The ZIMBABWE Situation Our thoughts and prayers are with Zimbabwe
- may peace, truth and justice prevail.

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Zim Standard

CFU deplores renewed attacks on farmers
By Savious Kwinika

BULAWAYO - The ruling Zanu PF government has resumed acts of violence,
threats and intimidation on the few remaining farms still occupied by white
commercial farmers in the country, according to the Commercial Farmers Union
(CFU).

The development comes a few months after Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ)
Governor Gideon Gono called for synergies between the new farmers and
experienced white commercial farmers in order to revive the horticultural
sector.
In a statement made available to The Standard, CFU president, Douglas
Taylor-Freeme, deplored the ongoing seizures of farms and evictions saying
that the government should bring to book the perpetrators of the "latest
beatings".

Only a week ago, a farmer in Middle Sabi district was severely beaten by
assailants who are yet to be arrested. Two others were also assaulted.

"Throughout the Land Reform Programme, farmers have been subjected to
constant harassment, abuse, threats, loss of property and equipment, and at
the inception, loss of life.

"Despite numerous appeals to law enforcement authorities to put a stop and
investigate these incidents, they continue unabated.

Taylor-Freeme said Government had on many occasions indicated that the land
reform programme had been completed yet forced evictions, seizures and
threats have continued.

"The union calls upon government and law enforcement agencies to bring an
end to this senseless violence, threats and intimidation, and appeals to
them that the perpetrators of the latest beatings be apprehended and brought
to book," Taylor-Freeme said.

He noted that there was no respect for Court Orders made either by the High
Court or the Administrative Court of Zimbabwe and urged the government to
ensure that farmers were left to do their work unhindered.

"In order to achieve this, it is necessary for the government to put an end
to these senseless incidents, to stabilise the agricultural sector, and
ensure that every farmer is given an equal opportunity to contribute towards
enhancing national production."

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Zim Standard

Councils face huge lawsuits
By Caiphas Chimhete and Valentine Maponga

LOCAL authorities face massive litigations from aggrieved residents after
they failed to follow proper urban planning procedures when they demolished
thousands of housing structures countrywide, The Standard has established.

The authorities who have to respond to lawsuits, which may run into several
billions of dollars, yesterday distanced themselves from the controversial
operation, which has left nearly a million people homeless.
They told The Standard that the government dragged them into the operation
when "Operation Murambatsvina" was well underway, seeking to legitimise the
demolitions which were attracting widespread international condemnation.

On Friday, the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and Urban
Development, Ignatious Chombo, announced the suspension of the
internationally condemned operation, as the exercise moved in to low density
areas.

The abrupt suspension of the demolitions was yesterday being linked to
government fears of massive lawsuits from the well-to-do, who know their
rights and can financially mount and sustain legal battles.

Already, several lawsuits have been filed against the Harare City Council
and local authorities in Goromonzi, Norton, Bulawayo and Mutare.

Sources in the local authorities yesterday said city fathers were wary of
the impending legal battles after they were forced to join the operation by
the police without giving the affected people a 30-day notice, as stipulated
by section 32 of the Regional Town and Country Planning Act.

"An enforcement order is first supposed to be served on the person carrying
an illegal activity to stop within a period of 30 days. If the offending
party does not take action, only then can the authority move in to correct
the anomaly," said a senior Harare City Council official, who conceded that
the local authority bungled.

The official said the council was forced to join the operation four days
after the police had started the so-called "clean- up" as the government
sought to lend "credence" to the exercise.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) public interest litigation
lawyer, Rangu Nyamurundira, confirmed that the organisation was handling
litigation cases for a number of co-operatives and individuals, whose
properties were illegally demolished in Harare, Goromonzi and Norton.

Nyamurundira said: "In some cases, people were removed from their properties
when they had valid leases with the council or local government, which is
illegal."

