Zim Online
Fri 12 May
2006
HARARE - Zimbabwe's annual inflation, already the highest in
the
world, surged to 1 042.9 percent in April up from 913.6 percent the
previous
month, the state Central Statistical Office (CSO) announced on
Friday.
On a month-on-month basis, the key rate rose by 1.3
percentage points
to 21.2 percent in April from 19.8 percent in
March.
The CSO announced the inflation figures after a two-day
delay, amid
widespread speculation of differences within the government to
make public
the figures that show amply that efforts to revive Zimbabwe's
comatose
economy are achieving little.
Hyperinflation, labelled
Zimbabwe's number one enemy by President
Robert Mugabe, is a key feature of
a grinding economic crisis gripping the
southern African nation for the last
seven years.
The economic crisis - critics blame on
repression and wrong policies
by Mugabe - has also manifested itself through
acute shortages of foreign
currency, fuel, food, electricity and just about
every basic survival
commodity.
Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe
since independence from Britain 26
years ago, denies ruining the country's
once vibrant economy.
The 82-year President instead blames
Zimbabwe's problems on economic
sabotage by Western countries he says are
out to punish his government for
seizing land from white farmers and giving
it to landless blacks. -
ZimOnline
Zim Online
Sat 13
May 2006
HARARE - The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has
condemned
harassment of students by the police who it also accused of
undermining the
right to peaceful assembly and association by regularly
breaking up student
meetings.
In a statement released this week
the ZHLR said: "The ZHRL notes with
grave concern the continued harassment
of students in Zimbabwe and the
perpetual undermining of the right to
peaceful assembly and association in
Zimbabwe."
The statement
was released in the wake of the arrest of 48 students
who were attending a
Zimbabwe National Student Union congress last week for
allegedly removing a
portrait of President Robert Mugabe from a Harare hall
where the congress
was taking place.
The students removed the portrait saying they did
not recognise Mugabe
as the legitimate President of Zimbabwe because he
allegedly cheated his way
to victory when he was re-elected four years
ago.
ZLHR said armed police stormed the congress venue
and rounded up 48
students. The lawyers' body said the police, who later
released the students
without charging them, fired guns into the air in a
bid to force students to
identify ZINASU president, Washington
Katema.
"During the interrogation the police fired two times in the
air to
force the students to identify Washington Katema among themselves but
they
refused. The police officers detained the students overnight. The
students
were released without charge on Friday 5 May," the ZHRL
said.
The ZHRL said on the same day that the police stormed the
ZINASU
congress and arrested students, they also arrested 73 children aged
between
seven and 18 years who were part of public demonstrations organised
by the
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) protest group in the second largest
city of
Bulawayo.
WOZA had organised the Bulawayo protests to
push the government to
reverse crippling school fee hikes of up to 1 000
percent.
The ZLHR said the police again last week stormed Bindura
University in
Mashonaland central province, assaulted and arrested 19
students who were
taking part in a peaceful demonstration against new and
higher fees
introduced at state universities.
"(The) ZLHR would
like to express its concern over the criminal,
wanton and blatant violation
of human rights by the Zimbabwe Republic
Police," the lawyers' body
said.
It added: "(The) ZLHR further condemns the use of torture,
inhuman and
degrading treatment as a weapon of control against defenceless
human rights
defenders in Zimbabwe and also notes with great concern the
failure to
respect the rights of even the minor children of
Zimbabwe."
Zimbabwe, grappling a severe economic crisis since 1999,
has one of
the worst human rights records in the world with militant
supporters of
President Robert Mugabe accused by churches and human rights
groups of
routinely beating up and torturing perceived supporters of the
main
opposition Movement for Democratic Change party.
The
Harare administration denies abusing the rights of political
opponents and
says reports of human rights violations in Zimbabwe are false
propaganda
spread by Western countries out to demonise Mugabe's government
as
punishment for seizing land from whites and giving it to landless
blacks. -
ZimOnline
Zim Online
Sat 13 May
2006
BULAWAYO - An alleged coup plot against President Robert
Mugabe was to
be carried out in two phases with the first phase seeing the
ouster of Vice
President Joseph Msika and ZANU PF chairman John Nkomo, the
High Court heard
yesterday.
Zimbabwe's former information
minister Jonathan Moyo is suing Nkomo
and ZANU PF politburo member Dumiso
Dabengwa for Z$2 billion for allegedly
telling Mugabe that he plotted a coup
against him and other senior ZANU PF
leaders.
The trial entered
its fourth day yesterday with a witness, Virginia
Sithole, telling High
Court judge Francis Bere that a ZANU PF district
co-ordinating meeting for
Tsholotsho district called by Nkomo was told that
the coup plot was in two
phases with the first phase targeting Nkomo and
Msika while the second phase
would deal with Mugabe.
Ndlovu disputed claims put to her by
defence lawyer Francis Chirimuuta
who had said minutes of a co-ordinating
meeting indicated that the
Tsholotsho declaration only targeted
Mugabe.
"According to my understanding of events at the Tsholotsho
meeting
attended by the two accused, the issue that came to the fore was
that the
Tsholotsho coup was targeting not only President Mugabe but also
Nkomo and
Vice President Msika and the coup was to be carried out in two
phases.
"The first phase would have seen Msika and Nkomo ejected
from the
party while President Mugabe would be dealt with in the next
phase," Ndlovu
told the court.
Moyo is suing Dabengwa and Nkomo
for defamation following allegations
that the two had told a meeting in
Tsholotsho that the former information
minister planned a coup against
Mugabe.
Nkomo and Dabengwa deny the charge.
The trial
continues on Monday next week with Moyo expected to call in
more witnesses
to testify against the accused.
On Thursday, the court heard that
senior ZANU PF leaders loyal to
former parliamentary speaker Emmerson
Mnangagwa had plotted a parliamentary
coup which would have seen Parliament
order Mugabe to resign.
ZANU PF, which has enjoyed 26 years of
uninterrupted rule since
independence from Britain, is embroiled in a bitter
struggle over Mugabe's
successor. Moyo and several other senior ZANU PF
leaders had backed
Mnangagwa for the vice-presidency against Joice
Mujuru.
The plans was however scuttled at the last minute with
Mugabe accusing
those backing Mnangagwa of plotting to topple the party's
leadership.
The case, which gives a glimpse of the power struggle
within ZANU PF
over Mugabe's succession, will see more confidential
documents which include
minutes of several ZANU PF committees and
confidential party correspondence
being introduced in court as evidence. -
ZimOnline
Zim Online
Sat 13 May 2006
GABORONE - Members of the Southern
African Development Community
(SADC) fear the continued free-fall of
Zimbabwe's economy could scuttle an
ambitious regional plan to attain
macroeconomic convergence in the coming
two years, ZimOnline learnt this
week.
