egypt
and the revolution
there. They are still being held in
detention.
Political analyst John Makumbe told SW Radio Africa that
repressive
legislation and the pro-Mugabe security forces would make
protests very
difficult in Zimbabwe.
“An Egypt-style revolution is
possible in Zimbabwe but it might be unwise,”
said Makumbe. “We could see a
similar bloodbath that we are witnessing in
Libya right now.
But
Makumbe emphasised that “there is a price for freedom,” and dismissed
comments that Zimbabweans are too afraid to take their frustrations onto the
streets.
“That is an underestimation of the anger people are feeling
the people-power
that Zimbabweans have. Once this starts in Zimbabwe it will
be unstoppable,”
Makumbe said.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwean civil society is
reported to be “mulling” civic action
to bring an end to the ZANU PF
violence sweeping across the country. ZANU PF
youths have been rampaging in
different areas, harassing residents and
attacking MDC supporters. In Mbare,
thousands of people have been displaced
by the violence, and are now living
in safe houses.
“We have agreed to confront the inclusive government if
our advocacy and
lobbying fail. There is the coming together of
pro-democracy groups and
there is consensus that we must revert to our
strategy of 2007 which brought
results,” spokesman of the Crisis in Zimbabwe
Coalition, Phillip Pasirayi
told the Daily News on Tuesday.
In March
2007, civic society groups staged prayer marches in Harare’s
Highfield
township which were violently stopped by armed police. Prime
Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai, the leader of the opposition MDC, and a number
of civic society
leaders were severely assaulted by police, prompting
regional leaders to
convene an emergency summit to try and resolve the
Zimbabwean
crisis.
HRD’s Alert
22 February 2011
UNIDENTIFIED
PEOPLE INTERROGATE ACTIVISTS AS THEY REMAIN IN POLICE CUSTODY
The 46 activists, who were arrested at the weekend, continue to be
detained at Harare Central Police Station after the police failed to take them
to court on Tuesday 22 February 2011.
The police failed to take the detainees to court after
formally charging seven of them, who include former Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC) MP for Highfield Munyaradzi
Gwisai and economic and social justice activist Hopewell
Gumbo.
The seven activists were charged with
contravening section 22 (2) (a) (i) of the Criminal Law (Codification and
Reform) Act, that is attempting to
overthrow the government by unconstitutional means.
39 of the detainees whom the police had undertaken to
release from custody had not yet been released by 18:00 hrs on
Tuesday.
The detention of the 46 activists is unlawful because
the 48-hour period prescribed in the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act (CPEA)
has now passed.
The police also indicated that they would retain Gwisai,
Gumbo and other detainees in police custody for the fourth night without
providing any explanation for their action.
On
Monday 21 February 2011, the police spent the whole day “vetting” the detainees,
leaving Gwisai to undergo the vetting exercise at the end.
Lawyers
were barred from being present in the room where each detainee was being
interviewed.
Submissions
had been made to the police from the CID Law and Order Section at the Harare
Central Police Station to release those detainees who were just innocent
bystanders and others who were working in the same building, who had been caught
up during the raid on Saturday 19 February 2011 when the detainees were
arrested, but this fell on deaf ears.
At
least eight of the detainees including International Socialist Organisation
(ISO) members, students, and Gwisai were unlawfully removed from the cells in
batches on the first two nights of their detention by people who were not from
the CID Law and Order Section for “interrogation” during which they were
severely beaten.
The
police also denied medical attention for the detainees.
Lawyers were still attending at Harare Central Police Station last
night.
ENDS
http://www.apanews.net
APA-Harare (Zimbabwe) The
South Africa Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) has
demanded the unconditional
release of 46 Zimbabwean activists accused of
plotting to stage an up-rising
against President Robert Mugabe, saying
Tuesday that threats against
peaceful protests “do not belong in a
democratic society”.
The 46
were arrested last Saturday in the capital Harare for allegedly
plotting to
oust Mugabe using Egypt-style protests that forced former
President Hosni
Mubarak to relinquish power two weeks ago.
Police claimed they had
organised a meeting where they played video footage
of the Egypt uprising
allegedly to “inspire and motivate people to
demonstrate against the
government”.
SAMWU said in a statement that it was outraged by the arrest
of the
activists, observing that the unprovoked attack on a peaceful
political
education session was “indicative of the type of terror that was
unleashed
by ZANU PF in the run up to the last elections”.
“We demand
that the persons arrested be immediately released, and that if
any charges
are brought against them, that they be vigorously challenged and
decisively
refuted as justice demands they be,” SAMWU said.
It said the Zimbabwean
police must be made to account for violations of
people’s freedoms to free
expression and assembly.
“They do not belong in a democratic society, and
are a crude attempt to
intimidate those courageous enough to say that
another Zimbabwe is
possible,” the union
said.
JN/ad/APA
2011-02-22
http://www.newzimbabwe.com
22/02/2011 00:00:00
by Staff
Reporter
AIR Zimbabwe is increasing flights between Harare and London
in response to
rising numbers of travellers, the airline said on
Tuesday.
Air Zimbabwe currently operates two weekly flights between the
two cities,
but that would increase to three starting from April 1, said
David Mwenga,
the airline’s general manager for Europe.
The first flight
from Harare to London under the new schedule will be an
evening flight on
Friday, April 1.
The return flight leaving London Gatwick would be on
Saturday evening.
The only morning flight under the schedule is the
Harare-London flight on
Sunday, with the return flight from London in the
evening of the same day.
On Wednesday evening, the airline will operate a
service from Harare to
London, the plane turning back on Thursday
evening.
Currently, the airline operates a Boeing 767 to Harare from
London every
Thursday and Monday night, and from Harare to London every
Wednesday and
Sunday morning.
Mwenga said as the only airline
operating direct flights between Harare and
London, Air Zimbabwe was “the
airline of convenience”.
“Having three flights between Harare and London
gives travellers more
flexibility,” he told New Zimbabwe.com. “We are also
offering sufficient
baggage allowance — 46kg for economy class, and 64kg in
business class, and
that’s before the hand baggage.”
Under the new
schedule, he said, travellers from London can now book their
journeys up to
Bulawayo and Zambia, with connecting flights from Harare.
Zimbabwe is
experiencing a tourism resurgence from Europe after restoring
political
stability two years ago, the absence of which had led to most
countries
blacklisting it as a holiday destination.
The London route is Air
Zimbabwe’s cash cow, and airline bosses continue to
push the government to
acquire new planes to give the company a competitive
edge.
http://www.radiovop.com
22/02/2011
19:15:00
Masvingo, February 22, 2011 - Ten Zanu (PF) youths, who
severely assaulted a
Masvingo central chief who is currently battling for
his life in the
Intensive Care Unit of a private hospital, are expected in
court on
Wednesday.
The rowdy youths accused chief Murinye of
instructing his people not to
donate gifts for President Robert Mugabe’s
birthday party which is expected
to be held this weekend. The chief was left
for dead when the youths
assaulted him with logs, clenched fists, sjamboks
and knobkerries at a party
function at Boroma school.
Mugabe turned
87 years olf on Monday.
Zanu (PF) youths have been moving around the
rural areas in the province
demanding villagers to pay US$10 in cash or
donate their livestock in form
of chickens, goats and even cattle for the
president’s traditional lavish
bash.
