SABC NEWS
May 30 2010 ,
11:36:00
Zimbabwean Stephen Muzhingi has won his second consecutive Comrades Marathon.
Muzhingi clocked in at a time of 5h:29min. About 20 000 runners started the race
in Pietermaritzburg to Durban, at 05:30 this morning. This year's race was a
down run with more than 6 000 novices taking to the road for the very first
time.
Russian twins and defending champions Elena and Olesya Nurhalieva
were the first women to cross the line at the finish of this year Comrades
Marathon in Durban. Elena crossed the line first followed by her twin-sister
Olesya. They too, just like Muzhingi who won the men's race, failed to break
their last year's record.
International and local runners taking part in
this year's marathon have put a smile on the faces of pupils from Ethembeni
School for the disabled near Inchanga in KwaZulu-Natal. Learners at the school,
situated on the route of the race, lined the road on crutches and in
wheelchairs, cheering the runners. More than R150 000 and running shoes were
donated to the school.
“This year we have received a lot of sponsorship through comrades. We got R50 000 from the Rocky Runners Club, they always give us something every year and on Friday, a group of international runners stopped at the school and they gave us over R100 000. We also received a lot of running shoes and clothing from the international runners and from the local runners as well, which is very encouraging,” says the school's spokesperson, Nombuso Gumbi.
Donations welcomed
Gumbi added that the donations and sponsorships of this nature are very important for the running of the school.
Meanwhile, a female athlete was rushed to a Pietermaritzburg hospital after she fell at the start of the Comrades Marathon this morning. This after it took more than ten minutes for thousands of runners to exit the city.
Reports say that other runners stepped on her while they were trying to make their way through. Comrades Marathon Association spokesperson Craig Fry says the runner, from Bloemfontein broke her ankle.
ZIM
STANDARD
THE
Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) monitor, Abbey Chikane last week
made sensational revelations about how state security agents managed to open
his bag without his consent and photocopy some correspondencies, which were
later publicised through the state media.
Halfway through his visit which ended on Friday, Chikane came under fire from
government officials through the state media where he was accused of working
under instructions from the United States government.
The unnamed sources said on the basis of the emails, it would be difficult for
Chikane to present findings that would favour Zimbabwe
Chikane told journalists in Harare on Wednesday that when he came into the
country, “some naughty intelligent person” opened his bag and photocopied some
printouts of his emails.
Details of the emails went on to be published and broadcast in The Herald and
ZTV, respectively.
Senior government officials, including President Robert Mugabe, have since
spoken strongly against the KPCS, on the basis of those emails.
“In this particular case, what happened is that I had copies of emails in my
bag,” said Chikane, shortly after meeting members of the Parliamentary
Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy.
“The emails were photocopied by someone. They (the people who photocopied the
emails) basically copied and pasted the content from different email messages.
“These are messages from different countries — Canada, the European Union, and
even some African countries. . .
“But I think some naughty intelligent person decided to photocopy and make use
of the emails,” said Chikane.
It could not be established who could have opened Chikane’s bag, or whether he
had found the bag’s contents still intact afterwards.
Chikane said there was no way he could be influenced by one country when the
KPCS comprises 75 different countries.
“The Kimberley Process comprises of 75 different countries and these countries
do not necessarily agree on how things are done
. . . there are contending views on how things should be done,” said Chikane.
The KP monitor said there was nothing unusual about the emails, saying he
always gets different communications from people in different parts of the
world.
He dismissed claims that his itinerary was drafted by US government officials.
“My programme was drafted by myself, and approved by both the government of
Zimbabwe and the Kimberley Process,” added Chikane.
In one of the photocopied emails, US State Department special advisor on
conflict diamonds Brad Brooks-Rubin reportedly advised Chikane to “endeavour to
meet with the representatives of the Parliamentary Committee”, as well as civil
society organisations.
Chikane’s meeting with the committee on Wednesday, according to sources,
followed a conditional request by the monitor put to the Zimbabwe government
through the Minister of Mines, Obert Mpofu.
Chikane however said all the business he carried out in Zimbabwe was according
to the programme, which he developed himself and was approved by the government
of Zimbabwe.
The KPCS monitor’s visit reportedly attracted a lot of interest from state
security agents. On Thursday, the police in Mutare reportedly raided the
offices of the Centre for Research and Development (CRD), an organisation that
has exposed rights abuses at the Chiadzwa diamond fields in Marange.
After failing to locate the organisation’s director Farai Maguwu, the police
allegedly proceeded to his home, where they arrested his young brother, who
could not be immediately identified.
Two days earlier, Maguwu reportedly met with Chikane “and raised the
organisation’s concerns over the human rights violations”.
In a statement, rights group Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) said it “was also
established that the police officers took away some documents from the centre’s
offices”.
“It was not yet clear on which charges were the police holding on to Maguwu’s
young brother,” said the ZPP in a statement.
Attempts to get a comment from police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Wayne
Bvudzijena were fruitless as his mobile phone was not reachable.
But the ZPP said as of Friday, Maguwu’s whereabouts were still unknown.
BY VUSUMUZI SIFILE
PM Tsvangirai finds new love
Sunday, 30 May 2010 05:48
The Zim Standard
PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has found new love, The Standard can
exclusively reveal.
Close relatives and friends said the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
leader, who lost his first wife Susan in a car accident last year, is
reportedly seeing a Harare businesswoman Locadia Karimatsenga Tembo.
“They have been seeing each other for the past six or so months,” said a
close family friend.
“They love each other but the problem is that some party members are
determined to wreck the blossoming relationship.”
Sources said Tsvangirai and Tembo first met in South Africa at the OR Tambo
International Airport a few months ago and have since become “an item”.
The 38-year-old woman is a wealthy commodity-broker who supplies
commodities to several chain stores in Harare and South Africa.
She spends some of her time in South Africa where she owns a house.
In Harare, she owns a house in Greendale and is building another
state-of-the-art two-storey house in the leafy suburb of Greystone Park.
Tembo, who was once married to one Ben Muchedzi, has one child Tanaka (16)
from her previous marriage.
She could not be reached for comment as she was said to be in South Africa
on business the whole of last week.
But the PM’s spokesperson James Maridadi yesterday professed ignorance
about Tsvangirai’s new love interest.
“There are some elements who are taking advantage of the Prime Minister’s
unfortunate circumstance of being a bachelor at the age of 58 and are peddling
intelligent but morally disposable merchandise for no one’s benefit,” said
Maridadi.
“If any such a thing existed, I would be the first one to know. I deny it
categorically that it does exist.
“Nevertheless, when it comes to matters of the heart, the Prime Minister
has a private life like anyone else and we pray that that privacy be respected.”