Sources close to the regional grouping told ZimOnline that
the
continued slide in Zimbabwe's economic performance has become topical
among
technocrats at the SADC Secretariat who fear it could derail the
region's
plans to establish a Customs Union by 2012 and a Common Market by
2015.
"There is mounting concern that the idea of having a Customs
Union by
2012 could end up being another pipe dream as long as there is no
real
commitment on the part of Zimbabwe and the region's political
leadership to
resolve the problems in that country," said one senior
official who
requested anonymity for professional reasons.
The
sources said SADC's political leaders had to take decisive action
to ensure
Zimbabwe adhered to macroeconomic management best practices so
that it does
not stall the ambitious regional project.
Under the project, SADC
plans to establish a Free Trade Area by 2008,
before becoming a Customs
Union in 2010 and a Common Market in 2015.
The region will have to
introduce a common currency before becoming a
Customs Union and the member
states will have to have single digit
inflation by 2008. The target is to
have annualised inflation dropping to
five percent in all countries by
2012, before stabilising at three percent
in 2018.
"As things
stand right now, it will be a miracle to have Zimbabwe
reducing its
inflation to single digits in the next two years. Something
drastic has to
happen before we can dream of real macroeconomic convergence
in the region,"
said the official.
Zimbabwe's annual inflation, already the
highest in the world, surged
to 1 042.9 percent in April up from 913.6
percent the previous month, the
state Central Statistical Office (CSO)
announced on Friday.
Economic experts see the key rate rising
further as Zimbabwe grapples
an economic crisis described by the World Bank
as unprecedented for a
country not at war.
The region is also
aiming for foreign reserves or import cover of at
least three months by 2008
and more than six months by 2012. In its sixth
year of an economic meltdown,
Zimbabwe has been facing a foreign currency
crunch, blamed on poor
macroeconomic and political policies. - ZimOnline
IOL
May 12 2006
at 01:39AM
Harare - Police in Zimbabwe have arrested at least 39
students from
the northern town of Bindura after they allegedly set fire to
a building
that houses computer equipment on their university campus, state
television
reported late on Thursday.
The fire comes at a time
of rising tensions on university and other
tertiary education campuses
across the country, where massive fee hikes at
state-run universities have
triggered protests. There have been a number of
arrests.
Zimbabwe's inflation has soared to nearly 1 000 percent, putting
everything
from school fees to hospital visits out of reach of much of the
population.
Earlier on Thursday, a report was released by the
farmers' lobby that
another 20 white farmers and their workers were driven
off their farms in
the past month - despite a pledge by Mugabe's government
to invite
dispossessed landowners back.
In the blaze on
Wednesday night, computers, university records,
furniture and stationery
worth billions of Zimbabwe dollars were destroyed,
according to the
report.
"We suspect the students or perpetrators used a petrol
bomb," police
spokesperson Michael Munyukwa said. Forensic experts will soon
carry out
investigations.
Earlier this week 19 students from
Bindura were arrested for
demonstrating against the new fees.
The television report said the firebombing came after bail was denied
to the
19, who have been charged under the country's tough security laws.
An official from President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zimbabwe African
National
Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) charged that the main opposition
Movement
for Democratic Change (MDC) was behind the attack.
"We believe it
is politically-motivated," Elliot Manyika told the
television station. He
claimed the MDC was frustrated because students at
the university had
previously shunned MDC-led demonstrations against the
government.
Mugabe has warned that the law will "descend
mercilessly" on anyone
leading or participating in "a campaign of violence
or terrorist activities"
against his government.
Earlier, MDC
leader Morgan Tsvangirai promised a campaign of peaceful
mass action against
the government over deteriorating social, economic and
political
conditions.
Human rights lawyers in Zimbabwe slammed what they say
is the
"continued harassment of students" here and called on the authorities
to
stop using violence against young people. - Sapa-dpa
VOA
By Patience Rusere
Washington
11 May
2006
The Mashonaland Central provincial capital of Bindura was
disturbed Thursday
as youth militants of the ruling ZANU-PF party besieged
the courthouse
demanding that university students arrested this week for
protesting tuition
hikes and for allegedly setting fire to a campus computer
facility be denied
release on bail.
Authorities closed Bindura
University after the institution's computer lab
was set afire late
Wednesday, allegedly by students angered at the arrest of
19 students who
had protested tuition fee hikes and demanded to meet
university officials.
More students were arrested in the course of
Wednesday, bringing the total
in custody to 56.
Legal sources said demonstrators thought to be ZANU-PF
youth militia - also
known as "Green Bombers" for the color of their
uniforms - besieged the
courthouse saying the students should not be granted
bail because they were
opposition supporters.
Sources said ZANU-PF
Political Commissar Elliot Manyika, the member of
parliament for Bindura, a
ZANU-PF stronghold, organized the demonstration by
the "Green Bombers" and
told local police to deny the students food and
water.
Lawyer Alec
Muchadehama of Harare, who was in Bindura this afternoon, said
ZANU-PF youth
were milling around near the courthouse and that roadblocks
were put up
around the periphery of the town. Other sources close with the
situation
said police armed with AK-47 assault rifles had cordoned off the
Bindura
University campus.
National police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena refused to
comment, but it was
known that the number of students arrested had risen
from 19 on Tuesday to
56 Thursday. The students were remanded to police
custody pending
arraignment May 26.
Reporter Patience Rusere of VOA's
Studio 7 for Zimbabwe reached ZANU-PF
official and parliamentarian Elliott
Manyika, who denied having anything to
do with the demonstration by the
ruling party's youth militia at Budiriro's
courthouse.
Zimbabwe
National Students Union President Promise Mkwananzi said members of
his
union sent a letter to President Robert Mugabe complaining of
harassment.
Elsewhere, police in Harare arrested 48 members of the
National
Constitutional Assembly on Thursday as some 250 activists protested
pending
legislation that would regulate and circumscribe the activity of
nongovernmental organizations, and reports suggesting that President Mugabe
might seek to extend his term past 2008.
NCA spokeswoman Jesse Majome
confirmed the arrests and said that no charges
had been brought against the
demonstrators as of late Thursday.
News24
12/05/2006 17:15 -
(SA)
Harare - Zimbabwe will never reverse its controversial land
reform programme
even though some new black farmers are not using the land
they have been
allocated, a top government minister was quoted as saying on
Friday.
"It is foolish to think that we will reverse the land reform
programme,"
Lands and State Security Minister Didymus Mutasa told the
state-controlled
Herald newspaper.
He said he had held meetings with
the white-dominated Commercial Farmers'
Union (CFU) and "we have never given
the impression that we will return
commercial farms to them." The CFU says
that 200 white farmers have applied
for leases from the government so that
they can rent back properties.
Mutasa's comments came a day after farming
pressure group Justice for
Agriculture (JAG) - which broke away from the
main union at the height of
Mugabe's white land seizures - claimed more than
20 white farmers had been
chased off their farms in the last four
weeks.
