Zimbabwe Independent newspaper journalists arrested

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By Violet Gonda
11 May 2009

Despite the fact that a few days ago it was world press freedom day,
journalists continue to be harassed and arrested in Zimbabwe, just for doing
their job. On Monday two journalists from the private media were arrested
for publishing a story containing the names of police officers and state
agents implicated in the abductions of civic leader Jestina Mukoko,
journalist Shadreck Manyere and others.

Trevor Ncube, the owner of the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper, confirmed the
detention in a message posted on his Facebook site. He said: "Zimbabwe
Independent Editor Vincent Kahiya and news editor Constantine Chimakure will
be spending the night in the cells."

The two had spent the whole day at the police station on Monday, following a
visit by officials from the Law and Order Section on Saturday to the
Zimbabwe Independent offices, looking for them. The police said they wanted
to arrest Kahiya and Chimakure for publishing a story naming police officers
and members of the Central Intelligence Organisation, involved in the
abductions of human rights and MDC activists.  The activists, who were
abducted and tortured between the months of October and December last year,
had named in court the officers who brutalised them.

But the Zimbabwe Independent journalists were arrested despite the fact that
the information was gathered from public documents, contained in court
papers. The names of some of the police officers were revealed, following
the formal notices of indictment for trial of the activists this past week.
The Independent wrote: "They (the court papers) also revealed that the
activists were in the custody of state spies, though the police professed
ignorance of their whereabouts until late December when they issued a press
statement saying the abductees were in their custody facing banditry
charges."

"A perusal of the notices revealed that Assistant Director External in
the CIO retired Brigadier Asher Walter Tapfumanei, police superintendents
Reggies Chitekwe and Joel Tenderere, detective inspectors Elliot Muchada and
Joshua Muzanango, officer commanding CID Homicide Crispen Makedenge, Chief
Superintendent Peter Magwenzi, and Senior Assistant Commissioner Simon
Nyathi, were involved in some of the abductees' cases."

Media organisation, MISA-Zimbabwe national Chairman, Loughty Dube, said
police were unhappy that the newspaper exposed the officers.

The arrests of the two comes at a time when the government has just held an
All-Stakeholders Media Conference in Kariba, meant to look at media reforms
in the country. The event was however boycotted by the major organisations
from the private media, grouped under the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe.  The
journalists boycotted the conference in solidarity with detained journalist
Shadreck Manyere.

Dube said: "The latest arrest of the two and continued harassment of other
journalists, is an indication of the non-seriousness of this government in
dealing with media violations. The all inclusive government had indicated
that it would push for changes and call for a change in the media
environment, but that is not showing."

Ironically, Kahiya and Chimakure are being represented by lawyer Innocent
Chagonda, who is a member of the Joint Monitoring and Implementation
Committee (JOMIC) - a panel set up to ensure the implementation of the
Global Political Agreement in letter and spirit. It is also, among other
issues, meant "to receive reports and complaints in respect of any issue
related to the implementation, enforcement and execution of the agreement."

There are many who would say the continued harassment and imprisonment of
journalists is in direct contravention of the agreement.

Judge rules that 3 detainees can re-apply for bail

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Staff Writer
11 May 2009

A High Court Judge, Justice November Mtshiya, ruled on Monday that MDC
officials Chris Dlamini and Gandhi Mudzingwa, plus freelance journalist
Shadreck Manyere, could make a fresh bail application, thereby throwing out
State arguments that the three could not re-apply for bail because the State
had an appeal lodged in the Supreme Court opposing their bail.

The Judge ruled in favour of the defence argument which was that their
formal indictment on 4th May made it possible for the applicant to apply for
fresh bail, on the grounds of changed circumstances.

The media organisation, MISA-Zimbabwe, said after the ruling State
Prosecutor Chris Mutangadura made an application to have the matter
postponed to 13th May, but the judge threw out the application stating that
a bail application was by its very nature an urgent application and it could
not be stalled.

Justice Mtshiya ruled that the fresh bail application would be set down for
hearing on 12th May.

Cabinet to be briefed on outstanding issues affecting unity government

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By Tichaona Sibanda
11 May 2009

A full cabinet meeting on Tuesday is set to be briefed on the outcome of the
talks between Morgan Tsvangirai, Robert Mugabe and Arthur Mutambara which
have been aimed at ironing out the outstanding issues still facing the
power-sharing pact.
The three principals to the Global Political Agreement were meeting again on
Monday, in what insiders said was probably their last round of talks on
outstanding issues, such as new appointments of the central bank governor
and the attorney-general.
The MDC, and Zimbabweans generally, have been unhappy at the slow pace of
resolving disputes over the appointment of ambassadors, permanent
secretaries and the swearing in of Roy Bennett as deputy minister of
Agriculture.
This forced the mainstream MDC last week to set Monday as the deadline for
the resolution of all outstanding issues between the party and ZANU PF. MDC
secretary-general, Tendai Biti said if these issues were not resolved by
Monday, the party would refer the issue to the party's supreme making
decision body, the National Council. The MDC National Council is scheduled
to meet on Sunday.
Analysts though remain skeptical that the principals would meet the
deadline, although Tsvangirai revealed on Friday in South Africa that the
principals had resolved most of the outstanding issues.
'We will reveal most of the details during our cabinet meeting next Tuesday.
I am happy with the progress that we have made so far in resolving these
issues and still hope that even those few that remain will be completed
amicably, as we continue working on them,' Tsvangirai said.

Asked if Monday's meeting was to be the last, Tsvangirai's spokesman James
Maridadi was noncommittal, saying it all depended on the outcome of the
meeting.

'As the Prime Minister has said, they have covered a lot of ground so really
a few issues remain to be sorted which should not be a problem,' Maridadi
added.

Political analyst Isaac Dziya said Zimbabweans should remain hopeful, but
added: 'It would be catastrophic for Tsvangirai to concede more, because all
those appointments were done without consultation by Mugabe. People are just
hoping Tsvangirai sees to it that Tomana and Gono's appointments be reversed
or no aid would come into the country,' Dziya said.

MDC MP jailed for 10 months, with hard labour

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By Violet Gonda
11 May 2009

Mathias Mlambo, the MDC MP for Chipinge East, was convicted and sentenced to
ten months in jail with hard labour by a Chipinge magistrate on Monday.
Mlambo, who was arrested in early April, was found guilty of allegedly
obstructing the course of justice and inciting violence at a funeral.
Magistrate Zuze gave him ten months but suspended three months on condition
of good behaviour.

The MDC MP and spokesperson for Manicaland province, Pishai Muchauraya, said
trouble started for the MP when he attended a funeral for an MDC activist in
Chipinge on 10th April. It is alleged a ZANU PF activist came to provoke the
mourners and was moved away by force. MP Mlambo said he was at the burial
site of the deceased while the commotion was taking place elsewhere at the
funeral. The gathering was later disrupted by the police who stormed the
funeral in search of an unidentified 'suspect', which resulted in Mlambo
being arrested for obstructing justice. Police said he must have known what
was happening and was just being difficult.