Radio VOP has been told that the
chief had advised the people in his area
that the donations for the
President’s birthday were not compulsory and told
those who could not afford
not to worry themselves.
His sentiments did not go down well with the
youths who labelled him a
sell-out and an Movement Democratic Change
chief.
Although Masvingo Police spokesperson, Inspector Tinaye Matake
refused to
comment over the matter, a police officer at Muchakata who
declined to be
named, said the youths were still in custody as some of them
were still on
the run.
“We have arrested some of them but we can’t
tell you their number and names
as this will jeopardize investigations as
some of them are on the run and we
have launched a man hunt,” said the
source.
The police source added that the Chief was in critical condition
in the ICU
as he was said to have sustained serious internal injuries during
the
beatings.
The Morgan Tsvangirai led MDC-T Masvngo central
Legislator, Jefferson
Chitando condemned Zanu (PF) for victimising
traditional leaders who were
perceived opposition sympathisers.
“It
is sad to note that this is the same party that is ever preaching about
respecting traditional leaders in our communities."
http://www.swradioafrica.com/
By Tichaona Sibanda
22
February 2011
The combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) has
reacted with fury to
comments by the police that corruption allegations
against Local Government
Minister Ignatius Chombo are ‘nothing but media
hype.’
CHRA recently filed charges against Chombo, for fraudulently
acquiring vast
tracts of land in Harare. Instead of launching investigations
against the
minister police have indicated they want to question Simbarashe
Moyo, the
CHRA chairperson who filed the complaint.
‘Police left a
note at our offices stating that I should report to Harare
central police
station for questioning. Obviously I did not do that for fear
they will
arrest me. This is intended to silence me,’ Moyo said. Police have
also
claimed the media has waged a vendetta against Chombo.
Moyo told SW Radio
Africa on Tuesday that he personally submitted
overwhelming evidence,
pointing to the fact that Chombo converted vast
tracks of land within the
city of Harare for personal use.
Politicians and ordinary Zimbabweans had
been wondering just how the ZANU PF
minister amassed such a ‘spectacular’
fortune and property portfolio in the
last decade, while earning a modest
civil servant’ salary.
Chombo’s riches were revealed in damning court
documents, after his wife of
25 years Marian, filed for a hefty divorce
pay-out last year.
Court documents revealed Chombo has tentacles in
virtually all sectors of
the economy. They include interests in several
farms, mines, hunting safari
lodges in Chiredzi, Hwange, Magunje and
Chirundu, as well as properties in
South Africa. Local properties include 75
residential and commercial stands,
plus 14 houses and 5 flats, all dotted
around the country. And there are
also 15 vehicles.
The CHRA
chairperson said; ‘We have long seen that ZANU PF ministers appear
virtually
unaccountable. When you belong to ZANU PF and are corrupt you get
protection
from the police. In fact you are above the law and don’t face
problems with
the police.
‘But when you’re corrupt and belong to the opposition, you
will be exposed
to the full wrath of the law,’ Moyo added.
http://www.swradioafrica.com/
by Irene Madongo
22
February 2011
ZAPU is putting together a court case to claim back
properties it says
belong to its organisation, but were wrongfully taken
away by the ZANU PF
regime in the 1980s.
ZAPU, under Joshua Nkomo,
acquired demobilisation funds to purchase
properties and create projects to
sustain freedom fighters returning from
the struggle for independence in the
early eighties.
The properties include Nijo Farm and the Snake Park in
Harare and in
Bulawayo Magnet House (which currently houses CIO’s),
Windemere farm and a
building formerly known as Lido Motel, but is now being
used as Queens Park
Police station.
The properties were seized after
the Gukurahundu massacres, where 20,000
civilians were killed by Mugabe’s
Fifth Brigade soldiers. Mugabe’s
government accused ZAPU of storing arms on
their properties and senior ZAPU
leaders were also arrested on charges of
trying to overthrow Mugabe.
However, SW Radio Africa Bulawayo
correspondent Lionel Saungweme says the
treason charges were found to be
false.
“In the Supreme Court, Justice McNally ruled in favour of Zipra
commanders,
which meant that Mugabe and his government’s case against ZAPU
fell away,”
Saungweme explained, “And because those grounds were found to be
false, the
continued holding of the ZAPU properties by ZANU and its
functionaries is
therefore illegal.”
ZAPU’s efforts to reclaim its
properties come after almost two decades of
sharing power with Mugabe’s
party. It entered into a unity government with
ZANU PF in 1987, in an effort
to stop the massacres. However in 2009 ZAPU
formally withdrew from the Unity
Accord.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw/
By Roadwin Chirara and Reagan
Mashavave
Tuesday, 22 February 2011 18:00
HARARE - The
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) has threatened
litigation against
the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) over the
recent 50 percent
electricity tariff hike as it could further cripple
businesses and
consumers.
In a tripartite statement with Zimbabwe’s Consumer Council
and Chamber of
Mines, CZI president Joseph Kanyekanye said his organisation
will take
action if the increases were not reviewed downwards.
“If
these guys don’t withdraw the incresease, we will take some action and
legal
action is one of them,” he said.
Although government and the private
sector have a regular platform where
they discuss mutual issues such as
energy pricing and availability,
Kanyekanye said they were no consultations
in the latest increases.
“We expect a certain level of understanding and
are worried about this
culture of arrogance,” he said, adding the upward
revision showed a lack of
responsibility and disregard for
consultations.
He said the increase contravened chapter 13:19 of the
Electricity Act, which
requires consultations before any
adjustments.
Even though Zimbabwe's businesses and consumers have been
hit by a massive
rate hike, they have always suffered long hours of
blackouts - throwing
commercial activity and production as well as homes
into chaos.
On the other hand, Kanyekanye said the power utility had also
deliberately
ignored a recent Competition Tariff Commission (CTC) ruling
that ZESA should
revise downwards its prices.
“The CTC investigated
ZESA and found evidence of abuse of its monopoly
status (and) instructed
ZESA to review its tariffs downwards, but ZESA it
appears has completely
defied the CTC,” he said, adding the decision was
taken to increase the
utility’s bottom line at the expense of customers.
At any rate, the
Zimbabwe Electricity Regulatory Commission was not properly
constituted,
hence its approval and decisions on the tariff increase were
not binding,
the CZI boss said.
Meanwhile, the CZI on Monday said it condemned the
recent renewal of
sanctions on President Robert Mugabe’s inner circle and
called on the
European Union (EU), and its western allies to drop the travel
and financial
embargo.
Kanyekanye said in a separate statement that
the sanctions exacerbated
divisions in the 2008 unity government between
Mugabe and Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai.
“It is with deep regret
that CZI received the news of the renewal of
sanctions by the European
Union,” he said.
“CZI has long maintained that these sanctions... (are) a
major impediment to
the normalisation of the political situation in
Zimbabwe. At the end of the
day, ordinary Zimbabweans suffer as a result of
these sanctions and their
renewal is a major disappointment,” Kanyekanye
said in the shocking
statement, adding ‘foreigners’ must not be allowed to
derail progress made
in the country so far.
“We should not allow
woefully misinformed decisions by foreigners to derail
our progress,” he
thundered.
The CZI boss also said business is on ‘record saying there is
no reason for
elections’ this year as Zimbabwe’s economy recovers from a
decade of decay.
