2010 07 08
http://www.newsday.co.zw/article/2010-07-08-makone-defends-visit-to-police-with-mutasa
LOUGHTY DUBE - Jul 08 2010 09:37
The new co-Home Affairs Minister, Theresa Makone, has defended her visit to two police stations in Harare last week together with Presidential Affairs Minister Didymus Mutasa saying there was nothing wrong with what she did.
Media reports alleged the two ministers tried to intimidate police officers into releasing the Zanu PF politburo member’s son, Martin.
Makone, who has come under fire from her own party and the public over the incident, yesterday said her actions did not constitute any wrongdoing. Makone said in an interview with NewsDay last night that she travelled to the two police stations to help Mutasa find his son whom he had been trying to locate for two days at police stations across Harare.
“Mutasa called me on my mobile phone and informed me that he was searching for his son whom he had failed to locate at police stations in the city,” Makone said. “He then asked me to assist him in locating him.
“ I did not see any problems with that since as a government minister, I serve everyone irrespective of which party they belong to. As a minister I will treat any minister looking for his son whether from Zanu PF, MDC-T, MDC-M or even Zanu Ndonga in the same manner.
“If any Zimbabwean approaches me and says they are missing their son who is in police custody I will help them locate their son. Anyone who is arrested for whatever reason has human rights and I was helping Mutasa to locate which police station his son was detained,” Makone said.
She said when they were on their way to Matapi Police Station, Mutasa received a call from someone who informed him that his son was being held at Stodart Police Station.
The two decided to go there in separate cars.
“I got to Stodart before Mutasa and I enquired whether Mutasa’s son was detained at the station. Junior officers that were at the station confirmed that he was indeed at the police station and I asked them to locate the officer-in-charge.
“Martin was brought to us and after we had established that he was at the police station we left the police station. Mutasa was relieved to see his son and that is where the whole story ended,” Makone said.
She denied media reports that she and Mutasa had tried to go above the law and force the police to release the suspects.
Martin was arrested together with controversial Zanu PF activist and businessman Temba Mliswa after they allegedly attempted to seize shareholding from a company owned by businessman Paul Westwood.
Makone said she had no business trying to protect accused persons from the law.
“The allegations are not true. I am a minister for everyone. There is no way I can order the release of anyone from police custody. What I can only do is what I did with Mutasa - to help him locate his son. Whether the son is a saint or not, I have to help locate him, if he is under police custody. His parents have to know where he is but he has to face due process,” Makone said.
Turning to her alleged relationship with Mutasa, Makone laughed and said she was not related to Mutasa.
“Mutasa is a Nyati and people mistake my surname for Makoni people who use a Nyati totem. The fact is I am Makone and not Makoni. I am a chief’s daughter and I come from Mashonaland Central Province while Mutasa comes from Maungwe in Manicaland.”
Makone however said she first met Mutasa in Birmingham in the United Kingdom in 1976.
“I knew Mutasa in 1976. We met in Birmingham in the United Kingdom at a hospital where his wife was a nurse and she helped me deliver my son.
But I do not know how that makes us relatives. I went to the United Kingdom after I was expelled from the University of Rhodesia and I went there as a Zanu PF activist,” she said.
Makone said her conscience was clear and that she had met with MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai over the matter. Tsvangirai, she said, had understood why she had done what she did.
“I will assist everyone even those in Zanu PF if they have problems with the police and Tsvangirai understood why I did that,” Makone said.
On statements attributed to police spokesperson, Wayne Bvudzijena, that action would be taken against her and Mutasa, Makone said she would await the police action.
2010 07 05
MONDAY, 05 JULY 2010 08:28
EDITOR
By Correspondent
Senior MDC-T national executive members are said to have been infuriated by their co-Home Affairs Minister Theresa Makone for allegedly seeking the release of the son of Presidential Affairs Minister Didymus Mutasa from custody last week.
Makone of MDC-T and Mutasa a ZANU-PF veteran are close relatives. Makone whose husband is a close ally of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was recently promoted by the PM to head the Home-Affairs ministry.
The two last Wednesday went to Mbare, Matapi and Stodart police stations demanding the release of Martin Mutasa and another relative Themba Mliswa arrested on allegations of swindling a Harare man of shares worth over US$ 1 million.
Members of MDC-T’s executive who declined identity yesterday said they wanted Minister Makone to be reprimanded or step down for "bringing the name of the party into disrepute".
Insiders say the issue was discussed at a national executive meeting last Friday at the party’s headquarters.
"We discussed her (Makone’s) conduct on Friday as the national executive and we agreed that she should explain what transpired. We feel she has let our party and the people down."
The members accused Makone of not doing anything to free MDC-T members facing various charges in the courts.
"There is also the issue of Farai Maguwu (Centre for Research and Development executive director) who is in prison, but she has not done anything," the source said.
Another source said: "What she did is unheard of. Going to the police to demand the release of someone who is facing a charge at the courts is scandalous. Worse still she did this because she is related to the suspect.
"She has proved she is not qualified for the position.
"When you are a minister and your relative is arrested you don’t intimidate the police and demand your people’s release; you engage lawyers because that is why they went to law school.
"We don’t understand what she was trying to achieve. What picture does that paint to family members of our party supporters who are in cells?" said a source.
Said another source: "We believe this is a slap in the face for Prime Minister (Morgan) Tsvangirai, barely two weeks after he moved her to that ministry she has instantly hit the headlines for the wrong reasons.
"Her actions have tarnished our image as a party. It seems to us she values her relationship to (Minister) Mutasa more than to party supporters."
Other members said they were afraid that since Minister Makone wields enormous influence in the party, the issue would "die a natural death".
"The problem is that even if she is caught on the wrong side beyond reasonable doubt, Tsvangirai doesn’t have the power to wield (the axe) on her.
"She and her husband (Ian Makone) have been allowed to control the party and Tsvangirai feels if he reprimands her, it will be a direct attack on Ian.
"However, we believe it is the opportune time for the national executive to make a bold decision and prove that no one is above the party. She can control Tsvangirai, but not the executive," a source said.
When contacted for comment, deputy party spokesperson Thabitha Khumalo said she had no comment: "The standing committee has not yet come up with a position on that issue."
The police described the conduct of the two ministers as tantamount to defeating or obstructing the course of justice.
Martin Mutasa (47) was arrested on Monday last week along with businessman Themba Mliswa (38) and George Marere (36). Mliswa is Minister Mutasa’s nephew.
The three suspects, along with three other alleged accomplices, have since appeared in court.
2010 07 08
Written by Tony Saxon
Wednesday, 07 July 2010 09:04
MUTARE
Zimbabwe cannot achieve lasting peace or true reconciliation until perpetrators of human rights abuse are held to account and the structures of political violence dismantled, a top politician has said.
(Pictured: Joshua Nkomo - Denied sponsoring dissidents)
MDC-M deputy president Gibson Sibanda predicted more political violence in the next elections, saying the new constitution the country is drafting cannot on its own end violence while the structural, political and social factors that have fuelled the cycles of politically-motivated hostilities of the past remain unresolved.
“The failure to hold accountable those responsible for each episode of political violence has subsequently become part of the national fabric ensuring the continued use of violence,” said Sibanda, who is a member of the government’s Organ on National Healing and Reconciliation.
Sibanda, who was speaking at a conference on national healing here last Thursday, said the process of dealing with the past was risky and painful but one that Zimbabwe must undertake in order to exorcise the “fear and distrust” of each other among various population groups.
