The Zimbabwe Situation

http://www.washingtonpost.com

By Associated Press, Updated: Thursday, March 15, 2:08 AM

HARARE, Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe’s finance minister said Wednesday that elections
can’t be held this year as the president wants, because there isn’t enough
money available.

Minister Tendai Biti told reporters his ministry only has cash for a
nationwide census in August and a referendum on a new constitution scheduled
around the same time.

President Robert Mugabe has called for elections this year to end a fragile
three-year coalition with the former opposition of Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai. The coalition was formed in 2009 after disputed and violent
elections in 2008.

The finance ministry is controlled by Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic
Change party under the power-sharing deal.

Mugabe has insisted that “money has to be found” for elections to go ahead
this year, with or without a new constitution. Tsvangirai says elections can
only be held after constitutional and election reforms are complete.

Mugabe, 88, has been nominated by his ZANU-PF party as the sole presidential
candidate in the proposed elections.

Biti on Wednesday likened the census and the referendum to elections, in
terms of expenditure.

“We have provided money for a referendum and also going to have elections in
the form of a census,” he said. “So we are going to have two elections. We
can’t afford a third election.”

The finance ministry was this year promised $600 million from the sale of
diamonds, but Biti says he has so far received just over $19 million.

“Diamonds have to deliver...we are being crippled by their
under-performance,” Biti said.

Government employees have embarked on series of strikes this year over pay
demands that Biti insists can only be met by improved payments into state
coffers from diamond revenues.

Rights groups have also expressed concern that the unaccounted-for diamond
revenue could be used by Mugabe’s party to finance violence and intimidation
in the proposed elections. They have accused diamond mining companies of
lacking transparency and accountability in their operations.

Since the military, loyal to Mugabe, took control of the diamond fields in
2008, using troops and helicopter gunships to remove villagers and
small-scale miners, Zimbabweans with diamond interests have bought luxury
cars and opulent homes.

The boards of the mining companies include executives who are retired and
serving police and military officers.

Zimbabwe government may 'close without diamond money'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/

14 March 2012

Zimbabwe's government could "close" unless projected diamond revenues start
to flow into the treasury, Finance Minister Tendai Biti has warned.

He said the mines ministry had informed him that no diamond auctions had
been held this year.

Ministries in the unity government are split between President Robert
Mugabe's Zanu-PF and the MDC party.

Mr Biti, an MDC member, also said there was no money budgeted for early
elections as favoured by Mr Mugabe.

The power-sharing government - with the MDC's Morgan Tsvangirai serving as
prime minister - was formed in 2009, following elections marred by violence.

Analysts say it has achieved stability in Zimbabwe, and after a decade of
steep decline the economy is slowly recovering, but it remains fragile and
tensions are rising again.

With unemployment at 80%, the country's tax and revenue base remains
extremely low.
Loggerheads

"Diamonds will have to deliver - otherwise the only thing we have to do will
be to pay wages and government will have to close," Mr Biti said.

The finance minister said 70% of government revenue was spent on wages -
leaving little else for anything else, without the diamond money.

The mines ministry is controlled by Zanu-PF - and correspondents say the
party is seen to be profiting from the diamond sector since a ban on
Zimbabwe diamonds was lifted by the industry watchdog.

Mr Biti added said that elections have not been budgeted for - and there is
only money this year for a referendum on the constitution and a census.

The BBC's Brian Hungwe in the capital, Harare, says this announcement is
likely to put him at loggerheads with President Mugabe.

Mr Tsvangirai and South African President Jacob Zuma - who has acted as the
regional mediator between Zimbabwe's rival parties - say elections should
not be held before political reforms are made, including a new constitution.

But Mr Mugabe, speaking at celebrations in February of his 88th birthday,
insisted that elections must go ahead "with or without a new constitution".

Analysts warn that another disputed election could trigger a similar
political crisis as experienced by the country three years ago.

Implats tells Zimbabwe to pay up before it gets stake

http://af.reuters.com

Wed Mar 14, 2012 5:32pm GMT

* Implats to sell 31 pct stake in Zimplats to Zimbabwe

* Says will not transfer stake unless Zimbabwe pays

* Deadline, value of deal still outstanding

JOHANNESBURG, March 14 (Reuters) - South Africa's Impala Platinum said on
Wednesday that the Zimbabwean government would have to find the money to buy
the 31 percent stake it wanted in its local unit Zimplats or the stake would
not be transferred.

Zimbabwe is demanding that foreign-owned companies transfer a 51 percent
stake in their local operations to local investors and the government has
pressurised miners to set an example.

After months of wrangling and threats that the government would ensure its
law would be enforced, Implats said it would sell a 31 percent stake to the
Zimbabwe government and another 20 percent to local communities and
Zimplats' employees.

The solution had in principle been accepted by Harare.

"If they don't come up with the cash the stake will not be transferred,"
Implats Chief Executive David Brown said during a conference call aimed at
providing more clarity on the in-principle deal it had reached with the
government on Tuesday.

The stake, whose value must still be decided, will only become available for
sale once the government has compensated Implats for land it had released to
the state as part of a separate agreement almost six years ago, the miner
said.

Brown said the company believed the $158 million value it pegged on the land
it released to Zimbabwe was still appropriate. That would have to be paid
before a value could found for the 31 percent stake in Zimplats, which would
be worth $372 million based on the company's market capitalisation.

"Although one may question Zimbabwe's ability to fund this stake and the
ability of the joint technical team to determine an 'appropriate value', we
consider this a net-positive," SBG Securities platinum analyst Justin
Froneman said in a note.

Implats said it would provide loans to help fund the 10 percent stakes each
to be sold to community and employees. These loans will be paid through
dividends, the company said.

Brown said with no deadline or valuation decided there was "still a lot of
water to flow under the bridge" before the deal would be finalised.

He said finalisation of the agreement would provide the clarity it needs to
further invest in Zimbabwe, adding that the miner may consider spending at
least $1 billion in expansion projects and a possible metals refinery there.

Implats shares closed 1.37 percent higher at 162.20 rand, compared with a
0.72 percent rise in the JSE Top-40 blue-chip index.

Zanu PF buoyed by Implats capitulation

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

14/03/2012 00:00:00
by Reuters

THE capitulation of a major platinum miner to Zimbabwe's demand to hand over
a majority stake to local black investors will embolden President Robert
Mugabe's Zanu PF party to pressure other foreign companies ahead of
elections expected this year.

Other miners are likely be targeted to fill Zanu PF election campaign
coffers while the policy will be wrapped in the flag of liberation and
portrayed as a hammer blow to the last remnants of white colonial rule,
analysts said.

South Africa-based Impala Platinum, the world's second largest platinum
producer and the biggest foreign investor in the country, bowed on Tuesday
to Zimbabwe's pressure to surrender a 51 percent stake in its Zimplats unit,
a cave-in that followed months of wrangling.

Platinum's spot price has been soaring and shot past gold on Tuesday.

Mugabe, 88 and in power since Zimbabwe gained independence from Britain in
1980, and top Zanu PF officials have been hit with international sanctions
after being accused of using political violence to stay in power.

One of Africa's longest-serving leaders, Mugabe is pushing for elections
this year, one year ahead of schedule, arguing the unity government he
formed with Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai
after a violent 2008 vote has broken down.

"This is more about Zanu PF not having ready access to cash ever since the
MDC took control of the finance ministry," said Tara O'Connor of Africa Risk
Consulting.

"And dollarisation (of the economy) has taken away Zanu PF's ability to
print money and decimated the power of the central bank. They are strapped
for cash and the mining industry has become the next target to fund the Zanu
PF patronage system," she added.

Zanu PF has been criticised over the past decade for patronage when seizing
white-owned farms. Many farms are now in the hands of party loyalists
instead of the landless black peasants who were supposed to benefit.

Analysts said the big winner from the Implats move was Empowerment Minister
Saviour Kasukuwere, a Zanu PF stalwart, while MDC leader, Prime Minister
Tsvangirai, was a clear loser.
Victory

"It will be construed as a big political victory for Mugabe and Zanu PF and
defeat for Tsvangirai who has been saying such actions will hurt the
economy," said Tony Hawkins, a professor at the University of Zimbabwe's
Graduate School of Business.

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"The guys (Zanu PF) will have certainly been emboldened and will look to
extend this to the other mines," he said.

Other companies in the firing line now include Mimosa, a 50-50 joint venture
between Implats and Aquarius Platinum , and Rio Tinto's Murowa diamond mine.

Zanu PF has also been accused of profiting from the Marange diamond fields,
where human rights groups estimate at least 200 artisanal, or small-scale,
miners were killed in 2008 when Zimbabwe's security forces seized the
workings. Mugabe's government has denied this.

The valuation of the Implats stake transfer has not been worked out and the
murkiness surrounding the agreement has raised questions about where the
funds will really go.

But 31 percent of the total is nominally earmarked to go to the state's
National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Fund, which is Zanu
PF-controlled. Ten percent will go to local communities and 10 percent to
Zimplats employees, according to the agreement announced by both sides.

The nationalisation drive also plays to the narrative Zanu PF wants to weave
for the election: the black liberation movement recovering assets seized by
white colonialists.

"Mugabe is determined to show that he is the true Africanist taking back all
the land and resources that whites have stolen. This is the image he wants
to create," said Allister Sparks, a Johannesburg-based independent political
analyst.
In contrast, Zanu PF has persistently portrayed Tsvangirai, a former miner,
as a puppet of white capital.

"Morgan loves the mining industry because he was a miner and was given his
start in life by Anglo American. He is a miner at heart but he sees both
sides of the picture and this policy is not good for the workers or
investors," said Tsvangirai biographer Sarah Hudleston.
Control

The ruling Zanu PF welcomed the Implats decision. "We are absolutely
delighted. We have said this time and again, that we need to control our
economy and resources," said spokesman Rugare Gumbo.

"The opposition (MDC) has no programme. I do not take them seriously, they
don't understand the dynamics of liberation and they are just parroting
their masters' line of thinking," Gumbo added.

Zimbabwe is not the only African country that is pushing for a bigger share
of state ownership in resources and so the Zanu PF nationalisation march can
also be portrayed as part of a wider Africanist agenda.

But while mineral-rich countries from South Africa to Ghana are trying to
get a bigger slice of their resource pie, Zimbabwe stands out for its
radicalism.

"Zimbabwe always provides us with an extreme example of things happening
elsewhere. Resource nationalism is not unique to Zimbabwe, it is happening
across the continent. But Zimbabwe is just taking it to extreme levels,"
said O'Connor.

Full compensation ‘unlikely’ after Implats indigenisation deal

Pressure builds on SADC to enforce rule of law

Pressure is continuing to build on leaders in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to honour their commitments to human rights and the rule of law, with the launch of a new international lobby group.

The Mike Campbell Foundation was launched in London on Wednesday in memory of the late Chegutu farmer who made history by taking Robert Mugabe to court over the land grab campaign, and winning. The SADC Tribunal ruled in 2008 that the campaign was unlawful and ordered the Mugabe regime to protect the remaining commercial farming community and compensate those who had lost land.