Muchauraya believes this was nothing more than a political judgment and has
no legal merit. He remarked on how quickly the courts 'fast tracked' the
matter and gave judgment instantly, "when we have some cases that took place
in June last year which have never been investigated and have never been
brought before the courts of law - but it's because they will be ZANU PF
cases."

An MP loses their parliamentary seat if slapped with a custodial sentence of
more than six months. However Mlambo remains an MP for now, until his appeal
has been heard. Muchauraya said lawyers were on Monday applying for bail,
pending appeal. He said if bail is refused they will take the matter up to
the higher courts and also appeal against both sentence and conviction.

The jailing of the MDC MP comes shortly after Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai insisted that Robert Mugabe is part of the 'solution' and wants
to see the unity government succeed. Tsvangirai's statements, made in South
Africa this weekend, seemed to contradict an earlier statement by his
Secretary General and Finance Minister Tendai Biti, who announced a
"deadline" for Mugabe to resolve the outstanding issues in the unity
government. But Tsvangirai said there was no deadline, saying 95% of
outstanding issues in the power sharing government had been resolved.

But Muchauraya disagrees and believes Mugabe is running a parallel
government with his law courts, his police and his military. "There is
complicity there in the sense that a man cannot be part of the solution when
he is sending MDC supporters to jail and to make matters worse sending
parliamentarians to jail."

He added: "We also have another MP, Mike Makuyana for Chipinge South, who is
awaiting sentence at the same court in Chipinge and you can't classify that
as justice or democracy. We have a dictator who is doing whatever he likes
and he is hiding behind this term called inclusive government."

Civil servants give government 7 day ultimatum over salaries

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
11 May 2009

A week after the Ministry of Education averted a teachers strike by
promising various incentives, civil service unions have issued a 7 day
ultimatum to the government to also review their US$100 monthly allowances.
Teachers were promised a review of their salaries, free education for their
children and exemption from bank charges, among other benefits. The civil
service unions are however unhappy at what they feel is a divide and rule
tactic and say these concessions were made outside the normal negotiating
forum for civil servants.

According to the Zimbabwe Standard weekly newspaper, civil servants
representatives met in Harare on Friday and demanded a review of their
salaries, in line with what the teachers have been promised. Jeremiah
Bvindiri, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Public Service Association
(PSA), said they had given the government up to the 15th May to resolve
their concerns, or face a job boycott. 'We take great exception in the
divide-and-rule practice by government, where some sectors have decided to
flout the rules of the National Joint Negotiating Council,' the PSA said in
a statement.

Interestingly, under sole ZANU PF rule the PSA has not led many general
strikes against the government. Commentators have pointed out that the
sudden willingness to strike, over allowances that are considerably better
than what they used to earn before, could be construed as an attempt to
undermine the MDC who are in charge of the Finance, Education and Civil
Service Ministries. The same union kept quite during the days of
trillion-percentage inflation for many, many months, before the unity
government was in place. It has been suggested that after failing to
manipulate teachers to go on strike last week, ZANU PF has now turned its
attention to the civil service.

The re-opening of some schools, hospitals, gold mines, and the payment of
US$100 monthly allowances to civil servants, have been viewed as some of the
few successes of the coalition and critics believe Mugabe is trying to
undermine all of this in his turf war with Tsvangirai. But the PSA, which is
the umbrella body of all five public sector unions, tried to untangle
themselves from this allegation by insisting they have been patient enough
in waiting for the coalition government to work. In their statement they
said they felt the coalition 'is ignoring the machinery that is supposed to
produce results.'

In another sign of the mess that has been created by ZANU PF, Senator David
Coltart, the Education Minister, has expressed fears that millions of
dollars worth of foreign currency may have been lost paying ghost teachers
since February this year. Coltart said they have launched a probe which was
necessitated by the fact that there were some shocking figures presented to
government by the Salaries Services Bureau. They paid out US$100 allowances
to 94 000 teachers, and yet teachers unions said they had around 60 000
members.

MDC applauds Media Conference as positive first step

http://www.swradioafrica.com

11 May 2009

MDC applauds Media Conference as positive first step

The MDC applauds the inclusive government for the Media Conference held in
Kariba at the weekend which we hope will set the tone for media reforms
which are an imperative if Zimbabwe is to become a true democracy.

Though the conference was blighted by the justified absence of some key
players in the media industry, we note with approval and satisfaction the
readiness of the ministry of Media, Information and Publicity to play an
active part in the changing times by partaking in a constructive and
profitable process which should lead to a multiplicity of media players so
that we give Zimbabweans the wide choices they deserve.

Of particular interest is among other issues, the noble intentions of
repealing AIPPA and other retrogressive laws, emphasis being of ZBC shifting
from being state media to being public media as this would help the
editorial policy to be public oriented and to reflect the will of the people
as opposed to the will of politicians who may come and go.

As the Minister of Information rightly noted, the polarization of the past
must spur the media, especially the public media, to begin to play their
oversight role and not to be appendages of the First Estate. The media must
checkmate other sectors including politics and must not themselves be
engrossed in retrogressive habits such as unbridled propaganda and hate
speech.

We believe that media players must take advantage of the changing
environment to reclaim their rightful place and to exploit the new and
exciting opportunities that come with a changing society; a society
rebuilding itself after decades of monopoly and exclusivity. A society that
wants to build a pluralistic and diverse media environment so that
Zimbabweans can make informed decisions.

The obtaining environment where the true story of Zimbabwe is told by
foreign stations such as the SABC and e-tv is a negation of the very
sovereignty that some of us had turned into a slogan in the past five years.
The very fact that those foreign broadcasting stations have more viewer ship
than the ZBC is an indictment on our industry. It is a challenge which the
inclusive government, through the ministry of Media, Information and
Publicity, must confront and remedy as a matter of urgency.

Media reform is not only an imperative reform as captured in the Global
Political Agreement signed by the three major political players on 15
September 2008. Media reforms are also cited as a key performance area for
the ministry of Media, Information and Publicity at the Victoria Falls
retreat hosted by the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, the Right Honourable
Morgan Tsvangirai. We want to see the change now!!!

The MDC hopes that Zimbabweans will begin to see real action and real change
on the ground. The Herald, the ZBC and other media must begin to actualize
and translate into reality the vision as articulated by the Minister; vision
of diversity, tolerance and multiplicity of voices in both print and
electronic media. The MDC hopes that the conference in Kariba results in
tangible deliverables reflected by a plural media environment characterized
by many daily newspapers, community radio stations and multiple broadcasting
stations. We must give Zimbabweans a choice. We must give Zimbabweans a
media buffet from which they will feast on the diverse happenings in our
country.

The MDC is a party of excellence. We believe that the continued detention of
media, civic and political activists blights any work towards
democratization. The continued persecution of journalists is an indictment
undermining the positive integrity and value of the conference. We call for
the immediate release of all activists so that together, we chart the way
forward for a free and independent diverse media which is a primary
ingredient in the making of any democracy.

Hon Nelson Chamisa, MP

Secretary for Information and Publicity

Water crisis: hospitals turn away people

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=16471

May 11, 2009

By Our Correspondent

MASVINGO- Three health institutions in Masvingo province have stopped taking
new patients due to water shortages caused by persistent power cuts.