Sources in the MDC said some party members are determined to see the
collapse of the relationship because Tembo is a blood sister to Zanu PF
legislator for Goromonzi Biata Beatrice Nyamupinga.
Other than that, said the sources, the Nyamupingas are also related to
Vice President Joice Mujuru.
Biata’s husband, Felix Nyamupinga, is Zimbabwe’s deputy Ambassador to
Australia.
“Some party members see the relationship as infiltration by Zanu PF and
this is why they are against it but others are saying the Prime Minister should
be allowed to choose a wife without other people’s interference,” said another
source.
Baita Nyamupinga yesterday said she had not been briefed about the
relationship.
“I don’t know about it,” she said. “I haven’t been told anything, that is,
if there is any truth in what you are saying.”
Another source said there have been several attempts by some senior
members in the MDC-T to link up Tsvangirai with Tembo but the MDC leader has
been hesitant.
“He (Tsvangirai) has been saying he would find a suitable wife when the
time comes. He is saying he is not in a hurry to do so because he wants to
concentrate on his political career for now.”
Some party members and Tsvangirai’s relatives want him to marry his late
wife’s sister Leah Mhundwa, who was made a care-taker mother to his six
children following the death of Susan.
A ceremony was held at Tsvangirai’s rural home in Buhera a few months ago
where he was introduced to his new “wife”.
Then Maridadi said the two were not in love.
“It is true that a ceremony was held at the weekend, but that ceremony is
not about Tsvangirai getting a wife. In Shona tradition, one year after the
death of a spouse there is a process of choosing a caretaker mother,” he said.
Under the custom, Mhundwa is expected to take care of Tsvangirai and his
children -- Edwin, Garikai, Vimbai, Rumbidzai and twins Milicent and Vincent.
The practice is known as kumutsa
mapfihwa which literally means restoring hearth stones. In Shona when a woman
dies the hearth stones in her kitchen are said to have fallen.
According to the tradition, the widower is given a young lady from his
wife’s family to marry and hence restore the hearth stones..
Inter-party marriages are not new in the MDC. A senior member of the MDC
and Speaker of Parliament Lovemore Moyo is married to Sithembiso Nyoni’s
daughter.
Nyoni is a Zanu PF politburo member and a former minister in President
Robert Mugabe’s government.
BY CAIPHAS CHIMHETE AND SANDRA MANDIZVIDZA
Sunday, 30 May 2010 06:37
BULAWAYO — Government has
abandoned Operation Maguta/Inala as it moves ahead to implement
short-to-long-term drought mitigation strategies following crop assessments by
three ministries revealing that over 205 000 households face starvation this
year.
President Robert Mugabe in 2005 launched the command agriculture under the
military arguing that the move was aimed at ensuring food security and a
surplus for export.
The operation failed to end food
shortages in the country with analysts saying the targets were missed primarily
due to lack of inputs and poor planning on the part of government.
The operation was also riddled
with corruption and several MPs implicated in the scam have been hauled before
the courts.
However, several MDC-T MPs have
been acquitted after the courts found that only Zanu PF legislators were
properly briefed about conditions for accessing inputs.
Zanu PF MPs are yet to stand
trial.
Sources say recent crop assessments by the Prime Minister’s office, Agriculture
Ministry and the Labour and Social Welfare Ministry were unanimous that
Operation Maguta was a monumental failure.
Gorden Moyo, the Minister of
State in the PM’s office, on Thursday confirmed that the operation had been
scrapped.
“Operation Maguta/Inala is not
part of the drought mitigation measures for the short-to-long term,” Moyo said
in an interview on Thursday.
Moyo said crop assessments by
government ministries reveal that over 205 000 households in Matabeleland
South, Midlands, Manicaland, Masvingo are faced with hunger owing to poor
harvests.
“Government is going to move
grain from areas of food surplus to areas of deficit,” he said.
“We will also work with donors to
provide food for the needy areas and also implement public works programmes
where villagers work for food.
“On a long-term basis, government
is putting in place irrigation schemes in drought-prone areas. . .we would want
to ensure that people do not starve.”
During Operation Maguta irrigation schemes were under the control of the army.
The United Nations Food and
Agriculture Organisation (FAO) assessment report released recently urged the
government to start emergency food relief programmes to areas worst affected by
crop failure to mitigate any food deficits.
The Finance ministry has already
released US$3,5 million to the Grain Marketing Board in an attempt to buy grain
and set aside over 500 000 metric tonnes strategic grain reserves to be availed
to communities needing emergency food aid.
Another round of food shortages
is a big blow to the inclusive government formed last year that was hoping to
put an end to the perennial food shortages that began at the turn of the
millennium.
President Mugabe has blamed
unkind weather conditions and drought for the resultant food shortages that
have seen the country rely on international food aid efforts.
Experts however say despite
drought, the new farmers who benefited from the land reform scheme in 2000 lack
the requisite farming skills, which has seen them failing to produce enough to
feed the nation.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
The Standard
Saturday, 22 May 2010 20:23
THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) has stopped a
Harare car dealer from disposing of 75 cars as part of investigations into
allegations that the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe did not pay duty for imported
cars.
Imperial Motors has been a regular supplier of cars to
State House, RBZ, the President’s Office, the army, the police, the Zimbabwe
Electoral Commission and other government departments.
The RBZ bought numerous cars as part of the central
bank’s quasi-fiscal activities, which have since been stopped by the inclusive
government.
Some of the unmarked vehicles were allegedly used in Zanu
PF’s terror campaign, which MDC-T says left about 200 of its supporters dead
and displaced thousands others.
According to documents seen by The Standard, Zimra is now
investigating all the cars that were imported by RBZ through Imperial Motors,
which also trades as AJ Motorcentre in Harare.
In a letter written to RBZ Governor Gideon Gono
(pictured) on Thursday last week Imperial Motors chief executive officer, Ajit
Patel said they had had several visits by Zimra officials who had placed an
embargo on 75 vehicles imported by Imperial Motors.
“The ZIMRA officials have not given any reason as to why
they have placed an embargo on our vehicles but much of their research and
audit is focused on vehicles sold to the RBZ” read the letter.
“We have had many contracts with RBZ and these contracts
are based on the nature that Imperial Motors are only facilitating the RBZ purchases
of vehicles by carrying out the logistics and documentation for the vehicles,”
Patel said Zimra officials had also impounded their files
and records.
“I have given all records as to my understanding that
every transaction with the RBZ is and was above board,” he said.
“I suggest therefore Honourable Governor that Zimra
approaches the RBZ directly for any queries in regards to these imports as all
documentation has been handed over to your transport team.
“This will enable us to concentrate on our core business
and be treated with respect and not as mere criminals as our company has acted
in good faith to support our government.”