The road to that court victory has been a tragic one, and months before the final Tribunal ruling in 2008, Mike, his wife and son-in-law Ben Freeth were abducted and severely beaten and tortured. Mike passed away last year as a result of his injuries.

The SADC Tribunal meanwhile was suspended over its ruling against Mugabe, a move which has been slammed as a serious blow for the rule of law and the protection of human rights in the region. The decision, taken by all SADC leaders last year, has effectively left SADC citizens with no legal recourse against their governments.

The Mike Campbell Foundation now aims to put more pressure on SADC to honour its commitments and restore the SADC Tribunal and protect human rights. His son-in-law, Ben Freeth, who launched the Foundation on Wednesday said: “This is to carry out the work that Mike started.”

“Africa can lead the world if there is access to justice and rule of law and respect for human rights,” Freeth told SW Radio Africa, adding: “Now we just have to get the leaders on board too.”

Meanwhile, Freeth has continued Campbell’s legal fight and last month filed an application at the African Commission over the suspension of the Tribunal. Last week the Commission said it would take up the case, which Freeth said was a positive and encouraging development.

Ben Freeth launches charity for father-in-law killed in Zimbabwe

Journalists arrested for investigating pollution from Chiadzwa

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tererai Karimakwenda
14 March 2012

Last Friday four Zimbabwean journalists were arrested in Manicaland
Province, while investigating river pollution believed to have been caused
by the diamond mining companies operating in the Chiadzwa area.

No charges were immediately brought against the four journalists Sidney
Saize, Andrew Mambondiani, Chengetai Murimwa and Admire Matende, who are
based in Mutare. But Saize says they did see evidence of polluted water and
got testimonies from local villagers whose livestock was affected.

The journalists were released the same day into the custody of their lawyer
David Tandiri, and ordered to report to the Law and Order section at Mutare
police station over the weekend. No charges were determined by the police
until Monday.

Sidney Saize told SW Radio Africa that they were finally charged for being a
“criminal nuisance”, with police saying they would proceed by way of
summons. “They did not want to let us go without any charges so they were
arm-twisting us to accept a lighter offence,” Saize explained.

“We denied this charge because any Zimbabwean can be arrested of criminal
nuisance. No matter what you are doing it can be considered a nuisance by
the next person,” Saize complained.

Saize said they went to the Chiadzwa area to establish the levels of
pollution in the Save and Odzi rivers, alleged to be the result of diamond
extraction by several companies mining there. These rivers are important as
they are the only source of clean water for the local villagers.

“Along some of the river beds we could see carcasses of dead animals, cows,
goats, and the villagers attributed these deaths to be polluted water along
the Save and Odzi River”, Saize said. He added that many children had skin
rashes, which the parents alleged was the result of bathing in polluted
water.

What the journalists witnessed confirms allegations previously made by civil
society groups, who called for a ban on the sale of stones from Chiadzwa
after many local villagers were killed by government troops. The
internationally monitoring group, the Kimberley Process (KP),
controversially approved the sale of Chiadzwa diamonds last year and civil
groups withdrew their membership from the KP in protest, saying the abuses
have continued.

The arrest of the journalists comes at a time when the number of attacks on
independent media have increased. ZANU PF thugs have illegally banned
circulation of the Daily News in some areas of Mashonaland, war vets have
threatened NewsDay and there have been ongoing attacks on newspaper vendors.

PM Tsvangirai Threatens to Name and Shame Under-Performing Ministers

http://www.voanews.com

13 March 2012

The statement comes as Information Minister Webster Shamu ignored calls from
Mr. Tsvangirai to implement media reforms the Prime Minister says he agreed
with President Robert Mugabe needed to be done immediately

Irwin Chifera | Harare

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday pledged to evaluate
performances of ministers, naming and shaming those who are either
under-performing or deliberately not implementing agreed government
policies.

The statement comes as Information Minister Webster Shamu ignored calls from
Mr. Tsvangirai to implement media reforms the Prime Minister says he agreed
with President Robert Mugabe needed to be done immediately.

In his monthly report to parliament, Mr. Tsvangirai said the move is
intended to enable the House to hold the executive to account.

He said there were some ministers who do not take parliament business
seriously, adding he will ensure that all ministers attend parliament and
answer questions as is required.

"This is the last time I am making a monthly statement in this House without
naming and shaming those Ministries that are either under-performing or have
chosen to give scant attention to the implementation of agreed programs and
policies," said Mr. Tsvangirai. "This is not to embarrass anyone, but to
enable Parliament to hold the executive to account."

Mr. Tsvangirai called on the legislature to move with speed and pass
important laws such as the Electoral Amendment and the Human Rights bills
ahead of possible polls that Mr. Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party want this
year.

He expressed concern at the slow pace of reforms in the country, saying
these should be implemented soon if the country is to have peaceful free and
fair elections.

Mr. Tsvangirai said mixed messages from the government, particularly on
issue of indigenization, were affecting the flow of investing into the
country.

And in apparent reference to the on-going incarceration of lawmakers who
allegedly abused the community development fund, the Prime Minister said
there would be no sacred cows.

"Any corrupt person should face justice regardless of whether they are MPs
or Ministers and we hope that there won’t be efforts to slow down the wheels
of justice or to protect corrupt people from being exposed and arrested,"
said Mr. Tsvangirai.

Answering a question from Mutare South legislator Fred Kanzama on why the
Global Political Agreement remained in force three years after the formation
of the unity government, Mr. Tsvangirai said the GPA had no timeline and
only elections can invalidate the agreement.

On the contentious sanctions issue, Mr. Tsvangirai said the government is
engaging the international community to have them lifted. But he stressed
Harare must first address issues that led to the imposition of the targeted
measures.

Attorney General Halts Corruption Probe Targeting Senior Govt Officials

http://www.voanews.com

14 March 2012

Commissioners want President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai to intervene following Attorney General Johannes Tomana’s move to
stop the anti-graft body from arresting lawmakers it says converted
constituency development fund allocations to their own use

Blessing Zulu | Washington

Zimbabwean leaders are expected to intervene and break an impasse between
the Attorney General’s Office and the Anti Corruption Commission over
investigations into the abuse of development funds.

Commissioners want President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai to intervene following Attorney General Johannes Tomana’s move to
stop the anti-graft body from arresting lawmakers it says converted
constituency development fund allocations to their own use.

Sources say Mr. Mugabe and Mr. Tsvangirai had given their support to the
commission to arrest legislators who abused the US$50,000 meant to help
develop their constituencies.

But Tomana halted the process, accusing the commission of rushing to arrest
the lawmakers before carrying out thorough investigations.

He claimed the Anti Corruption Commission was “clumsy” and had congested his
office with piecemeal evidence of arrests based on information gathered
through newspapers or individuals.

But the commission has vowed to press ahead with its work, regardless.

Four lawmakers from all political formations in the unity government have so
far been arrested and sources say the focus has now shifted to a number of
Mr. Mugabe's former ruling ZANU-PF ministers leading the call for
investigations into the abuse of the funds to be stopped.

ZANU-PF sources told VOA the intended arrest of its senior officials is
meant scuttle the party’s campaign agenda.

Mr. Mugabe's party is said to be preparing an elections dossier targeting
MDC lawmakers and councillors for alleged corruption.

Tomana told VOA reporter Blessing Zulu that he will not prosecute lawmakers
on “flimsy allegations”.

But chairman Stanford Chirindo of the Anti Corruption Commission says their
investigations will continue.

Fight over thieving ministers

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Everson Mushava, Staff Writer
Wednesday, 14 March 2012 11:50

HARARE - A nasty fight has ensued between Attorney General Johannes Tomana
and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on how to deal with
thieving ministers and legislators who pocketed government cash meant for
constituency development programmes.

Tomana waded into the commission’s territory when he ordered it to stop
investigating and arresting MPs, including Cabinet ministers accused of
looting Constituency Development Funds (CDF).

Tomana’s order came as the Daily News reported that two Cabinet ministers —
both rich and close to President Robert Mugabe — were facing imminent
arrest, with more to follow.

Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai have been briefed about the
sleaze involving their ministers and have given the green light for the
arrests but the anti-corruption commission appeared hamstrung by Tomana’s
order to halt the arrests.

Tsvangirai bolstered the commission’s work when he reiterated its
independence in an address to Parliament yesterday.

Also yesterday, the anti-corruption commission came out guns blazing and
accused Tomana of interfering with the constitutional body.

In a statement issued last night, ZACC said it enjoyed powers to investigate
all corrupt activities, theft and misappropriation of funds, abuse of power
in both private and public institutions without fear, prejudice and
interference.

“ZACC has noted with great concern several press reports suggesting that
directives had been given to the commission to stop or hold in abeyance
investigations into allegations of abuse of the CDF.

“ZACC would like to reiterate unequivocally in terms of its mandate and
power as stated above that it will continue to investigate all reports
relating to any cases of corruption, theft, misappropriation, abuse of power
and other improprieties including abuse of CDF; whether such reports have
emanated from newspapers, individuals, corporate world or intelligence
gathered by its officers.

“ZACC will continue to investigate all cases thoroughly, professionally
without fear, favour or prejudice,” Dernford Chirindo, the commission
chairperson said.

Chirindo’s statement flies in the face of Tomana, who had given an order to
stop the investigations and arrests until Constitutional Affairs minister
Eric Matinenga completed an audit of all constituencies.

House of Assembly members, including ministers, received $50 000 each from
the Finance ministry for development projects in their areas. But reports
indicate that many of them misused the money and the net is closing in.

So far, four MPs — three from main MDC and one from Zanu PF — have been
charged with fraud and abuse of authority.

Tsvangirai, in an address to Parliament yesterday, said ZACC was an
independent commission that should not be threatened and hindered from its
work of exposing corruption and ensuring that justice is done without favour
and without bias.

“There is no government policy to protect corrupt people and I urge the
relevant agencies to ensure that justice is done and any corrupt person is
arrested.

“Any corrupt person should face justice regardless of whether they are MPs
or ministers and we hope that there won’t be efforts to slow down the wheels
of justice or to protect corrupt people from being exposed and arrested,” he
said.

ZACC, like the AG’s office, is an autonomous body created under the
constitution. Its mandate is to combat corruption, theft, misappropriation,
abuse of power and improprieties in the conduct of affairs in both public
and private sectors.

Unity Gov't Divided Over Municipal Probe Team Costing Residents Thousands

http://www.voanews.com

13 March 2012

The Movement for Democratic Change formation of Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai and residents of Chitungwiza are bitter that the team, led by
Manicaland provincial administrator Fungai Mbetsa, is costing the
cash-strapped municipality thousands of dollars

Blessing Zulu | Washington

A probe team appointed by Zimbabwe's local government minister Ignatius
Chombo to revive the Chitungwiza municipality, a dormitory town 30km south
of Harare, has become the latest lightning rod in the shaky government of
national unity.

