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Morgan Tsvangirai crash 'was designed to eliminate leader'

http://www.telegraph.co.uk
 
Senior lieutenants of Zimbabwe's prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Sunday privately disputed claims that a traffic incident that killed his wife last week was an accident.
 

By Christopher Munnion in Johannesburg
Last Updated: 9:54PM GMT 08 Mar 2009

Members of his party, the Movement of Democratic Change (MDC), said the threat to Mr Tsvangirai’s life was being overlooked as diplomats sought to keep an agreement to reconcile Zimbabwe’s political parties on track.

The party vowed to conduct its own investigation into the car crash in which Susan Tsvangirai, 50, was killed and her 56-year-old husband suffered head injuries.

One member of the MDC criticised comments by a British official that last week’s crash, which involved a vehicle that was distributing medical aid on behalf of British and America assistance programmes, as a “genuine accident”.

“How would the British government know this for sure?” he said. “We had our own people on the scene very shortly afterwards and there was no sign of any High Commission representative.

“We also know that the British government has a great interest in ensuring that the unity government in Zimbabwe is a success despite all the evidence that Mugabe has repeatedly flouted all the conditions.”

President Robert Mugabe visited Mr Tsvangirai, whose injuries were described as minor, in hospital in Harare after the incident. But in a signal of concern among Mr Tsvangirai’s allies over his well being, the prime minister was later flown to neighbouring Botswana for “medical and security” reasons.

Botswana’s president, Ian Khama, is one of the few African leaders to have openly criticised Mr Mugabe’s rule, blaming the president for the economic collapse that has forced more than one million Zimbabweans to emigrate.

Mr Mugabe’s show of sympathy did little to allay the fears of Mr Tsvangirai’s supporters that he had been targeted by Zimbabwe’s security forces, the members of which have a vested interest in ensuring a continuation of Mr Mugabe’s rule.

MDC leaders pointed out that there had been at least four attempts on Mr Tsvangirai’s life in his years of opposition. “This is not a genuine accident”, said Sibanengi Dube, the MDC spokesman in South Africa.

“This is an organised hit that was designed to eliminate our leader.

“We believe that the powerful and notorious clique in Mr Mugabe’s Zanu-PF is determined to scupper efforts by the inclusive government to get Zimbabwe back on track.”

The crash happened as Mr and Mrs Tsvangirai travelled to a weekend home south of Harare just two days after the new prime minister addressed parliament for the first time.

They were in an official vehicle with a private security escort when it was hit by a seven-ton lorry heading the other way.

Choona Mwana, the lorry driver, was reported to have told the independent Zimbabwe Standard newspaper that he had hit a hump in the road and was battling to control his vehicle when it hit Mr Tsvangirai’s car, causing it to overturn.

Mrs Tsvangirai was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

Seven leading political figures seen to have been challenging Mr Mugabe’s rule had died in mysterious circumstances. Most were killed in vehicle accidents that were never satisfactorily explained.

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Grieving Morgan Tsvangirai to return amid MDC fears of power grab

http://www.timesonline.co.uk

March 9, 2009

Jan Raath in Harare
Morgan Tsvangirai is expected to return to Zimbabwe tonight to attend the
funeral of his wife, Susan, who died when the car they were travelling in
was hit by a US aid lorry carrying British relief supplies.

Mr Tsvangirai, the Prime Minister in a power-sharing Government with
President Mugabe, had gone to neighbouring Botswana for rest and medical
treatment after Friday's crash.

Members of his Movement for Democratic Change had feared that a prolonged
absence would leave hardliners within the Government unopposed to force
through their agenda.

Mr Tsvangirai left hospital on Saturday, unsupported but with a baseball cap
over his bandaged head, after treatment for severe head, neck and chest
bruising. The incident released a cloud of suspicion among MDC supporters
that the collision was an attempt on his life by Mr Mugabe's secret police.

The MDC has been careful to avoid fanning potential retribution though.
Tendai Biti, the party's No 3, said: "We cannot talk about foul play until
it has been proved what really transpired."
Mr Tsvangirai flew to Botswana on Saturday at the invitation of President
Khama, his staunchest ally among Southern African leaders. "He needs peace
and quiet, and he's not going to get it at home," a senior MDC official
said. .

Yesterday the road outside Mr Tsvangirai's house in suburban Harare was
filled with hundreds of mourners in MDC T-shirts, singing Shona funeral
songs, dancing and beating drums. Mrs Tsvangirai, 50, will be buried at her
rural home of Buhera on Wednesday.

Each day since Mr Tsvangirai was sworn in on February 11 has involved close
combat with Mr Mugabe, his ministers and senior officials trying to obstruct
the MDC's plan to rebuild the economy, restore human rights and deal with
Africa's worst cholera epidemic and a national famine.

This week he was due to deal with an attempt by Mr Mugabe to grab back the
Information Technology Ministry after it emerged that the Government's
electronic surveillance department - whose prime task was to spy on the
MDC - had been handed to one of Mr Tsvangirai's ministers.

Colleagues feared that a prolonged absence would seriously damage the MDC.

"A week is a long time, let alone a fortnight, in Zimbabwean politics," the
commentator Eldred Masunungure said. "The real threat is from the hardliners
in Zanu (PF). They may even be celebrating the tragedy. They will probably
be ordering full steam ahead on their agenda [of keeping the MDC's hands off
power], and will take full advantage of Tsvangirai's absence."

A grinning young man in a silver SUV yesterday demonstrated the intense
hatred felt by many in Zanu (PF) for Mr Tsvangirai and the MDC. He drove the
car at high speed through the crowd of mourners milling outside the
Tsvangirai's home.

Thokozani Khupe, one of two deputy prime ministers, is expected to stand in
for Mr Tsvangirai.

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USAID driver to appear in court Monday

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=13059

March 8, 2009

By Our Correspondent

HARARE - The burial of Susan Tsvangirai, the wife of Prime Mister Morgan
Tsvangirai, will take place in Buhera on Wednesday.

