Morgan Tsvangirai and his wife in car accident, Mrs Tsvagirai has died as a result

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

Susan Tsvangirai has died
March 6th, 2009

We've just heard devastating news that Morgan Tsvangirai's wife, Susan, has
died from her injuries sustained in a car accident this afternoon.

Foul play is suspected. We're now hearing that the tyre blew out, that the
axel was faulty. It's very unclear at the moment, but foul play is supected.

We're all in a state of shock. Our hearts go out to Morgan Tsvangirai at
this time.

Posted by Sokwanele
------

More on the accident involving Morgan and Susan Tsvangirai
March 6th, 2009

We've been advised that the accident happened on the Ngezi turn off on the
way to Masvingo. Morgan Tsvangirai was in his own land cruiser (not the
Prime Ministerial mercedes).

Apparently someone in the district went to the area to take photographs of
the accident scene but the police took away his camera.

Morgan Tsvangirai is currently being treated at Avenues Clinic.  We've been
told a plane is ready in case Susan Tsvangirai needs to be air lifted for
emergency medical help. She has been more badly hurt than he has.

There is no information on whether another vehicle was involved or not. Nor
is there any information yet on whether Tsvangirai had a driver with him and
whether he is OK.

Please can all those who are faithful start praying and spread your requests
for prayers for Morgan Tsvangirai and his wife Susan as far as you can.

Share This

Posted by Hope

-----

Morgan Tsvangirai has been in a car accident
March 6th, 2009

Via the BBC:

  Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his wife Susan have been
involved in a car crash which has left her badly hurt, party sources say.

  Mr Tsvangirai is said to be lightly injured. The accident is said to have
happened on a road south of Harare.

  Mr Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party,
formed a unity government with President Robert Mugabe last month.

  The two had been long-time rivals before agreeing a power-sharing deal.

  MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told Reuters news agency that Mr Tsvangirai
was not in a critical condition.

  "We have just heard that there was an accident of sorts involving the
president of the party. Injuries, yes, but not critical condition, we are
still assessing the actual condition," he said.



Posted by Sokwanele

Deon Theron in custody - was taking pictures of the scene of the accident

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


March 6th, 2009

In our earlier message about the car accident, that we now know has resulted
in the death of Morgan Tsvangirai's wife Susan, we wrote that "someone in
the district went to the area to take photographs of the accident scene but
the police took away his camera."

We can now confirm that the person who went to the scene of the accident is
a commerical farmer in the area, Deon Theron, and we have been told that he
is in police custody. Deon Theron is the Vice President of the Commercial
Farmers Union (CFU).



Posted by Sokwanele

Wife of Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is killed in car crash

http://www.timesonline.co.uk

March 6, 2009




Morgan Tsvangirai pictured with his wife, Susan

Jan Raath, Harare
The wife of Morgan Tsvangirai was killed in a road crash today in which
Zimbabwe's Prime Minister was injured.

Susan Tsvangirai died as she was taken by ambulance to the private Avenues
Clinic Hospital in Harare, while Mr Tsvangirai was admitted to the unit
suffering from cuts and bruises, Eddie Cross, a member of the Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) national executive, said.

Accounts differed of how the accident had occurred. Some sources said his
vehicle had hit an oncoming truck, with the driver of the heavy goods
vehicle falling asleep and careering into the Prime Minister's car.

An MDC team sent to the scene, however, reported that Mr Tsvangirai's
Landcruiser had suffered a burst front left tyre and then rolled, but did
not mention another vehicle.


Mr Tsvangirai and his wife were travelling with two accompanying security
vehicles, heading for a party rally in the southeastern district of Buhera
to be held tomorrow. The road is notoriously dangerous, with deep potholes,
frequently speeding heavy goods drivers, and many fatalities.

"Morgan's talking, and he's been sedated," said Mr Cross. "Last time I spoke
(to hospital staff) he didn't know about Susan's death. He will be
devastated. They were a real team."

Mrs Tsvangirai played no major role in the party, apart from being
constantly alongside side her husband in public, lending him particularly
visible support during his treason trial in 2003-4 in which he was
acquitted.

The two married in July 1978, when he was a young factory worker, and they
had six children.

Opponents of Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's president, claim that the treason
trial was one of a series of attempts by his secret police to intimidate and
subdue his Zanu (PF) party's critics, and they claim that suspicious fatal
vehicle accidents have taken place on several occasions affecting
politicians who had fallen out of favour.

In December last year, party youth wing boss Elliott Manyika was killed in
an accident that was surrounded with suspicion, while in November air force
commander Perrence Shiri was shot an injured in circumstances that have
never been made clear.

Some members of the MDC will inevitably view the accident as suspicious,
bearing in mind the increasing hostility between the two coalition partners.

Mr Cross said that, when the MDC investigation team arrived at the site on
the main highway to the south about 100km south of Harare, the police had
not yet arrived. "When police turned up, they arrested them (the MDC team)
and confiscated the videos and pictures they had taken," he said.

Asked if foul play was suspected, Mr Cross said: "That's the big question.
We have to wait and see. We will demand complete transparency and a thorough
investigation."

Mutare Magistrate arrested for ordering release of Bennett

http://www.swradioafrica.com


By Violet Gonda
6 March 2009

Mutare Magistrate Livingstone Chipadze was arrested on Thursday, for
ordering the immediate release of Roy Bennett. High Court judge Justice
Tedius Karwi had on Tuesday upheld his earlier ruling, granting Bennett bail
and late Wednesday Bennett's lawyers in Mutare successfully posted bail of
US$2 000 and surrendered his passport.

But the following day Supreme Court Judge Paddington Garwe ruled in favour
of the State, after prosecutors appealed against the granting of bail.

The MDC spokesperson for Manicaland province and Makoni South MP Pishai
Muchauraya, said the police Law and Order section picked up Magistrate
Chipadze on Thursday evening and he is being accused of acting unlawfully by
endorsing the High Court order. "He is being persecuted for actually
endorsing justice," Muchauraya said.

The magistrate is detained at Mutare Central police station and it's also
reported that other magistrates in Mutare have gone on strike in solidarity
with their colleague.

Muchauraya said human rights activists in Mutare have gone underground for
fear of being arrested. He also said there are indications that the Law and
Order section is considering questioning Bennett's Mutare lawyers - Trust
Maanda and George Loch.

Meanwhile Bennett, who faces terrorism and sabotage charges, remains in
Mutare Remand Prison despite the High Court judgment and in spite of
fulfilling his bail requirements. He is expected to remain there until a
date for the Supreme Court hearing is heard.

.................

Outrage over new US$ fees for schools
By Lance Guma
06 March 2009

Education Minister David Coltart took his first few steps towards being
unpopular with parents after announcing a new fee structure, pegged in
United States dollars, for primary and secondary schools in the country. Not
only have the fees been slammed as unreasonably high but they discriminate
between people living in the high and low density suburbs. The only big
winners were primary school students in the rural areas who will no longer
pay any tuition fees.

Under the new fee structure pupils attending government primary schools
situated in low density urban areas will now pay US$150 per term, while
foreign pupils in the same schools will be required to pay US$300. Pupils
attending primary schools in high density areas will be required to pay
US$20 in tuition fees per term while foreigners pay US$300. While students
in rural areas don't pay anything, foreign students in the same schools will
still have to pay US$300.

Coltart said Forms One to Four pupils attending secondary schools located in
low density areas will now be charged US$200 per term while Forms Five and
Six will pay US$280. Foreign pupils attending the same schools will pay
US$600. Meanwhile Forms One to Four pupils attending high density suburb
schools will pay US$100, while A Level students will be charged US$180 per
term. Foreign pupils will have to fork out US$400 in tuition fees.