The Movement for Democratic Change formation of Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai and residents of Chitungwiza are bitter that the team, led by
Manicaland provincial administrator Fungai Mbetsa, is costing the
cash-strapped municipality thousands of dollars.

Workers allege that Mbetsa is getting US$26,000 in salaries and allowances
per month, his deputy about US$14,000 while the five committee members are
getting about US$13,000 each. Mbetsa himself says he is earning US$16,000
plus allowances.

As a result the MDC wants the cabinet and the anti-corruption commission to
probe Chombo for alleged corruption. The MDC is furious that Chombo
reinstated 20 councillors the party has fired for alleged corruption last
year.

Chombo then belatedly appointed a probe team to lead the local authority
citing corruption and dereliction of duty by councillors.

Chombo told VOA's Blessing Zulu that that his “detractors” are attacking a
team he says has been turning around the fortunes of Chitungwiza.

But Chombo’s deputy, Cecil Zvidzai of Tsvangirai MDC formation accuses his
boss of corruption saying he’s parcelling out such jobs to people with close
links to ZANU-PF and the minister himself.

Chitungwiza municipality workers are threatening industrial action to force
Chombo to reverse his decision on the so-called revival team. They have
since served the council with a strike notice citing the allowances being
paid to the team when they have gone for months without pay.

Councils force NGOs to pay illegal fees: Civicus

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

An investigation by a global civil society organisation has revealed that
NGOs operating in Zimbabwe were victims of extortion from local councils who
hinder their operations if they do not comply.
14.03.1212:27pm
by Chris Ncube

Civicus carried out the investigations after Masvingo Provincial Governor,
Titus Maluleke, banned NGOs operating in the province.

“We have learnt that some NGOs, not only in Masvingo but throughout the
country, are being forced to pay exorbitant fees by local authorities before
they are allowed to carry out their work. Local authorities are charging
between $100 and

$1 000 per year for a Memorandum of Understanding with individual NGOs. If
an organisation refuses to pay, their activities are not allowed to proceed.
Some of the NGOs on Maluleke’s “banned” list are those who have refused to
pay corrupt officials to finalise MoUs,” Civicus said.

There is no legal requirement for NGOs to conclude MoUs with local
authorities. In terms of the 2003 Policy on the Operations of NGOs, they are
only requested to sign MoUs with Government Ministries/Agencies.

“This practice is illegal and tantamount to theft and/or extortion. It has
also come to our attention that a large number of NGOs are being “policed”
while carrying out their humanitarian work. They have been placed under
direct surveillance by both state and non-state actors, who refuse to allow
them to operate without constant escorts and handlers,” said Civicus.

It urged those experiencing this to refuse to pay for MoUsor to be escorted
while they carry out their operations, and to report such actions to the
authorities, lawyers, or Transparency International.

Critics say frustrating NGOs is a ploy by Zanu (PF) to maintain a
stranglehold in the province ahead of elections it wants held this year.
There was a similar ban ahead of polls in 2005 and 2008.

ZCTU disgusted by extent of corruption at NSSA

http://nehandaradio.com

March 14, 2012 4:47 pm

PRESS STATEMENT- The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions is repulsed by
reports of extensive corruption at the National Social Security Authority
(NSSA) as reported by the Zimbabwe Independent.

The revelations of the rot at NSSA are disheartening given the fact that the
real owners of the NSSA money, the workers and pensioners, wallow in poverty
while those in charge of administering the authority plunder their hard
earned money.

Simple mathematics will tell you no single contributor to NSSA will be able
to benefit an amount near the obscene $100 000+ figures that managers and
their cronies have been awarding themselves in the guise of loans albeit at
zero percent interest.

Businesses have been making a beeline to NSSA to borrow money as NSSA is
well known for ‘loaning cheap money’ while pensioners are awarded a paltry
$40 per month which is not enough to cover even an electricity bill.

There is no justification for top management at NSSA to earn absurd figures
of above $10 000 when the people who have made it possible for them to be
employed there get measly figures of $40 and below.

A sickening culture of dishonesty and exploitation of the poor has become
deeply rooted in the Zimbabwean system. The rich keep on getting richer at
the expense of the poor. The ZCTU has in the past called for investigations
into the operations of NSSA as their activities or investments do not
benefit the workers or pensioners.

We welcome the findings of the investigation and call for the immediate
resignation of the NSSA General Manager James Matiza, the NSSA Board and all
Directors at the authority who have been accused of corruption.

Japhet Moyo, SECRETARY GENERAL, ZCTU

Elderly battle as government promises help but cannot pay

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/

“It was painful watching my daughter dying slowly. She begged me to look
after her children when she had gone,” said Ambuya Mtombeni (78).
14.03.1209:48am
by David Chidende

Three decades after the first clinical evidence of HIV/AIDS was reported,
the pandemic has become one of the most devastating diseases humankind has
ever faced. While most of its victims are young adults, the virus has major
consequences for older people..

Having invested a great deal in educating her daughter, Mtombeni had high
hopes for a good life for her. She refused to accept her daughter’s
condition and this contributed to Tavonga’s early death. She left three
young children.

Ambuya Mtombeni who lives in Mabvuku looks after three children, two of
school-going age and the youngest still in crèche.

“I am not getting any help to fend for my grandchildren. I struggle every
day to put food on the table and make sure that these children get a decent
education and medication among other things,” said Mtombeni, who lives in
Mabvuku. Thousands of grandparents throughout Zimbabwe carry the burden of
ensuring that their orphaned grandchildren can eat, go to school and find
something warm to wear in winter.

At a time in their lives when they themselves need support and care from
their children and grandchildren, the elderly are caring for others.

UNICEF /Help Age International (2007) statistics estimates that up to two
thirds of people living with HIV and AIDS are cared for by parents in their
60`s and 70`s.

The statistics also estimate that at least 40- 60% of Orphans and Vulnerable
Children are under the care of older persons with an average of three per
household. A visit by this reporter to Checheche Growth Point in Chipinge
revealed some appalling experiences. Esther Kumbula (82) narrated her
ordeal: “I try to be strong for these children, as I am the only one they
have. I worry about what will happen to them if I died today,” she said.

She cares for three children aged 2, 5 and 7.

“I depend on the generosity of my neighbours who provide clothing and food.
But they need to go school too,” she said.

Recurrent droughts, coupled with old age have forced her to shelve farming.
She now survives from making cheap floor polish from Chibuku scud tops which
her grandchildren sell in the location.

“If people do not buy this, there is no food on the table,” she said.

Help Age Zimbabwe is helping older people in Zvishavane with agricultural
inputs, building toilets and boreholes. The organisation is also giving
monthly cash to those who are 80 years and above.

Conrad Gweru, the Advocacy and Communications officer, said the elderly had
contributed immensely to caring for people living with HIV/AIDS.

“Older people remain the poorest members of society with little or no income
to sustain their daily material needs. Some regard old age as a burden
resulting in neglect and little or no attention to their needs,” Gweru said.

Help Age Director, Priscilla Gavi, government policy should recognize the
caring roles of older people. She said lack of data was a major drawback in
appreciating their needs.

“There is need for the government and other stakeholders to recognize the
efforts of the elderly. There should be a clause in the constitution that
respects the values of the aging population. It is sad that COPAC failed to
recognize the value of our recommendations concerning this group and its
needs, which means we are going to live within a law that does not protect
everyone. “What are we if we fail to recognize such a group of people
constituting seven percent of our population?” bemoaned Gavi.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Paurina Mupariwa
Gwanyanya, said her Ministry was well aware of the problems and had
introduced two programmes that would see older people getting $20 and $25
for social grants and social protection, respectively.

The Minister said her ministry had not been able to pay the elderly since
June last year due to economic constraints. She promised to deposit the
outstanding dues as soon as they get the money.

She encouraged them to register the orphans in their care under the Basic
Education Assistance Module (BEAM) for assistance in paying school fees.
Although the programme is behind in payments to schools, she promised that
no child registered under BEAM would be chased away from school.

Gwisai and activists suing Home Affairs Ministers over torture

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tererai Karimakwenda
14 March 2012

Former law lecturer and socialist party leader Munyaradzi Gwisai, and five
other activists arrested for watching videos of the Egyptian uprisings last
year, have filed a $300,000 law suit against the police and both Home
Affairs co-Ministers.

A total of 46 activists were arrested when police raided Gwisai’s home,
where the activists were watching videos of the uprisings in Egypt and North
Africa. They were charged with plotting to destabilize the government. The
majority were released, but six who remained in custody say they were
tortured.

High Court papers name as defendants the Home Affairs co-Ministers Theresa
Makone (MDC-T) and Kembo Mohadi (ZANU PF), Police chief Augustine Chihuri,
Prisons Commissioner Paradzai Zimondi and Officer Commanding Harare Law and
Order Charles Ngirishi.

One of activists, Hopewell Gumbo, told SW Radio Africa that they suffered
physical as well as mental abuse while in detention and decided to sue for
damages. “We were subjected to heavy physical beatings from which I suffered
a broken nose. Others had various injuries depending on the instrument used
and part of the body assaulted,” Gumbo explained.

Gumbo said the group also suffered mental torture during the time they were
in solitary confinement. Their families were also subjected to fear and
worry for their safety.

Asked why the MDC-T was included in the law suit, Gumbo said: “Logically you
need to sue both ministers and it is unfortunate that the MDC are a junior
partner in this coalition. Theresa Makone is aware of our arrests and what
we went through but unfortunately they are part of this coalition.”

This case not only exposes the brutal treatment and police abuse of jailed
opponents of the Mugabe regime, but it also highlights the complexities the
MDC-T created for themselves by joining the coalition government.

The Attorney-General denies the torture allegations and no date has been set
for the hearing.

Bail application for 29 MDC members set for Thursday

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tichaona Sibanda
14 March 2012

A fresh bail application for the 29 MDC members facing charges of public
violence and murdering a police officer will be heard in the High Court on
Thursday.

All 29 members are in remand prison after they were indicted for trial three
weeks ago. The trial however failed to kick off on Monday after the defence
lawyers said they needed more time to get instructions from their clients.

The MDC-T members are accused of murdering police inspector, Petros Mutedza.
The group denies any involvement in the murder, saying the cop was fatally
assaulted by patrons at a Glen View bar who were discussing football.

In a statement the MDC-T said these papers have to be filed with the Court
first before the trial can begin. Thursday’s bail hearing is before Justice
Chinembiri Bhunu.

Some of the accused have been in remand prison for nearly 10 months now
after the courts denied them bail several times claiming they were a flight
risk. Seven of them were released a month ago, and had only tasted freedom
for just two weeks before they were taken into custody again.

The MDC-T group comprises Solomon Madzore, the MDC Youth Assembly
chairperson, Last Maengahama, a National Executive Committee member,
Councillor Oddrey Sydney Chirombe of Ward 33, Budiriro, Councillor
Tungamirai Madzokere of Ward 32, Glen View, Cynthia Manjoro, Lloyd Chitanda,
Stanford Mangwiro, Edwin Muingiri, Francis Vambai and Tendai Chinyama.

