ZANU PF ‘big guns’ walk out of crucial Cabinet meeting

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Violet Gonda
SW Radio Africa
18 June 2013

ZANU PF “big guns” dramatically left en masse an hour after a Cabinet
meeting, which was due to discuss the crucial election roadmap, started on
Tuesday. The meeting was also supposed to discuss an agreement made by the
political parties at the just ended SADC summit, to send Justice Minister
Patrick Chinamasa to ask the Constitutional Court for a two week delay in
the election date.

The Cabinet was meeting on Tuesday for the first time since President Robert
Mugabe unilaterally declared, last Thursday, that elections will be held on
July 31st.

Cabinet meetings are private but some ministers, who spoke on condition of
anonymity, told SW Radio Africa that Mugabe and his deputy Joice Mujuru were
left to discuss the post-Maputo SADC summit and the election roadmap with
only three other ZANU PF ministers – Walter Mzembi, Joseph Made and Herbert
Murerwa.

ZANU PF ministers who left before anything substantial had been discussed
included Emmerson Mnangangwa, Nicholas Goche, Sydney Sekeremayi and Ignatius
Chombo.

“Their big guns were not there. They left Cabinet after an hour and we had
not discussed anything controversial. We had only discussed the movement of
grain, correcting of last week’s minutes and discussing whether dams are
full or empty. After that the whole lot of them left at the same time. It
was obvious they had a political strategy meeting somewhere.

“They left at 10 o’clock. So by the time we were discussing election matters
they were not there and the ZANU PF ministers who were left were really not
in a position to debate anything meaningful,” said a source.

The development come a day after the SADC executive secretary Tomaz Salomão
told SW Radio Africa that the political parties had resolved to use the
first two days of this week to “to agree on the issues they feel have to be
attended to before they go back to the Constitutional Court to request for
more time.” But sources said it is clear that political games and delaying
tactics are being played as on Monday a Principals meeting had to be
cancelled, because Mugabe left the country for Botswana.

Another minister said Cabinet then decided the proper forum to now determine
the election way forward is at “political level and not at cabinet level.”
It was decided that the political leaders will meet Wednesday (Morgan
Tsvangirai, Robert Mugabe, Arthur Mutambara and Welshman Ncube).

One of the ministers said: “The way forward now? All of that will be
determined in the meeting of the political leaders. We said in Maputo we
need more time to deal with the legal processes. So the political leaders
(principals) will discuss how we are going to go about and decide on who is
going to do what.”

Chinamasa was expected to send the Electoral Amendment Bill to parliament on
Tuesday but that too has been put on hold until the principals decide what
to do. This is the bill that was passed by cabinet last week where Mugabe
used a presidential decree to controversially fast track amendments to the
Electoral Act to by-pass parliament, in a move that angered his coalition
government partners.

Another minister revealed that Tuesday’s Cabinet debate, with the few ZANU
PF ministers, centered on the ‘rushed’ presidential proclamation. “We
discussed how did we get to where we were fighting each other in Maputo? How
did we get to ambushing each other with a proclamation? And how can we chart
a way forward.

“You obviously can’t resolve all these problems at Cabinet level as people
speak as individuals at Cabinet. You can speak for ten hours and it won’t
help. So we decided that it needs to be discussed at the highest level, by
the principals, to give clear guidance on what is possible and what is not
possible.”

The cabinet ministers said Wednesday’s Principals meeting should resolve:
whether to revoke Mugabe’s proclamation, how to revoke it, whether to take
the Electoral Amendment Bill to parliament, how to approach the
Constitutional Court and with what timelines.

Whilst the cabinet agreed that the principals would deal with all these
issues,  the Justice Minister is said to have gone ahead and filed a court
application seeking an extension of election date without consulting the
other political partners. We were not able to reach Chinamasa for comment
but an MDC-T official confirmed this latest development whilst at a public
debate organised by the SAPES Trust late Tuesday.

Youth activist Sydney Chisi said the MDC-T’s Jameson Timba told the public
he had received a phone call saying Chinamasa had filed a court application
seeking an extension of election date. “He is the sole applicant and all the
principals are respondents, yet the inclusive government is supposed to be
the applicant as directed by SADC,” Chisi said.

Tsvangirai backs calls for Zimbabwe polls to be delayed to October 31

http://www.timeslive.co.za/

Sapa-AFP | 18 June, 2013 10:38

Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has backed calls by regional
grouping SADC for his archrival President Robert Mugabe to delay crucial
polls due by the end of July.

"We have to hold elections by October 31," Tsvangirai's spokesman Luke
Tamborinyoka told AFP.

The constitutional court last month ruled fresh polls have to be held by
July 31, a date which Mugabe has backed, but Tsvangirai wants electoral
reforms passed first and argues the law allows for three more months.

Mugabe's ZANU-PF and Tsvangirai's MDC parties have since 2009 been in an
uneasy coalition formed in the aftermath of deadly post-election violence
the previous year.

On Saturday, the 15-country Southern Africa Development Community urged
Mugabe to request a delay from the constitutional court.

The bloc also urged the 89-year-old president to "undertake immediate
measures to create a conducive environment for the holding of peaceful,
credible, free and fair elections."

"SADC did not suggest a date. To us the date is subservient to the reforms.
The reforms should come first and the latest we can have elections is by
October 31," Tsvangirai's spokesman said.

The prime minister argues that a July deadline will not allow for free and
fair polls. He wants reforms in the media and security services, and says
the voters' roll needs to be rid of ghost voters before the elections.

He has said he would veto the polls if reforms are not implemented but
Mugabe has accused him of being afraid to lose.

"The other parties do not want elections, they are afraid of elections,"
Mugabe was quoted as saying in the state-owned Sunday Mail newspaper.

"They know they are going to lose and it's a sure case that they are going
to lose."

Parties Opposed to Zanu-PF Crafting Zimbabwe Grand Coalition

http://www.voazimbabwe.com/

Blessing  Zulu
18.06.2013

WASHINGTON DC — Five of President Robert Mugabe’s opponents are meeting in
Harare today for the second time this month to try and form a grand
coalition to challenge his 33-year stranglehold on power.

Sources privy to the meeting told VOA Studio 7 that the five parties, MDC-T,
MDC, Mavambo Kusile Dawn, Zapu and Zanu-Ndonga will meet again tomorrow to
further discuss the delicate issue.

The five parties also came together to condemn President Mugabe at the
just-ended Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in
Mozambique following his unilateral proclamation of an election date.

But sources say it is going to be difficult to form a coalition as the
parties differ on policy issue. Though Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is
tipped to lead the coalition, there are some who are pushing for a consensus
candidate.

Political analyst and International Crisis Group researcher, Trevor Maisiri,
says the coalition must not be for power only but the betterment of the
nation.

SADC leaders told Zimbabwe’s unity government principals Saturday to seek a
fresh election date instead of holding elections on July 31 as per a
presidential decree issued Thursday last week.

The leaders, who held an extraordinary summit in Maputo, resolved that
Zimbabwe should at least hold the elections in August this year following
the implementation of some outstanding Global Political Agreement issues.

These include electoral and media reforms, the registration of voters and
cleaning up of the voters roll said to have thousands of ghost voters.

Zuma tells Mugabe to censure his generals

http://www.africareview.com/

By KITSEPILE NYATHI in Harare | Tuesday, June 18   2013 at  11:36

South African President Jacob Zuma has called on President Robert Mugabe to
publicly censure army and police generals who have threatened not to respect
election results if the veteran ruler loses.

The generals, who are in the habit of making disparaging remarks against
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, have repeatedly vowed not to accept a
president without liberation war credentials.