Mrs Tsvangirai perished in road traffic accident on Friday 100 km outside
Harare as they travelled to Buhera for the weekend. The Prime Minister who
was sitting in the back a Toyota Landcruiser escaped with head and neck
injuries. He was admitted to hospital in Harare.

He was discharged on Saturday and immediately travelled to Gaborone for
medical tests and to rest, officials of his Movement for Democratic Change
party said. Tsvangirai who was said to be in a stable condition is due back
in Harare Monday.

Buhera is the rural home of the Tsvangirais. Tsvangirai was scheduled to
address a rally at Murambinda Growth Point in the district on Saturday.

Relatives and friends have paid tribute to the strength and support she
offered her husband and other MDC members who were jailed while in
opposition.

The couple was travelling to their rural home in Buhera, where Tsvangirai
planned to address a weekend rally, when the crash occurred near Beatrice on
Friday afternoon.

The police said a truck travelling towards Harare encroached on the other
side of the road in the face of oncoming traffic, side-swiped the Tsvangirai's
Landcruiser, causing it to roll over three times.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday MDC secretary general Tendai Biti,
said the fatal accident could have been avoided if the Prime Minister was
travelling with an official police escort. Instead he was travelling in an
escort provided by the MDC.

The Prime Minister was reportedly not entirely comfortable with security
provided by the new government, relying instead on his own security teams.

Meanwhile the driver of the truck that was involved with the Landcruiser,
causing it to go out of control before landing on its roof, is to be charged
with culpable homicide Monday.

Chinoona Chimwanda, (35) was the driver of the Nissan UD box truck involved
in the accident. The vehicle belongs to USAID. US embassy officials
confirmed that the lorry belonged to a partner organisation of USAID, the US
government aid agency.

The UK Foreign Office also confirmed that the lorry was operated by a
project jointly funded by the US and UK and said that the crash appeared to
be "a genuine accident".

Police say they have instituted a full probe into the car crash and will
make their findings public in due course. Biti said on Saturday that the MDC
is conducting its own investigation into the crash.

Chimwanda is currently being held at Featherstone Police Station. His lawyer
Chris Mhike told The Zimbabwe Times that Chimwanda would most likely appear
in court Monday.

"The police have promised us that by tomorrow the papers will be ready for
Mr Chimwanda to appear before a magistrate," Mhike said Sunday night.

"He is facing culpable homicide charges."

Mhike said the stretch of the road where the accident occurred was "very
bad." Zimbabwe's network of roads is in a serious state of disrepair
following more than a decade of neglect.

"There is a hump on the section where the accident occurred, and of course a
hump is a dangerous feature on the highway. There is no sign on the highway
that there is a hump ahead," Mhike said.

Chimwanda is said to have hit the hump then lost control of his truck along
a bumpy stretch of the road. His truck then sideswiped Tsvangirai's vehicle.

Mrs Tsvangirai was pronounced dead on arrival at the nearby Beatrice
Hospital while the PM sustained neck and head injuries and was rushed to the
Avenues Clinic in Harare.

The driver was slightly injured, and was taken back to the scene of the
crash by the police Saturday for indications.

The Zimbabwe Times also visited the scene of the accident Saturday.

Eye witnesses said the Nissan Navara in front of Tsvangirai's Land Cruiser
was almost 100 metres ahead, according to an eyewitness.

"I saw a Navara going way past and then the Land Cruiser appeared," said the
eyewitness who declined to be named.  It was hard to believe the cars were
in the same convoy."

"It looks like the USAID truck hit something and got off the road briefly,
coming back and hitting the Prime Minister's car."

He said that the PM was able to walk out of the car after the accident, but
had suffered bad cuts on his face.

A police officer close to the probe said officials had insisted that blood
be drawn from the driver for alcohol samples.

A police officer said: "Unfortunately, they were both not wearing safety
belts from the information we have gathered so far. So this tragedy could
have been easily prevented including this unnecessary loss of life.

"It was a mess," the officer proceeded. "Everything was torn out of the
car - and everyone was covered in diesel."

The officer said many accidents had happened on that stretch of road.

On Saturday MDC Secretary-General Biti told reporters: "Susan Tsvangirai was
a mother to all of us. She was a pillar and foundation to our Prime
Minister. So this is a sad day, indeed, for us."

Tsvangirai turns 57 on Tuesday, the day the MDC plans a "massive send-off"
from Harare for his late wife. Family members say Mrs Tsvangirai will be
buried in Buhera on Wednesday.

Tsvangirai married Susan in 1978 and the couple had six children, three
girls and three boys.

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State wants Bennett to remain behind bars

http://www.businessday.co.za/

09 March 2009

FOREIGN STAFF
Harare

A ZIMBABWE court will hear an appeal by the state prosecutor tomorrow
arguing that a jailed opposition official should not be released on bail,
the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party said yesterday.

The jailing of MDC treasurer and proposed junior agriculture minister, Roy
Bennett, who was arrested on February 13 and charged with plotting
terrorism, has been a source of continuing friction between prime minister
and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and the country's president, Robert
Mugabe.

"As there is no basis at law for the charges, and continued detention of Roy
Bennett, and all other political prisoners, we demand their immediate
unconditional release unharmed," the MDC said.

Bennett had been set to become a junior minister in the unity government
agreed between Mugabe and Tsvangirai, which many hope will take action to
end the country's economic crisis. He faces up to life in jail if convicted.

Zimbabwe's Supreme Court had granted prosecutors the right to appeal against
a ruling by a High Court judge to grant bail to Bennett. Prosecutor Chris
Mutangadura said last week Bennett would remain in custody until a hearing
date was set.

The ongoing effort to keep Bennett behind bars was instigated by his former
rival, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, reports said last week.

