http://www.swradioafrica.com/
By Tichaona
Sibanda
23 March 2012
The MDC-T chief of staff, Abisha Nyanguwo,
believes the raid on his home on
Thursday was part of a plan by the police
to plant weapons of war and cause
maximum damage to the party.
Armed
police officers, travelling in a vehicle that had no number plates,
were
only able to search the house after his dog had been secured to a safe
place.
‘Initially they went to the house early in the morning in my
absence and
failed to gain access because of the high security wall and the
dog. I
believe their intention then was to plant the weapons and cause
maximum
damage to Prime Minister Tsvangirai who was in London on a visit,’
Nyanguwo
said,
He added: ‘The focus was to damage the Prime
Minister’s image since he was
meeting David Cameron in London. The police
officers claimed to be from
homicide and were investigating some bombing in
Gweru. So I wondered why
they would be dealing with something that is not
murder at my house.’
Nyanguwo said the police took away a vehicle that
was parked at his house,
alleging that it been used to bomb ZANU PF offices
in Gweru. The vehicle
belongs to the MDC-T.
In 2009 Roy Bennett, the
MDC-T’s Treasurer-General, was arrested and accused
of plotting against
Mugabe. He went on trial charged with illegal possession
of arms for
purposes of terrorism and banditry but was found not guilty.
http://www.swradioafrica.com/
By Alex
Bell
23 March 2012
There is growing concern for the safety and
wellbeing of a farming family in
Chiredzi, after a week of worsening threats
and intimidation by a gang of
would-be land invaders.
Theresa Warth
of Wasara Ranch has faced a rapidly deteriorating situation
all week, which
culminated in real fear on Friday morning when the group of
invaders upped
their threatening tactics.
It’s understood that Theresa was alone on the
property at the time when the
gang started trying to break through a gate
and onto the land, with more and
more people swelling the numbers of the
group. Many of the invaders are
believed to be poachers trying to retaliate
against the Warth’s
anti-poaching patrols. By midmorning about 50 people
were shouting and
rattling the main gate at the entrance to Wasara Ranch,
yelling threats and
throwing sand at Theresa.
Theresa has apparently
tried calling the local police a number of times this
week, with no
response, and eventually an SOS alert was sent in the morning
using email,
Facebook and Twitter.
Eventually cops were dispatched to the property but
coincidentally, they
arrived not long after the land invaders had backed
off, prompting
suspicions that the gang had been tipped off about the
arrival of the ‘law’.
Theresa and her husband Gary have faced years of
intimidation and violence,
and most of their Wasara Ranch has been taken
over. Their remaining piece of
land is now known more for being a refuge for
the area’s unprotected
wildlife that have also faced threats and
intimidation from land invaders.
Many of the animals at Wasara have been
slaughtered over the years in what
is widely believed to be a deliberate
attack against the Warths. This
includes the cruel killings of two tame
giraffe that died after getting
caught in snares deliberately set high in
the surrounding trees.
The onslaught of land invaders in Chiredzi
meanwhile has spread into the
Chiredzi River Conservancy, and hundreds of
animals have been killed there.
Johnny Rodrigues, the chairman of the
Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force
(ZCTF) told SW Radio Africa on Friday that
the situation is very serious,
and there is no authority to stop the
“chaos.”
“I have tabled this in parliament, I have written letters to the
Prime
Minister and letters to the Minister for Environment, Francis Nhema,
and
nothing is being done. More and more invaders are coming into the area,
killing the animals to make way for farming, and it’s just so serious,”
Rodrigues said.
He explained how the situation at the Warth property
is an ongoing issue
that no law enforcement official has tried to sort
out.
“There is no authority to enforce the rule of law. So nothing gets
done and
people like Theresa have no assistance when they really need it,”
Rodrigues
said.
He also warned that the invasions are having a
detrimental effect on the
wildlife in the area.
“There are only about
700 animals in Chiredzi now. About 30 of the elephant
there have been killed
in two months. And all the others are just shot on
sight. It’s crazy. It’s
chaos,” Rodrigues said.
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Tererai Karimakwenda
23 March
2012
Information Minister Webster Shamu has broken his silence to snub
calls for
media reforms, allegedly ordered by the principal leaders in the
coalition
government.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told
journalists last month that he had met
with Robert Mugabe and Deputy Prime
Minister Arthur Mutambara, who had all
agreed reform of the boards of three
key media institutions was needed, as
the boards had been illegally
appointed.
Tsvangirai said Shamu had been given a March 12th deadline to
implement the
changes. But Mugabe’s spokesman George Charamba caused
confusion immediately
after the announcement by dismissing the claims,
saying no reforms had been
agreed to and the boards were
legal.
Minister Shamu has been silent on the issue until now when,
according to ZBC
news, he said the boards of the ZBC and Broadcasting
Authority (BAZ) are
“here to stay” because they were appointed “legally” by
government.
Shamu made the comments at the ZBC studios in Harare, where
14 brand new
vehicles were unveiled by the state broadcaster. This is the
second time the
Minister has ignored calls to reconstitute the media
boards.
“Some have questioned why we put former freedom fighters within
the
hierarchy of the board. This is a legally selected board which was
constitutionally selected and until its term of office expires, it will
remain in place,” Shamu said referring to the ZBC.
Tabani Moyo from
MISA-Zimbabwe described the development as “political
immaturity” and called
on the coalition government to “come in the open” and
clear the confusion on
this issue.
Regarding the Broadcasting Authority, Moyo said in terms of
the law it is
not clear where nine out of the 12 members on that board came
from. “We have
an inalienable right to freedom of expression and media
freedoms and
government must resolve this critical issue,” Moyo said.
He
explained the principal leaders need to come up with an amicable way
forward
which will result in the licensing of new players in
broadcasting.
