14 July 2000
In today's issue:
From News24, 13 July
Where is abducted MDC supporter?
Harare - The abduction of Patrick Nabanyama - a supporter of the MDC -before Zimbabwe's election on 24 June must be immediately investigated, said Maina Kiai, Amnesty International's Africa Director on Thursday. Patrick Nabanyama was abducted on the afternoon of 19 June by a group of "war veterans". The "war veterans" went to his house and abducted him in the presence of his wife and children. To date his whereabouts are unknown.
Nabanyama, a former member of the Zanu-PF, was working as a polling agent for David Coltart, a candidate from the opposition party MDC, in Bulawayo when he was abducted. "The state-sponsored terror that characterised the run-up to the elections should not be allowed to continue," Maina Kiai said. "The whereabouts of Patrick Nabanyama must be clarified and his safety guaranteed." In response to the death threats he received, he wrote a letter to Dispatch, a Bulawayo newspaper, highlighting his situation. He had drafted a second letter on the morning of 19 June but did not manage to send it before he was abducted.
Amnesty International had reports of at least 14 kidnappings of MDC supporters in Bulawayo during the pre-election period, but all except Patrick Nabanyama have been released. "Where is Patrick Nabanyama? The government of Zimbabwe should do everything possible to try and answer this," Maina Kiai said.
From The Guardian (UK), 14 July
New land seizures lead to violence in Zimbabwe
Harare - President Robert Mugabe's government will begin widespread seizures of white farms today after sending army units into townships near Harare and other cities which supported the opposition. Hopes that Zimbabwe would return to normal after the June parliamentary elections have been dashed by the government's heavy-handed actions. Mr Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF resorted to violence in the election campaign but it only managed to win 62 of the 120 elected parliamentary seats. Now Mr Mugabe appears to be using state force to reinforce his authority over the country.
The government will begin confiscation of 160 white-owned farms today, Nathan Shamuyarira, the industry minister from the ruling Zanu-PF party, said, adding that the government will take possession of 20 farms in each of Zimbabwe's eight rural provinces and will settle government supporters there immediately. But fear reigned in some rural areas yesterday as dozens of white farmers were told to vacate their properties immediately or face death. "No one is certain what is going to happen," said Tim Henwood, the president of the CFU. "The government said officials would notify us which farms are to be taken, but we have not been informed. All around the country farmers are getting death threats."
The government last month earmarked 804 farms for compulsory acquisition, prompting more than 500 owners to lodge legal appeals. The farms to be taken today were supposedly picked from more than 200 farms that did not appeal against the seizure orders. But Mr Mugabe's supporters have ordered the evacuation of farms that were not listed at all. More than 1,000 farms are now occupied.
Harare and two other cities were tense yesterday following the deployment of army and police units in township areas. The troops were sent into the townships to prevent any violence following the parliamentary elections, a police spokesman said yesterday. But township dwellers complain that the units attacked peaceful citizens and Harare employers said scores of workers had suffered beatings. The army deployment appears to be government retaliation against Harare's townships for backing the opposition MDC.
One resident of Mbare township said: "We were seated, having our drinks and listening to the jukebox, when they [soldiers] stormed in and demanded that we all stand up and show them respect. "When we did as they had asked they picked out two people and said they wanted to show us what they could do to misguided people. They then began beating the two with the butts of their rifles." Chief Superintendent Wayne Bvudzijena, a police spokesman, said the charges against the police and army units had not been substantiated and they would continue to patrol potential "flashpoints". He said people beaten by the patrols should report to the police, who were in control of the joint operation. ZimRights, a human rights watchdog, condemned the reported attacks on civilians. Its chairman, Nick Ndebele, said: "Political violence should not be substituted with army or police violence."
From Business Day (SA), 13 July
Mugabe leaves for Congo without naming new cabinet
HARARE - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe departed Harare for the DRC yesterday to meet President Laurent Kabila, with the country anxiously waiting for him to announce a new cabinet. Speculation is rife that Mugabe will announce his new cabinet on his return from Congo tomorrow. Mugabe did not attend the OAU summit meeting being held in Togo ostensibly because he was busy putting his new cabinet together. It is, however, widely believed that he did not go to Lome to show his solidarity with Angola, which accuses Togo of supporting Unita rebels.