“Due to the historical legacy in Zimbabwe of organised political violence with impunity and few consequences for the perpetrators, victims will have doubts about the objective of the national healing processes,” said Sibanda who hails from Matabeleland where thousands of innocent civillains were murdered in the early 80’s by the notorious North Korean-trained 5th Brigade.
The 5th Brigade was deployed in the Matabeleland and Midlands provinces - home of the Ndebele - ostensibly to crush an armed insurrection against President Robert Mugabe’s rule but ended up wantonly massacring innocent civilians they accused of backing the rebels.
The military crackdown only ended after late nationalist and vice-president Joshua Nkomo and his ZAPU opposition party agreed to be merged into Mugabe’s Zanu (PF) party under a Unity Accord signed in 1987. Mugabe had accused Nkomo - the father of Zimbabwean nationalism - of sponsoring rebels in a bid to seize power. Nkomo denied the charge.
Many civil society groups from Matabaleland and Midlands have called for compensation for victims of the 5th Brigade campaign known as Gukurahundi.
Mugabe - who some say personally ordered deployment of the 5th Brigade in Matabeleland and Midlands - has called the killings an “act of madness”. But the 85-year-old leader has never personally accepted responsibility for the civilian murders or formally apologised. He has also steadfastly refused to yield to calls for the government to compensate victims of the brutal army operation.
A relative lull in politically-motivated violence, rights abuses and killings that followed the signing of the Unity Accord was broken in 2000 when hordes of Zanu (PF) supporters, war veterans and members of the security forces began invading white-owned commercial farms and targeting supporters of the MDC for attacks. The MDC had been formed a year earlier to challenge Mugabe’s hold on power and political violence and human rights abuses have accompanied Zimbabwe’s elections since then.
2010 07 07
Written by Staff Reporter
Wednesday, 07 July 2010 08:58
Harare
The Constitution Select Committee (COPAC) has said it wants to continue working with civil society groups monitoring the outreach exercise in a major climb-down by the commission that earlier this week called for the arrest of the NGO workers accusing them of spreading falsehoods about the reforms. (Pictured: Douglass Mwonzora)
COPAC joint chairmen Paul Mangwana and Douglass Mwonzora (Zanu (PF) and MDC-T) respectively were quoted by the state-owned Sunday Mail and Zimbabwean online newspapers complaining bitterly about the work of the civil society groups that they accused of running a parallel process aimed at undermining the government-sponsored constitutional reforms and advancing external interests.
Mangwana went further to accuse the NGOs of a hidden agenda and said their constitutional reform monitors should be arrested.
But the two gentlemen on Tuesday backtracked on their statements, insisting they want civil society involved in the reforms. “We very much want you to play a role in this process,” Mwonzora told representatives from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) and Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) that have together deployed monitors to follow on the COPAC teams.
Mwonzora added: “Terms used in The Sunday Mail (story) never emanated from us. No organisation was mentioned in our press statement. Some of the statements attributed to us were not said by us. We never mentioned any organisations.” Mangwana said he had called for the arrest of people he said were disrupting the outreach exercise but said this was not in reference to monitors from the three groups.
He said: “I used the word arrest myself. There were some naughty people in Mashonaland West, who were interfering with the process…. we want our process to be as transparent as possible. It’s your right to participate but lets make it manageable.” The three pro-democracy and human rights groups have dispatched 420 people around the country to monitor the government-led constitution making process in order to be able to evaluate whether the exercise was democratic and the outcome a true reflection of the people’s wishes.
The monitors have reported administrative chaos dogging the constitutional outreach exercise and widespread intimidation, with Zanu (PF) party said to be telling villagers what to say during meetings to gather the public’s views. The exercise to write a new constitution for Zimbabwe to replace the current one drafted by former colonial power Britain is part of a drive by the coalition government of Mugabe and Tsvangirai to democratise the southern African country’s politics ahead of fresh elections.
Meanwhile Mangwana told journalists outside Senate Chambers after meeting representatives of the civil society that the COPAC had agreed to prepare a code of conduct for monitors and monitors from other interested groups. The commission also agreed to accredit monitors who will be given tags with serial numbers as opposed to their names. This was after civil society leaders objected to the identification of their monitors for fear of reprisals that have always characterised any monitoring of elections in Zimbabwe.
2010 07 07
Political tensions continue: the MDC formation of Prime Minister Tsvangirai said suspected members of President Mugabe's ZANU-PF tried to abduct one of the party's district organizing secretaries in Manicaland province
Studio 7 Reporters
Washington 07 July 2010
Zimbabwe's select parliamentary committee in charge of revising the constitution reached agreement on Wednesday with non-governmental organizations as to setting ground rules for civil society observers of the ongoing - and in number of aspects, troubled - public comment phase of the exercise.
Heads of the parliamentary committee and civil society leaders held a joint news conference to brief reports on the deal which defused that had led to threats by some officials to arrest NGO observers in the field, as VOA Studio 7 correspondent Irwin Chifera reported from Harare.
The National Association of Non-Governmental Organizations or confirmed it intends to cooperate with the select committee. Nango Chief Executive Officer Cephas Zinhumwe told VOA Studio 7 reporter Jonga Kandemiiri that the civic activists shadowing the constitutional outreach process willingly endorsed the code.
Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga told reporters separately on Wednesday that the Harare unity government is committed to the constitutional revision, which he called an historic event.
VOA Studio 7 correspondent Mark Peter Nthambe reported that Matinenga said he would hold news conferences every two weeks to inform journalists on the progress of the much-delayed constitutional revision process.
Despite such moves by the government and the parliament, the outreach process continues to generate political tension. The Movement for Democratic Change formation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said suspected members of the ZANU-PF party of President Robert Mugabe tried to abduct Matthew Gonera, the party's organizing district secretary for Musikavanhu district in Manicaland province, a traditional political hot spot.
Party sources said Gonera escaped his would-be abductors with the help of villager. They said a group of men in a Nissan truck tried to grab him at the Rimai Business Center in Ward 25 of the district a few days ago.
Deputy Organizing Secretary Morgan Komichi of the Tsvangirai MDC told VOA Studio 7 reporter Patience Rusere that harassment of district organizing secretaries has picked up in Manicaland in particular. He said the district secretaries are responsible for mobilizing members to take part in the constitutional outreach process.
Komichi said even official outreach officers and rapporteurs are being intimidated.
2010 07 07
http://www.newsday.co.zw/article/2010-07-07-mps-in-copac-car-hire-scam
VENERANDA LANGA
Jul 07 2010 10:14
Members of Parliament involved in the constitution outreach programme have hired out vehicles loaned to them by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) under a vehicle scheme, in what could turn out to be a fraudulent exercise, NewsDay can reveal.
Co-chairperson of the Constitutional Select Committee (Copac) Douglas Mwonzora confirmed yesterday that lawmakers who had hired out the vehicles in question were demanding full payment yet the vehicles legally belonged to the RBZ.
The scam was uncovered when Copac was processing payment for the vehicles hired out to the committee through the Central Mechanical Equipment Department.
Since the beginning of the outreach programme, legislators have been at the forefront demanding immediate payment for their services and also for the cars they had hired out. This paper ran a story yesterday quoting angry MPs who were threatening to withdraw their cars if Copac failed to pay for them.