MISA-Zimbabwe released a statement Friday calling on the
government to issue
a joint press statement signed by all three coalition
leaders. The group
said this “will go a long way in putting the matter to
finality”.
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Lance Guma
23 March
2012
Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF ministers on Tuesday used a cabinet
meeting to
launch an attack on Energy Minister Elton Mangoma, blaming him
for leaking
details of their huge unpaid electricity bills.
Last week
the Daily News exposed how Mugabe and his wife Grace owe power
utility ZESA
over US$345,000 in unpaid electricity bills, incurred at their
multiple
farms. Also exposed, with more than US$300,000 in outstanding
bills, were
Manicaland Governor Chris Mushowe and CIO boss Happyton
Bonyongwe.
A
report in the Zimbabwe Independent says Youth and Empowerment Minister
Saviour Kasukuwere, who owes ZESA US$100,602, used ‘strong language’ in
accusing Mangoma of leaking the ‘confidential information’ about the bills
“to embarrass Mugabe and ZANU PF ministers, while scoring political points.
Mangoma recently announced the launch of a crackdown on so-called ‘VIP
defaulters’ but denied leaking the bills to the press.
It’s reported
Mangoma was outnumbered during the meeting as Prime Minister
Morgan
Tsvangirai, his deputies Thokozani Khupe and Arthur Mutambara, were
not
present.
A detailed breakdown of how much Mugabe and his wife Grace owe
ZESA was
provided by the paper.
“Four plots at Foyle Farm plus a
cottage as well as Gushungo Dairy stood at
US$143 667 while Gwebi Woodlot
1st Farm owed US$24 901. Sigaro Farm 1st PO,
2nd PO, 3rd PO and 4th PO owed
a total of US$78 218.”
“The First Lady Grace Mugabe’s Iron Mask Cottage,
Iron Mask 2nd POIN, Iron
Mask 3rd POIN, Mazowe Wholesalers, Annant Cottage,
Iron Mask Farm 5th, 6th,
7th and 8th owed a total of US$98 306 as at
December 31 2011.”
Also owing the state owned power utility is Defence
Minister Emmerson
Mnangagwa (US$240,824), Transport and Communications
Minister Nicholas Goche
(US$158,245) “for his plots at Ceres Farm and
businesses, which include
grinding mills, a farm store and a service
station.”
Presidential Affairs Minister Didymus Mutasa owes US$179,590,
Air force
chief Perence Shiri US$26,947 for his Hopdale Farm, while police
boss
Augustine Chihuri’s owes US$106,778 for his homestead and his Inyika
farm.
Speaking to SW Radio Africa political commentator Phillip Pasirayi
said the
attitude of the senior government and military chiefs to the
leaking of the
bills showed how they are completely unused to any form of
accountability.
Instead of owning up or paying the bills they were
“taking everyone for
granted” and acting like Zimbabweans owe them
something.
Also in the news for a similar reason was central bank
Governor Gideon Gono,
who owes the state owned NetOne mobile network
US$800,000 in unpaid phone
bills stretching over two years. According to the
South African Sunday Times
newspaper, NetOne has now dragged Gono to court
demanding payment.
http://www.voanews.com/
22 March
2012
Mr. Cameron and Mr. Tsvangirai agreed it was essential for South
Africa and
other Southern African Development Community countries to lead
the way in
pushing for constitutional reforms which would ensure fair
elections in
Zimbabwe
Jonga Kandemiiri |
Washington
British Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday pledged
to push the
international community to insist Zimbabwe holds a free and fair
election to
avoid the 2008 run-off situation where violence was unleashed on
opposition
supporters.
Mr. Cameron spoke during a meeting with Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai at
the House of Commons in London.
The two
agreed it was essential for South Africa and other Southern African
Development Community countries to lead the way in pushing for
constitutional reforms which would ensure fair elections in
Zimbabwe.
In a statement, Mr. Cameron praised what he said were Mr
Tsvangirai's
attempts to bring about economic reforms in
Zimbabwe.
The statement said the two leaders “discussed the prospects for
holding
elections in Zimbabwe at the right time” and “both agreed that the
international community should insist on constitutional reforms before the
elections”.
Cameron vowed Britain would fully support the efforts,
but said it was
“critical for South Africa” and neighboring countries to
take the lead.
“The Prime Minister re-stated how passionate he was about
wanting Zimbabwe
to succeed and commended the MDC on progress made on the
economy,” read the
statement.
“Tsvangirai thanked the Prime Minister
for British aid, which he said was
being channeled directly to those who
needed it most,” it added.
Mr. Tsvangirai was in London to attend an
African business summit.
President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party
have said they want elections
to be held this year with or without a new
constitution. But the two MDC
formations are insisting on key reforms
first.
ZANU-PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo told VOA's Jonga Kandemiiri that
his party
will not lose sleep over Cameron’s statements or his meeting with
Mr.
Tsvangirai.
By Reagan Mashavave
(AFP) – 2 hours ago
HARARE — A Zimbabwean conservation group on Friday
said it was investigating
whether a hunting trip by US property magnate
Donald Trump's sons was legal,
after photos of their trophies sparked
outrage online.
Trump's sons Donald Junior and Eric made a hunting
expedition in Zimbabwe in
August 2010. Their pictures went viral on social
media this month, showing
them posing next to carcasses of a leopard, an
elephant, a crocodile and an
array of other animals.
The images drew
condemnation on Facebook and Twitter, where their hunting
trip was slammed
as unethical. Donald Trump Jr has insisted on Twitter that
he did nothing
wrong.
Johnny Rodriguez, chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force
told AFP
that most professional hunt guides register with his organisation
or with
the government-run Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management
Authority.