President Zuma, who is the mediator in the Zimbabwe political crisis, told
regional leaders in Mozambique at the weekend that only President Mugabe was
in a position to rein in the securocrats.

The generals have openly campaigned for the 89 years old leader and his
Zanu-PF party ahead of elections set for July 31.

In his report presented to a Southern African Development Community (SADC)
summit, President Zuma said the statements by the police, army, prisons and
intelligence bosses were a threat to a free and fair poll.

“It would be appropriate and necessary that the President and Commander in
Chief of the security forces draws the attention of the heads of the
security forces, their members, as well as the public of Zimbabwe that
Section 208 of the new Constitution henceforth governs their actions,” he
said in his report.

“Section 208 of the new Constitution is explicit on the role of the security
forces, whose members are prohibited from acting in a partisan manner,
furthering the interests of any political party or cause, prejudicing the
lawful interest of any political party or cause, or violating the
fundamental rights of any person.”

Mr Tsvangirai and Professor Welshman Ncube of the smaller faction of the
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) told the regional leaders that the
security chiefs posed the biggest threat to credible elections.

Army commander General Constantine Chiwenga in April labelled the Prime
Minister a psychiatric patient after his MDC party indicated that it was
engaging security forces on the need to respect the outcome of the polls.

The SADC summit urged President Mugabe to approach the courts to seek an
extension to the July 31 election date to allow for the implementation of
outstanding reforms.

MDC-T Chegutu officials protest primary election ‘irregularities’

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
SW Radio Africa
18 June 2013

Officials from the MDC-T have called for fresh primary elections to take
place in the Chegutu East constituency, claiming irregularities had marred
the poll there.

More than 30 Chegutu members of the party gathered at the MDC-T
headquarters, Harvest House, in Harare on Monday, to petition organising
secretary Nelson Chamisa about the problems they say happened during
Saturday’s primary election.

Chegutu East organising secretary Costa Harrison has reportedly accused
Tawanda Bvumo, the party’ s provincial treasurer for Mashonaland West, of
collaborating with the police to rig the election in his favour. Harrison
stated on Monday that Bvumo used the police’s assistance to hold the
elections late at night, when other candidates were not present. He has
called for Bvumo to be suspended, and for fresh primaries to take place.

Bvumo has in turn accused local councillor Locardia Chaipa of instigating a
group of youths to raid a car belonging to some primary election officials,
and to destroy ballot papers. Chaipa has reportedly accused Bvumo of
harbouring a personal grudge against her.

Party spokesman Douglas Mwonzora on Tuesday denied that there was any form
of demonstration at Harvest House on Monday. He insisted the party has a
legitimate appeals process that members can follow if they are unhappy about
the primary elections.

“If anyone is unhappy they must appeal. We have already had some success
with this process. For example, in a constituency in Bulawayo a rerun was
ordered. There was also another appeal in Bulawayo central and that
complaint was dealt with,” Mwonzora told SW Radio Africa.

He added that he was unaware of any formal complaint being registered by the
Chegutu East members yet.

Organising secretary Chamisa meanwhile said the problems in Chegutu were the
fault of “ZANU PF provocateurs.”

Chamisa says ZANU PF will lose poll under free and fair conditions

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tichaona Sibanda
SW Radio Africa
18 June 2013

Nelson Chamisa, the national organizing secretary of the MDC-T, insisted on
Tuesday that demands for reforms before the next general election does not
mean they’re afraid of defeat as insinuated by President Robert Mugabe.

The ZANU PF leader accused both formations of the MDC of being afraid of
defeat, after they sought to postpone elections scheduled for July during
the SADC summit held in Maputo on Saturday.

Mugabe had recently unilaterally set the date for elections, using a
presidential decree to change election laws. But SADC leaders requested that
the government postpone the vote until the country is better prepared, a
move that ‘embarrassed and angered’ the ZANU PF delegation to the Maputo
summit.

Speaking to journalists from the state media Mugabe said; ‘The other parties
do not want elections, they are afraid of elections. They know they are
going to lose and it’s a sure case that they are going to lose.’

However Chamisa refuted Mugabe’s accusations, claiming his statement was far
from the facts. He told SW Radio Africa that their demands for free and fair
elections were not meant to sabotage or delay the elections.

‘We are ready to give ZANU PF their rightful position on the political
landscape in Zimbabwe….which is second best. In a free and fair election our
colleagues in ZANU PF will never ever see the light of day,’ Chamisa said.

He added: ‘This is why I think they’re ducking and diving, they’re behaving
like a catfish, which behaves in a better way when there is mud water. The
MDC-T is like a green fish, we want clear water, transparency and openness.’

Chamisa also blasted ZANU PF for sending its supporters to disrupt some of
their primary elections that ended on Sunday. There are several
constituencies where the elections were postponed or disrupted after
supporters of aggrieved candidates confiscated ballot boxes and fled with
them.

But Chamisa said: ‘We’ve made our own investigations and concluded that none
of those involved belonged to our structures. They are agent provocateurs
acting on behalf of ZANU PF to derail the smooth flowing process of our
internal elections. The people are known and we have let the police know who
they are.”

He added that ZANU PF’s strategy to win the next election was based on its
ability to disenfranchise young and new voters from registering to vote. But
ZANU PF’s tried and tested use of violence is looking increasingly unlikely
this time round, because of the presence in the country of international
visitors for the 20th General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism
Organisation in Victoria Falls, from August 24 to 29 this year.

In KweKwe the MDC-T’s MP for Mbizo, Settlement Chikwinya, told us the voter
registration exercise has been disastrous in his constituency where
thousands of would-be voters have failed to register.

Chikwinya said riot police had to be called to his constituency to cool down
tensions as tempers flared after the 30 day exercise was cut to only three
days, leaving thousands of people unregistered.

‘It’s a disaster and the police had to be called after people started
accusing staff from the registrar-general of conducting the exercise at a
very slow pace thereby denying many the chance to exercise their democratic
right to vote in the next election.

‘I’m going to write to ZEC to implore them to stick to the 30 day exercise
or ZANU PF will easily manipulate figures to win this election,’ Chikwinya
said.

A source told us Tobaiwa Mudede is once again being instrumental in trying
to rig the vote in favour of Mugabe.

‘Being cunning as they are, I think they know the amount of votes Mugabe
needs to win the election based on the 2008 figures. And to do it without
raising suspicions they need to be in complete control of the voters roll,
but because the MDC formations have objected to early elections, that is
also going to be problematic for Mugabe.

‘The plan now by Mugabe’s opponents, as discussed during the SADC summit, is
to let the 30 day voter registration period run its full course, followed by
voters roll preparation, inspection, final compilation and signing off by
the political parties.

‘This way, the MDC formations will be in a position to know the number of
voters registered in every ward, district, constituency and province, making
it virtually impossible for ZANU PF to rig by manipulating figures,’ the
source said.

The leaders of the MDC formations, together with those from ZAPU, ZANU
Ndonga and MKD, also met in Harare Tuesday to explore ways of forming a
grand coalition to fight Mugabe and ZANU PF.

Zim Diaspora to protest voting rights failure

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
SW Radio Africa
18 June 2013

Members of the Zimbabwean Diaspora will this weekend gather in London where
they will protest, among other issues, the failure of the government back
home to allow them to vote.

The demonstration is being hosted by the Zim pressure group The Vigil, the
Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) and a coalition of other
groups.

They are calling on the Zim government and Southern African Development
Community (SADC) leaders to ensure that the next elections are free, fair
and credible. They are demanding that the Diaspora vote be allowed and that
international election observers be permitted in the country, warning that
without these and a host of other key issues, the elections will not be
credible.