Before land reform was launched in 2000, more than 4 000 white
farmers held
most of Zimbabwe's most fertile land. Since then all but a few
hundred have
been told to vacate their properties, but there has been a
massive drop in
agricultural production, which worries the
authorities.
Mutasa hit out at "errant" new farmers who were selling farm
equipment and
farmhouses as well as renting out land they were allocated by
the
government. He warned they could "lose their properties," the Herald
said.
Government officials are currently carrying out an audit of
large-scale
farms to determine how well they are being used.
"It does
not, however, mean that we will take land from blacks who did not
possess
land to resettle whites. But we will take land from whites to
resettle
blacks," Mutasa told the newspaper. According to an earlier
official report,
only 30% of agricultural land given to new farmers was not
being used
productively. - Sapa-dpa
iafrica.com
Dan Nicholl
Fri, 12 May
2006
A few years ago, the view from Maarten van Beuningen's office took in a
large and excitable community of ostriches, a winding dirt road, rolling
fields, and the broad vista of agricultural serenity that characterised many
Zimbabwean farms.
Today, that view takes on a slightly different
look. The ostriches are no
more, the fields have a different look to them,
and if you stroll to the top
of the road, there's a fair view of the sea.
For Maarten's farm has moved -
away from the quiet corner of Marondera, an
hour's drive from Harare, to
Somerset West, just outside of Cape
Town.
Leaving home
Like many Zimbabwean farmers, Maarten's
departure from his home country
wasn't entirely of his own choice. Having
built up a cosmopolitan operation
from scratch, the policy of land
acquisition that has gained such infamy
encroached on a thriving, diverse
farm supporting hundreds of people.
And so, in the name of returning land
to the people, Maarten's farm became
an unfortunate statistic, a vibrant
operation suddenly stopped by forces
beyond his control.
It's by no
means an isolated tale, and it could easily have been lost in the
multitude
of such stories that have emerged from Zimbabwe's downward spiral.
But while
leaving Zimbabwe - and the farm he and his family had so carefully
built up
- was painful, he refused to be beaten, and instead turned his
attention to
a new field of endeavour. And so Maarten van Beuningen, ostrich
farmer,
became Maarten van Beuningen, wine maker.
"We realised we had to move,
but the question was what to do," Maarten
explains of his return to the city
where he first met his Mauritian wife
Janine. "My parents, who had moved out
to South Africa from Holland, also
met each other in Cape Town, so I guess
there is a common thread.
Starting over
"The children were down
here (sons Mark and Michael, and daughter Melanie,
at the University of Cape
Town). I'd done a bit of fruit farming; and I
enjoy my wine."
The
last line comes with a broad smile, Maarten having always enjoyed
collecting
wine. But a pleasant enough pastime is one thing; turning it into
a new
career something else entirely - even with a farming background.
"No,
it's not the same as farming in Zimbabwe," he agrees readily. "And it's
not
quite the same feeling - I started from scratch in Zimbabwe, the kids
grew
up on the farm, and the attachment to the place, to what I did there,
was
very strong.
"But time heals, and the more I'm getting involved here, the
more it's
filling the gap. It's very different, though. The actual growing
of the crop
has similarities, but the real chasm is in the history of wine
growing, and
in making the wine.
"Just growing grapes would have been
easier; to actually be a wine producer
is a lot more challenging, and very
daunting."
But taking up the challenge is exactly what Maarten has been
doing. In 2002,
after looking at several options and considering where the
family's future
lay, the move was made to Dellrust, the Zimbabwean
purchasing part of an
existing wine estate in Somerset West, and moving to
South Africa with wife
Janine and youngest son David. Initially that was the
extent of his
interest, as he fought a losing battle to hang on to his
property north of
the border. But in March 2004 they moved onto a newly
built home on the wine
estate, and Maarten began to sink his fingers into
the world of wine
production.
"It's a whole different world," Van
Beuningen laughs, shaking his head as he
remembers his early skirmishes with
the grape. "It's amazing what's involved
in putting wine on the table.
Finding a wine maker, the wine and spirits
board, deciding what to make -
it's much more complicated than I would have
imagined."
Early naïveté
quickly gave way to a growing feel for the rewards winemaking
could offer,
as Maarten immersed himself in his new field of endeavour.
"Whenever anyone
would speak about wine, give a lecture or talk in the area,
I'd go along and
listen, and try to learn from them," he explains. "Before I
was farming
ostriches, fruit, flowers - there was lot I had to get a grip
on."
He
also undertook a variety of courses, including a wine business management
course, and with guidance from the Bredell family, the owners of Dellrust
from whom he bought his land, Maarten began to take a more hands on
approach. And he's since has progressed to an exciting milestone: the
production of his first two wines.
"Initially I was going to
concentrate on white, with the grapes I had on the
farm, but an offer came
my way that allowed to me to produce a merlot, which
is complementary to the
white, so I took it up.
A new life
"The sauvignon blanc was made
for me by Bartho Eksteen, who is very
passionate about sauvignon blanc -
he's a little eccentric about, and really
loves it! And the red comes from
grapes from Alto/Rust en Vrede valley; I'm
very happy with the
merlot."
As he should be - it's a wine that will grow into itself in the
next few
years, but for a 2005 red, it's already a soft, full-flavoured
merlot that
drinks well for a wine so young. The sauvignon blanc, meanwhile,
is a strong
first offering, and both wines are now available, with the
sauvignon blanc
receiving an early salute from the industry, selected by
Wine of the Month
club as its 'Best Value Sauvignon Blanc' early in
2006.
Which leads to the name of Maarten's new estate, and the story
inscribed on
the striking black labels. A loose play on a combination of his
children's
names, Miravel is the family's choice, and the wines will fall
under the
label.
And when you do lay your hands on a bottle, give the
legend on the back a
moment's perusal. Playing on the theme of footprints,
it relates directly to
the path that Maarten and his family have followed
over the years, and the
philosophy that that path has given rise to,
particularly with regard to
wine.
"The chance to express yourself in
wine is a beautiful thing," Maarten says.
"The chance to produce a crop, to
give it expression. And it's not just a
liquid - there's a story behind it,
people behind it.
"And just one or two people. The people who've helped
us along the way, the
life circumstances, the coincidences that bring people
together. It's other
people who help you to get where you are. We've ended
up at Dellrust, but it
could have been somewhere else. Hence the footsteps
(on the label) - they
lead you to meet people, and if you can have a glass
of wine along the way,
so much the better."
Not just any glass, mind,
but a glass of Miravel, for Van Beuningen and his
family now have a vivid
representation of where their footsteps have brought
them. Leaving Zimbabwe
was a harrowing journey, and there'll always be
something of the Zimbabwean
farmer to Somerset West's newest winemaker.
But the glint in his eye as
he talks about his new life amongst the vines
suggests he has found a new
passion; Maarten Van Beuningen's latest journey,
one feels, is only just
beginning.