Zimbabwe has been facing serious power outages which have affected essential
services as the three-month-old inclusive government battles to bring back
services to normal.

The government-run Masvingo General Hospital, Chiredzi Hospital and Gomahuru
Psychiatric Centre last week temporarily stopped accepting new patients as
the water crisis continues to  affect operations at the health institutions.

Relatives of patients at the hospitals were now being ordered to bring
drinking and bathing water for them.

Masvingo General Hospital, the province's sole referral health centre, is
the most affected after going for almost nine consecutive days without
water.

Health officials here said although the health institutions were provided
with Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe-sourced generators, fuel was not readily
available to run the generators and provide electricity.

Most of the generators had also broken down, and there were no funds to have
them repaired.

"We are having serious problems with water at most of our health
institutions due to persistent power cuts," Masvingo provincial medical
director Robert Madyirandima said.

"The situation is critical at Masvingo General Hospital where the
institution has gone for days without water."

Patients at Masvingo General Hospital said they were now being ordered to
bring their own water since the situation had reached critical levels.

"We are being told that our relatives should bring us clean water because
the institution has run dry for days," said one of the patients who
requested anonymity.

Zimbabwe's health delivery system has collapsed over the past ten years. The
coalition government formed in February has been battling to restore
essential services, amid reports of serious financial problems.

Some health service centres, especially in rural areas, are operating
without doctors due to a serious shortage of staff within the health sector.

Western countries have withheld their financial support to Zimbabwe,
insisting on genuine political reforms as a pre-condition for assistance. A
number of issues, particularly the appointment of senior government
officials, remain unresolved between President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF and
MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

The water shortage at Masvingo's health institutions comes at a time when
Zimbabwe is battling a devastating cholera epidemic. The disease outbreak,
which now appears to be under control, has so far claimed more 3 000 lives.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the cholera epidemic was
caused by lack of clean water and proper sanitary facilities.

Britain to send team of diplomats to Zimbabwe: newspaper

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/

Africa News
May 11, 2009, 10:34 GMT

Harare - The British government is planning to send a team of diplomats to
Zimbabwe, following ice-breaking talks in Pretoria at the weekend between a
British minister and Zimbabwe prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai, reports said
here Monday.

Zimbabwe's state-controlled daily Herald newspaper said British junior
foreign minister Mark Malloch-Brown held discussions with Tsvangirai and the
new coalition government's foreign minister, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, on the
sidelines of South African president Jacob Zuma's inauguration the same day
in Pretoria.

It was the first high level political meeting between the two governments
since the inauguration in mid-February of Zimbabwe's power sharing
government between President Robert Mugabe's ZANU(PF) party and Tsvangirai's
Movement for Democratic Change.

Observers said the meeting marked a significant rapprochement between London
and Harare.

A statement from the Zimbabwe embassy in Pretoria said that the ministers
had held 'a frank exchange of views' and had 'committed themselves to
continue dialogue in an effort to normalise relations between Zimbabwe and
the UK.'

The Herald quoted Mumbengegwi as saying that Malloch-Brown 'indicated that a
team of British officials would soon fly to Harare to find ways of
continuing the dialogue.'

Confirmation from the British embassy was not immediately available.

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated dramatically since
2000 after Mugabe launched a campaign of violent suppression of the MDC and
deployed thousands of party militants to drive thousands of white farmers
and their workers from their farms, a move that sparked the collapse of the
country's once thriving economy.

The weekend's talks, however, produced no apparent significant change in
Britain's position on Zimbabwe.

The Herald quoted Malloch-Brown as saying that he 'welcomed areas of
progress' following the establishment of the coalition government, but
added: 'I also underline he need for further reform,' and that 'progress is
needed ... before the UK and the international community as a whole can
engage more fully.'

Britain and most other Western governments have been providing humanitarian
aid to Harare, but are demanding that major human rights and political
reforms need to be undertaken before they will provide direct government
aid.

Mugabe's Meeting With North Korea Top Official Raises Eyebrows

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HARARE,May 11, 2009.- President Robert Mugabe on Monday met the
President of the presidium of the Democratic Republic of North Korea (DPRK),
Kim Yong Nam to discuss bi-lateral relations at the state house.

Political commentators on Monday said the meeting raised eyebrows
considering that North Korea was in the middle of a nuclear dispute with
Western nations.
"Kim Yong Nam arrived in Harare today and went to the state house to
meet with President Mugabe," a top official said.
Zimbabwe has had cordial relations with the DPRK since the country's
liberation struggle.
Former ZANU-PF secretary general,Edgar Tekere was once dispatched
during the liberation struggle to sought arms but the weapons were not
delivered although the DPRK had undertaken to provide them.
The DPRK is fighting with western countries over its nuclear
programmes and most recently it launched a nuclear missisle early this
year,a move that was denounced by neighbour Japan and western countries.
The country's reclusive leader Kim Jong II rarely appears in public
and sents envoys on national duty as he fears for his life.
North Korea recently began fresh talks with its southern neighbour
South Korea on the need to disarm its nuclear programmes.
The visit to Zimbabwe by the top North Korean official has raised
questions in the diplomatic circles. Zimbabwe is believed to have uranium
deposits in the north of the country around the Zambezi escarpment.
It was not immediately clear whether Yong Nam will meet Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai and other senior government officials.
Zimbabwe government in the past years embarked in the Look East policy
after falling out with western governments over the country's human rights
records and holding fraudulent elections.
Although embarking in the Look East policy government is yet to
receive any notable financial assistance from the East.
Since the formation of the unity government Zimbabwe has been
requesting the West to help provide funds to mend the infation ravaged
economy.

Land Dispute Turns Bloody

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Bulawayo - The land dispute over a conservancy area in Gwayi,
Matabeleland North pitting Zanu PF national chairman John Nkomo and a local
businessman has turned bloody.

  Langton Masunda, who was given the land under the controversial land
reform exercise and later lost part of the area that has lodges to Nkomo in
the High Court, has claimed that there has been an attempt on his life, a
day after his younger brother was shot five times in the lower body by
unknown assailants in the farm on Friday.
Masunda said he looks similar to his brother and they are all of the
same height and wear dreadlocks. He said it should have been a question of
mistaken identity that his brother was shot.
"As I speak now he is at Materdei hospital where he was admitted with
five gun shot wounds. These people were after my life and I don't know if
this is the Zimbabwe which we want where people get killed for being
allocated land," he said.
Police in Matabeleland North said they were investigating the matter.
Zimbabwe's land invasions has continued despite the government of
national unity.

Tsvangirai to address Parliament

http://www.zimonline.co.za



      by Nokuthula Sibanda Monday 11 May 2009

HARARE - Prime Minister (PM) Morgan Tsvangirai will address Parliament on
Wednesday where he is expected to outline achievements by Zimbabwe's
power-sharing government as well as problems that continue to dog the three
month-old administration.

Initially, Tsvangirai - who agreed last February to join long time rival
President Robert Mugabe in government in a power-sharing deal brokered by
former South African President Thabo Mbeki --  was scheduled to address
Parliament on Tuesday but this was shifted as he will be attending the
weekly Cabinet meeting that takes place on the same day.