UK based Zim activist and ROHR member Tawanda Dzimba warned that there is
little back home that has changed to convince him, or other Zimbabweans
abroad, that the next elections will be credible. He said the exclusion of
the Diaspora voice alone casts doubt on the entire process.

“So we have agreed to come together and demonstrate and tell the world what
is happening. We want the world to know that the elections, if they are held
under the current conditions, will be a farce,” Dzimba told SW Radio Africa.

The Diaspora vote issue has been all but ignored by the current coalition
government, despite the millions of Zimbabweans working and living abroad.
Last week the issue was effectively put to bed, after the Constitutional
Court indefinitely postponed ruling on a legal challenge, brought forward by
a Zimbabwean man in South Africa.

Tawengwa Bukaibenyu had filed an application last year, challenging the
barring of postal ballots for exiled Zimbabweans, which he said violated his
right to choose his country’s government. But Justice and Legal Affairs
Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Registrar General Tobaiwa Mudede opposed the
application arguing that the process of allowing Zimbabweans in the Diaspora
to vote was prohibitively costly and a burden to the country’s fiscus.

There has also been no word from the government on an order handed down by
Africa’s highest human rights court, the Africa Commission on Human and
People’s Rights, which ordered the government to allow for the Diaspora
vote.

The MDC-T has now embarked on a Diaspora-focused campaign, urging
communities abroad to return home and be part of the voting process. The
party has started this campaign by holding rallies in South Africa, where
millions of Zimbabweans now live in search of greener pastures.

MDC-T South African spokesperson Kumbirai Muchemwa told SW Radio Africa that
without having a Diaspora vote, Zimbabweans abroad should do all they can to
be part of the upcoming election process. He said that ZANU PF was strictly
to blame for excluding the Diaspora from making choices about their country,
calling it “an acknowledgment of ZANU PF’s misrule.”

The MDC-T’s campaign will soon head to Botswana, before targeting
Zimbabweans in the UK.

Racism allegations hit MDC-T Bulawayo province

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Nomalanga Moyo
SW Radio Africa
18 June 2013

Following primary elections held in Bulawayo over the weekend, allegations
have surfaced about a plan to prevent white MDC-T members from making it
past the internal selection process.

Sources close to the process reported ‘serious vote rigging’ in the Bulawayo
Central Constituency, where party heavy weight Dorcas Sibanda, was pitted
against Nicola Watson (Watson lost the primary election)

Watson and Eddie Cross are the only two white people in the MDC-T Bulawayo
structures, occupying the position of provincial treasurer and policy
director respectively.

Bulawayo-based SW Africa correspondent Lionel Saungweme said there are
indications that people from outside the constituency were brought in to
vote in order to prevent a possible Watson victory.

Saungweme said this was not the first time that allegations of racism have
been raised within the Bulawayo province. Watson had quit the united MDC
citing racial discrimination, before being invited back by the MDC-T.

“Leading up to the primary election supporters of Dorcas Sibanda, led by
Sethekeli Moyo, told the state controlled Chronicle newspaper that they did
not want white people occupying parliamentary positions.

“We do not want this white woman. She has been imposed by party leaders.
These are the people that we fought to remove in the liberation struggle and
the party is returning them,” Sethekeli Moyo told the Chronicle.

Following the incessant racial taunts against Watson, Bulawayo deputy mayor
Amen Mpofu convened a residents’ meeting where he warned the party against
making racist remarks, reports say.

“During the weekend primaries, Watson and her supporters were openly told to
go and get their vote in England, by Sibanda’s supporters,” Saungweme said.

But when the media campaign against Watson started in early June, MDC-T
national spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora disowned the group that stormed the
Chronicle offices to denounce her.

“They are not from our party. I have spoken to Honourable Sibanda and she
says none of her supporters went to the Chronicle. It is also not true that
the party is trying to push her out from her seat. She has not lost it yet
as she might win the primary election,” Mwonzora told the state media.

It has also emerged that another white person, Mike Carter, had put his name
forward expressing a wish to stand for a senatorial seat but was
disappointed to find that his name had been removed from that particular
list and added to that of council candidates.

‘Con-Court can amend poll ruling’

http://www.dailynews.co.zw/

Tuesday, 18 June 2013 10:38
HARARE - Legal experts have said the Constitutional Court (Con-Court) is
duty bound to review its ruling for elections to be held by July 31 if it is
approached by Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa as directed by Sadc last
week.

With Chinamasa yet to approach the court for recourse, Greg Lennington, a
constitutional law expert ,said it is not yet clear how the Constitutional
Court would deal with the matter.

“It will be very difficult to hold elections on July 31 considering the
legal procedures that need to be done before an election,” Lennington said.

“It is possible for the president to seek for an extension, but what is
unclear is how the court will rule.”

Lennington said Mugabe made a controversial constitutional move by using
Presidential Powers to amend the Electoral Act, by by-passing Parliament as
required under section 157 of the new Constitution.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has accused his long-time rival of
committing a “legal coup”. Tsvangirai and leader of the smaller MDC Welshman
Ncube say going to polls on July 31 without fundamental reforms would
precipitate chaos similar to what led to the formation of a coalition
government in 2009.

If Chinamasa files the application, it will add to two other applications
also seeking an extension of the poll date.

Nixon Nyikadzino in his Con-Court application argues that the holding of
general elections by July 31 would violate his constitutionally-enshrined
rights as a voter to have fair and violence-free polls.

Maria Phiri of Bulawayo in her application also says the proclamation of the
nomination date and polling date must allow for the 30-day intensive voter
registration period, which ends on July 10.

Selby Hwacha, a legal expert, said the courts had inherent control over
their orders or decisions.

“That is why you see people given bail; go to the same court to seek for
variation of conditions of their bail,” Hwacha said.

“Also in this case, the Constitutional Court can review their previous
decisions basing on the arguments that would have been presented.” - Bridget
Mananavire

Cop drags Chihuri to court over bribe

http://www.dailynews.co.zw/

Tuesday, 18 June 2013 14:49

HARARE -  A Harare traffic cop accused of accepting a bribe has dragged
police commissioner-general Augustine Chihuri to the High Court to stop the
police chief from sacking him from the force.

Brighton Chikutwe, a sergeant in the police force currently stationed at
Mbare Police Station, has filed an urgent chamber application citing
Chihuri, a chief superintendent only identified as Wilson, superintendent
Usayiwevhu and superintendent Nekati as respondents.

According to Chikutwe, the application seeks to interdict the four from
convening a board of inquiry today to look into his suitability to remain in
the police force.

Chikutwe is accused of contravening the Police Act. He allegedly demanded a
$70 bribe from Michael Madzore for the release of his unlicensed vehicle.

The court heard that a constable Muzuva received the money from Madzore’s
brother Last Mapuranga for the release of the impounded vehicle.

A trap was set-up, leading to Muzuva’s arrest.

“Simultaneous to my disciplinary proceedings, criminal proceedings were
preferred against me, arising from the same cause of action and these
proceedings are yet to be concluded at Mbare Magistrates’ Court,” said
Chikutwe.

He said Police Standing Orders prohibits the police force from carrying out
disciplinary or board proceedings against any member whose case has been
taken before a criminal court.

Chikutwe further told the court that the trial was handled by a single
person and that Wilson, Usayiwevhu and Nekati were interested parties.

“It is therefore my contention that these three officers are not suitable
and competent officers to determine my fate in the police force,” said
Chikutwe. - Tendai Kamhungira

Nkomo commemoration sparks criticism

http://www.dailynews.co.zw/

By Jeffrey Muvundusi, Own Correspondent
Tuesday, 18 June 2013 10:52

BULAWAYO - Political analysts in Bulawayo have censured Zanu PF’s intention
to conduct a series of events in honour of the late Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo.