IOL
May 12 2006
at 07:14PM
Resettled farmers in Zimbabwe have received their second
warning
within a week to use their land or lose it, Harare's Herald
newspaper
reported on Friday.
Its website quoted Land Reform
and Resettlement Minister Didymus
Mutasa as saying those who failed to fully
utilise their land would be
booted out.
He also warned against
selling farm equipment, farm houses or renting
out pieces of land they were
allocated.
"I would like to warn farmers that those who regard land
as a property
whose price should only appreciate are wrong, and could lose
their
properties."
On Tuesday, Mashonaland East Provincial
governor Ray Kaukonde said:
"We will not hesitate to remove farmers who are
not utilising water in the
dams and mechanised equipment in the production
of wheat."
He said a many farmers in the province were given land
endowed with
dams, boreholes and agricultural equipment, which they were not
utilising to
benefit the nation.
Mutasa said the government
was conducting an audit of resettled farms.
"We want to find out if
the resettled farmers have taken up their
land, and if they are fully
utilising it," he said.
"It does not, however, mean that we will
take land from blacks who did
not possess land to resettle
whites."
Mutasa dismissed reports that the government had invited
white
commercial farmers to occupy their former properties. - Sapa
IOL
May 12 2006 at
02:29PM
The department of home affairs has granted Zimbabwe's most
prominent
white politician, Roy Bennett, a temporary refugee permit to stay
in South
Africa pending the finalisation of his application for full
political
asylum.
Bennett was jailed for eight months for
pushing a President Robert
Mugabe crony, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa,
during a heated debate in
parliament.
A former Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) MP, he lost his renowned
coffee farm, a lodge and
valuable properties.
State Security Minister Didymus Mutasa and
other government officials
have repeatedly threatened Bennett and warned him
to join "your ancestors in
Britain".
His coffee farm in
Zimbabwe was occupied and looted by army officers
who killed two of his
workers. During the drama, his wife suffered a
miscarriage.
But
Bennett vowed to remain in Zimbabwe to help fight for democracy
and
prosperity.
However, he gave up last month, reportedly under
pressure from his
wife, when the Zimbabwe government started hunting him
down, alleging he was
involved in a "plot to murder" Mugabe. Several MDC
activists from his home
town were arrested and charged. Led by the MDC's
shadow defence secretary
Giles Mutseyekwa, they were released after the
Attorney-General's office in
Harare said there was no evidence linking them
to the alleged plot.
But a licensed game hunter, Peter Hitschman,
in whose house the state
claimed to have discovered an arms cache for use in
the murder plot, is
still in custody and will face trial next
month.
The state claimed he had implicated Bennett in the alleged
plot, but
lawyers representing the MDC activists said the game hunter and
others had
been badly tortured while in custody.
The Cape Argus
is authoritatively informed that the home affairs
department, known for its
reticence to accept refugees, has allowed Bennett
to stay while processing
his asylum application.
It is not clear if his application will be
approved. Unconfirmed
information suggests the Zimbabwe government wants to
issue an international
criminal warrant of arrest through Interpol after
linking him to the
Hitschman case.
Bennett was elected in
absentia as treasurer-general of the MDC at the
congress of the split
party's more popular Tsvangirai faction. The Zimbabwe
government is
understood to be highly worried about his potential to
mobilise foreign
resources for the MDC.
This article was originally
published on page 5 of Cape Argus on May
12, 2006
Daily Star, Bangladesh
Reuters, Dakar
A crop of African leaders changing
constitutional rules to cling to power --
from Uganda to Chad and perhaps
also Nigeria -- shows democracy is still
struggling to take root in many
parts of the world's poorest continent.
As multiparty politics sprung up
across Africa in the 1990s, in the wake of
the Cold War and the collapse of
apartheid, it stirred hopes of an "African
Renaissance" -- an end to the
"Big Man" politics, which dominated the
continent since
independence.
But while economic reform flourished, the democratic
promise of a new
generation of African leaders -- aware of the continent's
problems but
tolerant of dissent -- has dwindled amid authoritarian measures
and a thirst
for power from some.
"There were hopes for a democratic
renewal in Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia,
Eritrea, Kenya and Congo," said Patrick
Smith, editor of London-based Africa
Confidential.
"But there is
no question if you look at the last couple of years the
democracy-meter has
shifted back into the negative."
Among the starkest examples is Uganda's
President Yoweri Museveni, who
promised a change from the bloodsoaked
regimes of Milton Obote and Idi Amin
when he seized power in
1986.
Named by former US President Bill Clinton as the leader of the
"African
Renaissance", the 62-year-old former rebel won re-election to a
third term
in power in February after scrapping term limits and persecuting
his rival
for treason.
He joined leaders from Guinea, Gabon,
Burkina Faso and Chad who have used
constitutional changes to extend their
rule.
The reputations of other members of the "new breed" such as Paul
Kagame of
Rwanda, Eritrea's Isaias Afwerki and Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia -- a
member of
Tony Blair's Commission for Africa -- have also suffered as they
repressed
or silenced opponents.
"This is not just a third term
issue. This is about protecting democratic
institutions, NGOs and civil
society, which are increasingly coming under
attack," said Stephen Morrison
of the Centre for Strategic and International
Studies.
ALARM
BELLS
But it is the campaign by supporters of Nigerian President Olusegun
Obasanjo
to allow him a third term in Africa's most populous country that
has rung
alarm bells loudest. Obasanjo has ruled the oil producer since its
return to
democracy in 1999.
"The ethnic and religious divisions in
Nigeria threaten chaos if Obasanjo
wins a third term," said Sebastian
Spio-Garbrah, Africa analyst with Eurasia
Group. "It will be very hard for
Nigeria to provide leadership on democratic
issues if Obasanjo changes the
constitution."
The third-term campaign has stirred violent opposition
from Muslims and
ethnic groups in Nigeria opposed to another four year term
for Obasanjo, a
Christian from the southwestern Yoruba tribe. It is
symptomatic of ethnic
tensions across Africa.
"At the moment,
democracy in Africa is really just juggling regional, ethnic
interests. It
is regarded as democracy but it does not give people any
ideological
options," said Smith.
Ruling cliques often hold a president in power
because they fear a loss of
economic benefits or even persecution. From
veteran strongman Robert Mugabe
of Zimbabwe to Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial
Guinea, ethnic interests
underpin governments.
International
conditions, meanwhile, have eased the pressure for democratic
reform. The
increasingly voracious appetite of China and India for African
resources has
provided trading partners who analysts say are less fussy
about rights
abuses.
Washington's concern over the spread of radical Islam in the Horn
of Africa
and the arid Sahel belt has also encouraged it at times to turn a
blind eye
to governments and leaders with chequered rights records, analysts
say.
"In many ways this is like a return to the Cold War -- African
countries can
play foreign powers off against one another," said Smith.
"Only it is 'Cold
War plus' ... There are ideological, political and
economic interests at
stake."
