WAR VETERANS' BOSS FLEES Fri 7 January 2005 HARARE -
The leader of Zimbabwe's 1970s liberation war veterans has fled the country
fearing arrest for allegedly working with four senior ZANU PF officials
accused in an espionage case, insiders say is an extension of a vicious
power struggle within the ruling party.
Zimbabwe National
Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) chairman Jabulani Sibanda, who
took charge of the group last year and was not yet on the list of ZANU PF
and government officials banned from the United States (US) and European
Union countries, is believed to be in the US.
A senior agent of
the state's Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), who spoke anonymously
for professional reasons, said: "We suspected he was part of the spying
ring. The net is closing in on him. We believe he is in the
USA."
Former war veterans chairman for Bulawayo province and a
close friend of Sibanda, Themba Ncube also confirmed the ZNLWVA chairman was
out of the country. "I have been looking for him (without success).
Initially, I thought he was out in the rural areas but I understand he is
out of the country," Ncube said yesterday.
ZANU PF chairman for
Mashonaland West province Philip Chiyangwa, party external affairs director
Itai Marchi, deputy security officer Kenny Karidza, Zimbabwean
ambassador-designate to Mozambique Godfrey Dvairo and bank executive Tendai
Matambanadzo are being held by the CIO on charges that they supplied
intelligence information to foreign agents.
But party insiders say
the espionage case is part of bitter infighting in ZANU PF over President
Robert Mugabe's successor.
According to sources, the ultimate
target in the ongoing spy case is parliamentary speaker, Emmerson Mnangagwa,
who attempted to block plans by Mugabe to appoint Joyce Mujuru as his second
vice-president, a key stepping stone to the top job.
The five
party officials held for espionage unsuccessfully campaigned for Mnangagwa
to be appointed vice-president instead of Mujuru. Sibanda was Mnangagwa's
right-handman and had managed to bring the war veterans, a key constituency
in ZANU PF, behind the parliamentary speaker.
He was suspended from
ZANU PF for four years for attending an illegal party meeting to plan to
scuttle Mujuru's appointment to the vice presidency. Mugabe had also
publicly directed that Sibanda be removed from his post as ZNLWVA chairman.
- ZimOnline
Magistrate defers ruling on spy suspects' change of plea to
next week Fri 7 January 2005 HARARE - Magistrate Peter Kumbawa will next
week decide whether to allow three men, two of them senior ruling ZANU PF
party officials, to change plea after initially pleading guilty to
espionage.
An official from the Attorney General's office, Morgan
Nemadire, told reporters after the closure of state submissions against the
three men's application to alter plea that the matter had been, "stood down
to January 13 for judgment."
ZANU PF external affairs director
Itai Marchi, Zimbabwe's ambassador-designate to Mozambique Godfrey Dvairo
and banker Tendai Matambanadzo were arrested three weeks ago on allegations
that they were supplying intelligence information to foreign
agents.
ZANU PF provincial chairman for Mashonaland West Philip
Chiyangwa, also arrested for the same alleged offence will appear in court
in two weeks time while another suspect Kenny Karidza, who is a ZANU PF
deputy security officer, is expected in court today.
Sources
this week told ZimOnline that Karidza could not be brought to court earlier,
because he could hardly walk or talk after being severely tortured by state
secret agents. - ZimOnline
Botswana NGOs to protest at Zimbabwe embassy Fri 7 January
2005 GABORONE - Botswana non-governmental organisations (NGOs) will next
month protest at the Zimbabwean embassy here against human rights
violations and repressive legislation against civic society in that
country.
Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations
official, Segametsi Moatlhaping, said the council had also written to
President Robert Mugabe urging him to drop a tough NGO Bill passed by
Zimbabwe's Parliament last year.
The Bill, which bars NGOs from
carrying out voter education while those focusing on human rights work are
prohibited from receiving foreign funding, is now awaiting Mugabe's
signature before becoming effective law.
Moatlhaping said: "It
(protest) will also be in solidarity with the Zimbabwean people. The
demonstration comes in the wake of an NGO Bill introduced in
Zimbabwe."
NGOs in South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique last month
protested against human rights violations in Zimbabwe at the country's
embassies in the region as part of commemorations of the International Human
Rights Day. - ZimOnline
Barclays' Zimbabwe unit and Kingdom Financial Holdings,
Harare's second-largest locally owned lender, said yesterday that they had
enough capital to operate amid mounting concern from clients about the
stability of the country's banking industry.
The banks placed
ads in national newspapers yesterday after nine lenders were shut down by
the central bank over the past year.
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
last month appointed a manager for locally owned CFX Bank after closing the
lender, which locked away salaries and deposits for tens of thousands of
people.
Barclays will "ensure that the bank has sufficient
authorised share capital for future capital requirements and possible future
expansion". Harare's central bank has been cracking down on local lenders
after a series of management failures threatened the industry.
Mugabe's spokesman in threat to Zimbabwe news
websites
By Staff Reporter Last updated: 01/07/2005
11:58:07 THE Zimbabwe government has launched a desperate attempt to bully
foreign journalists and news websites hosted from abroad from reporting on
the on-going Spy-gate Scandal which has sucked in top officials including
President Robert Mugabe's nephew.