Bulawayo executive mayor, Japhet Ndabeni-Ncube, yesterday confirmed the
council had been dragged before the courts. "We have been dragged to the
courts by some of the affected people and we are just waiting for the day.
Right now, I can't give a comment on the operation because we have a case
before the courts," Ndabeni-Ncube said.

Sisal Zvidzai, the executive mayor of Gweru, said his council was forced to
join the operation by Chombo two weeks after police had started demolishing
structures and chasing vendors from their stalls.

"Two weeks after the exercise began, were we summoned to Harare by Chombo
and ordered to co-operate with the police. We had our own methods of dealing
with the situation not this heartless manner," Zvidzai said, urging
residents not to sue council but police.

However, Alois Chaimiti, the executive mayor for Masvingo said although they
had not received any lawsuits, the council needed a lot of money for
reconstructions.

Percy Toriro, president of the Zimbabwe Institute of Regional and Urban
Planning and Harare's principal town planner, expressed concern at the
manner the controversial operation had been carried out.

He said it was improper to destroy all structures, including garden and
temporary structures that were not on the city council plans, as the law
allows them.

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Business Day

Posted to the web on: 18 July 2005
SA to throw Zimbabwe lifeline as IMF baulks
Jonathan Katzenellenbogen

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


International Affairs Editor

SA IS set to grant cash-strapped Zimbabwe a substantial line of credit,
following the visit to SA of a high-level Zimbabwean delegation last week,
and amid growing signs that Harare faces expulsion from the International
Monetary Fund (IMF).

Sources said yesterday that the Zimbabwean delegation met with Finance
Minister Trevor Manuel and Reserve Bank governor Tito Mboweni, and that the
country was likely to soon obtain a credit line for electricity, petrol and
food. It was unlikely the amount involved would be anything close to the
R6,5bn mentioned in weekend media reports.

The critical shortage of foreign exchange comes at a time when new
international pressures on the czountry could mount once the report of the
United Nations (UN) secretary-general's special envoy, Anna Tibaijuka, into
the wave of mass evictions over the past two months, is released.

With only China among the five permanent UN Security Council members not
expressing outrage over the evictions, it is increasingly likely the issues
will be taken up at security council level.

Last week MPs from the ruling Zanu (PF) party protested for the first time
in parliament about the critical petrol shortages.

Banking sources said that Zimbabwe was likely to receive a credit line from
SA that will be in the hundreds of millions rather than billions of rand.

The sources said that under the arrangement it was likely SA will directly
pay state-owned power utility Eskom and South African petrol distributors
and grain millers for aid.

It is not known if SA has insisted President Robert Mugabe talk to the
opposition MDC as a condition for the line of credit. The finance ministry
was unavailable for comment yesterday.

The Zimbabwean delegation's visit came days after Deputy President Phumzile
Mlambo-Ngcuka met Mugabe and his deputy, Joyce Mujuru.

There has been mounting speculation that SA has been toughening its position
on Zimbabwe, but no statements suggesting a shift away from "quiet
diplomacy" and efforts to bring Zanu (PF) and the main opposition party to
the table.

However, African Union chairman, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, is
keen to set up a panel to deal urgently with the Zimbabwean political
crisis.

The issue of Zimbabwe's possible expulsion from the IMF is not on the board's
agenda for this week. But speculation is high that Zimbabwe could be facing
expulsion for its noncooperation.

In what is understood to be a plea for help and effort to forestall any
attempt to take the country to the security council and expel it from the
IMF, Mugabe is to visit Beijing soon. Mugabe has had a stated "look east"
policy since the European Union and the US ascribed pariah status to his
regime.

But in return for its extensive economic aid, Beijing has insisted on large
mining and other concessions. China could be Mugabe's last ally to forestall
his country being taken to the security council now that Russia has
condemned him as a "dictator".