With many African governments relying
on foreign aid for much of their
budget, observers say donors should use
their leverage to encourage reform.
"Easy foreign money is the very
basis of bad government here," said Ugandan
political commentator Andrew
Mwenda. "If a government depends on resources
collected from its own people,
it will be forced into dialogue."
MANDELA'S EXAMPLE
The picture is not
entirely negative, particularly in southern Africa, where
Nelson Mandela's
resignation after one term as president in 1999 was widely
seen as a sign to
other leaders to limit their tenure.
In Mozambique and Namibia,
veteran leaders quietly stepped aside last year
after decades in power.
While in Zambia and Malawi, the people rejected
attempts to reform the
constitution to allow leaders a third term.
South African President
Thabo Mbeki also won praise for his decision to step
aside after two terms.
Some commentators criticised his failure to groom an
heir apparent but
others point to Western examples where no such succession
is
prepared.
"The question of lack of a successor or lack of a
designated one is
far-fetched. Look at the United States. Can you tell who
will succeed George
W. Bush?" said Prince Mashele, senior researcher at
Pretoria's Institute of
Security Studies.
Business in Africa
Posted Fri, 12 May 2006
Harare - A second Zimbabwean gold miner
on Friday reported a drop in output,
blaming increasing power shortages for
the slump in production.
Falcon Gold Zimbabwe, which is listed both in
Zimbabwe and Luxembourg, said
it produced 270.1kg of gold in the half year
ended March 31 2006, down 31kg
from the same period last year.
In
addition to power shortages, a result of electricity rationing, the
company
said flooding at some of its mines had also caused the drop in
production.
"Operations have been disrupted by the prevailing ZESA
(power utility
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority) power outages and in
many cases
exacerbated by underground mine workings being flooded, resulting
in a lower
tonnage throughput which was 24 percent below budget," said the
company.
Falcon said the drop in production translated to a loss of
Z$33bn (about
$330 000). The company's announcement comes weeks after
Zimbabwe's top
producer, RioZim said output had fallen in the first quarter
of the year.
RioZim, however, did not give reasons for the slump in
output.
The decline in gold mining output in Zimbabwe comes at a time
international
prices for the precious metal were at record highs, which
could have helped
the Southern Africa country sort out its five-year long
foreign currency
squeeze.
Miners have also blamed high inflation and
interest rates, both near 1 000
percent, for declining production output.
-panapress
Zimbabwe Independent
(Harare)
INTERVIEW
May 12, 2006
Posted to the web May 12,
2006
Itai Mushekwe
CANADA-BASED Zimbabwean musician, Viomak
(VK), whose debut album, Happy 82nd
Birthday President Mugabe -- Diaspora
Classics 1, has caused a stir
worldwide, making her a trenchant critic of
Mugabe's presidency, this week
speaks to independentxtra (IX) reporter, Itai
Mushekwe.
What made you decide to pursue music when you're an
accomplished academic
now boasting a Master's degree in educational
psychology?
Zimbabwean musicians are not doing much on protest music and
I found it
necessary to add my voice to our socio-political situation since
it is of
paramount importance to protest against what Mugabe is doing. And
music is
the best way forward.
Music speaks louder than any other
form of communication. It looks like the
music industry in Zimbabwe is being
flooded with irresponsible and
irrelevant themes, and I feel it is proper to
sing about current issues
affecting us.
The suffering of Zimbabweans
has reached an unbeareable level and music came
as a calling to me, as a
form of a helping art, to assist the
less-priviledged, hence my charity
music that fulfils God's will. It's music
for a divine as well as political
purpose.
I also realised that it is high time someone sings about the
socio-political
issues affecting Zimbabweans and expose the culprits hoping
they will
understand that God put them into power not to oppress or murder
us, but to
take care of us and love us all in the same way God loves
us.
I also diverted from the expected in order to prove to the
generations of
Zimbabwe that academics should not limit themselves to
scholarly issues
only, but use education to guide them to what they want to
become and guide
others as well in what can be done.
You just didn't
settle for any other musical genre, but gospel music, which
contains
political protest. Why is that so?
The only musical genre that fulfils my
objectives is gospel music. Since I'm
also getting into charity work it
satisfies my heart to sing about the
people who have caused me to engage in
protest music -- and gospel music is
very appropriate.
As a
Christian, I'm aiming at talking to God so that he intervenes and saves
us
from the jaws of Zanu PF. Gospel music is the proper genre of
communicating
with God. In these trying times God has the final say and I'm
convinced He's
the only one who can deliver us from evil.
Zanu PF politicians have
destroyed the country and political protest music
is very relevant in the
meantime since it educates the masses on what is
going on. It is also of
great benefit in the history of Zimbabwe as it
records issues of great
concern. The next generations should be made aware
of how Zanu PF ruled
Zimbabwe, and I'm convinced researchers will also have
something worthwhile
to research on, thus recording this history in a
different way.
Is
your criticism of President Mugabe justified or a mere obsession with the
man blamed for Zimbabwe's demise?
This pursuit is not an obsession
but the simple truth. The evidence is there
on the ground. Any sensible
person understands that Mugabe is the sole
reason for our
suffering.
I remember growing up in Rhodesia as a young girl and
generally life was
very good. (Ian) Smith could have had his own
shortcomings, but given a
choice I would rather have Rhodesia than
Mugabe.
Mugabe should actually ask himself why so many Zimbabweans are
leaving the
country now as compared to Smith's days. Zimbabwe has gone down
from riches
to rags due to Zanu PF's incompetence, selfishness, greed and
corruption.
Anyone who denies this doesn't want to accept the painful
truth, or didn't
have the chance to taste life in Rhodesia.
Gone are
the better old days when Rhodesians' tummies were always full with
food.
Come Mugabe, come starvation and all the other problems that come with
bad
leadership.
What do you hope to achieve by singing anti-Mugabe
songs?
Like any other liberation songs, anti-Mugabe songs will serve the
same
purpose of turning the oppressed masses against him in the same way
liberation songs during the Chimurenga war turned the oppressed masses
against Smith.
They also remind Mugabe that while he's busy chanting
anti-Blair slogans,
people are aware that he is the root cause of all the
economic, political
and social problems bedevilling Zimbabwe now.
He
should stop blaming other people for the mess he has caused. Tony Blair
is
not the president of Zimbabwe. Mugabe is not God. He was also created
just
like anyone else and there's nothing special about him. He should stop
holding Zimbabweans hostage but repent and give his life to Jesus and resign
in peace.
Protest songs also educate Zimbabweans that they have the
right to freedom
of speech and should not be intimated by dictatorial and
incompetent leaders
who want things their own way every time.
