New Zimbabwe
By Lebo
Nkatazo
Last updated: 03/20/2006 10:57:36
MORGAN Tsvangirai delivered his
most passionate speech yet Saturday,
pledging to quit as MDC leader "once
the people have liberated themselves."
Aming cheers from 15 000 delegates
attending the party's congress in Harare,
Tsvangirai threatened to lead a
wave of mass protests against President
Robert Mugabe's regime "from the
front" until democracy was restored in
Zimbabwe.
Tsvangirai
thundered: "A storm is upon the horizon. You must prepare for a
long cold
winter across the country (and) from today, fellow Zimbabweans,
kindly save
a penny and stock up where possible.
"I promise to lead from the front. I
promise to use all available resources
and will-power to see off the tyranny
in Zimbabwe today; to assist in
putting together the building blocks for a
new Zimbabwe and a new
beginning."
Tsvangirai, whose party has been
rocked by internal divisions, made no
mention of another faction of the MDC
led by rocket scientist Arthur
Mutambara which was holding a rally in
Bulawayo Sunday.
Analysts say the divisions have weakened the MDC, and
doubts remain about
the viability of street protests which have previously
been crushed by
security forces or failed to attract the
"masses".
But Tsvangirai, backed by civic groups which have been calling
for a tough
line against Mugabe's government, is convinced elections will
not end
President Mugabe's 26-year reign.
He added: "The bottom line
is that we must rise and confront what is before
us."
Tsvangirai
appeared to answer some critics who have suggested he was
exhibiting
dictatorial tendencies, saying his intention was not to become
"life
president".
He said: "A new Zimbabwe, a new beginning has no room for
life presidents.
It has never been my intention to hold on to power after
the people have
liberated themselves from this dictatorship. My contract
with the people
does not extend beyond a certain time-frame.
"My wish
is to execute our mandate in an honest and vigorous manner; preside
over a
transition to full democracy and pass on the baton to another
Zimbabwean.
"I believe there must be an exciting life for a pensioner
- whether that
pensioner is a peasant, former factory cleaner or a former
president. I
pledge to honour my word."
New Zimbabwe
By Staff
Reporter
Last updated: 03/20/2006 11:31:49
ZIMBABWE'S splintered main
opposition party elected new leaders at the
weekend, but failed to maintain
the delicate tribal and gender balance -- a
critical factor in African
politics.
Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the fractured Movement for
Democratic Change
(MDC) retained his position unchallenged. He heads the
party's National
Standing Committee which only has one
woman.
Meanwhile, voting was delayed by nearly two hours after a power
black out at
the City Sports Centre.
The committee has no
representative from the minority Ndebele population in
a substantive
position, save for Thokozani Khupe and Lovemore Moyo who were
only elected
as deputies to Tsvangirai and Isaac Matongo (national chairman)
respectively.
A political commentator watching the developments said
Sunday: "For the
first time in Zimbabwe, we have a party that does not have
a Ndebele in a
substantive leadership position. If you compare with the
previous set-up,
there were four Ndebeles in substantive
positions.
"The treasurer was Fletcher Dulini, Welshman Ncube was
secretary general,
Esaph Mdlongwa the organising secretary and Paul Themba
Nyathi the party
spokesman. But that has all been reversed, and it speaks
volumes about what
is really the cause of the split -- tribal interests.
It's a set-up that
would shame even Zanu PF."
Nelson Chamisa, who
beat Grace Kwinjeh in the race for party spokesman,
suggested Sunday that
they would be looking to re-establish some balance
when the party's national
council meets.
Said Chamisa: "These people were all directly elected and
we realise that we
have to establish some balance, particularly with regards
to women because
there is only woman in the Standing Committee. I am sure
the national
council will put that right when secretaries are
appointed.
"We should not ignore the fact that this has come from a very,
very
successful MDC congress. All delegates are back in their districts
feeling
reinvigorated and ready to confront Mugabe and his
dictatorship."
The MDC has split into two after some of Tsvangirai's
senior lieutenants
left him following differences over the party's policy on
senate elections
last November. The other faction held its congress last
month and elected
former student leader Arthur Mutambara as
leader.
Mutambara addressed a crowd of about 4 000 cheering supporters in
Bulawayo
Sunday, and kept up his mantra for a united opposition against
President
Robert Mugabe's 26-year-rule.
However, the gap between
Tsvangirai and Mutambara's camps appears too wide
to be
bridged.
Tsvangirai his faction's congress Saturday, urging Zimbabweans
to brace for
a series of "peaceful, democratic resistance" protests against
Mugabe's
nearly 26-year rule.
"I call upon you to heed calls... for a
sustained cold season of peaceful
democratic resistance," he told 14 000
supporters gathered at a sports arena
on the outskirts of Harare for a
convention of an MDC faction.
He said the country's electoral system and
judiciary had failed the party,
denying it clear victory in the 2000
parliamentary elections and a 2002
presidential poll.
"We need a
short, sharp, programme of action to free ourselves," said the
former trade
union leader who has led the MDC since its formation more than
six years
ago.
