Announcement on outstanding GPA issues postponed

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
15 May 2009

The eagerly awaited statement about the talks to resolve the remaining
issues in the Global Political Agreement, has been postponed to a later
date. The principals had been scheduled to issue a statement on Friday.

SW Radio Africa is reliably informed that the principals are still sharply
divided over the appointments of Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono and
Attorney General Johannes Tomana.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's spokesman, James Maridadi,
confirmed to us that 'nothing was going to come out from the
principals today (Friday)'. This is despite assurances by Tsvangirai this
week that a statement would be made on Friday.

'I am afraid there is not going to be anything today,' Maridadi said without
elaborating.

Reports of a stalemate in the talks will not come as a surprise to most
Zimbabweans and to many in the MDC, who feel their party is being completely
sidelined by Robert Mugabe. An MDC insider told us there is a general
feeling of 'disgruntlement' in the party because of the long time it is
taking to resolve the outstanding issues, that are so negatively affecting
the country.

The decision making body of the party is meeting on Sunday in Masvingo to
discuss the inclusive government. The party insider told us 'there would be
fireworks' in Masvingo because of a general consensus of disillusionment in
the party.

'Already there is a combative mood among the party faithful, from top to
bottom. The situation is dicey because there are strong sentiments that the
party is being taken for a ride by Mugabe,' our insider said.

'The general membership of the party is asking; are we coming or going. And
if we are going, where to? People are saying we have given the principals
enough time but nothing has happened. In any negotiation there is a cut off
point. People cannot talk forever,' he added.

The MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti last week gave an ultimatum to Mugabe,
Tsvangirai and Mutambara to resolve all outstanding issues of the GPA by
this past Monday.

This ultimatum signalled the growing frustration with the inclusive
government, which is affecting the country's economic and social problems.

'Look all of us are getting poorer by the day because of the unresolved
issues. But that ultimatum by Biti was not a bluff. The man was not
bluffing, just wait for Sunday and you will see what he meant,' our insider
said.

In the past three weeks Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara have met eight
times to try to deal with the sticking points. All the time, they have
failed to agree, as daily it becomes clearer that Mugabe is determined to
hold on to all the reins of power.

Lawyer released from police custody

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=16576

May 15, 2009

By Our Correspondent

HARARE - Human rights lawyer Alec Muchadehama has been released from police
custody after spending a night detained at Braeside Police Station on
charges of obstructing the course of justice.

Muchadehama appeared before Harare magistrate Archie Wochiunga on Friday
afternoon who granted him US$100 bail and remanded him to May 28, 2009.

He was also ordered to report once every Friday at the Harare Central Police's
Law and Order division, to continue residing at his known address and not to
interfere with witnesses.

Muchadehama was adamant he would not relent from doing his work saying the
State had now resorted to cheap intimidation tactics on human rights
defenders.

"They are adopting a cheap way of trying to destroy the lawyers' work but it
is not going to work," he said.

"They have clearly demonstrated that there is no rule of law in Zimbabwe.
The charges are totally meaningless. People should continue fighting for the
restoration of the rule of law in Zimbabwe."

Beatrice Mtetwa, one of the lawyers representing Muchadehama, implored the
all inclusive government, made up of Zanu-PF and the two Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) parties, to prevail on the continued harassment of
human rights defenders.

"We believe that this is a continued harassment of human rights defenders
and that this is what we are hoping that the government of national unity
will address," said Mtetwa.

"Clearly when lawyers, clerks , magistrates, prosecutors are being arrested
on a day to day basis for doing their work that has a chilling effect on
other human rights defenders.

"It clearly is intimidation; it means that we will not be able to do our
work as we are supposed to."

The MDC on Thursday also condemned the arrest of Muchadehama, who has
defended party activists over a long period of time.

The MDC described his arrest as politically motivated and the work of
hardliners in President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF still opposed to the unity
government.

Muchadehama was seized by police details from Harare's Law and Order
division on Thursday morning.

He is being charged under Section 184 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law
Codification and Reform Act.

Police say he connived with High Court judge Muchineripi Bhunu's clerk,
Constance Gambara on April 17, 2009 to improperly release three of his
clients who were seeking their release on bail.