But he said his organisation does not have a record of the
Trump brothers'
hunting trip.
"We have people on the ground
investigating. We want to find out if the
hunting was ethical," he
said.
"There is a lot of corruption and unethical conduct going on in the
safaris.
We want to find the truth and where the money generated from the
hunting
went to."
"We have been told that the Trump brothers were
saying they gave game meat
to locals who were starving, that's an insult to
local people," he said.
"These people are wealthy. If they wanted to help
the people of Zimbabwe,
why didn't they build schools or something like
that, than to say that they
gave meat to starving people. The area they are
said to have hunted is
Matetsi and there are no people who live
there."
The trip was organised by Pretoria-based Hunting Legends
International,
which specialises in big game hunts for the
wealthy.
The company has insisted that the hunt near the world-famous
Victoria Falls
was completely legal, and has kept pictures of the Trumps
with their kills
on its website.
"The entire hunt was done strictly
according to the laws of the Department
of Nature Conservation in Zimbabwe
and, as is custom in these
government-controlled areas, a staff member of
the department escorted the
hunt at all times," it said in a statement on
its website.
"The hunt was entirely legal and ethically conducted as
prescribed by the
industry norms and regulations," it said. "None of the
animals hunted were
on the endangered species list and are plentiful in the
area the hunt was
conducted on."
But the outrage over the hunting
trip has already cost Donald Trump one
advertiser from his US reality
television show "The Apprentice", according
to US media.
The pictures
show Donald Junior holding a knife and a severed elephant tail,
and sitting
with a rifle next to a slain Cape buffalo. The brothers are also
seen
holding a leopard carcass, and standing next to a crocodile hanging
from a
tree.
"Donald Trump Jr. your're loser, ditto head. i'm a hunter. i hunt
for meat,
not horns. you can't eat horns," read one Twitter
post.
"Men who hunt are not men," read another.
"Someone needs to
stop these fools, maybe even hunt them," another said.
Donald Trump Jr
has insisted the trip was legitimate.
"In the area I was in, the the
wildlife board wanted to decrease the numbers
for the benefit of the herd.
Like liberal deer limits," he tweeted. "I am
also not going to apologize
because some eco nuts want me 2."
http://www.newzimbabwe.com
23/03/2012 00:00:00
by
Gilbert Nyambabvu
THE US chair of the Kimberly Process (KP) has told
Indian diamond dealers to
stay away from Zimbabwe’s Marange diamonds
claiming the gems are still under
sanctions for undermining democracy in the
country.
"I consider Zimbabwe diamonds as products under sanction,"
Gillian
Milovanovic said during two-day visit to India’s Surat region where
92
percent of the world's diamonds are cut and polished.
Milovanovic
took over as KP chair in January, replacing Mathieu Yamba of the
Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC), who successfully pushed for the
resumption of
Marange rough diamond sales despite opposition from the West.
The KP
decision was welcomed by India’s US$43 billion diamond industry where
Zimbabwe’s gems are in high demand because they are low-priced compared to
stones from other producer-countries.
The US backed the KP decision
but then unilaterally slapped two of the
companies operating in Marange with
sanctions, punishing them for going into
joint ventures with the state-owned
Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation
(ZMDC).
Indian media reports
said local dealers were shocked by the US decision
adding most companies
were now wary of exposing their links with Marange
diamonds.
Industry
experts say the sanctions make it virtually impossible to conduct
U.S.
dollar transfers to Zimbabwe, to legally pay for purchased diamonds, or
to
secure insurance coverage on diamond shipments, or even to get the
courier
services to pick up goods that were legally bought with duly signed
KP
certificates.
Mbada Diamonds, one of the companies added to the US
sanctions list, this
week warned that the move would likely imperil the
livelihoods of some
100,000 people benefiting directly and indirectly from
its operations.
"Mbada Diamonds cannot ignore the fact the US, the
biggest global consumer
of cut and polished diamonds, has selectively
sanctioned the biggest mining
revenue generating entity in Zimbabwe..." the
company said.
Officials said the sanctions were not justified adding the
US had imposed
the measures "without giving due process, armed only with
rumuors and bad
intelligence”.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti – who
expects diamond revenues to contribute
US$600 million to his budget this
year – has also said Zimbabwe should be
allowed to freely trade its
diamonds.
"Zimbabwe is a poor fragile economy and must therefore be
allowed to sell
and benefit from its resources,” Biti said.
He said
although there had been concerns over transparency and
accountability
regarding the Marange operations these have since been
addressed adding the
country no longer operated “outside the Kimberly
Process Certification
Scheme.”
http://www.newzimbabwe.com
22/03/2012 00:00:00
by Phyllis
Mbanje
POWER supplies are expected to increase across the country
over the next few
days after ZESA completed upgrades to the Hwange and
Kariba power stations,
Energy Minister, Elton Mangoma has
said.
Zimbabweans have experienced increased power supply interruptions
over the
past two weeks with some areas going for more than 19 hours without
electricity.
The poorer high density suburbs were the hardest-hit
with some going for two
days without power.
However, speaking at an
investment conference in Harare Thursday Mangoma
said the situation should
improve after generation capacity at Hwange and
Kariba power stations was
increased by 4 and 6 units respectively.
Mangoma also said the ministry would
soon launch a major expansion project
at Hwange.
“Exciting things are
happening there and by the first week of June proposals
for contracts will
have been submitted and an evaluation will follow
thereafter,” he
said.
Zimbabwe does not generate enough electricity to meet its needs and
plugs
the gap with imports from neighbouring countries which are, however,
reducing supplies due to non-payment.
“What are getting from
Mozambique is not good enough and we feel that some
people are going behind
our backs trying to influence them not to deal with
us but we are
neighbors,” Mangoma said.