"If we should come out of our present crisis, the solution will not
come
from Europe or America.
"The solution is here in Zimbabwe. Only
sustained efforts by all Zimbabweans
will bring the desired
results."
Here is a full list of the officials elected into the MDC's
National
Standing Committee:
PRESIDENT: Morgan Tsvangirai
(unopposed)
DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thokozani Khupe, MP (beat Welshman Mabhena,
Gertrude
Mthombeni)
NATIONAL CHAIRMAN: Isaac Matongo
(unopposed)
DEPUTY NATIONAL CHAIRMAN: Lovemore Moyo, MP (beat Fidelis Mhashu,
Sekai
Holland)
SECRETARY GENERAL: Tendai Biti, MP (beat T. Mashakada,
I. Makone, E.
Mangoma)
DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL: Tapiwa Mashakada, MP
(beat I. Makone, P. Gwanyaya,
Seiso Moyo)
ORGANISING SECRETARY: Elias
Mudzuri (beat Paul Madzore, Murirwa)
DEPUTY ORGANISING SECRETARY: Morgan
Nkomichi
INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY: Nelson Chamisa, MP (beat Grace
Kwinjeh)
TREASURER: Roy Bennett (unopposed)
Also elected were the
chairpersons of the youth and women's assembly, with
Thamsanqa Mhlanga and
Lucia Matibenga winning respectively.
Big, bold and brassy was the UK
response to Zanu-PF's attempt to undermine
the MDC Congress. The MDC in the
UK joined the Vigil to protest against
Mugabe's inept efforts to taint the
MDC with trumped-up treason charges.
The UK diaspora gathered outside
Zimbabwe House buzzing with anger at the
threat to the last vestiges of
democratic space. Ephraim Tapa, Chair of MDC
Central London Branch, said
the MDC Congress was the only way to deliver
Zimbabwe from Mugabe's tyranny.
The MDC-UK's Publicity and Information
Secretary, Mathew Nyashanu, said that
every gathering we have in Britain was
an embarrassment for a terrorist
government and gave the diaspora an
opportunity to articulate its case to
the international community. We were
pleased that the Chair of the MDC-UK
Women's Branch, Suzeet Kwenda-Ruwona,
and others from branches throughout
the country were there to express their
outrage at what is going on in
Zimbabwe. Among MDC branches represented
were Leicester, Birmingham,
Sheffield, South Bedforshire, Southend and
Leeds.
We can't let this
diary go by without recording that Francesca, our 15 year
old supporter from
Kent, has written to Mrs Blair in her capacity as a human
rights lawyer, and
also Tesco and Sainsbury's questioning their involvement
in Zimbabwe. The
replies were not satisfactory but she is setting an
example of lobbying
which should inspire others.
A popular innovation was a poster "Take a
shot at Mugabe" which showed a
picture of Mugabe with his mouth agape
superimposed on a dartboard. It was
extraordinary how warlike the anti-war
protesters were who came past us on
their way from a big protest in
Trafalgar Square. Many of them demanded
darts. Another snapshot on our
last Winter Vigil: a fellow drinking from a
can of beer who appeared to be a
typical down and out approached us. We
immediately thought he was touting
for money but instead he gave us £10.
With unexpected support like that we
can only believe that Spring will bring
change and new growth in
Zimbabwe.
Best wishes to our friends in Bristol who mount their first
Vigil (sister to
our Vigil) next Saturday (25th March). We are sending
representatives from
our Vigil to support them. The Bristol Vigil will be
held from 11 am - 3 pm
at the corner of Cheltenham Road and Claremont Road.
We understand from the
organisers that they will be supported by the local
Zimbabwe Women's Refugee
Group. They are also expecting Tabitha Khumalo,
the prominent Zimbabwean
trade unionist. They have good music lined up as
well. Directions: from
Temple Meads Station, catch the 73 bus to Cheltenham
Road and get out at
Colston Girls School. Continue walking up Cheltenham
Road and at the cross
roads you will see the Vigil as the top of Cheltenham
Road leads onto
Claremont Road.
FOR THE RECORD: 115 signed the
register.
FOR YOUR DIARY: Zimbabwe Forum, Upstairs at the Theodore
Bullfrog pub, 28
John Adam Street, London WC2 (cross the Strand from the
Zimbabwe Embassy, go
down a passageway to John Adam Street, turn right and
you will see the pub).
· Monday, 20th March, 7.30 pm - Elizabeth
Bishop will talk about her
work with the Medical Foundation for the Care of
Victims of Torture.
· Monday, 27th March, 7.30 pm - Yvonne Marimo of
the Zimbabwe
Women's Network will talk about social issues affecting women
of the
Zimbabwean Diaspora.
Vigil co-ordinator
The Vigil,
outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place
every Saturday
from 14.00 to 18.00 to protest against gross violations of
human rights by
the current regime in Zimbabwe. The Vigil which started in
October 2002 will
continue until internationally-monitored, free and fair
elections are held
in Zimbabwe. http://www.zimvigil.co.uk
The election of a new MDC leadership
under Morgan Tsvangirai has been
welcomed by the MDC-UK Chair, Washington
Ali, as a signal to Mugabe that the
writing is on the
wall.