The MDC has said Chinamasa - whom Bennett shoved during a rowdy
parliamentary debate several years ago - had stopped prison authorities from
freeing him. Bennett served a year of hard labour for the altercation, sent
there by the then Zanu (PF) -dominated parliament.

After the Harare High Court granted bail, Chinamasa instructed his
subordinates to stop Bennett's release. Reuters, Staff Writer

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WOZA speaks as world marks international women's day

http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com/

8th Mar 2009 22:08 GMT

By WOZA

AS the world, including Zimbabwe, commemorates International Women's Day,
members of WOZA find little to celebrate.

As organisations, both local and international, take the opportunity
afforded by International Women's Day to speak out about the need for gender
equality, respect for women's right and an end to violence, WOZA joins the
chorus.

Yet we understand that women in Zimbabwe, and Africa as a whole, need much
more than rhetoric - they need action. And actions speak louder than words.

The current situation of the ordinary woman in Zimbabwe is heartbreaking.

She only lives until the age of 34 because the Mugabe regime killed a
perfectly good health system. She can hardly access antiretroviral treatment
and even if she does, the three meals a day she needs to take them with is
impossible.

She cannot put a full nutritious meal on the table for her family because
Zimbabwe is no longer the breadbasket of Africa but its basket case. She
cannot afford to buy food even if it is available because the Mugabe regime
put the economy in intensive care and Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono put
a bullet to its head when he started to remove zeros without comprehensive
reforms.

A mother is always preoccupied with a better future for her children so that
she can dream about sitting in the shade and being looked after for a
change. But the prospects for this have been thrown out of the window by the
destruction of the education system by the Mugabe regime.

Educating children was already a challenge previously but in 2008 it became
a form of torture for parents. Teachers left, school buildings deteriorated,
text and exercise books disappeared to be sold on the streets for exorbitant
prices. Government did not even bother to buy chalk, and this burden, along
with that of paying teachers, fell on the parents' shoulders.

Zimbabwe, in the throes of a political and governance crisis, failed to
safeguard the rights of children to an education and their right to a better
future. The untold story of Zimbabwe is the impact of the crisis on the
lives of our children - how these innocent souls will bear the terrible
burden of our adult hatred and intolerance.

In Zimbabwe there is now an 'inclusive' government but whilst it includes
opposing political parties it falls far short of including women who take
the time to speak out for women's equality.

WOZA does not feel represented by the mere fact that there are some women in
political office. We want women to use their position to engage and consult
women and further our combined interests.

If one takes the time to study the 15th September 2008 Global Political
Agreement, rhetoric about women's representation abounds but they appear to
be words without meaning.

Three weeks after the inauguration of this government and 29 years after
so-called Independence, women are still not fairly represented in most
spheres in Zimbabwe. Peaceful protest is broken up by men armed with baton
sticks and women who are simply demanding their constitutional rights are
beaten, arrested and detained.

On 9th March 2009, two WOZA leaders will be in the dock in Bulawayo
Magistrate's Court facing a possible five years in prison for demanding
political leaders allow free access to food aid for starving Zimbabweans.

In the words of a police officer, this was a crime of 'exciting people'. In
a justice system backlogged for years, with thousands of Zimbabweans in
prison and unable to be fed or brought to court, the fact that this case has
been prioritised is further proof that women human rights defenders continue
to be harassed and intimidated merely for speaking out on behalf of their
families.

So a year after WOZA members were beaten and arrested in Bulawayo whilst
commemorating International Women's Day, we still do not find anything in
our hearts to celebrate. Instead we use this occasion to remind our leaders
that actions speak louder than words.

And to light a candle against the darkness so as to guide our steps on the
road to a socially just Zimbabwe. WOZA will continue to demand bread and
roses, a full enjoyment of all our social, economic, cultural and political
rights and the social justice that will restore our dignity as women. By
continuing to take the step forward, perhaps by the next International Women's
Day, we will have something to celebrate.

*Mrs Susan Tsvangirai - WOZA mourns the loss of a mother to the nation

Our troubled hearts are further burdened and saddened by the untimely death
of Mrs Susan Tsvangirai. WOZA was looking forward to Susan being the mother
to the nation that we have long waited for.

We witnessed her dignity and strength in standing by the side of her husband
during their 31 years of marriage and understand the unexpressed pain she
must have endured watching her husband suffer at the hands of a brutal
regime.

We had hoped and prayed that she would enjoy a semblance of peace at his
side as a mother of the nation. The loss of this mother of six and tower of
strength to her husband is a shocking blow to the nation and all Zimbabwean
women.

We offer our heartfelt condolences to the Prime Minister, their children who
have lost their mother and rest of their family. May her soul rest in
blessed peace at last.

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Bill Watch 8 of 8th March 2009 [Prime Minister's Maiden Speech]

BILL WATCH 8/2009

[8th March 2009]

Veritas offers profound sympathy to the Prime Minister on the tragic death of his wife Amai Susan Tsvangirai and joins the rest of the nation in mourning the passing of an outstanding woman

There will be a Church Service at Glamis Stadium at 12 on Tuesday and the Burial will take place in Buhera on Wednesday

 

Update on Legislation

The House of Assembly was due to sit again on 10th March, but it is probable that the sitting will be postponed

The Senate is adjourned until 17th March

Bills

The Appropriation (2008) (Additional) Bill [HB 1, 2009] was gazetted on 6th March.  It seeks Parliamentary approval of the substantial unbudgeted expenditure incurred by the Government last year after the funds voted by Parliament for the 2008 financial year were exhausted.  [Note: this is not part of the 2009 Budget exercise; it is a retrospective “cleaning-up” Bill required by the Constitution.

Acts

The Zimbabwe National Security Council Act was gazetted on Wednesday 4th March and came into force immediately. [Electronic version available]

Statutory instruments

ESI 19/2009 – new radio and TV listener’s licence fees, all stated in US dollars. [Electronic version available.]