"The Prime Minister will address Parliament on Wednesday afternoon," said
Eddie Cross, national coordinator of Tsvangirai's MDC party.

"The address will also focus on the progress made by the inclusive
government, which we feel (has) generally made progress," said Cross.

He added: "On the macro-economic side we are reasonably satisfied that we
have managed to stop inflation from continuously going up, food supplies
have generally improved as well. We have achieved significant progress on
restoring essential services such as water although we feel clean water
supplies will be fully restored by end of year."

Tsvangirai's address to Parliament on Wednesday will be his second since he
took up the job of PM February 13.

Cross said when the MDC agreed to join the power sharing government, it set
itself five goals which had to be achieved within the first 100 days of the
administration. Tsvangirai will be reaching his 100 days in office next week
Friday.

Goals the former opposition party expected to have achieved after 100 days
in government included restoration of basic services within municipalities,
ending food shortages, restoration of basic freedoms and rights, rebuilding
relations with the international community and restoring the rule of law and
property rights.

Cross said while the MDC had scored in some areas more work still needed to
be done to restore the freedom the press and the rule of law.

"We had hoped to address the issue of press freedom within the first 100
days or within the shortest possible period of time but we hope this will
now be addressed within the next 100 days," said Cross.

"Property rights still have to addressed, the rule of law continues to be
flouted. ZANU-PF still continues to flout provisions of the Global Political
Agreement," he added.

Speaking from South Africa where he had gone to attend the inauguration of
that country's new President Jacob Zuma, Tsvangirai said the unity
government remained on the right track despite a host of outstanding issues
and other problems that on many occasions have threatened to derail the
administration.

Among outstanding issues, include the issue of senior public officials such
as provincial governors, permanent secretaries and diplomats, the governor
of the central bank and the Attorney General.

Today, Mugabe and Tsvangirai hold what the MDC says will be the last round
of talks on outstanding issues from a power-sharing deal such as new
appointments of the central bank governor and the attorney-general.

If they are not resolved the MDC's national council will meet to decide on
the party's next step.

Once a model African economy, Zimbabwe is in the grip of an unprecedented
economic and humanitarian crisis marked by acute shortages of hard cash,
deepening poverty and record unemployment.

With formation of the unity government hope has returned that Zimbabwe could
finally end years of decline to regain its former status as a regional
breadbasket.

But failure by the government to attract direct financial support from
Western donor countries coupled with a determined push by hardliners in
Mugabe's ZANU PF party to collapse the administration have intensified doubt
about its ability to deliver change. - ZimOnline.

Coltart drafted into constitutional committee

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=16462

May 11, 2009

By Our Correspondent

HARARE - Parliament has drafted in the third legislator to become joint
chairperson of a recently established select committee which will see
through the drafting of the first home-grown Constitution over the next 17
months.

Cabinet minister David Coltart was last week appointed to join Nyanga North
legislator, Douglas Mwonzora, of the Morgan Tsvangirai-led Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) party and Zanu-PF's Paul Mangwana, who represents
Chivhi Central.

The move is an apparent attempt to replicate Zimbabwe's compromise governing
structure that has seen leaders of the country's three biggest political
parties leading a unity government.

Mwonzora and Mangwana, both lawyers, were appointed co-chairmen of the
25-member committee last month.

Coltart, the Minister of Education, Arts, Sports and Culture, and also a
lawyer, is a senator with the smaller MDC led by Deputy Prime Minister
Arthur Mutambara

In an interview with The Zimbabwe Times Sunday, Mwonzora said the committee
had also identified Mangwe legislator Edward Mkhosi, also a member of
Mutambara's MDC, to become Coltart's substitute.

Mkhosi would step in when Coltart is engaged in his ministerial duties.

Mwonzora defended the new appointment, saying Coltart was chosen, despite
his busy schedule as a government minister, because the committee wanted to
tap into his rich legal background.

The appointments are still temporary as President Robert Mugabe and his
colleagues Tsvangirai and Mutambara, are still to decide on whether to
appoint a non-legislator to lead the crucial process.

This follows recommendations by parliament last month for the three
political leaders to second a non-member of parliament who shall head the
committee.

But in the absence of such candidate, the tripartite chairing system would
proceed with its duties.

The select committee shall be responsible for the setting up of
sub-committees to be chaired by a member of parliament.

The sub-committees shall also draw representatives from the civic society to
assist the select committee in performing its functions.

During its tenure, the select committee shall conduct public hearings over
the making of a new constitution ahead of its findings being tabled before
two successive all stakeholders' conferences.

The drafting of the new constitution will be succeeded by a referendum not
later than July 13, 2010.

Both Zanu-PF and the Tsvangirai-led MDC have seconded nine of their
parliamentarians to the committee while the Mutambara-led MDC has three of
its members in the committee.

One member has been taken from the chiefs' council while the remaining three
have been chosen by presiding officers, whose functions are to supervise and
monitor the work of the select committee and sub-committees.

This shall be done through regular feedback meetings in order to ensure that
they adhere to the time lines laid down in the September 15, 2008
inter-party political agreement.

Meanwhile, the committee has raised US$3 million, less than a third of the
targeted sponsorship, from international donors to finance the exercise.

Although parliament is still to finalise its budget, Mwonzora said more than
US$10 million would be required to see the successful completion of the
process.

‘Takeoff’ tough on Zimbabwe’s runway

http://www.businessday.co.za

11 May 2009

Dianna Games

THE half-century old Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, held again last
week, had high hopes. It was tagged “Golden Opportunity for Dynamic Takeoff”.
But the runway is in poor shape. There is little doubt the people who
dreamed up this hyperbole are the very politicians who are responsible for
the country’s poor state. But even Zanu (PF) politicians now mouth recovery
rhetoric without a trace of irony.

The trade fair was once a top regional showcase of trade and business
opportunities . But, as politicians isolated the country, international
participation withered and local companies had little to offer.

The lack of interest by business in this year’s show was not the only thing
highlighting Zimbabwe’s economically parlous state. Zambia’s President
Rupiah Banda, officiating at the opening, offered Zimbabwe a donation of
9000 tons of maize. It was not lost on commentators that for many years
Zimbabwe, as the regional grain basket, poured maize across the border to
their then poor neighbour. The reverse situation was at one time
unthinkable. Even as Mugabe gratefully accepted the donation, he must have
been mindful that it was mostly produced by the farmers he drove out of his
own starving country.

As Zimbabwe approaches the first 100 days of the unity government later this
month, the poisonous roots of the political compromise have become clear.
High expectations of donor funding and foreign investment have been dashed;
inflows have been a trickle rather than a flood, as the world waits to see
if the politicians are just putting on a brave face or if they really can
work together.

Investors really do want this to work; the case for investing in a
re-energised Zimbabwe is compelling. But the reality is that so far, the
unity government has been a damp squib, despite the valiant efforts of
Finance Minister Tendai Biti in particular. Mugabe continues to outmanoeuvre
his “partners” who have limited options in responding to his schemes.