"Tsvangirai is a symbol of our struggle against the regime. The
MDC
Congress has reaffirmed that he is the man to carry us
forward."
Mr Ali said Mugabe has had his time. The people have had
enough. "We have
been watching and now we are going to start acting. Here
we come."
Washington Ali was speaking after a well-attended MDC
demonstration at the
Zimbabwe Vigil in London last Saturday. He said the
diaspora must join
forces to confront the regime. Tsvangirai had extended
his hand to
dissidents to come back to the party and join with those leading
the
struggle.
On the failure of the state's treason charges against
MDC activists, he said
the torture of detainees showed the pressure the
Mugabe regime was under.
Washington Ali was interviewed by the Zimbabwe
Vigil.
The Vigil, outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes
place
every Saturday from 14.00 to 18.00 to protest against gross violations
of
human rights by the current regime in Zimbabwe. The Vigil which started
in
October 2002 will continue until internationally-monitored, free and fair
elections are held in Zimbabwe. http://www.zimvigil.co.uk
Business Report
March 20,
2006
Zimbabwe had suspended plans to buy and combine three fertiliser
companies,
the Sunday Mail reported yesterday, citing trade and industry
minister Obert
Mpofu.
Plans to combine Sable Chemical, Zimbabwe
Fertiliser and Windmill were on
hold as they would "compound" shortages,
said the Harare-based paper.
Fertiliser production in Zimbabwe
has fallen to about 30 percent of
capacity. - Bloomberg, Maputo
Business Report
March 20,
2006
Zimbabwe's National Foods Holdings suspended production of
vegetable oils
due to a lack of raw materials caused by a foreign currency
shortage, the
Zimbabwe Independent said, citing spokesperson Linda
Musesengwa.
Zimbabwe's biggest miller and cooking oil producer, partly
owned by Anglo
American and Tiger Brands, expected to resume production in
May, the paper
reported on its website on Friday. Sales of edible oils
account for a fifth
of the company's income. - Bloomberg, Johannesburg
March 20,
2006
By Andnetwork .com
Delegates attending a major
conference of the Morgan Tsvangirai-led
faction of Zimbabwe's opposition
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party
were Sunday expected to vote for
a boycott of all future elections held by
President Robert Mugabe's
government, reports said.
Many supporters of MDC faction leader
Morgan Tsvangirai were reported
to have turned out for the weekend congress
in the Zimbabwean capital
Harare.
On Saturday, Tsvangirai told
his supporters to intensify their
resistance to the 'tyranny' of Mugabe's
government, according to one
newspaper.
'The call is made to
you once again to intensify the peaceful
democratic resistance to the
current tyranny,' The Standard quoted
Tsvangirai as saying.
'Your resilience to reclaim your rights has shaken Mugabe's corridors
of
power,' he added.
The delegates were due Sunday to vote on new
policy decisions,
including whether or not to boycott future elections and
participate in
parliament.
Elections for internal party
positions were also due to be held,
although there was unlikely to be any
real challenge to Tsvangirai as party
president.
Tsvangirai
claims Mugabe and his ruling Zimbabwe African National
Union - Patriotic
Front (ZANU-PF) stole victory in elections held in 2000,
2002 and
2005.
The MDC split late last year over whether or not it should
participate
in elections for a new senate. A rival faction held its own
congress in the
second city of Bulawayo last month and elected their own
leader, firebrand
former student leader Arthur Mutambara.
Source: Standard/Agencies
March 20, 2006
By
Andnetwork .com
THE National Parks and Wildlife Management
Authority has reported to
the police the alleged illegal killing of a lion
in the Gwayi Conservancy by
a professional hunter, the Sunday News has
learnt.
Bulawayo's Criminal Investigations Department is
probing the hunter
(name supplied) who works for a company owned by a
prominent politician in
Matabeleland North province (name
supplied).
The Sunday News cannot name the politician and his
hunter because the
Parks Authority is reluctant to publicly reveal them. The
handing over of
the case to the police follows internal investigations by
the Parks
Authority, which concluded that there were serious irregularities
in the
lion hunt.
The Gwayi area was placed under moratorium by
the Parks Authority to
curb a significant drop in the lion population and
allow for the improvement
of the trophy quality. The hunt, during a
legitimate ban, was therefore
illegal. Sources close to the goings-on told
the Sunday News that the Parks
Authority completed its own
investigations.
"We finished our investigations some time back. All
we have done is to
hand over the issue to the Criminal Investigations
Department at the Central
Police Station in Bulawayo," said an official who
declined to be named for
professional reasons.
Contacted for
comment on Friday, the authority's public relations
manager, Retired Major
Edward Mbewe, would not reveal further details but
confirmed that
investigations are underway.