Others are Jefias Moyo, Abina Rutsito, Gabriel Shumba, Stephen Takaedzwa,
Linda Madyamhanje, Tafadzwa Billiard, Simon Mudimu, Dube Zwelibanzi, Simon
Mapanzure, Augustine Tengenyika and Gapara Nyamadzawo. The rest of the group
includes Paul Rukanda, Lazarus and Stanford Maengahama, Kerina Dewa, Memory
Ncube, Rebecca Mafukeni, Yvonne Musarurwa and Phineas Nhatarikwa

Zim Journalists Kick Out From Parliament Thwarted

http://www.radiovop.com

Patrick Chikwande Harare, March 13, 2012 - A bid by the Sergeant-At-Arms in
parliament to evict photographers and video- graphers from the independent
media to cover Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's monthly update in the
parliamentary chamber hit a brick wall after the Movement for Democratic
Challenge (MDC) chief whip Innocent Gonese intervened, Radio VOP witnessed
Tuesday.

Photographers and video graphers who had gathered in the House of Assembly
chamber for the inaugural Prime Minister's monthly parliamentary updates
were briefly evicted by the Sergeant-At-Arms as Tsvangirai began his
statement.

The journalists initially objected to go out after being ordered to move out
by the Sergeant at arms but were escorted out nonetheless.

The eviction of the journalists did not go down well with MDC chief whip
Gonese and Minister of Constitutional Affairs Eric Matinenga who ordered
that the journalists be allowed to cover the PM's speech as they were all
accredited to cover parliamentary business.

"We were evicted for about five minutes after the Sergeant at Arms told us
that we must get permission from the Public Relations department although we
had our accreditation. It had to take MP Gonese who intervened for us to be
allowed to cover the Prime Minister's monthly statement to parliament, “one
journalist who was briefly evicted from parliament told Radio VOP.

State controlled media that include The Herald and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting
Corporation (ZBC) were the only media houses that were being allowed access
to take pictures or videos in the parliamentary chamber over the years while
independent media was denied in unwritten laws that were being implemented
by parliamentary officials.

Mugabe regime seeking support from rogue states ahead of elections

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
14 March 2012

Mugabe’s regime has been accused of seeking support from rogue states like
Iran, in advance of elections likely to be held in Zimbabwe at any time.

Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa travelled to Iran last weekend for a
four day visit in which he signed a cooperation agreement with the Iranian
Defence Minister. The visit came just a week after Chinese military generals
visited Harare.

Details of the exact nature of the ‘bilateral’ deals with China and Iran
have not been disclosed but Iran’s Defence Minister gave a hint went by
saying: “We are ready to reinvigorate Zimbabwe’s defence power.”

This has fuelled speculation, given the claim last week by Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai that army chiefs were planning a coup if Mugabe lost
elections. Others believe Iran is trying to mine Zimbabwe’s untapped uranium
deposits, crucial raw material for its controversial nuclear programme.

Last year it was reported Mugabe appealed to China and Russia for protection
should a future disputed election be taken to the United Nations Security
Council. Mugabe made the appeal while on an official visit to Beijing in
November.

As for the Chinese generals who were in the country last week, it’s believed
their presence might have been to reinforce an existing ‘diamonds for
weapons’ deal with Mugabe’s regime.

Commenting on the visit, MDC-T MP Eddie Cross said: “I think it is important
to note that this delegation were given the full treatment – a convoy of
luxury vehicles, motor bike outriders, flags flying and although they were
here for three days they did not call on the Prime Minister or see any MDC
officials.”

Cross said: “China is playing a very serious game here and this sort of
exchange reinforces the view that they are in fact backing the worst
elements in the old regime and the moves towards some sort of end game that
involves violating the GPA and the democratic process.”

In his article ‘China, our small friends of little benefit’, political
commentator Dr Raymond Chamba says: “China presents to unpopular regimes a
complete package of infrastructure investment, trade and political support
at the UN and the Zimbabwean engagement is no different.”

Chamba argues that China is not interested in the development of Zimbabwe’s
mineral resources but in massive extraction of these resources for its own
use, while being a generous supplier of small arms and munitions – a
practice that has fuelled many African wars.

>Zimbabwe Lifts Ban on Used Vehicles But Japanese Cars Face Threat Over Contamination

http://www.voanews.com

13 March 2012
Goche also said Zimbabwe will be monitoring vehicles being imported from
Japan, fearing radioactive contamination following last year’s tsunami that
destroyed the Fukushima Nuclear Plant in that country

Jonga Kandemiiri | Washington

Zimbabwean Transport Minister Nicholas Goche says the government has
indefinitely lifted a ban on the importation of used cars until such a time
when the economy would have recovered.

Goche told a parliamentary committee on transport and infrastructure
development that vehicles older than five years can now be brought into the
country. The ban had been imposed in 2010 to help revive the local car
industry.

The minister also told the committee that the government will monitor
vehicles being imported from Japan, fearing radioactive contamination
following last year’s tsunami that destroyed the Fukushima Nuclear Plant in
that country.

Goche said the government has begun working on monitoring mechanisms to
ensure Japanese vehicles imported into Zimbabwe are safe.

Reports say vehicles coming Fukushima have been contaminated.

“The fear of radiation is there," said Goche. "There is a Zimbabwean who
lives in Japan who wrote to us and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce
that before the vehicles are imported from Japan, there be a mechanism to
check on that.”

Transport committee chairman Blessing Chebundo told VOA Studio 7 reporter
Jonga Kandemiiri that the used car ban was never effected though the
government had announced and gazetted it.

He adds that Goche's statement helps to remove the confusion surrounding the
used car policy in the country.

Mugabe’s promotion of 8 colonels to brigadier generals uncalled for

Wednesday, 14 March 2012

The MDC is greatly dismayed by the recent illegal appointments and
promotions effected in the Zimbabwe National Army by Zanu PF’s Robert
Mugabe.

These promotions are clearly against the spirit and provisions of the Global
Political Agreement (GPA) signed on 15 September 2008. The GPA, Section
20.1.3 (p) is very specific and categorical in stating that such
appointments must be made in full consultation with the Prime Minister.

In this regard these promotions smack of an intention by Mugabe and Zanu to
further seek a patronage system as was the case with Douglas Nyikayaramba.

The promotion of Nyikayaramba to the position of Major General was a reward
for issuing treasonous and unconstitutional statements only suitable for
seizing and undermining civilian authority in Zimbabwe.

The MDC is further disturbed by reports that the army is recruiting and
training unqualified Zanu PF youths on a massive scale across the country.

The MDC is alarmed bearing in mind that the army was willingly used in 2008
to perpetrate violence against innocent civilians seen to be advancing the
democratic values in Zimbabwe.

The electorate will be well within its rights to question the strengthening
of the army at a time when thousands are facing starvation in the country
and when Zimbabwe is not at war with any country.

Where is the money for all this strengthening going to come from? Is this
perhaps where the diamond revenue is going to instead of Treasury?

The people have a right to know who has declared war on Zimbabwe if anyone,
for the Defence Minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa to feel the need to recruit
more soldiers in order to reinvigorate the army.

It is clear that Zanu PF is panicking and wants to use the army to stop the
smooth transfer of power when it is defeated in the next watershed elections
when they are held.

The MDC therefore calls upon the inclusive government to put pressure on
Mugabe and Mnangagwa to desist from unnecessary wastage of resources in his
quest of expanding a partisan army.

The People’s struggle for Real Change - Lets finish it!!!

MDC Information & Publicity Department

Rejection of Zimbabwe is the only course of action

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

Michael Taylor, winner of the Sports Journalists' Association's inaugural
David Welch Student Sportswriter of the Year award, on why Zimbabwe's return
to the international arena must be opposed.

By Michael Taylor

9:00AM GMT 14 Mar 2012

This article was originally published in Varsity, the Cambridge University
student newspaper, on Nov 5, 2010.

Quietly, surreptitiously, the spectre of Zimbabwean cricket has been
resurrected on the international stage. Where the disgraced relative of
cricket had once been South Africa, this unwanted epithet now attaches to
the land of Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF.

By consequence, the administrators of leading cricketing nations scheduled
to play in Zimbabwe are faced with a serious problem. Nevertheless, this
problem reduces to a straightforward choice: to fly, or not to fly? So far,
India and Sri Lanka have travelled; Ireland hesitated, but soon caved in,
while Scotland stayed home. Soon, England must show its own hand. Andrew
Strauss has already – and publicly – raised concerns as to the morality of
touring. He is right. Refusal to fly is indeed England’s only morally
defensible course of action.

The principal objection to an English tour is, of course, that such an
action would appear to legitimise – or at least ignore – the brutality of a
government which, despite the establishment of a coalition with the Movement
for Democratic Change in February 2009, remains controlled by Mugabe. I
should not need to elaborate on the horrendous crimes of Mugabe and his
regime, and the purpose of this article is not to expose the misdeeds of
Zanu-PF: that much is self-evident.

This article is about cricket’s role in resistance. You may already wish to
dismiss my case. You may ask: ‘What does this have to do with cricket?’ You
may wish to argue that sport, as we are told by seers and sages, should not
be mixed with politics. Such people, however, are not Cassandra; this is not
Troy, and we should ignore them. Let me explain why.

If sport is a mere diversion, then only the despicable man does not forgo it
to serve a nobler cause. However, if sport is more than that – if it carries
weight, meaning and values – then it should be suffused by the same morality
which informs the rest of life. Moreover, sport has always been as
politicised as any other facet of life. The sectarian demography of Northern
Irish sports, for example, is a commonplace within the academy, as is the
relationship between Sunday sports and Sabbatarianism. Sport and politics go
hand in hand.

However, in the case of Zimbabwean cricket, politics becomes intrinsic to
the argument, primarily because of the peculiar relationship between
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) and Zanu-PF. For one thing, Robert Mugabe’s name
endures as an official patron of ZC. For another, Peter Chingoka, chairman
of ZC, has been banned from entry to the European Union on the grounds of
his links to Mugabe’s regime. He has also been accused by former sports
minister Kate Hoey of using VIP pavilions at international matches ‘to host
the ZANU-PF politicians, CIO (Central Intelligence Organisation) operatives
and senior army officers on whom he relies for protection’.

This, of course, is the same CIO which launched an investigation into ZC’s
new logo, launched in 2005, on the suspicion it cryptically spelled out ‘MDC’
in its symbols. Even more sinister is Ozias Bvute, CEO of Zimbabwe Cricket,
whose parachuting into the administration in 2001 as Integration
Implementation Officer marked the politicisation of the Zimbabwean board.
This is a man who has been forced to deny links to the CIO, who forcibly
removed Henry Olonga from the team bus following the black-armband protest
during the 2003 World Cup, and who handed Olonga his ticket back to Zimbabwe
with the kind words: ‘You’re on your own now’. Tell me, how does accepting
the invitation of these men to play cricket under their jurisdiction not
carry a political weight?