“Our huge challenge then is servicing that debt
and hence it is important
for consumers to own up and pay their bills. We
are not backing down from
disconnecting defaulters after all there is
$550million of unpaid bills.”
A privately-owned daily recently published
a list of 41 senior government
officials including cabinet ministers who
allegedly owe the power utility
hundreds of thousands of
dollars.
Mangoma – who has previously conceded that senior government
officials were
among ZESA’s major defaulters -- described the “leak” as
regrettable but
said more needed to be done to encourage people to pay their
bills.
“Zimbabweans have just developed a culture of not wanting to pay.
It’s like
they are saying I can get away with not paying,” he said.
“If
you are not paying and do not have a payment plan then you are not a
serious
economic player.”
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Tichaona Sibanda
23 March
2012
The prosecution case against three Mthwakazi Liberation Front (MFL)
leaders
who are facing treason charges is shaky, their lawyer has
said.
Defence lawyer Sabelo Sibanda said the prosecution team has failed
to
produce evidence to prove that MFL leaders Charles Thomas, John Gazi and
Paul Siwela, distributed flyers calling for the separation of Matebeleland
and other parts from the rest of Zimbabwe.
The prosecution further
states that the three MFL leaders allegedly
attempted to topple the
government by distributing flyers inciting the
public to revolt against the
State. The three leaders deny the charges and
have pleaded not guilty. They
face the death sentence if convicted.
The trial opened at the Bulawayo
High Court Monday before Justice Nicholas
Ndou. Our Bulawayo correspondent
Lionel Saungweme told us evidence produced
in court so far by state
witnesses makes the
prosecution case shaky and inconsistent.
‘The case
against the three leaders has been crumbling since the trial begun
on
Monday. Two witnesses have contradicted their previous testimony and two
other key state witnesses dismissed police claims that he had seen Thomas
and Gazi distributing flyers in the city,’ Saungweme said.
There is
an assumption the defence team will wait for all state witnesses to
testify
before they decide to apply for the case to be discharged. Saungweme
said
the defence team is confident the prosecution case ‘has been built on
shaky
foundations.’
‘The defence team believes the case against their clients
was a hatchet job
meant to silence them from the political scene in
Bulawayo. They pointed to
inconsistencies even from investigation officers
as testimony that this case
should not have come this far,’ Saungweme
added.
So far seven state witnesses have testified and another seven are
lined up
to testify in the coming week, including the Bulawayo police
commander for
the Law and Order section, Superintendent Andrew Mupungu, who
is the chief
investigating officer.
http://www.radiovop.com
Trust Matsilele,
Johannesburg, March 23, 2012- Leading human rights lawyer
and acting
director of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, Dewa Mavhinga
described
Zimbabwe’s judiciary system as highly compromised due to political
involvement and direction from former ruling Zanu PF.
“The way in
which the magistrate handled the Zimbabwe 6 case demonstrated
beyond doubt
that he was getting cue from political bigwigs and to us who
followed
proceedings closely it was evident that he was under heavy pressure
and
influence from Zanu PF”, said Dewa referring to Munyaradzi Gwisai and
his
co-accused story.
Mavhinga addressing a press conference Friday in
Johannesburg added that
“Zimbabwe is not yet ready for holding of free and
fair elections as the
environment is still skewed in Zanu PF’s
favour”.
The umbrella body said it was alarmed by the level of political
deterioration and upsurge in human rights violations in
Zimbabwe.
Addressing the same meeting the deputy director for
International Commission
of Jurists Martin Masiga said his organisation was
worried by the way former
Member of Parliament Munyaradzi Gwisai and five
other activists were treated
while in police custody.
“We are
concerned about human rights situation in Zimbabwe. We are concerned
about
the treatment of Zimbabwe 6, they indicated that they were tortured
but no
steps have been taken to investigate”, added Masiga.
Tiseke Kasambala
senior researcher with Human Rights Watch said during her
recent visit to
Zimbabwe she had seen how Zanu PF had resuscitated violence
machinery.
“The environment is not conducive for elections, fear has
once again gripped
the nation and use of food as a political tool at a time
the country is
facing an acute drought is evident in places like Masvingo
were its governor
barred some humanitarian organisations from distributing
food to the needy
regardless of party affiliation”, said
Kasambala.
Mavhinga called on Southern Africa Development Community
(Sadc) to once
again free political operating space, ensure restoration of
rule of law and
help ensure that an independent electoral commission is
established as to
ensure that the next round of polls is not disputed.
http://www.voanews.com/
22 March
2012
President Mugabe
said climate change had impacted negatively on agricultural
production in
the country, raising the need for the government to lead the
way in
providing clean water to the people.
Tatenda Gumbo & Obert Pepukai |
Washington/Masvingo
"When we look at the impact and the implications
of climate change you begin
to understand that they are now affecting
internationally recognized and
protected human rights," said
Dhliwayo
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Thursday said the unity
government
should put more resources towards increasing clean water sources
in
Matebeleland and Masvingo provinces, to address crippling water shortages
caused by the drought.
Speaking in Masvingo to mark World Water Day,
Mr. Mugabe said climate change
had impacted negatively on agricultural
production in the country, raising
the need for the state to lead the way in
providing clean water.
"People with water tend to have better level of
nourishment, whereas the non
availability of water causes drought, famines
and malnutrition particularly
in these regions," said Mr. Mugabe.
He
said as climate change continues to be wreak havoc around the world, in
Zimbabwe most parts of the country no longer received enough rainfall,
affecting food security.
In other parts of Africa, such as
Mozambique, he said, floods have become
the order of the day. The theme for
this year's proceedings was "Water and
Food Security".
