http://news.radiovop.com
26/03/2010
19:39:00
Chimanimani, March 26, 2010 - A group of armed officers from
the Zimbabwe
Republic Police (ZRP) on Friday briefly detained Movement for
Democratic
Change (MDC) treasurer and deputy agriculture minister designate,
Roy
Bennett for yet unclear reasons.
The party's spokesperson, Nelson
Chamisa confirmed that the former
Chimanimani legislator was also blocked
from entering his hometown of
Chimanimani.
"MDC Treasurer General and
deputy Minister of Agriculture designate Roy
Bennett has been blocked from
entering his hometown in Chimanimani by armed
policeman at a roadblock just
outside the town," said Chamisa.
It is understood Bennett, who was in the
company of his wife, was detained
for about 30 minutes before being
released. The police officers however took
the identity document for his
wife, as well as the number plates for the car
they were traveling
in.
An MDC official said Bennett had planned to spend the weekend in
Chimanimani, where he owns a house. The MDC treasurer is a former Member of
Parliament for Chimanimani and is very popular with ordinary people there,
mostly plantation workers.His farm, also in the area, used to be among the
leading coffee exporters in the country, before it was grabbed by Zanu PF
militants. They have since vandalized equipment at the farm, with no
meaningful production.
Bennett was one of three white
parliamentarians elected in the 2000
Parliamentary election, despite
intimidation against MDC voters by
supporters of Zanu-PF. During the
campaign his wife and family were
physically attacked
Bennett is
currently battling what he says are trumped up treason charges.
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Lance Guma
26 March
2010
Talks aimed at resolving the political deadlock in Zimbabwe appeared
heading
for another collapse after ZANU PF's politburo on Wednesday resolved
it
would not make any concessions until sanctions targeted at members of
Mugabe's
regime are lifted.
A new climate of optimism had developed
following last weeks visit to
Zimbabwe by the mediating South African
President Jacob Zuma. He had
announced that the parties had agreed to a
package of measures to be
implemented 'concurrently'. It was also agreed the
negotiating teams would
attend to all outstanding matters during their
deliberations on the 25th,
26th and 29th March, before reporting back to
Zuma by the 31st March.
But ZANU PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo effectively
let the cat out of the bag
when he told the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper
that there will not be any
movement as far as the outstanding issues are
concerned. He said ZANU PF was
sticking to the decision of its congress last
year that there will not be
any concessions until sanctions are lifted.
Gumbo went further to say 'the
MDC-T must decide how the sanctions are going
to be lifted.'
The remarks threw into serious doubt ZANU PF's sincerity in
participating in
the secret talks being held in Nyanga, although Gumbo tried
to water down
his statement by saying, 'I am not one of the negotiators.
They may
conclude, but what I am stating is the party position that we
agreed on
after Chinamasa briefed us on Wednesday.'
Although the parties
agreed details of the talks would remain confidential
Gumbo's remarks
suggest not much progress is being made.
The ZANU PF spokesman also told the
state owned Herald newspaper that no
agreements had been reached by the
political parties during Zuma's visit.
This is despite Zuma having told a
press conference, 'I am very encouraged
by the spirit of cooperation
displayed by the leaders and all the parties.
The parties have agreed to a
package of measures to be implemented
concurrently as per the decision of
the SADC Troika in Maputo.'
MDC-T spokesman Nelson Chamisa told Newsreel the
remarks by Gumbo showed the
internal fighting within ZANU PF and how they
are trying to manage their
succession battles. He said it was either rivals
grandstanding, or the
agreements entered into when Zuma was in the country
were not shared by all
party members. Chamisa also said he shared the view,
held by many, that
there was nothing to negotiate. The parties signed an
agreement in 2008, all
that was left was to actually implement
it.
Meanwhile the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has warned that
calls
for fresh elections in the country are premature in the absence of an
overhaul of the discredited voters' roll and a review of electoral, security
and media laws. Both ZANU PF and the MDC-T have hinted at new elections as a
possible solution to the political deadlock but ZESN, the largest
independent election monitor in the country, believes major reforms are
needed before free and fair elections are achievable.
http://www.zimeye.org/?p=15401
By Moses
Muchemwa
Published: March 26, 2010
Harare –
President Robert Mugabe has insisted that Reserve Bank Governor
Gideon Gono
and Attorney General Johannes Tomana will not go since they were
not part of
the Global Political Agreement.
His comments come against a backdrop of
pressure from the MDC for the two
officials to be axed for the coalition
government to succeed.
Mugabe, 86, told the Zanu-PF 80th Ordinary Session
of the Central Committee
in Harare, that even outstanding issues in the GPA
will not be ironed out
until sanctions were removed.
“Tomana na Gono
hapana kwavanoenda(they are not going at all). Gono and
Tomana are not part
of our agreement (GPA). As Zanu-PF we say Gono and
Tomana have no case to
answer but (Roy) Bennett has a criminal case in the
courts,” he
said.
Mugabe was referring to the trumped up terrorism and banditry
charges
against MDC treasurer general Bennett.
“There cannot be any
further concessions from us unless the illegal
sanctions are lifted,” said
the 86-year old president.
Zanu-PF, MDC-T and MDC are currently locked up
in negotiating meetings to
find ways of resolving the outstanding issues.
The MDC formations demand the
firing of Gono and Tomana as well as the
swearing in of Agriculture Deputy
Minister Roy Bennett.
The parties
are meeting in Nyanga until Monday but details of the gathering
are kept
under wraps.
South African president Jacob Zuma, facilitator of talks,
was in Zimbabwe
last week and called for the quick resolution of the
outstanding issues.
SADC has also seconded a technical team to Zimbabwe
to assist the shaky
unity government.
http://www.mg.co.za
JASON MOYO - Mar 26 2010 16:29
Zimbabwe Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has laid out an ambitious reform
programme that
will be a key test of just how much change President Robert
Mugabe is
willing to allow in the government of national unity.
A week after
President Jacob Zuma instilled some urgency into talks aimed at
the full
implementation of the power-sharing agreement, an emboldened
Tsvangirai has
presented a plan - the government work programme (GWP) - to
Cabinet. Over
the next nine months the plan would introduce legislation that
would repeal
a raft of laws Mugabe has used over the past decade to stifle
dissent.
"The total sum of the impact of the integrated options under
the GWP should
provide resolutions that ultimately lead this country to
peace, stability,
sustainable growth and prosperity for all in the shortest
possible time,"
Tsvangirai writes in his document.
In talks mediated
by Zuma last week Mugabe pledged cooperation in the full
implementation of
the agreement. But many within his Zanu-PF remain opposed
to change and
Tsvangirai's plan will test the resolve of both sides.
The plan lists his
reform priorities as: economic growth, the provision of
basic services and
infrastructure, the restoration of the rule of law and
property rights, the
legislative reform to ensure basic freedoms, and the
"normalisation" of
international relations.
It would see a freedom of information Bill
brought to Parliament, repealing
the Access to Information and Protection of
Privacy Act, under which four
newspapers have been banned. Last week a new
commission tasked with leading
media reforms said it was ready to begin work
to open up the media, but a
state-owned weekly complained Tsvangirai was
trying to "hurry" the process.