In the face of accusations that it is preventing more forceful international
action in the Darfur province of the Sudan, Beijing could pay a heavy price
if it were to protect Zimbabwe on the security council.
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BBC

      Pressure grows on Zimbabwe head
            By Martin Plaut
            BBC News


      Pressure is mounting on Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe to reverse
the policies of slum clearance that have left hundreds of thousands
homeless.
      A group of South African church leaders is returning to Zimbabwe on
Monday, having met President Thabo Mbeki.

      And a UN report is due shortly on the government's destruction of
homes.

      Mr Mugabe says the demolitions and evictions, which the UN says have
left 250,000 people homeless, are part of a bid to fight crime and clean up
cities.

      IMF difficulties

      The pressure for a change in Zimbabwe's policy is growing by the day.

      On Sunday night Dr Anna Tibaijuka, the director of the UN's housing
organisation, will be flying to New York to brief the UN on her visit to
Zimbabwe earlier this month.



      Her report on the policies of the Mugabe government, which have left
so many without homes in the middle of winter, is likely to be debated by
the UN later this week.

      The arrival on Monday of South African church leaders, fresh from
meeting Mr Mbeki, will also step up the pressure.

      But if the South African press is correct then it is economic
difficulties that are really twisting Mr Mugabe's arm.

      He is reportedly seeking a multi-million dollar loan from Pretoria, to
stave off expulsion from the International Monetary Fund.

      Zimbabwe owes the Fund over $300m. With almost all the country's
foreign exchange now going to pay for food imports, after a disastrous
harvest, there is nothing left over to repay its debts.

      The question, as ever, is whether South Africa will be willing to bail
out its northern neighbour, and if it does, what changes in policy Mr Mbeki
will extract from Mr Mugabe.

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Peoples Daily

      Zimbabwean president to visit China



      Zimbabwean President Robert Gabriel Mugabe will pay a state visit to
China from July 23 to 28, at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao,
the Foreign Ministry announced Monday.

      Mugabe, whose last China visit took place in 1999, said earlier this
year that he would strengthen relationship with Asian nations including
China.

      Source: Xinhua
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Zim Standard

5 Bulawayo students injured by riot police
By Adrian Nel

BULAWAYO - Five students were seriously injured on Monday when armed
anti-riot police broke up a peaceful demonstration over late payment of
grants and deteriorating conditions at the Bulawayo Polytechnic campus. More
than 2 000 students took part in the demonstration.

The injured students, three males and two females, were taken to the United
Bulawayo Hospitals, where they were treated and later discharged.
Bulawayo Polytechnic SRC secretary general, Briton Gudhlanga, said the
students' union was surprised by the attack on the peaceful demonstration.

Gudhlanga said they subsequently put the demonstration on ice to allow the
authorities to address some of the issues raised by the students.
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Zim Standard

Pneumonia, TB: leading killer diseases in Harare
By our staff

THE five leading causes of deaths in the capital city, Harare, during 2004
were pneumonia, tuberculosis, HIV-related cases, gastroenteritis and
cardiovascular conditions, according to the annual report of the city health
department.

Released last week, the report says of the 17 365 deaths registered at the
Harare District Office during 2004, 24.9 percent were caused by pneumonia.
Tuberculosis was the second highest cause of deaths, claiming 18 percent of
total number of people who died in the capital last year.
HIV-related cases accounted for 11.2 percent of the deaths recorded last
year, with gastroenteritis and cardiovascular diseases, claiming 7.6 and 7.4
percent respectively of the number of deaths recorded last year.

According to the report, the highest proportion of deaths of 42.4 percent
occurred in the 25 - 44 year age group.

The 2002 population census reported that the capital had 1 632 000
inhabitants.

The report says that there was an increase of 2.9 percent in the number of
new TB cases notified, rising from 9 620 in 2003 to 9 643 in 2004.

Of the nearly 352 000 repeat visits for chronic conditions, 74.2 percent
were for tuberculosis treatments.