RBZ governor Gideon Gono was not available for comment
yesterday but a senior official who requested anonymity confirmed the raids by
Zimra.
“I can confirm we did receive reports of such raids but
we are yet to receive any formal communication from Zimra itself,” he said.
“We stand ready to find out what really it is Zimra is
looking for as it would be unfortunate for many hours to be spending in
unwilled witch-hunts, which are non- productive.
“It is time that we focus more on finding solutions to
current challenges than seeking to find every possible excuse to incriminate
one another where there are absolutely no issues at all.”
But Robson Mhandu, the Zimra spokesperson Robson Mhandu
dismissed allegations that the move was a witch-hunt targeting the RBZ
governor.
“Those are just allegations and lies, Zimra only deals
with clients who import cars and check if they are meeting all the requirements
and have paid what is due to the Zimbabwean government,” he said.
“We don’t even check who the person is, if someone is
importing things he should pay regardless of how big the person is.”
RBZ property worth millions of dollars has been auctioned
by creditors over the past months after the central bank failed to service
overdue debts.
BY SANDRA MANDIZVIDZA
The Standard
Saturday, 22 May 2010 20:37
FORMER St Mary’s legislator Job Sikhala (pictured) who
was arrested on Friday for launching his MDC99 party without informing the
police is now facing additional charges of insulting President Robert
Mugabe.
Sikhala is accused of breaching sections of the notorious
Public Order and Security Act (Posa) and will spend this weekend in custody at
Harare Central Police Station Law and Order section where new charges were
preferred against him.
His lawyer Tawanda Chakabva of Hwenda and Associates said
Sikhala, who had initially been released into his custody, was re-arrested
yesterday on another charge which he was not at liberty to reveal.
“Mr Sikhala was released into my custody yesterday and we
were told to report to Waterfalls police station,” said Chakabva. “However,
when we went there the police took us to Harare Central Police Station’s Law
and Order section where he is currently detained.”
He said Sikhala was arrested together with the party’s
secretary for local government and national housing Taurai Magaya and Aaron
Muzungu, the secretary for information and publicity.
Chakabva said the police searched Sikhala’s Chitungwiza
home. In a statement, MDC99 said the officers said they were searching for
weapons.
“The party wishes to inform you that armed police raided
our president’s house in St Mary’s this morning around 1am. They said they were
looking for arms of war kept there.”
Police spokesperson Oliver Mandipaka referred all
questions to Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena who was not answering his
mobile phone.
“Talk to Bvudzijena he is the one who was dealing with
that particular matter,” said Mandipaka. “I don’t have any information.”
While launching his party earlier this month, Sikhala
blasted the unity government for allegedly failing to improve the welfare of
ordinary people. He said Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime
Minister Arthur Mutambara were just lame duck politicians without any power in
the coalition government.
BY CAIPHAS CHIMHETE
The Standard
Saturday, 29 May 2010 16:50
CONTAGIOUS diseases will continue to claim lives as long
as the government fails to provide clean water and address the sewerage
problems experienced by most cities and towns in the country, health experts
have warned.
They say the current outbreak of cholera, typhoid and
measles was a direct result of failure by government to provide adequate basic
social services, including health care and social protection schemes.
Charles Nhachi, a clinical pharmacologist and
toxicologist with the College of Health Sciences at the University of Zimbabwe,
said once the provision of social services is improved diseases caused by poor
hygienic conditions would soon vanish.
“These diseases are re-occurring because of the general
deterioration of hygienic conditions in our cities and towns,” said Nhachi.
“Once the water supply is upgraded and poverty levels cut then they (diseases)
will soon vanish.”
Garbage has not been collected for many years while
rivulets from burst sewerage are a common sight in high-density areas in most
towns and cities.
Despite the formation of the inclusive government in
February last year the overall health situation remains precarious.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) says the
vulnerability of six million women and children remain high due to the fragile
basic social services delivery systems.
“Zimbabwe is still in transition due to the complex and
severe crises experienced over the last five years, facing current acute
emergencies including ongoing measles, cholera and typhoid outbreaks, the
silent but devastating HIV and Aids epidemic, and the plight of displaced
persons,” said Unicef.
Although measles epidemics have been mostly contained
during the past 20 years, the steady decline in basic social services,
particularly regular immunisation programmes, has placed children in a highly
vulnerable state.
Zimbabwe is currently facing a large measles outbreak
with 6 215 suspected cases and 384 deaths reported.
At least 57 out of the country’s 62 districts have confirmed
at least one laboratory tested case, while 61 districts have reported suspected
cases.
“Children below the age of five are most at-risk for
measles,” Unicef says.
Health experts say the challenge is further heightened in
some religious communities which do not accept modern medicine and vaccination
of their children.
Cholera has also claimed scores of lives in the past few
years. Since February this year, at least 14 districts have been affected with
456 cases and 13 deaths reported so far.
The UN agency says typhoid is a water-borne disease that
has erupted due to the lack of access to clean water and related poor
sanitation and hygiene practices.
An outbreak of typhoid commenced in early February in
Harare with over 400 suspected cases and eight suspected deaths reported by the
city’s health department.
The outbreak of the once forgotten diseases is also
linked to the continuing rise in poverty levels in Zimbabwe.
Nhachi says diseases such as cholera, typhoid and measles
used to affect mostly poor people who lived in the rural areas.
They are also most common in poor West African states
where they have open sewerage systems.
“A long time ago, these diseases would only affect the
poor in the rural areas because we had good sanitary facilities in urban
areas,” said Nhachi. “Now these diseases are for the urban folks because we do
not have adequate water supply.”
It is feared that with worsening poverty in the country,
contagious diseases will also continue to claim more lives.
Preliminary estimates indicate that at least two million
people in rural and urban areas will require food assistance this year.
An estimated 35% of all children in Zimbabwe are stunted,
2% are wasted and 16% are underweight, according to Unicef.
The organisation said it requires US$17 million to
respond to the most acute emergencies including the ongoing measles, cholera
and typhoid outbreaks.
BY CAIPHAS CHIMHETE
The Standard
Saturday, 29 May 2010 17:13
DURING the March 2008 harmonised elections and the
subsequent one man presidential run-off, they sacrificed everything to make
sure the Movement for Democratic Change formation led by Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai won the election.
To them, spending many days and nights in the open,
without food and away from their families was not an issue.
They did not complain when they were beaten, they were
not moved when they became regulars at filthy cells and at Zanu PF bases,
disguised as information centres. All they wanted was to ensure “the people’s
project” succeeds.
Some of them, like the late Tonderai Nyahunzvi, were
honest “soldiers” who literally left their homes to be in the trenches.
Their hopes were very high that when the MDC-T finally
gets into government, life would be much better.