Although primary school students in the rurals areas will not pay anything
their secondary school counter-parts will be required to pay US$50 for
attending Forms One to Four. A Level students there will be required to pay
US$80, with foreign students paying US$200. The same Education Ministry last
month paid teachers US$100 vouchers as allowances on top of their worthless
Zimbabwe dollar salaries. It is also against this salary background that the
new fee structures are being viewed as unreasonable.

Our correspondent in Harare Simon Muchemwa said many sectors are being
affected by high charges for goods and services pegged in foreign currency.
He said the City of Harare for example announced a new US$185million dollar
city budget presented and approved by the council on the 4th of March. Under
that budget, burial fees will be US$150 to US$250 depending on the area,
refuse collection (US$10-20) per week, ambulance fees US$10, vehicle licence
fees US$50-150 depending on vehicle and clinic fees of US$10 among other
charges.

MDC Ministers are running most of the ministries which are presiding over
companies and institutions charging high services charges. Examples include
the ministries of Information and Communication Technology, Energy and Power
Development, Education Sport and Culture and the Health Ministry. While
Mugabe's party takes a back seat, the MDC it is feared will take the blame
for the high service charges.

Staff at AG's office expose external intervention

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=12976


March 6, 2009


By Our Correspondent

A NUMBER of law officers from the Attorney General's office have alleged
that the Attorney General, Johannes Tomana, and Director of Public
Prosecutions, Florence Ziyambi, are working with some security chiefs to
derail the inclusive government.

The law officers made the allegation in an e-mail letter written to the
Deputy Minister of Justice Jessie Majome, Beatrice Mtetwa in her capacity as
the representative of the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ)  and various law
firms.

The e-mail with the subject matter headline, "Inclusive Government cannot
work without a complete overhaul of the AG's office," laid some explicit
under-the-carpet dealings going on between the AG's office and the service
chiefs.

The officials said their ability to carry out their duties as public service
lawyers had been heavily compromised by the pressure put on them by Tomana
and Ziyambi. The officers emphasised that there was need for a complete
overhaul of the AG's office.

"Without a complete overhaul of this department it will be impossible for us
to redeem ourselves and regain the professional respect we are entitled to,"
said the officers in the letter dated March 2 2009.

The law officers said the shady judicial dealings started before the
appointment of Tomana.

"Even before Tomana was made AG, he and Florence Ziyambi made all the
decisions without reference to Bharat Patel. It was Tomana acting in
connivance with the security chiefs who unlawfully deposed Joseph Jagada
from the position of Director of Public Prosecutions."

Patel was the acting AG before the appointment of Tomana.

Tomana is said to be in the dark about the circumstances surrounding Ziyambi's
appointment to the post of Director of Public Prosecutions, taking over from
Jagada.

The officers said Ziyambi's appointment involved the CIO and Zimbabwe
Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner General, Augustine Chihuri, who are said
to have ensured that Ziyambi was not prosecuted when she was accused of
corruption.

Ziyambi is said to be now earmarked for the position of Deputy Attorney
General, Crime, and the lobbying is said to have been done by Chihuri and
the CIO in a bid to strategically position her into a position that would
give her the leverage to effectively frustrate the inclusive government
through legal means. But the Minister of Justice Patrick Chinamasa is
believed to be resisting the pressure since he is doubtful of Ziyambi's
capabilities in that position.

"Pressure from Chihuri is very heavy as Ziyambi is known to have been
heavily involved in the abductions of MDC and civil society activists and
she has to be rewarded for this," said the officers.

"She has been heard boasting in the office that people like Jestina Mukoko
should be thankful to her as she ensured that they were not over-tortured
during the period of the unlawful kidnapping and detention."

Ziyambi is also said to have participated in the interrogations and
strategies on how to convince SADC of the alleged training of bandits in
Botswana.

"She travelled to Botswana with CIO and other security personnel as part of
the so-called investigation of the alleged camps for training bandits. The
gross human rights abuses perpetrated on MDC activists since April 2008 were
accomplished with the active participation of Ziyambi who used the legal
system to ensure that the law did not intervene to protect victims of such
abuses, where bail was granted Ziyambi has ensured that this is subverted,"
said the officers.

The officers said Ziyambi has also managed to frustrate the law through
working with some magistrates and judges, whose names were however not
given, and making sure that independent judges were not put on the roll.

"Ziyambi openly boasts at the office that she can fix judges who humiliate
her in court or find against her usually incoherent legal arguments and it
is known she can easily accomplish this, given her close relationship with
members of Joint Operations Committee (JOC)," said the officers in the
letter.

The officers further wrote that Ziyambi goes even a step further, in a move
they described as having become "traditional" to brief security chiefs on
the conduct of judges and, where a judge is deemed to have misbehaved,
reprisals are then discussed.

"It is as a result of her remarks at the Tendai Biti bail application that
Justice Ben Hlatshwayo found himself without a farm," said the officers.

Justice Ben Hlatshwayo lost his farm late last year to the First Lady, Grace
Mugabe.

Ziyambi's sphere of influence even extends to the private law practices
where she has allegedly also targeted a number of human rights lawyers.

The officers said, "She has tried everything in the book to disable those
lawyers she deems problematic. She engineered the arrests of   and has
unsuccessfully tried to pin cases on other human rights lawyers."

Muchadehama was recently followed by state security agents as he made his
way from the Harare Magistrates Courts where he has spent the last weeks
litigating on behalf of the MDC and human rights activists kidnapped last
year by state security agents.

Makoni fled to South Africa last year after he was warned that his life was
in danger. In a classical case of the subversion of the law, which probably
confirms the allegations that the law officers at the AG's office are making
against Tomana and Ziyambi, a group of police officers from the Law and
Order Section of the police and officers from the Attorney General's office
demanded to see Judge

President, Rita Makarau, on Tuesday night at the High Court. This happened
just before a ruling on whether the state should be granted leave to appeal
against the granting of bail to MDC treasurer Roy Bennett was passed.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Justice David Mangota was last
month reported to have told all law officers in the country to ignore all
murder cases that were committed during the violent electoral period leading
to the ill-fated presidential run-off poll.

"Mangota, Tomana and Ziyambi continue to do everything to undermine certain
lawyers and the political agreement," said the officers.

The new Deputy Minister of Justice Jessie Majome last month said the whole
judicial system in the country required to be completely overhauled.

The MDC has been pushing for the removal of both Tomana and Gono from their
posts but President Mugabe has declared that the two will not be removed.
The matter is part of the negotiations currently taking place between the
country's political leaders.

The officers also alleged that Tomana and Ziyambi had also benefited from
the trappings of wealth dished out by Gono, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
governor. They alleged that the two would get huge amounts of foreign
currency whenever they travelled out of the country on government business.

A prominent Harare lawyer who requested anonymity said, "The contents of
that document which is now making rounds in the legal profession is nothing
compared to the reality of what is happening on the ground,there are a lot
of things I can identify with in that document."

Fate of Zimbabwe central bank governor key to aid

http://uk.reuters.com


Fri Mar 6, 2009 11:38am GMT


By Michael Georgy

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Western donors who see the removal of Zimbabwe's
central bank governor as a key condition for resuming aid can expect a messy
power struggle that could further delay moves to rescue the ruined country.

The new unity administration will depend heavily on foreign cash to rebuild
an economy that critics says President Robert Mugabe and his central bank
governor, Gideon Gono, have brought to its knees through reckless policies.

Western countries are looking for signs that Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai, Mugabe's old foe, has managed to put control of the economy
under new Finance Minister Tendai Biti, also from the opposition, before
letting funds flow.