Kanyekanye’s statements come as Masawara plc chief
executive Shingai Mutasa,
among other high profile business executives,
recently told an investment
conference in Harare that sanctions must
go.
Although the 27–member bloc removed 35 people from the sanctions
list, it
renewed the punitive measures – instituted nearly a decade ago –
for a year.
http://mg.co.za/
VUVU VENA | JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - Feb 22 2011
17:27
The departments of home affairs in South Africa and
Zimbabwe have extended
the deadline for the contentious issuing of passports
to Zimbabweans in
South Africa by an extra month.
The deadline was
set for June 2011, however talks between ministers from
both countries this
week have seen the date moved to the end of July in
order to process an
outstanding 60 000 passports.
South African Minister of Home Affairs
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and her
Zimbabwean counterparts Kembo Mohadi and
Theresa Makoni discussed the matter
at a briefing in Pretoria on
Tuesday.
The process began in September last year and has been plagued by
problems of
long queues, confusion about requirements and necessary
documents, backlogs
and delays. The department of home affairs has seen
several court
applications being lodged against it in an attempt to force it
to issue
outstanding permits.
The initial deadline for the issuing of
passports was set for end the of
December 2010. However, it proved difficult
for Zimbabweans to acquire
passports from their country, leading to an
extension of the deadline.
Mohadi said, "At the rate we are churning out
passports in Zimbabwe, in
about 20 weeks [end of July] we would have issued
all the outstanding
passports."
Co-minister, Makoni said, "According
to the registrar general, he will be
able to meet the requirements without
needing assistance … By using
Saturdays and Sundays, he will be able to
produce 3 000 passports a week."
Dlamini-Zuma said this new extension
will help those Zimbabweans who have
not yet applied for passports. There
were no intentions to have any more
extensions.
"We shouldn't have
any problems left by the end of July," said Makoni.
Legal Zimbabwean
immigrants
However Mohadi said 20 weeks does not mark the end of the process.
"There'll
always be new [Zimbabwean] people coming into South
Africa."
The only difference, Dlamini-Zuma pointed out, is that there
will be no
reason for them not to have a passport.
"We have
registered close to 280 000 Zimbabweans, only about 60 000 of these
still do
not have passports," said Dlamini-Zuma.
She indicated that the registered
number was only reflective of a percentage
of Zimbabweans living in South
Africa who were not documented, emphasising
that there were Zimbabweans
living in South Africa who had proper
documentation before the process
begun.
Dlamini-Zuma said that of those who do not have passports, only
half had
applied for them at the close of the process.
Not just
Zimbabweans
More than half of those who did not apply for passports couldn't
because
they had no documentation to prove they were from
Zimbabwe.
Their names will be handed over to Zimbabwean authorities for
verification.
"Those who do not appear on the [Zimbabwean] database will
undergo
interviews," said Dlamini-Zuma.
Makoni added: "It is not
necessarily correct that all of them will be
Zimbabweans," explaining that
other foreign nationals in South Africa may
have used this opportunity,
resulting in an inflation of the number.
The bilateral talks held between
the ministers also tackled the issues
around movement of people in the
region.
The issue of refugees seemed to have been at the centre of these
discussions
with all the ministers emphasising that refugees should seek for
asylum in a
country closest to their own.
What is a refugee?
They
said, because South Africa was seen as a developed economy compared to
the
rest to other African states, it is vulnerable to attracting people. The
ministers called on the assistance of security and justice in other
countries because it had become difficult to identify legitimate
refugees.
They said it shouldn't be easy for a refugee to pass through a
number of
countries and borders to come and seek refuge in South
Africa.
"A refugee will seek refuge in the next country, not borders
away," said
Mohadi.
Concerns around this issue were over individual
motives, and "People who
deliberately come into the country illegally", said
Dlamini-Zuma.
Zimbabwe's concern also involved its close proximity to
South Africa. "We
are used as the passage to South Africa," said
Mohadi.
However, the ministers said talks around movement in the region
needed to be
discussed by the Southern Africa Development Community and
possibly the
African Union.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
Written by Zimbabwe Exiles Forum
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
14:49
Pretoria - Today marked another day of disappointment for
Zimbabwean civil
society organizations in South Africa when the 2
Co-Ministers of Home
Affairs failed to meet with them. The South African
government had arranged
today’s meeting in order that civil society would be
briefed of developments
regarding the Zimbabwe Documentation Project (ZDP).
The gathering, which was
supposed to be a Ministerial briefing with
journalists and members of the
Stakeholders Forum did not live up to
expectations when members of the
Stakeholders were informed that their
Ministers were too busy with other
pressing business to meet them.
Commenting on this, one civil society
representative said that he was
“appalled” by the behaviour of the
Ministers, who are accused of not taking
the Diaspora seriously.
However, the Ministers, together with the South
African Home Affairs
Minister Dr Nkosazana Dhlamini-Zuma, addressed
journalists in an adjoining
room at the Sheraton Hotel, where members of the
Stakeholders Forum civil
society organizations from Zimbabwe were barred.
Zimbabwe’s Co-Ministers of
Home Affairs are Kembo Mohadi of ZANU (PF) and
Theresa Makone of MDC. The
other dignitaries present today were Tobaiwa
Mudede the Registrar General
and newly sworn Ambassador, HE P
Mphoko.
Stakeholders Forum members however took comfort in the fact that
the
Director General of Home Affairs of South Africa, Mr Mkuseli Apleni was
able
to brief them on consultations held with the Zimbabwe Ministers. He
informed
the Stakeholders that the Zimbabwe government believes that it has
the
capacity to meet the challenges of the production of passports during
the
ZDP timeline, although they require a month more than that planned for.
Zimbabwe is expected to produce 60 702 passports before the end of July. 28
044 passport applications have already been submitted under the ZDP, while
32 662 are yet to gain access to submit applications.
According to
the Ministers, Zimbabwe is able to produce about 500 passports
per day. ZEF
however understands that it was not made clear whether the
machine they are
using will now be used solely for the production of
passports needed for the
ZDP at the detriment of applications inside
Zimbabwe, since they have
already declined an offer from South Africa to
assist. Moreover, ZEF is
concerned that there is no office in Cape Town or
Durban to handle
applications, meaning that people without the necessary
resources will be
forced to travel to Johannesburg.
The Director General, Mr Mkuseli
Apleni, also indicated that of the 275 762
applications received, 65 570
have been approved. There are 210 192
applications that are still being
adjudicated on with 49 255 applicants
having surrendered their asylum
documents. Those who relinquished
fraudulently obtained South African
documents and have therefore applied for
amnesty are 6 243.
Regarding
Zimbabweans who are currently being arrested in spite of the
moratorium on
deportations, the DG said that his department should be
notified if anybody
is arrested so that they can continue with engagement
with their
counterparts in other departments. On those who have problems
opening bank
accounts, the DG said that they will ensure that banks are
advised on the
new permits so that they do not reject applicants for new
accounts on the
grounds that the permits are handwritten. The DG also
informed the
Stakeholders that no applications for condonation will be
entertained unless
“it was an issue of life and death” that prevented one
from applying or
asking somebody to submit an application on his or her
behalf. He also
mentioned that this does not mean that a person cannot apply
through the
other immigration processes in SA.