And when the inclusive government was formed, Elizabeth
Saidi, Taizivei Gasa and the late Rumbidzai Kurira, among many other Mbare
women, were hopeful that they would finally reap the benefits of the suffering
and unhealed wounds of 2008.
But to date, Nyahunzvi, Kurira and other MDC-T activists
have died some of them from causes related to the 2008 election violence. Saidi
said they have unsuccessfully tried to share their plight with the MDC-T
leadership, but their pleas are falling on deaf ears.
Addressing her colleagues who attended Kurira’s funeral
wake at Mbare’s Joburg Lines on May 22, Saidi said they had been betrayed by
politicians they supported under the most difficult of circumstances.
“We are not happy with these politicians, they only use
us when it suits them, and then forget about us while they enjoy,” said Saidi.
“Some of us are living positively (with HIV), but nobody
is giving us any help.
“We are also looking after orphans whose parents
succumbed to political violence.
“The same people we were with in the trenches seem to
have forgotten us.
“Right now we struggled to meet funeral expenses for our
departed colleague, Amai Kurira.”
The struggle for survival continues to worsen for the
women, who have no regular means of survival.
Most of them cannot access market stalls at the bus
terminus, as most of them have been taken over by Zanu PF supporters.
“Right now, our children are not going to school; they
are now growing up in the streets.
“We cannot afford the one dollar per head every week for
our children.
“These politicians promised us education for all, but our
children live in the streets because they cannot access that education,” she
added.
Frustrated by their apparent neglect, Saidi and scores of
other women formed the Women of Mbare Arise (WOMA), which brings together
female activists who have suffered violence.
“We formed this organisation last year as a way of
helping each other as victims of violence,” said Saidi.
“So far, we have buried more than 20 women activists who
died from causes related to the injuries they sustained during the
violence.
“We have had to bear the funerals alone, the people we
sacrificed everything for have never set foot here. Maybe we will see them
during the next campaign.”
So emotional were the activists that they even vowed
never to vote for Mbare legislator Piniel Denga and his Southerton counterpart,
Gift Chimanikire, as well as local councillor Paul Gorekore.
Most of the WOMA members are widows. They contribute at
least one dollar monthly, which is used for welfare programmes for members. The
club now has more than 400 members, but only 250 are consistent with their one
dollar per month subscriptions.
Addressing the women after Kurira’s burial, Pastor
Lawrence Berejena — who is also an MDC-T activist — said the level of suffering
that political activists across the country were going through was a serious
case for national healing.
“I feel these are people who the organ on national
healing should meet,” said Berejena.
“They are people suffering from the spirit of rejection.
They have nowhere to start from. The government of national unity should
protect the poor, just like the Bible says.”
Berejena said he had counselled a number of MDC
supporters from different parts of the country, who felt neglected by the
leadership of the “people’s project”.
But MDC-T spokesperson, Nelson Chamisa said they had not
turned their backs on the needs of the party’s rank and file.
“I do not think what they are saying is true,” said
Chamisa. “We have done extraordinary things under extraordinary circumstances
for our supporters.
“We have a social welfare department charged with all
these issues. We have put in place restorative and rehabilitative programmes
under the social welfare department to assist our supporters across the
country, restoring those who lost their resources and were displaced from their
homes, rehabilitating those who are survivors.
“We have already identified thousands of people across
the country. It is a huge task that cannot be done sufficiently by one
political party. We need a national response. We thought that would be done
through national healing, as a party we can only do so much.”
Chamisa said there could be a hidden hand in some of the
claims being made against the party.
He said in addition to meeting the welfare needs of
thousands of supporters, they have also met the funeral expenses of a number of
their activists.
The MDC-T says over 200 of its supporters were killed
during the 2008 election period while thousands were left with life threatening
injuries after they were tortured at Zanu PF bases.
BY VUSUMUZI SIFILE
The Standard
Saturday, 29 May 2010 22:44
ZANU PF leadership has backed its rowdy supporters who
embarrassed Vice-President John Nkomo at a recently aborted national healing
meeting brushing aside calls for disciplinary action against leaders who
engineered the chaos.
On May 22, scores of Zanu PF supporters forced the
abortion of a political leadership sensitisation meeting by the Organ on
National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration.
Zanu PF wanted to bring 1 359 representatives, instead of
the 63 allowed from each of the three parties in the inclusive government.
The decision not to carry out any disciplinary measures
comes amid revelations that Zanu PF leaders in Harare had deliberately gone
against Nkomo’s directive on the composition of its delegation to the meeting.
The former party chairman who was elevated to the VP’s
post last year has had a rocky relationship with the province dating to the
days of Zanu PF’s divisive restructuring exercises.
In a letter to the leaders of the three governing parties
on May 12, Nkomo said the “catchments for each political party, it is proposed
that, should be nine people per district comprising of the youths, women and
the main wing”.
It is understood that in his letter, Nkomo meant that the
seven administrative districts in Harare, namely Highfield, Harare Central,
Ruwa-Epworth, Mabvuku-Tafara, Harare North, Harare South and Chitungwiza were
each supposed to have nine representatives.
The Zanu PF leadership however ignored the administrative
districts, and used the party’s own districts.
The party mobilised nine people from each of its 151
districts in Harare, bringing the number to 1 359.
This was despite an indication in the programme that the
parties “stand guided on representatives’ vis-à-vis political districts and
administrative districts”.
Zanu PF political commissar Webster Shamu said their
supporters should not be blamed for the abortion of the meeting. Instead, the
Media, Information and Publicity minister applauded the Zanu PF
supporters for having “acted in accordance with the directive”.
“Harare province showed that it has grassroot support by
responding at such short notice. I want to applaud them for responding to the
letter of invitation,” said Shamu.
On the heckling of VP Nkomo, Shamu would not state
whether or not they would discipline those who were at the forefront.
“Even if Harare province members were correct, they should
have heeded Cde Nkomo’s directive as the vice-president,” added Shamu.
“That is an important element of discipline, we believe
in being highly disciplined. We need to respect our members, especially members
of the presidium. We are guided by one common principle of discipline.”
The Zanu PF supporters at the meeting broke three of the
party’s main points of discipline, which compel them to obey orders in all
actions, always speak politely and never swear at people.
In addition to publicly disobeying Nkomo’s orders, the
supporters vowed to deal with MDC supporters after the World Cup.
Zanu PF Harare provincial youth chairperson, Jim Kunaka
said there was no need to discipline any of the members who attended the
meeting because they followed instructions from Nkomo himself.
Kunaka attended the meeting.
“We were told to bring nine people from each district,
and we did just that. We acted in line with what was contained in the letter,”
said Kunaka.
He blamed Nkomo for buying into the MDC ploy to outnumber
them “as usual”.