South African investors might also want to consider that the long-awaited
signing of the bilateral investment treaty with Zimbabwe has not yet
happened. The Zimbabwean government wants land removed from the list of
areas covered by protection and compensation provisions before it will sign
the treaty, a proposal SA cannot rightly consider.

Violent land invasions continue and more than 200 farms were disrupted in
March alone while 90 farmers have appeared in court for remaining on land
designated for redistribution.

Observers say the government has been spooked by the outcome of the Tribunal
of the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes, which
ruled in favour of 13 Dutch farmers whose land was seized in Zimbabwe in
2003 despite the existence of a bilateral investment treaty. The government
has been ordered to pay compensation of €16m and if it fails to do so, state
assets can be seized in lieu of money.

The unity arrangement was further compromised last week with the re-arrest
of Movement for Democratic Change political prisoners accused of wanting to
topple Mugabe, further highlighting concerns about the viability of the new
government.

So what has really changed in the past 100-odd days? The use of foreign
currency has certainly made life easier on some levels. Companies are slowly
starting to crank up production from record lows and exporters are
energising their efforts to penetrate regional markets. But a decade of
de-industrialisation has rendered many producers uncompetitive, even in
their own market which has been flooded with cheap imports, mostly from SA.

Some miners are reporting improved production although the gold industry, a
crucial foreign exchange earner, reported a 76% plunge in output in the
first quarter as companies struggle to recapitalise their operations. The
Zimbabwe Stock Exchange has seen a resurgence of foreign inflows and lines
of credit are starting to open up.

But Zimbabweans I have spoken to say the change is mostly cosmetic. As one
pointed out, last week SA embraced its fourth president in 15 years;
Zimbabwe still has the same president 29 years later. Not much change there.

a.. Games is CE of Africa @ Work, a research and consulting company.

Harare offers free hand to investors

http://www.businessday.co.za

11 May 2009

SURE KAMHUNGA
Companies Editor

ZIMBABWE Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday promised to lay down the
red carpet for South African companies and other international investors
willing to partner with his fragile unity government to revive an economy
devastated by years of mismanagement.

In an interview at the weekend, Tsvangirai said his unity government would
overhaul investment regulations and policies, and a prospectus of investment
opportunities would be released as part of the government's 100-day action
plan expected to be discussed by the cabinet tomorrow.

The plan also lays the framework of the government's economic revival
programme and commits ministries to specific actions and targets to make the
country work again. He said his government wanted to promote a " win-win"
partnership with the private sector and the state's role would be restricted
to facilitating investment and allowing the private sector to operate
without interference.

South African companies were particularly welcome, he said, and he listed
telecommunications, tourism, mining, agriculture and manufacturing as some
of the key sectors requiring urgent investment.

Pleading for more western support through investment and aid, Tsvangirai
said the continued imposition of sanctions against Harare was sending the
wrong signals and holding the three-month-old unity government to "ransom"
in its hour of need.

Zimbabwe, he said, was desperate for investment to deal with rampant
unemployment, to repair and rehabilitate infrastructure and improve food
production.

The UK at the weekend said it welcomed the early progress made by the unity
government, but noted that Zimbabwe was still in need of a great deal of
reform.

Junior foreign minister Mark Malloch-Brown, who met Tsvangirai for the first
time on the sidelines of the inauguration of President Jacob Zuma, said
London would maintain a close dialogue with the fledgling government in
Harare but did not promise any financial assistance.

Western governments say they want the rule of law restored, charges
withdrawn against political detainees, and are also concerned about the
continued invasion of commercial farms and the unilateral appointment of
officials, which Tsvangirai said had been resolved.

"We think we should be rewarded for what we have achieved already. I do not
think it is fair to hold us to ransom through such misgivings because
progress has been made," Tsvangirai said.

Zimbabwe estimates that it needs about $8,3bn to kick- start the recovery
process. But the response so far has been muted, with just over $400m raised
in credit lines from African financial institutions, while the International
Monetary Fund, which the country owes more than $130m in arrears, last week
announced the partial resumption of technical assistance.

"We need investment in many areas, particularly rehabilitation and repair of
broken infrastructure, telecommunications, mining, agriculture and tourism,"
Tsvangirai said.

He said his government would explore various incentives to attract
investors, for example allowing companies to build, own and operate key
infrastructure such as roads, or promoting public and private sector
partnerships such as contract agriculture production.

He admitted that investors were still sceptical about the success of the
unity government, but said it was unfair to be judged on the basis of past
policy mistakes.

"There is no going back," he said.

kamhungas@bdfm.co.za

Sikhala suspended for attacking Mutambara

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=16464

May 11, 2009

By Raymond Maingire

HARARE - The smaller MDC has suspended former legislator for St Mary's
constituency Job Sikhala from the party after his public criticism of the
leader Arthur Mutambara.

The party has asked Sikhala to attend a disciplinary hearing.

But the former MP says he would prefer to quit the party than subject
himself to the humiliation of a disciplinary hearing by a "guest to his
party" and "a political pretender".

Sikhala was referring to party leader Mutambara who last week suspended the
firebrand politician alongside five other party members for alleged
indiscipline.

In an interview with The Zimbabwe Times soon after he had been informed of
his suspension pending disciplinary action, Sikhala lashed at Mutambara whom
he accused of propping up President Robert Mugabe's leadership through his
"Zanu PF utterances".

Bulilima East MP Norman Mpofu, Nkayi West MP Abednico Bhebhe and Lupane
North legislator Njabuliso Mguni were also served with their suspension
letters for alleged misconduct.

The two other members are Alex Goosen, Gift Nyandoro.

But Sikhala was adamant he would not appear before the hearing.

"I am not going to attend their nonsensical disciplinary hearing," Sikhala
said.

"I am a founder member of the MDC and I cannot be subject to the authority
of a political appointee. Otherwise this would be a case of the landlord
being chased away from his house by his lodger."

Sikhala who during the MDC split in 2005 accused party leader Morgan
Tsvangirai of being a dictator, accused his new boss of becoming too excited
with his post as Deputy Prime Minister.

Mutambara, a former University of Zimbabwe student leader, specialised in
robotics in the UK and the United States. He was chosen leader of what would
become the smaller MDC after the party's split in October 2005.

He had never held any MDC position since its formation in 1999.

His elevation to the leadership of the splinter group was perceived as an
attempt by the faction, dominated by a Ndebele speaking crop, to give the
party a national outlook.

Mutambara hails from Manicaland.
Said Sikhala; "This political pretender called Arthur Mutambara has adopted
Zanu PF behaviour and utterances."

"He is on record as praising (President) Robert Mugabe and describing him as
the father of Africa unaware that this will irritate our supporters who find
Mugabe as the source of their poverty.

"As if not enough, Mutambara has gone on to suggest this unity government
should continue being in existence for seven years. It is easy to infer that
he wants to protect Mugabe's rule. This is treacherous."

Announcing Sikhala and the other members' suspension Friday, the party's
National Disciplinary Committee chairperson, Lyson Mlambo accused the group
of causing anarchy in the party in the name of exercising democracy.

"There is a thin line between democracy and anarchy," he said, "The party
will not tolerate that."