"That issue is under investigation. At
the moment we are trying to
establish where the lion was hunted. What
actually happens in hunting is
that a farmer is not supposed to hunt in any
other farm except one's own.
When you are allocated a lion quota and the
lion happens to move outside
your farm, it ceases to be yours.
"I can confirm that Kusile district was last year allocated a lion
quota.
That we do not dispute. What is of interest to us is to establish the
point
of execution of the hunt. That is what we are investigating at the
present
moment," said Rtd Major Mbewe.
However, impeccable sources within
the Parks Authority told the Sunday
News that the lion hunt was conducted on
a private farm.
"It is true that Kusile district had a quota
allocated to them to hunt
a lion. Our investigations established that the
lion hunt took place in a
private farm. The story of investigations being
underway is all but just a
smokescreen as some people are trying to protect
some big fish who could be
involved," said the source.
Meanwhile, on a separate matter, there is controversy as to where the
Hwange
Rural District Council recently got the permission to hunt down and
kill two
problem lions that were causing havoc in the Mabale communal area.
The Minister of Tourism and Environment, Cde Francis Nhema, agreed in
a
telephone interview on Friday that he had an informal discussion on the
issue of the problem lions, dismissing any chance of him having granted
official permission.
"Yes, they talked to me about the problem
lions. I consented that
something had to be done. But if they went on to
kill the lions then that is
a problem as they were supposed to follow the
right procedures," Cde Nhema.
He said usually the problem animals
with regards to lions consist
mainly "the old lions that no longer have the
strength to go on a full hunt
and then turn to easy prey such as people and
livestock. At other times
other smaller animals might be influenced to
follow the stray one".
Rtd Major Mbewe confirmed the killing of the
Mabale lions, but
explained that the Parks Authority was not
involved.
"Last year, the Hwange Rural District Council granted us
permission to
track down the lions and kill them. The permit expired before
we could even
locate the animals and we pulled out. When the problem
resurfaced they were
supposed to communicate again with us so that we could
go and assist them.
Investigations are underway to establish what exactly
transpired," he said.
The illegal killing of lions in Matabeleland
North province comes at a
time when lion researchers have projected a
drastic decrease in the
population of the big cat amid fears of
extinction.
"The current thinking is that . lions in Botswana and
Zimbabwe are
safe (at least from disease). Loss of habitat and prey species
is what will
impact our lion populations in the next ten years," said Dr
Andrew
Loveridge, the head of the lion research team based at Hwange
National Park.
Commenting on fears that a disease resembling Human
Immuno-deficiency
Syndrome is wiping out lions, Dr Loveridge said: "I am
assuming that you are
talking about FIV (Feline Immuno-deficiency Virus). If
so, there was some
research done in Botswana that suggested that it might be
a problem.
However, it has since been shown that while lions do get the
disease, they
have antibodies to the virus. As such, they do not die from it
and probably
do not even show any symptoms."
FIV was first
discovered in a domestic cat in California, United
States, in 1986.
Research shows that FIV among domestic cats, like HIV in humans, is
often
lethal.
Source : Sunday News
· Refugee
groups angry over revival of divisive system
· Home Office says cash is
incentive to stay in UK
Alan Travis, home affairs editor
Monday March
20, 2006
The Guardian
Asylum seekers are to be forced again to
live on supermarket vouchers
instead of cash five years after the government
scrapped the controversial
system because it was unfair and
unworkable.
Ministers will ask the Commons tomorrow to approve the return of
the
much-criticised asylum voucher system and confirm that thousands of
failed
asylum seekers should not be allowed to receive cash help.
The
decision has angered refugee welfare groups, who say the vouchers
stigmatise
asylum seekers, damage community relations and are more difficult
to
administer than cash. The system sparked so much outrage when it was last
tried five years ago that the then home secretary, David Blunkett, was
forced to scrap it.
"There is no fairness in stigmatising people
by forcing them into a
different system when all they want is to buy a few
necessities," said Maeve
Sherlock, the chief executive of the Refugee
Council.
The vouchers can only be used to buy food and drink in a limited
number of
supermarkets and shops, which often do not provide culturally
suitable food
such as halal meat, or can only be used in city centre
branches. No change
can be given, which means asylum seekers sometimes pay
more than anybody
else, or buy things they don't need to make up the
amount.
The vouchers are to be paid to more than 5,000 failed asylum
seekers who
qualify for "hard case" support because they cannot be sent back
to
countries such as Zimbabwe, Somalia and Iraq, which Britain considers
unsafe, or there is no safe return route or the asylum seeker is too sick to
travel.
They get a bed and either three meals a day and no financial
support or £35
in vouchers each week to buy food and toiletries. MPs will be
asked tomorrow
to confirm this return of vouchers and approve the extension
of their use
for other essentials such as nappies or clothes.
A Home
Office spokeswoman said the decision had been taken to reintroduce
vouchers
because "hard case" support provided a limited form of help for
those about
to leave Britain: "It should not act as an incentive to remain
in the UK
once they have exhausted their appeal rights."