“People were just not happy that there was a deliberate
attempt to outnumber us in favour of the two MDC factions, despite the fact
that we had done our homework and mobilised our structures, as stated in the
letter,” he said.
“The reason why people refused to go out is because they
wanted to hear the progress being made on national healing, and update our
structures on the ground.”
MDC-T spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said it would actually
be against the spirit of national healing to allow Zanu PF to have more
representation.
“You cannot have a perpetrator to prescribe a solution.
The source of the national injury and agony is located in Zanu PF,” said
Chamisa.
Despite being one of the key creations of the global
political agreement (GPA), the organ on national healing is yet to meaningfully
engage with political supporters from across the divide.
BY VUSUMUZI SIFILE
The Standard
Sunday, 30 May 2010 06:09
ZIMBABWE’S tobacco industry is under threat from new
World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations seeking to ban ingredients used
in the manufacture of tobacco products.
WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control guidelines,
if implemented will impact on jobs and livelihoods of millions of tobacco
growers around the world, activists warned last week.
The guidelines will eliminate traditional blended
cigarettes, which account for approximately half of the global market. The
impact on growers who supply the tobacco varieties used in these products would
be dramatic.
The move has drawn criticism from the International
Tobacco Growers Association (ITGA) which says such a move would impact on
millions of livelihoods around the globe.
“These recommendations have been made by bureaucrats,
mostly from wealthy countries who know nothing about tobacco growing.
Their recommendations could wipe out the livelihoods of
millions of tobacco growers all over the world,” said Antonio Abrunhosa, ITGA
chief executive officer.
“For some inexplicable reason, tobacco growers, the very
people most affected by the guidelines, are officially excluded from any
discussions.
“Even ministries of agriculture or economy seem unaware
of the discussions taking place within the FCTC. There does not seem to be any
balanced form of representation whatsoever.”
Countries such as Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania now face
the prospect of seeing millions of jobs lost and a huge decline in the export
of tobacco.
Tobacco cultivation is critical for the economies of
developing countries and is one of the few agricultural activities to have
remained buoyant during the recent worldwide economic crisis.
The latest guidelines threaten to undo that, according to
Roger Quarles, the ITGA president.
“These guidelines are just plain wrong whichever way you
look at them. Nobody has explained to me how banning some cigarette products
and ignoring others will have any benefit for people’s health,” Quarles said.
“It will just be a disaster for those growers who grow
leaf for traditional blended products.”
Abrunhosa said: “It’s not just tobacco growers whose
livelihoods are threatened here. In some parts of the world, entire communities
depend on the tobacco growing sector. I want to know what these bureaucrats
have to say to the people whose lives they are going to ruin for no good reason
whatsoever.”
ITGA represents more than 30 million tobacco growers
across Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America.
Tobacco is one of Zimbabwe’s largest foreign currency
earners accounting for 26% of the country’s gross domestic product last year.
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is the
first treaty negotiated under the auspices of the world’s health body.
It was adopted by the World Health Assembly on May 21
2003 and entered into force in February 2005.
BY OUR STAFF
The Standard
Sunday, 30 May 2010 06:21
THE High Court in Johannesburg ordered the release on
Friday of a Zimbabwean detained by immigration authorities because his ears
didn’t look the same as in his passport photo, Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR)
said in a statement. Petro Chatiza, who LHR said was an activist in the area of
evictions and housing rights in Zimbabwe, was arrested on May 21 as he tried to
board a flight at OR Tambo International Airport for Australia. He had a
Zimbabwean passport and a visa issued to him by the Australian High Commission
in Harare as well as a three-month visa on entry to South Africa. An airport
official however had him arrested because he did not resemble his passport
photo and was not carrying his Zimbabwean identity document.
He was detained at the Kempton Park police station.
LHR argued that his possession of a valid passport with a
valid visa to remain in South Africa for three months should have protected him
legally from being declared an “illegal foreigner”, and there was no basis for
his arrest or detention for deportation. The state argued that the arresting
immigration officer decided that Chatiza did not look like the photo in his
passport as his ears stuck out in the photograph but not in person. However,
the immigration officer failed to take any further steps to verify his identity
or to ask for an explanation of this discrepancy. Only a week after his arrest,
and the institution of legal proceedings, was he finally informed of the
reasons for his arrest and given the opportunity to explain. — Sapa.
Gay activists released
TWO Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) employees, who
were arrested on May 21 for allegedly undermining President Robert Mugabe’s
authority and possessing drugs and pornographic material, have been released on
bail.
Harare Magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi on Thursday granted
Ellen Chademana and Ignatius Mhambi US$200 bail each after they spent six days
in custody. He also ordered them to report twice a week to CID Drugs Section at
Harare Central Police Station. They were also ordered to surrender their
passports with the clerk of court and not to travel for more than 40km outside
Harare without the authority of the investigating officer. Prosecutor Bruce
Tokwe unsuccessfully opposed bail as the magistrate agreed with the duo’s
lawyers Dzimbabwe Chimbga and David Hofisi of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
(ZLHR) that the accused were not a flight risk. — Jennifer Dube
Gukurahundi case deferred again
PROMINENT visual artist Owen Maseko on trial for
allegedly insulting President Robert Mugabe with his exhibition on the
Gukurahundi massacres will have to wait a little longer for his time in court.
Maseko was arrested in March after he opened an exhibition at the Bulawayo Art
Gallery about the 1980s Matabeleland and Midlands massacres by troops loyal to
Mugabe. His case was postponed again on Wednesday, this time to June 8 by the
magistrate Abedinico Ncube.
According to his lawyers Matshobana Ncube and Kucaca
Phulu of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, the state asked for a postponement
because Maseko’s docket was with the Attorney General’s office in Harare.
“We understand they are still considering whether to
proceed with trial or drop the case after all,” said Phulu.
The lawyers say Maseko has no case to answer.
He is being charged with contravening sections of the
Criminal Law (Cordification and Reform) Act.
The Standard
Sunday, 30 May 2010 06:27
TWO Harare City Council directors fingered in a damning
council report on an alleged land scam involving prominent businessman Phillip
Chiyangwa are now facing the music, with one having tendered his resignation
already.
A land report which landed Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda and eight
councillors in court on defamation charges accuses finance director Cosmas
Zvikaramba and director of urban planning, Psychology Chiwanga of aiding
irregular land acquisitions by Chiyangwa, Local Government Minister Ignatius
Chombo and former mayoress Sekesai Makwavarara.
While police are yet to publicise their findings following
council’s report which was lodged with them last month, it would seem internal
developments at Town House are continuing to pile up pressure on the two senior
employees.
Zvikaramba is understood to have since resigned citing
“constructive dismissal” while a full council meeting on Thursday tasked Town
Clerk Tendai Mahachi to take disciplinary action against Chiwanga, whom some
councillors described as “grossly incompetent”.