Speaking at
the same occasion Water Resources Minister Sam Sipepa Nkomo said
the
government has secured $800 million from a Chinese bank to fund the
Zambezi
Water Project.
Meanwhile, environmentalists in the country say Zimbabwe
lacks the technical
expertise and institutional capacity to lessen and adapt
to climate change.
Permanent secretary Florence Nhekairo of the
environmental and natural
resources management ministry says research has
shown climate change has
become the countries biggest challenge, threatening
food security and
economic growth.
Environmentalist and director
Mutoso Dhliwayo or the Zimbabwe Environmental
Law Association says the
country must come up with a comprehensive climate
change policy to address
such challenges.
"When we look at the impact and the implications of
climate change you begin
to understand that they are now affecting
internationally recognized and
protected human rights," said
Dhliwayo
Zimbabwe is one of the countries facing serious water challenges
resulting
in continued poverty, environmental degradation and disease
outbreaks –
cholera in 2008 to 2009 and lately typhoid – all ancient
diseases caused by
lack of access to clean water.
For perspective VOA
reporter Tatenda Gumbo turned to projects coordinator
Farai Mageza of the
Youth Agrarian Society and medical consultant Dr. Elliot
Chikati.
Chikati said disease outbreaks will continue to be the order
of the day if
Harare does not move with speed to address water challenges
facing the
nation.
Mageza said water is critical for all Zimbabweans
in many walks of life,
adding it is up to the government to improve good
governance to turn things
around.
http://www.voanews.com
22 March
2012
Clean drinking water in many parts of Zimbabwe remains a mirage
though
things are somewhat better than 2008-2009 when many local water
systems were
in collapse, leaving the population without safe drinking water
and even the
means of flushing toilets. Getting clean water for household
consumption is
still a daily struggle.
Violet Gonda |
Washington
Clean drinking water in many parts of Zimbabwe remains a
mirage though
things are somewhat better than 2008-2009 when many local
water systems were
in collapse, leaving the population without safe drinking
water and even the
means of flushing toilets. Getting clean water for
household consumption is
still a daily struggle.
Now the country is
facing new outbreaks of water-borne disease though
fortunately not on the
scale of the cholera epidemic of 2008 to 2009 which
took 4,300
lives.
In Bulawayo residents say the water problem has very little to do
with
rainfall patterns but much to do with lack of planning on the part of
authorities. Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association coordinator Rodrick
Fayayo said people in the region are ‘surviving through the grace of
God’
“The last dam that was built in Matabeleland I think was built more
than ten
years ago but in the last ten years we have seen an upsurge in
terms of the
population in Matabeleland and yet there hasn’t been an upsurge
in terms of
the water supply to Matabeleland,” said Fayayo.
In
Mutare, acting mayor George Jerison said the local authority inherited a
very bad situation.
He says funds to improve the water works were
initially made available to
the previous Misheck Kagurabadza-led council but
those funds were never put
to good use when the mayor was suspended with his
whole council in 2005 and
a new commission was appointed by Local Government
Minister Ignatius Chombo.
“There is water shortage in places like
Greenside but specifically in
Dangamvura, Chikanga and Hobhouse – they get
their water around 12 midnight
for two hours and after that the water is
cut.”
Harare mayor Muchadeyi Masunda described the situation in the
capital as
dire. He said the demand for water on a daily basis for the city
and those
on the outskirts is about 1,400 megalitres, but says on a good day
-
electricity permitting, the municipality produces around 640 megalitres,
far
less than what is needed.
“The problem that we have is one of
payment because as we speak Harare water
is owed a total of $106 million by
various consumers. We have to find, every
month, not less than $2million to
procure water treatment chemicals, and
money does not grow on
trees.”
Focusing on Harare, the capital and major metropolitan center,
what should
have been done by now – and by whom? Masunda said it won’t help
anyone to
‘play the blame game” as what is needed are solutions, he believes
there is
need for the central government to plan properly and to stop
sending
conflicting signals.
“From a central government perspective
we want to see more policy
positions.”
Residents agree the job is
too big to leave in the hands of the local
authority – major capital
improvements must be made eventually to stabilize
and expand water
flows.
For Bulawayo the long-term solution could be the
Matabeleland-Zambezi Water
Project bringing in major new flows from the
river. But Fayayo said there is
a lack of political will to push ahead on
this big project.
“Towards elections there is talk of that project but I
must confess that
after the coming in of Minister Sam Sipepa Nkomo we have
seen some movement
but the movement has been very slow.”
But it’s not
all doom and gloom across Zimbabwe. Kadoma Mayor Peter Matambo
said his
council has partnered with international and non-governmental
organizations
to rehabilitate water system. City water resources should be
sufficient for
demand for two years.
“We have enough water for the next 24 months. We
have a dam that is almost
95 percent full.”
But water depends on
electricity to power pumps, so the mayor says a
dedicated power line to the
system is needed to ensure that water keeps
flowing.
“Unfortunately
we have load-shedding and we have faults with the ZESA
lines.”
Reports say several local authorities have been promised
money for water
system improvements by government from a resource called
Zimfund. Jerison in
Mutare hopes these will let the town repair and replace
equipment.
“I was talking to the city engineer last week and he assured
me that we will
have water in Dangamvura by May, and to add to that we
received some
invitation to attend this workshop in Harare. We were assured
that we will
get $5.6 million from Zimfund for water and
sanitation.”
Health experts say water and sanitation-related illnesses
are among the
leading causes of death in Zimbabwe. Many continue to look up
to the central
government and local authorities to see if they can address
the perennial
water problems in the country that many say have derailed
development,
affecting poverty alleviation and related programs.
But
Zimbabweans await firm action.
http://www.radiovop.com
Harare, March 23, 2012 - Zimbabwe and
its southern neighbour, South Africa
will hold an investment and trade
seminar in the country which will be
attended by companies from the two
countries.