"A prior condition is of course Tendai Biti getting rid of Gideon Gono and
creating economic space for this to happen," said one senior Western
diplomat. "As and when it does happen we will help."

Gono's term has spanned the collapse of once-prosperous Zimbabwe, now short
of basic goods and with an inflation rate of 231 million percent -- 
according to the last published figures but believed to be far higher.

Tsvangirai has said it would cost as much as $5 billion to repair the
economy.

Mugabe's very close ally is unlikely to go without a fight, however,
especially as the president manoeuvres to gain an upper hand for his ZANU-PF
party in the new government. Mugabe re-appointed Gono last November for
another five-year term.

"I think pushing Gono out will be difficult, as the move would significantly
undermine a pillar of ZANU-PF's staying power," said Mark Schroeder,
southern Africa analyst at global intelligence company Stratfor.

"Control over the reserve bank provides the Mugabe regime access to their
own revenue streams and crucial foreign exchange."

Western donors want the creation of a democratic government and bold
economic reforms such as reversing nationalisation policies before making
any serious financial commitments.

Other demands include guarantees of human rights, the release of political
prisoners and a free press.

Dealing with Gono's fate may be far more sensitive because ZANU-PF
hardliners and army generals have a big interest in keeping him, analysts
say.

Control over the man with the purse strings is crucial to their survival,
especially if Mugabe decides to moderate his position to get the new
coalition moving -- something that could itself take a long time to happen
judging by the political war of attrition before the power-sharing deal last
September.

"If money is going to be going in suitcases direct from the reserve bank to
various Mugabe loyalists, bypassing the Ministry of Finance, then the deal
does not have any substance. Gono is absolutely critical," said Ross
Herbert, senior Africa researcher at the South African Institute of
International Affairs.

Knox Chitiyo, head of the Africa programme at the Royal United Services
Institute in London, said investors may be able to live with Gono for now,
under the right circumstances.

"I don't think it's cut and dried that Gono has to go before investors come
over. I think people would like him to go," he said.

"But if there is evidence that there is a working relationship and that it's
the finance minister who is in charge of Zimbabwe's finances, even the
Western countries, from what we hear on the ground, would be willing to
engage."

But personal animosity could worsen the struggle between Finance Minister
Biti and Gono, who often quotes the Bible in his policy speeches. Biti and
other critics have called Gono an "economic terrorist".

Tensions within the coalition government have already arisen over the arrest
of a senior official in Tsvangirai's MDC, seen by many analysts as an early
attempt by Mugabe to see how far he can push Tsvangirai.

Mugabe shows no sign of being ready to relax a hold on power he has held
since independence from Britain in 1980.

"Mugabe is going to try to hold onto his man (Gono) as much as he can
because I don't think he wants to create an impression that the men and
women who have been with him through thick and thin are expendable," said
John Makumbe, a Harare political commentator and outspoken Mugabe critic.

Some analysts said that the answer could be a face-saving formula that keeps
Gono in place but with limited powers. But that would depend very much on
the relationship between Tsvangirai and Mugabe.

"He said to me once you know Mugabe is like his father. He is intractable.
He is old. He is grumpy. Everything has to be done a certain way," said
Tsvangirai biographer Sarah Hudleston.

"I think they may be beginning to understand each other more....I think he
would rather try to get Mugabe on his side. Because Mugabe on his side is
much better than having him on the other side of the fence."

Distrust of Mugabe deters donors

http://www.swradioafrica.com


By Tichaona Sibanda
6 March 2009

A leading economist has said the inclusive government is struggling to
attract international aid, but this has more to do with distrust of Robert
Mugabe than donor fatigue or concern about the MDC.

Western donors remain sceptical about a government still headed by Mugabe,
and say money will be provided only when reforms are implemented.

Luke Zunga, a South African based Zimbabwean economist, told us the lack of
funding is expected to hamper plans to meet the humanitarian needs of
millions of Zimbabweans and help in the early recovery programmes.

'Although the world is going through  financial turmoil, western countries
have the resources and ability to kick-start the country's recovery
programme. But there are human obstacles standing in the way,' Zunga said.
The lack of funding is a vote of no confidence by the donor community
against Mugabe and his security and military leaders, notorious for their
history of oppression, corruption and the destruction of what had once been
a thriving economy.

'The international community has not forgotten Zimbabwe. The money has not
come in because there is a lack of transparency, accountability and lack of
the rule of law. What makes it worse is that Mugabe has not repented and
continues to use combative language instead of urging reforms,' Zunga said.

Meanwhile, it's reported South Africa is considering opening credit lines to
help the Zimbabwe rebuild it's shattered economy.

The South African Financial Mail quotes Finance Minister Trevor Manuel as
saying credit lines made sense, given that most of the goods needed in
Zimbabwe would be bought in South Africa.

Zunga pointed out that while a credit line will not solve the country's
funding problems, it will allow private banks to lend money to wholesalers,
retailers and producers to purchase goods using credit, and ultimately give
millions of poor Zimbabweans easier access to essential products.


Finance Minister Tendai Biti said the country needs US$1 billion now to get
farms, schools and hospitals working, and another $5 billion later to fully
rebuild the economy. Food and fuel are scarce and the currency virtually
worthless, leading to widespread use of the U.S. dollar and South African
rand.

A high-level International Monetary Fund mission will visit the country next
week, after a two year break, to assess the economic situation and
humanitarian crisis.

The visit is not expected to lead to financial aid, but will give lenders an
idea of the direction of the government's economic policy.

Mukoko - an untold story of suffering

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=12915


March 6, 2009


By Our Correspondent

HARARE - As a human rights activist, Jestina Mukoko is used to listening to
and recording details of the heart-wrenching experiences of victims of human
rights abuse.

On Monday as she sat on her Avenues Hospital bed a few minutes after
regaining her freedom she was frail and wasted and looked a pathetic study
of physical abuse and a tortured soul. She had been held in detention for
three months to the day after her dramatic abduction from her Norton Home 40
km west of Harare.

For three weeks her whereabouts and circumstances remained unknown.
Relatives feared she was dead. Then she was suddenly brought to court on the
eve of Christmas on Wednesday, December 24, 2008. She was then detained in
Harare's notorious Chikurubi Maximum Prison. Although she had been tortured
and was in dire need of medical treatment her jailers denied her access to
medical treatment outside prison.

On Monday she tried her best to smile and exchange pleasantries with
journalists, but something had clearly died inside her.

"I just want to concentrate on my health now and I will talk to the media in
the coming weeks," she said while forcing a smile.

Her physical appearance is a far cry from the beaming face that millions
around the world had become accustomed to from seeing pictures of her that
were shot before her ordeal and were posted on many websites after her
abduction.

The striking difference between Mukoko's earlier pictures and photographs
shot after she was admitted to the Avenues Clinic is both startling and
shocking.

In one of the earlier photographs before the beginning of her ordeal at the
hands of state security agents that fateful December morning, she is a
vivacious, charming and imposing woman who is obviously quite healthy.

At the Avenues Clinic this week her face was disfigured beyond recognition.
The face told a sad story of pain and suffering.

Mukoko's emaciated appearance is a stark remainder of the dreadful
conditions in Zimbabwe's prisons, some of which, Matapi prison in Mbare in
particular, were condemned as being unfit for human habitation by Amnesty
International.

On Monday, Mukoko was barely recognizable. Her face was swollen, so were her
hands. She looked weary and helpless. She has obviously lost a tremendous
amount of weight. Her skin has become dry and her complexion darker than in
her pre-ordeal photographs. She was denied medical attention for more than
two months while in detention.