And, more pressingly, that political weight could translate into accusations
of compliance with and appeasement of Zimbabwe Cricket, which – given its
leadership – is nothing more than the recreational wing of Zanu-PF. If you
think I exaggerate, look at how the rebel tourists to South Africa were
treated: the English tourists of the early 1980s were labelled "the Dirty
Dozen" by the Commons for placing cricket before the principle of racial
equality, while certain South African papers did their utmost to represent
all tours as tacit support for apartheid. Of course, that was not the intent
of the cricketers. Nor will supporting Zanu-PF be the intent of whoever may
go to Zimbabwe, but intentions are often misconstrued.

Conversely, the consequence of not travelling is the admirable engagement in
a practical and effective means of protest. You think cricket is powerless
in this respect? Dr Ali Bacher, speaking to Cricinfo in 2008, averred,
"Zimbabwe should be isolated and banished from the international arena… I
say this because of what brought apartheid down in South Africa: it was the
international isolation. The same thing must happen now with Zimbabwe.
People who say sport and politics are completely separate are being naïve."
At Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s 2008 Spirit of Cricket lecture at Lord’s, he
argued that inaction was wrong: "I think the ICC are erring and it
frustrates the hell out of me that Zimbabwe have not been brought to book.
It’s a moral issue and what [Mugabe] is doing everybody knows is simply not
right...cricket can play a part in that."

Ultimately, we may take England’s failure to progress in the 2003 World Cup
as a salutary reference. Then, sporting failure was forgiven because
elimination had resulted only from refusal to play Zimbabwe. Indeed, the
English were criticised only for vacillating on the matter. Proof, perhaps,
that cricket is more than a game – so what do we know of cricket, if we only
cricket know?

Transcript of Harare Mayor on Question Time: Part 2

http://www.swradioafrica.com

The Mayor of Harare Muchadeyi Masunda

The Mayor of Harare, Muchadeyi Masunda, joins SW Radio Africa journalist Lance Guma for part 2 of this Question Time interview. Masunda responds to allegations that his directorship of dozens of companies creates a conflict of interest, given that some of these companies might have dealings with the City of Harare. The Mayor answers many other questions sent in by SW Radio Africa listeners.

Interview broadcast 29 February 2012

Lance Guma: Good evening Zimbabwe and thank you for joining me on Question Time. This is Part Two of our interview with the Mayor of Harare, Muchadeyi Masunda. He joins us on the programme to answer questions from you the listener. Mayor Masunda thank you for joining us once again.

Muchadeyi Masunda: It’s my pleasure.

Guma: Now first question to get the ball rolling for this week – we have a question from Mike Davies, I’m sure you’re familiar with him – former chairperson of the Combined Harare Residents Association.

Now he says – was he (Masunda) re-elected as mayor each year since 2008 as required by the Urban Councils Act? And he says will elections for local government be held this year as required by the Act? And he puts in there – local government elections were not suspended by the interim political agreement or were they? If not, how does he justify this denial of our democratic rights?

Masunda: Well to the best of my knowledge, when I came into office as from the 1^st of July 2008 it was on the clear understanding that it’s a five year term and that five year term comes up in 2013 unless in between, there’s yet another set of harmonized elections.

I’m not too sure the particular sections that Mike Davies is referring to but what used to happen in the past was the mayoral position would be up for grabs amongst the elected councilors on an annual basis but that situation may well have changed, but I can’t be certain.

But I think the position is from where I sit, is that I’m in there for five years and I’ve done 44 months and come end of June, I’d have been in harness for four years and with another year to go.

Guma: But what is the requirement under the Urban Councils Act?

Masunda: If you recall, there was an amendment to the Urban Councils Act in the build-up towards the harmonized elections. I’m not exactly certain with particular reference to this point that Mike Davies has raised but the two significant amendments that were made to the Urban Councils Act in the build-up towards the harmonized elections that took place in March 2008 was;

1) the democratically elected councilors were given either of two options to choose a mayor: either they stick to the meeting and choose a mayor from amongst themselves, the democratically elected councilors or alternatively they go to civic society and look for anybody with enough grey hairs, enough gravitas and preferably with a bullet-proof skin to take up this onerous responsibility of being Mayor of Harare.

And that’s how I came onto the team. The second amendment, let me finish off that, that was made, significant amendment that was made to the Urban Councils Act is that whoever became the Minister responsible for Local Government, Rural and Urban Development would have the unfettered prerogative of choosing personal interest councilors not in excess of 25% of the democratically elected councilors.

And in the case of Harare a quarter of 46 is 11 and as it turns out, after the GNU came into existence, Dr Ignatious Morgan Chiminya Chombo was appointed the Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development and he in due course exercised his prerogative to choose the 11 special interest councilors.

So we have a compliment of 46 democratically elected councilors and 11 special interest councilors appointed by the Minister.

Guma: What’s your position of these special interest councilors because in other urban councils they’ve simply been accused of being Zanu PF surrogates smuggled in, so to speak, to try and dilute the influence of the MDC given that many of the Zanu PF candidates had lost the council elections?

Masunda: Yes it is a difficult one but in the case of Harare, I have been on record in the past as having said I’m not unhappy with some of the special interest councilors that the Minister appointed and out of the 11, I have said and I repeat, five of them are performers and there are six who are passengers and one of those passengers has since thrown in the towel.

He did so last Monday the 20^th of February and this is Charles Nyachowe. So the Minister will in due course exercise his prerogative once again by appointing a replacement for the former councilor, Charles Nyachowe.

Guma: Okay let me quickly move on to another subject – from Donny Ndowe comes an email that quotes a recent article, titled “Curbing Corporate Incest” and he accuses you of being a leader in, or this article rather, accused you of being a leader in both the public and private sectors, a practice which according to the article, yields a high fertile ground for corruption, nepotism and all other vices.

He says how does Mayor Masunda respond to that? The Who is Who in Africa confirms he is Mayor of Harare and either a director or chairman of 13 different companies, some of which have dealings with City council in one way or the other.

Masunda: Well for a start, that article has got a few things wrong. They are relying on information which is horribly out of date, that’s for starters, but dealing with the (inaudible) of the issue, the alleged irreconcilable conflict of interest.

I think the key thing here, especially for the Philistines like the person who has raised this point, is to appreciate that there is what is called a Full Declaration of Interests which I did right at the outset when I was approached to take up this onerous position.

Now the critical thing is to do, the next step having made a full disclosure of the various companies in which you have an interest however remote that interest may be, the next critical step is to then manage that situation and so far I have managed that situation admirably, even if I say so myself.

Because on all occasions where there is a conflict of interest or there maybe conflict of interest however remote that conflict may be, I have always recused myself from the deliberations of the issue that is on the table.

Guma: Why you are still at this, let me throw in this question because it might help your answer. A similar question did come also from Mike Davies, who says Masunda is chairman of Old Mutual which is probably the biggest corporate landowner property/manager in Harare, has the Mayor declared all his and Old Mutual’s business interests in the City? Has he ever had cause to recuse himself from council business when these interests have been discussed?

Masunda: That’s a good point and that’s precisely what I was going to get onto. Now I made a full disclosure of my interest’s right at the outset and I’m pleased to say that I’m probably the only person on the City Council of Harare who did so.

I’m unaware of anybody else who did so and I do so religiously every year or whenever there’s been a change in the various companies in which I’ve an interest, I’ve submitted an updated list of my interest.

Now to zero in specifically on Old Mutual; I was in a way instrumental in persuading Old Mutual to play its part with regard to the housing projects that are currently on the verge of being implemented in Budiriro and one other high density area in Harare.

And Old Mutual came to the party I’m delighted to say that and put in fifteen million dollars and for the last ten, if not more, years we have not seen any meaningful housing development in Harare never mind Zimbabwe and I made sure that whenever that matter came up for discussion, either at committee level or at full council level or at special council level, I recued myself from that debate.

Guma: Okay I suppose point taken on that, I’ll quickly have to move on to another question since we’re running out of time. I have another question from somebody who says – what has the Council done to raise revenue besides continuing to squeeze money out of residents? He says the Council is more famous for chasing vendors and clamping cars.

Masunda: (laughs…) Well there’s various other avenues that are currently being explored, like establishing, potentially lucrative joint ventures with various players. We’ve got this Easy Park arrangement which is a joint venture between City of Harare and Easyhold Proprietors Limited, it’s a South African company and that is raising a fair amount of revenue for the City’s coffers.

And we are looking into identifying suitable partners for our quarry – you know the quarry that is on the way to the airport and there are many other instances where the City’s assets have not over the years been made to sweat. Just to give you an example, we have three farms that are on the periphery of the City; Pension Farm, Crowbrow Farm and Ingwe Farm.

And as we speak we have between six and seven thousand head of cattle and I’ve caused a desktop survey to be done by the Commercial Farmers Union and the outcome of that desktop survey is that the carrying capacity of those three farms is between 11 and 13 thousand head of cattle. So we are currently looking into establishing a joint venture with any company, local or international in order to exploit the synergies that can come out of the herd of cattle that we have.

Guma: Let me quickly go back to the subject of water because we have a lot of follow up questions from people after the interview that we had last week and it boils down to really do you as a council require any help from central government and if so are your water problems something that has been taken to cabinet level for discussion and are there any cabinet resolutions on how this should be done?

Masunda: Yah I think the first point that has to be appreciated is that Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, the Minister of Water, Resources Management and Development is the ultimate custodian of anything to do with water in the country.

But by the same token I think you need to appreciate that his ministry and central government indeed, they’ve got either limited capacity or no capacity to generate or mobilize the resources that are required to get projects that have been gathering dust on the shelf for the last 30 years if not more, like Kunzwi Dam.

And the city is better placed to mobilize those resources and we would for instance in the case of Kunzwi Dam be looking at 539 million dollars and that would yield around between 250 and 270 mega litres.

And then we should do almost simultaneously because we’ve run out of time and back on another project that is the Musanhi Dam which is not too far from the site for Kunzwi and that would require 885 million dollars and that would yield 450 mega litres.

So those are two projects which ought to have been done by now and they will add 250 plus 450, we are looking at 700 mega litres on top of the current installed capacity of 704 in respect of Morton Jaffrey and PE.

And then longer term, I think five years down the track, we would need to be looking at Mazowe Dam which would yield 1250 mega litres and that would effectively take care of the water blues in the capitol city and the satellite towns.

And unfortunately because of our central government’s track record, the institutional funders of projects of this nature and magnitude are understandably reluctant to work with government but they are not averse to working with the City because the City’s track record is fairly good and Cities are going to be there until kingdom come.

So for instance, I’ll be presenting a paper in Marseille France on the 12^th to the 17^th of March at the World Sixth Water Forum and on the sidelines of that Forum obviously I’ll be talking to a whole lot of people that would be, have an appetite for the kind of projects that I’ve just described.

What must be appreciated Lance, is that we should be complementing each others’ efforts – Central government and Local government. It’s not about upstaging each other. I’m not in any way trying to show up my old friend Samuel Sipepa Nkomo but just assisting him in the full knowledge that he’s the person that ultimately is responsible for anything that has water in this country.