The trade and investment seminar seeks co-operation between
the two
countries which trade anything from heavy industry equipment to
agricultural
products. South Africa is Zimbabwe's biggest trading partner in
the world.
Two seminars will be held in Harare and Bulawayo respectively.
On March 26
the investment seminar will be held at the Rainbow Towers while
on March 29
Holiday Inn will host another seminar.
"The renewed
partnership between South Africa and Zimbabwe encourages South
African and
Zimbabwean companies to deepen trade and investment relations,"
a notice to
the media from the South African embassy read.
"The Investment and Trade
Initiative to Zimbabwe will showcase a range of
companies boasting
international expertise in sectors such as
infrastructure, information and
communication technology, manufacturing,
agro-processing and mining metals,
as areas for co-operation."
Zimbabwe has been the net importer of South
African products over the years
after its industries collapsed due to the
economic meltdown. Investors have
been shunning investing in Zimbabwe
because of the indigenisation policy to
take over 51 percent of shares in
all foreign firms to give to locals.
The trade and investment seminars in
the country is likely to dwell on the
controversial indigenisation and
economic empowerment drive in the country
which compels all foreign
companies to only hold 49 percent maximum number
of shares in any company in
Zimbabwe.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
On Thursday 22 March 2012, Women of
Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) Leaders Jennifer
Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu
appeared before Magistrate Godwin Sengweni
facing Kidnap and Theft
charges.
23.03.1203:33pm
by WOZA
Defence lawyer Kossam Ncube
produced a High Court order to 'stay all
criminal proceedings' in Regional
Court A and applied for the two activists
to be removed from remand
appearances in Court pending the outcome of the
Review of the Magistrate's
decision to refuse to discharge Williams and
Mahlangu at the close of the
state case.
As has now become a habit, the state opposed the application
and the
Magistrate remanded the leaders to 26 April 2012 when he will give a
ruling
on whether they are to be removed from remand.
On Friday 23
March 2012 Jennifer Williams and 9 other members arrested on 7
February 2012
in Bulawayo and charged with 'Criminal Nuisance' appeared in
court 1. Their
lawyer Lizwe Jamela, Chief Law officer of ZLHR, submitted an
application to
take a challenge to the Supreme Court. The Prosecutor and
Magistrate will
respond on 27 April 2012.
This Supreme Court application is in response
to the State's insistence on
charging the activists despite a landmark
ruling won by Williams and
Mahlangu for their right to protest to be
unhindered. This ruling has been
successfully used by scores of
activists.
On the 22nd March, Riot Police surrounded the Tredgold
Magistrates court
monitoring closely the movement of WOZA leaders and
members. Seven police
officers chased anyone standing close to the activists
so as to isolate them
and scrutinise their movement. They even chased away a
mother breastfeeding
her baby on the pavement outside the court.
When
the two members walked across the road to meet another member, two Riot
police followed them and searched them. One member was found with a WOZA
branded scarf - standing up for my rights - which was immediately judged to
be seditious and she was surrounded by four officers who held onto her
clothing and marched her for one city block until a back up vehicle with a
truck load of Riot Police arrived to pick her up and took her to Bulawayo
Central police station.
She was advised that she would be detained
but two minutes later when Mr
Jamela of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
(ZLHR) arrived at the CID Law
and Order offices the officers indicated that
she was not under arrested but
had merely been picked up for profiling. She
was questioned about a
'proposed' demonstration later that day. However WOZA
was not planning a
protest so she replied that she knew of no such
demonstration only Court
appearances. She was then released.
"WOZA
wishes to warn the Police that the public outcry surrounding the
searching
and arrest of our young member should send a strong message that
members of
the public are getting irritated with the constant presence of
Riot Police
in the street conducting arbitrary searches and chasing people
standing in
groups away from the city centre.
Zimbabweans' patience with the
military-style policing is wearing thin!"
says a statement pit oit by the
organisation.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
MISA-Zimbabwe is appealing to principals in the inclusive
government to come
in the open and clear confusion on whether the current
board of the
Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) was legally
constituted or not.
23.03.1201:47pm
by MISA
A joint press
statement signed by President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister
Morgan
Tsvangirai and his deputy Arthur Mutambara will go a long way in
putting the
matter to finality. A press conference would even be of greater
impact and
effect in clarifying the matter at hand.
While the media have repeatedly
reported the principals as having ordered
the reconstitution of BAZ within
specific timeframes, the Ministry of Media,
Information and Publicity, still
insists that the broadcasting authority was
legally constituted.
A
report in The Herald of 22 March 2012 reaffirmed the ministry’s long held
position. This perhaps explains why the three weeks deadline the Prime
Minister said the principals had given the ministry last month to
reconstitute BAZ was ignored, yet again.
It is therefore important
that the principals take a firm public position on
this matter to clear the
air on the status of BAZ as well as affirm their
executive authority that is
seemingly being wilfully defied.
It has been argued that the appointments
in question were illegal as they
were not done in terms of Section 4 of the
Broadcasting Services Act and the
Global Political Agreement. We therefore
seek clarity on the manner and
format of the consultations that were made
with the Parliamentary Standing
Rules and Orders Committee (SROC) as
stipulated under BSA.
It is MISA-Zimbabwe’s submission that the
legitimacy of such a key public
institution cannot be left to continued
conjecture at the expense of BAZ’s
credibility, and mired in confusion at
the expense of Zimbabweans’ right to
full enjoyment of their right to free
expression and access to information
through multiple broadcasting stations.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
By Gift Phiri, Senior Writer
Friday, 23 March
2012 12:00
HARARE - A former Special Forces officer is suing Defence
minister Emerson
Mnangagwa and two officers in the Counter Intelligence Unit
of the army for
US$1,5 million for unjust imprisonment and
torture.
