http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/
27 March, 2011
06:00:00 By Guthrie Munyuki, Deputy News Editor
HARARE - Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says there are strong indications
that President
Robert Mugabe is no longer in charge of the country.
Tsvangirai said many of
the issues he agrees with the Zanu PF leader in
their weekly meetings are
often later reversed, ostensibly by security
chiefs.
Alternatively,
Tsvangirai said in an exclusive interview with the Daily News
this week,
Mugabe was “playing games” with the MDC leader – if Zimbabwe’s
octogenarian
leader was not being held captive by security chiefs.
“In our bilateral
meetings, I have discussed the issue of violence and
implored Mugabe to deal
with elements in the security organs. “His response
has always been that we
don’t condone violence. If he doesn’t follow up, it’s
either he is in charge
or not in charge. That leaves me with a question: Is
he part of a conspiracy
to undermine the government or his people are
defying his instructions?”
said Tsvangirai.
“To be truthful, what is now evident is that some of
these actions are a
fait accompli from a third force within the government,
which acts with
impunity. You wonder if there is still control by a civilian
authority in
government.”
Tsvangirai said there was a group of senior
Zanu PF officials who had
seemingly taken over the “full-time” role of
undermining his efforts and
working relationship with Mugabe.
“There
is a coterie in Zanu PF which includes senior people in the police,
the
military, Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), (and includes)
Emmerson
Mnangagwa and Jonathan Moyo.
“As PM I am accountable for the supervision
of all ministers, but there are
some who do not report to me but go directly
to Mugabe and these include
Mnangagwa and State Security Minister Sydney
Sekeramayi,” Tsvangirai said.
He accused the CIO bosses of shielding one
of their operatives, Joseph
Mwale, from prosecution – 11 years after the
High Court ordered his arrest
for the gruesome murder of Tsvangirai’s
bodyguards.
Former High Court Judge James Devitte ordered Mwale in 2000
to be arrested
and charged with the gruesome and broad daylight murder of
Tichaona Chiminya
and Talent Mabika at Murambinda Growth Point, during a
campaign for
Tsvangirai.
Devitte emotionally told the court that the
brutal killings “were a wicked
act” and nullified the results of the Buhera
North constituency which had
been contentiously won by Zanu PF’s Kenneth
Manyonda who narrowly beat
Tsvangirai.
Mwale and his accomplice,
Kainos “Kitsiyatota” Zimunya, are still enjoying
their freedom.
“What
we are aware of is that he (Mwale) is under the protection of the
state. It
is his bosses at the CIO who are supposed to produce the man. We
are
waiting. So far there is a conspiracy of silence about this man,”
Tsvangirai
said.
He said since becoming the PM, he did not take up the issue with
Mugabe
because “I thought the warrants and orders around his arrest were
sufficient”.
It was critical that the State adequately dealt with
murders and violence,
including the Gukurahundi atrocities, said Tsvangirai.
While he said cabinet
was trying to deal with the issue of violence,
national healing and GPA
problems, he slammed recent exhumations of bodies
by suspected Zanu PF,
which he said were illegal.
“It’s illegal to
exhume bodies. Police must investigate missing people and
exhume them after
carrying forensic assessments. The MDC has its members
missing and how do we
know if those that are being exhumed are not our
members? Forensic
assessments should be done to verify the state of the
bodies not what we are
witnessing,” Tsvangirai warned.
Zanu PF has come under serious attacks
from civic and rights groups over its
conduct around the political
exhumations of people it claimed were buried in
mass graves by Rhodesian
forces.
The exhumations have sparked a welter of emotions, in particular
from
relatives of the Gukurahundi operation, which led to the killings of
more
than 20 000 civilians in Matabeleland and some parts of the Midlands
during
a crackdown against supposed bandits by security forces.
A
North Korean- trained Fifth Brigade ran the operation in what became to be
understood as one of the darkest periods of post-independence
Zimbabwe.
Relatives of the people slain during Gukurahundi have demanded
that the
exhumations be extended to Matabeleland and the Midlands if Zanu PF
is
serious about its ‘discoveries”. Mugabe losing grip. - Daily News
Robb , Derby
Over the past few years, I have many times written of the
longest and quietest coup in history - that of Mugabe taking power in Zimbabwe
even though he is not the duly elected President of the country. I have also
written of the manner in which he has been able to not only grab power but to
secure it in such a way that nothing happens in Zimbabwe without the knowledge
of ZANU PF.
Mugabe himself is seen as just a nominal figurehead - real
power is with the Joint Operations Command (JOC) and his Minister for Defence,
Emmerson Mnangagwa, who many believe is the anointed one, the one chosen to
succeed Mugabe.- when he does finally fall off his mortal coil.
Much has been written in the last forty-eight hours about a
coup in Zimbabwe, but this hasn’t taken the form of so many other coups we have
seen take place around the world in recent years.
Instead of an armed takeover of State installations by rebel
forces and the dethroning of the State head, Mugabe is there already - all he
has to do is prevent the advent of democracy from happening, holding Zimbabweans
hostage in their own country.
This is a coup from the inner sanctum of a struggling
government.