The three MDC activists, Gandhi Mudzingwa and Kimimusi Dhlamini together
with journalist Andrisson Manyere, are part of a group of 16 MDC and human
rights activists being accused of trying to overthrow Mugabe's government.

The three were on April 9, 2009 granted bail by the High Court after
spending four months in remand prison.

But the Attorney General opposed their release after invoking a law which
allows it to freeze any High Court ruling while seeking permission through
the same court to channel its appeal to the Supreme Court.

The Attorney General is given seven days to seek leave to appeal shot of
which the order being appealed against becomes activated.

After the seven days had lapsed, Muchadehama approached the High Court to
secure the release of the accused persons who were released but rearrested
four days later.

The State argued that the intervening Easter holidays should not have been
counted among the seven days granted to it.

Muchadehama was assisted by Gambara to have the warrant of liberation papers
signed.

Gambara was arrested last week and is currently detained in remand prison on
alleged criminal abuse of public office.

However, the three accused persons were eventually granted bail on Wednesday
following a fresh bail application on changed circumstances.

Muchadehama's arrest follows that of two Zimbabwe Independent journalists
who were also being accused of publishing names of security agents
apparently linked to the abduction of the activists last year.

Tsvangirai stopped from attending State House function

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Violet Gonda
14 May 2009

Last month National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) leaders reported they had
been blocked in their attempts to see the Prime Minister, by security
details at his Munhumutapa offices, despite having been invited by Mr
Tsvangirai himself.  The Prime Minister sent his private secretary to
confirm that Dr Lovemore Madhuku and his team were his guests, but they were
still turned away by the security agents. The NCA leadership drove off but
were called back by Constitutional Minister Eric Matinenga, who told them
that Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe had been called in to intervene.
At the time NCA Director Ernest Mudzengi said when they finally saw the
Prime Minister he acknowledged that on a daily basis his visitors undergo
harassment and he was trying to stop this.
This week another incident has occurred, which exposes the fact that the
Prime Minister is still not being accorded the respect he deserves. A
delegation from North Korea is visiting Zimbabwe and Mugabe held a state
banquet in their honour.

Although Tsvangirai had an invitation to attend the banquet he was forced to
make a u-turn when he arrived at the State House for the event. His
spokesperson James Maridadi said the guards denied him entry, because one of
his security cars had not been cleared.

Maridadi said the Prime Minister refused to go in without part of his
motorcade and went back home. Maridadi said: "The Prime Minister was driving
into (State House) and one of his lead vehicles was said to be unregistered
by those who were manning the entrance, and they said this vehicle would not
go through on account that it was not registered. So as a matter of
principle the Prime Minister said in that case I might as well make a u-turn
and go back home."

No one else had problems getting into State House, including other cabinet
ministers from the MDC-T.

One observer said it's incomprehensible that the MDC ministers did not walk
out in solidarity with their leader: "When the MDC crowd heard that Morgan
Tsvangirai was shut out they should have left the dinner in midstream, but
shockingly sat through the entire charade."

Since the issue happened at the gate it is possible that the MDC ministers
may not have known what had happened. We tried to get clarity on this from
James Maridadi, but he said he couldn't comment on other MDC officials as he
is only the spokesperson for Mr Tsvangirai. We then called MDC spokesperson
and Information Minister Nelson Chamisa, but he said he couldn't comment as
he is not the spokesperson for the government or for Mr. Tsvangirai.

Zimbabweans have not forgotten the Gukurahundi, that saw the massacre of at
least 20 000 people from the Matabeleland and Midlands regions, and the role
the North Koreans played in training Mugabe's 5th Brigade involved in the
attacks.

Many observers have criticised the fact that the MDC even considered
attending an event for the North Koreans. Political commentator Glen Mpani
said: "It's just mind-boggling why the MDC decided to sanitise the visit of
such a controversial delegation, whose record on good governance is very
poor. The MDC's constituency in Matabeleland was victim of the product of
the Koreans. What message is it sending to them? Sadly once again under the
guise of working together, the party is condoning the 80s brutal acts and
impunity, and dining with the devil."