Ten of Harare suburbs are listed as having the highest notification rates in
the capital. These are (in order of ranking) Mbare (1 039.1 per 100 000
population), Mufakose (830.6), Highfield (721.5), Glen View (712.8), Glen
Norah (622.4), Kuwadzana (585.6), Budiriro (571.1), Dzivarasekwa (496.6),
Warren Park (454.7) and Mabvuku (249.4).

Dr Lovemore Mbengeranwa,the Harare City Director of Health Services, said
the notification rate of 1 039 per 100 000 for Mbare was "excessively high
and worrying".

He said: "TB spreads more in overcrowded conditions with poor ventilation
and these conditions are prevalent in the suburb. Authorities may need to
move people from Mbare and relocate them to properly planned and built
dwellings if the menace was ever going to slow down. We also need to double
our efforts in the control of TB in this suburb.

"The notification rates in nine of the top 10 suburbs are well above 400,
whereas the benchmark for high disease burden is at 300."

He said the city had experienced a shortage of doctors during 2004 and that
this had also affected the department's capacity to diagnose and treat TB
both in local clinics and the medical examination centre.

Mbengeranwa said: "There was also a lot of clerical work currently done by
nurses in the TB outpatients. These same nurses were expected to do a lot of
consultation and review of patients as well as dispensing of drugs. The
establishment at the medical examination centre was increased by creation of
two clerk posts. It was hoped that this would improve service provision."

The increase in the number of TB patients over the years had necessitated
decentralisation of clinics to initiate treatment although the Wilkins
Infectious Diseases Hospital TB clinic was launched, it was hampered by lack
of staff.

Cases of malaria decreased almost by half from 702 in 2003 to 368 in 2004,
with the report noting that the cases were all imported.

Sexually transmitted diseases recorded a decrease from 53 532 in 2003 to 49
706 in 2004, while there were no cases of cholera reported.

However, Mbengeranwa says residents in general were dissatisfied with the
standard of services delivered for refuse collection and the supply of
water.

"These problems were aggravated by the shortage of manpower and erratic fuel
supplies, making it impossible to have regular and timeous refuse
collection. There were critical shortages of water in Tafara and Mabvuku for
most of 2004. Institutions such as schools suffered most from the
introduction of water rationing," he said.

The erratic refuse collection resulted in dumping of refuse at almost every
available space in both high and low density residential areas, industrial
and commercial areas. The dumping resulted in fly and rodent infestation and
smells from dumped refuse.

Mbengeranwa said: "This impacted negatively on the quality of the
environment while putting the health of the residents at risk to infectious
diseases outbreak. The situation was further exacerbated by the introduction
of the so-called 'controlled water rationing', which was introduced by the
city during the course of the year as a result of mechanical breakdowns that
were being experienced at the water purification works.

"Institutions which suffered most from the 'controlled water rationing'
exercise were medical institutions, educational institutions, crèches,
industrial and commercial institutions to the extent that some of the
institutions had to 'voluntarily' close down until such a time water
supplies were made available."

But he said the city's biggest social problem and challenge was in seeking
solutions to the provision of affordable housing.

"As highlighted in previous reports, proliferation of backyard shanties for
human habitation constructed with various assorted materials resulted in
overcrowded and unhygienic living conditions. This tended to strain
municipal services."

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Zim Standard

      Policeman killed in 'Murambatsvina'
      By Savious Kwinika

      BULAWAYO - The widely condemned "Operation Restore
Order/Murambatsvina" has claimed the life of a young police officer, The
Standard can reveal.

      Sergeant Elliot Dehwe (31), who was stationed at Tshabalala Police
Station in the country's second largest city, died at the United Bulawayo
Hospital (UBH) on 4 July from injuries sustained when a wall he was
destroying collapsed on him.
      He was buried at Muhati village under Chief Mashayamombe, Mhondoro
district, in Mashonaland West province two days later.