Mugabe has no intention of handing power to anyone, nor
allowing anyone to have any say in the running of the country. The popular
mandate may not be his or his ZANU PF party, but that hasn’t stopped him from
carefully ensuring that nothing could possibly be held in abeyance to prevent
his fractious and rowdy party from destroying Zimbabwe totally, so that only
pro-ZANU PF people have any chance at life at all.
I have also read how the Attorney-General - unilaterally
Mugabe-appointed Johannes Tomana - has prepared the paperwork to have Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai arrested on charges of contempt of court following
his remarks on the decision to scrap the election of the Speaker of the House.
Even though Tsvangirai has apologised for his comments, and I have written here
already how Mugabe apologist Jonathan Moyo has had far worse to say on the
subject, we do not see any paperwork awaiting Moyo and his
arrest.
There are supposedly nine senior members of the Tsvangirai
faction of the Movement for Democratic Change that are also meant to be arrested
at the same time - reportedly meant to transpire upon the return of the Prime
Minister from meeting with South African President, Jacob Zuma.
Obviously, the arrest of the Prime Minister would be the
final straw for the fragile coalition, and Mugabe would just move MDC personnel
aside, replacing them with his own people, which would thereby give him total
and utter control in the country.
We will hear no outcry from regional leaders, nor will we
hear anything said by the Southern African Development Community, the supposed
guarantors of the ‘government of national unity’ - possibly because they won’t
know what to say, but probably because they are too scared to say anything seen
as remotely anti-Mugabe.
The next few days in Zimbabwean history will leave indelible
scars on the population, unimaginable pain and suffering for key members of the
MDC formations, more suffering for the population who already struggle to
survive each day, and a stoic silence from the Mugabe administration. Any word
from ZANU PF will be laced with hatred, lies, loathing and
threats.
The gloves are truly off this time.
Robb WJ Ellis
The Bearded Man
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
By Guthrie Munyuki, Deputy News
Editor
Sunday, 27 March 2011 13:42
HARARE - Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai says there are strong indications
that President Robert Mugabe is
no longer in charge of the country.
Tsvangirai said many of the
issues he agrees with the Zanu PF leader in
their weekly meetings are often
later reversed, ostensibly by security
chiefs.
Alternatively,
Tsvangirai said in an exclusive interview with the Daily News
this week,
Mugabe was “playing games” with the MDC leader – if Zimbabwe’s
octogenarian
leader was not being held captive by security chiefs.
“In our bilateral
meetings, I have discussed the issue of violence and
implored Mugabe to deal
with elements in the security organs. “His response
has always been that we
don’t condone violence. If he doesn’t follow up, it’s
either he is in
charge or not in charge. That leaves me with a question: Is
he part of a
conspiracy to undermine the government or his people are
defying his
instructions?” said Tsvangirai.
“To be truthful, what is now evident is
that some of these actions are a
fait accompli from a third force within the
government, which acts with
impunity. You wonder if there is still control
by a civilian authority in
government.”
Tsvangirai said there was a
group of senior Zanu PF officials who had
seemingly taken over the
“full-time” role of undermining his efforts and
working relationship with
Mugabe.
“There is a coterie in Zanu PF which includes senior people in
the police,
the military, Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), (and
includes)
Emmerson Mnangagwa and Jonathan Moyo.
“As PM I am
accountable for the supervision of all ministers, but there are
some who do
not report to me but go directly to Mugabe and these include
Mnangagwa and
State Security Minister Sydney Sekeramayi,” Tsvangirai said.
He accused
the CIO bosses of shielding one of their operatives, Joseph
Mwale, from
prosecution – 11 years after the High Court ordered his arrest
for the
gruesome murder of Tsvangirai’s bodyguards.
Former High Court Judge James
Devitte ordered Mwale in 2000 to be arrested
and charged with the gruesome
and broad daylight murder of Tichaona Chiminya
and Talent Mabika at
Murambinda Growth Point, during a campaign for
Tsvangirai.
Devitte
emotionally told the court that the brutal killings “were a wicked
act” and
nullified the results of the Buhera North constituency which had
been
contentiously won by Zanu PF’s Kenneth Manyonda who narrowly beat
Tsvangirai.
Mwale and his accomplice, Kainos “Kitsiyatota” Zimunya,
are still enjoying
their freedom.
“What we are aware of is that he
(Mwale) is under the protection of the
state. It is his bosses at the CIO
who are supposed to produce the man. We
are waiting. So far there is a
conspiracy of silence about this man,”
Tsvangirai said.
He said since
becoming the PM, he did not take up the issue with Mugabe
because “I thought
the warrants and orders around his arrest were
sufficient”.
It was
critical that the State adequately dealt with murders and violence,
including the Gukurahundi atrocities, said Tsvangirai. While he said cabinet
was trying to deal with the issue of violence, national healing and GPA
problems, he slammed recent exhumations of bodies by suspected Zanu PF,
which he said were illegal.
“It’s illegal to exhume bodies. Police
must investigate missing people and
exhume them after carrying forensic
assessments. The MDC has its members
missing and how do we know if those
that are being exhumed are not our
members? Forensic assessments should be
done to verify the state of the
bodies not what we are witnessing,”
Tsvangirai warned.