MDC finance plan angers cash hungry ZANU P

http://www.swradioafrica.com

F
By Alex Bell
15 May 2009

The financial future of Zimbabwe, which is being carefully planned by the
Finance Ministry headed by the MDC, is reportedly adding more fuel to the
fire of animosity between the party and ZANU PF.

The Ministry, which inherited empty coffers and a rotten international
reputation for corruption from the Robert Mugabe regime, has been fighting a
losing battle to secure direct cash investment in the government. Donor
countries have demanded that real change be evident in Zimbabwe before
investing, and have understandably held back funds in the face of ongoing
violations of the Global Political Agreement. So far, only credit line
pledges to support the private sector have been made, while international
donor governments have only funnelled cash directly to aid groups battling
the humanitarian crisis.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti is now set to launch a new campaign to mobilise
donor funds through structures that are not part of the government, which
still has Mugabe and his cronies in top positions. The Finance Minister last
week met with donors on the path to creating a Multi-Donor Trust Fund to
mobilise donor aid under the 'Humanitarian-Plus' initiative; an initiative
that will see aid not being limited to humanitarian needs but will also not
extend as far as development assistance.

The Fund will be driven and controlled by the MDC led Finance Ministry,
along with the World Bank, African Development Bank and the United Nations
Development Programme, and will completely exclude the involvement of ZANU
PF. Biti has also proposed a 'focal unit' within his Ministry, which will
receive and coordinate donor funding while the Trust Fund is being
established.  The plan is now reportedly causing anger among ministers in
Mugabe's party, who believe the MDC is trying to 'hijack' the unity
government by creating a financial centre of power, separate from the
government.

South African based economist Luke Zunga explained on Friday that ZANU PF
"does not want this unity deal to succeed and they will do all they can to
see it fail." He argued that the party will continue to 'frustrate' any
process that will see the MDC become successful, saying ZANU PF would rather
"lay the blame of the failure of the unity government at the MDC's feet."

Ironically, when forming the unity government, MDC control of the Finance
Ministry was one of the first concessions made by Mugabe, because of the
party's probability in securing cash injections in the government.

But Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai himself has admitted that ZANU PF
hardliners within the government are intent on seeing the unity deal fail.

"I Am Not Going Anywhere" - Gono

http://www.radiovop.com

HARARE,May 15,2009- Reserve Bank chief Gideon Gono met and threatened
senior central bank employees whom he accuses of working with externals to
oust him as the governor, a senior RBZ official told Radio VOP.

The threats by Gono comes at the time when an International Monetary
Fund (IMF) technical team is expected in the country on Monday.
"The central bank governor met divisional heads today (Friday) and
threatened them with unspecified action accusing them of working to oust
him,"said a senior RBZ official.
According to the official,Gono said: "Some of you are working with
some individuals outside the bank to remove me.I am not going anywhere I am
still the governor.If the IMF team comes no-one will meet them without my
approval."
Gono according to the sources declared that 'the war has just begun'
and vowed no-one will ever remove him from his post.
The central bank chief stands accused of printing money unchecked
causing hyper-inflation when the country was still using the Zimbabwean
dollar as the main currency.
The IMF says the central bank books must be audited and have already
recommended the removal of Gono for poorly running the central bank causing
the hyper-inflation and economic woes the country has been facing in the
past six years.
However, Gono has defended himself saying he was printing money to
invest in the farm mechanisation programme to assist resettled farmers.
Zimbabwe political leaders in the inclusive government President
Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai are expected to announce
the resolutions of the outstanding issues in the Global Political Agreement.
Mugabe has already said that Gono will not leave his post at the
central bank while the Movement for Democratic Change has been calling for
his removal.
According to the GPA the country's principals are to consult each
other on the appointment of senior government officials that include the
permanent secretaries,ambassadors, the attorney general and the governor of
the central bank.

Two more MP's suspended by Mutambara MDC

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
15 May 2009

After suspending 3 MP's and another 3 officials last week, the Mutambara MDC
have moved to suspend a further 2 MP's this week, on allegations of
undermining the reputation of the party and its leadership. Bulilima East MP
Norman Mpofu, Nkayi West MP Abednico Bhebhe and Lupane North legislator
Njabuliso Mguni, along with national youth chairman Gift Nyandoro, white
commercial farmer Alex Goosen and former St Mary's MP Job Sikhala, were the
first to get suspension letters. Hardly before the dust settled on that
issue Gwanda North MP Zinti Mnkandla and Tsholotsho South lawmaker Maxwell
Dube were summoned to answer similar charges of plotting to oust the
leadership.