The immigration minister,
Tony McNulty, has said the immigration bill to be
voted on by MPs tomorrow
allows provision of cash or vouchers. But refugee
groups say local providers
are being told they can only use vouchers.
Home Office research published
in 2002 when the decision to scrap their use
last time was announced said
many asylum seekers felt embarrassed using the
vouchers. They often faced
difficulties at the supermarket checkout and
hostility from other customers
behind them.
Ms Sherlock of the Refugee Council said the government may
claim it was only
a short-term measure but reality for many on "hard case"
support was that a
cashless system would be a long-term way of life because
conditions in Iraq,
Zimbabwe and Somalia showed no
improvement.
"People whose applications have been rejected only get any
support if they
sign up for voluntary removal and follow all the rules. So
why does the
government still feel they have to be stigmatised, and made to
jump through
hoops to get the basics they need to survive?" she
asked.
Backstory
Vouchers were originally introduced by Jack Straw
when he was home secretary
in April 2000 as a replacement for cash benefits
to deter economic migrants.
This provoked a successful campaign by refugee
welfare groups and the unions
led by Bill Morris, retiring Transport and
General Workers' Union general
secretary. They were scrapped by David
Blunkett after he became home
secretary. He said they were "too slow,
vulnerable to fraud and felt to be
unfair by both asylum seekers and local
communities". When she was
immigration minister Angela Eagle said "moving to
cash will mean that asylum
seekers will be able to spend their money where
they like, and they will not
have a limited choice of shops in which they
can use their vouchers".
Zim Daily
Monday, March 20 2006 @ 12:04 AM GMT
Contributed by:
correspondent
THE Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has increased
statutory reserve
ratios for banks, the second such measure in as many
months, in a bid to
stem credit expansion. As a consequence, commercial and
merchant banks will
now have to deposit 60 percent of their call and demand
money with the
central bank, up from the previous ratio of 55 percent
announced last month.
Statutory reserves requirements on discount houses
have also been hiked from
30 percent to 45 percent. Banking industry sources
told Zimdaily that the
central bank had resorted to this aggressive policy
as a means of achieving
the goal it had targeted through the shelved new
primary dealership
arrangement.
"The central bank
realises there is a lot of money lying about,
especially with institutions
that have large deposit books. The move is
meant to achieve what the primary
dealership was meant to achieve, to halt
credit expansion," a Harare banking
analyst said. Two major banking firms,
CBZ Holdings and Kingdom Financial
Holdings Limited release their 2005
financials today. The central bank also
hiked the bank rate from 700 percent
to 750 percent .
Zim Daily
Monday, March 20 2006 @ 12:03 AM GMT
Contributed by:
correspondent
ZIMBABWE's power utility will introduce a massive
power
rationing programme which will see most parts of the country being
switched
off for periods ranging up to six hours from June In a circular to
captains
of industry and commerce, by the Zimbabwe Electricity Distribution
Company
(ZEDC) business leaders were advised of the prolonged blackout which
would
negatively affect companies and inconvenience a lot of
families.
According to ZEDC the massive power rationing will
be in winter
(June -August) ironically when electricity consumption it at
its highest.
"Owing to the precarious nature of electricity supplies in the
country over
the winter peak load period, ZEDC may (on an as when required
basis) have to
curtail demand in order to maintain supply and demand balance
particularly
during peak-loading times which are usually 0600 - 1000 hours
(mornings) and
1700 - 21 00 hours (evenings)," reads part of the
memo.
The memo said consumers in Harare and Chitungwiza,
would be the
first to experience load-shedding on the first of June with the
rest of the
country to follow in subsequent weeks. The memo does not however
say whether
the situation would improve in summer. "ZEDC may disregard the
load-shedding
programme and may switch off certain areas in cities for
whatever period and
without advance warning in the event of a serious
deficit in power
supplies," reads the memo.
The proposed
winter supply cuts come at a time when the state
power utility is battling
to raise foreign currency to pay for imports from
South Africa, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Mozambique who
supply 40% of the
country's power requirements. The three countries
especially South Africa
experience winter around the same time as Zimbabwe
and therefore will be
unable to maintain the same level of power exports to
their crisis-hit
neighbour.
Daily Mirror, Zimbabwe
Takunda
Maodza
issue date :2006-Mar-20
THE MDC pro-Senate camp led by Arthur
Mutambara says it will not take part
in any election in the country until
the 2008 presidential race to give the
opposition party enough time to
market its new doctrine and ideology.
Addressing two separate rallies in
Mhondoro-one in Kawara village and the
other at Monera Business Centre at
the weekend, St Mary's legislator Job
Sikhala said the opposition party was
currently on an outreach programme
expected to cover all provinces.
"We
are not going to participate in any polls because our new president has
new
strategies on how to win elections and unseat the Zanu PF government
through
the democratic route," he said.
He described the impending local government
polls scheduled for August this
year and any other by-election that might
come before the 2008 presidential
polls, as non- events.