But despite her pain and the appearance of a tormented soul, Mukoko, was
jovial with her two brothers who sat on either side of her on the Avenues
Clinic bed.

Mukoko is the director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), an organisation
which was formed after the 2000 elections by a group of church organisations
and NGOs with an interest in human rights and peace-building initiatives.

It was later to become a vehicle for civic interventions in a time of
political crisis. ZPP monitored and documented incidents of human rights
violations and politically-motivated violence.

ZPP documented various cases of political violence in the run up to the June
2008 presidential run-off election in which close to 200 Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) members were killed.

It is this documentation which many believe landed Mukoko and her ZPP
colleagues in trouble.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Politics and Administration degree from
the University of Zimbabwe and is a candidate for a Masters in Business
Administration (MBA).

Mukoko first became a public figure as a broadcaster with the Zimbabwe
Broadcasting Corporation. She left the national broadcaster to pursue a
career in civil society.

Mukoko is a widow and the mother of a son. Her husband died some years ago.

700 families displaced as fresh farm invasions continue

http://www.swradioafrica.com


By Alex Bell
06 March 2009

The wave of new farm invasions that were launched in earnest last month have
so far displaced about 700 families, according to the General Agricultural
and Plantation Workers Union.

The union said this week the families, evicted along with their employers
from farms across the country, are now seeking assistance from the
International Organisation for Migration, and many are yet to find
accommodation. It comes at a time when 94% of the country's population is
unemployed, while more than 7 million people are in critical need of food
aid.

The renewed offensive against the country's remaining white farmers started
just days before Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn in as Prime Minister in a unity
government that is daily heading towards failure. At least 80 farms have so
far been seized and about 50 are under siege by lawless thugs, with the
owners facing possible violent eviction. At the same time more than 100
farmers are also facing prosecution while 140 are contesting eviction orders
in the country's courts.

However the courts are unlikely to offer the farmers fair trial, after the
country's magistrates were last month instructed by the Attorney General to
ignore any orders protecting farmers' rights to their land, in an effort to
fast track prosecution against them. Even the High Court judge who this week
nullified a SADC Tribunal ruling protecting white owned farms, has been
implicated in the offensive against the farmers, after it emerged she was
awarded land snatched from a farmer in 2005.

The same High Court judgment also dismissed an order being sought by farmer
Peter Etheredge, against the President of the Senate Edna Madzongwe.
Madzongwe has been harassing Etheredge since 2007 in an effort to force him
off his Stockdale citrus farm, which is one of the few productive farms left
in a country crippled by food shortages. Last year, the farm was looted over
a period of several weeks and an estimated US$600 000 worth of goods was
destroyed or stolen. Etheredge's brother and wife were also severely beaten
at the time of the looting, while they were trying to reclaim their
possessions that had been dumped at the roadside.

The family have since been fighting off a string of invaders living on the
property and Etheredge, who was supposed to be protected by the SADC
Tribunal ruling, has been arrested on numerous occasions. The offensive
against the farm owners has since been renewed, shortly after Justice
Anne-Mary Gowora delivered her judgment nullifying the SADC Tribunal's
ruling.

On Wednesday Madzongwe, accompanied by a 20 strong group of people,
including four policemen, arrived on the farm brandishing a copy of the
state owned Herald newspaper, and ordered Etheredge to cease operations on
the farm. Madzongwe's spokespeople apparently told Etheredge the Herald's
report on the High Court ruling gave them the authority to carry out the
order.

Etheredge on Friday meanwhile raised concerns about corruption within the
judiciary, explaining that four out of the country's five Supreme Court
judges have been beneficiaries of Mugabe's land grab. This includes Judge
Paddington Garwe who has been instrumental in ensuring MDC Treasurer Roy
Bennett remains behind bars.

Meanwhile, three landowners arrested early this year on banditry charges
were finally released on Thursday, two months since their wrongful
incarceration. The trio, who own adjoining land in Ruwa, outside Harare,
were arrested after a military style raid on their properties - where they
conduct adventure and Boy Scout training.

The arrests were instigated by the former chief security officer for the
Reserve Bank, Joshua Banda, who promptly took up residence on one of the
pieces of land after the rightful owner was behind bars. Banda used the
evidence of Boy Scout training as an excuse to level banditry charges
against the trio, in what their defence lawyer argued was "a case of a
person who took advantage of the political situation and proceeded to
manipulate it to his advantage in a savage and ruthless manner."

Outrage over new US$ fees for schools

http://www.swradioafrica.com


By Lance Guma
06 March 2009

Education Minister David Coltart took his first few steps towards being
unpopular with parents after announcing a new fee structure, pegged in
United States dollars, for primary and secondary schools in the country. Not
only have the fees been slammed as unreasonably high but they discriminate
between people living in the high and low density suburbs. The only big
winners were primary school students in the rural areas who will no longer
pay any tuition fees.

Under the new fee structure pupils attending government primary schools
situated in low density urban areas will now pay US$150 per term, while
foreign pupils in the same schools will be required to pay US$300. Pupils
attending primary schools in high density areas will be required to pay
US$20 in tuition fees per term while foreigners pay US$300. While students
in rural areas don't pay anything, foreign students in the same schools will
still have to pay US$300.

Coltart said Forms One to Four pupils attending secondary schools located in
low density areas will now be charged US$200 per term while Forms Five and
Six will pay US$280. Foreign pupils attending the same schools will pay
US$600. Meanwhile Forms One to Four pupils attending high density suburb
schools will pay US$100, while A Level students will be charged US$180 per
term. Foreign pupils will have to fork out US$400 in tuition fees.

Although primary school students in the rurals areas will not pay anything
their secondary school counter-parts will be required to pay US$50 for
attending Forms One to Four. A Level students there will be required to pay
US$80, with foreign students paying US$200. The same Education Ministry last
month paid teachers US$100 vouchers as allowances on top of their worthless
Zimbabwe dollar salaries. It is also against this salary background that the
new fee structures are being viewed as unreasonable.

Our correspondent in Harare Simon Muchemwa said many sectors are being
affected by high charges for goods and services pegged in foreign currency.
He said the City of Harare for example announced a new US$185million dollar
city budget presented and approved by the council on the 4th of March. Under
that budget, burial fees will be US$150 to US$250 depending on the area,
refuse collection (US$10-20) per week, ambulance fees US$10, vehicle licence
fees US$50-150 depending on vehicle and clinic fees of US$10 among other
charges.

MDC Ministers are running most of the ministries which are presiding over
companies and institutions charging high services charges. Examples include
the ministries of Information and Communication Technology, Energy and Power
Development, Education Sport and Culture and the Health Ministry. While
Mugabe's party takes a back seat, the MDC it is feared will take the blame
for the high service charges.

Official: Zimbabwean justice system broken

http://www.upi.com


Published: March 6, 2009

HARARE, Zimbabwe, March 6 (UPI) -- John Masimba, the provincial magistrate
for Zimbabwe's Matabeleland North province, says his country's justice
system is filled with illegally held prisoners.
Masimba said under the current Justice Ministry system, nearly 7,000
suspects in Bulawayo and Matabeleland are being held in remand prisons
illegally since prison officials have not taken the prisoners to court, The
New Zimbabwean said Friday.

"Once someone is remanded in custody, they are just as good as forgotten
because their chances of being brought back to court are nil," Masimba said.

Masimba called on President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai to rework the troubled legal system through the country's new
power-sharing government.

"The failure by prison authorities to bring remand prisoners to court
remains our biggest challenge. The backlog in criminal cases keeps on
growing because nothing is being done as far as trials are concerned. It is
our hope that the Ministry will prioritize transport if the justice delivery
system is to be more effective," the Matabeleland North official told the
New Zimbabwean.