Addressed to SADC
1. We, the Catholic
Bishops of IMBISA (Inter-Regional Meeting of the
Bishops of Southern Africa
- Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Mozambique,
Sao Tome e Principe South
Africa & Zimbabwe) gathered in Pretoria for our
9th Plenary Session,
wish to address a very particular plea to the political
leaders of the SADC
region. We do this at a critical time in the life of
the Zimbabwean
Nation. And we do it firstly and especially, out of a deep
concern for the
suffering people of Zimbabwe.
2. We acknowledge the important role played
by SADC in facilitating the
Global Political Agreement (GPA) which led
directly to the formation of the
Government of National Unity (GNU). We
acknowledge too, the courage of the
three Principals in the GNU, namely
President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai and deputy Prime
Minister Arthur Mutambara. This was the
fruit of a true African solidarity
- something to be celebrated and a cause
for great hope in the region. It
promised a new dawn for Zimbabwe.
3. However, two years later, we are
concerned at the lack of meaningful
progress: not all aspects of the GPA
have been fulfilled within the agreed
timeframe. Despite some improvements
in the country we note that the
ordinary citizens of Zimbabwe continue to
suffer from, amongst other things:
extreme poverty; high levels of
unemployment; inadequate health and
education services; lack of investment
and confidence in the economy of the
country. This is all the more tragic –
and indeed a matter of grave
injustice – when we consider the wealth of the
country with respect both to
its human and its material resources.
4.
As we write, we are aware of talk of – if not even plans for – the
holding
of elections in 2011. We strongly believe that holding elections at
this
stage would be dangerously premature. Conditions in the country are
emphatically NOT conducive to elections in 2011. This is due to the
following factors:
a. The GPA has not been fully implemented;
b.
The process of formulating the new Constitution remains incomplete and
is in
fact way behind schedule. It is not known when the referendum on the
Constitution will be held;
c. The Voters’ Roll has not been
updated;
d. Freedom of Association and of the Media is severely
restricted;
e. The Nation is in the grip of extreme fear; polarization is
still
evident; there are increasing signs of intimidation and/ or violence
as the
election campaign builds up.
5. Should those in power choose to
proceed with elections in 2011, then
we assert emphatically that two things
should be considered as preconditions
for the said elections namely, 1) a
roadmap leading up to the elections be
put in place and 2) the elections be
conducted in accordance with SADC’s
Guidelines for Elections.
6. The
positive gains achieved by the intervention of SADC, including the
establishment of the GNU, simply cannot be allowed to go to waste. This
southern African situation cries out for a solution that respects human
dignity and social justice. This then is our plea: that SADC be the agent
that brings about this urgently needed recovery of Zimbabwe. This would
bring with it the long-awaited development and integration of the region.
It would bring healing, peace and prosperity to the suffering people of
Zimbabwe.
7. We call upon SADC to spearhead the task of restoring
Zimbabwe to its
rightful and proud place in the international community. We
implore Almighty
God to bless our long-suffering region and so too, the
continent of Africa.
May His Holy Spirit give wisdom, courage and compassion
to all those
entrusted with the leadership of its
Nations.
Signed by
Bishop Frank Nubuasah
………………………………………………………
President of IMBISA
President of CEAST – Angola
& Sao Tome e Principe
Archbishop Gabriel Mbilingi
………………………………………………………
Archbishop Gerard T. Lerotholi
President of LCBC -
Lesotho ………………………………………………………
Archbishop Buti Thlagale
………………………………………………………
President of SACBC (South Africa, Botswana &
Swaziland)
Archbishop Liborious N Nashenda
………………………………………………………
President of NCBC – Namibia
Bishop Lúcio A.
Muandula ………………………………………………………
President of CEM - Mozambique
Bishop
Angelo Floro Martinez ………………………………………………………
President of ZCBC - Zimbabwe
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
By Thelma Chikwanha, Staff Writer
Tuesday, 22 February
2011 12:16
HARARE - The high density suburb of Mbare, a political
hotbed over the past
three weeks, is now calm after more than three weeks
of violence which saw
MDC supporters displaced and property worth thousands
of dollars destroyed.
It was business as usual on Monday for traders at
Mbare Musika and
Mupedzanhamo market whose business suffered because of the
upsurge of
violence in the high density surbub.
“We have been trading
normally since the weekend. Business is still low
because customers are
afraid of coming here because of reports of violence,
but it is picking up,”
a trader at Mupedzanhamo, who declined to be named,
said.
Although
peace has finally returned to Mbare, more than 200 MDC supporters,
who were
evicted from their homes during the violence, are yet to return.
MDC-T
chairman for Harare, Morgan Femai, told Daily News at the beginning of
the
month that the political parties had agreed to stop the violence. A
collective decision to bring back the displaced people after two weeks had
been reached but this is yet to be implemented.
Femai said the move
to have his party members back in their homes is proving
tricky because Zanu
PF is not acting in good faith. Femai, who is the MDC
Senator for Chikomo
said that violence is actually on the rise.
“We have not been able to
bring our members back to their homes because we
are dealing with people who
are not negotiating in good faith. We plan one
thing and agree and then, the
next day, they undo the plans,” Femai said.
An MDC flag which had
been hoisted at Magaba shopping centre has since been
removed, while another
flag hoisted at Matapi flats, erected by Zanu PF
members, has also been
removed.
Banners with the portrait of President Robert Mugabe, who turned
87 on
Monday, depicting the message: “Peace Peace Peace, shamwari yandinoda
vaMugabe (The friend that I love Mr Mugabe) a Revolutionary icon, No to
violence,” were stuck on most walls in the suburb.
Police
Commissioner General, Augustine Chihuri, was last week summoned to
appear
before the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Home Affairs on the
violence.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/
Written by Enteetainment
Reporter
Tuesday, 22 February 2011 08:59
“RITUALS” perseveres in
MASHONALAND Central PROVINCE – Rooftop team arrested
and released with no
charge.
The last province (Mashonaland Central) of the “Rituals” tour was
forcefully
suspended on the 18th February after only two performances owing
to an
objection by ZANU PF Muzarabani parliamentarian who made sure the
entire
“Rituals” team (including a NATIONAL Arts Council of Zimbabwe
official and
two nominees for the National Arts Merits Awards 2011) were
thrown in police
cells. As a result, the producer of the production, which
was nominated for
Outstanding Theatrical production and Mandla Moyo
(nominated for Best
Theatre Actor) and Joyce Mpofu (nominated for
Outstanding Theatre Actress)
could not attend the NAMA 2011 Awards Ceremony.
The two artistes were part
of the “Rituals” team that was arrested by
Centenary POLICE Station just
before 6pm, detained overnight and transferred
to Bindura Police where they
were released on Saturday soon after 7pm
represented by human rights lawyer
Alec Muchadehama with no charge. Joyce
Mpofu went on to win the award for
Best Actress in Theatre in absentia as
she was still in Bindura.