Guma: Okay, in the two minutes that we have left, final question comes from Monica who’s in Budiriro and she wants to know – “Mayor Masunda, since you’ve been in office, what would you count as your major achievements so far?”

Masunda: My achievements are too many to enumerate you know. We have had for instance the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation pouring five million dollars for the regeneration of the high density areas.

We’ve had support from various COPEC entities and again too many to mention and more recently we had Peter Lobels donating two fire engines to the City and of course the Old Mutual/CABS housing project would not have happened if it hadn’t been for the leadership and the influence that I brought to bear upon the council’s operations.

Guma: Well Zimbabwe, that brings us to the end of this Question Time interview, Part Two with the Mayor of Harare Muchadeyi Masunda. Mayor Masunda thank you so much for your time.

Masunda: My pleasure and I look forward to fielding more questions.

To listen to the programme:

http://www.swradioafrica.2bctnd.net/02_12/qt290212.mp3

Feedback can be sent to lance@swradioafrica.com http://twitter.com/lanceguma or http://www.facebook.com/lance.guma

We need more than a new constitution

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

The high level of attention given to Zimbabwe’s crafting of a new
constitution as a key step towards fresh elections calls for a word of
caution. A new constitution will not solve all our governance and electoral
challenges. There is a real danger that President Robert Mugabe and Zanu
(PF) may demand elections on the basis of the new constitution but without
implementing critical electoral reforms.
14.03.1212:56pm
by Dewa Mavhinga

Yes, we need a new constitution. But to deliver democratic, non-violent,
free and fair polls, much more needs to be done. The existing constitution
is not, itself, a problem. Disregard for constitutional principles including
respect for the rule of law and separation of powers are the major
challenges. A new constitution will not necessarily resolve these. The
subversion of state institutions by partisan individuals acting with
impunity outside the constitutional framework is a deeper governance crisis
that calls not only for legislative and institutional reforms, but also for
top-level personnel changes in compromised institutions.

The MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai correctly stated, in their
‘Minimum Conditions for Free and Fair Elections’ released last week, that to
deliver credible elections the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission must be staffed
by new, civilian employees recruited by the current Commission. Highly
partisan employees working for ZEC, many of them military and state
intelligence agents, cannot be expected to run a transparent and impartial
election. The MDC must remain resolute and steadfast in their demand that no
member of the CIO, the police or the army should be involved in the
management of any election.

The voters’ roll must be cleaned up to remove ghost voters and ensure
greater transparency under the direct and exclusive management of ZEC. To
minimize chances of vote-rigging, there is need to address the challenge of
extreme voter apathy and encourage citizens, particularly young people, to
register to vote. The electoral law must make provision for all electoral
stakeholders, including civic groups, to be allowed to conduct voter
education.

The coalition government must move with haste to genuinely free the airwaves
to bring on board truly independent radio and television broadcasters while
transforming state-owned media into a public broadcaster that serves the
interests of all - not one political party as is currently the case. The
improperly constituted Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe has sought to
hoodwink people into believing that it is opening up the airwaves by
granting two radio licenses to the state-owned media – Zimpapers and to a
bunch of political activists aligned to Zanu (PF).

But perhaps the most critical outstanding reforms are around the prevention
of state-sponsored violence. Without interim mechanisms to prevent the
security forces from unduly influencing the electoral process through use of
violence, intimidation or manipulation of the results, it would be pointless
to go for fresh elections.

Comprehensive transformation of the security sector will undoubtedly take a
considerable amount time, but for now, in the short–term, it is critical
that the political leadership of the security forces publicly declare that
they will respect democratic processes and not favour Zanu (PF).

The Southern African Development Community as guarantor of Zimbabwe’s
coalition government, must be brought on board to provide a peace-keeping
force to complement efforts of the police to deal with cases of political
violence. The presence of the ground of an external, uniformed force, will
go a long way in building public confidence that violence will be minimized
and action taken against perpetrators of abuses. There should be a provision
for long-term deployment of domestic and international election monitors and
observers to all parts of the country.

What must be avoided is the elaborate trap woven around the flawed argument
that once a new constitution is in place, Zimbabwe is ready for fresh
elections that are transparent, free and fair.

Dewa Mavhinga, Regional Coordinator, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition

Disenchantment

http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/7412

March 14th, 2012

Many years ago, while visiting the UK, I met a man who had moved himself and
his family from South Africa to London. He had been in London for only a few
days when I asked him how he felt about leaving ‘home’ and he replied,
‘London is home; I am at home now. I won’t raise my children to hear me
talking about somewhere else as being home. I want them to have roots’. This
guy is the first Southern African I’ve met who has consciously severed that
mental and emotional tie to African soil and embraced a new identity.

I was reminded of him and this conversation recently. An activist friend of
mine – a British passport holder because she was born in the UK (but raised
in Zimbabwe) to Zimbabwean parents – who has lived in London for the past
decade has always called herself Zimbabwean. Her years overseas have been
dominated by a desire to ‘go back home’: she has committed herself to
fighting for democracy in Zimbabwe and every year without fail she goes back
‘home’ for a month or two, entering the country as a permanent resident. A
few years ago she lost her right to vote, as did all permanent residents,
and this year the immigration officials refused to stamp her passport with a
permanent residents VISA even though they’ve never had any issues before
(this, incidentally, seems to be happening to lots of people so we’re
wondering if its another ZANU PF pre-election crackdown – that’s another
blog). She asked the immigration officer: what do you do if the person you
are dealing with spends 6 months in Zimbabwe and 6 months in the UK (as many
do)? His answer: they are not Zimbabwean. So next year when she goes back
she’ll travel as a tourist. And now if she ever wants to return home she
will have to emigrate as if she is a foreigner – a person with no ties to
the country at all (although her entire family still live here).

For her, the loss of the stamp was a brutal blow. She has been wondering if
she had it all wrong: if maybe her loyalties should have always been with
Britain – a country which has kept her Zimbabwean self safe for ten years,
employed, fed, with access to health care and a strong sense of personal
security. She wonders if her total commitment – and the years of sacrifice –
to a country which disregards all of the above makes any sense in the scheme
of having a healthy life. Like the South African I met years ago, she has
consciously stopped calling herself ‘Zimbabwean’ now and has started to
refer to herself as ‘British’, and in so doing applies the letter of the law
to her emotional personal self.

Is this good for Zimbabwe or the people of Zimbabwe? I think not: I feel her
withdrawing from our country. My friend has four university degrees, roots
in the country, an abundance of compassion and love for Zimbabwean people. I
don’t think Zimbabwe is in any position – economically or socially – to
arrogantly reject people like this or to be blind to the extended
ramifications of its actions.

This is not a small issue: there are hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans
just like her who have been forced to leave Zimbabwe in the past decade,
many of whom, like her, want to go home but probably won’t be able to
because of residency and citizenship laws that favour a Zanu PF agenda.

There are two perspectives on this situation: the one is often stated as
follows: ‘if you care about your country, then get off your butt and go live
there and fight from the ground’. The other perspective follows the lines of
that trite poster you see hanging in university halls of residence: ‘If you
love something, set it free. If it comes back to you it is yours. If it
doesn’t, it never was’.

Those who argue the first strike me as a touch self-righteous and smug,
silently awarding themselves medals of honour for ‘sticking it out’ when
others haven’t. But in my experience, the truth is that those who have left
Zimbabwe have been forced to do so for financial reasons, or because they
have children who need to be educated, or parents who need medical care. For
victims of Mugabe’s regime, political asylum seekers, if they didn’t leave
they’d face persecution – possibly murder – by the Zanu PF regime. To label
people in these situations as ‘disloyal’ to the country, or ‘less committed
than others’ is cruel and frankly very stupid.

I’m in the ‘ If you love something…’ camp. I think that a nation that is
mature and confident in what it has to offer its citizens has nothing to
fear by allowing them to explore new horizons, enrich their experiences,
educate themselves in different places around the world, learn new
languages, in the hope that one day they’ll come back and bring that
diversity and richness of experience with them. My experience too is that
all Zimbabweans who leave love their country with all their heart and many
want to come back.

But I do not believe that Zimbabwe is a country that loves its citizens.

My now ‘British’ Zimbabwean activist friend’s sense of rejection by her
country goes deeper than her merely encountering yet another case of Zanu PF
machinations. Somewhere deep inside her she has given up and lost faith. If
my South African pal wants his children to have roots, I think my ‘Britsh’
Zimbabwean friend has realised that the soil in Zimbabwe is too arid and
sandy to hold roots for very long, no matter how badly you wish those roots
to take hold. I know that there are many who will say, ‘finally she has seen
the light’ – but its really not that easy or simple.

Where does this sense of loss have its origins, especially now when things
are supposedly better than they have been in the past (or so we are told). I
started understanding her loss when various articles I’ve been reading
recently started to coalesce into a putrid lump in my mind. For example,
learning that Mugabe and Tsvangirai spent $45.5 million on travel last year,
but the budget for education was $5.3 million. Or considering the amount of
money Tsvangirai was given to purchase a house (it’s either $1 million or
$2.5 million depending on whether you believe he double-dipped or not). Or
the silent and worrying disappearance of Paul Chizuze, a human rights
activist. Or the failure to get media reforms implemented. I could go on…

What incidents like these scream at me, as an activist, is that the days of
‘struggle’ are over for some but not for others. It was one thing standing
alongside these new political figures who were once shoulder to shoulder
with us struggling towards a common purpose. But its not like that anymore.

At the moment I have a relative AND a close friend about to lose their
businesses, both of them still reeling from the business shocks of the last
few years. It’s galling and enraging that having managed to come through the
fire, at a time when thing are supposedly better, devastation is still
striking some but Tsvangirai has received $1 or $2.5 million (US dollars, by
the way) for his house. That’s just his house!

Or completely frightening to know that Paul Chizuze can just ‘vanish’ –
suffering god knows what in the course of being vanished – while Tsvangirai
enjoys a share of an obscenely high travel budget.

It feels like activists are still fighting for the same things that we knew
we needed to fight for three years ago, but others amongst us are busily
establishing themselves political careers and getting on with their wealthy
lives. It seems to me that these people are moving forwards and past their
former friends in struggle, leaving democracy and justice in the dust thrown
up by their Mercedes Benzs.

I understand the sense of disenchantment my ‘British’ Zimbabwean friend is
experiencing: its not just a feeling of rejection by a country she loves,
its also a sense that the people she believed in have abandoned the people
at the heart of the struggle – ordinary Zimbabweans. Its a sense that
horrors are happening – as with Paul – but former allies now in a position
of power are too busy looking after Number One – themselves – to bother do
pay more than lip-service to issues that Zimbabweans need and believe in.
Dual citizenship, for example, is something the millions forced out of
Zimbabwe desperately want the former oppositions parties to fight for so
they and their families can come back. With every negotiated political
settlement there is a sector of the Zimbabwean population that carries the
loss and loses faith.