For a party with only 10 legislators in parliament many analysts are
surprised the party can risk attempting to sack 5 of its MP's. Although
under a power sharing deal the Mutambara MDC can have by-elections to
replace its MP's, those removed are allowed to run as independent candidates
since none of the other parties, ZANU PF and the Tsvangirai MDC, can field
candidates for the by-elections. There is also a risk the other major
parties can support an independent candidate of their choice who will vote
with them in parliament. All these considerations are probably weighing
heavily on party president Arthur Mutambara and his deputy Gibson Sibanda,
who reportedly clashed with Secretary General Welshman Ncube over the
matter.

Acrimony in the camp is said to be high, with the Zimbabwe Independent
newspaper reporting that Ncube threatened to quit the party if the officials
were not suspended. Although Mutambara and Sibanda wanted the charges
dropped, Ncube's position was pushed through with support from his deputy,
Priscillah Misihairabwi-Mushonga and treasurer-general Fletcher Dulini
Ncube. Suspended national youth chairman Gift Nyandoro told Newsreel there
was confusion in the party since they never held meetings. He claimed his
suspension came as a surprise, since he quit the party 14 months ago and
could not be suspended from an organization he was no longer a member of. 'I
thought the letter was an April fool's joke' he told us.

ZLHR concern over delay in cases-ACHPR

MISA-Zimbabwe Communiqué

15 May 2009

Concern over ACHPR delays in considering cases

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) on 14 May 2009 expressed
serious concern over the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights's
(ACHPR) delays in considering cases brought before the Commission.

In a joint statement with the International Centre on Legal Protection
(Interights) and Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa
(IHRDA), during the ongoing 45th Ordinary Session of the ACHPR in Banjul,
The Gambia, ZLHR regional manager Kucaca Phulu, noted that in some instances
it took between four to seven years for the Commission to consider pending
cases.

"We appreciate the constraints faced by the Commission covering a vast
continent of 53 diverse countries. However, the current delays are of
serious concern. Victims of human rights violations wait too long for a
decision from the Commission to validate their rights.

"Receiving a decision in his or her favour is an important aspect of redress
for all who have suffered human rights violations. However, where the victim
of human rights violations has to wait an extra six years for the
Commission's decision, this aspect of the remedy is negated," he said.

Among the cases that have been pending without being finalised by the
Commission for years is the joint communication filed by MISA-Zimbabwe, ZLHR
and the Independent Journalists Association of Zimbabwe (IJAZ) challenging a
number of sections of the repressive Access to Information and Protection of
Privacy Act (AIPPA).

MISA-Zimbabwe, ZLHR and IJAZ allege that provisions requiring registration
and accreditation of the media sector by the state appointed Media and
Information Commission are inconsistent with Article 9 of the African
Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights which guarantees the right to freedom
of expression.

Other cases before the Commission include that of the Associated Newspapers
of Zimbabwe (ANZ) publishers of the banned Daily News and Daily News on
Sunday; Capital Radio; and that of journalist Andrew Meldrum.

Phulu said the Commission should maintain firm adherence to its demand for
prompt responses in terms of the rules of procedure by both complainants and
states parties and take appropriate action where this is not done.

He cited the case of communication 251/02 Lawyers for Human Rights vs
Swaziland where the Commission exercised its power to make a decision when
the Swazi government failed to file its submission on the merits. "This must
be commended and we urge that a similar approach be taken in similar cases,"
he said.

He said the final draft of the revised rules of procedure should provide for
speedy hearing of communications and this could be expedited by allowing for
the composition of a panel of three Commissioners to deal with admissibility
decisions. He said there was also need for the appointment of a Commissioner
to deal with urgent requests for provisional measures in the inter-session
period of the ACHPR.

The process that cases taken to the ACHPR undergo is three-pronged and
begins at the Seizure stage, which entails presenting the matter before the
Commission. At the seizure process, there is need to prove that the
respondent state is signatory to the African Charter on Human and Peoples'
Rights, and that the state has violated provisions of the Charter.