Individuals who hired out vehicles to Copac were promised 40% payment upfront and the remainder after the outreach programme. Fuming MPs who spoke to NewsDay on Monday charged that they had not even been invited to sign contracts for the hire of their vehicles and therefore the use of the cars by Copac was “illegal”. But Mwonzora said yesterday that if any payment was to be made for the vehicles in question, the money would have to go to the RBZ and not to the MPs. “There are some MPs who have hired out vehicles that do not belong to them,” Mwonzora said. “These vehicles were given to MPs at the time when they did
not have their own vehicles. They have no right to hire them out as theirs and what they have done is tantamount to fraud.”
Mwonzora said this discovery had delayed payment to vehicle-owners as there was now need to ascertain ownership.
About 50 MPs have hired out more than one vehicle each to Copac, including the vehicles they acquired from the RBZ. The RBZ issued second hand vehicles to MPs in April last year because government had no money to finance a vehicle loan scheme.
RBZ governor Gideon Gono took the initiative to issue RBZ vehicles on condition that MPs would return them after their vehicle loan scheme had been approved by Finance minister Tendai Biti.
As it turned out, the majority of legislators who received the vehicles did not return them after they received loans to buy new cars.
The MPs have taken advantage of their use of the RBZ vehicles to hire them out for a quick buck to Copac.
Copac is paying $ 80 per day per vehicle and another 22 cents per kilometre.
A total of 265 vehicles have been hired out to Copac for the outreach programme, Mwonzora said.
He said payment was currently being processed per individual vehicle for those who sent their own vehicles for hire.
2010 07 05
http://www.newzimbabwe.com/news-2778-COPAC+fumes+over+chaos+claim/news.aspx
05/07/2010 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Arrest threat ... Paul Mangwana
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
THE parliamentary constitutional committee (COPAC) has reacted angrily to allegations that the ongoing outreach programme aimed at gathering people’s views has degenerated into chaos and threatened to have civil society officials behind the claims arrested.
COPAC chairperson Paul Mangwana called for the of civil society organisations behind the allegations, accusing them of "spreading falsehoods".
President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai recently launched the outreach programme in a bid to give a renewed impetus to the country’s faltering efforts to write a new constitution.
The exercise is already a year behind schedule due to political squabbles and funding problems.
However observers say organisational bungling and political interference have worsened the situation.
Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara’s MDC-M party recently accused COPAC of “gross incompetence” claiming outreach officers were being thrown out of hotels in the Matebeleland region due to lack of payment.
“Among other provinces, in Bulawayo and Matabeleland South this gross incompetence has resulted in the embarrassing treatment given to the outreach team’s where they have been thrown out of hotels and going for a record three days without being given food,” the party’s Bulawayo branch said in a press statement.
Other observers also complained that meetings were being poorly attended because of COPAC’s failure to publicise times and venues while key literature was not available in all the country’s main languages.
In the Midlands province it was claimed that 600 T/Shirts and other material meant for the outreach teams had disappeared.
There have also been claims that politicians were intimidating villagers around the country and coaching them on what to say to the outreach teams.
However COPAC officials have reacted angrily to the allegations and called for the arrest of civil society activists monitoring the process.
Zanu PF’s Paul Mangwana, who jointly chairs the parliamentary committee claimed the NGO’s were trying to discredit the constitutional reform process.
“These people from non governmental organisations must be arrested. They are peddling lies about the process …. Why should we be monitored ?.
We believe they have a hidden agenda to tarnish the process,” Mangwana told ZimOnline.
The MDC-T’s Douglass Mwonzora who also co-chairs the committee said the civil society monitors were “peddling lies” about the outreach exercise.
“These monitors are disseminating falsehoods about the process,” said Mwonzora.
Drafting a new constitution to replace the country’s much-amended Lancaster House charter was one of the major reforms agreed under the political deal which facilitated establishment of the country’s coalition government.
Once completed, the draft is expected to be put to a referendum leading to new elections for a substantive government
2010 07 06
Written by The Zimbabwean
Tuesday, 06 July 2010 15:03
Harare
Violence continues to grab headlines during Zimbabwe’s ill-fated process to gather public views on a new constitution amid reports that an MDC-T supporter in Chikomba had his front teeth knocked out by his brother angered by his decision to defy Zanu (PF)’s order to villagers not to speak during the outreach programme. (Pictured: COPAC chairmen - (Left to right) Edward Mkhosi, Paul Mangwana and Douglass Mwonzora)
Kemson Chikasha of Sadza district in Chikomba East constituency allegedly lost two front teeth after he was assaulted by his brother, a staunch Zanu (PF) member and village head. “The assault took place during a constitution consultation meeting in
Sadza on June 28 when Kemson contributed during the meeting.
His brother, the village head, warned him not to speak as spokespersons had already been selected prior to the meeting to speak on behalf of the whole ward,” the MDC-T said on Tuesday. The Zimbabwean reported last week that President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu (PF) had allegedly appointed operatives from the dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation to speak on behalf of villagers during the outreach programme.
The MDC-T accused Zanu (PF) of deploying CIO spies to speak on behalf of ordinary participants in rural Zimbabwe. The move is meant to cow the general public which fears a return of deadly attacks by the CIO operatives and other Zanu (PF) militia that
accompanied the ill-fated June 2008 presidential election run-off. Mugabe’s party is pushing for the adoption of a draft constitution
agreed by negotiators from the three main political parties in the resort town of Kariba in September 2007.
Zanu (PF) and the two MDC formations secretly authored the Kariba draft in 2007 but critics say the document should be discarded because it leaves untouched the immense presidential powers that analysts say Mugabe has used to stifle opposition to his rule for the past three decades. Zanu (PF) supporters and soldiers have been campaigning for the adoption of the controversial Kariba draft constitution as the basis of the proposed new charter.
The MDC-T this week also accused Zanu (PF) officials in the Umguza area of Matabeleland North province of harassing and intimidating its members. It cited an incident in which a headman in the area, Jealous Tshakalisa, allegedly intimidated and threatened MDC-T Umguza youth vice chairperson Simon Moyo for mobilising people to participate in the constitution process.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s party also accused Chiefs Council president Fortune Charumbira of allegedly ordering the destruction of houses belonging to four MDC-T supporters in the Mushandike area of Masvingo West constituency.
2010 07 07
http://changezimbabwe.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2985&Itemid=2
Written by Roben Mutwira
Wednesday, 07 July 2010
In this first of a two part article, Historian Roben Mutwira applies sociological theories on Internalised Oppression to the behaviour of Zimbabweans and their leaders. Internalised Opression (racism) forces people to perpetuate and ‘agree’ to their own oppression, and victims' unhealed hurt re-emerges, causing the victim to engage in some types of harmful behaviour.
Internalised oppression has been described as the process by which these patterns of harmful behavior reveal themselves.
Mutwira hypotheses that because of failure to resolve colonial oppression issues some Zimbabweans have internalised racism, producing behaviour that has become so familiar that we, ourselves, accept as part of ‘black culture’ - as just ‘the way we are.’
It is a result of mistreatment and it also leads to mistreatment, reinforced by external oppression that forms the social climate in which we exist.
“Once oppression has been internalised little force is needed to keep us submissive.
"We harbour inside ourselves the pain and the memories, the fears and the confusions, the negative self-images and the low expectations, turning them into weapons with which to harm ourselves, every day of our lives,” he writes.
President Robert Mugabe’s form of racism is characterised by bombastic rhetoric (anti-capitalism; anti-Britain and USA, anti-West) in theory and a systematic slaughter of black opponents (anti-ZAPU [c1970 to1987];anti-MDC [c2000 to 2010] and anti-African) in practice. Behind this hate language is a man that adores the British and Americans. His Savile Row suits; his Victorian home furniture; his European manufactured vehicles; and even his military hardware -are all from Britain, America and the West.