Analysts have described the planned events as a strategy by the party to
court the electorate from Matabeleland through aligning themselves to the
veteran statesman.

The criticism emerges at a time when Nkomo’s daughter Thandiwe has appealed
to the nation to stop disrespecting her late father affectionately known as
“Father Zimbabwe”.

Last week, Zanu PF Bulawayo provincial chairman Callistus Ndlovu released a
comprehensive programme of a five-day extravaganza to celebrate Joshua Nkomo’s
legacy beginning from July 1.

The event is expected to attract Zanu PF members from all the 10 provinces.

Photographic and other material exhibition of the late “Father Zimbabwe”, a
series of lectures and entertainment by cultural groups will form part of
the “special” event.

But the extravaganza slated for various venues including schools, Bulawayo
Polytechnic, Stanley Square and the Large City Hall has unruffled feathers
as some political analysts feel it is “an outright oblique political game”
to attract public sympathy and garner support ahead of the watershed polls.

Analysts queried Zanu PF’s monopolisation of the late vice president yet the
same party has previously dragged its feet and blocked the completion of a
myriad of his ideas and projects.

Political analyst, Dumisani Nkomo told the Daily News it was a pity that the
name of the larger-than-life Joshua Nkomo has become a subject of Zanu PF’s
campaigning manifesto.

“This is obvious, and it is clear politics is at play here. Remember ever
since he died Zanu PF has not done anything of this nature save for the
Umdala Wethu national galas which have also since stopped,” Nkomo said.

“It is clear they want to use him as a political fodder or campaign tool. It
is a sad development. Talk of the Main Street to be named after him, the
erection of the statue and the first of July holiday, yet nothing has come
to fruition.

“So it is outright hypocrisy for Zanu PF to be holding a series of events
honouring him today. The same time last year they blocked the Daily News in
partnership with the Joshua Nkomo National Foundation from hosting similar
lectures but now they have hijacked the idea.”

Nkomo who is a family member said: “This is sheer hypocrisy. If they really
wanted to honour him they should start taking concrete steps towards
completing such basic things as naming Main Street here in Bulawayo after
him as well as completing his statue, not all these lectures and
exhibitions.”

“Of course there are some former Zapu members in Zanu PF who are genuine
about honouring Dr Nkomo but unfortunately the system does not allow them.”

Plumtree-based political analyst Thomas Sithole described Zanu PF’s action
as nothing but well-calculated tokenism to reach out to the marginalised
electorate of Matabeleland who have rejected them for several years now.

“The reason why Zanu PF has returned to Matabeleland is for them to gain
political mileage considering that this is coming at a time when the nation
gears up for the crunch election,” Sithole told the Daily News.

“So using Nkomo’s name is an advantage because it’s a way of appealing to
the people of Matabeleland. But who does not know this?

“People are no longer that daft. What Zanu PF does is weigh the political
profit they gain. This is the reason why they have assumed ownership of all
Nkomo projects and it helps them to score cheap political points,” Sithole
added.

He said Zanu PF knows Nkomo was a fatherly figure who was loved by everyone
particularly the people from this region. “They want to capitalise on his
popularity to such an extent that if they had the option, they would
resurrect him.”

Playwright Cont Mhlanga said Zanu PF was never ashamed of undermining the
legacy of the late veteran nationalist.

“What Zanu PF has done is to undermine the legacy of Joshua Nkomo. For the
past years since Nkomo died, Zanu PF has not done anything meaningful to
recognise the work he did for the nation,” Mhlanga said.

He said he was worried about the former ruling party’s apparent unwavering
standpoint to “own a dead body.”

“What they are planning to do now is acceptable in as far as it is important
to recognise his legacy and there is nothing wrong with that. But they must
not make it a Zanu PF event. They don’t own him, so they should involve
everyone,” he said.

“The two memorial lectures organised by Daily News last year were blocked
simply because that was unacceptable to Zanu PF.

“What it meant is the publication was obviously going to steal the limelight
from them.”

Mhlanga cautioned Zanu PF, to bear in mind that while Nkomo died in the
party, he was above politics.

“It is grossly unfair for Zanu PF to be politicking with Nkomo’s name given
that he was a liberator, a unifier and as a result he was above narrow party
politics.

“At this point, Zanu PF should know very well that he should be celebrated
in a better way than reducing him to a politician,” he explained.

Mhlanga appealed to the party to at least honour him by completing his
statue and renaming Main Street after him this year.

Nkomo died on July 1, 1999 after a long battle with cancer.

Harare Secures $144 Million to Tackle Water Woes

http://www.voazimbabwe.com/

Irwin  Chifera
18.06.2013

HARARE — Water woes in Harare may soon be a thing of the past as the former
sunshine city expects to receive within the next two weeks a $144 million
loan from China to rehabilitate its ageing water treatment and distribution
network.

Town Clerk Tendai Mahachi told parliament’s Local Government Committee
Tuesday that the city secured the funds from Chinese Export and Import Bank.

Mr. Mahachi said the loan will be used for the comprehensive rehabilitation
of the city’s water treatment works, ending its perennial water woes.

Rehabilitation projects, which begin next month, will take three years to
complete, said Mahachi.

The town clerk said the loan, with a 3 percent interest rate, will be paid
from water revenues.

Mr. Mahachi said Harare will spend $2 million installing smart water meters
in the city’s 500,000 households to increase revenue collection.

The city currently collects about $4 million in water revenue of which $2.5
million is used at the water treatment works. About $1 million pays for
electricity and the remainder covers other operational costs, the town clerk
said.

Mr. Mahachi said the city is not currently pumping adequate water to cater
for all the residents, adding even the rehabilitation of Harare’s Water
Works will not bring water shortages to an end.

He said the city’s water woes can only be resolved by the construction of
Kunzvi and Musami dams. The town clerk added he was not sure when
construction of the two would begin.

Local Government Permanent Secretary, Killian Mpingo, echoed the same
sentiments saying Harare’s perennial water woes can only end with the
construction of the two dams.

Meanwhile, parliament Tuesday sat for only 15 minutes as government failed
to bring amendments to the Electoral Act for discussion and adoption as
directed by SADC leaders at their summit last Saturday in Maputo,
Mozambique.

Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga told the
House of Assembly political party representatives in the government of
national unity are meeting to discuss the issue.

He said they will get directions from the principals on the matter
Wednesday.

Water Crisis Hits Gweru as Gwenoro Dam Runs Dry

http://www.voazimbabwe.com/

Taurai Shava
18.06.2013

GWERU — The City of Gweru in Zimbabwe's Midlands province faces a critical
water shortage as the city’s main water source, Gwenoro Dam, is running dry.

Gweru’s Deputy Mayor Taurai Demo told Studio 7 the city’s main supply of raw
water, is now just seven per cent full.

Mr. Demo said as a result of the critically low water levels, council will
have to decommission the dam soon.

The local authority currently pumps 45,000 mega-liters of water per day,
which is just below half of the city’s daily requirement.

To avert acute water shortages, council is upgrading the pumping capacity of
two smaller dams Amapongokwe and White Waters, said Demo, adding council
recently installed one pump at each of the dams.

Mr. Demo says residents should use water sparingly, adding residents should
also use water from the boreholes that council has sunk in each of the city’s
18 wards.

Chairperson Cornelia Selipiwe of the Gweru Residents and Ratepayers
Association (GRRA), says some residents of the high density suburbs of Mkoba
19 and Senga have been experiencing water shortages even when Gwenoro Dam
was full.

Selipiwe says council should upgrade its water supply system.