The team started the day with Mahuwe where the
show went very well and
people were given DVDs of “Rituals”, “Waiting for
Constitution” and “Heal
the Wounds” during a discussion forum. Then it moved
to Chawarura where they
performed for up to 100 people and left the same DVD
titles in a discussion
after the play. Having fulfilled their goal of two
shows, they then headed
straight for Harare only to be intercepted by gun
wielding police officers
as they entered the small town of Centenary, who
took them to Centenary
Police Station just before 6pm. “Our charge was not
mentioned until the
arrival of Muzarabani MP, Raradza who supervised the
interrogation process
and made sure we were detained for a fictitious charge
(undermining the
authority of the president)” says Rooftop Promotions
Marketing and Sales
Executive as well as incumbent tour manager Tafadzwa
Muzondo in concurrence
with the rest of the cast.
“The ironic and
funny part of it is that firstly, we were advancing
objectives of the
Zimbabwean society at large in line with the primary
reason for existence
and relevance of the artist (being mirrors of society)
and secondly we were
merely buttressing the intention of the Organ on
national healing,
reconciliation and integration which falls under the
Office of the President
and Cabinet and were actually acknowledging the
commitment of the leadership
of the 3 Principles in the inclusive government
to non violent politics as
per their own words in the end of last year
message. We strongly believe
there are people out there who still believe
they are running fiefdoms and
who do not want our communities to engage
openly and map resolutions that
advance their development. Police were duly
notified of the program and did
acknowledge receipt of such notifications
but someone misinterpreted,
deliberately or ignorantly, the program as
campaigning for some party yet we
are an apolitical organization that
strives for freedom of expression and
creativity and as such, these wayward,
errant and intimidatory tactics only
embolden our spirits as well as enhance
our resolve to carry out our work”
says Daves Guzha the Producer of Rooftop
Promotions.
This is the 3rd
time this production has fallen under the spotlight of law
enforcement
agents despite the fact that it has all relevant clearance
certificates as
well as having won an interdict in Bulawayo Magistrate Court
which gave it
the green light to be performed without undue hindrance by any
law
enforcement agent(s).
http://www.zimonline.co.za/
by Tobias Manyuchi Tuesday 22 February
2011
HARARE – A fit-looking President Robert Mugabe proposed
increasing Cabinet
meetings to twice per week to make up for time lost while
he was away,
suggesting rumours the octogenarian leader’s health was failing
may be
exaggerated.
There has been widespread speculation about
Mugabe’s health after his aides
broke with tradition to confirm last week
that the Zimbabwean strongman --
who turned 87 on Tuesday -- had returned
to Singapore for medical review
after undergoing a cataract operation there
last month.
During the time he has been away – Mugabe also spent a
month-long holiday in
the Asian country with his family from the end of
December – Cabinet has not
held its important weekly meetings and there have
been muffled complains
from some ministers that the veteran leader’s
pro-longed absence was
beginning to stifle the smooth running of the
government.
Speaking at a party to celebrate his birthday at his State
House
presidential palace thrown for him by his staff, Mugabe said he was
ready to
put in extra hours to clear up any work backlog resulting from his
absence.
"We can have two Cabinet meetings in one week to make up for
lost time,”
said Mugabe.
The official party to celebrate Mugabe’s
birthday, organised by the
cult-like 21st February Movement, is scheduled
for February 26 in Harare.
In power since Zimbabwe’s 1980 independence
from Britain and Africa’s oldest
leader, Mugabe’s health is a closely
guarded secret and a matter for
speculation and sometimes wild
rumour.
The veteran leader was last month forced to publicly deny media
reports that
he had undergone an operation for a prostate problem in
Malaysia
His ZANU PF party’s candidate for president in elections he says
must take
place this year, Mugabe told his staff that after attaining
political
independence Zimbabweans must now move to claim ownership of the
country’s
resource – a reference to his controversial plan to force
foreign-owned
businesses to cede significant shareholding to local
blacks.
“That is what we have been fighting for, to become masters of our
own
destiny,” Mugabe said.
Under the plan all foreign-owned
businesses worth US$500 000 or more will be
forced to sell shareholding to
locals by 2015, with mining firms required to
transfer 51 percent to locals,
while those exploiting the country’s rich
alluvial diamond deposits should
be 100 percent black-owned.
Analysts say the empowerment plan will
destabilise the recovering economy
and will damage efforts to market
Zimbabwe as a safe destination for
investors.
Mugabe used his
birthday party to also repeat claims the West was working to
oust him from
power.
“Those who colonised us yesterday year are still trying to bring
regime
change…. that is why I continue to resist any interference in our
domestic
affairs,” said the President, who together with his top allies has
been
placed under sanctions by the European Union, United States and other
Western countries.
Mugabe lost a first round presidential election to
then opposition leader
Morgan Tsvangirai in 2008 but escaped total defeat
after mounting a bloody
campaign to reverse his opponent’s gains in a second
round runoff poll.
Tsvangirai boycotted the runoff poll citing state
sponsored attacks against
his supporters, leaving Mugabe to win uncontested.
The two foes eventually
bowed to regional pressure to form a government of
national unity with
Tsvangirai as Prime Minister. – ZimOnline.
http://www.radiovop.com
22/02/2011
19:18:00
Harare, February 22, 2011 - The state-owned Herald and the
national
broadcaster, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation were on Tuesday
awash
with congratulatory messages for President Robert Mugabe who turned 87
on
Monday.
Both public and private companies placed congratulatory
messages with some
companies paying for full page
advertisements.
Annually Mugabe holds Soviet Style festivities organised
by the 21st
February Movement to celebrate his birthday.
Some critics
said the amounts used to pay for these advertisements could
have been
channelled towards feeding thousands of hungry Zimbabweans.
A special
dedication birthday song done by the Born Free Crew, played every
30 minutes
on national radio. The Born Free Crew is not previously known for
any music
composition but came to prominence for Mugabe praise songs.
Most of the
adverts wished Mugabe, who recently came back from Singapore for
a medical
review, "many more health” years.
“We pray that the Lord Almighty
continues to grant you courage, wisdom and
strength to propel our beloved
nation Zimbabwe to greater heights,” read the
advert placed by the Ministry
of Defence. "We wish His Excellency many more
years of good health,” added
another from the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
The Zimbabwe National Water
Authority (ZINWA) said: “The Authority wishes
him many more years filled
with good health and happiness.”
The Institute of Professional Financial
Managers in Southern Africa
described Mugabe as the “Conscience of Africa”
whom God should richly bless
you with good health and many days on
earth.”
The Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) added: "We wish
you many
more happy and healthy years to come.”
| More on PMTCT | |
 Low breastfeeding rates threaten
PMTCT efforts | |
| Better paediatric services reduce
infections | |
| Looking forward to an AIDS-free
generation | |
| Baby steps towards a PMTCT
programme | |
[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]
Harare, February 22, 2011: The
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is supporting an
initiative that will provide a national platform for youths to effectively
communicate their needs to stakeholders, legislators and policy makers and also
access guidance and advice.
The project will be launched at a
ceremony to be held at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday (February
24th 2011) at 3 pm. U.S. Ambassador Charles Ray and USAID mission
director, Karen Freeman as well as officials from the Ministry of Youth,
Indigenisation and Empowerment and representatives from youth groups will attend
the event.
Through its implementing partners,
World Education Foundation- Children First and a local communications agency,
the project will work to engage local NGOs, youth organizations, relevant
government ministries, media organizations and other participants who play a
role in the lives of young people. The program will address diverse issues
including HIV and AIDS; puberty and sexual and reproductive health;
relationships; entrepreneurship; youth leadership; and education.