Mugabe's trip also came a day after prominent Harare banker Nigel Chanakira was arrested for the second time in less than three months over fraud allegations. There are growing concerns that the government is harassing businessmen it perceives to have funded the opposition MDC in last month's election. Police are alleging that Chanakira connived with the pension company to buy ordinary shares in businessman Strive Masiyiwa's cellular telephone company, Econet Wireless, in a deal that allegedly prejudiced the state corporation by Z87m. Chanakira is expected to appear in Harare's magistrates court tomorrow morning. Police are said to be "very keen to interview" Masiyiwa over the deal. Masiyiwa has been out of Zimbabwe on a prolonged business trip and has not commented on the issue.
From The Zimbabwe Independent, 14 July
Mugabe warned of security threat at National Stadium
PRESIDENT Mugabe stayed away from the South Africa/Zimbabwe World Cup soccer qualifier at the National Sports Stadium last Sunday because of security considerations, it emerged yesterday. Sources said Mugabe was expected to be the guest of honour but did not turn up after being warned of a security risk by state security agents. Mines, Environment and Tourism minister Simon Khaya Moyo presided on Mugabe's behalf. It is understood Mugabe was warned of the threat of popular protest against him at the match. "President Mugabe was advised by security agents to stay away from the match because they felt he would be embarrassed by opposition party supporters at the stadium," a source said.
The match witnessed political sloganeering by sections of the 40 000 crowd. Observers said opposition supporters who were denied the chance to celebrate after the election by the police and the army, used the soccer match to hail the MDC's gains. In Bulawayo politics at football matches is now the order of the day. Anti-government slogans have become a way of life. It started in 1997 when pressure groups began printing T-shirts and selling them in stadiums to convey political messages.
Zifa chairman Leo Mugabe - the president's nephew -confirmed that the football body had invited President Mugabe to the match but said the invitation was sent out too late. "I think our request got there late," said Mugabe. "We just invited him but we knew that our request was out of time," he said. However, a spokesman for the Office of the President, Munyaradzi Hwengwere, professed ignorance of the invitation. He said his office never saw the invitation. "I don't know anything about it. I really don't know," Hwengwere said. "We don't have that record in the Office of the President and we didn't have any programme for him to be there," he said.
A football official said Mugabe would have been embarrassed by the incident. "He would have been really embarrassed. The situation was bad and I shudder to think what would have happened if he was there," said the official. Before the match crowds broke into song and political party slogans showing the open-hand sign of the MDC as they shouted "Chinja!" (change). That would have certainly irritated Mugabe who is still struggling to come to terms with his party's defeat in Harare and other towns. The throng roared when the Zimbabwe players saluted by the routine waving before kick off. The players' non-political gesture, albeit similar to the MDC sign, had the spectators really excited. The whole stadium suddenly appeared like an MDC rally. Officials in the VIP bay were visibly shaken by the crowd behaviour.
When the National Anthem was sung the crowds raised their open hands in the air. Observers said the idea was to convey a political message. President Mugabe has blamed the MDC for the disaster. Many observers blamed the police - who apparently had been riled by the MDC supporters - for the fiasco. They had been undisciplined and indiscriminate in their response, it was claimed. It was not the first time police behaved in this manner. Last year there was near disaster at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo during a league match between Highlanders and Dynamos when police used similar measures to control crowds. Many people were injured.
From The Daily News, 13 July
MDC challenges Mberengwa results
WELSHMAN Ncube, the secretary-general of the MDC, says the opposition party will today challenge Parliamentary election results in the Mberengwa East and Mberengwa West constituencies in the High Court. Ncube said the two were among six constituencies whose results the party would challenge in court today. He refused to name the other four constituencies. The party is taking legal action to have the results in at least 28 constituencies nullified. The constituencies are: Chegutu, Chinhoyi, Bindura, Chikomba, Marondera East, Buhera North, Masvingo North, Makoni East and West, Zvishavane, Mutare West, Mberengwa West, Mberengwa East, Kariba, Mt Darwin South, Mazowe West, Murehwa North, Goromonzi, Hwedza, Masvingo South, Guruve South, Mwenezi, Shurugwi, Gokwe Central, North, South, East and West.
Mberengwa witnessed some of the worst pre-election violence that rocked the country in the run-up to last month's election.
From The Zimbabwe Independent, 14 July
Zanu PF split over Mugabe's future
TWO camps have emerged in Zanu PF following the election with one maintaining that the party'2s first secretary President Robert Mugabe should make it clear if he is going to stand in 2002 and the other insisting that he should not be pressured into making a decision, the Zimbabwe Independent has gathered. There were also calls for the party to be completely overhauled and inject new blood from top to bottom, with others saying the time was not yet ripe for drastic changes. The politburo, the party's administrative body, has not yet been appointed and calls have been made by the party's Young Turks for new blood to be injected into the body which is viewed as comprising old-guard politicians.