Zanu PF has come under serious attacks from civic and
rights groups over its
conduct around the political exhumations of people it
claimed were buried in
mass graves by Rhodesian forces.
The
exhumations have sparked a welter of emotions, in particular from
relatives
of the Gukurahundi operation, which led to the killings of more
than 20 000
civilians in Matabeleland and some parts of the Midlands during
a crackdown
against supposed bandits by security forces.
A North Korean- trained
Fifth Brigade ran the operation in what became to be
understood as one of
the darkest periods of post-independence Zimbabwe.
Relatives of the
people slain during Gukurahundi have demanded that the
exhumations be
extended to Matabeleland and the Midlands if Zanu PF is
serious about its
‘discoveries”.Mugabe losing grip
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
By Guthrie Munyuki, Deputy News
Editor
Sunday, 27 March 2011 14:01
HARARE - Former Speaker of
Parliament Lovemore Moyo, co-Home Affairs
Minister Theresa Makone as well as
three other high ranking MDC officials
are understood to be targeted for
arrest soon – in a new blitz by police.
At the same time, it was also
separately revealed yesterday that the army
may have deployed special
personnel to help Zanu PF revive its structures in
seven
provinces.
However, police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena laughed off the
mooted blitz,
saying it was mere speculation by the MDC.
“Have they
been arrested? I wouldn’t comment on that. It’s speculative. They
have not
been arrested and really I can’t comment on that,” he said.
But the Daily
News was reliably told that Makone fled her office yesterday
morning,
moments after being tipped off that police were closing in on her –
just
hours too after her colleague Elton Mangoma had been arrested at his
home –
the second time in a fortnight.
Detectives swooped on Mangoma at his
residence in the early hours yesterday
as the Energy Minister was preparing
to go for work.
He appeared at the Harare Magistrate’s Court facing charges
of criminally
abusing his office by allegedly cancelling a Zesa tender which
was then
re-run and won by his former employers – Deloittes
Zimbabwe.
The embattled MDC deputy treasurer-general has since been
indicted at the
High Court and will face trial on July 18. Mangoma is
already facing another
trial on corruption charges, with that case to be
heard in court on Monday.
Sources told the Daily News that police were
also keen to quiz Makone on a
raft of allegations ranging from violence,
trying to defeat the course of
justice and being in contempt of
court.
Moyo, who recently lost his Speaker of Parliament post after the
Supreme
Court nullified the election which catapulted him into Parliament,
is
apparently wanted by police for allegedly operating a bottle store
without a
licence.
Another MDC member, Paul Madzore, could face
charges of violence, the
sources said.
Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai recently threatened to pull out of the
inclusive government
following the arrest of Mangoma and the over-throwing
of Moyo as Speaker of
Parliament.
MDC officials confirmed yesterday that they were aware of the
“grand scheme”
to arrest its MPs this weekend so as to reduce their numbers
in Parliament
before the possible election of the new Speaker on
Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a list obtained by the Daily News indicates that the
army has
deployed 39 skilled soldiers around the country – from the rank of
Warrant
Officer (WO) to Brigadier – to try and shore up Zanu PF’s fortunes
ahead of
the Speaker of Parliament elections next week, as well as the
general
elections planned for later in the year.
Zanu PF is desperate
to win the Speaker’s post, seen as key in future, in
the event that the
party’s succession saga spills into Parliament, where a
college vote might
be needed to choose who replaces the aged Mugabe.
Comment could not be
solicited from the defence ministry and the defence
forces at the time of
going to press as Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa’s
mobile phones were
not answered.
The volatile provinces of Mashonaland East, Mashonaland
Central and Harare
as well as Bulawayo have allegedly been allocated six
soldiers, each.
Manicaland, Masvingo and the Midlands were assigned five
soldiers each.
Among the senior army personnel allegedly deployed in the
provinces are
Brigadiers Martin Chedondo, Douglas Nyikaramba, Tarumbwa,
Chanakira and
Mupande.
Since President Robert Mugabe stated that
Zimbabwe could hold elections this
year there has been a flurry of
activities in Zanu PF, with the party roping
in retired Air Vice Marshal
Henry Muchena and former Central Intelligence
Organisation (CIO) director,
Sydney Nyanungo, to strategise and regenerate
its flagging
spirits.
The following is the list of alleged recent security personnel
deployments
in the provinces:
MUTARE
Brig. Nyikayaramba
Maj.
Ndlovu
WO2 Tsama
Capt. Mashava
Lt.Col. Mufakose
Masvingo
WO1
Moyo Mrs
Capt. Masumbu
Sgt Rambire
Capt. Mawisire
Midlands
Col.
Mlikasi
Major Shumba
Mj. Zvinorova
WO2 Alfa Ndlovu
S. Sgt
Zirobwa
Bulawayo
Brig. Mupande
Cap.
Mlilo
S.SgtGwafa
Sgt.Mutali
WO2 Ndlovu Almost
WO2 B.
Ndlovu
Mashonaland Central
Col. Mhonda
Col. Mutasa
Lt. Col.