Mlambo said the members would soon be summoned before the party's
disciplinary committee for misconduct.

"They have displayed bad conduct. The rules and values of the party were
being flouted left, right and centre," he said.

He accused the members of going about addressing public rallies while
denouncing the party's leadership.

He said the members were also dismantling the party's structures while
claiming there were no longer two MDCs but one led by Tsvangirai.

Watch out, Botswana tells Mugabe

http://www.nation.co.ke

By WENE OWINO, NATION CorrespondentPosted Monday, May 11 2009 at 17:37

GABORONE, Monday

Botswana has warned that the international community might withdraw pledges
to help the reconstruction of Zimbabwe if President Robert Mugabe and his
Zanu-PF do not stop violating the power sharing agreement.

Through a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Botswana blamed
Zanu-PF for the woes afflicting the power-sharing agreement signed last
September.

The statement said that the recent failure to release human rights activists
does not augur well for Zimbabwe.

Invasion of farms

Botswana also expressed concern about the delay in making key appointments
in the coalition government.

The statement condemned what Botswana termed illegal invasion of farms,
which are still going on despite the formation of the coalition government.

Botswana said the invasions by Zanu-PF loyalists and operatives undermine
the power-sharing agreement.
 Botswana has been one of the most vocal critics of President Mugabe and
Zanu-PF in Africa.

ZPS vehicles grind to a halt

http://www.sundaynews.co.zw/

Monday, May 11, 2009

By Stanford Chiwanga

THE only four Zimbabwe Prisons Service (ZPS) vehicles to transport suspects
to and from 42 prison complexes to courts throughout the country are
grounded, a situation that is seriously undermining the justice delivery
system, Sunday News has learnt.

Chief Prison Officer, Miss Priscilla Mthembo, revealed last Thursday that
ZPS had only four trucks that were unfortunately all down.
"We do not have vehicles to transport prisoners, the four we have are off
the road for now as they are broken down. But even if they were functioning
they would not be adequate for the whole country. The trucks would not last
because of the huge burden of servicing the whole country and the situation
is worsened by the bad state of our roads," she said.
Miss Mthembo said ZPS could not state the number of vehicles they needed,
but said they needed enough to meet the needs of all the prisons throughout
Zimbabwe's 10 provinces.
"We require huge vehicles for large-complex prisons such as Chikurubi,
Hwahwa, and Khami maximum prisons. Smaller trucks will service smaller
prisons such as Binga and they will be used to ferry prisoners to satellite
courts in rural areas,'' she said.
Miss Mthembo said ZPS did not have funds to source new vehicles although it
was working flat out to rectify the problem.
"We are doing everything we can to correct the anomaly, but since we do not
generate our own funds - we appeal to the Government to come to our aid. We
are however optimistic that the situation will improve before year-end,''
said Miss Mthembo.
She said for now, it was up to the courts to see how they could hear
criminal cases as ZPS currently had no solution in sight to its transport
blues.ZPS has been having a catalogue of problems lately which have seen it
failing to provide adequate food to prisoners. This has seen an increase in
incidences of pellagra and scabies and diet related problems throughout the
country. These diseases normally attack people who lack vitamins and have
weak immune systems.
This situation has seen sick prisoners facing difficulties in recovering
from their ailments, as most treatment courses required a balanced diet.
A magistrate who refused to be named believed that if the situation in
prisons did not improve, the ZPS and the judiciary would be forced to appeal
for an emergency amnesty from President Robert Mugabe to have prisoners who
committed minor offences released.
"If we do not release some of the prisoners, we might see something terrible
happening. Recently, in the UK prisoners rioted and terrible scenes were
screened on television. We do not want the same situation to occur in
Zimbabwe, especially at a time when the country desperately needs good
publicity. We must act and act quickly,'' he said.

Brace for intensified load-shedding: ZESA

http://www.sundaynews.co.zw/

Monday, May 11, 2009

Sunday News Reporter

THE nation should brace for a prolonged period of load-shedding owing to low
electricity generation compared to high demand during this winter period,
the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority public relations manager, Mr
Fullard Gwasira said last Friday.

Mr Gwasira said the annual maintenance work at the power station at Kariba
was nearly complete.
"We are working on the last generator at the Kariba Power Station and we
will be through by the end of May. It will be a reliable unit and it shall
be generating a possible maximum of 750MGW. We are also getting 300MGW from
HCB and EBM of Mozambique,'' he said.
He added that ZESA was also importing 100MGW from SNEL of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC) while locally, the company acquired another
100MGW from ZESCO.
Mr Gwasira said the maintenance work at Hwange Power Station would be
complete by the end of June.
"This power station was built in two phases. Phase one has four units that
generate 120MGW each. Out of the four, we have refurbished three units and
the last one will be done by the end of June.
"The refurbishment is being pursued through an agreement between Zimbabwe
and Namibia under the power companies of ZESA and NAMPOWER. There is also an
arrangement between ZESA and a local partner in the refurbishment of the
phase 2 units that generate 220 MGW each,'' said Mr Gwasira.
He said ZESA would have reliable generation units but unfortunately load-
shedding would not cease.
"As long as we have not yet done the expansion programme that we want to
undertake - of expanding the Hwange and Kariba Power stations by two units,
load-shedding will be high. As long as we have not increased generation
capacity there will always be a mismatch between generation and demand. ZESA
is currently working on medium to long term solutions of dealing with the
power situation,'' he said.
On the issue of the exorbitant tariffs, Mr Gwasira said the issue of
customers complaining about their bills had come to the authority's
attention.
"The bills are of a period of four months, between January and April. We
have stated that customers can pay an estimated average bill. We are aware
that things are hard, those who can afford can pay their bills and those who
cannot, can pay the average bill,'' he said.
Mr Gwasira said consumers could negotiate payment plans for their bills with
the parastatal.

Ntandoyenkosi Ncube interviews MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, Zimbabwean prime minister

The long road to recovery

Photo: Gary Hampton/World Lung Foundation

User fees are a barrier for many patients

HARARE, 11 May 2009 (PlusNews) - From his office in the vast, run-down health ministry building in Harare, the capital, Dr Henry Madzorera, Zimbabwe's new health minister, has the unenviable task of resuscitating a public health system crippled by the country's prolonged economic crisis.

A lack of equipment, drugs and salaries precipitated a health worker strike in November 2008 that forced most hospitals to close for several months just as a cholera epidemic, which has so far claimed over 4,200 lives, was sweeping the country.

"We've got 101 priorities," said Madzorera, a member of the former opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change. "But the burning, immediate ones are the human resource issue. If we can get our health care workers back and remunerate them properly, that would be half the job done."

Most health workers have now returned to work and are receiving monthly US$100 allowances in lieu of salaries so devalued by inflation as to have become virtually worthless.

The allowances are largely funded by donors, but Madzorera said the government expected to take them over and gradually increase them in the next 12 months.

Hospitals have reopened and although far from fully operational, "Things are improving," said Amon Siveregi, head of the Zimbabwe Health Workers Association and an anaesthetist at Parirenyatwa Hospital, the largest referral facility in Harare.