From cricinfo, 12 May
Peter
Chingoka's leadership of Zimbabwe Cricket is again under threat with
revelations that a group who had previously backed him are now calling for
him to quit. A report in today's Independent newspaper in Harare says that
eight provinces, including five new provincial associations seeking
affiliation to ZC, have written a letter demanding his resignation along
with the interim board he heads. It would seem that the provinces, which had
largely backed Chingoka until now, have allied with disgruntled stakeholders
and are threatening to form a breakaway union. If this is correct, then it
would represent a bitter blow for Chingoka. Until now, he has dismissed
protests, including the attempt led by Ahmed Ebrahim last year, as being
fuelled by self interest and those with "hidden agendas". This latest
insurrection would appear to be far more widespread. At the heart of the
move is Themba Mliswa, the highly controversial sports consultant and the
man who allegedly threatened Tatenda Taibu, a move which led to Taibu
quitting Zimbabwe, and one whose track record is far from
savoury.
"Already we've been talking," Mliswa was quoted as saying.
"One must
understand that Peter is not good for the game. I never said Peter
was good.
I just didn't want players to be involved in the politics of the
game."
Mliswa, whose record of involvement in other sports is hardly a
reason for
anyone to welcome his role here with enthusiasm, accused
Chingoka's interim
board of mismanagement. "The interim board has been
plundering resources,
and they have to watch out because when we get there,
we will find out. They
must remember that their time is coming to an end,"
he said. "What the
interim board was supposed to do was to reunite people.
Even people who they
did not get along with in the past were supposed to be
spoken to. Taibu is
important regardless of the fights we had. It's time for
peace. You don't
talk of development when you keep rebuilding. You build a
team because it's
old. We've become a breeding ground for teams overseas."
Mliswa also said
that the hemorrhaging of administrators from within ZC,
which has
accelerated recently, was of deep concern. "We are worried about
the people
being lost. We are losing good black people. There seem to be an
elimination
process and it's detrimental to the game."
Mliswa,
who gave every impression of being closely linked to Chingoka last
year,
fell out with him during a special general meeting in December when
the ZC
board refused to force through the recognition of the new provinces,
one of
which was headed by Mliswa. "We saved Chingoka but what we fought for
is not
what is happening," he fumed. "The issue of affiliation was never a
way to
protect him. Under his [Chingoka's] reign we have lost more players
than
those who've come through. He's used the game to propel himself and to
have
a good CV. He could get away 10 years ago because we had no black
administrators. Now we have better, more educated, better understanding and
politically correct black administrators." Mliswa added that the new
provinces have also opposed the application for an extension of tenure by
the interim board when its six-month period expires next month.
News24
12/05/2006 19:19 -
(SA)
Harare - The Zimbabwean government plans to close a major prison
in Bulawayo
because of its "poor state", says the country's justice
minister.
According to a report in the state-controlled Herald newspaper
on Friday,
Zimbabwean minister Patrick Chinamasa said the Bulawayo Central
Prison would
be shut down and its 2 000 inmates transferred to Khami Prison
on the
outskirts of the city.
He said the country's prisons had "to
conform to certain minimum habitable
standards".
Chinamasa said:
"Human beings are entitled to certain fundamental rights.
There is general
overcrowding in the prisons, but the situation is
improving."
According to Chinamasa, 18 300 prisoners were being held
in the country's
jails - which were built to hold 16 000.
Last year,
the Law Society of Zimbabwe, which represents many of the
country's lawyers,
criticised the state of Khami Prison.
The society said 127 prisoners had
died in the prison in 2004.
The deaths have been attributed to
overcrowding and lack of ventilation
within the prison, which the society
said assisted the spread of diseases
such as tuberculosis.
Please send any job opportunities for publication in this newsletter to:
JAG
Job Opportunities; jag@mango.zw or justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 5 April 2006
POSITON AVAILABLE - MOZAMBIQUE
Assistant
farm manager wanted for farming set up in Mozambique 60km from
Mutare border,
growing 60ha tobacco and 15ha paprika. Position would suit a
school leaver
with farming background or Blackfordby leaver. US$ package,
medical aid,
vehicle and usual farm perks.
PHONE LISA- 011
420805
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 5 April 2006
Wanted
We are looking for the impossible....
someone to fulfil a job that can be
hectic, boring, frustrating, inspiring,
and humorous, depressing,
challenging, tiring, easy and impossible. We have a
small camp and bar in
Kariba.
The applicant will be coordinating 6
staff. Sometimes they are outstanding;
sometimes they are comatose. Sometimes
we can get stock; sometimes we can't.
Sometimes we can afford repairs;
sometimes we can't. Sometimes we're busy;
sometimes we're not. We always have
fun. Ideally the applicant will be
single and (semi-) retired and wanting to
keep him/herself busy. A handy man
would be fantastic and the ability to
socialize with all and sundry is
imperative. Salary will be commission based,
according to sales/profit. We
provide food and very basic accommodation,
beautiful surroundings,
elephants, zebras and hippos.
Email relax@warthogs.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 13 April 2006
WANTED: JUNIOR BOOKKEEPER
Preferably an
enthusiastic school leaver who has done a Pitmans course or
Accounting to "O"
level, willing to learn. We are a new, growing group who
need staff to take
up accounts clerk positions. Successful candidate could
start
immediately.
Contact Jean at 369800 or jean@westfoods.net
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 20 April 2006
Handyman Wanted
IS THERE AN EX FARMER WHO
IS A HANDYMAN - I HAVE SEVERAL SMALL JOBS TO BE
DONE AROUND THE
HOUSE?
PLEASE CONTACT MRS. D"Elia 303056 or email
sherrols@zol.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 27 April 2006
ADMIN AND LOGISTICS CO-ORDINATOR
We are a
young, dynamic & rapidly growing organisation focussing on
the
facilitation of short-term mission teams working in Southern & East
Africa.
This position would involve all of the associated logistics and
bookings for
inbound teams. A suitable candidate will be a committed
Christian, Microsoft
office literate, gifted administrator, financially
literate. Offices in
Harare, competitive salary offered. Contact barry@africanencounter.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 27 April 2006
WANTED
ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER - ANTELOPE
PARK, GWERU, LION REHABILITATION
PROGRAM
This position would involve
assisting the Project Manager to manage all
volunteer operations.
The
position is unique in that you would have the opportunity to work with
a
variety of people from around the world who have come to work in Africa
and
want first hand experience in Conservation. You will be chosen for
this
position because of your enthusiasm and passion for this project as well
as
other skills needed to ensure that this remains one of the most
successful
volunteer programs in the world. For more information please
email
sarah@africanencounter.org please
send
CV.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 27 April 2006
Position Vacant
Looking for an honest
semi-retired man, needing to supplement pension funds,
to help with stock
control / grading of frozen meat in Harare.
Basic salary and usual perks
offered. Part time as hrs vary with quantities
received.
Contact
Bob.
email; tiko@zol.co.zw
Tel ;
480568
Cell; 091
253617
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 27 April 2006
SITUATION VACANT
Dairy Manager Wanted - for
medium size dairy on mixed farm in Midlands.