Elsewhere, former Gweru mayor Sesil Zvidzai, who recently won the primary
election to represent the Morgan Tsvangirai led Movement for Democratic
Change in parliamentary elections this year for the Gweru urban
parliamentary seat, says he is very concerned about the death of industry in
the Midlands capital.

Zvidzai says his main focus would be to resuscitate the city’s industrial
base and create employment opportunities if he is elected into parliament.

In a related development, the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority
spokesman Fullard Gwasira says the company hopes to have finished installing
pre-paid electricity meters in all electrified houses in the country by the
end of September.

There has been an outcry from some ordinary Zimbabweans that pre-paid
electricity is more expensive than post-paid power.

But Mr. Gwasira said the pre-paid system allows individuals to use the
electricity they can afford and also ensures that the power utility does not
lose money through defaulting consumers.

He was speaking in Gweru Monday at the end of a public hearing by the
parliamentary portfolio committee on mines and energy.

Zimbabwe 'Cattle Bank' Takes Deposits That Moo

Jun 18, 12:40 PM EDT

BY GILLIAN GOTORA
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Zimbabwe's first "Cattle Bank" has just opened its books in a unique kind of
banking where owners bring in their animals as collateral against cash
loans.

For many rural poor in this southern African country once wracked by
world-record inflation, it's the first bank account they've ever had.

"Cattle banking is the only way owners can get monetary value for their
animals without having to sell them," bank executive Charles Chakoma told
The Associated Press amongst fields and small farming plots near Marondera,
east of Harare, the capital.

Owners accrue interest and have the option to get back their cattle after an
initial two years or leave them with the bank for longer. Depositors can get
loans of an equal value of the cattle they have put in the bank.

In the event the owner fails to repay the loan, the bank keeps the animals.
When an owner dies, a close member of the family can take over payment of
the loan and ultimately get the cattle back.

The bank, which owns several fast food outlets across the country, says it
also will slaughter aging cattle for beef and replace them with more
productive cattle of the same value.

Mukurazita, 69, and his wife, Elizabeth, 66, kept about 70 head of cattle at
Masomere village, 140 kilometers (90 miles) from Harare. But poor health
stopped them from looking after their herd and at least 20 animals died or
were stolen, Elizabeth Mukurazita said.

Now they have "deposited" 24 cattle at the TN Bank, named after its founder,
financier and social innovator Tawanda Nyambirai. The couple now has $10,000
worth of cows in the bank.

"If we only knew about this cattle banking before, we could have saved all
of our herd," Elizabeth Mukurazita said.

A veterinarian checks the animals and the bank pays to transport them to
paddocks it has bought across the country for fattening and cross-breeding
programs. Owners are issued with the bank's `Certificate of Cattle Deposit'
as proof of a transaction.

As bank officials log in their cattle, the Mukurazitas look worriedly at a
scrawny calf whose mother has died days before. Two other calves nurse from
their mothers. The envious, starving orphan makes an attempt to reach for
the cow's udder but is kicked aside and wanders off to graze awkwardly on a
small patch of grass.

Untended, it will die within days, said Chakoma, the banker. The state
veterinary official passes the calf and values it at $49.

He said the bank wasn't supposed to accept unhealthy animals, but that this
particular calf might survive because it was able to graze on its own. He
requested anonymity saying he needed his superiors' permission to speak to
reporters.

Only 20 percent of Zimbabwean cattle are in commercial ranches. The rest -
some 3.5 million village animals - are valued at more than $1 billion,
Chakoma said. The TN Bank wants to reassure Zimbabweans that despite years
of world record inflation their bovine savings are safe, he added.

In traditional rural society, cattle symbolize wealth and play a role not
just in farming but as marriage dowries, funeral sacrifices and appeasers of
ancestral spirits. Many cattle owners are reluctant to give up such a valued
status symbol, but Chakoma said cattle banking eases the burden on the
elderly, left behind as young people head for the cities.

"Farmers may not want to part with their animals but we try and persuade
them to keep a few for tilling and milking as the rest will just be a burden
to them," he said.

During the dry season, there is less pasture and cattle roaming in search of
grass often get lost or stolen. In winter, the cold can kill them.

Interest can be paid in cash or cows. The Mukurazitas say they'd prefer it
in cows so that their son can take over managing a new herd and get more
land later.

"We don't necessarily want the cash; we want to improve our herd," said
William Mukurazita.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/

Here is a look at how Zimbabwe’s cattle bank works, which allows farmers to
borrow money

By Associated Press, Updated: Wednesday, June 19, 1:00 AM

MARONDERA, Zimbabwe — HOW A CATTLE BANK WORKS:

— The bank sends a veterinary official to inspect a farmer’s cattle and
assesses their monetary worth.

— Based on that, owners can get loans up to the value of the cattle they are
banking as collateral.

—The bank pays 10 percent interest a year on the value of the cattle
deposited, which can be paid out in cash or additional cows.

— Owners have the option to get back their cattle after an initial two years
or leave them with the bank for longer.

— In the event the owner fails to repay the loan, the bank keeps the
animals.

— When an owner dies, a close member of the family can take over payment of
the loan and ultimately get the cattle back.

— The bank reserves the right to slaughter aging cattle to sell the beef and
replace them with more productive cattle of the same value.

— The bank also carries out breeding programs and gets to keep the calves of
cows deposited.

Air Zimbabwe slams property seizure

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

17/06/2013 00:00:00
     by Staff Reporter

AIR Zimbabwe has claimed Tuesday that there were political efforts to
undermine its turnaround strategy after vehicles, computers and other office
equipment was seized over money owed to a former senior manager.

The property was seized after the airline’s former sales and marketing
manager, Stephen Nhuta, won his claim for a US$142,000 retrenchment package
following an arbitration hearing.

“Air Zimbabwe retrenched Dr Nhuta and did not pay him any cent. So we went
to the High Court and he won the case. We then wrote to the sheriff last
Friday to execute the order,” said Nhuta’s lawyer Caleb Mucheche.

But Air Zimbabwe spokesperson, Shingai Taruvinga, said the property had
since been returned but argued that it should not have been seized in the
first place.

“The debt is owed by Air Zimbabwe Holdings and the judgment debtor has full
protection of the law,” she said adding the company was also appealing the
arbitration award.

“It is common knowledge Air Zimbabwe has obligations but has not been able
to settle and is protected under Section 8 and 9 of the Finance Act of 2012,
which makes it impossible to attach or attempt to attach any property until
protection period has ended in 2015.”

Mucheche however, said Air Zimbabwe’s claim for protection under the law had
been dismissed by the courts.
“We have a 10-page judgment stating the dismissal of their application. The
judgment states that the Finance Act does not protect Air Zimbabwe and their
property can be attached,” said he said.

Arbitrators granted Nhuta, who had been retrenched without benefits, the
$141,790 award in October, 2010. The award was later registered by Justice
Andrew Mutema.

Still, Taruvinga claimed that the seizure of the property was part of a
political bid to embarrass the airline and undermine on-going efforts to
revive its operations.

“The airline is meant to serve and provide a public service and the
beneficiaries are people of Zimbabwe, who benefit from competitive fares,”
she said.

“The ability to travel should not be confined to one’s means, but it is a
basic right available to everybody.”

Zimbabwe Wall of Shame: George Charamba

http://nehandaradio.com/

June 18, 2013 at 12:25 pm

By Lance Guma

Today we add President Robert Mugabe’s spokesman George Charamba to the Zimbabwe Wall of Shame. In 2004 the Permanent Secretary in the Information Ministry, bashed his wife Rudo in what was described as an attempt to kill her.

George Charamba, the spokesman for Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe

It was reported on the 24th February 2004 that Rudo confronted Charamba, accusing him of having infected her with HIV. An out of control Charamba, who has a black belt in karate, responded by battering her until she was unconscious. Another report said he also assaulted her baby “badly”.