Stocks of equipment and drugs are gradually being replenished, and machinery repaired. "We just want to help each and every patient like we used to," said Siveregi.

Thanks in large part to international donors including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the Clinton Foundation, HIV/AIDS programmes have weathered Zimbabwe's health crisis better than many other health services.

Few patients reported interruptions in their supply of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) even at the height of the crisis, although low supplies of certain first-line drugs did force doctors to temporarily change some patients' regimens.

We just want to help each and every patient like we used to

About 153,000 patients are now receiving ARVs from public health facilities, according to the health ministry, just under half the number estimated to be in need of the drugs.

Madzorera predicts that Zimbabwe will achieve next year's universal access target for treatment, but evidence on the ground suggests his assessment may be overly optimistic.

Although ARVs are free and in good supply at most hospitals, drugs to treat opportunistic infections and the machinery to monitor HIV/AIDS patients are often unavailable or unaffordable.

Getty Mutungwa, 43, had to sell her wardrobe last month to pay the rent on the room she shares with her five children and two grandchildren in Chitungwiza, a low-income suburb 20km outside Harare. Her health has been deteriorating since she tested HIV positive in 2004, but her local hospital requires results from several tests before they will initiate her on ARVs.

She has already paid US$5 for a CD4 count, but the hospital's equipment for conducting the other necessary tests is broken and she has been told to obtain them from the private sector at a cost of US$25. In the meantime, Mutungwa cannot even afford medication to treat a skin infection.

Years of government underfunding have forced public health facilities to raise their own budgets by charging user fees. These vary from one facility to the next with some hospitals charging HIV/AIDS patients up to US$10 for a consultation, and others only charging for CD4 counts and drugs not provided by donors.

Madzorera said the health department planned to phase out user fees for HIV/AIDS patients, children under five and maternity care, and to make fees for other services the same at all facilities. Other priorities include improving stocks of drugs and repairing broken machinery, plumbing and elevators.

In the meantime, patients are flocking to mission hospitals, where donors ensured that the supply of drugs and equipment continued even during last year's crisis.

"It's always very busy here; people come from outside our catchment area because we have all the facilities," said Judith Mataka, Sister-in-Charge at All Souls Mission Hospital, a bustling facility in rural Mutoko, two hours' drive northeast of Harare.

By comparison, the local public hospital in Mutoko is almost deserted. It lacks the equipment to conduct important tests for monitoring HIV-positive patients such as CD4 counts. "For those who can afford to get those [tests], they go to All Souls," said Kembo Chenjerai, a HIV/AIDS counsellor at the hospital.

Despite the lack of resources, Chenjerai and his colleagues at the hospital's opportunistic infections clinic are committed to their patients and prepared to give the new unity government a chance. But that commitment may evaporate if they do not start receiving proper salaries soon. "We're keeping on going because we should save people, but we're hungry," said Admore Majura, another counsellor.

Sister Margaret MacAllen, the head matron at Mashambanzou Care Trust, a non-governmental organisation that provides home-based and hospice care to families and individuals affected by HIV/AIDS in Harare, believes it is unrealistic to expect Zimbabwe's ARV programme to recover overnight from last year's crisis.

"I think we have to be patient and tolerant, and in the meantime focus on other things, like nutrition," she told IRIN/PlusNews. "The most important thing for us to know is that something is now happening every day ... Last year was probably the worst year in Zimbabwe's history, but I think we're recovering." 



[ENDS]
[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

Tsvangirai insists Mugabe is 'part of Zimbabwe's solution'

From The Guardian, 11 May

Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai attempts to win over western
donors by playing down differences with president

David Smith, Africa correspondent

Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe's prime minister, has insisted that President
Robert Mugabe is "part of the solution" to the country's chronic problems as
he seeks to win over sceptical donors in the west. Tsvangirai declared
Zimbabwe open for business and eager for investment and described his first
100 days in office, blighted by personal tragedy, as "the most wonderful and
awful" of his life. Critics argue that Mugabe has been winning the battle of
wills against his rival since they signed a power-sharing agreement in
February. They point to the president's control of key ministries and the
continuing detention of political prisoners and seizures of white-owned
farms. Anxieties that Tsvangirai has conceded too much ground, inadvertently
legitimising his rival, were voiced when he attended a public forum with
exiled Zimbabweans at South Africa's University of the Witwatersrand last
week.

One member of the audience declared, to applause, that Mugabe "has almost
single-handedly destroyed the country, lost two elections and yet is still
there . Why do you have to sleep with the enemy? Is not the simple solution
that Mugabe goes?" Tsvangirai responded with a message partly aimed at
doubters in the west: "Don't be too paranoid about your obsession with
Robert Mugabe because he isn't going to go away; he is there. Robert Mugabe
was part of the problem but he is also part of the solution, whether you
like it or not." The prime minister said his Movement for Democratic Change,
and Mugabe's Zanu PF, had resolved nearly all the outstanding issues and
that an announcement would be made on Tuesday. It could prove a watershed in
what has become a delicate waiting game for the west.

Britain and other countries provided about $670m (£444m) in emergency
humanitarian aid to Zimbabwe in 2008 and have pledged more this year, but
they have demanded that certain preconditions be met before they will
deliver long-term development support. They were urged to give the unity
government the benefit of the doubt last week by the Elders, a group of
eminent global leaders including the former United Nations secretary general
Kofi Annan, and the former South African president Nelson Mandela. The
Elders said they believed the risks of inaction by donors outweighed the
challenges of delivering increased aid. The group's chairman, Archbishop
Desmond Tutu, said: "The inclusive government needs more support to ensure
that it can initiate the urgent stabilisation and early recovery programmes
that the people so desperately need. Now is not the time for donors to take
a 'wait and see' approach. This is the best chance Zimbabweans have had for
peace and prosperity in decades."

The Elders said more funds were needed to provide teaching materials, cover
school fees, support local food production and rehabilitate the water and
sanitation infrastructure, especially after a devastating cholera outbreak.
There is some evidence of increased willingness among investors to gamble on
Zimbabwe stabilising. Neighbouring countries and two African banks have
pledged $650m in credit lines. The International Monetary Fund said last
week that its board had decided to partially lift the suspension of
technical assistance. Patrice Motsepe, a Soweto-born businessman dubbed
South Africa's first black billionaire, visited Harare last month and told
Mugabe that, with reassurances, capital would flow in. "I'm very confident
and optimistic, Mr President, that two years from now, there will be huge
investment in this country," he said. But the government is still far short
of its target of $2bn in emergency funding and $8bn in the long term to help
stabilise an economy ravaged by a decade of hyperinflation, unemployment
above 90% and political violence.