Kazaza
WO2 Danga
WO2 Kamusengezi
WO2 Zonge
Harare
Brig.
Tarumbwa
S.SgtMadzivanyika
S.SgtMarivadze
S.SgtDube
Maj.
Nyikadzino
Maj. Manjengwa
Mashonaland East
Brig. Chanakira
WO2
Nikisi
Maj. Tembo
WO2 Bhunu
WO2 Ncube
Brig. Chedondo
http://www.iol.co.za
March 27 2011 at 12:48pm
Zimbabwean
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai met President Jacob Zuma in
South Africa to
seek his protection against the imminent arrest by
Zimbabwean President
Robert Mugabe's judicial authorities. Photo: Supplied
Zimbabwean Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai met President Jacob Zuma in
South Africa
yesterday to seek his protection against the imminent arrest by
Zimbabwean
President Robert Mugabe’s judicial authorities, Tsvangirai’s
aides
said.
If Tsvangirai is arrested, this could drive the final nail into the
coffin
of the deeply troubled two-year unity government which has already
been
shaken by the recent arrest of Tsvangirai’s Energy Minister, Elton
Mangoma.
Tsvangirai, who heads the larger faction of the Movement for
Democratic
Change (MDC) was seen talking to Zuma at the president’s home in
Nkandla,
KwaZulu-Natal, during an umbondo ceremony yesterday to mark the
coming
marriage of Zuma’s son Edward.
Zuma’s aides said that
Tsvangirai was there on private business not related
to the ceremony but
would not say what that business was.
MDC sources said that Tsvangirai
had gone to Nkandla to tell Zuma he fears
that Zimbabwe’s Attorney-General,
Johannes Tomana, known to be partial to
Mugabe’s Zanu-PF, is planning to
arrest him on a charge of contempt of
court.
This relates to
disparaging remarks that Tsvangirai made earlier this month
about Zimbabwe’s
Supreme Court judges who upheld the dismissal of MDC
Speaker of Parliament,
Lovemore Moyo.
Moyo had been removed from his position by Parliament on
the grounds that
his election had been unprocedural but had appealed the
decision to the High
Court, which overturned Parliament’s decision and
reinstated him.
But Zanu-PF MP Jonathan Moyo, Mugabe’s former Information
Minister, appealed
to the Supreme Court which overruled the High Court
earlier this month and
confirmed Moyo’s dismissal.
Tsvangirai
criticised the Supreme Court judges, suggesting their decision
had been
politically motivated. He later retracted the statement.
But MDC sources
said Tsvangirai believed that Tomana was nonetheless
preparing to lay
contempt of court charges against him.
If he did, that would make it very
difficult for Tsvangirai to remain in the
unity government as he is already
being sharply criticised by supporters for
allowing himself to be bullied by
Mugabe.
When Mangoma was arrested two weeks ago on charges related to the
procurement of fuel from South Africa, Tsvangirai said the unity government
was on the brink of “divorce”.
He is understood to have said last
week that if he were arrested, he would
walk out of the
government.
His own arrest could push him over the
edge.
Tsvangirai’s dilemma, though, is that many observers believe Mugabe
is
deliberately provoking him into quitting the unity government so he can
call
new elections, win them by whatever means necessary, and so finally rid
himself of the MDC.
In the same vein, Mugabe’s officials have also
begun banning MDC rallies and
political violence is reportedly increasing,
especially in the rural areas
of Zimbabwe.
Zuma is the official
Southern African Development Community mediator for
Zimbabwe.
Ten
days ago his office announced that his facilitation team would travel to
Zimbabwe this past week to address the stalemate.
But then the
facilitation team said it would delay the visit to the first
week of April
to allow the three Zimbabwean parties to prepare their own
progress reports
on their negotiations.
However, Tsvangirai’s visit to Zuma in Nkandla
yesterday suggests that
events in Zimbabwe are overtaking his facilitation
team’s relaxed
schedule. - Sunday Independent
http://www.newzimbabwe.com
27/03/2011 00:00:00
by Staff
Reporter
DEPOSED Speaker of Parliament, Lovemore Moyo faces arrest
for his attack on
the judiciary as his MDC-T party claims its MPs are being
targeted for
arrest in a campaign aimed at decimating its legislative
numbers ahead of a
key vote for the new Speaker.
The state-run Sunday
Mail newspaper reported that ‘a docket had already been
compiled’ for Moyo’s
arrest with related subsequent processes said to be
already
underway.
Moyo blasted the country’s judiciary after the Supreme Court
nullified his
election as Speaker and claimed the courts invariably backed
President
Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF on crucial decisions.
Party leader
and Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai also claimed the country’s
judges were
an appendage of Zanu PF but later apologised saying his remarks
were not
aimed at undermining the judiciary.
Moyo – who has been selected as his
party’s candidate for the now vacant
Speaker’s post -- filed an urgent
chamber application in the High Court
seeking to be re-instated Matobo North
House Member of Parliament.
He however, later withdrew the application,
citing delays in the process.
Meanwhile, his MDC-T party has claimed its
legislators are being targeted
for arrest ahead of the vote for a new
Speaker.