SI 21/2009 – new monetary limits for civil cases in the magistrates court, also stated in US dollars. [Electronic version available.]

Last Week in Parliament

Tuesday 3rd March the sitting started with a swearing-in ceremony presided over by the Speaker, in which the following new members of the House took their oath of loyalty to Zimbabwe before the House:

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai took up the ex officio seat allocated to him under the IPA and Constitution Amendment 19 [Constitution, Schedule 8, IPA Article 20.1.8 – “Persons appointed to the posts of Vice-President, Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister who are not already members of Parliament become ex officio members of the House of Assembly”].  The press incorrectly reported that these are non-voting seats.  Mr Tsvangirai is now officially the Leader of Government Business in Parliament [Constitution, Schedule 8, IPA Article 20.1.3(f)].

Deputy Prime Minister Mutambara took up an ex officio seat under the same Article 20.1.8.  [The other Deputy Prime Minister, Mrs Thoko Khupe, had already been sworn in as an elected MP.]

Minister of State Gordon Moyo took the seat that would have been used by Deputy Prime Minister Khupe if she had needed it.  Article 20.1.8. stipulates that this is a non-constituency seat.

Attorney-General Tomana was sworn in as an ex officio non-voting member.  [Note: the Attorney-General’s ex officio seat has been provided for since 1989 by section 76(3b) of the Constitution.  Mr Tomana’s assumption of his Parliamentary seat does not mean that it will be more difficult than before to reverse his controversial appointment as Attorney-General.]

Three pending motions were withdrawn: [1] a ZANU-PF motion on the need to relieve the plight of ordinary Zimbabweans; [2] an MDC-T motion on the urban water supply crisis and the need to transfer responsibility from ZINWA back to local councils [withdrawn because this transfer is now being implemented], and [3] an MDC-T motion deploring ZANU- PF allegations of banditry against the MDC and related accusations against Botswana [matters raised “now water under the bridge”].

The House adjourned after sitting for only 30 minutes.

Wednesday 4th March The Prime Minister delivered his maiden speech as a member of the House [see following item].  The House then adjourned until Tuesday 10th March after a sitting lasting 36 minutes. 

Prime Minister’s Maiden Speech

In his maiden speech to the House the Prime Minister outlined the legislative vision as embodied in the IPA and stressed that the people’s freedoms are the foundation on which all development builds. 

·    The new Constitution to be written during the course of the present Parliament would “be driven by all stakeholders and owned by the people of Zimbabwe”.  The people would have the final say on its validity both in terms of process and content in a referendum. 

·    In the meantime  the people’s freedoms would be promoted; the culture of impunity would be ended; the police and other law enforcement agencies would be trained in human rights and the rule of law, particularly in regard to the freedoms of association and assembly; political persecution by law enforcement officials would not be tolerated.

·    the government would work towards an open and free media environment and steps would be taken to ensure balanced and fair coverage by public media.  

·    Security reform legislation would be undertaken, the just enacted Zimbabwe National Security Council Act being the first step in the process. 

·    The Prime Minister also called on the Speaker to ensure the enforcement of the mechanism for declaration of assets by members of Parliament in the interests of accountability and transparency and as part of the national fight against corruption.

·    On international relations, he acknowledged support received during the ongoing humanitarian crisis but recognised that the onus is on Zimbabweans to lay the foundation for greater international support by working together to promote freedom at home and ensuring observance of our international treaty obligations. 

·    On sanctions he urged the international community to “recognise our efforts and note the progress we make in this regard and to match our progress by moving towards the removal of restrictive measures”.  [Electronic version of full speech available.]

Outstanding Parliamentary Business

·    Parliamentary Committees have still not been set up [for a list of the committees see Bill Watch 7]. 

·    2009 Budget – there has been no announcement as to when this will be replaced by the new Minister of Finance. 

Order Paper for This Week

The House of Assembly agenda for Tuesday 10th March includes:

·        Additional Estimates of Expenditure for the 2008 financial year, and the related Appropriation (2008) (Additional) Bill [see Update on Bills above] 

·        The 2009 Budget [the Estimates of Expenditure and the Finance Bill presented on the 29th January by the Acting Minister of Finance in the previous government are still on the agenda, but these are likely to be replaced, as the new Finance Minister, Tendai Biti [MDC-T], has already said that he will present a new Budget.]

·        Motions: the crisis in education; a call for the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate the election violence that occurred after the March 2008 election; and the continuing debate on the President’s Speech at the opening of Parliament last August.

Question Time

Wednesday afternoons in Parliament will see the revival of Question Time, made feasible now that the new Ministers have been appointed and will be available to answer MPs questions.  There will be Questions without Notice from 2.15 pm to 3.15 pm followed by Questions with Notice from 3.15 pm to 4.15 pm.  Question Time enables back-benchers to quiz Ministers on all matters falling within their portfolios.  This is an opportunity for people to get their MPs to put forward questions on matters affecting their constituency or of general public interest.

High Court Refuses to Recognise SADC Tribunal Ruling

The High Court has refused to recognise and enforce the SADC Tribunal ruling of 2008 in favour of farmers facing dispossession under the Land Reform Programme.  The judge based her decision on two points: that Zimbabwe had not ratified the Protocol [agreement between SADC members states] establishing the Tribunal, and that nothing in the Zimbabwean Constitution or statute law gives the decisions of the Tribunal legal force in this country.

 

Veritas makes every effort to ensure reliable information, but cannot take legal responsibility for information supplied.

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Starvation of a nation

http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=12255

Published: March 09, 2009

The people of Zimbabwe are hungry. In fact, they are starving. The country
is in a state of emergency with a cholera outbreak, a massive food shortage
and a deteriorating security situation.

It has been reported that there may not be any more contributions to the
World Food Program in Zimbabwe therefore food supplies will run out. Food
security is not the only concern. The whole country is at a standstill.
Schools are closed. Children walk for miles to get to school only to find
there are no teachers.