Elections are coming. This sense of disenchantment is going to cost some new
politicos dearly come campaign time when they turn to former colleagues for
support in the next round of elections. It may just be that they find
themselves alone – most likely in a nice car or big house, but still very
much alone and weakened by the state of being alone.

Or it may be that the people they call on to ‘fight one more time and
believe in us’ will have lost all faith and belief after witnessing excesses
of greed and weakness of political action. And with that loss of belief they
will also lose their desire to fight on.

And it will be too late for those politicos to say sorry. Commitment and
support from ordinary Zimbabweans can’t happen without respect, and I for
one have no respect for people on the gravy train, or for people who having
achieved power sit back and forget why they are there in the first place.

This entry was posted by Hope on Wednesday, March 14th, 2012 at 8:57 am

Tendai Biti on the state of the economy

1. This Press Statement is in line with our commitment in the 2012 Budget Statement on the necessity of being transparent and adequately informing the public on economic developments. This Statement, therefore, seeks to update the public on fiscal and other macro-economic developments, focussing on the months of January – February 2012.

2. The 2011/12 Tobacco Selling Season commenced on 15 February 2012, with four participating auction floors – Boka, Tobacco Sales Floors, Zimbabwe Leaf Tobacco and Millennium Auction Floors.

3. For the 2012 buying season, eighteen buyers were licensed and ten buyers are already participating on the auction floors, while others are still to comply with exchange control regulations relating to the buying of the crop.

4. Since the opening of the tobacco auction floors, prices of flue cured tobacco were generally higher compared to the same period last year. This largely reflects higher demand for Zimbabwean tobacco, following reduction in global output by about 200 million kilograms.

5. By end of February 2012, a total of US$28.9 million had been realised from the sale of 8.1 million kgs of the crop at an average price of US$3.61 per kg as shown in the Table below.

15/02/2012 177,861 3.6 633,090.9
16/02/2012 605,579 3.7 2,221,840.4
20/02/2012 620,220 3.6 2,205,313.6
21/02/2012 918,806 3.6 3,326,375.9
22/02/2012 630,938 3.4 2,173,034.9
23/02/2012 786,643 3.8 2,958,814.7
24/02/2012 798,540 3.5 2,816,075.1
27/02/2012 767,214 3.8 2,881,181.9
28/02/2012 1,267,285 3.5 4,478,040.2
29/02/2012 857,499 3.6 3,089,303.8
Source: TIMB

6. In the mining sector, gold output declined in February 2012 by 11.8% from January’s output of 1 053 kgs. Cumulatively, gold output for the months of January and February 2012 has reached 1 981 kgs.

7. Of this output, primary producers accounted for 1 548.8 kgs while small scale miners recorded 432 kgs.

8. The target for the year is 13 000 kgs, implying monthly averages of about 1 100 kgs.

PRIMARY PRODUCERS (P) GOLD DELIVERIES: JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2012(KGS)
January February Cumulative Total
PRIMARY PRODUCERS 812.8357 735.6208 1548.4565
SMALL SCALE MINERS 240.3243 192.3611 432.6854
TOTAL 1053.1600 927.9819 1981.1419

10. The year-on-year inflation rate for January 2012 stood at 4.3% shedding 0.6% on the December 2011 rate of 4.9%.

11. The month-on-month inflation rate in January 2012 stood at 0.5%, gaining 0.3% on the December 2011 rate of 0.2%. Of this, month-on-month Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages inflation stood at 0.41% whilst that for non-Food inflation stood at 0.48%.

12. Major drivers were marginal price increases for fish (3.01%), tobacco (2%), carpets and other floor coverings (1.62%), small tools (1.53%), hospital services (1.18%), maintenance and repair of motor vehicles (1.92%), and educational fees (1.54%).

13. There were, however, price reductions for vegetables (-1.18%), spirits (-0.55%), gas (-0.65%), household textiles (-0.43%), medical services (-0.29%), bicycles (-2.73%), scotch carts (-1.10%), telephone equipment (-2.15%), electrical appliances (-0.34%), and jewellery clocks and watches (-0.84%).

14. During the month of February 2012, ZIMRA collected US$215.3 million against a target of US$218 million. Diamonds and non-tax revenues amounted to US$5 million and US$7.4 million, against targets of US$41.5 million and US$10.5 million, respectively, as indicated in the Table below:

Revenue Collections: February 2012
Revenue Source Targeted Collections
US$ mil Actual Collections
US$ mil Variance
US$ mil
ZIMRA Collections 217.93 215.31 2.62
Diamonds 41.50 5.00 36.50
Non-Tax Revenue 10.46 7.36 3.10
Total 269.90 227.67 42.22

15. Total collections were, therefore, US$227.7 million against a target of US$270 million. This, therefore, implies that the Government incurred a revenue collection deficit of US$42.2 million in February 2012.

16. Cumulatively, the actual revenue collections for January and February 2012 amount to US$488.24 million, against a target of US$549.5 million, implying a cumulative deficit of US$61.24 million, largely emanating from under-performance of diamond revenues (US$58 million).

Cumulative Revenue Collections: January – February 2012
Revenue Source Targeted Collections
US$ mil Actual Collections
US$ mil Variance
US$ mil
ZIMRA Collections 450.95 450.24 0.71
Diamonds 77.50 19.50 58.00
Non-Tax Revenue 21.03 18.50 2.53
Total 549.5 488.24 61.24

17. Actual expenditure for February 2012 was US$286.9 million against an approved expenditure framework of US$269.2 million. Of the total expenditures, US$254 million were current and US$24.2 million for capital development, leaving a balance of US$8.6 million for ZIMRA programmes.

Expenditures: February 2012
Targeted Expenditure
US$ mil Actual Expenditure
US$ mil Variance
US$ mil
Recurrent 240.50 254.07 13.57
ow: Wage Bill 155.2 187.4* 32.2
Capital 20.08 24.24 4.16
ZIMRA 8.61 8.61 -
Total 269.19 286.93 17.74
*This is the February 2012 wage bill exclusive of January 2012 arrears payments. Actual wage bill payments including January 2012 arrears were 219.7 million.

18. Following consultations with Government Staff Associations on the review of the Pay Structure for the Public Service, Government, in February 2012, implemented an adjustment of Pay Scales effective 1 January 2012.

19. Therefore, the monthly employment cost bill for February 2012 increased to US$187.4 million from US$155.2 million in January 2012. However, taking account arrears for January 2012 as per the agreed new pay structure, total employment costs paid out in February 2012 amounted to US$219.7 million.

20. Revenue underperformance of around US$59.2 million in February 2012 has undermined the implementation of targeted projects and programmes.

21. Budget support for service delivery in such areas as health, education, agricultural extension services & social protection and rehabilitation & construction of capital projects was, therefore, compromised as shown in the graphs below.

22. Therefore, for the month of February 2012, the financing gap was US$59.2 million, which was met from January 2012 carry-overs.

Budget Outturn: February 2012
Totals Targeted US$ mil Actual US$ mil
Revenue 269.90 227.67
Expenditures 269.19 286.93
Variance 0.70 (59.26)

23. Total revenue collections of US$320.22 million are anticipated in March 2012, broken down as follows.

Revenue Source Targeted Collections
US$ mil
ZIMRA Collections 264.39
Diamonds 41.50
Non-Tax Revenue 14.33
Total 320.22

24. From the budget allocation of US$800 million, an amount of US$615 million is earmarked for infrastructure in energy, water and sanitation, transport, ICT, housing and social service delivery.

25. For the period January – February 2012, a total of US$29.2 million had been disbursed for various capital programmes. Of this amount, US$18.9 million was channelled towards various infrastructure projects, US$2.5 million for payment to farmers for wheat deliveries and US$6.1 million for payment of outstanding amounts to seed and fertilizer suppliers under the Crop Input Support Programme as shown in the Table below:

Energy 47,500,000 500,000 1.1%
Transport & Communication 113,400,000 1,600,000 1.4%
Water & Sanitation 113,245,000 900,000 0.8%
Housing 118,610,000 3,651,390 3.1%
ICT 40,200,000 100,000 0.2%
Education 85,200,000 5,853,815 6.9%
Health 63,425,000 5,204,000 8.2%
Agriculture – Irrigation & Rehab. Of Research Institutions 25,850,000 1,100,000 4.3%
Subtotal for Infrastructure Projects 615,430,000 18,909,205 3.1%
Other Capital Expenditures
Strategic Grain Reserve-Wheat Deliveries 50,200,000 2,500,000 5.0%
Crop Input Support 37,000,000 6,123,200 16.5%
Compensation For Farm Improvements 6,000,000 740,000 12.3%
Shareholding in International Organisations 12,000,000 800,000 6.7%
Other 79,370,000 176,600 0.2%
Sub-Total 184,570,000 10,339,800 5.6%
Total 800,000,000 29,249,005 3.7%

26. Treasury is working on finalising draft Regulations to fully operationalise the Public Finance Management Act.

27. An agreement between the Reserve Bank and the banking sector has been reached over the issue of the US$83.58 million owed to banks as Statutory Reserves. The Reserve Bank Governor will issue instruments against the amount owed to banks, and these instruments will have tenors of 2, 3 and 4 years with interest rates of 2.5%, 3% and 3.5% respectively as indicated in the Table below: –

Description Amount
(US$) Tenor Interest Rate
Per Annum
30% of Outstanding balance 25 mil 2 years (1 Jan 2012 –
31 Dec 2013) 2.5%
30% of Outstanding balance 25 mil 3 years (1 Jan 2012 –
31 Dec 2014) 3%
40% of Outstanding balance 33.6 mil 4 years (1 Jan 2012 –
31 Dec 2015) 3.5%

• Prescribed asset status;
• Liquid asset status;
• Half yearly coupon;
• Tax exemption;
• Tradable; and
• Lender of Last Resort security status.

29. This arrangement will promote inter-bank trading and also allow banks to use the instruments as security when accessing the Lender of Last Resort funds from the Reserve Bank, that way ensuring utilisation of the resources which the banks have been failing to access.

30. Institutions not willing to participate in the above Scheme will have the option of being issued with 15 year Bonds at an interest rate of 3% per annum.

31. Treasury has mandated the Infrastructure Development Bank (IDBZ) to issue US$50 million worth of Infrastructure Development Bonds. Resources mobilised will complement PSIP Budgetary resources allocated in the 2012 Budget.

32. In addition to mobilising resources for infrastructure development, the Bonds also facilitate inter-bank market operations.

• 5 year tenor;
• 10% interest rate per annum;
• Government guarantee;
• Prescribed asset status;
• Liquid asset status;
• Half yearly coupon;
• Tax exemption;
• Tradable; and
• Lender of Last Resort security status.

34. Treasury will establish a Sinking Fund to facilitate interest and principal payments. Modalities are being finalised with the IDBZ for the issuance of the Bonds.

35. Government, through the Reserve Bank lifted the previously announced cash withdrawal limits and Withdrawal Notice Requirements for high value transactions with effect from 1 March 2012.