Must have some dairy
experience. Be hard working and responsible. Good
package and accommodation
offered to a suitable candidate.
Send C.V. to P.O. Box 805, Gweru or Tel
054-229020 or Cell
011607611.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 4 May 2006
Wanted
Zambia: Short term opportunity in
August
I need an experienced surveyor to peg out contours on about 800 ha
of
existing arable land and supervise the grading of these contours. Might
suit
ex-farmer or retired consultant who would like a few weeks break in
Zambia.
Must have lots of contouring experience.
Free meals and
accommodation plus fee of USD50/day.
The farm Lwimba Ranch is 60km east of
Lusaka.
Phone Keith Clubb at 0027 11 4477477 or email details to kclubb@polka.co.za.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 4 May 2006
Bookkeeper Wanted
"GROUP BOOK KEEPER wanted as
soon as possible
The right candidate must have experience using the Pastel
accounting
package; must be able to work under pressure.
Competitive
salary offered to the right person.
Please apply to evelyn@furnitureman.co.zw with your
cv and
references."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 4 May 2006
Vacancy
The bakery located in Sam Levy's
village Borrowdale is looking for a
Manager.
The ideal person should
be an energetic lady with knowledge of cake
preparation and good managerial
skills.
Please call: 851 729 or 091 775544 / 011
607045
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 4 May 2006
THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN CHIMOIO
MOCAMBIQUE
POSITION ONE
" Immediate vacancy exists for an
experienced FLEET MANAGER at our Chimoio
factory. The incumbent must have
traceable references and preferably a
working knowledge of Shona or
Portuguese. The company runs over 40 vehicles
throughout central Mocambique.
Units from 30 ton to pick ups mainly Mercedes
Benz and Freightliner.Expat
terms and conditions apply. Pse contact the MD
Mr Euan Kay DECA Lda, on +258
820697840"
POSITION TWO
Immediate opportunity for a fully
qualified Mercedes Benz Truck mechanic
exists at our Chimoio factory.
Incumbent must have extensive experience on
Merc trucks 2636, 2626, 1017 and
Unimog. Knowledge of Century class
Freightliners and Toyota Hino would be an
advantage. This position will
involve extensive travel throughout central
Mocambique on breakdowns.
Only applicants with traceable references and
genuine Mercedes experience
will be considered. Expat package
applies.
Contact Mr Euan Kay
DECA Lda
Phone +258
820697840
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 11 May 2006
FOOD & BEVERAGES MANAGER
Lodge @ Kariba
(base) and Safari camps around Karoi, Makuti areas. Will
involve quite a lot
of travelling on dirt roads, so clean drivers license
required. Suit
responsible single gentleman experienced in this field (min.
2yrs) with good
traceable references, who can work under pressure.
Send application & CV
to: townsend@zol.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 11 May 2006
VACANCY - QUALIFIED & EXPERIENCED DIESEL
MECHANIC
Two vacancies exist for qualified and experienced motor
mechanics,
preferably with considerable experience in diesel engines,
especially Land
Cruisers. We offer a negotiable salary, accommodation, lights
and water.
The company is based approximately 170 km from Bulawayo and
comprises of
various farming departments and a Safari Company with camps
based around
Zimbabwe, to which the successful incumbents may be required to
visit from
time to time.
For more information contact call (016) 596
or (016) 318 during office
hours. Interested parties can send CV via email
to tshafari@mweb.co.zw or
by fax to
(016)
256
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Employment
Sought
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 5 April 2006
Employment Sought
Tania (Aged 27). She has
finished her IATA course & is waiting for the
results. She has completed
her schooling up to "O level standard, with
Executive Secretarial Pitman's
Qualifications which include.... English for
business communications, Level
one and two Book-keeping & Accounts, and
Typewriting. She has worked for
several different companies in the past; her
experience was as a personal
assistant to various persons in different
companies, secretarial and
receptionist. Her most recent employment was as a
Trainee Travel
Consultant.
Daniel (Aged 22). He has completed his schooling up to 'O
level standard,
doing various studies. Previous employment experience
includes, Supervisor,
Trainee Manager, Control room operations, Vehicle
Surveillance operator,
Product manager and administrator. His current
employment is as a part time
Headwaiter until he finds full time employment.
He is very arty and business
minded. Social, motivated, hard worker and
willing to learn.
Ron (Aged 19). he has completed his schooling up to 'O
level standard, doing
various studies. Previous employment experience
includes, Trainee
Computer/printer technician, Control room operator, Trainee
motor mechanic,
vehicle Surveillance operator, Floor manager/supervisor and
administration.
His current employment is as a vehicle Surveillance operator
(After hours).
He is hard working, willing to learn and social.
These
three young people are looking for well paid jobs, and are willing to
give it
their all given the right employment opportunities that so fit
their
experience, or in companies that are willing to take them on and train
them
as to how it would best suit the companies needs. They are hard
working,
fast learning, and social, Independent and motivated. Please could
you let
everyone know as it is a necessity for them to find employment as
soon as
possible.
Please contact Miss Carmen VanWyk for further
details or to view their cv's
using the following details.
cell: 091 615
656 Tel: 575 431 - 3 E-mail: carmen@avis.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 13 April 2006
Anyone seeking a Cook
I have an old cook
who has been with me for 8 yrs; he is a family cook and
can cook any thing
from pie's to pan cakes.
We have to leave, is there any one out there who
would like to take him. He
has done every think from house washing and
ironing. we are sorry to let him
go, but been born bred Zimbo's and with out
a job we have to. May be there
is somebody out there who is looking for an
couple to manage their farm or
lodge, have been in farming all our lives,
well it was worth a try.
You can contact Tony at 091 404
449
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 20 April 2006
Employment Sought
Very knowlegeable and
experienced ex-commercial agricultural representative
with farming experience
in Zimbabwe and Mozambique seeks position,
preferably external, Mozambique or
further afield. Contact Stu Taylor Odzi
2288 (0204), cell 091 - 650997, or
(Mozambique)
00258-8240407490.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 11 May 2006
Employment Sought
"Personal Assistant with
good shorthand (minutes) available either
permanent/temporary/mornings.
Please phone Vera Smith on 776135 (home) or
746812 (daughter - Kirsten).
E-mail: verajean@zol.co.zw.
Available
immediately".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
For
the latest listings of accommodation available for farmers, contact
justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw
(updated 11 May 2006)
Mmegi
RYDER
GABATHUSE
Staff Writer
5/12/2006 3:00:42 PM (GMT
+2)
FRANCISTOWN: A reputable Bobirwa farmer, Masole Dialwa has
embraced
the government's decision to vaccinate cattle in the Foot and Mouth
Disease
(FMD) infected zone. "I embrace the decision wholeheartedly,"
declares
64-year-old Dialwa and adds that if their animals were killed, some
of them
that depended on the cattle were going to be eroded of sole means of
livelihood.