The health system is failing, with hospitals closing and medicine almost
impossible to find. Our HIV/AIDS programs are becoming more difficult to
implement. There are no antiretroviral drugs in the country and there are no
supplies to replenish medical kits for home-based care.

There were many times when I was in Zimbabwe that I felt very sad. There was
one Sunday in Church when I just couldn't stop crying. I watched the faith
of the people who were praying and believe that God will bring them out of
their suffering. They certainly are a people of hope.

We cannot afford to place Zimbabwe in the too hard basket. The people of
Zimbabwe really believe that things can change and we all have a
responsibility to do whatever is in our power to see that they are not
holding onto false hope. - Sr Ivy Khoury, The Southern Cross (click below
for full article)

http://www.adelaide.catholic.org.au/sites/SouthernCross/features?more=10639

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Africa Seeks a Single Currency

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1542937/africa_seeks_a_single_currency.html

March 08, 2009 by Brooke Lorren

Globalization Marches on as Politicians Seek to Recreate Euro in Africa
In a recent meeting of the African Union in Nairobi, Kenya, African
economists put their heads together in an attempt to create a single African
currency, similar to that of the Euro in Europe. This group will continue to
work on the proposal over the next few months, and will be making
 recommendations to the various heads of state during a summit this July.

The Abuja treaty, signed in 1991, created the African Economic Community as
a part of the African Union. The African union consists of 53 member states,
and was established on July 9, 2002. The treaty hoped to create the Afro by
2028, with a central African bank issuing the continent-wide currency. The
African Union is currently working on establishing the central bank in
Abuja, Nigeria.

Establishing a common currency would have the effect of uniting the
continent of Africa, both economically and politically. The Afro would
facilitate trade, lower the cost of conducting business on the continent,
and reduce the confusion caused when multiple currencies are used.

Wycliffe Oparanya, the Minister of State for Planning, National Development
and Vision 2030, said that establishing a single currency for Africa would
require difficult political decisions to be made. A central African
Government would be created that would regulate the entire continent's
banking industry. The central bank of Africa would set the interest and
currency exchange rates for the entire continent.

Africa has unique challenges when it comes to integrating the continent with
a single currency. The European Union was able to integrate under the Euro,
but it has significantly different economic conditions than Africa does. The
European per capita GDP is $25,289, while Africa's per capita GDP was
reported to be $2,975 in 2007. About 36% of Africa's population survives on
under $1 a day. There are only 100,000 millionaires on the continent,
compared to 2.6 million European millionaires, even though Africa's
population is larger than Europe's. Zimbabwe's economy is currently affected
by hyperinflation. Somalia is currently a collapsed state known for
continued fighting and piracy.

The creation of a single African currency will probably be a challenging
undertaking, but further discussions will bring the concept closer to
reality during the government summit in July. If all the bugs can be worked
out, a single currency might help stabilize the continent and increase
prosperity in a nation that truly needs it. The development of this currency
should interesting to watch.

Sources:

"African Union." Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Union

"Economy of Africa." Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Africa

"Economy of Europe." Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Europe

Kimani, O'Brien. "Congress Pushes for Single African Currency." Kenya
Broadcasting Corporation, March 2, 2009.
http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=55904

Niyiragira, Yves. "Push for Single African Currency Begins." AU Monitor,
March 2, 2009. http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/comments/2226/

"Somalia." Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somalia

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JAG - SADC Tribunal Rights Watch COmmunique dated 8 March 2009


Email: jag@mango.zw : justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw

JAG Hotlines: +263 (011) 610 073, +263 (04) 799410.  If you are in
trouble or need advice, please don't hesitate to contact us - we're here
to help!

To subscribe/unsubscribe to the JAG mailing list, please email:
jag@mango.zw with subject line "subscribe" or "unsubscribe".

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SADC TRIBUNAL RIGHTS WATCH - attempt by  Etheredge to register the SADC
Tribunal Judgement of 28 November 2008:

There are reports that Justice Gowora from the High Court of Zimbabwe has
overturned the SADC Tribunal Judgement in a High Court case argued in
July 2008.

It is important to point out that the case in question was a spoliation
case where the Etheredges were trying to get back on to their property.
The Etheredge family had had almost all their possessions looted from
their houses in June and were determined to get back on to farm their
farm in July last year.

The Etheredge case before Justice Gowora preceded the case of the SADC
case that was heard in Windhoek shortly afterwards.  It was heard more
that  4 months before the final judgement by the SADC Tribunal that
emphasised the fact that the SADC Tribunal was able to make a judgement
that would be binding on the Zimbabwe Government.  The SADC Tribunal
cites in its 28 November judgement, that the Vienna Convention states:

"A party may not invoke provisions of its own internal law as
justification for failure to carry out an international agreement" [which
is the SADC Treaty in this case].

Justice Gowora recognised that Etheredge was currently before the SADC
Tribunal but said that "to venture into a foray of the issue before the
Tribunal would be an exercise in futility."

She said that "from a perusal of the interim judgement [in the Tribunal]
it is clear that the nature of the relief being sought in the Tribunal is
different to what is being sought before me...."

Senator Madzongwe arrived with 4 policemen and others on the night of
Wednesday 4 March with a copy of the state controlled Herald newspaper.
This apparently allowed them to stop all work on the farm and declare the
workers to be unemployed.  The Etheredges employ up to 350 people and
have a 6000 ton citrus crop that is already committed to the Middle East.

On Thursday 5 March, the Chegutu police along with the Chegutu lands
officer, Mr. Kunonga and others, broke into the cottage on the farm and
had Mr. Etheredge remove all the contents.  He has also been forced to
hand over the irrigation keys. The complete work stoppage continues.

On the various other farms that the Senator has been allocation there is
virtually no production or employment either.