A general laws amendment Bill would repeal
legislation such as the Criminal
Law and Codification Reform Act, a raft of
rules that Zanu-PF has used to
stifle opposition.
There will also be
amendments to laws governing elections. Tsvangirai says
his plan would take
"a decisive lead to create urgent reforms that form the
foundations to the
process of a free and fair election".
New battle
His push for a
"comprehensive and transparent land audit" to root out people
holding on to
more than one farm is likely to start a new battle with
Mugabe, who has made
land seizures the cornerstone of his past election
campaigns. Many of his
supporters believe the audit is meant to drive them
off resettled land to
make way for white previous landowners.
But Tsvangirai has been careful
to win Zanu-PF support for his plan,
addressing Mugabe's key concern on
sanctions. A joint committee of ministers
will lobby the European Union,
Canada and Australia to end Zimbabwe's
isolation. A tough task will be
lobbying the US Congress to repeal the
Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic
Recovery Act, a sanctions law that bars US
companies from dealing with
Zimbabwe and effectively bans international
credit to the
country.
Tsvangirai deliberately steers clear of detailing his plan to
reform the
security forces, for long a pillar of Mugabe's power. Instead, he
proposes
that this be discussed within the National Security Council, a
joint body of
the country's top security figures, in which Tsvangirai also
sits.
Zuma claimed progress in the talks towards the full implementation
of the
power-sharing agreement. No details were given, but there is
speculation
that much of the discussion was about the fate of central bank
governor
Gideon Gono, attorney general Johannes Tomana and Roy Bennett,
Tsvangirai's
nominee for deputy agriculture minister, whose treason trial
has raised
tensions.
Zuma took a direct approach, meeting all three
men. Zuma's spokesperson
Vincent Magwenya said he had taken this step to
"create understanding on how
to make matters move forward".
There is
talk that negotiators are discussing the possibility of promoting
Tomana to
the Bench and naming a mutually agreed replacement. Gono is
believe to be
staying, because part of the legislation agreed to by both
parties
significantly whittles down his clout. Zanu-PF views Bennett's
appointment
to agriculture as provocative and wants the Movement for
Democratic Change
to appoint him to another portfolio.
Zuma's intervention appears to have
emboldened Tsvangirai. Even as Mugabe
continues gradually to undermine his
authority in government, Tsvangirai
appears confident enough to order that
ministers report to him monthly on
the progress of implementing his plan.
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Violet Gonda
26 March 2010
The human rights
group Restoration for Human Rights (ROHR) has criticized
Bindura police for
going on a witch-hunt for MDC supporters.
The pressure group said two MDC
members were arrested on Thursday, in
separate incidents, on allegations of
undermining the office of the
President under section 186 of the
codification act.
ROHR Information Officer, Ronald Mureverwi, said Makesure
Mafukidze, an MDC
Councillor for ward 3, was picked up in Bindura town in
the morning and is
currently locked up at Bindura central police station.
The Councillor is
accused of making utterances during a political rally
earlier this year. It
is not known what exactly he said.
Seymour Mhene
was arrested on the same day, for allegedly criticising the
police and
accusing them of bias against members of the former opposition.
ROHR said
Mhene passed a comment during a recent New Zimbabwe lecture
series,
organized by the Research Foundation of Zimbabwe, condemning the
police for
being partisan and wilfully arresting members of the MDC on
falsified
charges,.
Mureverwi said the two are likely to spend the weekend in custody
and are
only expected to appear in court on Monday.
The latest arrests
from Bindura come just days after the arrests of Shepherd
Mushonga, the MDC
MP for Mazowe Central, who was detained last Saturday for
also 'undermining
the office of the President' during a political rally in
February. He
allegedly said, 'Mugabe might not be around come the next
election'.
ROHR
said the legislator was summoned to court but the case was thrown out
because of lack of evidence.
The pressure group says the arrests deny
people the much needed right to
freedom of expression and free political
activity.
Mureverwi added: "What is happening is very unfortunate when our
country is
in a period of transition, when we are trying to enhance the
spirit of
inclusivity and to try and encourage people to mould democratic
ideas
through the public expressing themselves. We don't expect a situation
where
there is a cult of holy leaders that cannot be
criticised."
http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=28324
March 26, 2010
By Owen
Chikari
MASVINGO - Zimbabwe's former ambassador to Ethiopia and Botswana
Alois
Makamure Chidoda has attacked President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF
party
for what he says is a lack of good leadership skills.
Chidoda,
who was ambassador to Ethiopia during the era of that country's
former
leader Haile Mariam Mengistu, now lives in abject poverty. He accused
his
former party, Zanu-PF, and its leadership of dumping him.
"What is
lacking in Zanu-PF is good leadership," said Chidoda. "We want
leaders who
follow the footsteps of the likes of Herbert Chitepo and others
and not the
current leadership which is just amassing wealth and
discriminating people
on regional lines."
Chitepo is the founding chairman of Zanu-PF. He died
in a bomb blast in
Zambia in 1975.
Chidoda said he had played a big
role during the liberation struggle by
giving former freedom fighters
resources but Zanu-PF, the party he professes
to have loved most had now
abandoned him.
The former diplomat accused President Robert Mugabe of
selectively helping
Zanu-PF cadres on regional and tribal
lines.
"Look at the way Mugabe is looking after Chombo and others; it is
amazing,"
said Chidoda.
He was referring to Ignatius Chombo, the
Minister of Local Government. Court
documents in divorce proceedings between
Chombo and one of his wives have
revealed the minister, a former university
lecturer, has amassed massive
wealth, including residential stands and
farms.
Chidoda said: "I played a better role during the war than Chombo.
Mugabe
just wants to wine and dine with the Zezurus and that is what makes
him
strong.
"I am living in poverty because the party that I helped
has dumped me, and I
heap all the blame on President Robert
Mugabe".
Turning to the issue of how Mengistu fled to Zimbabwe in 1991,
Chidoda
alleged that the current Minister of Defence Emmerson Mnangagwa had
a hand
in facilitating the escape of the former Ethiopian
dictator.
"I just remember that minister Mnangagwa came to Ethiopia in
1991 to canvass
for support for Simba Makoni to get a job at the United
Nations," said
Chidoda.
"It is then that Mnangagwa held secret talks
with Mengistu. I did not attend
the meeting but I knew something was going
on. It was after this meeting
that I heard that Mengistu had fled to
Zimbabwe"
However, no official comment could be obtained from Mnangagwa
yesterday to
verify Chidoda's claims.
Mengistu is now leaving in
exile in Zimbabwe after he was granted asylum in
1991.
Chidoda now
drives a battered pick-up truck and runs a small farm in the
Mushagashe area
of Masvingo.
"I have a small farm which I bought; not invaded," said
Chidoda.
Chidoda was barred by Zanu-PF from contesting the Masvingo
mayoral post in
1995. He later went to court to challenge the decision but
lost the case.