Party sources told the Independent that the divisions were so glaring that Mugabe was under severe pressure on what decision to take - whether to listen to his loyalists or accept the need for change. The party's secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa, told the Independent that Mugabe had long eyes and wide ears to see and hear what was going on around him. "I do not think anyone can coerce him to make any decision," Mutasa said. "No one has the right to force Mugabe to tell us his retirement plans if he does not want to. It is such a simple matter which is not complicated in any way. He has been ruling this country intelligently for the past 20 years. He is entitled not to tell us if he doesn't want to," he said.
Asked about the two camps, Mutasa said none existed in the party. "There is only one camp, we are all united under one party," he said. Mutasa said that Zanu PF was quite comfortable with the politburo's composition and it was likely that they were going to proceed with the current members. Under the party's constitution, the president and first secretary of the party has the right to appoint members of the politburo. During the last Zanu PF congress, party members pointed out that there was need to change the party's constitution and allow members of the party to elect politburo members.
As things stand now, Mugabe will go ahead and appoint them but what remains unclear was the extent to which he will incorporate new members. Though the issue was raised at the last politburo meeting there were no indications that Mugabe would dump his trusted lieutenants. Party sources told the Independent that Mugabe was merely being diplomatic in his approach and pointed out he was not going to ditch any of his henchmen that were defeated by the MDC. "There are about seven senior politicians who fell by the wayside and Mugabe can't just throw them away," the source said. The source said that Mugabe wielded such immense powers both in and out of the party that no one was brave enough to openly confront him on these crucial issues.
"There is a lot of backbiting going on, with each and every one of the top guys wanting to win the attention of Mugabe," he added. "There is a lot of pretence," he added. The source pointed out that Mugabe was aware of the situation around him. "People like Mutasa support Mugabe from the heart and they are a big problem," the source said. He said Mutasa could decide the political direction of the party, with his influence over Mugabe. "Mugabe trusts Mutasa and there is no doubt that Mutasa is a very loyal party cadre. Whenever such legitimate issues are raised, characters like Mutasa are always quick to witch-hunt within the party and sniff them out through petty gossiping," the source added. "Everyone deals with Mutasa carefully, especially these days before the announcement of the cabinet and politburo because they are not eager to mess up their chances," he pointed out. The problem within the party now was that the heavyweights who lost the parliamentary election were unprepared to let go and were busy decampaigning each other, the source said. "These people still want political power and Mugabe still holds the key to their political coffins. They are still playing heavy games for others. They are now more loyal than ever."
From The Times (UK), 14 July
Flintoff finally manages to pull his weight
OLD TRAFFORD (Zimbabwe won toss): England beat Zimbabwe by eight wickets
ENGLAND, as the jargon goes, got their act together yesterday. Helped by the decision of Andy Flower, the Zimbabwe captain, to bat first on a hard and lively pitch, they bowled Zimbabwe out for 114, twice taking three wickets in quick succession, and never relinquished the initiative, knocking off the runs with a splendid array of vengeful strokes by Andy Flintoff, in particular. It was a devastating performance all round and as timely a victory as they come.
Few internationals have been won as early as the 21st over, as this one was when Graeme Hick hit the winning run in England's first home day-night international at the time when some of the slower county matches were just getting to the end of play. Alec Stewart, Flower's England counterpart, had had a wonderful time on a grey and blustery afternoon, taking six catches. They were bread-and-butter takes, generally speaking, but they emphasised once more what a remarkably high standard Stewart maintains, whether it is in the heat of the noonday sun or on blustery days such as this.=20
Only one wicketkeeper has taken six wickets in a one-day international before, which, when one considers that more than 1,600 of these games have been played since the die was first cast at Melbourne in January 1971, is no less remarkable. As it happens, the record was set only in April by Adam Gilchrist, for Australia against South Africa in Cape Town. It would not be the easiest of choices, if one were picking a world XI tomorrow, whether Stewart, Gilchrist, Flower, Mark Boucher or Moin Khan should be the wicketkeeper-batsman.
In the continued absence of Nick Knight and Nasser Hussain, Stewart barely had time to have supper before he was bustling out to open the innings with Marcus Trescothick, almost an hour earlier than scheduled. They wasted no time. Trescothick batted with the same poise and confidence that he had shown in his first two games and after Stewart had departed legbefore on the front foot (he has been out for 12 in all three games - it is presumably written into his contract) Flintoff was duly promoted to No 3 in order to show what weight can do to a cricket ball when it is correctly applied.