The second stage is the Admissibility stage. At this stage the ACHPR
declares a case admissible where the applicant has proved that domestic
remedies do not exist, have been exhausted or are not working. In Zimbabwe's
three cases, all the matters went to the Zimbabwe's highest court, the
Supreme Court, signifying exhaustion of domestic remedies.

The final stage is when all the involved parties argue the Merits of the
matters in question.

For more information please contact:

The Assistant Programmes Officer

Koliwe Nyoni

Media Institute of Southern Africa- Zimbabwe Chapter

Women Call for Truth, Justice and Reconciliation

http://www.ipsnews.net

By Ntandoyenkosi Ncube

JOHANNESBURG, May 15 (IPS) - Women's rights groups have urged the
establishment of a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission in Zimbabwe
as part of bringing to justice people who committed human rights
violations - including sexual abuse against women - during the run-up to a
second-round presidential vote in June 2008.

Zimbabwe witnessed some of its worst-ever political violence after
then-opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai failed to achieve the margin
required to take power in a first round of balloting. Tsvangirai eventually
pulled out of the June ballot, citing state-sponsored attacks against his
supporters, leaving incumbent president Robert Mugabe as sole candidate.

The election was widely condemned, and a political stalemate was eventually
resolved when rival parties signed a Global Political Agreement (GPA)
establishing a government of national unity.

"Any transitional process will not be effective unless it addresses the
issues raised by those affected. Attempts of national healing and
reconciliation without (justice) provide a short-lived remedy to conflict,"
said Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) chair Emilia Muchawa.

WCoZ also called on Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders to
pressure the unity government of Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
to uphold a regional protocol on gender.

SADC heads of state and government signed the protocol on gender and
development in Johannesburg in 2008. The protocol represents a significant
commitment to the empowerment of women, the elimination of discrimination
and the achievement of gender equality and equity.

Muchawa was speaking at the launch in Johannesburg of a documentary on
violence against women in Zimbabwe on May 13. The documentary, titled "Hear
Us - Zimbabwean Women Affected by Political Violence Speak Out" was launched
with an accompanying report titled, "Putting it Right: Addressing Human
Rights Violations Against Zimbabwean Women".

The film gives detailed accounts and footage of how women were beaten,
tortured and raped during the violence that engulfed Zimbabwe before the
June vote.

Widespread sexual violence

Women's groups estimate that more than 2000 women may have been raped
between May and June last year.

In one of the most painful moments captured in the documentary a woman
identified only as Memory recounts how she was gang-raped by militia from
Mugabe's ZANU-PF party at torture camp in rural Zimbabwe.

"When I arrived at the base, they removed all my clothes and I was raped by
three men, one after the other," Memory says in the documentary. She added
that after the rape she attempted to file a report with the police who
however declined to accept her statement.

"We are not dealing with political violence cases. The time will come when
we will deal with them," Memory recollects one police officer telling her.

The documentary was produced by the WCoZ working in collaboration with the
Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU), a non-governmental organisation based in
Harare working on providing specialist assistance in research and advocacy
in the field of human rights, democracy and governance.

Women have been calling on parties to the inclusive government to institute
a truth and reconciliation commission, TRC, similar to that set up in South
Africa to expose apartheid-era crimes, to examine the violence before and
after the president run-off.

"We urge the Zimbabwean government to incorporate all signed human rights
instruments relating to women into domestic law; particularly the SADC
Protocol on Gender and Development. Also we urge the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) to ensure the Zimbabwe government implements
the GPA and the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development'," said Kudakwashe
Chitsike, a women rights activist with RAU.

Will the call be heeded?

Reached by phone in Harare for his response to the call for a truth and
reconciliation commission, Zimbabwe Justice Minister and Zanu-PF chief
negotiator Patrick Chinamasa told IPS, "In that regards we (unity
government) have set-up an Organ of National Healing headed by three
ministers from all parties, Minister John Nkomo (ZANU-PF), Minister Sekai
Holland (MDC-T) and Minister Gibson Sibanda (MDC-M).

"These ministers are working on all issues related to Justice,
Reconciliation and national healing. And it will be up them to see if such a
commission is necessary or not. We will hear from them."