Dialwa admits that the loss of the lucrative EU
market was a major
setback that was going to hit the area in the long term,
but they will have
to live with it as Babirwa and Batswana. "But this is
better than losing all
the over 100,000 cattle in the area as that will also
affect the national
herd in the long term and forcing government to pay
millions of Pula in
compensation and other expenses," he asserts. Dialwa was
happy that whilst
their area, zone seven, will be banned from selling to the
EU, they will be
able to sell within the zone. He is only worried that
farmers might be
unable to provide supplementary feeding which they bought
from the proceeds
of their cattle sold in good priced buying points.
Modisaotsile Kgathi says
although there are some advantages in the
government's decision to
vaccinate, there are also some negatives associated
with the decision. "Our
main advantage is that we are going to keep our
animals as they have been
spared by the government. The problem is that we
are going to lose the
lucrative EU market," argues Kgathi. He adds that
within Bobonong, there are
less butcheries and as such they will have
limited choice. "To cull the
livestock or not has its implications and all
these decisions must be
arrived at after careful assessment". He calls upon
Babirwa to herd their
cattle and avoid employing illegal immigrants from
Zimbabwe, as that will
not help the situation at all. "We should help the
government to avoid the
disease from spreading to other uninfected areas,"
he appeals. Botswana
Democratic Party (BDP) councillor for Bobonong Central,
Njobo Ofentse says
the decision made by government was taken in the best
interest of the cattle
industry. He is worried however, that whilst
addressing a meeting at Makala
kgotla in Bobonong yesterday, a lot of
farmers sounded confused about the
government's decision. "Farmers believe
that the government has taken the
best decision, but were just worried that
it will take a long time before
the area sells to the EU market. "Some were
saying that the animals should
have been killed and eliminated the disease
in order to speed their chances
of selling to the EU market again," he says
about the confusion of the
farmers. He is equally worried about the fact
that some farmers are not
prepared to lose their animals. He believes that
the majority of the farmers
are satisfied with the final position adopted by
government of not killing.
"I don't think they will seek to change this
decision although some of them
seem to be so confused about it. From the
meeting, some of them were even
insisting that the government should impose
stringent measures in
controlling the disease". Ofentse says farmers are
worried by the fact that
they are going to keep low value cattle, which will
not help them at all.
Bobirwa MP, Shaw Kgathi says the decision to vaccinate
cattle is most
welcome because it is a considerate decision that is
people-centred. "A cost
benefit analysis of killing or not to kill was done
before arriving at this
decision. Killing will bring total extinction of the
herd in the area. A
large herd of over 100 000 cattle is too much to kill,"
says Kgathi. He
hopes that in three years or so, the area will be able to
recover from FMD.
"The electric cordon fence provides a permanent solution
especially given
the situation of FMD in Zimbabwe". On the whole, Kgathi was
happy about the
decision and insists that the cost of keeping the livestock
is more
reasonable than that of pleasing the EU market and then leaving the
country
overburdened. Botswana Congress Party (BCP) secretary general, Taolo
Lucas,
who is also from Bobirwa, says FMD issue should be viewed in a
broader
sense. "It should never be localised as this is an issue that badly
affects
Botswana and Zimbabwe relations," he points out. Lucas argues that
as long
as Zimbabwe is given free reign in the SADC region, the Batswana are
going
to live with FMD forever. He holds government's silent diplomacy to be
responsible for Bobirwa farmers' woes. "Even if cattle were killed in
Bobirwa for a just cause, I would still regard that as an exercise in
futility as we will still have FMD at a later stage coming from Zimbabwe,"
he says. Taolo challenges government for its tendency to 'lie' as all the
time he says he has strongly believed that the cordon fence at the border
with Zimbabwe in Bobirwa is electrified. "As long as the fence is not
electrified with a high power voltage, this will not help the situation. We
can't concentrate on whether to kill or not, when there are other issues to
grapple with". His feeling is that once the fence is electrified, it can do
its job effectively and efficiently. Lucas asserts that as long as the
"delinquent Zimbabwe" does not strengthen movement of livestock from its
side, then Botswana's troubles are far from over". "We need to address this
matter squarely and fairly without any fear," he said.
Mmegi
RYDER GABATHUSE
Staff Writer
5/12/2006 3:00:02 PM (GMT +2)
FRANCISTOWN:
After evading police for more than a week, a 46-year-old
Mathangwane farmer
was last week arrested and charged for illegally
importing cattle from
Zimbabwe. Police will not give his name before he goes
to court. Francistown
police told Mmegi yesterday that the man was arrested
last Saturday along
the Francistown-Matsiloje road following a tip-off. "He
was a passenger in a
motor-vehicle that was bound to the border village of
Matsiloje," confirmed
acting station commander for central police station,
Assistant
Superintendent, Kevin Mookodi.
Initial police investigations
have so far confirmed fears of some
border villagers that cross-border
cattle rustling was rampant along the
Botswana-Zimbabwe border. "What we
have gathered so far is that originally,
the majority of the cattle that we
found kraaled between the Monarch estate
and the Dumela Industrial site,
were stolen in Plumtree, Zimbabwe," said
Mookodi. The police said cattle
owners from Plumtree have started claiming
their cattle stolen from
Zimbabwe. Following a tip-off last week Tuesday,
the police were able to
round up about 35 young oxen yearlings, one bull and
seven cows bearing a
mixture of Botswana and Zimbabwe brand marks. About 65
were impounded.
Yesterday morning, Mookodi reported that at least one person
was able to
positively identify his goats. He indicated that it was
difficult to
identify goats because they don't have brand marks. The police
were worried
that cattle rustlers continue to cut the cordon fence along the
border to
illegally import stolen animals into Botswana. "I can't precisely
say where
the fence is continuously cut, but it is cut to allow easy passage
of the
stolen animals," he said. Although a holding charge of illegal
importation
of cattle has been preferred against the Mathangwane farmer,
Mookodi warned
that the suspect might also face a charge of stock theft if
it emerges that
some of the cattle at his kraal were stolen locally. The
farmer, who is
currently in custody, has joined a Zimbabwean illegal
immigrant whom he
employed to herd the stolen animals. The illegal
importation of the animals
comes at a time when the Botswana government is
still grappling with the
control of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the
Bobirwa area which shares the
border with Zimbabwe. Sources say that the
recent price increase per unit of
40 percent by the Botswana's beef
exporting Botswana Meat Commission (BMC)
abattoirs could have worsened
illegal cattle dealings across the border.
Officer Commanding Police Number
15 district, Senior Superintendent Foreman
Baganetswe, last week suspected
that cattle rustlers could be targeting
Botswana's beef market as the prices
are better off compared to across the
border. "We think these people steal
cattle from Botswana, take them to
Zimbabwe and then re-sell them," he
suspected. The police are hopeful that
the cases they are currently pursuing
will help them to get to the bottom of
the problem of cattle rustling and
possibly undo the syndicates that have
eluded them in the past.