For Chiwanga, things came to a head on Wednesday when
councillors woke up to a newspaper notice announcing a proposed sale of a
council stand for US$95.
The notice advised that the Mufakose stand was to be sold to
one George Tapera.
It further advised that copies of the council resolutions
and the detailed terms of conditions for the proposals will be open for
inspection at the office of the City Valuer and Estates Manager and that
objections should be lodged with the Town Clerk.
Some councillors said they were shocked to learn of the
intended sale yet they had recommended that the stand be leased.
They said they had made their inquiries and nobody seemed to
know who placed the notice in the paper.
“This notice is causing a public outcry out there,” Ward 29 Councillor Peter Marange said. “How
can we allow the city to go at such a pittance?
“We are talking about 187 square metres going for as little
as $95 while people at Mupedzanhamo are being forced to pay as much as $500 in
rentals for two square metres.”
Others however thought someone could have made a mistake in
writing the figures.
“I do not think this is a mistake,” Kuwadzana’s Clr Peter
Moyo said. “This is deliberate gross mischief which somebody did thinking we
will not see it.”
The councillors accused Chiwanga of undervaluing the city’s
land in many ways, including subletting properties meant for leasing.
Others said despite last month’s exposure, Chiwanga
continues to authorise sales and leases without consulting them.
“I was shocked to learn that someone had been allocated land
in my area without my knowledge,” Mbare’s Clr Friday Muleya said.
“What level of disrespect is that which gives someone the
nerve to bypass a democratically-elected councillor with over 7 000 voters
behind him?”
The councillors want Chiwanga’s wings to be clipped through
restructuring of his department by transferring the city valuation and estates
management division to the City Treasurer’s department.
Council had to go into committee to discuss Zvikaramba and
Chiwanga.
“We heard that Zvikaramba wants to take us to court
following his resignation so we are preparing ourselves for that possibility,”
a councillor who requested anonymity said.
While Zvikaramba could not be reached for comment, Chiwanga
is yet to respond to questions emailed to him at the request of his secretary.
Both Zvikaramba and Chiwanga were employed during the era of
commissions appointed to take care of the city’s affairs by Chombo.
“We are not bothered,” another councillor said. “We are all
agreed as council that the city’s regulations do not provide for those
positions.
“If you follow council issues closesly, you will remember
that Chombo created Zvikaramba’s position after firing the Town Clerk and broke
down the Department of Works to create a job for Chiwanga and two other close
allies of his.”
BY JENNIFER DUBE
[30th May 2010]
The meetings
listed below are open to members of the public, as observers only, not as
participants. [See note at the end of this bulletin on
public attendance and participation at different types of committee meetings.]
Meetings of Special
Interest
Monday morning: Public Accounts Committee – evidence on ghost workers
in the civil service
Wednesday morning: Peace and Security Committee – Evidence from
Ministry of Home Affairs on their role in promoting peace and security in
Zimbabwe
Thursday
morning: Indigenisation and Empowerment Committee
– evidence from National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board
Note: This bulletin is based on the latest information
provided by Parliament late on 28th May. Last-minute changes are,
however, possible. So, if you wish to attend any of the following
meetings, Veritas recommends that you avoid possible disappointment by first
checking with the relevant committee clerk that the meeting is still on and
open to the public. Parliament’s telephone numbers are Harare 700181 or
252936-55.
Monday 31st May at 10
am
Public Accounts Committee
Oral
evidence from Chairperson of Public Service Commission on ghost workers in the
civil service
Committee
Room No. 4
Chairperson: Hon
Mashakada Clerk: Mrs Nyawo
Portfolio Committee: Higher Education, Science and Technology
A
brief from the College Lecturers Association of Zimbabwe on challenges of the
education sector
Committee
Room No. 3
Chairperson: Hon S.M.
Ncube Clerk: Miss Chikuvire
Monday 31st May at 2
pm
Portfolio Committee: Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare
Oral
evidence from ZIMTA, PTUZ, PSA, TUZ on conditions of service for civil servants
Committee
Room No. 1
Chairperson: Hon
Zinyemba
Clerk: Ms Mushunje
Tuesday 1st June at 10
am
Portfolio
Committee: Agriculture, Water, Lands and Resettlement
Oral evidence from the Attorney-General
on the grain loan case
Committee Room No. 4
Chairperson: Hon
Jiri
Clerk: Miss Mudavanhu
Wednesday 2nd June at 9 am
Thematic Committee:
Peace and Security
Oral evidence from Ministry of Home Affairs on their role in promoting
peace and security in Zimbabwe
Committee Room No. 4
Chairperson:
Hon
Mumvuri
Clerk: Mr Daniel
Thursday 3rd June at
10 am
Portfolio Committee: Education, Sport and Culture
Oral evidence from NAC and
NAG on their operations
Committee Room No. 4
Chairperson:
Hon Mangame
Clerk: Miss Mudavanhu
Thursday 3rd June at
11 am
Thematic Committee: Indigenisation and Empowerment
Oral evidence from National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment
Board on its programmes and activities
Government Caucus Room
Chairperson:
Hon Mutsvangwa Clerk: Mr Ratsakatika
Public Attendance
at and Participation in Committee Meetings
·
Not
open to the public: Portfolio
and thematic committee meetings in which the committees are doing private
business – e.g. setting workplans, deliberating on reports and findings, or
drafting reports for Parliament, or when the committees make field
visits. [Veritas does not list these in these bulletins.]
·
Open to
the public to attend as observers only: Portfolio and thematic committee meetings where oral
evidence is being heard. [As listed above.] If attending,
please use the Kwame Nkrumah Ave entrance to Parliament. IDs
must be produced.
·
Stakeholders
by invitation: At some committee
meetings stakeholders [and those who notify Parliament that they consider
themselves stakeholders and are accepted as such] are invited to make oral or
written representations and ask questions. [These meetings will be
highlighted in these bulletins.]
·
Public
Hearings: When committees call for public
hearings, members of the public are free to submit oral or written
representations, ask questions and generally participate. [Veritas
sends out separate notices of these public hearings.]
Note: Zimbabweans in the Diaspora can send in written submissions to stakeholders’
meetings if they consider themselves stakeholders, and to public hearings, by
emailing their submissions to clerk@parlzim.gov.zw
Veritas makes every effort to ensure reliable
information, but cannot take legal responsibility for information supplied.