Party Secretary General, Tendai Biti told has claimed that at
least five
State security agents had been deployed in each province to
arrest the MDC-T
MPs ahead of the election.
“Minister Mangoma has
been re-arrested and brought to court where he was
immediately indicted for
trial at the High Court on 16 July 2011. We ask
why the speed in the arrest
of Hon. Mangoma and why arrest him in
installments when he was arrested two
weeks ago?” Biti told a press
conference at the party’s offices in
Harare.
The election for the new Speaker has since been suspended
indefinitely.
“Democracy is under siege. Certain cabals in Zanu PF
cockpit want to push
for an early election by collapsing the inclusive
government and the
Parliament. They have a myopic hope that violence that
violence will rule
the roost as in June 2008,” Biti added.
He said he
was confident the party would win back the Speaker’s post where
Moyo – if he
is allowed to stand – will square off against Zanu PF Chairman,
Simon Khaya
Moyo.
“We will not allow the people’s will to be defeated and deflected,”
Biti
said.
The other MDC faction led by Professor Welshman Ncube has
said it will not
field a candidate for the election.
http://www.voanews.com
Peta Thornycroft | Johannesburg
March 27, 2011
Political tensions are rising in Zimbabwe, where
police cancelled a Movement
for Democratic Change rally, while Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai made an
unscheduled weekend visit to South
African President Jacob Zuma before a
regional security meeting this week.
MDC officials say they expect more
senior members to be arrested this
week.
Zimbabwe’s pro-ZANU-PF Sunday Mail newspaper says MDC chairman and
former
speaker of parliament Lovemore Moyo will be arrested soon. The
newspaper
says papers have been drawn up by the attorney-general’s office to
charge
him with contempt of court, for allegedly criticizing the
judiciary.
Moyo was recently stripped of his position as speaker by the
Supreme Court,
which cited irregularities when he was elected to the post
two years ago.
Security sources in Harare say Mr. Tsvangirai also fears
arrest as he too
criticized the Supreme Court after MDC deputy treasurer
Elton Mangoma, who
is also energy minister in the inclusive government, was
arrested three
weeks ago.
Mr. Tsvangirai followed those off-the-cuff
remarks with what many analysts
say appeared to be an apology for
criticizing the judges, who many legal
analysts consider overwhelmingly
loyal to ZANU-PF and President Robert
Mugabe.
Several other leading
MDC personalities are either in hiding in Zimbabwe or
are keeping a low
profile.
The MDC won control of parliament in 2008, but the party says
Mr. Mugabe and
ZANU-PF have been using the police and judiciary to harass
MDC leaders and
negate its clout in the coalition government.
The
party says men dressed in Zimbabwe Republic Police uniforms and singing
ZANU-PF songs tried to force their way into the MDC's central headquarters
Saturday in Harare. It says the men were repelled by MDC security
officials.
That same day, the pro-ZANU-PF police told MDC it could
not hold a rally
scheduled for Sunday. The rally was supposed to replace
one banned last
weekend.
Mobile phones for the Zimbabwe Republic
Police were turned off and there was
no one answering telephones at police
headquarters in Harare to explain why
the rally was
banned.
Meanwhile, teachers in several high-density suburbs around Harare
say
militant ZANU-PF loyalists have forced them to sign a ZANU-PF-designed
petition protesting Western financial and travel sanctions against most
ZANU-PF leaders and a few state companies.
Mr. Tsvangirai went to see
Mr. Zuma at his traditional home in South
Africa's rural KwaZulu Natal
province on Saturday to brief him on the latest
developments and rise in
political temperature.
Mr. Tsvangirai’s spokesman, Luke Tamborinyika,
said the prime minister also
intended to visit leaders in Namibia, Tanzania
and the Democratic Republic
of Congo before a regional security meeting
Thursday in Zambia's capital.
The regional Southern African Development
Community oversees the political
agreement that led to Zimbabwe’s inclusive
government two years ago.
The MDC says it hopes outstanding issues of the
political agreement and the
increasing political clampdown on their party
will be high on the SADC's
agenda.
(AFP) – 6 hours ago
HARARE
— Police on Sunday barred Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's
party
from holding a rally, saying it coincided with the funeral of a close
ally
of President Robert Mugabe, an official said.
"They (police) wrote to us
saying we could not proceed with the rally
because it was coinciding with
the burial of Harare governor David
Karimanzira," said Nelson Chamisa, party
spokesman for the Movement for
Democratic Change.
"We know they are
clutching at straws and they would soon run out of
excuses. ... We should be
able to proceed with our rally next weekend," he
added.
Karimanzira,
who died Thursday, was declared a national hero and was buried
in the
capital Harare.
Police have banned several other planned MDC rallies this
year saying they
either clashed with Mugabe's ZANU-PF party or that they did
not have enough
manpower to monitor the events.
http://af.reuters.com/
Sun Mar 27, 2011 2:42pm
GMT
By Cris Chinaka
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwean President
Robert Mugabe on Sunday vowed his
party would not back down from its
controversial drive to force
foreign-owned companies to sell majority
shareholdings to local blacks.