Although the police responded by arresting Charamba for the savage assault, Mugabe immediately intervened, ordering police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri to ensure the case was dropped.

The case file at Borrowdale Police station went missing and the official line put out was that Rudo had dropped the charges.

Details of the case are that sometime in 2004 Charamba travelled with Mugabe on an official trip to Cuba. On coming back, instead of going home, Charamba chose to spend the night with a prostitute.

This was allegedly just one of several escapades that Rudo got to find out about. She decided to get tested and found out she was HIV positive.

Weeping uncontrollably Rudo confronted Charamba asking why he had brought the disease into their marriage. Charamba went into a rage beating her until she fell unconscious.

Rudo was taken to a local hospital, bleeding profusely. Her friends rushed to report the matter at Borrowdale Police Station and also kept her blood stained dress as evidence.

Several women’s groups took up the case and signed affidavits supporting Rudo, but the case never got anywhere.

Family friends described Charamba as a “heavy and reckless womaniser who turns into a monster and bully at home”. He also has a well-known record of picking up prostitutes in Harare’s avenues they said.

Confirmation of what happened was to come later when George Charamba penned an article personally attacking Jonathan Moyo. A furious Moyo responded by dishing out Charamba’s dirty linen in public.

Moyo wrote an article in which he said;

“Zimbabweans would be told many things about everything, including how Charamba has attempted to murder his wife in cold blood and how that attempted murder has been covered up. And the disgusting bloody evidence would be given because it is available. This is not a threat but a promise.”

In 2010 several newspapers reported that Rudo Charamba wrote a letter to the Swedish Ambassador Sten Rylander, pleading to be removed from the European Union targeted sanctions list.

Rudo described herself as the former wife of George Charamba and claimed although they are not officially divorced they had parted ways and have lived separately since 2004.

“I am still officially married to George only because I cannot afford to file for divorce. I am out of employment and I am not well. He left me our home thereafter and he now lives with his second wife.

“I have remained quiet because I wanted to protect my children but I cannot continue to suffer like this,” part of the letter read.

In February 2011 Rudo’s wish was granted when she was one of 35 members of the Mugabe regime who had the targeted sanctions by the EU lifted. The spouses of central bank chief Gideon Gono, CIO boss Happyton Bonyongwe and prisons chief Paradzai Zimondi, were also removed from the list.

Despite Rudo Charamba’s relatives and friends keeping her clothes as an exhibit for future prosecution, Charamba continues to enjoy the high level protection of his boss, President Robert Mugabe.

Nyoka and Kunyepa - Cabinet Meeting (Cartoon)

The next episode in the cartoon...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rq0S-7pRN8

Courage of Zimbabwe human rights lawyer captured in film

http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2013/jun/18/zimbabwe-lawyer-film-beatrice-mtetwa?

 

 

 

Filmmaker says Beatrice Mtetwa's use of the rule of law is 'her means of resistance against the regime'

 

Rebecca Lowe, for the International Bar Association, part of the Guardian Legal Network

 

guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 19 June 2013 02.37 AEST

 

 

Zimbabwe human rights lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, as a young girl with her brother in Swaziland where she was born and raised Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Beatrice Mtetwa grew up on a Swaziland farm with nearly 50 siblings. An average day involved waking at 4am, working in the maize fields, preparing breakfast for her family, walking barefoot to school over an hour away, preparing dinner, doing chores and, finally, going to bed. Now 54, she believes it was her childhood struggles that helped make her who she is today: a fearless human rights lawyer in Zimbabwe, dedicating her life to representing those persecuted under the Mugabe regime, and whose story has been captured in a new documentary.

For over two decades, she's proven indefatigable in her fight against injustice. In 2009 Mtetwa became the only African other than Nelson Mandela to win the prestigious Ludovic-Trarieux International Human Rights Prize. Now, her courage in the face of almost insurmountable obstacles has been captured in a film – Beatrice Mtetwa and the Rule of Law – due to have its UK premiere in London on Tuesday 18 June.

Beatrice Mtetwa and the Rule of Law-Trailer from Lorie Conway onVimeo.

It was feared that Mtetwa would not be able to attend as she is currently fighting her own court battle in Harare, having been arrested in March on charges of obstructing the course of justice. Over the weekend, however, the trial was postponed until the end of June, enabling her to fly to London. Mtetwa, as one might expect, strenuously denies the charges.

Speaking exclusively to IBA Global Insight, Mtetwa recalls her youth, where her "antagonistic" relationship with her father prepared her for a lifetime of speaking truth to power. Her earliest memory is from when she was six years old, she says, when she questioned why she and her younger sister had to walk to school when her brother and cousin could cycle.

"The only weapon I developed as a form of protest was to surreptitiously take out the air from the bicycle tyres every morning, which almost always delayed the cyclists. From then on, I questioned virtually everything I did not agree with."

As the eldest child of 50, Mtetwa took over the role of mother to her siblings – "one or two" more of whom arrived every year – and swiftly learnt how to stand up for herself and her family. "I always had no fear challenging authority if I was convinced I was right," she says. "Conviction has therefore been my biggest strength in whatever I do."

The feisty youngster became the first in her extended family to attend high school, and went on to the University of Botswana and Swaziland. Here, due to "lousy science grades" and a desire to please her father, she chose to study law. After gaining her degree in 1981, she married a Zimbabwean mathematician and moved to Harare to pursue a career as a government prosecutor.

Following five years on the job, however, Mtetwa became disillusioned by the selective justice she saw being meted out. She moved into private practice, where for around a decade she was able to pursue human rights work without political interference. From 2000, however, the climate changed. Lawyers were enticed into the government fold with lucrative appointments, and those who refused were intimidated, beaten and threatened with deportation.

"Given the economic situation in Zimbabwe, most corporations have been intimidated into not using certain lawyers and lawyers are now labelled in accordance with their perceived political allegiances," Mtetwa says. "The result has been a heavy exodus of corporate clients to law firms deemed "politically correct"."

Mtetwa's clients over the past decade have included scores of high profile politicians, civil activists, journalists and business executives. Those appearing in the documentary include Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Treasurer Roy Bennett, arrested and imprisoned many times; former MDC Mayor of Harare Elia Mudzuri, arrested and beaten by the police; and Gift Phiri, chief writer for the Harare-based Daily News, abducted and arrested by state police for "publishing false news".

While many of Mtetwa's cases have involved MDC opposition members, she is careful to remain apolitical. "It would be difficult for me to say that the MDC is better than Zanu-PF as they have not had the opportunity to wholly exercise power," she says. "For me, the rule of law is the most important thing because virtually every aspect of a country is anchored on the existence of, and respect for, this principle."

Boston filmmaker Lorie Conway chose to tell Mtetwa's story in her documentary as a vehicle to expose the iniquities of the Mugabe regime. She smuggled three small cameras into the country to get the footage she needed. "I realised her use of the rule of law is her means of resistance against the regime, and her way to make it accountable for the crimes it has committed," Conway tells IBA Global Insight. "When you litigate, they have to respond. And she forced the regime to respond."

Conway stresses that, while Mtetwa is the focus of the film, there are "many, many" others equally willing to risk their lives for the sake of justice. "She is by no means working alone. She is surrounded by dedicated, fearless upholders of the law and human rights."

For Mtetwa, the message of the film is to show that, with enough human courage and will, change is possible. "If all Zimbabweans worked together towards this common goal, this would be achievable within a short space of time,' she says. 'If anyone wants change, they have the obligation to do something to attain that change."