"They are
non-events. Each and every cent belonging to the party must be
channelled
towards its revival. Every arsenal must be used to foster the
race for 2008
presidential elections," added Sikhala, who is the camp's
secretary of
defence.
He told the gathering that Mutambara would soon reach each and every
cell in
the country meeting the people, exchanging views and marketing new
strategies.
The legislator agitated for constitutional reforms that would
consolidate
all elections. "We want the presidential, parliamentary and
mayoral
elections to be held all at once. Zimbabwe cannot afford to be
holding
elections time and again,-its unaffordable," he said.
Since its
divorce from the Morgan Tsvangirai anti-Senate camp, whose
congress was in
Harare over the weekend, the Mutambara faction has adopted
new principles.
Its new ideology, according to the camp, recognised the
important role
played by the country's heroes in liberating Zimbabwe from
its former
colonial master, Britain.
Of late the MDC pro-Senate camp has been singing
liberation war songs at its
rallies. Addressing provincial party structures
in Chitungwiza a fortnight
ago, Mutambara confirmed the new ideology his
party was pursuing.
The newly elected MDC leader also stressed the importance
of giving land to
the majority saying: "We also want land (President) Mugabe
says we do not
want it because we are sell outs and puppets. Land must go to
the people,
the poor, and the peasants
"We are also coming in with the
tradition of the liberation war recognising
the role played by people like
(Hebert) Chitepo, (Josaya) Tongogara, Nikita
Mangena and John Nkomo.
No
one owns the history of the liberation struggle. We are coming in the
tradition of the ZANLA and ZIPRA fighters." he said.
"We are also
anti-imperialist and against the colonisation of Africa. We are
an African
patriotic opposition party, a people that know their history."
The pro-Senate
camp participated in local government elections in
Chitungwiza and Bulawayo
since it cut ties with Tsvangirai, but both MDC
factions lost heavily to
Zanu PF.
The anti-Senate camp went on to field Francis Dhlakama in the
Chegutu
by-election that the Mutambara faction ignored.
Zanu PF is set to
reclaim the Budiriro constituency in Harare following the
death of Gilbert
Shoko early this month if both MDC factions stick to the
election
boycotts.
While the anti-Senate camp has not categorically stated that it
will not
partake in elections, reliable sources said Tsvangirai was
increasingly
becoming uncomfortable with the electoral route.
Meanwhile,
Mutambara yesterday addressed his first rally in Bulawayo since
his election
as MDC president last month where he stressed the need for a
new
constitution.
According to our correspondent in Bulawayo, Mutambara said: "We
are going to
put pressure on Zanu PF to come up with a people oriented
constitution and
hold elections under such new constitution. If that fails,
we are going to
employ plan B"
He would not elaborate what course of
action the opposition party would
employ on plan B, but ruled out usurping
power undemocratically.
The former University of Zimbabwe student leader
pledged to dump commercial
white farmers, Britain and America in their quest
for a new era.
He added the MDC of the Tsvangirai epoch found it difficult to
be accepted
by African countries as an opposition party because of its links
to white
commercial farmers, Britain and America.
"As we are refocusing
the MDC, we are saying no to puppetry. We will no
longer be driven by white
farmers, (Tony) Blair or (George) Bush," he said.
Mutambara, who reiterated
his support for the agrarian reform, added the MDC
pro-Senate camp was
currently spreading "its born again message to African
leaders."
"We are
now making sense to (South African President Thabo) Mbeki. We stand
for
African values. We will not hesitate to condemn violation of people's
rights
be it in America or Britain." Mutambara said
He promised to kick start a
variety of developmental projects in the
Matabeleland region to empower
local communities.
Daily Mirror, Zimbabwe
Patience Nyangove in Marondera
issue date
:2006-Mar-20
THE Public Service Commission (PSC) has asked the
President's Office and the
Ministry of Defence to take disciplinary action
against the war veteran, who
a fortnight ago allegedly intimidated
Mashonaland East governor, Ray
Kaukonde.
The war veteran, Mavis Makoni,
on March 1 allegedly went to Kaukonde's
offices during his absence and spoke
badly about him to a Mandizha, the
resident minister's
secretary.
According to a letter dated March 13 from PSC offices in Marondera
and
addressed to the President's Office and the permanent secretary in the
Ministry of Defence, Makoni is alleged to have said Kaukonde possessed
supernatural powers that made people fear him.
The letter further alleged
that Makoni went on to place small stones
(muteuro) in artificial flowerpots
that were in the governor's office, which
where said to possess supernatural
powers that would neutralise Kaukonde's
powers.
It further stated that on
further inquiry by the PSC to try and solve the
matter amicably Makoni
refused to co-operate.
"On further inquiry to resolve this issue amicably,
Mrs M Makoni has refused
to co-operate and even write an incident report on
what transpired.
"She has shown a lot of arrogance and intransigence to both
the offices of
the governor and the Public Service Commission.
"The
Public Service Commission views such behaviour as indecorous and
threatening. Mrs. M. Makoni has thus put the Public Service into disrepute
by her actions and her failure to apologise to the Honourable governor for
what she is alleged to have done or to give a formal explanation for her
intrusion in the governor's office leaves a lot to be desired," reads part
of the letter.