To what must have been his immense satisfaction after all the unkind words about his weight and fitness, he thoroughly justified the decision to play him as a specialist batsman, propelling England towards their most commanding one-day victory in a long time with strokes of great power. For a few delightful overs he and Trescothick were the embodiment of youth and prowess. Trescothick lifted Guy Whittall's first ball imperiously back over his head for six, and although Heath Streak had him leg-before soon after, Flintoff countered with a thunderous drive through extra cover, followed it with an effortless on-drive and then turned his mighty blade to Paul Strang's leg spin.
It was no surprise, perhaps, either that England should have sharpened their performance yesterday after a slow and unconvincing start last weekend, or that Zimbabwe, having qualified for the final with only half their preliminary matches played, should have given a less impressive performance. It was suggested before the game that they were in a position to determine who their opponents will be tomorrow week but, even allowing for the shocks emanating from South Africa in recent times, it does not come naturally to cricketers from Zimbabwe to try anything less than 100 per cent at all times.
The fact is that neither with bat nor ball did they look like the well-organised outfit that has so far outplayed West Indies twice. Neil Johnson began by batting with the same authority that he has displayed since the Trent Bridge Test, but in the third over he tried to force a good-length ball off the back foot and became Stewart's first victim, well caught after a dive to the left as Andrew Caddick obtained extra bounce.
Caddick was twice pulled by Murray Goodwin, once over and once past mid-wicket, but Darren Gough bowled superbly from the Stretford End, cutting the ball back and over the stumps frequently at fierce pace, and it gradually became apparent that Zimbabwe were finding runs much harder to accumulate than they had planned. Whittall had managed little more than two fours sliced deliberately over the slips when he was given out caught behind off another off-cutter. It probably hit his pad, rather than the inside of his bat, but there was no doubting that Gough had thoroughly deserved a wicket.
Goodwin is the last batsman likely to get bogged down on a lively pitch, but the fact that he did shows not only how well Gough and Caddick bowled, but Alan Mullally and Mark Ealham too as they combined in a second-wave attack. It was Alistair Campbell who looked the more likely to break the shackles but, having played two shots that made him look for all the world like Graeme Pollock, he was sent back by his partner after starting for a risky run and was smartly run out by Trescothick.
The rot set in quickly now. Goodwin, trying to cut a ball far too close to his off stump, had his bails trimmed, Bryan Strang attempted to change the game by slogging but only succeeded in playing on to his stumps and, when Grant Flower wafted in vain, Zimbabwe had declined to 65 for six. Andy Flower saw it as his duty now to try to make sure that Zimbabwe batted for their full quota of 50 overs. He found a partner with similar intentions in Stuart Carlisle, a man who has four times opened in Test cricket and whose placing at No 8 emphasises the depth of Zimbabwe's batting. It availed them nought on this occasion, however, because the third wave of bowlers, Craig White and Trescothick, fared even better than the first two and the last four wickets fell in a rush within two overs.
From The Hindustan Times, 13 July
Zimbabwe seek return to Davis Cup elite
Harare - Zimbabwe have high hopes of a rapid return to the Davis Cup elite top 16 when they take on Romania here from tomorrow in a Euro-African zonal final qualifier. Earlier this year they lost only by 2-3 to the United States. Key player Byron Black is also in form, having reached the last eight of the Wimbledon singles two weeks ago, the first time any Zimbabwean had got that far.
Black, aged 32, whose world ranking is 23, will team up once more with his younger brother Wayne, who is in the top 100. He played Wimbledon wearing a heavy knee bandage but has been practising without it. However, a bout of 'flu has left him weakened and there was concern he would not be fully fit in time for tomorrow's opening singles. Black's record in Davis Cup is 52 wins and 21 defeats in singles and 17-8 in doubles. The Black brothers, who have been the mainstay of Zimbabwe tennis for several years, are supported by Kevin Ullyett and Gwinyai Tongoona.
The Romanians have expressed concern over safety following the stampede at a Harare football stadium on Sunday which killed 13 people and the political violence which accompanied the recent elections. However, they have been working hard in training at getting acclimatised to playing at 1,500 metres above sea level. They are also confident in coming off a victory over Hungary in the previous round. Romania's hopes rest largely on the performance of their number one Andrei Pavel. His world ranking is 25, close to Black, so that their encounter could settle it. Pavel has a 3-2 advantage over Black from their previous meetings. Pavel is supported by Razvan Sabau, Gabriel Trifu and Dinu Pescariu.