The Vigil has called on the new British
government to support our demand for early elections in
“Dear Mr Hague
“The
“The
“The Vigil is calling
for new elections in
“We urge
the
“The view
of the
“We take
this opportunity to draw your attention to another petition being run by the
Vigil: ‘A petition to the
“As you will know,
the Movement for Democratic Change has been coerced into calling for the
removal of targeted sanctions against Mugabe and his cronies. A delegation from
the Zimbabwean government is expected to have talks soon with the European
Union at which this matter will no doubt be discussed. It will argue that
progress towards implementing the Global Political Agreement depends on the
lifting of these sanctions. The
Vigil co-ordinator
Dumi Tutani explained to ZimVigil TV the reasoning behind the letter. He said
it was important that the Vigil’s view was clearly presented at a time when other Zimbabwean groups in the
The Vigil was glad to
see an address by Jacob C Ngarivhume, Chair of the group Voice for Democracy,
on the occasion of the International Day of UN Peace-keepers today. In it he
refers to the UN principle ‘Responsibility to Protect’, which was endorsed by
the Zimbabwean government five years ago. Mr Ngarivhume said ‘As there is
nothing to suggest that the
https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/may30_2010.html#Z1.
With a meeting of the
countries comprising the group Friends of Zimbabwe due to be held in Oslo in
June, the Vigil urges them to put pressure on the unity government to take
seriously the negotiations on implementing the Global Political Agreement. We
are disturbed that the negotiations that President Zuma said last November
should be over in weeks are still going on more than six months later. The
latest meeting of the principals – delayed since early April – was due to take
place on Friday but was postponed by Tsvangirai’s late return from his latest
jaunt abroad. Perhaps he should be under the same travel sanctions as Mugabe to
force him to stay at home and deal with the matter.
The brilliant spring
weather broke today and rain greeted the start of the Vigil. Thanks to Moses
Kandiyawo of the Vigil management team who came early because he thought there
would be problems setting up in the rain. He grabbed the tarpaulin and had it
up in record time – within 15 minutes the tarpaulin, banners, posters and
tables were all in place and we were ready to start. The Vigil wants ‘Vigil
set-ups’ to be introduced as a sport in the Olympics in
For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/.
For the latest ZimVigil TV programme check the link at the top of the home page
of our website. For earlier ZimVigil TV
programmes check: http://www.zbnnews.com/home/firingline.
FOR THE RECORD: 127 signed
the register.
EVENTS AND NOTICES:
· OTIENO by Trevor Michael Georges. A contemporary
reworking of Shakespeare's Othello, set against the continuing deprivation of
present-day
·
ROHR
· ROHR
· ROHR
South
·
ROHR
·
ROHR
·
Church
Service in Support of Zimbabwean Victims of Torture. Saturday 26th June from 12 -1.30 pm.
Venue:
· ROHR
· Campaign on behalf of Zimbabweans with disputed
nationality. There
is a possibility that the group known as London Citizens may launch a campaign
on behalf of Zimbabweans with disputed nationality (such as arriving in the
·
· Zimbabwe
Association’s Women’s Weekly Drop-in Centre. Fridays 10.30 am – 4 pm. Venue: The
Fire Station Community and ICT Centre,
· Strategic Internship for Zimbabweans organised by
Citizens for Sanctuary which is trying to secure work placements for qualified
Zimbabweans with refugee status or asylum seekers. For information: http://www.citizensforsanctuary.org.uk/pages/Strategic.html
or contact: zimbabweinternship@cof.org.uk.
· For Motherland ENT’s videos of the Vigil on
v=lvwikOhO3Fk and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7qqXJ7jfVY.
Vigil
Co-ordinators
The Vigil, outside
the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429
Vigil co-ordinator
The Vigil, outside the Zimbabwe
Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place every Saturday from 14.00 to
18.00 to protest against gross violations of human rights in Zimbabwe. The
Vigil which started in October 2002 will continue until
internationally-monitored, free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe. http://www.zimvigil.co.uk
S•A•C•F•A
Southern African Commercial Farmers Alliance
On the afternoon of Friday 28 May 2010 police went to James Taylor’s
Cedor Park Farm and arrested him. He is
allegedly to be charged under the Gazetted Lands (Consequential Provisions) Act
for being in occupation of
James Taylor has suffered a stroke and is diabetic. He is by no means well and his stroke has
left him no longer the man he was previously.
The police refused to allow anyone to bring him his medication until much
later in the evening. The following
morning, Saturday, Advocate Tim Cherry went to Nyamandhlovu in an endeavour to
have James and Matthew released. He
spoke to the acting Officer-in-Charge Assistant Inspector Monyera (cell phone
number +263 712-599676) who refused to accept any documentation from Advocate
Cherry.
Eventually Advocate Cherry was obliged to read out to Monyera in
front of witnesses a letter from James Taylor’s medical physician Doctor Legg
concerning the fragility of James Taylor’s medical condition and the risks to
his life should Monyera continue to keep him in custody. Assistant Inspector Monyera then threw the
letter down on his desk. As a policeman
he should understand the consequences of such reckless behaviour which may
result in a charge of culpable homicide should James’ health deteriorate into a
diabetic coma and bring about his death.
The senior officer in charge of this totally illegal exercise is a
Superintendent Ngerazi who looks particularly young to have attained such high
rank. He has been sent down from Lupane
to oversee the expulsion of the Taylors and others in the Nyamandhlovu and
Inyathi districts. Superintendent
Ngerazi refused to entertain anything that Advocate Cherry had to say, nor would
he take any notice of an imminent High Court ruling which must be given in
This unwarranted invasion by Chiguru resulted in a spoliation
application to the High Court and an interim order was granted against Chiguru
ordering him to vacate the property which had not been allocated to him. The application to have the interim order
made final has been heard and the final order should already have been issued,
but because according to law it must embarrassingly go in
Initially in terms of the interim order Chiguru vacated the property,
but today Sunday 30 May 2010 at about 10.30 am Monyera took young Matthew back
to
The manoeuvre is strangely reminiscent of Senior Assistant Police
Commissioner Edmore Veterayi’s actions when he insisted in occupying Digby
Nesbitt’s guest room in Digby’s house in Chiredzi until the Nesbitts were
eventually forced to vacate. Yet again,
Ed Grenfell-Dexter was ordered to prepare a room for the destined beneficiary in
Ed’s farm house. It was this that led Ed
to move to
Matthew, having cleared the two rooms as required, Monyera took him
back to the police cells in Nyamandhlovu where he and his father will spend
their third night in custody.
Over the last three days Superintendent Ngerazi and Assistant
Inspector Monyera have been harassing and haranguing the jailed James Taylor and
his son demanding why they have not vacated his farm as instructed by the police
when Chiguru first invaded the wrong property.
With no offence meant to James, he is not well after his stroke and is in
no condition to withstand this sort of illegal pressure and harassment. His son is very young and as a result not
sufficiently legally learned and schooled to deal with such illegal compulsion
either. In terms of the law they are
under no obligation to vacate their property.