Zimbabwe court ruling on election date plays into Mugabe’s hands

http://www.irishtimes.com/

Analysis: ruling gives president legal reason he had sought to hold poll
early

Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 16:05

Bill Corcoran

It’s not often that losing a court case makes you a winner but a recent
constitutional court ruling in Zimbabwe might well lead to that scenario for
the country’s president,Robert Mugabe, who is seeking early elections.

Earlier this month former journalist Jealousy Mawarire, who now runs an
election-monitoring group, won a case against Mugabe in the highest court in
the land that forces him to hold national elections before July 31st.

Last week Mugabe said he accepted the court’s decision, and called the poll
for July 31st.

His announcement plunged Zimbabwe into one of its worst political crises
since the disputed 2008 presidential elections, when widespread
state-prompted violence forced the South African Development Community
(SADC) to intervene.

The court judgment, rather than damaging the Zanu-PF leader’s re-election
chances, has played right into his hands, giving him the legal reason he
needed to hold an early poll. He has been seeking one for more than a year
because of his advanced age and because he believes his main opposition,
prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
party, is vulnerable.

Reforms
The ruling also undermines efforts by Mugabe’s opponents to push through
much-needed security, media and electoral reforms that would help to level
the political playing field ahead of the poll. Tsvangirai, Mugabe’s
political nemesis for the past 12 years, said his party would boycott an
early election, as the much needed reforms could not be introduced by then.

“You can’t set a date of an election without my concurrence. Period. I will
not give legitimacy to that election date unless we agree,” Tsvangirai told
civil society organisations last week. He wants the poll to be pushed out to
October.

On Saturday SADC held an emergency summit to try and turn the deepening
crisis around, with Mugabe’s peers calling on him to postpone the election
to mid-August.

The reforms being sought were agreed to as part of the Zanu-PF and MDC
power-sharing deal brokered in 2009 by SADC to resolve disputed presidential
elections the year before.

Since it came to power in 1980 with Mugabe at the helm, Zanu-PF has changed
laws, taken control of the security forces and infiltrated nearly every
organ of state to secure an advantage at election time.

South African president Jacob Zuma, SADC’s mediator in the Zimbabwe crisis,
twisted Mugabe’s arm to attend the special summit, which had been scheduled
for 10 days earlier. But, in an apparent move to outflank his opponents so
he could unilaterally announce the election date, Mugabe had indicated he
was too busy to attend, prompting postponement of that meeting.

Analysts believe he pulled out because he wanted to avoid a request to move
the election date.

But in the middle of last week the summit was rescheduled to Saturday – it
seems regional leaders are trying to force Mugabe to compromise.

The Sunday Times reported yesterday that a “visibly upset Mugabe” was the
first to leave the summit in Maputo, Mozambique, where his government was
mandated to petition the constitutional court for a two- week extension on
the election date.

Whether the court will acquiesce to such a request remains to be seen. And
even if it does, there are questions over how many additional reforms can be
implemented in that time.

Although there is no proof, Zimbabwe’s rumour mill is in overdrive about the
origins of Mawarire’s original constitutional court application, which set
this chain of events in motion.

Was Mugabe a hidden hand behind it, and has he once again outfoxed his
opponents?

A voice from Bindura for G8 and world economy

The G8 starts today in Northern Ireland at Lough Erne Resort and quite
rightly the question being asked by the world poor is what impact does it
have to their everyday life? Is it just another league of filthy rich
aristocrats reinforcing socio and economic dominance in the world?
There is a contrast to that school of thought as previous G8 summit like the
2005 Gleneagles has so far yielded positives results for the developing
world. Sub-Saharan Africa has benefited from the Multilateral Debt Relief
Initiative (MDRI), which so far 33 Sub-Saharan African countries’ debt has
been written off. This to date has alleviated poverty to the tune of $37.3
billion as a result of that figure being written off, Zimbabwe albeit has
not benefited from this goodwill generosity because of democratic governance
dispute.  Apart from the MDRI, previous positive outcome has been increase
in aid relief to eradicate poverty, EU is by far the biggest contribute of
aid to Sub-Saharan Africa with over $7 billion having been donated between
2006 and 2011, UK being the biggest contributor by far from the EU purse.

The MDGs which intends to be met by 2015 to eradicate poverty has still
proven to be a challenge as most of these countries with highest rate of
people living below poverty datum line, continue to be rogue, corrupt,
unaccountable, un-transparent and sometimes undemocratic. In my book,
“Social Justice and food security: A UN global challenge”, I alluded to the
fact that climate change is a catalyst for poverty because of its
transboundary nature, policy makers globally need a concerted effort and
that food security can not be left loosely in the hands of rogue leadership.
In Africa corruption account for $51 billion annually, yet it is home to
most of the poorest people on earth, 1 child every second dies of poverty
according to Save The Children latest statistics. The G8 must not only
declare commitment to end global corruption but must unleash a transparency
revolution if the world is to be a better place to live in. Other positives
from G8 contribution otherwise known as the Gleneagles commitment yielded
the following to Sub-Saharan Africa;
1.    Twenty-one million more children are now enrolled in primary  school
across sub-Saharan Africa
2.    New HIV infections have decreased by 37%.
3.    Child mortality has gone down by 18%.
4.    Annual GDP growth has averaged 5% across sub-Saharan Africa
5.    The number of internet users has increased by 547%

Zimbabwe as a case in point it will miss all 15 MDGS by the end of 2015 if
the elections this year are not free and fair. While Zimbabwe has managed to
stabilise the economy by dollarisation, such is a quick fix and must be seen
as a short term solution. The new MDC government in the post 2013 election
must start thinking of long term economic growth and that can not be met by
using US dollar. Already Zimbabwe is a regional magnet for import dumping
but negative export regime. The reason why Zimbabwe is awash with
commodities is because with a green bank, it is the most lucrative
destination for commodity oversupply however this has caused a trade deficit
because any finished goods manufactured in Zimbabwe under a US dollar
capital injection will be expensively uncompetitive on the regional market.
The Zimbabwean industry will continue to suffer as it is cheaper to import
than to manufacture. A good example is the cotton industry, we are
processing only 10% into finished goods while 90% is exported as raw
material, the same can be said to tobacco and mineral wealth. Zimbabwe must
streamline its core economy into areas of competitive advantage, tourism,
manufacturing and agriculture in the short term and mining in the long term.

Is G8 a club of giving? Of course not, that would be a very simplistic
economic equation. The 8 rich nations have much to gain than to give. For
example to day they have announced an aggressive consumerism through
aggressive trade regime to benefit their economy of scale, they want EU to
have a 100 billion trade boost, US 80 billion and the rest of the world 85
billion.  Mathematically this means 180 billion dollars for 1 billion people
and 85 billion dollars for 5 billion people, if this can not be said to be
grossly unfair, then I will shred all my qualifications and indulge in
expertise hibernation. For as long as western food commodity curtails rule
the world then the developing world will have a rough ride to development.
The trade deficit caused by trade barriers must be re-examined and tilt in
favour of poor nations. Fair prices and encourage finish goods trade regime
rather than looting raw materials at bottom price matrix.
The West needs the South and the South needs the West, lets meet half way.

Elliot Pfebve
MDC MP Candidate for Bindura North
.

Zuma's report to June 2013 Sadc summit

http://www.dailynews.co.zw/

Tuesday, 18 June 2013 14:49

MAPUTO - South African president Jacob Zuma's report to the SADC
Extra-Ordinary summit in Maputo, Mozambique on June 15, 2013

Also present were SADC chairperson Armando Guebuza, Robert Mugabe and
Zambian president Michael Sata

1.      INTRODUCTION:

At the meeting of the SADC Heads of State held in Addis Ababa on 26 May
2013, we agreed to convene this SADC Extra-Ordinary Summit, in order to
assess developments in Zimbabwe in the context of the Global Political
Agreement (GPA) and the agreements reached between the three parties in
pursuance thereof.