He joined the Mavambo project, led by former Finance
Minister Simba Makoni,
in 2008. He contested the Masvingo North
parliamentary seat and lost to
Zanu-PF's Stan Mudenge.
"I will never
forgive President Robert Mugabe for the bad way he has treated
me", said
Chidoda.
http://news.radiovop.com
26/03/2010
14:28:00
Masvingo, March 26, 2010 - Irate Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC-T)
supporters in Chikarudzo area under Chief Murinye teamed up
on Thursday
before approaching Zanu PF secret torture bases in the area and
set the
shacks on fire.
Masvingo Central legislator Jeffryson
Chitando (MDC) who was in Harare
confirmed to have received the report
saying a lot of his supporters were
being victimised ever since Defence
Minister Emmersom Mnangagwa visited the
area last weekend.
Chitando
said MDC supporters were acting in retaliation following
intimidation from
Zanu PF youth.
Soon after Emmerson Mnangagwa's visit in Masvingo Central
last weekend, Zanu
PF youth started to set up some bases in the area before
intimidating
villagers.
By Thursday noon, RadioVOP was informed that
two bases had been set at
Barahanga and Chikarudzo areas. The youths who
were manning the bases openly
told villagers they were preparing to punish
all opposition members who fail
to follow their orders.
Their first
assignment was to severely beat all villagers who did not attend
Mnangagwa's
rally.
"It's sad that these guys were already victimising my supporters.
They had
already set some camps so that they go in villages and
demand
chickens, goats and some property thereby punishing our mothers," said
Chitando. "However, they got more than what they bargained for in my area
when villagers teamed up and demolished their camps. I think it was a lesson
and enough warning to Zanu PF," said Chitando.
MDC-T accuses Zanu PF
central committee member and Masvingo Rural District
council Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) Clememce Makwarimba for feeding the
thugs and encouraging
violence.
"This is coming from Makwarimba. He is the man who supplies
youths with food
and allowances. He had urged his youths to beat us
but
unfortunately we could not allow then this time. As MDC-T supporters
here,
we are not afraid of anyone, we shall revenge, we will fight
back,"
said another supporter.
Makwarimba accused MDC-T of
violence.
"These people are violent; they do not know what they do. They
have attacked
our supporters so they must not cry next time. I can not say
anything but
MDC-T must not go this far to provoke us," said
Makwarimba.
Masvingo Acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector
Prosper Mugauri said
the police at Renco Mine received such a report but
he
was not in a position to divulge what exactly happened.
"I just
have the information with me that such a report was made at Renco
Mine, I
need more time to give you actual details," said Asst Insp
Mugauri.
President Mugabe and Prime Minister Tsvangirai are however, on
record
telling their supporters to desist from violence saying the two are
already
in good books.
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Violet Gonda
26
March 2010
A well known artist Owen Maseko and Voti Thebe, the person in
charge of the
Bulawayo National Arts Gallery, were arrested on Friday, a day
after they
launched an exhibition of provocative paintings about the
Gukurahundi era.
Gukurahundi was the name given to the armed conflict in
Matabeleland and the
Midlands in the mid 1980's that led to the deaths of an
estimated 20,000
Ndebele people, after ZANU PF unleashed the notorious North
Korean trained
Fifth Brigade in the area.
Shari Eppel, a human rights
activist who spoke at the opening launch, told
SW Radio Africa on Friday
that the ceremony went ahead with no problem on
Thursday but the police went
to the art gallery the following day and
started filming all the
installation and pictures, and then arrested the
two.
At the time of
broadcast the police were still to charge Maseko and Thebe.
Eppel said the
police were still trying to find a crime to pin on the two,
saying: "So it's
the usual situation where they arrest first and find the
crime."
This
latest development comes a day after a photo exhibition at Harare's
Delta
Gallery, organized by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association, was
abandoned
after police tried to confiscate the photographs on show, in
defiance of a
court order. They had previously seized all the photos and
briefly arrested
the organization's director.
The Bulawayo exhibition was supposed to run
for the whole of April but there
are now fears that the police will shut it
down. But Eppel said the police
in Bulawayo will have a difficult time
confiscating the some of the images
because the artist painted on the walls
of the gallery. She said one of the
main features of the exhibition is that
it has a lot of graffiti around the
walls - all about Gukurahundi - so
everyone walking past on the streets can
actually look in and see through
the glass walls of the gallery.
"It would also be hard for the police
to shut it down because it is not just
a matter of removing paintings but
Owen has actually painted the entire
gallery. He painted all the walls red
and he has painted all this graffiti
all over the walls. So it is a very
difficult exhibition to shut down."
The human rights activist said it is
the first time that there has been an
exhibition of this kind about this
terrible period in Zimbabwe's history,
that took place shortly after
independence.
Eppel said: "One of the paintings showed the installation
of the late Joshua
Nkomo and Robert Mugabe signing the Unity Accord with
blood pouring down
Nkomo's back as he was signing it."
She said:
"It's a very brave exhibition and it's high time. It is 27 years
exactly
since Gukurahundi. Why can't people talk about these things,
especially
since we have this Ministry of Healing and Reconciliation and
part of that
has to be truth telling, in as many mediums as possible,
including the
arts."
Owen Maseko the world famous Zimbabwean artist has been arrested. His crime? He dared to be bold. Maseko opened his exhibition last night at the Bulawayo National Art Gallery, an artist’s impression of the harsh reality of Gukurahundi as well as the decades of oppression and violence that have characterised Zimbabwe. In a combination of graffiti, 3D installations and his painting Maseko unflinchingly dared to tell the truth, adding his usual and whimsical element of humour. Visit his website here.
Stand up for the freedom of expression in Zimbabwe and help free Maseko. He is being held at Bulawayo Central Police Station, charges have not been made, but they are refusing to release him. Because he has been arrested on a Friday, Maseko is likely to spend the whole weekend in one of Zimbabwe’s filthy cells.
On paper, Zimbabwe’s constitution protects freedom of expression but in practice, when it comes to expressing criticism of Zanu PF atrocities, the police have ignored this. The current constitution says:
“no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of expression, that is to say, freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference, and freedom from interference with his correspondence”
This link to our constitution resource shows that even Zanu PF’s preferred version for a new constitution in the future – the Kariba Draft – supports rights to freedom of expression. Specifically, it preserves the
- freedom to seek, receive and communicate ideas and information regardless of frontiers;
- freedom of the press and other media of communication;
- freedom of artistic creativity;
Maseko’s arrest today begs the question: can Zimbabweans really ever believe that Zanu PF will protect and honour individual rights?
Maseko has shown courage in speaking the truth that we all know. Stand by him and demand his immediate release.
TAKE ACTION
Please call the police and ask that Owen Maseko is released immediately. Point out to them that both the current constitution, and the Kariba Draft, protect an individuals right to free expression. Remind them that their role is to follow the rule of the law; ask them what grounds they have for arresting Maseko.
Please be calm and polite when talking to the police. Ask the person you are speaking to to carry a message to Maseko – ask him/her to tell him the world is watching and standing by him.