Robert Mugabe’s pronunciation and enunciation of the Queen's language is second to none. Before he was banned from Europe and America he could not spend a year without flying either to UK or USA. As a result he recklessly abused state funds importing rare and expensive materials to construct state of the art palaces similar to those of the most exclusive people in Europe and America. He received recognition for his imitation of Western culture from Universities and was even made a Knight of the Order of the Bath - whatever that is, by the Queen of England.
But as he received these honours, he secretly authorised the systematic elimination of individuals, communities and organisations that questioned his deception and corruption. As a result the nation experienced waves of indiscriminate murders, assassinations, genocide, rape, even of children in schools and patients in hospitals, and torture - absolute chaos.
In order to accumulate the wealth needed for him to join the ranks of the Western elite he secretly authorised the scandals in industry and commerce. Slowly the political and economic situation in Zimbabwe became volatile, chaotic and dangerous. People were forced to run away from their homes, resulting one of greatest emigrations in Southern Africa in modern times. By 2005 over three million Zimbabweans had fled the country mainly to South Africa but also to other neighbouring countries and to Europe and America.
Why did Zimbabwe’s exceptionally gifted leader choose to hurt, injure and cause severe suffering to his own people ?.
Why did he choose to be an international hero and a national villain ?.
Mugabe’s behaviour is not unique in Africa. Nearly all African leaders are well educated. Many left lectureships at universities to take up political leadership of their countries. Those that are not well educated have surrounded themselves with university graduate ministers. Even guerrilla movements are led by academics, best examples being Angola’s UNITA which was led by Dr Jonas Savimbi and the RCD of DR Congo led by Professor Wamba Dia Wamba. Those who mastermind the slaughter, torture, rape and genocide in African states were African academics and “intellectuals”.
Secondly many of the African leaders have also chosen to injure and cause suffering to their subjects for the sake of creating and maintaining a special relationship with the rich in the West.
Why do Zimbabweans allow Mugabe to destroy the country to this extend ?.
Mugabe hardly knows the Zimbabwean country. He probably has been to more towns in the UK than villages in Zimbabwe. The ZANU PF murderers, rapists and arsonists are poor people that live in villages. These people choose to kill their own relatives, neighbours and tribesmen for the sake of ZANU PF. They sing and dance to get the courage to kill each other because them they know it is wrong, but they still choose to injure, hurt and kill each other .These people do not want to destroy their only school, hospital and water well. They do not want to kill their doctor. Yet they do these things. Why ?.
A small detour to explain Reactive and Proactive Solutions.
Reactive and Proactive Solutions
When African academics hold conferences, seminars and workshops on economic recovery, the constitution, democracy, peace and so on, they often do so as a reaction to a problem or the problems a state may be facing. These reactive meetings often come up with well researched alternatives to the government problems. The research results are often widely publicised in local and international journals. But the hard and often expensive work ends and remains in the journals .Yet the academics continue to mount other conferences, seminars and workshops - sponsored by the very organisations which says they want to change this situation.
Why do these academics continue to have these conferences which are nothing more than reactions to situations ?.
They behave just like the villagers that continue to kill each other when they know it is wrong! One reason is that both groups do not know of alternatives. They have not heard of what are called pro-active solutions. They are victims of internalised oppression. Internalised oppression is like a dye. Once you dye a piece of cloth blue, the cloth loses its original identity and takes that of the dye.
Internalised Opression (Racism)
Why do we enjoy beating the neighbour we have known all our lives until he bleeds to death ?.
Why do we laugh and celebrate as a member of our family we wrapped in plastic paper burns to death ?.
Why do we torture people we have known all our lives and begin to call them the sell-outs, enemies, or terrorists ?.
Why do we become fanatical about political ideas we hardly understand ?.
The answer to all these questions is what we call internalised oppression [racism]. Internalised oppression is so powerful that it turns us into monsters and we often get surprised after we have acted that we could do what we did.
Susanne Lipsky wrote about the power of internalised oppression: Although the ways in which each of us experiences internalised oppression are unique (for each person is individually oppressed), there is no doubt that each one of us has been profoundly hurt by this particular manifestation of oppression. No black person in this society has been spared. What then is this power ?.
Laura M Padilla in Internalised Oppression and the Latinos described internalised oppression [racism] in these words: Internalised racism has been the primary means by which we have been forced to perpetuate and ‘agree’ to our own oppression...
When a victim experiences a hurt that is not healed, distress patterns emerge whereby the victim engages in some type of harmful behaviour. Internalised oppression has been described as the process by which these patterns reveal themselves.
Lipsky adds: This has been a problem that no one has been able to solve and over which many have despaired. Some patterns of internalised racism become so familiar that we, ourselves, accept them as part of our ‘black culture’. We attribute them to ‘the way we are.’
Micheline Mason in the article, Disability, Equality in Education] describes internalised oppression [racism] in these words: Internalised oppression is not the cause of our mistreatment, it is the result of our mistreatment. It would not exist without the real external oppression that forms the social climate in which we exist.
Once oppression has been internalised little force is needed to keep us submissive. We harbour inside ourselves the pain and the memories, the fears and the confusions, the negative self-images and the low expectations, turning them into weapons with which to re-injure ourselves, every day of our lives.
Causes of Internal Injury
Here is a simple example: Colonialists did not give workers names of their important ancestors, of any important person or even big animal. They gave them names of the smallest or least important things in society, things like utensils, tools and small animals. In our societies today just see how many families have taken names of tools, utensils and small animals as family names; names like Torofero from the words- tall fellow and basikoro from bicycle have become family names although they are neither Shona nor Ndebele.
For over 200 years black people were captured, ‘tamed’, chained like beasts to provide labour. Blacks became the energy that moved ships across the oceans, that moved stones, earth and wood on land and that transported water.
We talk of the stone age, the bronze age and iron age and stop there because after that was the slave age that created the industrial revolution. Slavery then became uneconomical because the industrial revolution demanded use of other metals and black labour became the energy that created colonialism. So for another 100 years slave labour was transformed into ‘paid’ labour, but the principle remained the same. So for over 300 years black people looked at themselves as inferior. They accepted that dark skins were ugly, dirty and sub-human; food from Africa was unhealthy; music from Africa was uninteresting; African languages were embarrassing; African clothes were primitive; African huts were uncivilised and that Africans were the lowest class of the human race.
The first stage of our internal injury is acceptance of these negative stereotypes. Where ever you go, whatever you do, you have the painful burden of feeling that you are less human than others.
Personal Injury
The colonial master then used our internalised oppression to injure us further financially, socially and politically. Many of our youth travel often long distances to shops to buy skin lightening creams, wasting money they could have used to improve their health. Some girls burned their ears and fingers using hot stones to stretch their hair because African hair was not straight and so regarded as ugly. Indeed some burned their heads and ended with serious disabilities after they used inappropriate oils to straighten hair. Many of our leaders wear inappropriate clothes, such as winter suits and ties in summer, at rural functions in the middle of tropical countries.
There are numerous examples of how we have caused ourselves unnecessary pain, injury and suffering because we now believe some of the things used by our former oppressors are better than our own. Laura Padilla says: all manner of self-invalidation, self-doubt, isolation, fear, feeling of powerlessness and despair are signs of internalised oppression. When we do Phds at 70, it is probably because we want to prove that we can pass at any Western degree level. When President Mugabe did 7 degrees, it was probably because he had nothing to do in detention, but more so to show he could pass any Western university degree. He therefore caused himself pain to prove he was equal to the whites.