Finally, for those who recall our previous press release of 27 May
2010: With the assistance of Imran
Simmins, First Secretary Political, South African Embassy, Harare, both kidney
transplant recipient Goff Carbutt and the 78 year old Ed Grenfell-Dexter were
released from the police cells at Inyathi and taken to the Attorney-General’s
office in Bulawayo. After much
consultation behind closed doors the two were released without charge but were
told they would not be allowed to return to their homes. They were not advised of the legal grounds on
which the Attorney-General’s office was able to make this ruling. They were told that should it be required,
the State would proceed by means of summons.
In other words they were wrongfully arrested and detained and are
therefore entitled to demand suitable redress.
Their evictions also breached the South African and Zimbabwe Bilateral
Investment Treaty. In spite of
blandishments by politicians,
Tomorrow morning Advocate Tim Cherry will proceed to Nyamandhlovu to
see what is in store for James Taylor and his son. In terms of the law they must both be brought
before a magistrate and charged since 48 hours has passed since their
arrest. Looking at the similar
experiences of Goff Carbutt and Ed Grenfell-Dexter it may be reckless for the
authorities to consider laying charges.
C M JARRETT – CHAIRMAN
SOUTHERN AFRICAN COMMERCIAL FARMERS
30 May 2010
Financial Gazette
(Harare)
13 May 2010
________________________________________
Harare — An analysis of trade and regional integration will
reveal that virtually all African countries have embraced regionalism since the
independence era.
From the beginning of decolonisation process in the
1960s, the establishment of sub regional economic communities was a significant
part of Africa's development strategy for collective self-reliance in
development and political independence.
Today, there are more regional organisations in Africa
than in any other continent and most African countries are engaged in more than
one regional initiative.
There are 14 major regional economic grouping in Africa
with varying degrees of integration, and of the 53 countries, 27 are members of
two regional groupings, 18 belong to three and one country which is Swaziland
is a member of four that is SADC, COMESA, Southern Africa Customs Union and
Common Monetary Area .
Only seven countries have maintained membership in one
bloc.
Multiple arrangements and institutions, as well as
overlapping membership in the same region, tend to confuse integration goals
and lead to counterproductive competition between countries and institutions.
The best workable solution is for a country to properly
analyse these regional trade agreements and decide to participate in a trade
bloc(s) which serve its economic interest better than to be a member of all
with conflicting goals.
In search for unity and development strategy, African
countries have pursued a number of external partnerships. Among them is a
partnership in the framework of the World Trade Organisation), the African,
Caribbean and Pacific group (ACP)-European Union (EU) partnership, through
economic partnership agreements (EP-As), and growing number of bilateral
initiatives in support of African development.
In the majority of regional economic Communities, over 80
percent of exports are still destined for markets outside Africa, with European
Union and United States accounting for 50 percent of this total.
With the coming of China as a serious trading partner to
Africa more will be going out as raw materials.
Notwithstanding geographical proximity, African countries
trade more with the EU than with other countries inside Africa. Why is it so?
On his accreditation as Britain special representative to
COMESA, Tom Carter, the British High Commissioner of Zambia confirmed that
around 80 percent of poverty alleviation in recent years has been ascribed to
growth in trade and yet Africa, which is 42 percent of the world's population,
only accounts for three percent of global trade.
This is really true as evidenced by the reduction of
poverty in China and India which used to be countries of the poorest of the
poor.
This happened after the two nations embarked on an
aggressive export strategy after their market-based reforms in 1978 and 1991
respectively. Regional initiatives in Africa, however, did not deliver much to
uplift the economic conditions of its members nor ensure sustainable growth and
liberalisation.
Intra-regional trade as a proportion to total trade
remains much low in Africa compared to those of the Asian and Latin Americans
regions. According to the United Nations UNCTAD 2009 report, some of the issues
were largely a consequence of the pattern of trade favoured by colonial rulers,
which was extractive and outward-oriented, and did not encourage African
countries to develop strong trade linkages among themselves after the
independence era. Other explanations of these failures essentially rely on
initial conditions, the problems of implementation, and basic design
deficiency, as well as lack of complementarities among regional partners.
In addition, most African regional integrations were
established without strong private sector support, while many of the schemes
lacked viable mechanisms for redistributing benefits from the net gainers to
more disadvantaged regional partners.
Non-implementation of agreed trade liberalisation
schedules as well as other obligations by members also affected most of the
regional integration schemes.
A close analysis of trade in southern Africa which is
affecting cross-border movement of goods include poor infrastructure
development particularly roads, rail and air links.
Other problems are related to unclear, bureaucratic and
irrelevant customs procedures, excessive documentary requirements, undeveloped
facilities at borders, understaffing, excessive charges, corruption and lack of
transparency.
Moreover, poor international payment and insurance
mechanisms is a big obstacle to African trade.
All these add to the already high transport and
communication costs in Southern Africa which are 75 percent higher than in
Europe and 40 percent higher than other developing countries.
This is further compounded by delays at customs as long
as five to 10 days for clearance to trucks.
These delays and additional costs make it very difficult
for African goods to get to market at competitive prices.
Traders, especially small and medium enterprises, often
lose business opportunities due to these border delays. It is only trade
facilitation which will bring more benefits to SMEs which are normally unable
to cope with the high costs of compliance.
A trade facilitation initiative recently launched by
COMESA bloc in collaboration with the Governments of Malawi and Zambia launched
the Simplified Trade Regime at the border of Zambia and Malawi known as Mwami
Border Post on April 30 2010 is of high interest to trade. This applied to
consignments valued at US$500 or less for simplified documentation on trading.
It recognises that cross-border trading is an important source of employment in
this era of high unemployment and is an income generating activity that
sustains families.
This initiative will result in small cross-border traders
abandoning the use of illegal ways such as smuggling.
It will be of interest if Zimbabwe can facilitate such
initiatives with neighbouring countries like Botswana, South Africa and Zambia
to allow cross borders to trade easily within the southern region.
By Associated Press
8:21 a.m. CDT, May 30, 2010
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — A newspaper loyal to Zimbabwe's
ruling party is accusing the U.S. of trying to stop international sales of
Zimbabwean diamonds.
The Sunday Mail quotes an e-mail from a U.S. State Department
official urging the international diamond control body to ban Zimbabwean
diamonds. The paper calls it "a well-orchestrated Western-led
campaign" against the regime of President Robert Mugabe.
An official from the international diamond control body,
Abbey Chikane, claims documents — possibly including the quoted e-mail — were
stolen from his luggage by Zimbabwean security agents earlier this week.
Kimberley Process investigators have previously
recommended Zimbabwe's suspension over their findings of illicit trading and
human rights abuses.