Please join our Facebook group. We will be uploading images of some of the artwork that the police and Mugabe do not want the world to see to both Facebook and Flickr. Please share these images widely with everyone you know. Please ask them to support Maseko’s freedom, just as he supports ours.
These are the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) telephone numbers to call in Bulawayo.
Charge office
+263 (9) 72515
Central charge office hotlines:
+263 (9) 72525
+263 (9) 66306
+263 (9) 66340
ZRP press and public relations:
+263 (9) 60358
Media Briefing
AfriForum – Pretoria, South Africa
26 March
2010
The Government
of the Republic of Zimbabwe has been at war with its own
people for longer
than 10 years.
During this war against its people, white farmers have been
targeted and
deprived of not only their property but also their dignity,
while hundreds
of thousands of farm workers have been left to the mercy of
ZANU-PF militia
and warlords.
The Zimbabwean economy has disintegrated.
The poor are becoming poorer while
the wealthy government officials and
beneficiaries of the land
redistribution program get richer.
In these
desperate circumstances, AfriForum was approached last year by
Messrs Deon
Theron and Louis Fick of the Commercial Farmers’ Union for
assistance.
“Bloodmilk”-campaign
AfriForum’s campaign started when it
became known that an international
dairy company purchased milk from a farm
that was confiscated by the Mugabe
regime and transferred to Mr Mugabe’s
wife, Ms Grace Mugabe. AfriForum
undertook an extremely successful
international media and internet campaign
and international pressure lead to
a decision by the dairy company not to
purchase milk from the said
farm.
The fate of South African farmers
Mr Louis Fick is a South African
citizen, farming on Friedawil in the
Chinhoyi district. His farm was
earmarked for land redistribution and he was
effectively chased off his farm
last year. At the moment, Mr Fick stands
trial on criminal charges that he
“failed to co-operate with the Zimbabwean
land reform program”. If found
guilty, he can be sentenced to two years in a
Zimbabwean jail. Mr Fick could
not join us today as he is on Friedawil this
week to try and recover his
remaining personal movable assets from the
homestead, after the home was
broken into and apparently looted.
Last year when it became known that the
South African Government was on the
verge of entering a bilateral investment
agreement that would exclude South
African farmers from protection,
AfriForum assisted Louis Fick in an attempt
to obtaining an interdict
against the signing of such a discriminating
treaty.
The matter was
settled, and the South African Government recommitted itself
to the
protection of South African farmers as well as to the upholding of
the
ruling of the SADC tribunal of November 2008 where the land reform
policies
of Zimbabwe were found to be racist and unlawful.
AfriForum regards it as our
duty to hold the South African government to
these commitments. More
particulars of future legal and civil action will be
announced in due
course.
The SADC Tribunal rulings
In November 2008 the tribunal ruled
in favour of Mr Michael Campbell and 78
Zimbabwean farmers that the land
reform program was racist and unlawful. In
his reaction to this, President
Robert Mugabe described the ruling as
“nonsense and of no consequence” to
Zimbabwe. The tribunal followed up its
ruling with a contempt ruling and
costs order in June 2009.
On 26 February, the North Gauteng High Court in
Pretoria registered these
rulings. They are now rulings of a South African
court and as such the cost
order is an executable judgement.
Four Cape
Town properties in Zonnebloem, Kenilworth and Wynberg were
identified. The
Sheriff of Cape Town visited these properties on 11th March
2010 to attach
movables. We have received his confirmation about the current
state of the
properties: Three of the properties are vacant and one is being
leased to
third party tenants. Since the properties are therefore of a
non-diplomatic
nature, they can be attached.
A writ of execution of immovable property will
therefore be issued in the
North Gauteng High Court, today and served early
next week.
The attachment of immovable properties in Cape Town will be the
first step
in what AfriForum describes as its “Civil Sanction
Campaign”.
This campaign is our gesture of hope and support for the millions
of
Zimbabweans waiting in despair for a better life.
ENDS
For further
information:
Willie Spies (Legal Representative: AfriForum
Cell: +27
83 676 0639 (South Africa)
E-mail: willie@hurterspies.co.za
Ben
Freeth (SADC Tribunal Watch)
Cell: +263 913 929 138 (Zimbabwe)
E-mail:
freeth@bsatt.com
Brief information
on AfriForum
AfriForum is an independent initiative of the South African
trade union
Solidarity. It is a non-profit institution which endeavours to
eradicate the
cycle of withdrawal. The process motivates minorities to
participate
constructively in public life and debate by means of:
•
Campaigns for the protection and consolidation of civil rights
• Establishing
functional forums in various spheres of life
• Creating a future vision for
minority communities
• Promoting co-operation between civil
institutions.
• Liasing with the rest of the world
• Liasing with the
authorities.
AfriForum offers a forum for the constructive activation of
minorities to
participate in public debate and action, in order to ensure a
future for all
in Africa. www.afriforum.co.za
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Alex Bell
26 March
2010
The High Court has ruled against investors from Malaysia in a
dispute over
an invaded property, in a move that will further sour
diplomatic relations
between the two countries.
Malaysian authorities
have already expressed anger over the forced takeover
of the property, a
banana plantation in eastern Manicaland, which is
supposed to be protected
under a Bilateral Investment Protection and
Promotion Agreement (BIPPA). The
property, Fangundu Farm (which is owned by
the Malaysian and Dutch farming
entity, Matanuska) was invaded over the
festive season by Zimbabwe's
ambassador to Tanzania, former army general
Edzai Chimonyo, who insists that
he was awarded the property in 2006 under
the land reform programme.
High
Court judge Justice Yunus Omerjee dismissed an application filed by
Matanuska, seeking to bar Chimonyo from appealing against an earlier ruling
ordering him to vacate the property. That ruling was handed down in January
by Justice Tedious Karwi, who ordered Chimonyo to vacate Fangundu Farm
saying his occupation of the property was illegal. Another judge then
ordered Chimonyo to apply for Justice Karwi's ruling to be overturned. But
Matanuska argued Chimonyo failed to make this application within the
stipulated timeframe.
However, Justice Omerjee this week ruled against
Matanuska, on the grounds
that Chimonyo's application for the ruling to be
overturned was 'pending'.
"The relief sought by the present applicants
(Matanuska) is misplaced, given
the presence of an application for
rescission, which is pending," said
Justice Omerjee in his
judgment.
Justice Omerjee said Matanuska can appeal against his ruling within
seven
days but in the interim, Chimonyo can remain at Fangundu Farm, where
he is
reportedly harvesting and selling bananas estimated to be worth US$40
000 a
week.
An official from Kuala Lumpur's embassy in Harare, Mohamad
Nizan Mohamad,
told journalists earlier this month that Vice President John
Nkomo had been
approached on the matter. He said Nkomo promised to take the
matter to
Robert Mugabe, a friend of former Malaysian Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad.