Africa's Tragedy
Slavery and colonialism were political models structured on cruelty, murders, tortures, and other evils. There is no example anywhere in African history where capitalist systems were based on alternative models. Secondly throughout colonialism, the rulers lived in extreme luxury while the blacks lived in the extreme opposite. Suddenly, through a process of ‘democratic elections’ a man or woman that has internalised racism becomes the new ruler of a capitalist [socialist] state. His two models of government structure are the colonial structure which makes him inherit a state house and several private homes he never believed could be occupied by a black man.
The other model is the socialist [communist] model based on direct dictatorship of the ‘proletariat’. This man is faced with an impossible: he must create a government of love never seen anywhere before and yet he is internally injured with the illness of internalised racism.
Lipsky says: We know that every hurt or mistreatment, if not discharged (healed) will create a distress pattern [some form of rigid destructive or ineffective feeling and behaviour] in the victim of this mistreatment. This distress pattern, when restimulated, will tend to push the victim through a re-enactment of the original distress experiences, either with someone else in the victim role or, when this is not possible, with the original victim being the object of his/her distress pattern.
Robert Mugabe initially falsely “adopted ‘socialism’” but this pattern could not successfully accommodate his internalised oppression. He was helped by the collapse of the Soviet Empire to come in the open. So, from c1990 he openly practised capitalism. He created individuals [army commanders, members of parliament and a limited group of elite academics] to act as his assistants, just like the colonial governments.
Through them, he plundered the country’s resources and sent the wealth to Europe and America. Never in the history of Zimbabwe have so many people been openly gunned down by their elected leader .Never have people’s homes been touched by fellow ‘comrades’.Never have people been thrown in jail without food until they starve to death. Never have people been captured and forced to mine minerals for army commanders. The stories of inhuman treatment of people by the Mugabe Government can only be better told by those that suffered them.
Mugabe’s internalised oppression has left a record of suffering in Zimbabwe which may never be matched by any future Government. After a period of only 30 years, Zimbabwe is one of the poorest countries in the World.
By Roben Mutwira, co- author of People Making History. Part two will be on The Cure for Internalised Oppression.
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 07 July 2010 )
2010 07 08
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90855/7056944.html
July 08, 2010
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe on Wednesday urged Chinese businesses to invest in developing infrastructure in the various productive sectors of the economy for the country to develop rapidly and turn its fortunes around.
Mugabe made the call when he met with visiting Chinese delegation that is in the country for the 8th session of the Zimbabwe-China Joint Commission. "The land which was in the hands of the British colonialists we took it and gave it to our people. Our people are now the farmers and not only do they need equipment, technology and inputs they need necessary capital invested to capacitate them," he said.
Mugabe said Zimbabwe needs investment in agricultural infrastructure in different sub sectors, namely tobacco, cotton, maize, livestock and horticulture.
He said the infrastructure would enable the sectors to expand and meet the domestic and export requirements. The country also needs to revamp the irrigation systems and this required capital, he said.
Mugabe urged China to also invest in other key economic sectors such as mining and manufacturing.
"We also have the mining sector which is a fertile sector full of minerals and we have quite a variety of minerals ranging from chrome, iron, and copper and for precious stones we have gold, emeralds and recently diamonds," he said.
"There can be development in the sector if we get capital and the necessary technology as we have the manpower which is well educated and skilled," he added.
Developing infrastructure, he said, would help boost the growth of other economic sectors. But when all is said and done enabling infrastructure play a part, he said.
"Our roads are narrow and poor in comparison with developed countries so we need to broaden them and that also requires lots of money," he said.
Head of the Chinese delegation Deputy Minister of Commerce Jiang Zengwei said his country would continue to support Zimbabwe in developing its economy.
"We have reached a new stage of economic advancement and we will continue to support with capital and technology to further strengthen our relations," he said.
He said the Chinese are keen on investing in Zimbabwe. "We want to promote cooperation in key sectors such as agriculture and mining and further expand the light industry like textiles," said Jiang.
Source: Xinhua
2010 07 08
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2010-07/08/c_13388803.htm
English.news.cn 2010-07-08 03:28:54
By Tichaona Chifamba and Gretinah Machingura
HARARE, July 7 (Xinhua)
The eighth session of the Zimbabwe/ China joint permanent commission ended in Harare on Wednesday with a pledge by the two countries to widen and deepen economic cooperation.
The two countries discussed ways of enhancing various cooperation projects already being implemented and new ones in the energy, agriculture, manufacturing, transport, tourism and water sectors.
An agreement was also signed for China to provide 1.5 million U. S. dollars to the China-Zimbabwe Friendship Hospital in Mahusekwa, Mashonaland East Province, for medical equipment and drugs.
The hospital is part of the several projects that include two primary schools and an agricultural demonstration center that China is constructing in Zimbabwe as part of the eight measures agreed to at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit in 2006 in Beijing.
Other support from China includes a 200 million U.S. dollars buyer's credit facility extended by the China Exim Bank for procurement of agricultural inputs to boost food production in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwean foreign minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi praised China for setting a shining example to other world donors by honoring pledges it made to assist Zimbabwe under the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation.
Mumbengegwi noted that under the eight measures enunciated by Chinese President Hu Jintao at the FOCAC heads of state summit in Beijing in 2006, projects earmarked for Zimbabwe are now at various stages of completion.
The Chinese government has also dispatched 10 agricultural experts and 23 volunteers to buttress the cooperation.
"By successfully implementing these measures, China has set a shining example for other donors and international cooperating partners who do not always honor their commitments," Mumbengegwi said at the opening of the eight session.
He said Zimbabwe is also willing to learn and benefit from China's experience and expertise in the economic sphere, which has transformed the country into a global economic powerhouse.
"Zimbabwe will, therefore, welcome Chinese investment and is ready to discuss during the joint commission specific projects in the energy, agriculture, manufacturing, transport, tourism and water sectors," he said.
Mumbengegwi thanked China Exim Bank for extending the 200 million U.S. dollars buyer's credit loan repayment period from five to eight years, saying this would give Zimbabwe the breathing space to turn around its economy and enhance capacity to repay loans extended by China.
"The payment of the arrears and extension of the repayment period on the 200 million U.S. dollars buyer's credit loan have paved the way for increased cooperation between Zimbabwe and China, " he said.
While hailing China as a good example of a reliable and dependent donor partner, Mumbengegwi said he hoped the Asian country will similarly implement new eight measures announced by Premier Wen Jiabao at the fourth ministerial conference of FOCAC held in Egypt last year.
He said the projects that have been identified for implementation in Zimbabwe are in critical sectors of energy, water, health, education, agriculture and social infrastructure.
A number of hydro, thermal, gas and solar power projects had been identified in Zimbabwe for investment by Chinese companies, Mumbengegwi said, adding these have capacity to contribute 3, 100 megawatts to the national grid when completed.
The output is more than the country's current national energy requirement of 2, 100 MW.
Mumbengegwi also said the improved macro-economic environment prevailing in the country should spur economic cooperation between Zimbabwe and China.
There is need for finalization of loan applications to finance infrastructure projects submitted to China Exim Bank to help Zimbabwe quickly move from the stabilization phase to sustainable economic growth, he said.
He also called for clear strategies to expedite implementation of various mining projects that Zimbabwe has entered into with various Chinese companies.
Zimbabwe, the minister said, also wanted to enhance cooperation with China in such sectors as human resources development, Information Communication Technology and science and technology research.