The project has three components,
namely the Young People” Radio Program; Call in Centre and newspaper editorials.
The 30- minute “Young People” Radio Program will be broadcast on Power FM (99.3
FM) every Tuesdays evening (7:02 pm – 7.32 pm). The program will discuss topical
issues as well as feature selected guests to share experiences and knowledge on
identified subjects. Selected youths, journalists and representatives of
Children First will coordinate the media engagement activities including the
radio programs and newspaper columns. Youth from this group will be trained to
answer immediate questions and provide information and resources at the Call in
Center which is also accessible via SMS.
# # #
Issued by the U.S. Embassy Public
Affairs Section. Contact person: Sharon Hudson Dean, Public Affairs Officer, hararepas@state.gov, Url: http://harare.usembassy.gov
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
Written by SW Radio
Africa
Tuesday, 22 February 2011 07:46
SW Radio Africa journalist
Lance Guma speaks to the Deputy Minister of
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary
Affairs, Senator Obert Gutu (pictured) on
the programme Question Time. Gutu
responds to questions from listeners
including whether perpetrators of
political violence and murder will be
brought to book? Why was a convicted
rapist like Madzibaba Godfrey Nzira
released on the recommendation of his
ministry? What role will his ministry
play in preparations for possible
elections, especially the need to sort out
the shambolic voter’s
role?
Lance Guma: Hello Zimbabwe and thank you for joining us on the
programme.
Our guest on Question Time today is the Deputy Minister of
Justice, Legal
and Parliamentary Affairs, Senator Obert Gutu. He of course
is the MDC
Senator for Chisipite in Harare. Thank you for joining
us.
Obert Gutu: Thank you Lance, thank you listeners.
Guma: Now
straight to the meat of the matter – your predecessor Jessie
Majome
complained in the past that Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa did
not
consult her when controversial appointment of judges were made and she
did
not even know about the swearing in ceremony until the last minute when
she
was informed by the acting deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry.
Titus
Gombedza in Harare wants to know if the same behaviour remains and how
you
would describe your relationship with Chinamasa?
Gutu: Thank you very
much for that question. I believe listeners will
appreciate that when the
MDC led by the Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
joined or rather formed the
inclusive government with ZANU PF in February
2009 it was really a first for
this country and when you also appreciate
that we as MDC and ZANU PF as ZANU
PF are basically very ideologically
different and basically we are coming
from very different ideological
benchmarks.
It was always going to be
difficult to work with our ZANU PF colleagues in
the same government but be
that as it may for the sake of moving the country
forward, we have really
tried our best in these trying and difficult
circumstances to deliver to the
people what we think they deserve. It’s
obviously really sometimes a
question of personalities; I don’t want to
think that I view Minister
Chinamasa as my enemy, neither would I want him
to view him as my
friend.
I’m just there to do the job, I’m an employee of the party in
government and
what I make sure I do is just to make sure that I get myself
involved in all
important deliberations of the ministry. For instance, every
other Wednesday
I chair the departmental heads meeting of the Ministry, You
know the
Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs is one of the biggest
ministries in
Zimbabwe, it actually consists of 11 departments,
So
every other Wednesday the Deputy Minister chairs the departmental heads
meeting and that gives me obviously an opportunity to go into the
nitty-gritty’s of matters in each department and also to keep my pulse on
what’s basically happening in each department. It actually does give me an
opportunity to make sure that I’m relevant in the ministry and that I
obviously can claim a role that is meaningful in our agenda of delivering
change to the people.
Guma: But would you ever have situations where
things can happen without you
knowing about them?
Gutu: It sometimes
happens but the style that I’ve adopted and I just want
listeners to know
this, its just to say look, I always make sure that any
decision that is of
importance obviously emanating from the ministry that I
get involved, in
fact I demand to be involved. It’s not really a question of
they like the
permanent secretary in the ministry tell me, ordinarily they
would rather
not tell me but my style really is just to make sure that I
make myself
relevant and I make sure that if I’m not advised or if I’m not
informed of
any important decision, I raise the issue very seriously, even
at the
departmental heads meeting and I just make the point clear that I’m
not
happy if I feel that I’m being sidelined and I’ve noted that the
tendency
now is to make sure that I am involved.
Guma: Now from Bulawayo also
comes another question – over 500 people were
reportedly killed in the June
2008 elections when Mugabe and ZANU PF had
lost the elections in March of
the same year and in March last year we saw
the MDC Harare Youth Assembly
demonstrating and handing over a petition
demanding that perpetrators of
this violence be brought to book. So the
question from the listener there,
that’s Qobani in Bulawayo, they want to
know what is being done,
particularly by your ministry, to bring some of the
perpetrators of this
violence to book?
Gutu: Thank you very much once again Lance for that
question but I would
like listeners to understand the point that we are in a
government that is a
so-called inclusive government which is not the most
ideal kind of
government or administration if you want to put it that way.
The MDC is in
government but it is not the government. It is very important
for listeners
to distinguish that we are in government but we are not the
government so it’s
actually a very trying and sometimes very frustrating
experience where you
know that we should actually have done better but
because of some kind of
awkward arrangement which we are in, in this
inclusive government it’s very
difficult.
For instance to have the
minister of Justice playing a prominent role in
seeing to it that the
perpetrators of heinous acts of violence are brought
to book because why as
you know this also involves several other ministries,
particularly the
Ministry of Home Affairs which as you know is being
co-ministered by two
ministers, one from our party, the other one from ZANU
PF and you also know
that because of the control by ZANU PF of the
securocracy, they control all
of the security sector ministries.
It has been very, very difficult for
us as the MDC to really deliver on that
particular aspect, not because we
are incompetent but because we are looking
at a system that was deeply
entrenched for close to two decades and trying
to unravel it is not going to
be a stroll in the park. We are trying our
best, you can be assured that
those perpetrators, one day and one day very
soon, will face justice. It
might not happen now, it might not happen
tomorrow but sooner or later, I
can assure your listeners that justice will
be done and will not only be
done, but will be seen to be done.
Because the issue we are doing the MDC
came into government and it’s a
government which as you know is full of
acrimony between the two major
partners in the government and also this
acrimony, there’s mistrust and all
sorts of other bad things, so I just want
to reassure listeners and
Zimbabweans in general that it is not because MDC
has failed to deliver but
it is simply because we are dealing with a deeply
entrenched dictatorship
here, a securocracy which obviously is not going to
be unravelled in just
over one day, it’s a process.
Guma: I suppose
the irony for a lot of people is that there’s a national
healing organ which
has not really done much to either encourage national
healing or
reconciliation and then you have also a ministry like the Justice
Ministry
where people are expecting to get justice so either side of the
coin,
nothing has moved really.
Gutu: Lance I obviously have no mandate to
speak on behalf of the organ on
national healing, reconciliation and
integration because obviously there are
ministers who run that ministry and
I’m the least person qualified to
comment on the activities of that organ.
Suffice to say that I want
listeners to appreciate that kind of situation
that we find ourselves in
government.
The MDC is basically in control
of the social sector ministries largely and
you know ZANU PF is in control
of all the security sector ministries – the
Ministry of Intelligence, the
Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Justice –
you know you are talking of a
system that was entrenched over almost two
decades and quite honestly for
listeners to believe that we can dismantle
this system overnight,
considering the amount of resistance that we meet
each and every day, it’s
not going to be easy.