Addressing supporters at the burial of a
senior government official, Mugabe
said his ZANU-PF party regarded black
economic empowerment as a key part of
the national liberation struggle,
dismissing fears it would hurt economic
recovery.
"We are not
stopping," he said to cheers.
"So we are saying we must take over our
country and those partners, those
outsiders, who want to work with us must
do so as junior partners. We are
the senior partners, no more the junior
partners," he said.
"Those who also want to work for us, they are
welcome."
Mugabe has said previously ZANU-PF will nationalise firms from
countries
that have imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe, arguing they cannot
operate freely
while Western powers punish his party over charges of rights
abuses.
These threats have added to the worries of foreign investors in
the
resource-rich country, which has introduced a law specifying 51 percent
of
firms worth over $500,000 should be owned by black Zimbabweans under a
five-year programme.
"We are not afraid to declare our programme
publicly. We are saying very
openly, 'Britain and America, this is our
country and we have a right over
its resources and we are taking control
now'," Mugabe said.
GADDAFI
Mugabe -- who has seized and
distributed white-owned commercial farms to
landless blacks under the banner
of correcting colonial injustices -- said
it was futile to appease
"imperialist" Western powers, mentioning Libyan
strongman Muammar
Gaddafi.
"Look at what they are doing to Gaddafi. He tried to appease
them by giving
them access to (oil) resources, by investing money with
Western financial
institutions but they have turned on him," he said of his
former political
ally.
Mugabe, who was forced into a unity government
with rival Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change
two years ago to try to
ease a severe economic crisis blamed on his
policies, is pushing for an
early general election this year before agreed
democratic reforms.
MDC officials have said Mugabe's call for an election
this year would
devastate a nascent recovery in Zimbabwe, whose economy has
been devastated
by hyperinflation.
Analysts say years of
mismanagement by Mugabe and ZANU-PF caused the
economic woes, but Mugabe,
87, who has been in power since independence from
Britain in 1980, has laid
the blame in large part on financial sanctions on
Zimbabwe.
On
Sunday, Mugabe made no reference to his election plans or to growing
tension
between ZANU-PF and the MDC over political violence, the
cancellations of
opposition rallies and the arrest of MDC officials on what
the party sees as
trumped-up charges.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/
Mar 27, 2011 3:38 PM | By
Sapa-AFP
President Robert Mugabe on Sunday told foreign investors to
embrace
Zimbabwe's equity laws and treat Zimbabweans as "senior partners" if
they
wanted to operate in his country.
"Those whites who want to be
with us, those outsiders who want to work with
us fine, they come in as
partners, we are the senior partner, no more the
junior partner," Mugabe
said Sunday at the burial of a party cadre at the
national
shrine.
"We are taking over. Listen Britain and America: this our
country. If you
have companies which would want to work in our mining
sector, they are
welcome to come and join us, but we must have our people as
the major
shareholders," he added.
The equity laws took effect in
March last year and requires large foreign
corporations to give majority
stakes to local shareholders.
"Lonhro, Anglo American, Rio Tinto you must
transform and become Zimbabwean,
we want black people, our people, our young
people. It's another dimension
to the struggle. Let that lesson go deep,"
Mugabe said.
Mugabe said Zimbabweans can now do things on their "own"
adding that the
investors must come only on Zimbabwe's terms.
"We can
get them (foreign investors) as friends just as we got the Easteners
such as
the Chinese, Indians and others, but they come as friends not as our
masters
and superiors," he said.
The empowerment law has raised divisions in the
coalition government with
Mugabe's former long-time rival, Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai, who has
said that the new legislation scares off
investors.
The empowerment law has also raised concerns from foreign
investors who have
operations in the country, while others have said the 51
percent must be
revised downwards.
Some of the foreign firms
operating in the country include British
Petroleum, Total, Chevron, Barclays
Bank, Standard Chartered and platinum
giant Zimplats.
http://www.newzimbabwe.com/
27/03/2011 00:00:00
by
Staff Reporter
SENIOR MDC-T official Roy Bennett has revealed that
the party was putting
pressure on investors to quit Zimbabwe and
particularly targeted
London-listed financial services group Old Mutual
which has significant
interests in the country.
Bennett – who is the
party’s treasurer general -- attended a fund managers’
conference in Cape
Town, South Africa, where he blasted Old Mutual over its
involvement in
Marange diamond mining and the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed
Zimbabwe
Newspapers group.
Bennett said the MDC-T had “quietly, behind closed
doors” asked Old Mutual
to “quit its blood-stained investment (in Marange)”
adding he was forced to
speak publicly because the firm had “not listened …
(to) our grievances”.
Old Mutual confirmed an indirect interest in Mbada
Diamonds “of 1.5 percent
via the South African recycling group New
Reclamation”.
Mbada Diamonds is a joint venture with the Zimbabwe
government that has less
than 10 percent of the controversial Chiadzwa
diamond fields, the company
said. Old Mutual insisted that “to date we have
not received any proceeds
from this indirect investment.”
But Bennett
said Old Mutual’s involvement was a “shame” compounded by the
“fact that
proceeds from sales of these blood diamonds are being used by
Zanu-PF to
unleash another bout of political violence on ordinary
Zimbabweans”.