And in an apparent bid to divert
journalists from closely probing government officials, the State-controlled
Herald newspaper ran a curious story on Friday claiming three opposition
Movement for Democratic Change MPs were also under investigation for spying
for foreign governmentrs -- although the opposition has no access to
official State secrets.
In a statement, President Mugabe's spokesman
George Charamba said journalists should stick "strictly to court proceedings
as briefed to them by those in the know or handling the case", claiming
there were national security concerns.
"The recent spate of
speculative pieces on the matter, some of them quite incriminating and
defamatory to individuals who include Government ministers, was needless and
certainly contrary to the requirements of the law and good journalism,"
Charamba railed.
"Government notes, with concern, falsehoods on the case,
some of which have been posted on websites associated with the opposition.
This is a grave matter which can attract serious consequences, including
legal ones," he said.
With the State-media firmly under its grip, the
Zimbabwe government has desperately failed to stem the leaks and flow of
information to news websites like New Zimbabwe.com which operates from Wales
and others dotted across the globe.
On Tuesday this week, New
Zimbabwe.com dropped a bombshell with the sensational story revealing that
two ministers linked to the spying scandal were National Security Minister
Nicholas Goche and Local Government Minister Ignatius
Chombo.
President Mugabe's nephew and Chinhoyi legislator Phillip
Chiyangwa, Zimbabwe's Ambassador-designate to Mozambique Godfrey Dzvairo,
Zanu-PF director of external affairs Itai Marchi, the party's deputy
security chief Kenny Karidza and former banker Tendai Matambanadzo have
appeared in court charged with breaching the Official Secrets
Act.
They are accused of selling State secrets to unnamed foreign
governments.
Britain plans 'national service' for asylum
seekers
By Staff Reporter Last updated: 01/07/2005 10:46:40 BRITISH
Prime Minister Tony Blair plans to make failed asylum seekers from Zimbabwe
and other countries do months of "national service" in a bid to convince
voters he has not lost control of the immigration system.
Later this
month, Blair will set out a raft of new measures designed to prove to voters
that he is determind to finally "get a grip" on the issue, the right-wing
Daily Express newspaper reported.
The paper says that pride of place will
be given to a plan for failed asylum seekers awaiting the results of appeals
to do 35 hours a week community work in return for their board and
lodging.
The latest moves will further infuriate Zimbabwean campaigners
and human rights groups who have planned a big demonstration at the Home
Office on 29 January to protest the deportation of
Zimbabweans.
British Ministers believe it will be a hit with many older
voters who resent paying for the upkeep of young men whose claims have
already been judged bogus. Opposition MPs and immigration experts dubbed the
idea the latest in a long line of Blairite "gimmicks".
"This plan
would apply to all able-bodied asylum seekers going through the appeals
process after their initial application for asylum has been turned down," a
Labour source told the Express.
"We would require them to do a full
five-day week on community projects in return for basic bed and board. We
want to convince people we do not condone young men who abuse the asylum
system. They will be set to work on removing graffiti and litter and
cleaning up neighbourhoods."
The government is also expected to repackage
a promise that more asylum seekers will be removed, than arrive, after
failing to make the expected progress towards fulfilling that
pledge.
Currently the average asylum appeal takes around six months to
resolve, but four out of five of those turned down are never removed from
Britain.
Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migration Watch UK, said the
community work idea appeared to be "window dressing" for the Government
ahead of the general election.
He said: "This is best viewed as a
harmless gimmick. It will do nothing to address the main problem of the
asylum system which is that four out of five failed applicants are able to
stay on in Britain. For as long as that situation is allowed to continue, we
will remain one of the top global destinations for asylum seekers. In any
case, other forms of immigration last year were responsible for three times
as many arrivals as asylum seeking.
"The Government`s own projections
show that immigration will add five million to our population in the next 30
years. This is what needs action."
Tory shadow home secretary David Davis
predicted public scepticism towards Mr Blair`s latest crackdown. He said:
"People will treat this headline-grabbing announcement from Tony Blair with
the scepticism it deserves. Since 1997 the asylum and immigration system has
descended into shambles.
"One million iimigrations have come to this
country under Labour, while 80 per cent of failed asylum seekers are never
removed. Only the Conservatives would get a grip."
1.1 P/T DOMESTIC WORKER (F) REQUIRED, received 05
January, 2005
Part time female domestic worker required for Avondale
area. Mornings only position offered for a female domestic worker. Cooking
would be an advantage. Must have experience and recent contactable
references. No accommodation available but transport will be included as a
benefit.
Part time position offered for a gardener.
Must have experience and recent contactable references. No accommodation
available but transport will be included as a benefit.
Contact: Mrs
Spies : 011-218963
1.3 GARDENER WANTED, received 21 December,
2004
Help! My gardener of 28 years has retired due to ill health and I
am looking for a replacement. Usual package although accommodation ( 2
rooms) not big enough to house a large family and we can't afford school
fees.
I am a divorced woman aged 49 years
seeking employment either in Accounting/Bookkeeping or PA or PR work. I am
willing to consider work outside of Zimbabwe.