The letter also stated that the PSC recommended that a
formal investigation
be conducted with regards to Makoni's behaviour and
that she formally
apologises to Kaukonde.
When The Daily Mirror broke the
story about a fortnight ago Makoni said:
"Why should I apologise to
Kaukonde, I went to his office to collect my $50
000 his secretary owed me
and I never placed any stones," said Makoni.
Daily Mirror, Zimbabwe
Business Reporters
issue date :2006-Mar-20
AS
controversy continues to dog recent government proposals to have a major
stake in most mining companies, it has emerged that platinum giant Impala
Platinum (Implats) Mines has held a meeting with the highest office in the
country.
Implats revealed that it held a meeting with President Robert
Mugabe last
Wednesday over the contentious issue prior to the Minister of
Mines and
Mining Development, Amos Midzi's rendezvous with key players in
the sector
the very next day.
Said the platinum miner, "Implats confirms
that CEO (chief executive
officer), Keith Rumble, held a meeting with His
Excellency Comrade Robert
Mugabe and senior members of the Zimbabwe
government on Wednesday 15 March
2006. These discusssions centred on the
recently announced Cabinet approved
draft proposals relating to ownership of
the Zimbabwean platinum industry.
These discussions were open and frank and
it was confirmed the draft
proposals were still work in progress."
The
latest development comes amid silence on the part of the mining industry
as
to what exactly transpired during their meeting with Midzi last
Thursday.
They also did not elaborate what their position is with respect to
proposed
amendments to the Mines and Minerals Act announced by government
two weeks
ago.
A source at gold miner, Metallon Corporation, said the
Ministry of Mines and
the mining industry had agreed that the issue being
discussed is
industry-wide and should thus be dealt with by the
representative body, the
Zimbabwe National Chamber of Mines.
When
contacted for comment, Chamber of Mines chief executive David
Murangari,
however, 'delegated' the onus to his chairman Jack Murehwa.
Murehwa, when
contacted last week, said: "We will issue a statement in due
course. All I
can say is we discussed all issues pertaining to the
proposals. Midzi is
looking at our reports and we are waiting for his
report.
He will take
our response to Cabinet and probably Parliament. But it is very
difficult
for me to give you a fixed time framework."
Murehwa is also the corporate
services executive of Zimplats Holdings, whose
South African parent company,
Impala Platinum (Implats) Mines has expressed
reservations about the mining
proposals vis-à-vis its prior signed agreement
with the government.
South
African platinum and gold companies with vested interests in the
country
have expressed their anxiety over their investments in Zimbabwe and
have
called for bilateral agreements to be signed between Harare and
Pretoria to
protect their property rights.
If passed in Parliament, the amended law would
see government and or
indigenous
people holding no less than 51 percent
of equity in large-scale mines or
mining of precious minerals, which would
have to be achieved in 7 years
after promulgation of the new legislative
piece.
Most industry players chose to remain apparently apprehensive and
tight
lipped on developments thus far, while Midzi could only confirm
meeting
industrialists over the issue and agreeing to adjourn briefly for
government
to digest submissions of the mining community.
Announcing the
set of broad proposals to the mines and minerals legislation
Midzi, about
two weeks ago, indicated that the mining industry had been
given a week
within which to respond to proposals by government on the
amendment to the
mining act.
"Yes we met (last week) and agreed on a position. The industry
has made its
submissions and we are going to look at them. We are, however,
going to
reconvene pretty soon but we have not yet set a date," said
Midzi.
He, however, said proposals by government that at least 51 percent of
equity
in all of the country's foreign-owned mines should be owned by the
state and
indigenous people is purely state policy and nothing more.
In
saying that, Midzi was responding to enquiries by the Business Mirror on
allegations from some quarters that his set of proposed amendments to the
Mines and Minerals Act were not unanimously approved by
Cabinet.
Allegations were that Midzi's proposals, which would result in
active state
and indigenous people participation in large-scale mines and
precious
mineral exploitation, had been heavily criticised by some
high-ranking
cabinet ministers.
However, in response to that Midzi said:
"The position is clear. What I have
told the nation is government
policy."
The amendments to the mining legislation are, Midzi maintained
earlier on,
broad based proposals, which would have to go through the House
of Assembly
and the Upper House for debate and refinement before they can be
passed into
law.
When announcing the set of proposals Midzi supported the
proposed position
saying the world over it is a well known fact that all
minerals are state
property and as such government was entitled to a
significant stake in all
large scale mines and in exploitation of all
precious minerals such as gold
and diamond.
Also included under the list
of minerals the state would be expected to have
significant equity if the
law being debated at these elementary stages would
be recently discovered
uranium deposits.
For gold, said Midzi, government would only participate in
large-scale
mining operations.
If the current piece of legislation is
successfully repealed then the state
would be entitled to a 25 percent
non-contributory equity, in the respective
mining operations, but pay for
the remainder and that law would apply right
away to greenfield projects,
while it would take effect in 2 years for all
existing ones.