Sergeant Wilfred Jaure worked for the Zimbabwe National Army
(ZNA)’s crack
unit, the Commando Regiment, before being detained for 277
days at 2 Brigade
Detention Barracks — a Zimbabwe military facility for
holding army personnel
that have been tried and convicted.
The
military accused and suspected Jaure of helping get classified
information
to the enemy and engaging in political activities. But he was
never charged
with a crime and says he never broke the law but was
discharged after
refusing to carry out an undisclosed classified mission.
He was arrested
on July 24, 2008, three days before a blood-soaked
presidential run-off
election.
Lawyers for Jaure say he was arrested by officers from the ZNA
Counter
Intelligence Unit and held without justification while his family
knew
nothing about his whereabouts or even whether he was still
alive.
Court papers filed in the Supreme Court on March 6, 2012 on his
behalf say
he was repeatedly abused for 277 days, then suddenly released
without
explanation on April 28, 2009 and demoted.
He resigned from
the force in September 2009. Now he has filed suit in the
Supreme Court
arguing that Mnangagwa personally approved torturous
interrogation
techniques and controlled his detention without access to
courts in
violation of his constitutional rights.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
attorneys, who are representing the
plaintiff on a pro bono basis, say the
military kept their client behind
bars without a hearing or a Court
Marshall.
Mnangagwa is cited as the first respondent in his official
capacity as
Defence minister, with Lieutenant Huni based at the KGVI Army
Headquarters
and Warrant Officer Class 1 Muzira, who is based at the army’s
Counter
Intelligence Unit at 2 Brigade at the Cranborne Barracks in Harare
cited as
the second and third respondents respectively.
Jaure says in
his Supreme Court application that Huni and Muzira, who he
alleges viciously
tortured him throughout his 277-day detention, violated
his constitutional
rights.
“In particular, I allege that my constitutionally entrenched
protection from
torture as enshrined in Section 15(1) of the Constitution
was contravened by
respondents, jointly and severally,” Jaure says in his
papers.
“I believe that this honourable court is the only court that can
sufficiently deal with this matter as it involves the contravention of a
constitutionally guaranteed right.
“I also submit that torture is a
very serious transgression and cannot be
equated to assault for which a
victim can claim normal delictual
compensation. I verily believe that
torture is serious enough to warrant
this honourable court to fashion the
remedy of constitutional damages in
terms of its powers outlined in Section
24 (4) of the Constitution.”
Jaure is seeking a draft order from the
Supreme Court declaring his 277-day
detention unlawful in terms of Section
15(1) of the Constitution.
“Consequently, the 1st respondent (Mnangagwa)
is hereby ordered to pay the
applicant the sum of $1 500 000 ($1.5m) in
constitutional damages,” says the
draft order being sought, and wants the
respondents to foot the cost of the
suit.
The Supreme Court
application details the harrowing torture.
After three days in detention
at 2 Brigade where he was held incommunicado
in solitary confinement, he
alleges Lt Huni and Warrant Officer Muzira
interrogated him for
months.
He says he was subjected to physical attacks by the two that left
him in
constant fear for his life in a bid to extract information and
possibly a
confession.
“The interrogations I describe above involved
extreme torture, which torture
I was made to undergo for consecutive days at
a time,” Jaure said in his
court papers.
“The torture, assaults and
psychological torment was extreme. Specifically
my interrogators used
electric shocks all over my body especially my
genitalia, hands and
toes.
“Periodically the interrogators would also carry out vicious and
sadistic
attacks all over my body with various objects, which included iron
rod
switches and other crude implements that they could get hold
off.”
The court papers also show that the two army officers also used
water
boarding on Jaure.
“I was hung upside down while my head was
submerged in a bucket of water in
an effort to simulate drowning,” Jaure
says.
“This was done repeatedly over the months and in the later stages
of my
incarceration I would knock over the bucket using my head. Such
conduct
would get me viciously attacked but this was better than the feeling
of
drowning.”
He says the torture was “sadistic.”
“At times
when they did not use electricity they would hit my genitals with
elastic
bands,” Jaure says.
He further claims that he was deliberately starved
during the incarceration.
“I was subjected to what army personnel call a
‘spare diet.’ This involves
eating one meal a day often this was just (the
staple) sadza (a thick
porridge) without any relish or accompaniment. I lost
a considerable amount
of weight as I was systematically being
starved.”
Jaure says he was shackled right through his 277-day
detention.
“I was forced to wear leg irons for considerable periods of
time even when I
was not being moved,” he says.
“This was not only
painful but dehumanising as I was treated like a wild
animal. I was also
frequently placed in various stress positions the most
common would be
shackling my hands to my ankles and being left like that for
hours in what
we called the ‘Dark Room.’”
His court papers say he feared for his
life.
“They repeatedly taunted me and made numerous statements suggesting
that I
was going to be killed soon,” his Supreme Court papers say
“I
lived in constant fear and each time the interrogators came to take me
from
the holding cells I would fear that this was my last day on earth.”
The
chilling account includes shocking deprivation at the hands of the army
officers.
“Those guarding me would at times refuse to allow me to
clean myself. At one
time I spent 16 days without bathing or my cell being
cleaned,” he says.
“The conditions of my incarceration, the torture,
taunts and psychological
torment drove me to near insanity.”
Jaure
says Lt Huni and Warrant Officer Muzira were not just cruel but
sadistic.
“Sometimes I would be tortured to the point of losing
consciousness and all
sense of spatial awareness,” he says.