Chinese deputy minister of industry and commerce Jiang Zengwei hailed Zimbabwe-China economic cooperation, noting that in spite of the difficulties posed by the global economic recession, bilateral trade between Zimbabwe and China has maintained an upward trend.
"In 2009 bilateral trade between the two countries stood at 297 million U.S. dollars, up by 5.6 percent from the previous year. From that China's exports were 156 million U.S. dollars and imports from Zimbabwe were 141 million U.S. dollars. In the first four months of this year our bilateral trade stood at 224 million U.S. dollars, up by 125 percent year on year. From that China's imports from Zimbabwe already exceeded its exports to Zimbabwe, which is 125 million U.S. dollars, by 90 percent year on year," he said.
He expressed the hope that the two countries would continue to deepen economic cooperation and their traditional friendship dating back to the days of Zimbabwe's liberation struggle.
He also commended Zimbabwe's political leaders for establishing an inclusive government, saying the new government would enable Zimbabwe to overcome some of its economic challenges and also create a more conducive atmosphere for economic cooperation with China. "I believe the establishment of the new government will lay a solid foundation for Zimbabwe to overcome the current difficulties and achieve economic recovery and social development. The establishment of the new government has also created very good conditions for China and Zimbabwe to conduct further mutual benefit cooperation."
"The Chinese hope that we can strengthen our cooperation with our Zimbabwean counterparts to ensure the smooth operation of the new government and help Zimbabwe to realize the early recovery of its economy and social development," the Chinese deputy minister said.
Editor: Mu Xuequan
2010 07 07
Condom use has also help lower the prevalence rate - the National Aids Council says commercial sex workers in Zimbabwe have become the most important consumers of condoms in the country
Sandra Nyaira
Washington 07 July 2010
Behavioral change by Zimbabwean men has helped lower the HIV prevalence rate - the percentage of adults infected with the AIDS virus - from 16 percent in 2007 to 13 percent in 2009, the National Aids Council said.
Mortality from Aids continues to be a factor in the declining prevalence rate, but experts say awareness campaigns have convinced many Zimbabwean men to make changes in their lives to avoid infection. For instance, some have gone for circumcision, which significantly reduces the risk of infection with HIV.
Condom use has also help lower the prevalence rate - the National Aids Council says commercial sex workers in Zimbabwe have become the most important consumers of condoms.
National Aids Council Executive Director Tapuwa Magure told VOA Studio 7 reporter Sandra Nyaira that the organization has been very pleased to see the prevalence rate decline further, adding that with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS releasing $ 21 million more for programs to fight the disease, the rate should continue to fall.
Elsewhere, scientists fighting aids have called on African leaders to head a month-long sexual abstinence campaign to reduce new infections. Epidemiologists Alan Whiteside and Justin Parkhurst note that the newly infected are most likely to transmit HIV in the month following exposure, so such a time-out could significantly reduce infections.
2010 07 07
http://www.zimtelegraph.com/?p=7935
(No Ratings Yet)
By BONGI DLODLO
Published: July 7, 2010
The Mayor of Harare, Muchadeyi Masunda today inspected the city council’s pilot project of solar street lighting in Kuwadzana and Glenview 3 shopping centers. The two street lights, are capable of lighting the entire shopping center using solar energy.
“It is an exciting project and we are assessing whether this is a tenable project. We have one street light at the shopping area and if we have six more we can light the entire community,” said Mayor Masunda. “But for now we are checking if the lights work.” The solar powered street light cost an estimated US$ 2 000, and can last for up to 20 years with only the panel and the batteries needing replacement. Mayor Masunda said these lights were a third the size of the electricity operated tower lights. He said that the council was working on energy conservation as the nation grapples with electricity shortages.
Elsewhere, there is an increased upsurge of intimidation of villagers in the rural areas by State security agents as the Constitution-making process spreads out across the country. Reports from the provinces show a worrying trend of an increase in intimidation, harassment and arrests of people.
The MDC Mashonaland Central Youth Assembly deputy provincial chairperson, Brian Pfungweni was arrested in Mt Darwin as he was mobilising MDC supporters to attend the Constitution-making public meetings. Before his arrest he was attacked by Zanu PF supporters in the area. However, instead of arresting the Zanu PF youths, the police arrested Pfungweni. He has since been transferred to Bindura central police station and is expected to appear in court this week.
In Shamva, also in Mashonaland Central province, Central Intelligence Office agents on Tuesday addressed villagers before the start of the outreach meetings preaching the discredited Kariba draft. They threatened them with disappearance if they did not comply with this directive. The CIO agents were driving unmarked vehicles when they addressed villagers in Shamva at Bradley, Kamudyariwa, Hore, Chidembo and Kasimbi meeting points.
The Zanu PF Shamva South MP, Samuel Ziteya, illegally withdrew written submissions that had been handed to the Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (Copac) team at Bradley. In Fairfields, Chirumanzu, Midlands province, a deputy headmaster at Fairfields primary school called for a parents’ meeting and started addressing them about the Kariba draft ahead of Copac public meetings. Meanwhile, there are reports in some provinces that people who want to participate in the meetings are failing to do so as the Copac timetable is incorrect.
In Masvingo province, the MDC Chivi South district chairperson, Shelter Chifamba was threatened with death by a self-styled war veteran and Zanu PF Chivi South Ward 24 chairman, Machanja Risco at a funeral in Chivi. Chifamba, who was assaulted and had her house destroyed in 2008, has been warned against mobilising people for the Constitution consultations currently underway.
In Mashonaland Central province, the MDC information secretary for Muzarabani North district, Wilbert Zenya has been threatened with unspecified action after the soccer World Cup. Zenya of Ward 27 Maseredza village has been especially targeted because he has a satellite dish at his house where people are watching the World cup. “They told me I bought the satellite dish so that I watch news that supports the MDC,” Zenya said.
In Manicaland province, four Mutare law and order policemen went to the MDC MP for Makoni South Hon Pishayi Muchauraya’s house, and instructed that the MP report to the Mutare Central police station without fail.
2010 07 07
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/12574
By Ecumenical News International
7 Jul 2010
Police have barricaded routes to a shrine east of Zimbabwe's capital to block an annual pilgrimage by thousands of Anglicans to honour the Mozambique-born martyr Bernard Mizeki, who was killed during an 1896 rebellion against colonial rule.
"The police mounted a roadblock at the turn-off and told us we were not allowed to conduct commemorations at the shrine," one of the affected parishioners told local media after the recent march.
Anglican Bishop Chad Gandiya said in an email statement: "Just as people from all over the country and beyond started converging at the Bernard Mizeki shrine, the police have turned up in full force and are driving the pilgrims away."
He added, "Please pray for us and all the pilgrims who are equally shocked by this unacceptable behaviour by the police."
A week earlier Zimbabwe police allowed a similar pilgrimage to the same shrine by a breakaway Anglican faction led by expelled bishop Nolbert Kunonga and some of his followers.
Home affairs minister Kembo Mohadi, a member of President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, had assured all worshippers of police protection during the pilgrimage.
"The other group was allowed and they did it peacefully," Mohadi told journalists. "Why should we not allow the other group to do the same ?.
If anyone tried to disturb them we will intervene."
In a statement, Bishop Gandiya, who replaced Kunonga, an avid support of Mugabe who formed his own Anglican group, said, "The custodians of the law are the ones denying us access, threatening to arrest us or use teargas, to force us out. There are church wardens who have been arrested and some who bear marks of beatings."