Midzi said
government and or the indigenous people should own no less than
50 percent
equity of the said mining operations in 7 years after the passing
of the
legislation whose amendments have of late become the talk of the
country and
the international community.
Analysts agree the reasoning behind the
initiative is noble but the strategy
is ill advised and could have serious
repercussions if not properly planned
as was the case with agriculture when
gross errors were made in addressing
imbalances that had seen only a few
whites own more than three quarters of
the country's prime agricultural
land.
While proposed amendments to the Mines and Minerals Act would result in
no
less than 51 percent equity being transferred to government and or
indigenous people, the mining industry indicated that it was only
comfortable with ceding 30 percent equity.
Most large scale mines and
mining operations for precious minerals are owned
and done by foreign mines.
These include the Zimplats owned by Impala
Platinum Mines of South Africa,
which is listed on the Johannesburg and
Australian Stock
Exchanges.
Zimplats is the country's biggest platinum producer and owns Ngezi
and
Makwiro Platinum Mines.
Zimbabwe's largest but locally unlisted gold
producer Metallon Gold is owned
by South African business magnate Mzi
Khumalo. The company owns How Mine,
Mazowe Mine, Redwing Mine, Arcturus Mine
and Shamva Mine.
Another major player in the mining industry is Rio Tinto
Zimbabwe Limited,
which owns Renco Mine, Rio Tinto Zimbabwe, Empress Nickel
Mine, Sengwa Coal
Mine and also used to own Patchway Mine, which was closed
in 2003.
Also not to be left out in the league of major players in the
country's
mining industry is Anglo Gold, which is owned by Anglo American
Corporation
and Falcon Gold Zimbabwe owned by Falcon Gold International and
owns Dalny
and Venice Mines.
There are fears, however, that the
initiatives to ensure more active and
meaningful state and indigenous people
participation in mining could deal a
severe blow to the country's
international profile with regard to respect
for observance of international
private property rights, which Zimbabwe is
signatory to.
Latest
developments have sent shock waves across the country and the outside
world
and threatens to negatively affect the only remaining sector that has
resisted the economic meltdown to continue bringing in foreign currency as
well as attract reasonable foreign direct investment (FDI).
Daily Mirror, Zimbabwe
Our
Correspondent In Bulawayo
issue date :2006-Mar-20
BABOONS have become
a menace in some parts of Bulawayo's western high
density suburbs where they
are destroying crops and terrorising residents.
The marauding baboons have
wreaked havoc in Tshabalala, Emganwini Pumula and
Nketa where they are
reported to be raiding houses as well as destroying
crops in the
fields.
Last week police shot dead one of the baboons after a troop had
besieged a
block of flats in Tshabalala.
"We woke up in the morning and
discovered that two baboons were perched on
top of the roof. Everyone was
really shocked," said Nisbert Ngwenya, a
resident in the high density
area.
When The Daily Mirror news crew arrived at the block of flats recently,
a
huge excited crowd had formed booing the two wild animals, which appeared
confused and overwhelmed by the occasion.
According to residents, the
baboons were taking advantage of the green
vegetation due to recent rains to
reach residential areas undetected.
"I have been a resident here for more
than 30 years, but I have never seen
baboons or any wild animal for that
matter freely roaming residential areas
in the city. These are signs of
changing times," remarked an elderly
resident.
Last year, a baboon
believed to have travelled all the way from Victoria
Falls hiding in a
National Rails Of Zimbabwe (NRZ) wagon caused a scene in
the city centre by
terrorising people.
The cheeky baboon was taken to Chipangali Wildlife
Orphanage home where it
was later released into the vast Hwange National
Park.
No official comment could be obtained from Wildlife and Parks
management
authorities in Bulawayo at the time of going to press
yesterday.
Daily Mirror, Zimbabwe
The Daily
Mirror Reporter
issue date :2006-Mar-20
THE Pig Industry Board (PIB)
says Zimbabwe might soon experience a shortage
of pork products because of a
critical lack of stock feed.
PIB director Paul Ndiweni warned on Thursday
that the looming shortage
was likely to affect the viability of the
industry.
He said farmers were now resorting to non-conventional foods to
sustain the
porkers.
"The shortage is going to affect viability of the
industry and our excellent
market," Ndiweni said.
The PIB boss said maize
shortages in the country had resulted in reduced
feed production by
manufactures and called
on stakeholders to come up with stop gap measures to
avert a pork shortage
on the market.
Maize constitutes 70 percent of
stock feed for pigs with soya bean weighing
in at 25 percent.
The high
demand for maize has forced the government to prioritise the
milling of the
staple maize meal for humans ahead of stock feed.
Zimbabwe's annual grain
requirement stands at 1,8 million tonnes and has
been forced to import maize
from South Africa to boost its strategic
reserves.
Last year alone, the
government channelled at least Z$60 trillion towards
grain imports.
Maize
production has been affected by recurrent droughts in the past five
years.