      Kembo Mohadi, the Minister of Home Affairs, yesterday described the
death as "unfortunate" but referred questions to Bulawayo Metropolitan
Police Provincial Commanding Officer, Senior Assistant Commissioner Lee
Muchemenyi, who confirmed Dehwe's death.

      Muchemenyi said: "They were pulling down an illegal structure in Old
Magwegwe and the wall collapsed on him (Dehwe). He died at the UBH and has
since been buried in Mhondoro."

      He added that a civilian, Sylvester Sibanda, who was assisting the
police during the demolition, also sustained a fractured leg during the
tragedy.

      "We took him to the hospital, where he received treatment and police
paid the medical bills for him," said Muchemenyi.

      He said a board of inquiry was still looking into the circumstances
under which a civilian became involved in the "operation".

      Dehwe, who joined the law enforcement agency in 1996, is survived by
his wife, Sanelisiwe Sibanda (29), and two children, Takunda (4) and
Tanatswa (2).

      His grief stricken widow told The Standard that she could not
comprehend how her husband came to be assigned duties under "Operation
Murambatsvina".
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Zim Standard

     MDC peeved over ballot boxes
      By our staff

      oElectoral materials withheld, tampered with THE Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) has stopped inspecting ballot boxes used in the 2002
presidential election after discovering that Registrar General Tobaiwa
Mudede had not handed in all the material as ordered by the High Court and
that some ballot boxes had been tempered with.

      The discovery comes several days after the expiry of the 10-day limit
set by the High Court for Mudede to turn in all the material to the court.
      The MDC, which is challenging the election of President Robert Mugabe
in the controversial elections, says the ballot boxes contain clear evidence
that the elections were rigged.

      Under the Electoral Act, political parties can inspect voting
materials in the presence of the court officials in order to verify the
disputed results. This process has, however, been delayed by Mudede who
defied seven court orders to bring the ballot boxes to the court for the
exercise.

      Mudede only brought the material last month after he was found to be
in contempt of the court. His two-month jail term was wholly suspended on
condition that all the voting materials were brought in within 10 days and
that he pays a $5 million fine.

      David Coltart, the MDC secretary for legal affairs, said on Wednesday
his party could not go ahead with the inspection of the boxes since more
election materials were still arriving.

      He said seven ballot boxes from Rushinga Constituency, which arrived
on Tuesday, were found to have been tempered with. Their seals were broken.

      A copy of the certificate of the delivery of ballot boxes at the High
Court dated 12 July 2005 obtained by The Standard shows that the High Court
received seven boxes with broken seals.

      The copy signed by High Court Registrar Macduff Madeza reads in part:
"I certify that I received the aforementioned boxes with all seals broken."

      Coltart said the examination and inspection of the ballot boxes was
expected to start on Monday 11 July 2005.

      "Prior to this and at the specific request to the registrar general we
gave them the list of the first 10 constituencies that we wanted to inspect
and examine and the first on that list was Rushinga," Coltart said.

      "It is abundantly clear that the registrar general did not fulfil the
conditions set out in the High Court order that he brings to Harare all the
ballot boxes within 10 days. The 10-day period stipulated by the order has
long since expired and consequently the suspended sentence automatically
comes into effect," Coltart said.

      The MDC secretary for legal affairs also noted that the fact that some
of the boxes had not been delivered within the stipulated 10 days and were
only brought in Wednesday demonstrates their claims that the elections were
rigged.

      Morgan Tsvangirai the MDC president, who addressed a press conference
last week, said the problems of Zimbabwe would be further compounded as long
as the judicial system remains compromised.

      "The rate at which the government is obstructing our cause indicates
that our challenges are not frivolous but are based on facts. The reason why
we have this political impasse in this country is that the government is
illegitimate," Tsvangirai said.
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Zim Standard

ZESA seeks Asian investors
By our Staff

POWER utility ZESA Holdings will rope in investors from Iran and China in an
ambitious bid to raise US$2,09 billion for energy security projects.