36. This follows debate on the need for building confidence in the financial sector as well as improving the liquidity situation and encouraging use of the formal banking system.

37. Treasury and the Reserve Bank consulted and agreed with the Bankers Association of Zimbabwe, on the need to repatriate all other Nostro Account balances in excess of banks’ needs, pending international payment obligations and for the purposes of taking positions in the international market.

38. With effect from March 1, 2012, banks started reducing their Nostro Accounts to a maximum of 25% of their balances. This will be increased to 30% by June 2012.

39. Treasury, in conjunction with the Reserve Bank is monitoring compliance on the repatriation process.

40. In order to develop a strong and secure banking sector that is immune to systemic risk, I have mandated the Reserve Bank to develop a framework for mergers between the banking institutions given that some banks are failing to comply with capital requirements.

42. To date, US$62 million was allocated to eleven (11) participating banks of which US$45.2 million worth of projects have been approved by the ZETREF Assessment Committee. Actual disbursements to date are US$17.8 million.

43. Low disbursements are due to delays by banks in paying upfront fees, and applying for draw-downs.

Participating
Bank
Allocated
Amount
US$ Approvals by the Committee
US$ Disbursements
US$

Trust Bank 3 000 000 1 000 000 714 200
Kingdom Bank 4 000 000 - -
Agribank 5 000 000 4 970 000 -
BancABC 5 000 000 4 000 000 -
NMB 5 000 000 5 065 000 3 309 480
POSB 5 000 000 250 000 -
TN Bank 5 000 000 2 240 000 299 988
ZB Bank 5 000 000 3 980 000 2 250 000
Metropolitan Bank 5 000 000 5 000 000 3 571 360
IDBZ 10 000 000 8 904 219 600 000
FBC Bank 10 000 000 9 746 942 7 099 261
Total 62 000 000 45 156 161 17 844 289
Sectoral Distribution

44. The manufacturing sector dominates the sectoral distribution of the project, which shows that most funds were allocated to the productive sectors of the economy for purposes of increasing capacity utilisation as well as value addition.

Sectoral Distribution of ZETREF Beneficiaries
Sector Percentage (%)
Manufacturing 57
Agriculture 26
Health 13
Tourism 1
Media 3

45. Following the launch of DiMAF in Bulawayo, on 10 October 2011, modalities for implementation of the Facility were put in place and eligible companies were invited to submit projects to CABS.

46. To date, applications submitted to CABS amount to US$16.9 million, of which US$12.2 million is for Bulawayo projects. Projects totalling US$3.4 million have been approved, whilst actual disbursements amount to US$1.97 million.

47. Cumulative declared exports shipment for the period 1 January to 2 March 2012 increased by 6.38% reaching U$584 million compared to U$549 million dollars declared in the same period in 2011. Of this amount, mining followed by tobacco exports accounted for the bigger share of 70.5% and 14.5% respectively.

Export Performance 1 January to 2 March 2012
Sector Exports:1 Jan to 2 March 2011 (U$ m) Exports:1 Jan to 2 March 2012 (U$ m)
Mining 334 412
Tobacco 419 85
Agriculture 32 37
Manufacturing 30 47
Horticulture 3 1
Hunting 2 1
Total 549 584

Mineral Exports Contribution
Mineral Contribution (%)
Platinum 29.7
Diamonds 27.3
Gold 23.6
Ferrochrome 9.2
Others 10.2
Total 100

49. Zimbabwe will be conducting its fourth population census after independence, from 18 – 28 of August 2012. This is an important exercise which provides socio-economic data required in the formulation, monitoring and evaluation of development plans and programmes.

50. A sum of US$37.2 million is required to carry out the 2012 Population Census. A provision of US$22 million was made in the 2012 National Budget for the exercise. The balance of US$15.2 million will have to be sourced, also targeting development partners.

51. I shall issue a Statutory Instrument in due course to give legal effect to the 2012 Population Census.

52. Government, through the Ministry of Finance, will continue to update the Nation on the State of the Economy through issuing monthly Press Statements.

Constitution Watch of 13th March 2012 [Progress on COPAC's Review of the First Draft]

CONSTITUTION WATCH 2012

[13th March 2012]

Progress on COPAC’s Review of the First Draft

Work on First Draft Speeds Up

COPAC co-chairs complete their review of first draft

On Tuesday 6th March the three COPAC co-chairs – Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana of ZANU-PF, Douglas Mwonzora of MDC-T and Edward Mkhosi of MDC – announced that they had completed their own “review” of the first draft of the new constitution on Monday 5th March. This had been done with the assistance of the technical committee [this is the 17-member committee representing the three GPA parties and the chiefs] and expert advisers. The next step, they said, was for their review report to be presented to the full Select Committee which would in turn go through the draft.

Draft considered by full Select Committee

On Wednesday last week the co-chairs presented their review report to the full COPAC Select Committee. Working at the Harare International Conference Centre, the Select Committee then started going through the report and the first draft of the constitution. The COPAC press statement issued at a press and civil society briefing at noon that Friday said that the Select Committee’s review was “nearly complete”. Later information was that the Select Committee was expected to finish the job on Monday 12th March. A report would then be given to the Management Committee at a meeting also planned for Monday, but subsequently rescheduled for today Tuesday 13th March. But, as key members of the committee, ZANU-PF negotiator and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs Patrick Chinamasa and Emerson Mnangagwa are not available on Tuesday, the meeting may not take place or may not be able to finalise the parked issues.

Management Committee to decide on “parked issues”

At its meeting the Management Committee is expected to decide on the remaining outstanding issues which have until now been “parked” because of inter-party disagreements at Select Committee level. These parked issues include devolution of power, the death penalty and dual citizenship.

Request for draft by the GPA principals?

Although at meeting on 27th February the GPA principals said they would like to see the completed draft on 12th March [a request – not an ultimatum as reported by the press] they will obviously have to wait a few weeks longer.

Remaining Work of Three Lead Drafters

the lead drafters cannot start work on the final version of the draft constitution until all issues have been finally agreed, by COPAC co-chairs, the COPAC Select Committee, the Management Committee, which includes the Minister of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs and the three GPA parties’ negotiators, and by the GPA principals – President Mugabe, Prime Minster Tsvangirai and DPM Mutambara.

COPAC believes the work the three lead drafters will need to do can be completed within five days.

COPAC Rejects Criticism of UNDP-Sponsored Foreign Expert Adviser

At Friday’s briefing the co-chairs, responding to questions, dismissed savage criticism from within ZANU-PF of the presence within the COPAC process of UNDP-sponsored South African expert adviser, Hassen Ebrahim. This had appeared in The Herald of 8th March. ZANU-PF co-chair Mangwana explained that Mr Ebrahim’s appointment by the UNDP had been approved by the co-chairs, that he was an internationally recognised constitutional expert and that they had no reservations about his purely advisory contribution to the constitution-making process. A separate press statement, signed by all three co-chairs confirmed this and emphasised that “key decisions in this process have been made by COPAC itself”. The statement also expresses “gratitude for the support given to us by the UNDP and the consortium of donors who have so generously supported the process” and concludes thus: “Without the financial and technical assistance from our co-operating partners, COPAC would not have made the progress it has made.”

More From COPAC’s Press Briefing of Friday 9th March

Other issues were touched on in COPAC’s first press statement on Friday:

Materials the drafters used “The people’s views collected during outreach formed the basis for the discussions around the proposed new draft. These views which were collected during outreach are contained in the national report which is still under construction as it is about the whole process. It is from this report that two important draft foundational documents, one of constitutional issues and the other of constitutional principles were derived. In drafting the proposed draft, the drafters used these two important documents as well as the gap-filling document produced by the Select Committee with the assistance of its Technical Committee. This process therefore guarantees that the people’s views will be contained in the new draft.”

Publicising the second/final draft “Once this document is in place, it will be then be widely publicized to give all Zimbabweans to familiarise with its contents before it is taken to the Second All-Stakeholders Conference.” Translations into all indigenous languages will be provided.

Purpose of Second All-Stakeholders Conference

“As this is a people-driven process, the purpose of the conference is to give Zimbabweans, through their representatives, an opportunity to comment on the draft before it is finalised and taken to Parliament for debate and the referendum thereafter.”

Comment on COPAC’s Statement

On materials given to lead drafters The brief 26-item constitutional principles document was sent out in Constitution Watch of 21st February and subsequently appeared in the press. But COPAC has not so far made public the other two documents referred to – the constitutional issues document and the gap-filling document. Nor has it released its instructions to the three lead drafters, although doing so might have served to dampen the unpleasant campaign of criticism directed at them personally by those objecting to certain provisions in their leaked first draft.

On the national report The statement that this national report will be “about the whole process”, and is therefore still under construction, is unconvincing. Of course COPAC is expected to produce a report on the whole constitution-making process. But previously COPAC has given the impression that the process of gathering the views of the people would result in a national report on the outreach, with a statistical component and a narrative component. The leaked “national report” published by the Herald in December covers statistics of outreach meetings only; it does not include Diaspora contributions or those received directly by COPAC from stakeholders such as Parliament, the disabled, children; and it has no narrative component, analysing all contributions from both the qualitative and the quantitative angles. The qualitative/quantitative arguments between ZANU-PF and the other parties delayed progress last year when the district and provincial outreach reports were being compiled. So this latest statement reads like an attempt to gloss over the inability of the political parties within COPAC to reach consensus on the narrative component of the promised national report on the whole outreach exercise.

COPAC Expenditure

Cost of the drafting stage The total cost of the drafting stage is put at $1.7 million. This stage is regarded as having commenced with the Great Zimbabwe Hotel, Masvingo Workshop at the beginning of November, so the amount covers not only the remuneration of the three lead drafters but also the work of the fifteen technical experts and rapporteurs who have contributed to this part of the constitution-making process, their meetings and the workshops and retreats of the co-chairs and the Select Committee.

Second All-Stakeholders Conference The current forecast within COPAC for holding the conference is “April or May”. The budget for the conference is $2.1 million. This will be a smaller gathering [2 500 delegates] than the First All-Stakeholders Conference in July 2009 [which involved over 4 000 delegates].

COPAC Preparatory work for Referendum This will cost about $200 000. But the costs and organisation of the Referendum itself will be the responsibility of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.

Estimated overall expenditure COPAC’s total expenditure is likely to hit the $45 million mark. About half of that was spent on the outreach programme, which not only overran its originally planned 65 days by another 40 days, but also involved nearly twice as many people – 1300 all told – than the originally planned 700. Transport costs were very high – principally for hiring vehicles and paying for fuel. 260 vehicles were hired at a basis cost of $100 per vehicle, but with distances over 200 kilometres per day costing extra. Another major component of outreach costs was made up of accommodation and subsistence and remuneration for those involved in the programme.

COPAC Co-ordinator Gift Marunda has rejected allegations that the prospect of substantial financial gains for the parliamentarians on the Select Committee has prompted undue prolonging of the constitution-making process.

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