Daily cholera update and alerts, 05 Mar 2009

 Full_Report (pdf* format - 167 Kbytes)

* Please note that daily information collection is a challenge due to communication and staff constraints. On-going data cleaning may result in an increase or decrease in the numbers. Any change will then be explained.

** Daily information on new deaths should not imply that these deaths occurred in cases reported that day. Therefore daily CFRs >100% may occasionally result

A. Highlights of the day:

- 395 cases and 18 deaths added today (in comparison 477 cases and 5 deaths yesterday)

- 40.7 % of the districts affected have reported today (24 out of 59 affected districts)

- 90.3 % of districts reported to be affected (56 districts out of 62)

- Cumulative Institutional Case Fatality Rate 1.8.%

- Daily Institutional Case Fatality Rate 3.3 %

Schools' Relief Aid Suspended

http://www.radiovop.com

     
      BULAWAYO, March 6 2009 - Relief organisations have suspended
disbursing food aid to some primary schools under the Supplementary School
Based Feeding programme after they failed to account for food aid given to
them, RadioVOP has learnt.




      More than 1.105 metric tonnes of food aid meant for school children
was stolen from the schools between January and December 2008.


      The food aid was reportedly stolen from school store rooms, cooking
areas or while it was in transit according to a report jointly complied by
the World Vision Zimbabwe (WVZ) and the World Food Programme (WFP), who are
running the programme.


      The aid organizations have already informed the affected schools
through circulars.


      "Following our stakeholders meeting please be advised that your school
will not be receiving food under the School Based Feeding Programme until we
have completed our investigations. However the programme will resume as soon
as the exercise is completed," reads part of the circular which was shown to
RadioVOP.


      Last month WVZ/WFP officials convened a stakeholders meeting in
Bulawayo to discuss the theft of food aid in schools. The meeting was also
attended by teachers in charge of the programme in schools, School
Development Association Chairpersons, Zimbabwe Republic Police and Bulawayo
city council. The schools where food commodities thefts occurred include St
Patricks, Helemu, Mafela, Hope Fountain and Fair Bridge primary schools.


      Between April and November 2008, 80 litres of vegetable oil and 134
corn Say Bled (CSB) were stolen at Woodville primary school while 26 litres
of vegetable  oil and 25kg of soya were stolen at Fair Bridge primary
school.


      St Patricks primary school lost 22kgs of beans, 65 kgs of cornmeal as
well as 75 kgs of corn Soy Blend. Selected vulnerable community members,
teachers in charge of the programme and WVZ/WFP officials have been
implicated in the thefts of the food meant for pre and primary school
children from highly vulnerable households.


      Some of the commodities such as beans and cooking oil were openly sold
on the black market in the city. About 87 schools in the city are currently
benefitting from the programme which has increased food access and improved
food consumption and dietary diversity for pre and primary school children.

CHRA urges residents to reject the astronomical 2009 city budget

The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) distinctly urges all residents and other consumers of the City’s services to plainly reject the US$185million dollar city budget presented and approved by the council on the 4^th of March 2009. The council’s technocrats and finance committee, unfortunately backed by the councilors, in sheer disregard of the best practice budget formulation and the process stipulated by the Urban Councils Act (29:15) Section 219 (consultation of residents) drew-up a multi-million United States dollar budget. The budget designates a whopping 55% (US$ 101,585 m) for salaries and allowances. It is therefore not surprising that the lowest paid council employee is allegedly earning more than US$290 and more than US$100 million (water and sewer charges not included) of the projected income is to be rated on the poverty- stricken resident.

Below is a bird’s eye view of the budget

The city fathers agreed on a four day consultation of the residents, from the 5^th to the 8^th of March 2009. This period is too short and it is reflective of the fact that the City of Harare is not sincere on the issue of consulting residents but they just want residents to rubber stamp the budget. The process is flawed, the rates are exorbitant and the budget is a mere charade that ought to and will surely receive due outrage and rejection by the residents.

The residents of Harare have been plagued by the collapsed service delivery system, infrastructural collapse, leadership failure, poverty, and disease among a horde of crises; they cannot afford the exorbitant rates. The budget must ensure betterment of municipal service delivery while the rates remain affordable and reflecting the true socio-economic strata.

CHRA will continue to mobilize the Harare residents and partner with other stakeholders in ensuring affordable and effective municipal (and other) service delivery and residents’ participation in the local governance.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Combined Harare Residents Association

145 Robert Mugabe Way

Exploration House, Third Floor

Harare

www.chra.co.zw

 Landline: 00263- 4- 705114

Contacts: Mobile: 0912 653 074, 0913 042 981, 011862012 or email ceo@chra.co.zw

info@chra.co.zw, admin@chra.co.zw

Britain defends help for elderly leaving Zimbabwe

Associated Press


By ANGUS SHAW - 6 hours ago

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - Britain defended a plan to help its elderly citizens
leave Zimbabwe, saying Friday in response to media criticism that it would
not be a mass evacuation.

The British government announced last month that it would help citizens aged
70 and over resettle in the United Kingdom. Younger Britons with health or
other problems may also be eligible. British officials say a few hundred
elderly Britons have inquired about the repatriation plan.

The state media labeled the plan racist. Independent newspaper columnist
Joram Nyathi alleged last week that Britain imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe
and then "you airlift your own to safety."

President Robert Mugabe said last week he had no objection to elderly
Britons' departure.

"I don't see any reason why anyone would want old people," Mugabe said in an
interview on state television marking his 85th birthday.

Andrew Pocock, the British ambassador to Harare, said in a letter in
Nyathi's Zimbabwe Independent newspaper that only small numbers of
vulnerable, elderly Britons were eligible.

"It is an offer of assistance to British people who meet certain criteria of
age and vulnerability, and who wish to leave Zimbabwe because they can no
longer maintain themselves here," Pocock said.

Zimbabwe gained independence from Britain in 1980, but many Britons remained
in the country, often as landowners and major businessmen. Mugabe often fans
racial resentment in a country that suffered under white minority rule to
score political points by calling his black opponents tools of former
colonial master Britain and railing against white control of the economy.

Mugabe blames his economic crisis on Western economic sanctions. Mugabe's
critics point instead to corruption and mismanagement under Mugabe. Foreign
aid and investment has dried up since the often violent seizures of
white-owned farms began at Mugabe's orders in 2000, disrupting the
agriculture based economy.

Pocock wrote that British sanctions "consist solely of an asset freeze and
visa ban on 203 people responsible for the destruction of good governance,
democracy and the rule of law in Zimbabwe."

Zimbabwe: Returning home with hope

 

The State We're In

06-03-2009

Over the last years, many people have been forced to leave Zimbabwe. Some were forced out, others left to make a living elsewhere. Now, many hope to return.

Lot Masuku returned home

The crossroads that Zimbabwe finds itself in now is captured in the recent life of Lot Masuku. He's a forty-nine year old bricklayer who couldn't make a living in Zimbabwe, so he went to South Africa to work for two years.

He made money, but it was tough going. When he heard that the opposition party was at the table with Robert Mugabe, he decided it was time to come home. Even though he doesn't have a job, he's filled with hope that the future will be kind to Zimbabwe.

There's some reason to be sceptical, however. Mugabe has made it clear that his land reforms will continue. And that's sad news for Lion Benjamins.

Lion Benjamins wants to return to his farm

Dreams of returning to Zimbabwe
Lion was a successful Dutch businessman and consultant for the World Bank - a job which in fact saw him travelling all over the world. Then he hit a kind of wall: waking up in yet another hotel room, and wondering if his work meant anything to anyone, especially to him.