StandardBusiness learnt last week that the investment, to come in the form
of loans, will be used to increase the power utility's energy supplies to 12
974 GWh by 2010 and boost energy supplies ahead of power outages in the
southern region in 2007.
The new investment project is on a five-year phase up to 2010.

The move will result in 1,3 million customers from both urban and peri-urban
areas connected while 800 000 will be connected in rural areas.

Analysts see the ambitious venture as contingent measures ahead of power
outages in the southern region in 2007.

As of 2004 energy supplied by the power utility was 10 199 GWh.

The investment is the second since independence after the 1982 to 1987
period when U$1,130 million was invested for energy security with supplies
of 7 932 GWh.

The investment programme include generation projects plus coal mining and
transmission valued at US$800 million. Under the project ZESA will expand
Kariba Power Station by two units with a value of US$200 million. ZESA is
working with Iran in the venture.

The power utility is also working with China for the expansion of Hwange
Power Station by two units.

The project is valued at US$600 million and will include coal mining.

ZESA also intends to work on CBM and transmission projects valued at US$337
million and, other transmission projects and distribution projects with a
combined value of US$619 million.

The power utility has so far signed US$183 million with developers of other
transmission projects (US$40 million) and distribution projects (US$143
million).

ZESA will also look for US$45 million investment in heavy engineering for
the manufacture of new engineering equipment for the generation and transfer
of power.

Power telecommunications need an investment of US$22 million.

The power utility is seeking an investment of US$207 million in Expanded
Rural Electrification Programme (EREP) and Electricity End Use
Infrastructure Development (EEUID) say sources.

ZESA corporate affair manager Obert Nyatanga confirmed the latest
developments.

Nyatanga said the power utility was finalising discussions with Iran and
China for the expansion of Hwange and Kariba.

"By the end of the month we would have finalised signing the agreement and
project contracts," Nyatanga said.

Nyatanga said that there were other investors who were willing to inject
money in ZESA's other projects but "we are working project by project".

"We are already under contract for transmission and distribution projects
with the Chinese," Nyatanga said.

Nyatanga said the power utility was exporting tobacco and cotton to offset
the US$110 million Chinese debt incurred during the rural electrification
programme.

Tobacco exports to China are envisaged to rake in US$15 million. Cotton
exports to India will contribute US$4 million. The proceeds will be used to
pay a loan secured from China National Aero Technology Import and Export
Corporation (CATIC).

Tobacco exports started in April. Nyatanga said 2500 hectares was under
tobacco and ZESA was targeting to put 7500 hectares under tobacco in the
2005-2006 season.
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Zim Standard

MIC keeps ANZ in suspence
By our Staff

FOUR months after Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ) made another fresh
application for a licence, the publishers of the closed The Daily News and
The Daily News on Sunday are yet to get a decision from the Media and
Information Commission (MIC).

Sources at ANZ last week revealed that authorities were working towards
resuming operations once the Tafataona Mahoso-led commission granted them a
licence.
"Everything is now in order and offices have already been allocated at
Chiedza House. If we get the licence the papers will immediately be back on
to the streets," said an official at ANZ.

The Standard has been told that the MIC board met last month and took a
decision to grant ANZ an operating licence, which is yet to be signed by the
commission chairman, Tafataona Mahoso.

This could, however, not be verified as Mahoso was not available for
comment. On Thursday and Friday, staff at the MIC offices kept saying Mahoso
was in meetings while his mobile phone went unanswered. No one else could
comment on the report.

ANZ chief executive officer, Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, said they were still
waiting for the MIC's response. "Our papers' preparedness depends on us
getting the licence and as soon as we get the reply we will issue a
statement. Right now I am confident that we are going to get the licence
after we gave them (MIC) all the information they required," Nkomo said.

He added that most of their computers were still in police custody but they
would be able to get them if granted the licence.
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