In Geneva, the Ecumenical Zimbabwe Network (EZN) came out in support of Gandiya, and the Anglican church in Zimbabwe. "Since January 2008 the crisis in the Anglican church has turned into clear and unacceptable violations of the freedom to worship and freedom of association for thousands of worshippers across Zimbabwe," the EZN said.
"Over the past two years bishops from the Anglican diocese of Harare have reported a series of cases where worshippers were locked out of churches they had attended for generations. They have reported police and militia attacks and intimidation of church wardens, members of the Mothers’ Union and other congregations," the EZN said. It called on Zimbabwe police to use restraint, professionalism and even-handedness in dealing with those seeking entry into their places of worship or as they worship in open air.
The EZN is an alliance of Evangelical, Protestant and Roman Catholic organisations as well as representatives of Zimbabwe churches in what is now called "the Diaspora", based in the Global North and Southern Africa, that was formed in 2007. "For the sake of all Zimbabweans regardless of religious and political affiliation, the path of democracy and tolerance is the only way forward," it said.
[With acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Conference of European Churches.]
2010 07 07
COAL
By: Martin Creamer
7th July 2010
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com)
Positive exploration results have prompted Lontoh Coal to take steps to apply for a coal-mining lease at the company's promising Lubimbi coal project in Zimbabwe, Lontoh CEO Tshepo Kgadima tells Mining Weekly Online.
Lubimbi's block 5 target area has exceeded the expectations of Lontoh's geotechnical team.
Lubimbi is being developed by Lontoh's 51% Zimbabwean subsidiary, Liberation Mining, which expects to deliver coking and thermal coal to both regional and Asian offtake customers.
Lontoh is verifying near-term capital requirements and firming up logistical arrangements.
Kgadima estimates Lubimbi cash costs at $ 20/t, and is looking to a 200-year life-of-mine.
The mining lease application will be made in the first week of August, with the first Lubimbi production targeted for the second quarter of 2011.
At the start of mining, the strip ratio is expected to be negligibly low, given the shallowness of the coal deposit. The initial production capacity is targeted at two million tons a year.
Lubimbi is situated on the fringes of the Gwai settlement, near Hwange, an area which hosts two-thirds of Zimbabwe's known coal deposits.
"We've reached a stage where we know for sure that we can mine, and our priority is to begin by producing coking coal," says Kgadima.
Logistics is key for the transport of the coal and Kgadima envisages the establishment of a rapid loadout facility and a 42-km rail spur to the main line at the operational Dete railway siding, which is located on a rail link to Mozambique in the southeast and to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia in the north.
Kgadima reports that he is in discussions with Zimbabwe National Railways to ′refurbish 450 rail wagons and to acquire up to 16 locomotives to give it the capacity to transport two-million tons of coal a year to the Matola export port at Maputo, and also to rail coking coal to the copper mines in Zambia and the DRC and to ferrochrome producers in South Africa.
Currency risk is negligible, as both production and sales will be in US dollars.
Lontoh says that the coking and thermal coal has high calorific values, high volatiles, low sulphur, low phosphorus and low ash.
The exploration programme has been under Godfrey Mothapo, a competent person in terms of the South African Mineral Resource Committee (Samrec) code.
The latest exploration results will form part of a competent person's report, which is in the process of being compiled.
"Seam thickness has exceeded our expectations," he adds.
Lontoh originally reported pay zone thicknesses of from 15 m to 20 m, with the highest being 30 m.
"But we're now intersecting seam thicknesses of 45 m at shallow depth," Kgadima says.
Macquarie country head Sean Chilvers tells Mining Weekly Online that Macquarie is in discussions with Kgadima to become his adviser.
"We have met with him, and we pitched our thoughts and ideas as to how we can assist. I think he would like to engage us. We would also, subject to completion of our due diligence on the company, like to assist him, and hopefully that will be finalised in the next week or so," Chilvers says.
Some 37 boreholes have been drilled and 33 have been logged.
Consulting engineering and project management company Promet MEI Engineers South Africa was on site on Wednesday.
Kgadima says that Promet was there with a view to carrying out a scoping study for an initial 250 MW mine-mouth power station and possible coal-to-liquids (CTL) plant.
While drilling continues, Lontoh wants a study carried out on the feasibility of establishing a CTL plant, owing to the high fixed 60%-to-70% carbon content of the thermal coal.
"Historically, exploration drilling was done for oil shale and hence we now believe strongly that we should evaluate and carry out the feasibility study for a CTL plant," Kgadima adds.
It has been calculated that 850-million tons of the coal will yield one billion barrels of oil equivalent.
His priority is still to begin by producing coking coal. But, because of the magnitude of the resource and positive drilling results, it is seen as prudent to ensure the long-term feasibility of the total project by firming up the CTL plant, as well as the power plant.
"Those collectively will enable us, towards the end of the year, to secure a strategic equity partner and technical partner for both projects.
"We have applied to be included in the Southern Africa Power Pool so that the electricity we generate can be sold into the Southern African grid," he says.
Lontoh is in the process of ensuring that it realises R210-million in investment indications.
"We're also putting the final touches to a $ 150-million equity line of credit from a Singaporean sovereign wealth fund," Kgadima adds.
"We have asked our legal counsel, Bowman Gilfillan, to go through the facility so that it can be concluded. That will ensure that we list fully funded," says Kgadima of his aspiration to list on the JSE before the year-end, a date which some observers believe will be difficult to meet.
A mining contractor has been on site to determine mining and coal-processing costs.
Drilling is also being done in an area demarcated special grant 4977 at Hankano and Lubimbi, where exploration is also for coal-bed methane gas.
The coal-seam thicknesses intersected in the 33 boreholes were between 25 m and 45 m, and the intersects took place from 3 m to 10 m below the surface. The holes were drilled to depths of between 50 m and 60 m.
Lontoh says that it is intersecting exceptionally thick coal seams at very shallow depths and that its immediate goal is to complete 5 000 m of drilling by the end of July, in order to prove up 400-million tons of mineable opencast Samrec-compliant reserves.
It expects to be able to release additional information on the exploration programme and the development of the Lubimbi project in August.
The company also has operations in South Africa's northern KwaZulu-Natal province, and intends producing one-million tons of coal in South Africa and supplying tonnage to the international market through the Richards Bay dry-bulk terminal.
2010 07 08
The Chronicle
http://www1.chronicle.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=9990&cat=1
Chronicle Reporter
ZAPU has suspended two of its members, Alderman Charles Mpofu and Mr Smile Dube, for allegedly bringing the party into disrepute.
In a statement yesterday the party said Ald Mpofu and Mr Dube have been suspended for six months and during the period they should not take part in any party programmes.
The suspensions are with immediate effect.
“The disciplinary committee felt that the two officials, Alderman Charles Mpofu and Mr Smile Dube, needed to be given another chance, and it was up to them to prove their suitability for party membership after the six months suspension period,” said Zapu spokesperson Mr Methuseli Moyo.
He said the pair was part of the six initially suspended members brought before the Zapu Bulawayo Province disciplinary committee on 3 July.
"Mr Lazarus Ray Ncube, Mr Charles Makhuya and Mr Nhlanhla Ncube were found not guilty and discharged and are now free to participate actively in party programmes.
"The sixth suspended member, Mr Evans Ndebele, did not show up for his disciplinary hearing, alleging that he belonged to the Midlands Province and therefore felt his case should be handled there," said Mr Moyo.
Contacted for comment, the suspended members said they were unfazed by the suspension as they had better things to do than to linger within Zapu structures.