Tendai Biti, the finance minister, made the case for the lifting of western
sanctions during recent visits to Washington and London. He said: "There are
some western colleagues who still have bones to chew with us, and we
understand that. We welcome African institutions that want to help us." In
an interview with South Africa's Sunday Times, Tsvangirai meanwhile
reflected on "the most wonderful and awful" time of his life. His first 100
days as prime minister were marked by the deaths of his wife and his
grandson in separate accidents. "It has been quite an experience, from the
formation of an inclusive government to the trepidation about what's going
to happen, and the personal loss," he said. "It is only 100 days so far, but
this government has consolidated. We have our problems - who doesn't?. Some
people are not happy with everything that's happening, but sceptics are now
the minority. The majority believe we are on the right track and I believe
so myself." The newspaper predicted that, in his review in parliament on
Tuesday, Tsvangirai would detail the ongoing torture and beatings of
political detainees and continuing looting and farm invasions. He would
thank the British government for its assistance in paying retention
allowances to doctors and nurses so state hospitals could be reopened, the
Sunday Times said.

Daily cholera update and alerts, 10 May 2009

 Full_Report (pdf* format - 71.5 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:

- 18 Cases and 2 deaths added today (in comparison with 20 cases and 0 deaths yesterday)

- Cumulative cases 97 965

- Cumulative deaths 4 273 of which 2 623 are community deaths

- 73.3 % of the reporting centres affected have reported today 44 out of 60 affected reporting centres)

- Cumulative Institutional Case Fatality Rate = 1.7%

- Daily Institutional CFR = 0.0 %.

- No report received from Masvingo province

Mukoko's defence should separate law and politics

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=16455

May 11, 2009

By Silas Chekera

THERE will be no immediate end to Jestina Mukoko's legal woes. Last week
started with Mukoko's re-arrest, detention and release. The arrest followed
the issuance of a formal indictment on charges of terrorism. Mukoko had been
on bail after months in jail without charge.

While many observers view Mukoko's indictment- befittingly led by President
Mugabe's alleged nephew in the Attorney General's office - as a clear sign
of Zanu-PF's intransigence and lack of commitment to the government of
national unity, for those of us who have been observing the legal
proceedings from a distance, the case also illustrates another tragic
element that has largely been overlooked; the steady decline in the quality
of legal advocacy in our courts.

In a country where judges delicately divide their time between the bench and
the farm; that the quality of legal representation should plummet is hardly
surprisingly. Practicing lawyers, however, also bear a share of the blame
and this is manifested as much in the so-called political cases as in any
other. At a time when any criminal lawyer with a client base in the
opposition or in the NGO sector has become a human rights champion, legal
submissions are increasingly taking the tone of human rights mantra and
legal issues are often clouded in political argument only to prolong the
suffering of detained clients.

Mukoko's previous and recent arrests illustrate this all too well. Whether
or not the charges against Mukoko have any basis - and going by history, I
suspect there is none - it still the prerogative of the Attorney General to
charge anyone on reasonable suspicion of guilt. Every last constitution in
the world recognizes this right. In Mukoko's case, following an
unjustifiably long period in prison without trial, which eventually resulted
in her being bailed, early last week, the State finally put its act together
(at least procedurally) and formally laid charges.

Once formally charged, the law is very clear on what would follow. Under the
peremptory terms of section 66 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act,
unless bailed afresh, Mukoko had to be incarcerated pending trial. This was
the unassailable argument of the AG. Roles reversed, Mukoko's lawyers would
probably have made the same argument.

The defence on the other hand, rather than simply applying for bail, which
as it turned out was not opposed, chose to attack the indictment on a
political front.  Its argument, that Mukoko et al. should not have been
indicted as they were indemnified by the terms of GNU negotiated settlement,
would probably have been more compelling before JOMIC than in a court of
law, and thus predictably failed. Similar mistakes were made in Mukoko's
previous bids for freedom which were as many as they were unsuccessful.

I do not for once suggest that Mukoko's case is not political. By all
accounts, it looks like one. I only argue that political arguments are most
effective in political fora and legal arguments in legal fora. The two, even
if interconnected, should not be conflated. Conflating the two will often
prolong legal processes unnecessarily. Most tragically, it gives Zanu-PF and
its surrogate state agents claim to higher moral ground and plays right into
its stratagems.

(Silas Chekera is defence counsel for Charles Taylor in The Hague)

The morass that is the Beitbridge Border post

http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/4115

This blog is a tourist's perspective on their recent visit to Zimbabwe.
Their family travelled by car and entered the country through the Beitbridge
Border - between South Africa and Zimbabwe.

With the new Unity Government in place, one would think that moves would
point towards re-establishing Zimbabwe's once wonderful tourism industry.
Since the Land Reform programme in 2000, tourism in Zimbabwe has steadily
declined reaching an all time low in December 2008. After rising during the
1990s, with 1.4 million tourists in 1999, industry figures described a 75%
fall in visitors to Zimbabwe in by December 2008.

Upon careful consultation with friends from Zimbabwe however, we decided to
brave a visit by road. Assurance that fuel is now available at some garages
were indeed true. The hotels and National Parks Camps were welcoming if
stretched and tatty , the costs were high compared to those in South Africa
and food was a lot more expensive.

We would love to travel to Zimbabwe again one day with our family but we
made a vow that we would never ever attempt to cross into Zimbabwe at the
Beitbridge Border post !

As a first entry point to your country, the Border Post was a disgusting
mess, mounds of trash piled everywhere, rocks, stones, great piles of
rubble, no signs, no direction, just an unenthusiastic group of uncivil
servants waiting for their shift to change.

One would imagine that a Thursday afternoon at Beitbridge Border Post,
nowhere near a public holiday, nowhere near the end of the month, that the
traffic would not be too bad.

The toll payment was not too unpleasant, the road tax (for the pleasure of
driving through the potholes) was not too undisciplined although there was
no change anywhere so you just had to forfeit anything owing to you , the
passports were stamped with alacrity, but the customs system is a debacle,
an absolute debacle.

There were four lines of vehicles, piled high with commercial goods, intent
upon passing through the single lane green route, three queues converging on
single lane red route. There was no place to move forwards, backwards or to
park .

It was complete and utter chaos, pity us poor tourists coming to spend an
honest dollar or two in the country, as no sane tourist would ever, ever
undertake this horrific experience more than once.

With the temperature at 35 degrees celsius, and a quagmire of vehicles
hopelessly gridlocked, trying to literally force their way through customs,
touts were yelling, vehicles were bumper to bumper to stop queue jumpers,
the fuel emissions were horrendous as the hot tempered border crossers tried
to cool down.

It was literally a festering, seething ugly mass of humanity and very
frightening to a tourist who does not have a clue where to go and what to do
next to get through from S.A. into Zimbabwe.

We sat for three hours in the baking sun in the car, our line of cars did
not move an inch, there was no where to buy cold drinks.

The only form of sustenance we saw was an enterprising young man who passed
by the window carrying a cardboard tray of hard boiled eggs, and
tantalisingly displayed on the same tray was an array of condiments like,
salt, pepper, aromat and chili powder !!

When we finally forced our way, inch by inch, to the final customs point, we
were harassed and berated, searched and abused. Our Gauteng vehicle
registration plate seemed to inspire nothing but wrath in everybody, and our
woes were still not at an end.

At every road block around the country we were pulled over by police, some
in uniform, some in civilian clothes, and again subjected to unnecessary and
unnerving questioning. Our little girls were becoming more and more
traumatized as the journey progressed.

A visit to Zim again ? Not bloody likely !!