We are trying our best and I believe that those
people who want to check the
facts, they will definitely tell you that
although the situation is bad, but
definitely it is better than what it was
in 2008 for instance. So we are
making very strategic incremental gains and
I believe that we are on the
right path because if we are talking of
peaceful democratic change against a
system that was so dictatorial, that is
still dictatorial, it’s not easy to
dismantle that but we are trying our
best in the circumstances.
Guma: Cecelia Matsika in Mutare says much has
been made about the
compromised nature of the judiciary in the country,
people feel judges and
magistrates have all received some form of incentive
from Mugabe’s regime
and do not do their job impartially. Being a deputy
minister in the ministry
responsible, what’s your own
assessment?
Gutu: My own assessment is that there are a lot of complaints
about the
judiciary ranging from corruption to political bias and in some
cases
downright ineptitude and incompetence so to speak but look as the
deputy
minister of Justice I do not want to come out into the open and take
sides
and say we have a bad judiciary or we have a good judiciary, let the
people
judge and all I can assure the people is that the position when ZANU
PF was
running the country in such a way that every other sector had been
politicised, from the police, to the intelligence services, to the army, to
the judiciary, to the civil service itself so they should not actually look
at the judiciary in isolation, this is a total package.
A total
package in the sense that every facet of human endeavour in Zimbabwe
had
been politicised. I mean from football, cricket, name it every facet of
life
has been politicised. And what we are doing really is to try and
depoliticise the judiciary to a situation where the judiciary is
independent, where the judiciary is well remunerated so that they are not
easily tempted to embark or to fall victim to acts of corruption and it’s a
process obviously, never an event.
We are getting there but I’m
unable to really comment and say they are
corrupt or they are not corrupt.
Let the people be the judges but on our
part or rather on my part as the
deputy minister of Justice my main desire,
my mission, my dream is to have a
judiciary that is well remunerated, that
is competent and that is
impartial.
Guma: OK moving on to the next question, this comes from child
rights
activist Betty Makoni. She wants to know why a convicted rapist like
Madzibaba Godfrey Nzira was pardoned last month despite serving less than
half of his 20 year jail term. Presumably this was done on the
recommendation of your Ministry?
Gutu: Another very good question.
Lance like I said, this inclusive
government – it’s a difficult animal.
Someone called it half-man and
half-fish. It’s an awkward creature and
sometimes you don’t even know what
is happening within your own ministry. I
only got to know of the fact that
one Godfrey Nzira had been pardoned
through the media, just like any other
ordinary Zimbabwean and the reason
given – I also read it in the media was
actually because of, on medical
grounds.
I’m not too sure what he is suffering from, I haven’t seen the
papers that
recommended that he be released on medical grounds but what I am
saying is
that deputy minister I’m actually embarrassed and ashamed that we
have
instances of this nature where a convicted rapist is set free on the
grounds
that he is not in too good health when there are other people in
prison who
are also not well, not feeling well.
Some are actually
going through the tertiary stages of HIV Aids but they
haven’t been released
but these are the kind of challenges we face Lance,
day in, day out. Where
sometimes the right hand does not know what the left
hand is doing and vice
versa. This is the awkwardness of this creature
called the inclusive
government. At the end of the day it is a difficult
arrangement because you
are like trying to mix oil and water and those two
can’t mix as listeners
will agree with me.
Guma: And also maybe it’s pertinent to point out that
Madzibaba Nzira has
already been deployed to campaign for ZANU PF in areas
like Muzarabani so
the motive comes out clear there.
Gutu: Yah it’s
clear because I’ve heard those kinds of reports that Nzira is
already on the
campaign trail on behalf of ZANU PF and should that be
correct then
obviously it vindicates the suspicion that his pardoning was
not based on
medical grounds. But then that is unfortunate but that is a
typical
unadulterated example of the bastardisation of the rule of law.
Where
somebody who has been convicted of such a serious offence or such
serious
offences as rape, because I believe rape is the ultimate assault on
womanhood, he is then set free to go and campaign for a political
party.
This is a sad story, it is a sad indictment in our country and I
would
actually just want to urge listeners to help us help ourselves because
this
is not just the MDC fighting dictatorship, it has to be the
responsibility
of every patriotic peace loving Zimbabwean wherever you are,
wherever you
are staying under the sun, let’s try to join hands and fight
this
dictatorship, together peacefully, democratically.
It is the end
game for the dictatorship. It is dying but obviously you know
the dying, or
rather the kicks of the dying horse lethal but we have to keep
fighting and
I believe that is exactly what we are doing, fighting.
Guma: Still
sticking with Betty Makoni, she wants to know if the
victim-friendly system
in the country is working given the number of abusers
walking the streets
freely. She cites the example of Dr Munyaradzi Kereke,
advisor to the
Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono who allegedly raped an 11
year old girl
and was never charged, so her question is – is the victim
friendly system in
the country working?
Gutu: I would say yes and no. It might appear very
strange but that is the
precisely answer – yes and no. Like I said, you are
talking of a highly
politicised justice delivery system where people who
happen to be
politically well connected, particularly ZANU PF, sometimes
literally get
away with murder and these are the kinds of things that some
of us are
fighting against.
If somebody has committed an offence, you
must know who they are, no matter
which political party they are members of,
they should be made to face
justice. I agree that obviously there are
instances of selective application
of justice and that’s very sad. But look
I want listeners to really
appreciate that we are doing our best because the
issue is, this is a system
like I’ve said already which has been deeply
entrenched, it’s a system that
has become, you know ZANU PF ceases to be
just a political party, it has
become a way of life so for it really to just
crumple like dust will need
the effort of each and every peace loving and
patriotic Zimbabwean.
This should not be the monopoly of the MDC, we are
trying our best against
all odds, it’s a pity that sometimes we find
Zimbabweans feel that maybe we’re
not doing enough but they should
appreciate. I understand fully myself
before I went into government but once
I was part of the executive now I
appreciated the practical difficulties
that we come across each and every
day trying to move this country
forward.
We are trying to move the country forward, our colleagues are
busy trying to
move it backwards. So it becomes very difficult that’s why
you find even the
economic turnaround is so slow, it’s so tragic, it’s not
because we are
incompetent but we are facing mammoth resistance,
unbelievable resistance
from the old order.
Guma: Last year, events
in the Senate to which you are a member of were
dominated by the MDC boycott
of the presence of provincial governors
appointed unilaterally by Mugabe
without consulting his coalition partners.
Now Lydia Mavanga in Rusape says
they missed the news on how that matter was
eventually resolved so maybe you
could update them on how that was resolved?
Gutu: I can actually just
clarify to Lydia that the matter has not been
resolved. What has happened is
up till this day we are saying those ten
governors are illegitimate because
they were unconstitutionally and
illegally appointed and so what has
happened is that the prime minister has
taken that particular matter
challenging the illegality or rather the
appointment of those governors in
the High Court and to the best of my
knowledge the matter is now
pending.
I believe heads of argument have already been prepared by the
prime minister’s
attorneys and I think it’s just a matter of weeks before
the matter is sent
down for hearing in the High Court. So it was not like
the matter has been
resolved, it is pending resolution through the avenue of
the High Court.