He says
he was systematically denied medical attention and says during his
torture
and detention he experienced “strange transformation” all over his
body
including spasms, discolouration of the nails due to electric shocks,
extreme pain, dizziness, migraine headaches, insomnia and constant
nightmares.
“The army and its personnel are subject to the dictates
of the supreme law
of the land and as such are not permitted to torture of
treat anyone in a
cruel or inhumane manner,” Jaure says.
“As a result
of the wrongful and constitutionally unlawful conduct by the
army and its
officers I believe I suffered constitutional damages in the sum
of $1 500
000.00. The sum is justified due to the torture and suffering I
endured for
277 days at the hands of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents and
other army
officers acting within the course and scope of their employment,”
says the
Supreme Court application.
The matter is yet to be set down for a hearing
in the highest court in the
land.
http://ipsnews.net/
By Ignatius Banda*
PLUMTREE,
Zimbabwe, Mar 23, 2012 (IPS) - Job Mthombeni loves traditional
food. One of
his favourite culinary delights is Mopani worms, referred to
locally as
amacimbi, which means caterpillar in Ndebele. At an early age he
understood
the nutritional value of the worm, which is found in his rural
hometown of
Plumtree, in southwestern Zimbabwe.
The Mopani worm is the protein-rich
caterpillar of the Emperor moth, which
can supplement any diet.
But
as the lack of rain continues to cause havoc with the harvests in this
southern African nation, it is now also affecting the supply of Mopani
worms. And 49-year-old Mthombeni is a concerned man.
"There are no
Mopani worms this year," he complained. Already this year’s
low harvest in
Plumtree has meant that he has to live off the groceries sent
to him by his
children working in neighbouring Botswana.
"The Mopani worms I have
tasted this year are not from my area. We always
thought things like the
Mopani worms would always be there, but look now…The
poor rains have chased
away our food," he told IPS.
Zimbabwe has experienced poor rains over the
past few years. Though the
Zimbabwe Meteorological Services Department had
predicted rainfall would
peak from October to December 2011, only parts of
the country experienced
heavy rains, while southwestern Zimbabwe conversely
had low rainfall during
this time.
This past week, rain fell across
the country. But it has come long after
farmers planted their crop, and much
of the maize harvest was destroyed as a
result.
The situation in
Zimbabwe is typical of the region, as countries in the
Southern African
Development Community (SADC) have been hit with wildly
uneven rainfall
patterns this rainy season. Madagascar and Mozambique have
had a deluge of
rain, thanks to Cyclone Giovanna, while countries like
Mauritius and
Zimbabwe have had low or no rainfall this season.
Bradwell Garanganga,
from the SADC Climate Services Centre, explained that
there is a finite
amount of water available, and when it rains heavily in
one area, the water
is drawn from somewhere else.
"The amount of water that is available is
virtually constant so, if it rains
hard someplace, it means there is
somewhere where the rain is not occurring.
That, in summary, is what has
been occurring in the SADC region in terms of
rainfall," he
said.
"This particular year has not been too good … If you were to draw a
line
from Gwanda, in Zimbabwe, to Francistown, in Botswana, all the way back
to
the southern part of Zimbabwe, that area has been extremely dry," he
said.
Mopani worms thrive on fertile conditions and gorge themselves on
lush green
vegetation. But the disappearance of their environment could mean
thousands
of villagers in Plumtree, and other areas of the country that have
seen poor
rains, will be deprived of a vital source of nutrition in the
years to come.
"It’s not only about the loss of vegetation, and the
declining numbers of
Mopani worms. It is also about the loss of a major
source of protein in the
diet of many rural and urban people as well as a
loss of income," said
Sobona Mtisi, a climate change researcher with the
Overseas Development
Institute, which is also leading the Zimbabwean
government’s climate change
policy formulation with the Climate Knowledge
Development Network.
"This has adverse implications for people's health
and income. Are we going
to see an increase of diseases linked to a
low-protein diet?" Mtisi asked.
While the rainy season has always brought
with it an abundance of culinary
choices for rural communities, it also
provides a boost for rural economies.
Wendy Zulu is one of the rural
women traders who earn their living selling
Mopani worms. She makes seasonal
trips to the city of Bulawayo, where she
sells a variety of wares. But it is
the proceeds from her sales of Mopani
worms that form a substantial part of
her income.
"I am yet to make the trip since the rainy season was
supposed to begin late
last year," Zulu said.
In the past, because of
their economic value, when there was an abundance of
Mopani worms, farmers
and land owners would charge rural women traders like
Zulu a fee to harvest
them. Now, because of the lack of rainfall, there are
hardly any to be
seen.
"With poor rains, it has meant there is no green vegetation for
these
creatures. So I just have to wait and see what happens in the coming
weeks,
even months," Zulu told IPS. Many miles away in Bulawayo, consumers
like
Moffat Bancinyane, who over the years have enjoyed Mopani worms as an
affordable culinary preference, can only wonder why they have become
scarce.
"You can never understand why a thing like amacimbi can be out of
stock.
Come on, these things grow on trees," Bancinyane said after being
told by a
vendor outside a municipal beer hall that Mopani worms were not
available.
"It is true what they say about the rains, that they give life
in the most
unexpected forms," Bancinyane said.
The scarcity of
Mopani worms could just be an indication of a deeper crisis
spurred by
climate change, Mtisi said.
In 2005, the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change predicted that
climate change would result in increasing
aridity in southern Africa, one of
the most populous parts of the continent.
It also predicted that food
production in countries like Zimbabwe would
halve by 2020.
Despite their scarcity, Mopani worms remain big business
in other parts of
southern African. In Botswana it is a multi-million dollar
industry, and
South Africa harvests up to 1.6 million kilogrammes of Mopani
worms
annually.
*Additional reporting by Zukiswa Zimela in
Johannesburg. (END)