We welcomed the enactment of the new Constitution on 22 May 2013 as a
significant development that paved the way to the holding of free and fair
elections.

The commitment made in the GPA is to assure the citizens of Zimbabwe that
such elections shall be held under conditions where all parties shall
participate freely, on equal footing, in an environment free of intimidation
and violence; that this is necessary in order to bring into being the next
government which shall enjoy undisputed credibility.

2. CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS:

Since our Summit in Addis Ababa there have been a number of developments
that impact on Zimbabwe’s path to the elections:

λ On 31 May 2013 the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe, constituted in terms
of the new Constitution, ruled that the forthcoming harmonized elections
should be held on or before 31 July 2013;

λ On 13 June 2013 President Robert Mugabe issued a Proclamation fixing 31
July 2013 as the date for the harmonized Presidential, Parliamentary and
local government elections, and fixing 28 June 2013 as the date for the
sitting of the Nomination Court. [Annexure “A”]

λ President Mugabe is of the view that he had no other option but to invoke
the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act and thereby bypass the
current Parliament in order to conform to the decision of the Constitutional
Court. The same powers were invoked to promulgate electoral regulations on
14 June 2013.

λ In a letter dated 7 June 2013 and addressed to me in my capacity as
Facilitator, I was advised by five political parties that came together to
assess the implications of the Constitutional Court Judgment and to review
the country’s preparedness to hold the elections.

The five political parties consist of the MDC-T led by Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai, the MDC led by Minister Welshman Ncube (both of which parties
are signatories to the GPA), and Mr Dumiso Dabengwa, President of ZAPU, Mr
Simba Makoni, President of MKD and Mr Reketai Semwayo, the Chairperson of
ZANU-Ndonga.

They list a number of provisions of the new Constitution that need to be
brought into operation so as to ensure that there is a climate for free and
fair elections, and conclude that:

“Considering what still needs to be done to create conditions for free and
fair elections, and a level playing field for the campaign period, we are
concerned with the practicality of 31 July 2013 deadline as set out by our
Constitutional Court”. [Annexure “B”]

e)  On 13 June 2013 the President of MDC-T announced that he had instructed
his attorneys to file an urgent court application challenging the date of 31
July 2013 set by President Mugabe for the elections.

In the light of the above developments the proposal to hold the elections on
31 July 2013 is fraught with legal contestation, political dispute and
heightened tensions even within the Inclusive Government.

The challenge that we at this Summit face is to take up a position that will
bring the parties together in order to minimize these tensions and carve out
a roadmap that is realistic, that meets the concerns of the different
parties, and reassures the citizens of Zimbabwe through a process of
accommodation.

3. OTHER FACTORS

On 6 July 2011 the negotiators of the three parties to the GPA signed off
the “Zimbabwe Elections Roadmap with Timelines”. This agreement was
submitted by the Facilitator to the SADC Heads of State Summit held in
Sandton on 11-12 July 2011, on the basis that the three Principals had
agreed to the Roadmap. [Annexure “C”]

The above agreement has been the basis on which progress, including the
adoption of the new Constitution, has occurred since then.

Regrettably most of the items that were agreed upon by the parties which
affected the leveling of the playing field and ensuring that the instruments
created for the implementation of these agreements, including the proper
functioning of JOMIC as required by the GPA in article XXII, have not been
adequately implemented.

The above Roadmap and the agreements that are contained in it were a
critical component of the way forward.

4. RECOMMENDATIONS:

Credible elections will have to be held soon in Zimbabwe. On 6 June 2013 my
Facilitation Team held a day-long meeting with the negotiators of the three
parties to the GPA.

Together they reviewed the entire Roadmap and explored possibilities of a
number of ad-hoc measures that would enable the elections to take place
under appropriate conditions and as soon as possible.

Having regard to those discussions and taking into account subsequent
developments, I would request SADC to urge the three parties to the GPA to
consider the following immediate measures as a means to defuse the rising
tensions and contestations, and to make Zimbabweans have confidence in the
forthcoming elections;

a) Media reforms:

This is a major area of disagreement amongst the three parties, particularly
around the implementation of the agreements that were reached in July 2011.

It is essential that the playing field in the media arena should be
conducive to free and fair elections.
Even if the agreements reached in 2011 were to be implemented immediately,
e.g. the appointment of the new
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, it would take time for the institutions
to conform in practice to the requirements of impartiality.

Having regard to the limited time available, I would propose the creation of
an Inter-Ministerial Committee drawn from the three parties to the GPA and
from within Cabinet with sufficient powers to intervene in order to curb
hate speech and calls for regime change, from whatever quarter including
external radio stations.

It would also be the task of such a mechanism to intervene with state media
to ensure that they maintain an impartial stance.

b) Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC)

JOMIC, reinforced as per decision of the SADC Organ Troika Summit held in
Livingstone 30 March 2011, should be brought into full scale activity in
order to ensure that there is no intimidation and violence, that the rule of
law is maintained, and that the requirements of the GPA are adhered to.

In this regard ZANU-PF is of the view that the Facilitation Team reinforced
by the representatives from the Troika countries should not participate in
JOMIC meetings. Rather they should receive reports from the Co-Chairs.

MDC-T and MDC believe that they should be part of the JOMIC processes on the
understanding that they would not be party to the decision making.

The two MDC formations urge that SADC should reaffirm the terms of reference
that it had developed which would allow for the Facilitation Team and the
representatives of the Troika to participate on these terms.

I propose that SADC reaffirm this decision and calls all parties to conform
to the decision.

Rule of Law

Section 208 of the new Constitution is explicit on the role of the security
forces, whose members are prohibited from acting in a partisan manner,
furthering the interests of any political party or cause, prejudicing the
lawful interest of any political party or cause, or violating the
fundamental rights of any person.

They are also prohibited from being active members or office bearers of any
political party. There have been concerns about the adherence of security
forces to these requirements.

The meeting of 6 June 2013 accepted that need for a public commitment by the
security forces to Section 208, in light of the fact that there have been
heads of the security forces who have made partisan political statements in
public.

It would be appropriate and necessary that the President and Commander in
Chief of the security forces draws the attention of the heads of the
security forces, their members, as well as the public of Zimbabwe that
Section 208 of the new Constitution henceforth governs their actions.

It is important that this is done publicly so that members of the security
forces as well as the public are made aware of these requirements.

It would also be helpful if certain legislation such as the Protection Order
and Security Act (POSA), Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act
(AIPPA) and the Broadcasting Services Act, among others, are aligned to the
requirements of the new Constitution.

MDC-T has submitted a set of amendments to most of these laws. We would urge
that these be considered.

At the same time we are mindful that Parliament ceases to exist on 29 June
2013, but we are of the view that the suspension of certain clauses in
particular legislations could be effected before Parliament dissolves.

d) The Election Date, The Validity of the Electoral Regulations, and Other
Issues.

It would not be helpful for all these issues to remain contentious issues
which are requiring resolutions in the courtrooms.

It would be more constructive if the three parties with the assistance of
the Facilitator and support of SADC, quickly resolve these matters with due
regard to the practical realities and to the rule of law.

It would then be possible to make an intervention with the courts in order
to make the necessary adjustments.

e) Deployment of SADC observers:

This matter is being attended to by the Executive Director of SADC. We
should note however that the two MDC formations have called for the early
deployment of the observers.

We are confident that this matter will be resolved through the SADC
Secretariat and in the best interest of the process.

I thank you.