As he tells Radio Netherland Worldwide's Fiona Campbell, he and his wife decided in the early 1990s to sell everything and move to Zimbabwe, a land and people he absolutely adored. He bought a derelict farm and employed dozens of people, some of whom weren't really employable. As a white Westener, he felt socially responsible/involved and that appealed to him. He grew tobacco, vegetables and watched with pride as the farm became a money-maker.

Forced off his land
Then came Robert Mugabe's land reform. His workers were told at evening meetings that white farmers should be run off the land. Neighbouring farmers had their farms destroyed and belongings stolen. Lion was forced to watch as one of his hired hands was beaten by the mob which wanted his farm vacated. Even now, Lion gets emotional recalling the events which led to his fleeing Zimbabwe. He now lives in rural Finland with his wife, and dreams of one day returning to Zimbabwe, if only to see once more one of its breathtaking sunsets, and to discover that there are still people who have hope left.

Clergyman Agustin Maseku

A test of faith
Agustin Maseku is an Anglican clergyman. As he tells Eric Beauchemin, the last few years have been extremely difficult to keep the hopes of his parishioners up.

Especially when his own faith in God has been tested by the spiral downwards into economic chaos - and the reluctance of his own church to speak out against government abuses. Yet faithful he remains, and preaches forbearance to his congregation - even while knowing that hostile ears may be listening.

Zimbabweans hold their breath

BY Eric Beauchemin

06-03-2009

Listen to Newsline's Zimbabwe Special

A tide of optimism is sweeping Zimbabwe, following the power-sharing agreement reached last month. The country's politicians agreed on the deal last September, after disputed elections, but it took months and considerable pressure from abroad to bring it to fruition.

Poverty is rife in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe - who has ruled the country since independence nearly three decades ago, remains in power - but the opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, is now the prime minister. RNW's Eric Beauchemin travelled undercover to the southern African nation to gauge the mood of Zimbabweans.

Hyperinflation
The last time I came to Zimbabwe in 2006, the supermarkets were still full, but hyperinflation had already taken root. My US dollars got me bundles and bundles of nearly worthless Zim dollars. By late last year, the official inflation rate was over 200 million percent, but it was actually much higher. Ordinary people, like Agnes, struggled to keep up.
  "Wow! You could go maybe in the morning and see the price of a product. You'd go to the bank or friends to look for some money, but by the time you go back in the evening it was a different price altogether. So you needed to be carrying some money around."
The hyperinflation came to an abrupt end in January when Zimbabwe abandoned the Zim dollar. The US dollar is now the country's official currency, and for the first time in months, the shops are full. But only six percent of Zimbabweans have a job, and many of them still aren't receiving US dollars. Most of them rely on their relatives who have gone abroad to flee the country's economic and political problems.

Lot Masuku

Dollarisation
Nonetheless, the dollarisation of the economy and the new unity government have brought hope to many Zimbabweans. Some of those who fled abroad, including Lot, a 49-year-old bricklayer, are now even seriously considering coming back home.


"I might return to Zimbabwe for a while, but not for good. The political agreement has just been signed, so it may take time for things to shape up. So I might go to South Africa for a couple of months to earn money, but I'm hopeful that things will work out, especially if people unite and don't argue over small matters."

Whether that actually happens is still an open question. There have already been numerous conflicts over the past month between the rival parties in the unity government, says Takura Zhangazha, the director of the Media Institute of Southern Africa.

"It is basically something that will not last long. It is something that is dependent more on the political goodwill of the political party leaders in Zimbabwe as opposed to having general support from Zimbabweans. One of the key things the unity government has to guarantee is democratic constitutional reform and fresh elections immediately thereafter. It is not something that is intended to last."

Patience
Ordinary Zimbabweans are aware of that. They have demonstrated extraordinary patience as they watched their country collapse. Many of the people I spoke to said they're willing to be patient a bit longer in the fervent hope that their country will finally get back on its feet.

Daily life in Zimbabwe

 

The State We're In

06-03-2009

Years of hyperinflation, political repression and instability - and more recently, cholera: Zimbabwe has been through a collective trauma which continues to this day.

The ongoing crisis is particularly hard on women who must somehow manage to keep their children clothed and their households running.

Zimbabwe dollars don't stretch far

Eric Beauchemin of The State We're In was in Zimbabwe recently and spoke with three women from widely different backgrounds about how they cope with the harsh realities that have defined life in their country.

Ruth is 37 years old, a single mother, a widow and housemaid with two children. She earns $20 a month. Tsitsi is 54 years old, a school teacher with four children. She earns $400 a month. Her husband was a teacher but now earns money on the side by transporting people -- his income has gone down as a result of the economic crisis.

Juliette is 52 years old and works as a secretary. In January, she earned 20 trillion Zimbabwe dollars. She doesn't know the value in US dollars, her employers don't have dollars to pay her.

None of the women entertain much hope that Zimbabwe will improve in the short term. But they are willing to wait and see if the new so-called unity government can actually help the country see better days.

Bhekithemba Nkomo Playing it like it is

A musical dissident
Of course, not everyone shares their optimism. Bhekithemba Nkomo - or Beki as he likes to be called -- is a Rastafarian singer/songwriter from Zimbabwe's second city, Bulawayo. He's something of a musical dissident. In fact, one of his songs - the one that gained him notoriety - is called "The President is a Thief".

Beki doesn't believe that the future looks rosy. He's even gone as far as stating that Zimbabwe should follow the example of the Balkans and divide itself into different nations along traditional tribal lines.

Naturally, his outspokenness has landed him in trouble - targeting Robert Mugabe so directly has led to brushes with the law and even a period of exile. Yet as he tells host Jonathan Groubert, it's his duty to protest the status quo through his music.

Beki's music hasn't received wide air play, even though he's a fixture in the country's musical scene. Just whose voices get heard within the country's media is an issue that lies at the heart of John Masuku's life.

John Masuku: Independent radio director

Voice of the People
John is the director and founder of Voice of the People - an independent radio station which tries to be just that: a voice of the people, not the state. It's on the air for two hours a day and broadcasts from Madagascar into the country.

They were originally broadcasting from within Zimbabwe, but in 2002, their offices were bombed. John has also been in police detention for not towing the party line.

Yet despite his fears and frustration, he's more committed than ever to maintaining an independent broadcast media. His moment of triumph: Announcing to his listeners that political opponents Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai would meet face to face for talks.

More funny money

A letter from the diaspora

http://www.swradioafrica.com

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

Dear Friends.

The Roy Bennett saga began in earnest in 2004. As always, when the
government wanted to ensure that the public witnessed events through the
propaganda lens, the ZTV cameras - 'When it happens we'll be there' - were
there to record the incident, as if they knew it was going to happen!

Roy Bennett had been elected as MP for Manicaland in the year 2000. He was
enormously popular with the people, they loved him. He spoke their language
and identified with their suffering. He and his workers had already
experienced months of harassment and violence on his farm in Chimanimani and
the government had announced that they were taking over his highly
successful enterprise. The Minister of Justice at the time, none other than
Patrick Chinamasa, speaking in parliament said,

"Mr Bennett has not forgiven the government for acquiring his farm but he
forgets that his forefathers were thieves and murderers." Incensed by this
deliberate insult, Roy Bennett charged across the floor of the House rather
like an angry white bull, shouting, "Unoda kundijairira iwewe! Unoda kuti
ndiite sei?" It was mesmerising television, not something ZTV was noted for!
I was sitting watching it all and the Shona-speaking friends with me
translated Bennett's words for my benefit as "You're just trying to get on
my nerves! What do you want me to do?"