"This suspension is nonsensical and unprocedural and I shall never be a part of it because I have a lot of better things to do in life," said Mr Dube, a former police spokesman for the Bulawayo Province.
He said the reason behind their suspension was to silence their views.
"What kind of a father chases away his children when they do wrong ?.
A proper father should talk to the child and show him the way rather than to lean on other children to judge the wrong ones," said Mr Dube.
Ald Mpofu said he would formally respond to his suspension.
"Angila ndaba bangaze bangixotshe kuZapu yabo, kanti ngixotshwe ezulwini yini ?.
(I don't care even if they dismiss from Zapu, it’s not like the gates of heaven have been closed on me)," he charged.
2010 07 08
http://www1.chronicle.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=9989&cat=1
The Chronicle
Chronicle Reporter
Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans' Association (ZNLWVA) chairman, Cde Jabulani Sibanda, yesterday described the suspension of Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial chairman, Cde Isaac Dakamela, as unfair.
Party politburo members in Bulawayo suspended Cde Dakamela at the weekend on allegations of insubordination and theft. But the former chairman said the insubordination claims are untrue, pointing out that the real reason why he was suspended was his decision to give a platform to Cde Sibanda to address a Zanu-PF provincial conference at Davies Hall, the party’s Bulawayo provincial headquarters, two weeks ago. He said his decision did not go down well with some senior party members in the province who are not in good books with the war veterans' leader.
"I only read it in the papers that he has been suspended," said Cde Sibanda by telephone from Manicaland where he is on official business.
"One reason that I am told led to his dismissal was his decision to call upon me to address a meeting at our party headquarters in Bulawayo. But it is not Dakamela who makes me speak. The voice that I have is not Dakamela's. It is God who makes me speak, so it would be grossly unfair to punish him for merely giving a comrade a platform to address his fellow comrades."
Cde Sibanda received a rousing welcome when he walked into Davies Hall two weeks ago during a party provincial conference. At that point Cde Dakamela was making introductions but he was interrupted by the welcome his audience gave to Cde Sibanda. The audience sang revolutionary songs when the war veteran walked in.
The former provincial chairman then gave Cde Sibanda a chance to address the conference. In his impromptu address, Cde Sibanda implored the people of Bulawayo to unite to advance party and national interests. He also touched on the land question.
"Land is a national asset and has no title deeds. We are not going back on the issue. In Britain, the land belongs to the Queen and is a national asset. Why not in Zimbabwe?" he asked.
"It would not help to have a province when we are going for the national congress only, yet on the ground there is nothing. We should work to win back constituencies to the party. That is only achieved when people know what Zanu-PF is and what it stands for."
Cde Dakamela, who also faces a charge of stealing beef meant for party activities, has said he remains in office.
2010 07 08
The Chronicle
http://www1.chronicle.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=9983&cat=1
By Makhosi Sibanda
ZIMBABWE has received more than US$ 22 million for the fight against HIV and Aids, tuberculosis and malaria, through the United Nations Global Fund under Round Five phase two.
The secretary for Zimbabwe’s co-ordinating mechanism for the Global Fund, Mr Rangarirayi Chitewure, said in a telephone interview that more than half of the money would be channelled towards the procurement of Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARVs), HIV test kits and other medication.
“The money will be disbursed through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to key implementers of HIV/Aids programmes such as the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, National Aids Council, Population Services International, SAFAIDS and others,” said Mr Chitewure.
He said they had a number of HIV/Aids intervention programmes lined up for Round Five phase two.
“Some of the intervention initiatives are already underway and the disbursing of the fund is also ongoing.
“Part of the money will be used in the training of personnel for implementers of other programmes as there will be a lot of community-based activities this time around,” said Mr Chitewure.
He said all the implementers had signalled their preparedness to receive the fund.
“We know our Round Five phase one was implemented exceptionally well and we are optimistic to repeat the same success once more,” said Mr Chitewure.
He said they have begun applying for Round Eight funding.
Last year, the Government received US$ 37,9 million for the first phase of Round Five.
2010 07 07
http://www.newsday.co.zw/article/2010-07-07-sable-chemicals-to-dump-zesa-bill
MUNYARADZI MUGOWO
Jul 07 2010 10:28
Sable Chemical Industries receives a string of bills every month, but the country’s sole manufacturer of ammonium nitrate (AN) fertiliser dreads just one - Zesa’s electricity bill, which now peaks above $ 20 million every month, hurting earnings.
The agrochemicals company requires 115 MW - the size of a power station - to fire its 14-unit electrolysis plant, which consumes 90% of this power supplied by Zesa through a dedicated sub-station.
Other processes rely on steam from a coal-fired steam-raising plant.
Now Sable wants to “switch off the electrolysis plant completely” and diversify to coal gasification in phases, as it seeks a more cost-effective way of producing hydrogen, according to Shingai Mutasa, the chairman of the company.
The electrolysis plant comprises 14 electrolytors, five of which are currently offline, which consume staggering megawatt hours of electricity to break water into hydrogen, a key ingredient, and oxygen, a by-product.
The load online currently consumes around 80 MW for every hour they are deployed.
“Our plan in the medium term is to increase production by increasing coal gasification so that we increase our production of hydrogen that way as opposed to electrolysis,” Mutasa said.
“At the moment electricity supply is reliable, we don’t have outages but cost is an issue.”
Coal gasification is a chemical process of breaking coal into its chemical components - hydrogen, carbon monoxide and other gaseous compounds - by exposing it to excessively hot steam and oxygen.
The project, still at a pre-feasibility stage, is expected to start running in five years and should cut Sable's electricity consumption to 30 MW.
It entails setting up a coal gasification plant made up of a coal gasifier.
As in the electrolysis process, the hydrogen produced through gasification is reacted with nitrogen in an ammonia synthesis plant to produce ammonia. Part of the ammonia is piped to a nitric acid plant to generate nitric acid, which is then reacted with ammonia in an ammonium nitrate plant to produce liquid ammonium nitrate.
In this liquid form, ammonia is also sold to secondary fertiliser manufacturers - Zimbabwe Fertiliser Company and Windmill - which produce fertiliser compounds by mixing it with ingredients such as phosphorous and nitrogen.
The final product is then dried and pulled into solid granules used as top-dressing fertiliser.
Sable decided to stick to Zesa after the government dissuaded it from importing power from regional utilities on its own, urging “an internal solution”, after the company shut down its electrolysis plant in November last year citing exorbitant Zesa bills.
“We were prepared to pay wheeling charges to Zesa and import cheaper electricity on our own from Zambia.
“But we were persuaded to look for a local solution. So government, Zesa and Sable agreed to jointly look after the fertiliser industry,” Mutasa said.
The tripartite meeting agreed to maintain constant power supply to the prime fertiliser manufacturer and grant a special tariff of below five cents per kilowatt hour.
However, Sable’s electricity bill will still balloon in the near term as the 38-year-old plant ramps up capacity utilisation, aiming to reach 60% by December and 100% in three years, from the current 40%.
From a record low of 40 000 tonnes in 2009, the fertiliser maker targets producing 100 000 tonnes of AN this year, 45 000 tonnes of which are already in stock.
This level should adequately meet the country’s current AN demand, which declined over the years owing to problems related to structural bottlenecks, capital constraints, policy issues and uncoordinated agrarian reforms.
At full capacity, the plant churns out 240 000 tonnes of nitrogenous fertiliser which in the 1990s was all absorbed by the domestic market.