“The whole thing stinks. Old Mutual, a listed company,
should not be
involved with the illegal dealing of diamonds,” Bennett
said.
The exiled MDC-T official also took issue with Old Mutual’s 18
percent
interest in Zimpapers which is majority-owned by the state and
publishes The
Herald and The Chronicle newspapers, among other
titles.
Bennett said by retaining the shareholding in Zimpapers, Old
Mutual was
associating itself, on a daily basis, with “the daily spewing of
hate
speech”.
Old Mutual explained that the investment was a legacy
from the past with
analysts noting the company was having ‘difficulties’
selling down its
holding since there were no buyers.
However, Bennett
suggested the company “should cut its losses and get out”.
http://www.radiovop.com
27/03/2011 15:16:00
KAROI, March
27, 2011- Zanu (PF) officials in Karoi have turned to convicted
inmates in a
desperate bid to garner 2 Million signatures for their
controversial
anti-sanctions petition.
Prison sources said they were given their forms
on Friday to distribute
among prisoners in the complex.The prisoners were
forced to sign the
petition without any resistance.The prison guards signed
the forms under the
watchful eye of senior officer in Charge Christine
Manhivi.
'' Prisoners who included those on remand were also forced to
sign the
forms.We have all the details of these imnates so it was easy to
compile the
list. There were no questions on the matter. It is mandatory for
everyone ''
said the sources who spoke on conditions they were not
identified.
Prison officers told Radio Vop that the exercise will also be
done at
Hurungwe prison about 50 kilometers out of Karoi town.
“ We
are being monitored closely by prison security officers who want to
prevent
us from leaking information to the media ” said another prison
source.
Youths activists in Karoi have also embarked on a door to door
campaign to
collect signatures that will be forwarded to the host countries
including
Britain, USA among others as well as European Union.
The EU
and the United States imposed targeted sanctions against Zanu (PF)
leaders
and businesses linked to the party as punishment for human rights
violations.The targeted sanctions do not affect ordinary Zimbabweans with no
links to the party.Since the sanctions were imposed in 2002, Zanu (PF)
including President Robert Mugabe have been barred from travelling to those
countries.Mugabe has only managed to attend meetings organised by the United
Nations.
http://www.voanews.com
Sources said a
meeting between representatives of workers and airline
management ended
Friday in a deadlock with the pilots vowing not to go back
to work until
salary arrears are paid
Gibbs Dube | Washington 25 March
2011
A strike by Air Zimbabwe pilots and other staff entered its
fourth day on
Friday with no indications of a resolution in the offing as
management said
it has no money to pay the workers outstanding salaries and
allowances
totaling US$9 million.
Sources said a meeting between
worker representatives and management ended
in a deadlock with pilots
demanding payment to return to work. They said the
airline begged the
pilots, engineers and flight attendants to resume work
while negotiations
continue.
The sources said the workers are not likely to return to work
without
payment because they ended a September strike but then received only
partial
payment of arrears.
The current strike has grounded all
national, South African regional and
international flights including the
lucrative Harare-London route. Many
customers are demanding refunds but
management said that this could take at
least three months.
Economist
Godfrey Kanyenze said there is no relief in sight for struggling
state-controlled enterprises like Air Zimbabwe as most are technically
insolvent and deeply in debt.
“There is no way that the airline
management will come up with short-term
measures to address this issue,”
said Kanyenze.
Praying for Zimbabwe
As the military junta
in Zimbabwe intensifies its onslaught against the MDC and civil liberties, the
Vigil has relaunched our petition calling for penalties against SADC countries
for failing to honour their undertaking to protect Zimbabweans, millions of whom
are suffering at the hands of the rampaging regime.
SADC agreed to
guarantee the coalition deal it foisted on the MDC two years ago but has
repeatedly failed to hold Zanu PF to account for its refusal to implement the
agreement.
The military junta
has now decided to bludgeon its way to another election victory before Mugabe
dies – no time obviously can be wasted – in the confident expectation that
Africa will once again rubber stamp a bogus election.
The Vigil believes
that there is no point in appealing to the African Union; it is rapidly
backtracking on its vote for democracy in Libya. We also have little confidence
in the United Nations, which we believe will have no interest in Zimbabwe until
there are tanks firing in Harare.
So who are we to look
to? The European Union gives billions of pounds a year to the SADC circus. The
UK alone, for instance, gives some £80 million a year to support the government
of Mugabe’s friend President Bingu wa Mutharika of
Malawi. We want this money
suspended until SADC governments meet their obligations. Here is what we are
demanding: ‘A Petition to
European Union Governments: We
record our dismay at the failure of the Southern African Development Community
(SADC) to help the desperate people of Zimbabwe at their time of trial. We urge
the UK government and the European Union in general to suspend government to
government aid to all 14 SADC countries until they abide by their joint
commitment to uphold human rights in the region. We suggest that the money
should instead be used to feed the starving in Zimbabwe.’