The scene that followed was pure slapstick but it had tragic results for Roy
Bennett. Charging across the Chamber, Bennett caught hold of Chinamasa's
collar and the Minister obligingly fell to the ground. Laughter and cheers
in my house but uproar in the august House! Bennett was escorted from the
Chamber by the Sergeant at Arms. Thanks to the ZTV cameras the whole country
had seen it. Roy Bennett was sentenced to fifteen months in gaol, not by a
court of law but by a Parliamentary Committee. Eight horrifying months
later, Bennett was released from prison and left the country for exile in
South Africa where he was eventually given refugee status.

This week, the Roy Bennett story came full circle. Our joy at the release of
Jestina Mukoko and the other activists was overshadowed by the failure to
free Roy Bennett, also charged with 'terrorist' offences. On Thursday,
Supreme Court Judge Paddington Garwe, after a vist from the Police Law and
Order officers, refused to grant him bail and Bennet is back in prison until
his trial date is announced. Meanwhile, the three whites arrested in Ruwa
for so-called terrorist offences have been released. They have no case to
answer, the magistrate ruled.

So why is Roy Bennett still in gaol? Originally, bail was granted by
Magistrate Livingstone Chipadze in Mutare and now we hear that Mr Chipadze
has been arrested. The unfortunate Mr Chipadze's only crime appears to be
that he delivered a judgement that the government found unpalatable. And
there lies one very significant clue to the reason for Bennett's continued
incarceration. It is a political decision taken at the very top. There have
been judgements and counter- judgements but now the Supreme Court has ruled;
Roy Bennett will remain in gaol despite the fact that he has already paid
the bail set by an earlier ruling. The question remains; why is Roy Bennett
still in gaol?

The answer, I suggest is a combination of factors but looking in from the
outside, and remembering that day in 2004, I believe it is sheer
vindictiveness on Chinamasa's part. One thing that made the former Justice
Minister so angry was the fact that Bennettt spoke in Shona in the House. He
actually demanded of Bennett at the time to know why he was speaking in
Shona. That, and the fact that Bennet had the love of ordinary black
Zimbabweans, enraged the Minister. When have Zanu PF ever inspired the love
of fellow Zimbabweans? Fear is the dominant feeling inspired by Zanu PF, not
love. Yet, here is a white man who dares to speak the language of the people
and enjoys their trust and affection. That is not something Zanu PF can
tolerate; they prefer to portray all whites as the enemy within. Once they
are forced to acknowledge that there are some good whites who genuinely care
for their black brothers and sisters and whose sole loyalty is to Zimbabwe
and her people, the whole rotten edifice of Zanu PF political ideology comes
tumbling down. It is at heart a deeply racist ideology based on past
enmities and unable to accept that it is their own failure to openly address
the issue of black/white relations that has perpetuated the myth of racial
division in the country.

Roy Bennett, and the remaining white farmers who, said Mugabe at his 85th
birthday celebration " have no place" on their farms, despite the SADC
ruling that they are entitled to remain, are victims of jealous and
petty-minded party officials whose only interest is in retaining power and
silencing all dissenting voices. By joining this so-called Inclusive
Government, the MDC risks being 'tarred with the same brush'. Calling for
the removal of sanctions as Morgan Tsvangirai did this week is utterly
illogical. It is not sanctions against individual Zanu PF members that have
destroyed Zimbabwe's economy; it is Zanu PF's incompetence and greed and,
above all, the politicisation of the courts and the police. The continued
detention of Roy Bennett perfectly illustrates the point.

Yours in the (continuing) struggle PH aka Pauline Henson author of Countdown
a political detective story set in Zimbabwe and available on lulu.com. Watch
out also for Going Home, shortly to be published on lulu.com.

MDC must finally take the bull by the horns

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=12945


March 6, 2009


By Geoffrey Nyarota

THE treatment of Jestina Mukoko, Roy Bennett and a host of other political
prisoners by the State in the wake of the signing of the Global Political
Agreement has become a high-profile microcosm of a host of other problems
that currently beset Zimbabwe and its new government of national unity.

The issue has highlighted once more the existence of a sinister force that
was not a party to the negotiating process that brought President Robert
Mugabe's Zanu-PF and the two MDCs to the negotiating table. That force is
known to have been vehemently opposed to the process right up to the signing
ceremony on September 15, 2008. The same force has now embarked on a process
of destabilisation that now threatens the very existence of the fledgling
government formed by the former political antagonists three weeks ago.

The people of Zimbabwe are painfully aware of the existence of this dark
force. They, however, love to pretend that it does not exist.

That force was consolidated and became a grim menace to Zimbabwe's political
welfare the moment President Mugabe and Zanu-PF suffered defeat after the
March 29 harmonised elections.

For the MDC party of  Zimbabwe's new Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, the
challenge going back to 2002 was always how to make peace with the hostile
security chiefs, should the party win an election, as was becoming
increasingly likely.

The then defence forces chief, General Vitalis Zvinavashe, declared on the
eve of the 2002 presidential election that the security chiefs would only
back a President who had participated in Zimbabwe's war of liberation. As he
issued this clearly ominous threat he was flanked by the commanders of the
police, the Air Force and other security organisations.

Zvinavashe said he would never salute Tsvangirai, who presented the only
challenge to Mugabe in the forthcoming election.

Drunk with the euphoria induced by the prospect of pending victory, the MDC,
civil society and Zimbabweans at large did not take Zvinavashe seriously
enough.

That was a terrible blunder.

Encouraged by the apparent public acquiescence and tacit acceptance of
Zvinavashe's threats, the army, police and central intelligence chiefs,
Defence Forces commander, Constantine Chiwenga, in particular, have
repeatedly and publicly pledged loyalty to Mugabe and insisted that they
will never salute or support a government led by MDC leader Morgan
Tsvangirai.

The moment Tsvangirai and the MDC secured electoral victory, the security
chiefs swung into instant action. As a result Tsvangirai never formed a
government in April 2008. Instead almost 200 Zimbabweans were ruthlessly
murdered in a military campaign orchestrated from Zimbabwe Defence Forces
headquarters against the opposition.

The latest evidence of refusal to accept Tsvangirai was the foiling by two
prison officers in Mutare of the release of MDC treasurer, Bennett, on bail
after a magistrate issued the order and bail had been acceptable.

It is patently clear that in foiling Bennett's release Senior Assistant
Commissioner Albert Mandimika, the officer commanding prisons in Manicaland
Province and Chief Superintendent Zondai Nyatsanza, a lower ranking officer,
were acting on orders from high up. The order could not have come from
anywhere else but the office of the Director General of Prisons, Paradzai
Zimondi. He is a member of the Joint Operations Command, the nucleus of the
dark force referred to earlier.

Whether Bennett is guilty of treason, banditry or terrorism or not, his case
is clearly being manipulated extra-judicially by the Joint Operations
Command (JOC). That is where Zimondi sits with Chiwenga, Air Force Commander
Perrence Shiri and Commissioner General of Police, Augustine Chihuri. They
enjoy the financial backing of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor, Gideon
Gono.

The recent treatment of political prisoners has become the latest
manifestation of the refusal to accept the leadership of Tsvangirai, even in
the watered down position of Prime Minister under President Mugabe.

To drive their point home the members of the JOC boycotted the swearing in
of Tsvangirai. The security chiefs have always been unequivocal in stating
their position with regard to the prospect of a power transfer from Zanu-PF
to any other political party.

Convinced that the service chiefs are behind the irregular incarceration of
Bennett, the MDC on Thursday issued yet another statement condemning the
blatant and naked abuse of power and authority by them.

I am not in any way suggesting that Bennett is innocent of any offence. No.
Only a court of law can make such determination on the basis of evidence
presented before it by the prosecution. President Mugabe himself declared
last week that the law of the land must take its course, which is as it
should be. Nobody has any quarrel with justice being visited upon those who
break the laws of our land.

But the law in Zimbabwe is that a man is deemed to be innocent until proven
guilty. If Bennett cannot be granted bail for any legitimate reason, then
that reason must be disclosed. Justice must be seen to be dispensed through
an officially prescribed and legitimate process.

It is perhaps a sign of frustration on the part of the MDC that it now
routinely issues statements in condemnation of some of the irregular actions
of a government in which it is a participant. But now is certainly not the
time for the MDC to issue statements in condemnation of any failures or
weaknesses of government or elements within it.

Rather, as a confidence-boosting measure, it is now incumbent, not only on
the MDC, but also on Zanu-PF, to get to grips with those obstacles that
continue to bedevil the new political dispensation. Where any culprits are
identified, now is the time to deal with them in a manner that not only
serves as a deterrent to others of like mind, but also inspires the
confidence of an otherwise dubious public in the viability of the new
government.

When prison warders brazenly prevent the law from taking its course, as
happened in the Bennett case in Mutare on Wednesday that becomes a matter of
grievous concern among citizens who regard the upholding of the law as a
cornerstone of democracy. The public cannot be blamed for a growing
perception that Bennett is currently experiencing a process of political
persecution ahead of a legal prosecution.

The MDC hits the nail right on the head when it says: "The wanton disregard
of the rule of law, the brazen trampling of citizens' rights and the
chicanery to stand in the way of court orders flies in the face of the new
era and the new spirit of unity that had begun to be engendered by the
inclusive government."

But the MDC must be careful, however, that it does not create a public
perception that it has been maneouvred into the situation of a hen that
flaps its wings helplessly and clucks loudly as the eagle swoops in to
snatch its chicks, one after the other.

The MDC negotiated a political settlement with Zanu-PF with what appears to
have been all sincerity. Even those who were skeptical of the agreement were
slowly reconciling themselves to the inevitability of the government of
national unity, mindful of the old adage that half a loaf may be better than
nothing.

But the unfolding tragedy is far from political. For Prime Minister
Tsvangirai and his MDC team the challenge now is how to get Messrs Chiwenga,
Shiri, Chihuri and Zimondi to come to the party. It is an open secret that
the members of the JOC are the culprits deliberately throwing the spanner in
the works of the government of national unity.

Here is homework for the MDC.

If the service chiefs cannot accept the result of an election in 2008, what
guarantee is there that they will accept an election result in 2010 or
whenever the next election is held whose result threatens their position?
They will have much more to lose by then and, therefore, a greater
determination to protect their position?

It appears, therefore, that the MDC must finally engage in a process that
should have started back in 2000 - that of dialogue with the service chiefs.
Tsvangirai continues to ignore their existence, not only at his own peril,
but that of his party and the population of Zimbabwe at large.

The new government has three ministers holding the curiously named portfolio
of Minister of State in the President's Office (Healing Organ).

Presumably, John Nkomo, Sekai Holland and Gibson Sibanda, representing the
three constituent parties of the government of national unity, have the
collective responsibility of presiding over Zimbabwe's process of national
healing.

Facilitating such dialogue between the MDC and the security chiefs could be
the first serious assignment of the ministers appointed to preside over that
process. If Mugabe could reconcile with Ian Smith in the national interest;
if South Africa's apartheid rulers could reconcile with those they fought
and jailed, surely Mugabe's cohorts and the MDC can also reconcile.

Why must reconciliation always involve black and white, but never black and
black?

Such an initiative would present the three ministers with an opportunity
that has the potential to achieve tangible and meaningful results at an
early stage of the government of national unity.

Repeatedly and haplessly condemning the actions of "residual elements" does
not appear to be achieving any outcome that will impress citizens or
potential donors alike.

To the members of the JOC, your countrymen have endured inconceivable pain.
You keep your wealth; let them have their country back. In no time they will
generate new wealth.

President Mugabe cannot have it both ways. He cannot claim to be committed
to a government of national unity while allowing the service chiefs to act
outside its authority by openly committing acts of lawlessness.

Finally, SADC cannot simply wash its hands off the Zimbabwe crisis. The
silence of the regional organisation since February 13 over the ongoing
crisis has been both disheartening and disconcerting.

Mbeki named to heal Bashir rift

Friday, 6 March 2009

Omar al-Bashir is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity The African Union has appointed former South African President Thabo Mbeki to chair a committee to investigate human rights violations in Darfur. South Africa's Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said Mr Mbeki's role was to intercede between the International Criminal Court and Sudan. The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir over atrocities committed in Darfur. Mr Bashir has rejected the charges and accused the ICC of colonialism. The African Union has asked the ICC to delay the charges for a year, warning that attempts to arrest Mr Bashir could further destabilise the situation in Darfur. Mr Mbeki brokered the deal for Zimbabwe's political rivals to share power following last year's disputed elections. He was accused by some of being too soft on President Robert Mugabe. A spokesman for Mr Mbeki confirmed that he had accepted the appointment. Aid workers' fears On Thursday, Mr Bashir told thousands of cheering supporters at a rally in the capital Khartoum that the charges were part of a Western plot against Sudan. "We are telling the colonialists we are not succumbing; we are not submitting; we will not kneel; we are targeted because we refuse to submit," he said. DARFUR CONFLICT 300,000 died 2m homeless Black African rebels say they face discrimination Government denies mobilising Arab militias Dancing Bashir scoffs at Darfur warrant In pictures: Sudan defiant Q&A: Sudan's Darfur conflict Immediately after the warrants were announced, Sudan expelled several aid groups from Darfur, accusing them of having a political agenda. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the decision could cause "irrevocable damage" to the humanitarian operations and urged Sudan to reverse the order. "The operations of these agencies are key to maintaining a lifeline to 4.7m Sudanese people who receive aid in Darfur," Mr Ban said. The statement also expressed concern about the safety and security of national and international humanitarian workers in Sudan and their assets. "The confiscation of equipment, money and other materials is unacceptable and must end immediately," it said, while stressing that the agencies involved affected had acted "in a neutral and impartial manner". Among the international aid groups ordered out of Darfur are Oxfam, Care, Medecins Sans Frontieres and Save the Children UK. 'Coincidence' Sarah Jacobs of Save the Children Africa told the BBC that children in Sudan would suffer if the charity was prevented from operating in the country. "We support 50,000 children, trying to protect them from abuse, from physical and sexual violence, trying to get them back into school," she said. Aid workers fear for Darfur camps after the ICC decision "These are very traumatised children, many of them." Sudan's deputy permanent representative to the AU, Akuei Bona Malwal, told the BBC that the agencies had been "deemed to have worked beyond the permit that was given to them". He said it was a "coincidence" that the agencies had been expelled on the same day as the ICC issued the warrant. The conflict in Darfur flared into open violence in 2003 when black African rebel groups took up arms against the government in Khartoum, complaining of discrimination and neglect. Pro-government Arab militias then started a campaign of violence, targeting the black African population. The UN says this has led to some 300,000 deaths and forced more than two million people from their homes. The US has said this amounts to a genocide but the ICC rejected a request to charge Mr Bashir with genocide. The government has always denied charges that it helped organise the militia attacks. Mr Bashir has been charged by the ICC with two counts of war crimes: Intentionally directing attacks against civilians and pillaging. He is also accused of five crimes against humanity counts: Murder; extermination; forcible transfer; torture and rape.