Nkomo also agreed to meet with Chimonyo to resolve the
dispute, which was
followed by Chimonyo surrendering two other properties in
Fangundu Farm's
vicinity. He said he 'mistook' the two properties to be part
of Fangundu
Farm. But what appeared to be the start of a civil agreement
turned
antagonistic when Matanuska was taken before the Magistrates Courts
in
Mutare last Wednesday. The company was accused of contravening the
Gazetted
Land (Consequential Provisions) Act for failing to vacate Fangundu
Farm once
it was gazetted for resettlement. That trial has been set for
April 8.
http://www.mg.co.za/
HARARE, ZIMBABWE Mar 26 2010
14:41
Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has backed President
Robert
Mugabe's stance against including gay rights in a new constitution,
state
media reported on Friday.
The two were speaking at a belated
celebration in a Harare suburb on
Thursday of International Women's Day,
which was on March 8.
Mugabe reiterated his opposition to rights for gay
people, whom he has
described as "worse than pigs and dogs".
"I heard
the issue was being raised at the constitution-making process,"
Mugabe said.
"Those who do it, we will say, they are wayward. It is just
madness,
insanity."
"That is not what we can allow," Mugabe said, according to the
state-run
news agency, New Ziana.
Tsvangirai said he agreed with the
president's stance.
"Why should a man seek to have a relationship with
another man when women
make up 52% of the population? In fact, men are fewer
than women," he said.
Homosexuality is illegal in Zimbabwe, where Mugabe
has railed against the
gay community for more than a decade, although the
group Gays and Lesbians
of Zimbabwe is allowed to
operate.
Neighbouring South Africa is the only nation on the continent
that gives
equal rights to gay people.
In nearby Malawi, a couple has
been jailed since December after holding the
country's first same-sex
wedding.
Kenyan police last month arrested five people who were
apparently guests at
a planned gay wedding.
In Uganda a lawmaker has
proposed a Bill that would impose tough penalties
for homosexuality,
including the death sentence in certain cases.
Zimbabwe is meant to write
a new constitution this year to pave the way for
new elections, after
disputed polls in 2008 that led to the creation of the
unity government
between rivals Mugabe and Tsvangirai.
But the constitution-making process
has made little headway since it began
last year. -- Sapa-AFP
The war for freedom of expression is being waged across Zimbabwe.
This week has seen two major exhibitions being interfered with by the police for daring to give an honest voice to the tragedy and suffering that have plagued this nation for too long now.
The first battlefield, the Delta gallery in Harare, came under the spotlight with the temporary detention of Okay Machisa and confiscation of the "Reflections" photographic exhibition. Prime Minister Tsvangirai gave the opening address, having arrived as the photos were still being hung after their stay at Harare Central Police station.
The PM declared that Machisa should not remain in hiding and that the director of Zimrights should indeed have attended the opening ceremony. Co Minister of Home Affairs, Giles Mutsekiwa was in the audience and nodded in agreement with the PM that Machisa would have protection.
Not half an hour after the PM left, the police arrived yet again in another attempt to take down the exhibition. But their defeat came at the hands of a lawyer attending the exhibition and the crowds who jeered them into leaving, tails between their legs.
The CIO were camped all night outside Delta Gallery and at 10pm attempted to enter by demanding right of way from the Security guard. What a hero this man was to bar the secret police their desire to shut down the exhibition!
Last night another bold and daring exhibition was opened at the Bulawayo Gallery and in a predictable manner the police are still at their old tricks, muzzling and suffocating the truth.
Owen's exhibitions reflect a serious and political side of the artist. He feels that 'being an artist is about being brave and using art to challenge attitudes. People in Zimbabwe are waiting for change, but we as Zimbabweans are the change.'
Owen's exhibitions both ridicule and expose the corruption, violations and dishonesty of the Zimbabwean government in unsettling and sinister installations and paintings. Someone who attended the exhibition last night described the atmosphere and electric and exciting: He said
"The paintings were amazing and told the truth that everyone knew, but what was firing people up was the sense that this was freedom in the room and people were experiencing freedom in Zimbabwe".
It is precisely that that threatens Mugabe and is the reason why Maseko and people like him, whose work brings a breath of freedom with it, is being targetted for arrest by Zanu PF loyalists.
The authorities in Zimbabwe are incapable of taking a good long honest look at themselves and now artists are their latest victims.
By
Robert Ndlovu
March 23 , 2010 .
Background
Recently the
Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe
(Potraz) made
an announcement that it had committed US$24 million from the
Universal
Services Fund (USF) for implementing eight projects in the rural
areas. No
specifics as to which telecoms operators had been tasked to carry
out the
rural network reach programs. Also no specific areas in the 8
provinces were
made public by Eng. Charles Sibanda who made the
announcements
.
Studies that have been conducted worldwide have identified that
telecommunications is an important tool for the economic development and
self-sufficiency in any society.
Despite these potential benefits it
is apparent that a range of problems
needs to be addressed before this
opportunity can be realized. Most of these
rural communities are
geographically isolated and economically
disadvantaged, and have generally
not attracted the interest of commercial
service providers
The
announcement by POTRAZ is good news – on paper at least. We all know the
attitude of the present telcos, in that they have NO interest in extending
their services to rural areas. I wonder what has changed this time around
that will make the likes of Econet , NetOne , TelOne , Powertel ,Telecel
and others to suddenly develop a keen interest in deploying coverage in
rural Zimbabwe. Maybe through the new service providers like Aquiva Wireless
, Africom and others are we going to see something being done to bring
digital economy to rural areas.
This is my public request to Potraz
& the Minister of ICT Mr. Nelson
Chamisa under whose Ministry these
projects will be rolled out :
“Could we please have a publication of (1)
which companies are receiving
money from the Universal Services Fund and (2)
which 8 areas have been ear
marked for rural network deployments? That way
we will know who to hold
accountable with public funds should the areas ear
marked for network
coverage be still with NO coverage 3 years from
today.”
Well no need to reference examples here where some A2 farmers
received
farming inputs from government and the nation will have to import
grain
leaving some people wondering what happened to the farming
inputs.
Ok let’s move on with what could be done to bring ICT and
telephony to
Nkayi,Gokwe ,Guruve , Chiadzwa and Wedza just to mention a few
as an
example.
Solar Powered Wireless for Rural
Connectivity
In the game of chess there is what is called twin forking
where you pin two
strong pieces on the board by one move. This is what this
article is about.
Addressing Africa’s two hindrances to bridge the digital
divide starts with
addressing electricity supply and connectivity
technologies - Solar energy
for power and wireless technology for
connectivity. Easier said than done,
but NOT impossible. The solar cell,
which can function on minimal natural
light, enables a phone to be installed
in remote areas where it is
impractical to run power cables to the unit. If
insufficient light is
available the device can be backed up by a
battery.
Solar Primer – Insolation
Solar panels convert photons of
light into electrical current by a process
known as the "photovoltaic
effect". This essentially means that solar
energy illuminating is causing
electrons in a solar panel to become excited.
These electrons are then
directed into an electric current by a built-in
electromagnetic field.
Africa receives a lot of sunshine because most
countries are not too far
from the equator. A standard way to measure the
amount of sunshine received
in an area is called - insolation. This is
expressed as kilowatt hours per
square meter per day. No rocket science
involved here southern Africa has
higher insolation values than Canada!