As
we met outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, some quarter of a million of people
demonstrated in London against austerity cuts in the national budget. We believe
that the UK government can avoid some of these cuts by withholding funds from
the Swazi paedophile King Mswati and Mugabe’s other derelict SADC friends. The
Vigil was encouraged by comments this week by UK Foreign Secretary William
Hague, who warned Mugabe to take heed of events in the Middle East and promised
that the UK would use its international clout to seek sanctions against
countries that protect corrupt dictators and ensure those responsible for human
rights abuses face the International Criminal Court.
Other
Points
·
Mr Hague was speaking
at a forum on African development organized by the Times newspaper. We noted
particularly the following figures: Zimbabwean GDP £4.64 billion and population
12 million against South Africa’s GDP of £507 billion with a population of 49
million. To spell it out, the GDP per person in South Africa is 25 times as big
as the GDP per person in Zimbabwe. When Mugabe came to power Zimbabwe was an
economic power in Africa . . . .
·
It was good to have
with us Sarah Harland of the Zimbabwe Association and her daughter Louisa. Sarah
spoke to supporters about the new ruling on sending back to Zimbabwe failed
asylum seekers. We were reminded that Louisa when she was very young came up
with the slogan: ‘Wake up world! Zimbabwe is Dying’ which the Vigil has used
since we started.
·
The Vigil works
closely with the Zimbabwe Association and Restoration of Human Rights in
Zimbabwe but we are not part of any larger grouping. We put this on record
because there are suggestions that we are taking part in a so-called Zimbabwean
government in exile.
For latest Vigil
pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/.
For the latest ZimVigil TV programme check http://www.zimvigiltv.com/.
FOR THE
RECORD: 164 signed the
register.
EVENTS AND
NOTICES:
·
The Restoration of
Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s
partner organisation based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil
to have an organisation on the ground in Zimbabwe which reflected the Vigil’s
mission statement in a practical way. ROHR in the UK actively fundraises through
membership subscriptions, events, sales etc to support the activities of ROHR in
Zimbabwe.
·
Central London
Zimbabwe Forum. Monday
28th March at 7.30 pm. Speaker:
Rindai
Chipfunde-Vava, Director of Zimbabwe Elections Support Network. Venue: The Cole Room,
Fabian Society, 11 Dartmouth St, London SW1H 9BN (020 7227 4900). Nearest
station: St. James’ Park.
·
ROHR Wolverhampton
general meeting. Saturday
2nd April. Venue: Heath Town Community Centre, 208 Chevril Rise,
Wolverhampton WV10 0HP. Contact Tsvakai Marambi 07915065171, Florence Munemo
07901733634, Flora Nyahuma 07900036702, P Chibanguza
07908406069.
·
ROHR Woking general
meeting. Saturday
2nd April from 2 – 6 pm. Venue: Woking Homes, Oriental Road, Woking
GU22 7BE. Contact, Isaac Mudzamiri 07774044873, Sithokozile Hlokana 07886203113,
Saziso Zulu 07861028280 or P.Mapfumo
07915926323/07932216070.
·
ROHR Manchester
meetings. Saturday
16th April: (committee meeting from 11 am – 1 pm, general meeting
from 2 – 5 pm). Venue: The Salvation Army Citadel, 71 Grosvenor
Road, Manchester M13
9UB. Contact: Delina Tafadzwa Mutyambizi 07775313637, Chamunorwa
Chihota 07799446404, Panyika Karimanzira 07551062161, Artwell Pfende
07886839353, Charles Nenguke 07925146757, P Mapfumo 07915926323/07932216070 or P
Chibanguza 07908406069. Future meeting: 14th May. Same times and
venue.
·
ROHR Manchester
Vigil. Saturday
30th April from 2 – 5 pm. Venue: Cathedral Gardens,
Manchester City Centre (subject to change to Piccadilly Gardens).
Contact: Delina Tafadzwa Mutyambizi 07775313637, Chamunorwa Chihota
07799446404, Panyika Karimanzira 07551062161, Artwell Pfende 07886839353,
Charles Nenguke 07925146757, P Mapfumo 07915926323/07932216070 or P Chibanguza
07908406069. Future demonstration: 28th May. Same time and
venue.
·
Vigil Facebook
page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8157345519&ref=ts.
·
Vigil Myspace
page: http://www.myspace.com/zimbabwevigil.
·
‘Through the
Darkness’, Judith Todd’s
acclaimed account of the rise of Mugabe. To receive a copy by post in the UK
please email confirmation of your order and postal address to
ngwenyasr@yahoo.co.uk and 0send a cheque for £10 payable to “Budiriro Trust” to
Emily Chadburn, 15 Burners Close, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 0QA. All
proceeds go to the Budiriro Trust which provides bursaries to needy A Level
students in Zimbabwe
·
Workshops aiming to
engage African men on HIV testing and other sexual health issues. Organised by the
Terrence Higgins Trust (www.tht.org.uk). Please contact the
co-ordinator Takudzwa Mukiwa (takudzwa.mukiwa@tht.org.uk) if you are
interested in taking part.
Vigil
Co-ordinators
The Vigil, outside
the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place every Saturday from 14.00
to 18.00 to protest against gross violations of human rights in Zimbabwe. The
Vigil which started in October 2002 will continue until
internationally-monitored, free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk.