The ZIMBABWE Situation | Our
thoughts and prayers are with Zimbabwe - may peace, truth and justice prevail. |
Issues surrounding
the formation of a transitional government in Zimbabwe
Mass
Public Opinion Institute
August 2003
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
This
survey examines the issues surrounding the formation of a transitional
government in Zimbabwe. In addition, it also examines people's views regarding a
government of national unity and the succession debate within ZANU (PF). The
survey was motivated by the desire to find out the views of the general populace
in view of the current debate on the way forward for this country.
The survey found out that there is a desire for a change to the status quo. Most people favour concurrent presidential and parliamentary elections. Also outstanding is the desire for fresh elections. For the majority of people, the solution to the problems facing the country lies in dialogue. The two major parties are both expected to compromise and climb down from the positions so far maintained. Further, people expect a democratic selection process in the ZANU (PF) succession issue, with Simba Makoni being the candidate people feel would fare better against the opposition.
Q1. What do you
understand by " transitional government"?
The survey shows that a significant
majority of the respondents do not know what the term 'transitional government'
means. We recorded five responses in order of their frequency.
1 Do not know (80.0%)
2 'Care-taker'
government (6.6%)
3
Government of national unity (1.2%)
4 Change of government (1.1%)
Q2. Some people have
suggested that the ruling party and the opposition should form a transitional
government that should be tasked with organizing a re-run of the presidential
election within the shortest period of time possible. How supportive are you of
this idea?
A: The
responses within the provinces reflects the national picture of the fact that
people support the idea of a transitional government which should be tasked with
organizing a re-run of the presidential election. 38.1% say that this is a noble
idea and are "very supportive". 31.8% are "supportive" thus a total of 69.9%
think that the ruling party and the opposition have an obligation of forming a
transitional government. Interestingly this view also has a majority even in
provinces that traditionally have been considered ZANU (PF) strongholds. The
same applies in the rural areas, which too have been considered ZANU (PF)'s
strongest support base.
Q3. Some people in
Zimbabwe and in the international community have suggested that ZANU PF and the
opposition should form a government of national unity while others say they
should not. What is your opinion on this issue?
A: 55.6% are of the opinion that ZANU
PF and MDC should form a government of national unity. The thinking among the
respondents appears to be that a government of national unity will bring genuine
peace, law and order as well as social and economic development. In 2000 a survey conducted by the
Institute showed that 73.7% respondents were in favour of a government of
national unity (GNU).
Q4. If you are of the
opinion that the two parties should not form a government of national unity,
which of the following statements best describes why you are opposed to the
idea?
A: 40.5%
say it is important to have an opposition for democracy to function effectively
and therefore the MDC should not join ZANU (PF). 36.1% do not trust ZANU (PF) and fear
that the opposition could be "swallowed". The bottom line for most respondents
appears to be that an opposition party keeps the government on its toes and is
therefore necessary.
Q5. Would you be in
favour of a constitutional amendment that will require that parliamentary and
presidential elections run concurrently in Zimbabwe?
A: 59.2% favours a constitutional
amendment that would require parliamentary and presidential elections to be held
concurrently in Zimbabwe. Judging also from the apathy that characterized the
just ended local elections and parliamentary by-elections, it appears that
people are tired of elections. This is a view that emerges whichever way the
data is analysed. One respondent said, "If it is just one election, at least we
will get beaten up once".
Q6. If you were in
favour of this constitutional amendment, when would you like the concurrent
elections to be held?
A: Respondents are impatient to wait any longer hence 59.8% say that it
is better for the elections to be held "immediately". 21.8% say in 2005 and a
few, 6.4% can wait up to 2008 when the presidential election will be due.
Interestingly 55.7% of those residing in the rural areas which are believed to
be ZANU PF strongholds feel that the concurrent elections should be held
immediately.
Q7. Do you think ZANU
(PF) and MDC should resume talks to find a solution to the country's
problems?
A:
80.0% say "Yes" to the question of whether MDC and ZANU PF should engage in
talks. It is apparent therefore that for a majority of the respondents the
solution to the problems currently facing Zimbabwe lies in dialogue. What is
also interesting is that whichever variable is used for analysis, the view still
emerges prominently.
Q8. Which one of the
two parties (ZANU PF and MDC) is not genuinely committed to
dialogue?
A:
30.5% say ZANU PF is not genuinely committed to dialogue and a majority 35.3%
say both parties are accountable for the delays and lack of progress in these
talks.16.3% say MDC alone is not really committed to dialogue. While a
significant percentage point to ZANU (PF) as the stumbling block to
negotiation, it must be noted that the MDC is not completely absolved of blame.
It appears therefore that people expect both parties to climb down from their
positions even if it is by different degrees.
Q9. ZANU (PF) has
indicated that it will only go to the negotiating table if the MDC recognizes
President Mugabe's legitimacy, while the MDC has insisted that the talks should
be unconditional. What is your opinion on this issue?
A: A majority, 39.7% of respondents
are of the opinion that there should not be any conditions for the talks to
resume. If the MDC succumbs to the conditions set by the ruling party, this will
erode its argument that it lost a flawed election. 32.8% feel that both parties
should find middle ground and strike a compromise.
Q10. Some people have
said there is need for intervention of external arbitrators like President Mbeki
and President Obasanjo for the talks to succeed while others have said that
there is need for arbitrators from within the country like church leaders. What
is your opinion?
A: 38.9% of the respondents are of the opinion that there is need for
external arbitrators. This response slightly outweighs the 36.8% who say
arbitrators should be from within the country. Across the age divide, those in
the 25-30 year category and those above 51 years of age favour arbitration that
comes from within the country as compared to external intervention.
Q11. Some people have
suggested that President Mugabe should step down now and pave the way for a
fresh election immediately while others have said he should serve until his term
expires in 2008 and then retire. What is your opinion?
A: The majority view is that
President Mugabe should retire now (51.3%). What is striking however is that
this is a view that is shared across provinces, the residential area divide,
gender and the different age groups. Even the traditionally pro-ZANU (PF)
provinces such as Mashonaland East, West and Central have a majority of
respondents expressing the view that President Mugabe should retire now and pave
the way for fresh elections. The age analysis reveals the elderly (those aged
over 40), who have been pro-ZANU (PF) in the past, have shifted significantly in
their views.
Q12. Some people have
suggested that President Mugabe is not sincere in his intentions of stepping
down despite encouraging debate on his succession, while others have said that
he is genuinely committed to stepping down. What is your
opinion?
A: 54.8%
of the respondents consider President Mugabe's comments about retirement as
insincere. Again, it is striking that in the rural areas (hitherto the
foundation of ZANU (PF) support) the majority share this view. The same applies
to all provinces including Mashonaland East, West and Central. Across the
different age groups, there is also consensus that President Mugabe is not
genuine.
Q13. Some people have
said that President Mugabe should appoint his own successor while others have
said the ruling party should choose a successor at its annual conference in
December. What is your opinion?
A: The data reveal overwhelming
support for the succession issue to be settled by the party as a whole rather
than by President Mugabe as an individual. This view runs across all the
variables.
Dabengwa |
0.7 |
Msika |
4.6 |
John Nkomo |
5.6
|
Tsvangirai |
35.8 |
Makoni |
15.2
|
Mnangagwa |
5.5 |
Sekeramayi |
0.6
|
Moyo |
3.1 |
Maya |
0.5
|
Zvobgo |
2.5
|
Kumbula |
0.4 |
Siwela |
0.1
|
Goche |
0.1
|
Other |
25.3 |
If free and fair presidential elections were to be held today, Morgan Tsvangirai would emerge the winner. However, what is of great interest, particularly to the succession debate within ZANU (PF) is the following: Of ZANU (PF)'s potential leaders, Simba Makoni appears to be favourite with people. This view cuts across all the variables utilized in the analysis. Emmerson Mnangagwa follows him.
Q15. Do you think
Morgan Tsvangirai should stand as the MDC candidate in the next presidential
election, whenever it is held?
A: Respondents were overwhelmingly in
favour of Morgan Tsvangirai contesting the next presidential election as the MDC
candidate. Again, the view is shared across the different analysis variables.
Q16. Finally, do you
think interviews about these and other issues are important?
A: The people appreciate the work
that we do. In addition, responses to this question indicate the need to have
the public consulted more often and extensively on issues that affect them.
Asked why interviews such as these were important, respondents said it was
because it afforded them an opportunity to contribute to public policy.
CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
MDC reviews first day of Morgan Tsvangirai’s court challenge of the
March 2002 election result
MDC Department of Legal
Affairs
November 03, 2003
Jeremy Gauntlett, South African advocate for
the opposition Movement
for Democratic Change, blamed "purely obstructive
tactics" on the
government's part for the long delay in bringing the
challenge to court.
Official results gave Mr Mugabe a fifth term as
head of state, with 54
per cent of the vote. The poll was rejected as neither
free nor fair by the
European Union and the Commonwealth but was recognised
by most African
governments. Tony Hawkins, Harare
JAG OPEN LETTER FORUM
Email: justice@telco.co.zw; justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw
Internet:
www.justiceforagriculture.com
Please
send any material for publication in the Open Letter Forum to
justice@telco.co.zw with "For Open Letter
Forum" in the subject
line.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
1:
Dear JAG,
Two kinds of letter appear frequently in your Open Letter
forum. The first
is an appeal of sorts for reconciliation between farmers:
Jeans Simons'
letter of October 30th (`stop blaming CFU, stop pointing
fingers at our
neighbours') is a good example. The second kind of letter
seeks to justify
or rationalise accommodations, loosely descried as `deals',
with ZANU PF or
its various representatives. Unfortunately the two positions
are
irreconcilable - there can be no useful and justifiable unity
between
commercial farmers whilst some amongst them defend co-operation with
the
forces that have all but destroyed commercial agriculture in
Zimbabwe.
This is particularly unfortunate now as commercial agriculture
faces, at
present, a greater threat of permanent extinction than at any time
over the
last four, horrible, years. Such, it seems, is not generally
understood.
Some may stagger on through the darkness but few will survive a
dawn in
which we are not honestly and honourably represented.
It is
understandable that commercial farmers in Zimbabwe should have
reacted in
different ways to the trials of these last four years. Farming
is, by its
very nature, an individual business. Farms have suffered
different and
varying forms of affliction and persecution. And there has
been no clear lead
from the farming organisations: the CFU has veered from
querulous opposition
to uncertain acquiescence with the regime and back
again. JAG has the moral
high ground but has yet to persuade a clear
majority of farmers, former and
present, to join it there. The actions of
the ZTA should, one day, merit
detailed scrutiny but we might speculate
that many of those actions thus
uncovered will prove unsavoury and
duplicitous.
One suspicion, muttered
over glasses of Castle at the bar, must be laid to
rest. The divisions
between farmers are not the result of some
Machiavellian and ingenious policy
of Mugabe's, another example of his
legendary cunning. It is the case that,
at the moment of his greatest
weakness, he gratefully received a life belt
from that most ill judged of
projects - the ZJRI. But if you seek a monument
to Mugabe's political
acumen and political abilities look around you at what
Zimbabwe has become.
Any half-decent politician would have been able to
preserve power, and
re-distribute land, without destroying his country in the
process. Mugabe
has made it up as he has gone along to catastrophic effect.
And he did not
anyway need to divide the farmers - they did it
themselves.
Calls for reconciliation, for `putting the past behind us and
moving on'
always seem ostensibly civilized and wise. But often they are not.
We must
remember that `let's let bygones be bygones' is the reassuring cry of
the
African dictator who, having bludgeoned and bankrupted his country,
now
looks to the West for some ready cash. It is the endlessly repeated
chorus
of Mugabe's apologists in Africa as history carries downstream each
new
folly or atrocity. We cannot put the past behind us while that past,
and
actions within it, continue to infect and infest the present.
I have
tried to be patient with the same old weary arguments for appeasing
the
regime, for accommodations, for deals. But patience is exhausted. There
is
the `well, what would you have done?' argument. There is the farmer
who
claims that by playing various groups of squatters and ZANU flunkies
off
against each other he is somehow scoring shrewd points while his farm
is
eroded around him. There is the tear-jerking argument about making
it
through the dark times or `SURVIVAL' (sic) which suggests that
protection
of your own through appeasement of your persecutors is somehow
admirable.
There is the argument of the farmer who makes a success story out
of
`peaceful co-existence' with squatters who have stolen half of his
farm.
There is the line about the need to keep agriculture going in
preparation
for better times. There are those who seek absolution by
tarnishing
everyone else (`well - YOU buy black market fuel'). Most
contemptible are
all of those who dismiss every moral parameter by saying,
sometimes with
tangible self-satisfaction `Hey, I'm just a businessman' or,
worse still,
`well, that's Africa.' I suspect that AR B-Walker (open letter
forum 29
October) and I stand shoulder to shoulder on this.
There is one
time for doing deals with squatters and thugs and attackers
and that is when
life is in immediate danger. That's it.
What is so depressing about these
arguments for deals is that they are not
just wrong, they are stupid too. Let
each farmer or businessman or NGO who
compromises with Mugabe's regime, to
keep himself in business look, out
beyond his well-tended land or cool office
or executive car park at the
dismal chaos he has helped to create. For that
is the truth of it: anyone
who plants or waters or reaps for the squatters,
or lends them equipment or
subsidises them, or seeks the assistance or
protection of some capering
local apparatchik is guilty of giving to Mugabe's
destructive regime the
credibility and authority it craves and needs to
survive. And that regime,
if left unchecked, will, sooner or later, do for
all of us. Such
accommodation feeds the monster that will chew us up and spit
us out. What
an extraordinarily stupid way to behave.
There are farmers
still on the land who have never dealt and never
compromised. Good luck to
them. Long may they continue. But even there, I
would question any continued
production of tobacco or flowers for such
directly subsides the Mugabe regime
providing the desperately needed forex
that keeps it stumbling along. In a
country where millions go hungry the
production of maize or wheat seems more
sensible and more moral. How
outraged tobacco farmers have been when I have
suggested this. Do I not
understand the complexity of the crop? The
infrastructural imperative? The
dangers to the soil implicit in new crops.