Mr. Etheredge was protected by the SADC Tribunal on 28 November 2008 with
a final order which stated that:

"by unanimity the Respondent [the Zimbabwe Government] is directed to
take all necessary measures, through its agents, to protect the
possession, occupation and ownership of the lands of the applicants...and
to take all necessary measures to ensure that no action is taken.
Pursuant to Amendment 17, directly or indirectly, whether by its agents
or by others, to evict from, or interfere with, the peaceful residence
on, and of these farms by the Applicants.."

Mr. Etherege is the 19th applicant in the SADC case and he and his
workers should enjoy complete protection to continue living in their
homes and farming.

A number of attempts to have the case registered in the Courts of
Zimbabwe have met with a failure by the High Court to set the matter
down.  Mr. Etherege is putting in an Urgent Application to have the SADC
Tribunal case registered in the High Court.

Message Ends.

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JAG open letter forum - No. 608 - Dated 8 March 2009



Email: jag@mango.zw; justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw

Please send any material for publication in the Open Letter Forum to
jag@mango.zw with "For Open Letter Forum" in the subject line.

To subscribe/unsubscribe to the JAG mailing list, please email:
jag@mango.zw with subject line "subscribe" or "unsubscribe".

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.  Wife of Future Jailbird

2.  Phil Gargan - Warning SA Highway

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Jag

Every day there are a few farmers in court.  There is a definite
intention to prosecute, and to implement the rulings.

Yesterday they had a lady of 60, a grandmother, sitting in their filthy,
broken dock.  The policeman on duty could not even keep awake.  The
witnesses involved did not even pretend to make a legal Affidavit, or
supply the proper papers relevant to the case, but they are accepted by
the magistrate.  This has been the pattern. Poorly prepared cases, no
legalities.  No intention of the Magistrate to ensure that details are
maintained. No copies presented to the defence counsel.  They are all
clearly compliant, and the recurrent requests for the matter to go to
Supreme court as being a violation of Constitutional Rights, are
dismissed as "frivolous and vexatious". Any difficult questions and the
Prosecutor has a wobbly, calls for a 10 minute recess, and comes back two
hours late.

Does anyone have a T-shirt with very large pictures of Kangaroos for my
next attendance at court - leave at the Jag Office,

Thanks

Wife-of-Future-Jailbird.

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2.  Phil Gargan - Warning SA Highway

This is in the interests of awareness and hopefully you will pass it on
and we may even save a life. This happened to me last Saturday and
thankfully I was warned so dealt with it appropriately.

I was driving with my daughter on the South African N1 near Centurian and
I was in the middle lane. The time was 4pm and there was lots of traffic.
A silver, smart BMW or very similar car drew up along beside me (drivers
side) - hooted several times and flashed what appeared to be a Police
identity card at me and indicated very firmly that I was to pull over.
The car had 2 Asians of about 25 to 30 years of age in it. The car then
started to push me to the left.

I quickly told my daughter to get the cell phone and to pretend to be
talking on it. I took avoiding action but did not reduce my speed. They
then tried to cut me off and I braked hard then accelerated back to
normal speed as soon as there was a gap. I took out my pen and had a piece
of paper and attempted to write their registration number. They then drew
over to the left and slipped a few cars back and followed us for about 2
km. I did not change lanes or slow down. They then moved into the right
hand lane and sped off at extremely high speed and I never saw them
again. This time I did manage to get the full registration plate number.
I phoned the police and made a full report - they checked out the
number plate immediately, and it turned out to be a false number plate.

On Sunday we were listening to the radio - channel 702 - and they
announced that there had been 12 such hijackings that weekend -
with 2 people shot. All were Zimbabweans. It seems that Zimbabweans are
seen as soft targets as they do not have weapons and usually carry hard
cash. It was very fortunate that I was warned about this beforehand or
the outcome could have been very different.

Please let everyone know who you believe this may help. Cheers, Phil
Gargan

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Africans, Don't Blame the Whites


by mfonobong nsehe

      www.opednews.com

Recently, as part of an academic assignment at school, I was engaged
in an intellectual debate with a few colleagues. We were seeking
answers to the roots of Africa´s problems. It was an interesting
discussion for me. Shockingly, the majority of my colleagues
subscribed to the idea that the major cause of Africa´s
social-political and economic problems was the legacy left behind by
the colonial masters. As far as they were concerned, the colonialists
ruined Africa for good. For the records, they had some strong
arguments to support their claims. I do not intend to go into that.

Africa is known as the problem continent. And indeed, the problems are
legion- Poverty, diseases, famine, poor leadership, religious
conflicts, ethnic clashes and corruption are a few of them. With each
passing day, the problems increase. For long, the economic and social
underdevelopment of the African nation has been blamed on white
colonialists who exploited the land and left Africa bare. Up till now,
the blame game continues.

Africans are usually quick to blame most of its problems on the evils
of colonialism. We sometimes blame the violence on the borders
colonialists created that ignored ethnicity. Many African nations have
been independent for four decades. If colonial borders were a major
problem, how come they haven't changed them?

Colonialism cannot explain Third World poverty. Some of today's
richest countries are former colonies, such as the United States,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. Some of today's poorest
countries were never colonies, such as Ethiopia, Liberia, Tibet, Nepal and
Bhutan. The colonialism argument is simply a cover-up for African dictators
and people.

For as long as Africans keep bickering about the past without focusing
on the future, the African people will continue to suffer. Pointing
fingers at the colonial masters won't change the fact that the
majority of people in Africa are living and dying in horrible
conditions. The Europeans colonized Africa about 400 years ago. Right
now, Africans are in trouble because they cannot manage their own
problems. Instead of brainstorming and finding solutions to its
numerous social and economic problems, the people hold out a begging
bowl to the west in one hand, while punishing the remaining white
people in the land with the other. (Does Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe and
the Zimbabweans come to mind?)
We are responsible for our problems, but we prefer to blame others rather
than to take a good look in the mirror. Fine, the colonialists were a bunch
of greedy no-gooders, but if truths must be told, the
self-interest of early colonialists pales in comparison to the
personal greed of African leaders today. Those who blame Africa's
problems on colonialism must not forget that the experience was not
unique to Africa. Generally, the Asian countries that also experienced
colonialism are doing fairly well. So what has Africa, or to be more
precise, its leaders, been doing for the past 40 years?

What Africa needs is a lot of self-criticism. The fact that Africa
breeds and worships figures like Mugabe, because of their own
anti-white racism is disheartening. It's incredible that any white
sends aid to Africa when Africans are anti-white racists.

You can't solve Africa's problems until the lies are all stripped away
and you start comparing yourself to say Taiwan. Taiwan is not white,
yet they have made amazing progress. They made this progress by
managing their economy properly, and by working hard.

We need to strip away the black ideology that says that whites didn't
do anything other than enslave blacks and are rich because of the
exploitation of blacks. Taiwan didn't get rich because of that. So why
do Africans think that that's how whites got rich?

And blacks enslaved blacks too; it's part of human history everywhere.
So why isn't Africa rich due to the enslavement of themselves?

Were Africans better off under colonial administration than the
despots who replaced them? Most African countries have had their
independence for over three decades, yet, the report card our leaders
have shown us are wars, famine and gross corruption. While it may be
argued that Britain and other European countries did us more harm than
good in colonizing us, it is high time we faced reality and realized
that we are the architects of our own destiny. We need to choose what
is good and bad, what future we want, and whether colonialism took us
closer to what we want.

It's time we as Africans took responsibility for our troubles and
stopped trying to guilt-trip the West into accepting responsibility
for our problems. Since time immemorial, there have been empires- even
African. These empires have always left great damage in their wake,
but such damage is rectified through rebuilding and hard work, but not
by laying blames and casting aspersions. As long as we look back in
history to blame our troubles on the colonial masters, Africa will
continually be the backward continent the whole world believes we are.
To turn around the fortunes of Africa, it will take work and vision.
And so Africa, enough with the blame games. Let´s shut up, re-examine
ourselves, go back to the drawing board, rectify our mistakes and move
on with our lives.

Mfonobong Nsehe is an Africanist and founder of Echo Africa- a start-up
think tank that addresses African issues.

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Tsvangirai in an accident? What accident?

http://sundaystandard.info

by Tanonoka Joseph Whande
09.03.2009 7:32:33 A

Events that have taken place in four African states of Guinea Bissau, Sudan,
Kenya and Zimbabwe in the last seven days alone provide a sad reflection of
a cancer that can only afflict African countries.

There has been another mysterious road accident in Zimbabwe and it claimed
the life of the wife of Robert Mugabe's bitter political foe.

While soldiers in another African country just went to State House and
blasted their guns, killing their president, another African president was
being indicted for genocide and crimes against humanity.

For years, Africa and its African Union watched as a madman butchered and
starved people in Sudan.

Nations outside Africa, as usual, raised the alarm and made a lot of noise
about the unnecessary brutality that was being perpetrated in Sudan.
African leaders stayed quiet as if they could not smell the rancid stench of
innocent blood being wasted in Darfur.
Nations outside Africa, with severe resistance from African countries, took
the matter to the United Nations in an effort to gather enough support to
either censure, retard or contain the Bashir's homicidal rage that was
decimating a population in Sudan.

The world was provided with a puzzling version of humanity as African
leaders came to the assistance of one of Africa's most heartless and callous
murderers.

At issue was semantics. Other countries, led by the United States, wanted to
label what was happening in Sudan genocide and African leaders would not
hear of it.

The determination shown by African leaders to protect a man responsible for
so many barbaric acts on his own people became a shameful, chilling reminder
that there indeed is something wrong with African presidents.

In the end, however, Sudan's president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, ended up
being cited by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes
against humanity. They said there was insufficient evidence to charge him
with genocide although the United Nations estimates that "at least 300,000
Sudanese have died and
2.7 million have been forced from their homes in the fighting that has
convulsed the western region of Darfur since 2003".
Imagine if this had taken place in Europe?

But the most astonishing thing about Bashir's indictment is the reaction of
the 30 something African leaders who actually threatened to abandon their
seats at the court if Bashir's arrest warrant was not revoked.
Their way of thinking is difficult to understand or translate.
African leaders have to be coxed or forced to save the lives of their own
citizens.

In Guinea Bissau, the uneasiness that exists between African presidents and
their military chiefs caused the deaths of both.

Soldiers simply shot dead their president, blaming him of a bomb explosion
that killed the army chief of staff.
And that was the end of the matter.
African leaders don't bother themselves with comments when such issues take
place.

Meanwhile, utter disregard for life was displayed when two human rights
campaigners were shot dead in broad daylight in downtown Nairobi.
The citizens are clamouring for an independent investigation because they
suspect that the Kenyan police might be involved.

And while all these gory events continue to unfold across Africa, Zimbabwe's
Robert Mugabe is also doing his best to stay on top of the list of the worst
dictator on the continent.
If there is one thing I acknowledge about Mugabe, it is his total disdain of
African leaders. He thinks they are cowards who can only leak a stamp when
its back is turned.

Mugabe thinks absolutely nothing of African presidents and on that score, he
did his homework and that is why he does as he pleases without fearing
censure.

Events that have unfolded since Mugabe was made to create a government of
national unity show that he has now picked up momentum and is not going to
be retreating.

Since the days of the liberation struggle, car accidents have been
synonymous with ZANU-PF whenever it wanted to get rid of a foe or of one of
its own political children for one reason or other.

Car accidents with trailers side-swiping a victim's car or hitting badly
parked trucks became prominent when ZANU-PF's General Josiah Tongogara died
under the same circumstances a few months before triumphantly returning home
in 1979.

Tongogara was hugely popular and was clearly a threat to Mugabe.
After Tongogara's death, ZANU-PF released an undertaker's statement saying
his injuries were consistent with a road accident, but no autopsy results or
pictures were released.
A CIA intelligence briefing of 28 December 1979 said Tongogara was a
potential political rival to Mugabe because of his ambition, popularity and
decisive style.

After independence, many people active in ZANU-PF died in mysterious car
accidents which almost always involved trucks, military or otherwise.

Interestingly, Mugabe's last three Political Commissars all died through
highly questionable road accidents.
The most recent of these was Eliot Manyika who perished after his Mercedes
Benz sedan reportedly burst a rear tyre and overturned. This was on December
6, 2008.

"A tyre on the official Mercedes-Benz in which Manyika was travelling burst,
resulting in the driver losing control," said the official report. "The
vehicle veered off the road then rolled. He was pronounced dead on arrival
at Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo."

The man Manyika had replaced as ZANU-PF Political Commissar, Border Gezi,
also died the same way.

"The Mercedes-Benz burst a tyre, resulting in the driver losing control,"
said the official report. "The vehicle then rolled once and veered off along
Masvingo Road on Saturday morning April 28, 2001. He was pronounced dead on
arrival at Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo."
Maybe Mercedes Benz Motors should sue Mugabe and ZANU-PF for tarnishing the
image of their product.
Surely, their vehicles can't just burst tires and overturn, killing Mugabe's
people?

And two days ago, we are told that Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was
traveling to his rural home in a convoy of three cars in front and one
behind. But this truck, coming from the opposite direction, was only able to
hit Tsvangirai's LandCruiser and not any of the others.
Mrs Susan Tsvangirai reportedly died on the spot.

But then, a farmer who happened on the scene of the "accident" and was able
to take some pictures was hunted down by the police. They found him and they
confiscated his camera. He is now locked up incommunicado at the local
police station at Beatrice. Why?

Mugabe was one of the first people to visit Tsvangirai in hospital. It must
have been chilling for Tsvangirai to look up and see Mugabe and his wife,
the Director of the Central Intelligence Organisation and a host of other
Mugabe loyalists who had always persecuted him staring down at him.
Could Mugabe have gone to the hospital to warn Tsvangirai while he was in
mourning and with his own wounds still fresh?

Yes, an allegedly drowsy truck driver might have hit Tsvangirai's car but
that was not the accident.
The accident was that Tsvangirai did not die.

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JAG - condolence communique



dated 8 March 2009

Email: jag@mango.zw : justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw

JAG Hotlines: +263 (011) 610 073, +263 (04) 799 410.  If you are in
trouble or need advice, please don't hesitate to contact us - we're here
to help!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUSAN TSVANGIRAI

The Board of Trustees of the Jag Trust, and the Jag Team, on behalf of
all farmers and farm workers, extends its deep and sincere condolences to
the Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, and his family, on the tragic and
untimely death of his beloved wife Susan.

John Worsley-Worswick

CEO The Justice for Agriculture Trust

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Obituary - Susan Tsvangirai

http://www.guardian.co.uk

Zimbabwean premier's wife keen to help poor

David Beresford
The Guardian, Monday 9 March 2009

Susan Tsvangirai, the wife of Zimbabwe's prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai,
was killed on Friday, at the age of 50, when a seven-ton aid truck hammered
into their four-wheel-drive. It was part of a convoy of three vehicles
passing along potholed roads. Morgan went into hospital in Harare with head
and neck injuries before being flown out to Botswana.

Parallels were drawn between this new but shortlived figure in the senior
echelons of Zimbabwe's government, and the country's first lady, President
Robert Mugabe's wife, Grace - the "queen of consumers", whose spending
habits have contributed to the collapse of morale in the country. The wife
of the new premier - he was sworn in on 11 February - had run a sewing and
catering business before her husband went into politics. She made her own
alterations to clothes she had bought from discount stores.

Susan was born in Buhera, as was Morgan, about 50 km south of Harare, the
country's capital; the convoy in which the fatal accident happened was
heading there so that Morgan could address a rally in his home region the
following day. The couple met in 1978, when Morgan was foreman of a local
nickel mine. They married later that year, and had three daughters and three
sons together.

An unquestioning supporter of her husband, she said of him in an interview
shortly before her death: "He is a good man, husband and a loving father.
Once he sets his eyes on a target he never takes his eyes off the target
until he has achieved it.

"He is a man of great determination, and above all a man of great courage. I
think he has proved his courage to the world. He has fought Mugabe for 10
years and is still fighting. We all know that Mugabe's tactics are not
always above board, but that didn't faze my Morgan."

In 2003, she was very distressed to see him in prison, and sat in court to
hear the treason proceedings against him. She visited him in prison and saw
the gashes in his head after he was arrested and assaulted in March 2007. As
she put it: "I would be lying if I said it has been easy. There were times
when I so feared for my husband's life that sleeping was no longer part of
my life, I just prayed. As a mother, I feared for my children. I felt that
they were so vulnerable. But at the end off the day I had to support my
husband, that is the role of a wife, a good wife at least."

A deeply religious woman committed to the alleviation of poverty and
HIV/Aids, she ran a soup kitchen from her own home in Harare. Though she
often accompanied her husband to political events, she rarely spoke
publicly: when she did, her personal charm proved very effective.

Perhaps to distract herself from fears about her family, she set up the
Comfort, or Nyaradzo Trust, the Shona word being taken from her middle name.
Subsequently renamed the Susan Nyaradzo Tsvangirai Foundation, it aims to
help Zimbabweans, particularly women and children. She wanted "to not only
feed them but teach them to feed themselves. Return normality to children's
lives. Seeing them playing in the parks, going to school. The way things
used to be in this beautiful country. Help get things back to what they
were, and make them even better if time permits."

Sadly, in Susan Tsvangirai's case, it did not. She is survived by Morgan and
her children.

. Susan Nyaradzo Tsvangirai, activist, born 24 April 1958; died 6 March 2009

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