Typical average annual insolation
levels:
Central Australia = 5.89 kWh/m2/day - Very High
Bulawayo,
Zimbabwe = 4.5 kWh/m2/day - High
Helsinki, Finland = 2.41 kWh/m2/day - Very
Low
Solar equipment
Deployment of these systems is NOT too complex
if done by trained personal.
Deployment involves system sizing which
basically includes estimating the
power consumption by the system. Batteries
are used to store electrical
energy to power the system at night or during
times when sunshine is at its
lowest by use of chargers.
Most end
user wireless equipment have pretty low power consumption levels
but
transmitters used by the service provider will need larger solar systems
which means digging deeper into the pocket - one reason that scares most
people way from deploying solar powered systems.
Wireless
Primer
The term wireless is pretty broad in the true sense of the word.
On the
streets of Bulawayo or Harare this means a cellphone to the average
citizen.
Accurate in a sense . I am not offering a wireless tutorial here ,
but tech
savvy readers must realize and appreciate that the bulk of the
readers are
not as tech savvy and as such a clearer explanation of what
wireless
technology is , will go a long way into unlocking what its full
potential
is.
Wireless technology revolves around the ability to send
electromagnetic
signals (radio waves) over the air using a transmitter with
a receiver on
the other end. A simple example would be the traditional
Supersonic or WRS
radio set where you tune into radio 2 or radio 4 to listen
to your favorite
programs. This is a one way radio system , where the user
ONLY receives and
does NOT talk back. The same technology is used for
cellphones with the
difference that the user can talk back to the
sender.
This is facilitated by use of base stations that Cellphone
operators like
Econet ,NetOne or Telecel deploy to send calls to you. TV
also uses wireless
technology. And so what’s the difference? The difference
lies in what
frequencies a network operator is allowed to transmit and
receive
signals.The way the GSM operators operate would be the same way that
you can
wind your FM/AM dial to tune in to your favorite radio station at a
technical and circuitry level.
Wireless technologies are
characterized by their frequency range, their
coverage area, signal loss,
and transmission power. But suffice to say here
that the different wireless
technologies include, but NOT limited to, GSM,
Wi-Fi, WiMax, Satellite, Blue
Tooth etc.
The unique position with wireless technologies lies in their
ability of NOT
wanting to use copper cables to send signals. But each
country must regulate
who uses which frequency otherwise there will be
congestion caused by
interference and it will be chaotic. This is one of the
roles of a telecoms
regulator to manage frequency spectrums – like Potraz in
the Zim sense.
Otherwise if there is no control you shouldn’t be surprised
to hear some ZRP
messages on your cellphone assuming your Nokia receiver can
receive the
signals.
Solar Powered Wireless Access
This is a
viable avenue of implementing RURAL telephony in a bid to redress
the
knowledge and information gap between the urban and rural populations
amongst other things. No need to explain and expand the clear relationship
that exists between information technology and development of a country.
Access to information and communication on the fly , bridges the digital
divide that generally engulfs the bulk of African countries. This is usually
measured as teledensity. The number of connected phones users per 1000
people.
Solar and wireless technologies share a very unique thing.
They both bring
something to a location where it would have been otherwise
impossible to.
Solar brings power and wireless brings data. So the
combination of these
produces something that everyone wants but can’t
connect the dots – bringing
internet and voice to remote location using
solar energy. Bear in mind that
the batteries can function for several days
without sunlight.
Solar Powered wireless access uses low wattage
transmitters and receivers to
send and receive radio signals regardless of
frequencies involved. Backhaul
to backbone also uses solar powered radio
with up to 100 km range at 32Mb/s
with line of site before
repeating.
Solar Wireless Access Nodes presently available have enough
battery capacity
to run for several days without significant sunlight, and
are fully remote
monitored as long as there is back haul to data network!
NeOne already has
deployed a solar powered base station because of
intermittent ZESA outages.
Naturally most people dismiss solar powered
initiatives as very expensive
because what they fail to realize is that once
installed the system pays
itself as long as the sun shines! But once
deployed there is not much
maintenance to be done on sun light! And if there
is no sunshine its likely
that there is wind and hence
windmills.
Challenges and Opportunities
The two most basic
services that technology can deliver in remote areas are
a dial tone and
email access.
These two should constitute a basic need for any nation
that claims to be
serious about any form of development. Availing solar
powered phone and
internet centers at business centers is one direct way of
availing basic
communication means to the remotest part of the country not
covered by any
GSM signal. This way even the remotest farmer in Wedza can
send an email to
a fertilizer supplier in Kwekwe for prices. The phone and
internet center
approach spreads the cost of ownership over a larger group
of people.
Due to remote location difficult terrain, hostile environments
and dispersed
population, laying of copper or fiber optics is not cost
effective solution
to provide connectivity. As such there is no one single
approach that will
achieve the objective of bridging the digital divide. But
an array of
approaches using different technologies have to be invoked based
on
conditions local to the area. For instance solar powered equipment will
fare
better in Lupane than Nyanga. These are facts relevant to a specific
geographic area. This is not a one size fits all solution.
A thorough
and detailed site survey will establish if a particular
technology will work
for a certain community or not. The site survey must
collect relevant data
like weather patterns, temperature extremes,
elevation, wind speeds,
security, distance from interconnection, population
density etc.
Use
of solar powered wireless equipment addresses two problems inherent in
most
developing countries - lack of reliable electricity (ZESA) and cost of
laying copper. Solutions that can be solar powered remove power related
obstacles in rolling out basic telephone services and even
internet.
This approach provides a vehicle to implement say tele-medicine
and other
healthcare delivery services as well as agricultural education and
extension
services, other services include distance learning and mass
education
programs. This means that the local rural clinic, local police,
school,
shops have access to a dial tone and email within a reasonable
walking
distance. This means teachers based in remote areas are able to
access
resources that can aid their curriculum. This means that health
workers can
disseminate HIV/AIDs info at the click of a mouse.
I
thought that this was common sense ! But I could be wrong.
But in
Zimbabwe's case like most African countries , we have farmers with
the most
fertile land that DO NOT have access to information resources
regarding
commercial farming as a business. This is a serious matter. Most
of the new
farmers do not
have access to an email address ! Having phone and internet
centers at the
community centers and even growth points , will mean that not
everyone in
that area needs to buy his or her own computer to access basic
communication
services but can use the public access system. This eliminates
the excuse of
computer cost being a major obstacle to development by
default.
Lack of access to information contributes heavily to an extent
similar to
the perennial food shortages to a country that has NOT been
experiencing any
drought because of lack of information. Lack of information
is directly
proportional to poverty levels.
The Bible says “ ..
people perish because of lack of knowledge …”. I will
not expand on this
self explanatory verse from the book of Hosea.
Telecom Center (Phone
& Internet Center)
Think of a telecom center as a setup with phone ,
e-mail and internet
services. This model is pretty common in urban setups.
And this model could
be used for remote centers and even some urban centers
whose electricity
supply is more often off than on.
As such the telecom
center will have 3 distinct elements phone center ,
internet center and the
control system.
This test system is for 8 phones and 8
workstations.
Phone Center
The essential building blocks for the
rural phone center would based along
these guidelines :
• Housing
booths - to house telephone handsets
• Solar module – this is a 3m long pole
with a solar panel , a charger and
batteries
• Wireless module - this
could be CDMA or WiFi or GSM depending on what
wireless technology is
available.
• Phone devices – these are the handsets that will be plugged
into the
witch on the local network.
• Metering units – these could
either be stand alone devices or incorporated
within the telephony devices
to regulate usage.
Internet Center
The following make up the data
side of the community communications center :
• Mini PCs – these are
fully functional computer systems that consume less
electricity but provide
enough processor speed and capacity to be used for
tasks like word
processing and internet browsing and printing.
• LCD monitors – these have a
lower power consumption rates.
• Switch – this is in the form of a PoE(Power
over Ethernet) switch in which
the phones can be plugged in directly with no
separate power source as there
are powered inline by the switch.
•
Accessories – ethernet cables and power strips .
• Software – free tried and
tested linux operating system like Ubuntu.
Control
System
Basically this is the logical term for the systems that bring and
or enable
services to the end users stations namely the telephone center and
the
internet center.
• Internet server – this is a Pentium 4 computer
with at least 2G of memory
running FREE open source Ubuntu Linux operating
system. In short this
system acts as the intermediary between the end users
(stations) on one side
and the internet and satellite dish on the other
hand.
• Telephony server – this is the call routing and call processing
system
that literally performs call origination and termination and all
transcoding
functions where audio signals have to be converted for GSM or
landline
systems. Typically this system is a dual core Pentium 4 kicking on
at least
3 G memory.
• VSAT system – this is a solar powered satellite
dish maybe 1.2m wide with
1.5Mb/s down and 384 kps up and again its size is
determined by the size of
the center. The VSAT option is the wireless option
if there is no GSM or
WiMax alternative in that area.
I know someone
out there is about to point out that the bandwidth
requirements for both
voice and data might not be enough , well VSAT and
VoIP technologies have
leap frogged with time. Five years ago when I started
thinking of this
project Facebook was not so popular then .But today it’s a
different story.
My point is that what you know NOT today could be a hit
tomorrow. Present
satellite systems do carry voice at lower bandwidth
capacities than ever
imagined possible – yes at 4kb/s. GSM uses 13 kb/s.
The beauty of IP
telephony is that modern and efficient and cost effective
voice compression
schemes are now available that enable a number of voice
calls to be
squeezed into a smaller pipe than before – an interesting
analogy would like
packing 20 people into a Kombi originally designed to
seat 12 people
VSAT systems have an option for CIR ( committed information rate) which
literally guarantees a minimum bandwidth allocation for the end user – the
community center.Of course CIR means a little bit extra dollars.
•
Solar system – this is an array of solar panels , chargers and batteries
that are installed and sized according to the expected load the deployment.
This is measured in KWh (kilo watt hours). This depends on the sunlight and
on the size of the panels surface area. Batteries are sized in such a way
that the system can function even during days of low sunlight. In which case
wind energy can be used by use of windmills in areas with low light. Usually
areas that have low sunshine and more cloud cover will have higher wind
speeds to make sense of considering windmills.
Use of VoIP
If
the system described is deployed , then then to make calls some
telephoning
system must be used. Not Econet, Not Telone but some technology
that allows
you to carry voice over an IP network – VoIP - Voice Over
Internet
Protocol.
This is how it is setup. Lets say we want to have 4 telephones
in our remote
site in Gokwe to enable farmers to sell their cotton online
and be able to
make and receive calls locally and internationally. 4 VoIP
devices are
installed to provide the dialing tone on site. The actual phones
won’t need
any electricity as they are powered inline by the network switch.
The
devices will get their dial tone from the telephone server located
locally
on the same local are network. But the local switch is linked to
other
switches nationwide over IP and can communicate with the larger
providers
like Econet and NetOne. This is using the VSAT option where the
GSM is
unavailable.
But for other settings a WiMax back haul is used
to connect directly to
Econet.This could either use LOS (Line of sight) or
NLOS ( non Line of
sight) to propagate the signals.LOS refers to a direct
point to point line
between a transmitter and a receiver with NO obstruction
in between such as
trees, mountains or buildings. WiMax which is another
wireless technology
has the capability of good connectivity for up to 50
km.
Calls made within the VoIP network from one farmer in Gokwe to
another one
in Wedza are almost free. Because the phone call path does NOT
leave the
private network based on open standard and open source
technologies.
Naturally established telecom operators do NOT like open
source based VoIP
when used by potential competitors BUT they themselves use
the same
technology to lower their origination and termination costs which
they don’t
pass to the consumer.
Cost
The project management
teams is more interested in this one. The costs
obviously includes all of
the above labor , security installations ,
transport , meals , air time etc.
Nothing is new here. But of importance to
note are the monthly recurring
costs that should be built into the budget
when this is planned.
•
Connectivity – if the VSAT is used then there is a monthly service fee
that
gos with use of the service. This depends on the amount of traffic that
traverses the network.
• Telephony – calls made between similar
systems on the IP network are free
not really free since they connectivity
portion takes care of it. Ok let me
break it down to simpler terms. If a
system community communications is
deployed in Jambezi , Gokwe m Wedza ,
Guruve and Madlambuzi for argument’s
sake , calls made between these centers
are technically FREE. And now calls
made to other networks like Econet .
NetOne or Telone are charged at
whatever costs the service providers would
have agreed to charge RURAL
originated calls.
• Electricity – FREE.
Not really the recurring costs here will be for the
service technician to do
rounds making sure batteries are charging ok. But
there is nothing to fix on
the panels. Sunrays do not break of get damaged !
• Wages – naturally
there would be at least 2 people manning the center .One
to assist years and
the other for security purposes. The ifs and how’s have
to be worked out by
the ICT in liason with the community – that’s out of my
scope.
•
Software – no license fees are paid as these systems use open source
software
• Other – literally other costs that could have been over
looked
ROI
It would be very essential to look at the return of
investment for such a
project from a developmental point of view and not a
monetary one. The
extent to which this digital initiative will enhance and
improve people’s
lives , has no monetary value that can be attached to it –
literally.
With say 100 public users of the communications center that
include
teachers , A2 farmers , policeman , nurses , local government and
villagers
etc. a fee of $ 7/person/month could recoup a big chunk of the
running costs
after the first year when usage is high and
appreciated.
The funds are available , according to POTRAZ , so it makes
sense that for
the first 12 months . running costs are built into the
budget in advance.
AND when local people appreciate the strength and power
of ICT they won’t
hesitate to pay some $ 7 per month to access phone , email
and internet
services !
Way forward
Considering that
the most challenging part of such an huge project –
funding is presumably
available under control , according to POTRAZ and the
Ministry of ICT ,
what remains is precise project planning to match bring
the right technology
at a reasonable cost to the targeted population.
This entails doing some
pilot runs at a small scale for proof of concept.