I am currently
unemployed and therefore ready to start at any time.
Media Watch Group: Press Freedom in Africa Ranges from Best to Worst
By Suzanne Presto Washington 06-January-2005
1501
A leading press freedom group, Reporters Without Borders,
says more than 50 journalists were killed in the course of their work in
2004. That figure is the highest it has been since 1995. The best and the
worst case scenarios for journalists can be found on the African
continent.
Reporters Without Borders is calling 2004 the deadliest year
in a decade for media professionals, with 53 journalists and 15 assistants
killed around the globe.
In a report released Wednesday, the group
says last year, in Africa alone, almost 200 journalists were arrested,
another 176 were threatened or attacked, and one journalist was
killed.
The head of Reporters Without Borders' Africa desk, Leonard
Vincent, explains his belief that press freedom in Africa can range from the
best to the worst.
"In great democracies like South Africa or in new
democracies like Benin, Cape Verde or Ghana or other countries like this,
press freedom is really rather like it is in Europe," he explained. "But we
have the worst like in Cote D'Ivoire or recently in The Gambia where our
correspondent and one of the most respected journalists was shot dead by
unknown persons."
He is referring to Deyda Hydara, killed December 16
amid tensions between the government and the press.
Africa reported
the lowest number of media professionals killed, with a single journalist
murdered, but that fact does not diminish Mr. Vincent's concern.
"The
situation is still worrying even if we have only one or two journalists
killed in Africa," he added. "The violence is very high. The climate, the
atmosphere is very very tense."
He says he is troubled by reports
from eastern Congo, where journalists say they are being harassed, arrested
or tortured. And he adds that the state of the press is especially dire in
Eritrea.
"This is one of the worst countries in the world," he noted.
"You know, it looks like North Korea, in fact, and we're very concerned and
very worried to see that happen in Africa. Eritrea is in a situation
completely frozen for more than three years. There has been no private
press, no expression whatsoever besides what the government wants to hear,
and state media completely taking orders at the ministry. So this is a very
disastrous situation."
He adds that at least 14 journalists detained
in Eritrea are being held in secret locations, without any outside contact
since 2002.
On a positive note, Mr. Vincent has high hopes for Zimbabwe,
where the government has used strict media laws to shut down newspapers,
including the 2003 closure of The Daily News. He says good news might come
from Zimbabwe's Supreme Court in the next few weeks, with a possible ruling
that the paper would be allowed to publish again in Harare.
Thank you - I found your communication about Phillip
Nsingo very touching. My husband and I used to own a Plumbing Firm and I have
good memories of some of the people who worked for us - they were truly
honourable, brave and obviously people of a good background.
I am from
an Afrikaans pioneer family and, as a child, I was taught to respect and
honour people of all races - especially those older than I was at that
time.
My grandmother told us a story about herself as a very young
married woman. She lived in Selukwe and she was expecting her first child (my
Mother). My grandfather left her at home whilst he went on a trip - he was a
"transport rider" and brought cattle up from Bulawayo to Salisbury. Anyway,
he was away longer than expected and she found herself in dire
circumstances. She says that one evening there was a knock on the kitchen
door and an old African gentleman had brought her a sack full of
vegetables. She told him that she had no money to pay him for his produce
and no gift to give him in return, as was the custom at that time. His reply
was "My child, I did not come for money - only to help you because your time
for birthing is near and your husband is away". This family story has had a
huge influence on all of us because she told it with such love and we always
felt grateful that this man had so graciously helped a young woman who had
no one to turn to. So I send you my deep sympathy. I am sorry for your
loss.
It
is time for them to honour this obligation. They have paid lip service to
their own ideals for far too long
Comment
By the
Editor
As Zimbabwe's election in March approaches, so the murmurs
of discontent within the ruling party are growing louder. This week Zanu PF
members protested angrily outside the party's headquarters in Harare at what
they regarded as the imposition of election candidates on them. This display
of dissent follows the dropping of several senior party officials as
candidates and the exclusion of others from the party's decision- and
policy-making organs. At the heart of the dissension, it seems, is
ultimately a power struggle over who will succeed Robert Mugabe as president
when he retires in 2008. It is unclear what the fallout will be of the rifts
emerging within Zanu PF, which has been in power since the first
post-independence elections in Zimbabwe in 1980. On the one hand, the
wrangling within Zanu PF may open political space for the beleaguered
Movement for Democratic Change in the run-up to the election and allow them
to campaign more freely. On the other hand, a fractious Zanu PF may
dramatically increase the political instability in Zimbabwe - certainly not
conducive to a safe election.
Zimbabwe has already been
buffeted by one crisis after another during the last decade or so. Today its
economy is virtually paralysed. The general citizenry has inevitably been
the worst affected, with several warnings of hunger, and even starvation, in
certain parts of the country. The election scheduled for March offers them
an opportunity to elect those they believe best able to improve their
circumstances. The squabbling within Zanu PF must not be allowed to deprive
them of this opportunity. The Southern African Development Community, and
South Africa in particular, have an obligation to ensure that this does not
happen. It is time for them to honour this obligation. They have paid lip
service to their own ideals for far too long.