But our position as a party is that those governors
remain illegitimate, we
don’t recognise them but although they are coming to
the Senate, we are just
saying they are coming there but we don’t welcome
them and they remain
illegally appointed and up until the High Court
disposes of this matter, we
are saying let’s wait and see. The matter hasn’t
been resolved, we have not
accepted that they are legitimate, in fact they
remain very illegitimate. So
the situation really is let’s wait for the High
Court and see how it
determines the matter.
Guma: Our last question
for you Senator comes from a lawyer from Harare who
chose not to make his
name public but all the same he wants to ask what the
role of your ministry
is going to be ahead of possible elections in the
country? We all know
there’s a Zimbabwe Electoral Commission but what role
will the Ministry of
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs play in a
possible future
election?
Gutu: As you know basically the Ministry of Justice and Legal
Affairs is, I
would want to call it the ‘mother ministry’ of ZEC, the
Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission, it’s also the mother ministry of the Zimbabwe
Human Rights
Commission so basically what happens is that as the Ministry of
Justice we,
it is one of our primary tasks, indeed duty, to ensure that ZEC
is allowed
to take off the ground as an independent constitutional
commission.
I actually think that the most critical organ in the running
of free and
fair elections in this country is the role that ZEC is going to
play. For as
long as the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is not seen to be
adequately
resourced, adequately capacitated and impartial we will never
have a free
and fair election in this matter. So as the Ministry of Justice
we are
trying our level best to ensure that ZEC takes off the
ground.
They have taken off but there are a lot of challenges, I think
several know
that there are complaints about the voters’ roll which in my
humble opinion
has to be thrown out of the window and we have to start a new
fresh
biometric registration of voters if we are going to have a legitimate
free
and fair election in this country.
So really, the Ministry of
Justice’s role, to my learned friend who has
asked the question, is to play
a facilitative role. We are not going to run
ZEC because ZEC is supposed to
be constitutionally an independent
commission, ZEC is supposed to be free
from manipulation by any ministry or
any organ of the state including the
Ministry of Justice.
Guma: Has there been any timetable set for the
sorting out of the voters’
roll?
Gutu: No timetable to the best of my
knowledge because as I am talking
actually we are having a big workshop here
in Nyanga to deal with the issues
of human rights and the periodic review
and we actually have the ZEC
commissioner there, we actually have the
chairman of ZEC, the Honourable
Justice Simpson Mutambanengwe is one of the
delegates at this conference so
what we are just trying to do really is to
capacitate this Commission.
At the Ministry of Justice for instance we
are hosting this conference
funded by the UNDP to ensure that issues of
human rights are fully
understood and as you know free and fair elections
are part and parcel of
human rights so we actually have the Zimbabwe Human
Rights commissioners,
all of them are here, including the chair Professor
Reg Austin we actually
also have members of the Zimbabwe Media Commission –
the whole idea is to
facilitate at the ministry that culture of human
rights, a culture of
democratisation so to speak.
So I believe we are
trying our best, certainly we haven’t really done I
think the best of what
we could do but I believe we are on the right track,
we are taking a lot of
hurdles you know political hurdles to do with the
Ministry of Finance
etcetera, etcetera. I believe we are on the right track
and we will get
there.
Guma: Well Zimbabwe that was the deputy minister of Justice, Legal
and
Parliamentary Affairs Senator Obert Gutu. He of course is also the MDC
senator for Chisipite in Harare. Senator thank you so much for joining us on
Question Time.
Gutu: Thank you very much.
Feedback can be sent
to lance@swradioafrica.com
http://twitter.com/lanceguma or http://www.facebook.com/lance.guma
SW
Radio Africa is Zimbabwe’s Independent Voice and broadcasts on Short Wave
4880 KHz in the 60m band.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
By Enock Muchinjo, Deputy Sports
Editor
Tuesday, 22 February 2011 16:35
HARARE - Zimbabwe’s Sports
Minister David Coltart joined cricket fans in
reacting warmly to the team’s
battling performance in its World Cup opening
match on Monday, despite the
91-run defeat to defending champions Australia.
Zimbabwe bowled and
fielded remarkably well in the Indian city of Ahmedabad
to restrict the
Aussies to a gettable 262-6 in 50 overs.
The Zimbabwean spinners, led by
34-year-old left-armer Ray Price, restrained
the feared Australian batsmen
by constantly hitting accurate lengths and
lines.
In pursuit,
Zimbabwe was however outdone by the champions’ pace barrage as
the frontline
trio of Brett Lee, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson helped
reduce the African
side to 171 in 46.2 overs.
Coltart, a keen cricket follower, led the
praises with a Facebook message on
leg-spinner Graeme Cremer’s
page.
The 24-year-old Cremer took 1-41 in 10 overs before top-scoring
with 38 at
number nine.
“Graeme, superb all-round performance today,”
wrote Coltart.
“Congratulations! Now you need to help lift the spirits of
the other lads
who struggled more than you did. That was a very credible
performance today.
You have little time in the middle with teams of that so
you all acquitted
yourselves superbly. We are immensely proud of you
all.”
Cremer’s friend, Levi Pearce, also posted on his Wall: “I can’t
find a word
to describe you; inspiring, dogged, almost arrogant in the way
you took it
to Aus at the end with the bat.”
Alister Zowe, Zimbabwe
women’s team coach, added his comment: “In a match
like that you walk away
with your head high. They did well. Oh, they can
only get
better.”
Most comments on the match were posted on Cricinfo, the world’s
leading
cricket website.
“Zim bowled very well and should be
commended for that, the spinners spot
on, Australia showed their shyness
when playing against spin the innings,”
observed Titch Maphosa, adding: “If
(Chris) Mpofu and (Chigumbura) had not
given away so many (runs) they would
have kept them under 250. Zimbabwe’s
batting is good.
They are
however not used to playing genuine pace. The 135kmh+ they usually
play at
home against medium pacers expose their weakness. Today they played
well and
showed the Aussies too much respect. A little respect was okay, but
not as
much as Zim gave.”
Voma, another Cricinfo reader, reckoned the
Australians would fail to beat
tougher opposition if their subdued
performance against Zimbabwe a sign of
things to come.
He said: “Hmm
interesting how the Zimbabwe bowlers restricted the Australian
batsmen.
Against better opponents, I think Aussies would be staring down the
barrel
of defeat.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
Australian captain Ricky Ponting smashed an
LCD television set with his bat
in the team's dressing room, apparently in a
fit of anger after being
run-out against Zimbabwe in the Cricket World
Cup.
By Telegraph staff and agencies 10:35AM GMT 22 Feb
2011
Sources in the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) said that the
incident took
place immediately after Ponting was run-out on 28 on Monday by
a direct hit
from Chris Mpofu in the Group A clash between Australia and
Zimbabwe.
"The screen was not damaged, but the set stopped working after
that,"
Gujarat Cricket Association secretary Rajesh Patel said.
"We
informed the Australian cricket officials and the International Cricket
Council immediately. But there has been no apology to us from either the
Australian captain or the team management so far," Patel said.
GCA
said that they had informed the Australian cricket authorities about the
incident.
But when the Australian media manager Lachy Patterson was
contacted, he said
he was not aware of any such incident.