Since the ultimate plan is
to mass deploy these community communications
centers , it makes logical
sense to solidly conduct thorough pilot runs
before committing millions to
buying equipment for mass deployment.
Closing remarks
Successful
implementation will require a coordinated approach involving
close and
ongoing partnerships between communities, government and industry
providers.
Government – through legislative and statutory instruments
POTRAZ for
example allocates the scarce resources to areas that have been
identified
for deployment. With the ministry coming in to actually put
together a
deployment plan from beginning to end which. And not to
forgetting to ensure
that the national fiber backbone construction to
connect to the undersea
cables in the Indian ocean goes to completion. This
is nationally important
if the country is to have fast access to the
Internet beyond our borders.
Communities – it is critical to involve the
communities who are targeted for
rural communications deployments via the
existing community structures. This
help in short term assimilation of the
technology and long term ownership of
the systems.
Industry – these
include service operators who will provide the technology
and equipment and
other players who will supply different products and
services including
experts in different technologies referenced in this
article.
Media –
both print and electronic news providers play a very crucial role in
reporting progress of lack of it in any of these deployments.
Naturally a
varied version of this plan should be adopted for the urban
population to
avail internet access. Like using “Tower Lights” in high
density suburbs as
base stations for WiMax and WiFi – about that in my next
article.
Contributions for requests for info , omissions and additions
most welcome.
Robert Ndlovu
Ndlovu @ ymail.com
(650) 200
0250
San Jose – USA .
{ Mr. Ndlovu is an ICT consultant based in San
Jose – California }
Dear Friends.
Just minutes after I had pressed 'send' for last week's Letter
in which I
had bemoaned the lack of resistance on the part of Zimbabweans, I
was
delighted to see pictures of hundreds of MDC demonstrators in central
Harare. The demonstration, reckoned to be some three kilometres long, was
actually escorted by the police. It seemed like a miracle of democratic
transformation until one remembered that President Zuma was either still in
or just on his way out of the country. Mugabe would have been keen to
demonstrate to the South African mediator his democratic credentials;
perhaps that explains why the police allowed the demonstration and even
escorted the demonstrators. The MDC Youth deserve huge credit for their
initiative and strategic thinking in mounting their demo while Zuma was in
the country. It might be one of the very few positive things to have come
out of his visit; certainly the Zimbabwean people are not being told what,
if anything, was achieved. It is strange, to say the least, that Zimbabweans
themselves are the last to be told about arrangements which will vitally
affect their lives. Even now, a week after Zuma's departure we remain in
ignorance of the "package of measures" apparently agreed on - but as always,
rumours abound.
Back in South Africa, Zuma tells parliamentarians in Cape
Town to 'Give this
unity government a chance' and yet again calls on western
powers to lift
sanctions. Has he really been so completely hoodwinked by
Mugabe that he
believes the lifting of sanctions will solve Zimbabwe's
problems? Zuma says
nothing about human rights abuses and the blatant
attacks on MDC supporters
taking place all over the country in every
province. This last week alone,
we have seen the police arresting and
detaining MDC supporters for daring to
raise their voices in song while
passing a Zanu PF meeting! The story goes
that the MDC in Mutasa, Manicaland
Province, had police permission to hold a
meeting at an agreed venue. When
the MDC arrived they discovered that the
local Zanu PF had taken their place
and were holding their own meeting.
Predictably, the police arrested the MDC
leaders and locked them up - for
'disrespectful' singing! No charges have
been preferred. In a separate
incident another 12 MDC people in the area are
being held, including a very
pregnant woman. In Marondera, Mashonaland
East, too, the MDC is under
attack with the arrest of the MDC Mayor,
councillors and former police
officers discharged from the police for their
MDC sympathies. In Masvingo
Province, Zanu PF and local war vets have set up
'liberated zones' such as
we saw during the Liberation War, because, they
claim, the 'war is not yet
won.' The 'enemy' is the MDC, the partners in the
so-called Unity
Government. While the leaders have their secret talks in the
capital, their
followers in the rural areas are not even allowed access to
food relief.
According to local traditional leaders in some areas, only Zanu
PF card
holders are entitled to food relief. Mediation talks in Harare but
confrontation in the rural areas where villagers must prove their allegiance
to the former 'ruling' party before they can feed their families.
But
the week has not been without some light relief. As the rumours of the
Zuma-mediated talks trickled out to the news-starved journalists, there came
the astonishing report that Zuma had suggested to Johannes Tomana that he
might give up his contentious appointment as Attorney General in exchange
for a judgeship. Not hard to tell which way his judgements would go! And
Gideon Gono that other contentious Mugabe appointment has apparently been
offered the post of Zimbabwe's Ambassador to South Africa in exchange for
relinquishing his Governorship of the Reserve Bank. As a mediator, Zuma
simply uses the Mugabe technique; when things don't work just move the
personnel around but never actually change anything that would impinge on
Zanu PF's monopoly of power. Another rumour has it that Roy Bennett has been
offered the dropping of the treason charges against him in exchange for a
post as Deputy Minister of - something, anything other than Agriculture
where he would be able to expose the multiple farm ownerships by Zanu PF
'fat cats' and other greedy land grabbers.
Speaking of 'grabbing' what
doesn't belong to you, the Minister of Mines,
Obert Mpofu, this week gave
evidence to a parliamentary committee on the
goings on at the Chiadzwa
diamond fields. Mpofu admitted that there were
some crooked diamond
officials operating there but, he claimed "it was
virtually impossible to
get clean people in the industry." He had done his
research, he said, and he
had discovered that globally the diamond industry
consisted of drug dealers,
smugglers or just plain crooks. "That is the
world-wide trend." Mpofu
maintained. Birds of a feather, you could say!
Not content with locking up
MDC personnel, two truckloads of police invaded
Gallery Delta in Harare and
confiscated 65 graphic photographs for an
exhibition organised by Zimrights
Director Okay Machisa who was briefly
arrested. The pictures showed the
victims of horrific police brutality
including one of Morgan Tsvangirai
himself. The police argued in court that
the pictures were 'lewd' and taken
without consent but High Court Judge
Samuel Kudya ruled the police case had
no basis in law and ordered the
police to release the photographs within the
hour. Amazingly, the exhibition
was allowed to open but the police returned
after the official opening and
attempted to remove the pictures again.
Clearly, the police are not happy to
have evidence of their appalling
brutality on public view despite the fact
that all the images are in the
public domain. "Change will come whether you
like it or not," said Morgan
Tsvangirai, opening the exhibition. "It is like
a flood. You cannot stop
it."
This weekend Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara meet to 'iron out' the
remaining problems. Now we shall see the fruits of Zuma's mediation
efforts - or perhaps not! There will be no Letter from the diaspora next
week but perhaps by the time I return, the flood of freedom will be more
than the present trickle. I am not optimistic.
Yours in the (continuing)
struggle PH. aka Pauline Henson author of Case
Closed published in Zimbabwe
by Mambo Press, Going Home and Countdown
political detective stories set in
Zimbabwe and available at www.lulu.com