Holland, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's office responsible
for National Healing and Reconciliation told IPS, "We are going to do what
the people of Zimbabwe want. They will tell us what they want us to do and
we will do it. If they are demanding reconciliation commission that brings
to trial individuals who committed human rights offenses we are going to set
it up."

WCoZ called on SADC, which brokered the GPA, to pressure the Harare
government to implement the power-sharing agreement in full including
clauses underpinning women's rights.

"We urge the Zimbabwean government to adhere to the GPA particularly by;
returning to the rule of law, bringing all the perpetrators of violence to
book, ensure that there is no discrimination based on gender.", Muchawa
said.

The women's coalition emphasises that regional governments should also lean
on Harare to incorporate the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development into
Zimbabwean law.

HIV-positive nurses go it alone

Photo: Obinna Anyadike/IRIN

LESO's volunteers provide home-based care to chronically ill patients

HARARE, 15 May 2009 (PlusNews) - For the past year, Olive Mutabeni's home in Chitungwiza, a low-income suburb 20km outside Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital, has been the makeshift centre of operations for the Life Empowerment Support Organisation (LESO).

After 23 years as a nurse in the public health sector, most recently as the coordinator of prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) services at Chitungwiza Central Hospital, Mutabeni quit her job and started LESO to provide the sick and elderly in her community with emotional, medical and practical support. Four other nurses soon joined her.

"I feel I can achieve more here than at the hospital because I can spend more time with the people," she told IRIN/PlusNews.

Her daughter's bedroom was turned into a counselling room; an outbuilding next to the house became an office; the front yard became a meeting place for support groups and a training venue for income-generating projects.

"We've got 300 people with HIV who come here for support groups," Mutabeni said. "We're also teaching people how to grow mushrooms and how to make vaseline and shoe polish."

Zimbabwe's public health facilities were starved of resources, drugs and equipment for years, but a health worker strike that began in November 2008 shut them down completely for several months.

Although Chitungwiza Central Hospital has reopened, HIV-positive patients needing to start antiretroviral (ARV) treatment join a six-month waiting list, and various drugs for treating opportunistic infections are still out of stock.

ARVs are donor-funded, but many of LESO's clients, like Beatrice Shaba*, cannot afford the hospital fees for blood tests and other drugs. "I'm on ARVs, but I'm in trouble now because I need another CD4 count and I don't have the cash," she told IRIN/PlusNews.

Shaba used to support her entire family through her job as a sales representative, but her husband died from an AIDS-related illness in 1998 and a few years later she lost her sight to meningitis. "I can't do anything anymore," she said. "People don't understand how I can have nothing when I've been working all along, but I exhausted my savings when caring for my husband."

LESO is not funded; its volunteers are unpaid and can give clients little more than over-the-counter pain killers, but people have been flocking to Mutabeni's house since the organisation opened its doors in March 2008. They get a sympathetic ear and advice from trained nurses and counsellors, two of whom are living with HIV themselves.

Mutabeni discovered her HIV positive status after testing to set an example for her patients, and Rosa Mufunde, LESO's HIV/AIDS officer and clinical manager, started routinely testing for HIV after her husband was diagnosed with the virus. A test she took in 2007 came back positive. "I want people to know that nurses are HIV positive and helping people," she told IRIN/PlusNews.

Among the people they have helped are HIV-positive Erica Sakuhwehwe and her brother, Almighty, who was paralyzed by a neurological syndrome. Erica's partner left when she became sick last year, and she now feeds and cares for her four children, as well as Almighty, on her own.

"At times I cannot lift him or push his wheelchair; my health is not 100 percent," she said. But she regularly pushes Almighty's wheelchair over potholed roads to get to LESO, because "the counselling is so helpful for both of us."

Read more:

The long road to recovery

What price a CD4 count?

Neglected health crisis on farms

Mutabeni would like to do more for her clients. "Many people want to test [for HIV] here, but we can't; we're professional counsellors but we don't have test kits; we're limited by funding and the space is getting too small. Here in Zimbabwe, [donors] don't recognise small organisations like us."

*Not her real name

Deputy Information Minister Jameson Timba on BTH