Yes I do. But set against the
bigger and appalling picture such arguments
seem petulant and self-serving.
Selling potatoes at your farm gate is one
thing, providing forex for Mugabe
to buy the continuing loyalty of his
cohorts is quite another.
Few sensible or honourable people would deny the
rights of the commercial
farmers to the land they have temporarily lost or
still occupy. The vast
majority of farms were bought on the open market at a
time when anybody,
black or white, could buy. This kills Mugabe's vicious
rhetoric of a
colonial legacy stone dead. Equally I do not buy the admirable
Ben Norton's
prognosis about the impossibility of removing squatters: if, on
my travels,
I had come across a quorum of squatters, or even A2 farmers, who
had made
a real success of their optimistic yet illegitimate agricultural
forays
then I might think differently. But I have not.
But such is no
guarantee that the rights and interests of commercial
farmers and their
employees will be adequately represented when dawn breaks
over Zimbabwe. This
is serious for a dawn of sorts may not be far away. And
if we lose the chance
that that dawn offers we may be gone for fifty years.
Weary of stalemate the
MDC, the international community and even ZANU or
elements within it, begin
to believe that negotiation is the only way out.
Such negotiation would, I
think, reward Mugabe for his tyranny but
realpolitik might ensure it comes
about anyway. And, under current
circumstances, the farmers would be, at
best, spectators and, at worst,
ghosts at that particular feast,
Why?
Because the extensive sympathy for commercial farmers and their
employees
around the world in the media and in most divisions of public
opinion is not
shared by those who will manage Zimbabwe's immediate future.
The MDC will
remain wary of weakening its African credentials (and this is
one area where
Mugabe's barbs have done us real harm.) Many NGOs are
instinctively opposed
to the very concept of white farmers and itch to pour
resources into the
squatted lands. The prevailing zeitgeist in European
government circles is
predominantly liberal and applies to Zimbabwe's
commercial farmers an
unjustified prejudice that could never be displayed
towards, for example, an
Asian businessman in Bradford. Few African
governments have lost sleep over
the plight of commercial farmers and their
further disadvantaging might give
any future agreements an appropriate
sheen of African empowerment. The
actions of the CFU and others have
already conveyed the impression that
farmers would give up just about
anything in return for lasting tenure of the
few farms they still cling to.
We are the good guys (and even those who have
`dealt' still have rights).
We are recognised by most clear-thinking people
round the world to be so.
But those who will decide our future do not share
this benign view.
And there is a future to be fought for. There has been
something almost
self-indulgent about many of the cri de coeurs that we read
on these pages:
(`it's over, it's over'). It's not over. Zimbabwe needs, and
will one day
have, an agricultural system that comprises a large and
intensive
commercial sector and a balance of small scale and subsistence
farming that
answers social needs and yet remains profitable. There could be
room on the
land for a majority of those commercial farmers who wish to
remain or
return although their individual conditions may not always be
exactly as
they were before. Many could and should remain or return to their
farms.
Good sense, good economics and the rule of law says so; only
racial
prejudice does not.
But such cannot be furthered or achieved by a
divided commercial farming
community hamstrung by a record of rapprochement
with its persecutors.
There needs to be unity but unity, to be blunt, on what
more or less is the
JAG agenda. A further difficulty here is that commercial
agriculture in
Zimbabwe contrived for itself an immensely complex and
overblown
architecture - congress this and council that and deputy chairman
of this,
that and the other. It proved wholly unequal to the challenges of
recent
years and now seems absurdly inappropriate. Can those crouching in
the
ruins of the CFU, for example, confess their failure, walk away and
rebuild
with their erstwhile rivals?
Such a complex situation, and such a
profusion of baggage, makes any
concrete suggestions seem unworkable, even
fatuous, particularly while
Mugabe still squats on, or behind, the throne.
But concrete suggestions
there must be and so I advance some:
1)
Representatives of the Commercial Farmers, in possession and
dispossessed,
and their employees, former and current, and their workers to
create a
representative team: The Zimbabwe Farming Alliance or some such.
Any relevant
organisation to be represented although I would submit that
JAG would be the
most appropriate co-ordinator.
2) Such representatives to open formal
discussion (not ad hoc exchanges)
with the MDC, with Zimbabwean civil
society, industrial and professional
bodies, with leading NGOs (particularly
the UNDP), donors, notably the EU
and the USA, interested government such as
the South African, German,
British, Australian and Nigerian, with the
Churches and, in time, with
SADC, COMESA and the AU.
3) The alliance would
pursue an agreed manifesto comprising some or all of
the following
principles:
a) No colonial legacy; most commercial farmers, of all colours,
had bought
their farms on the open market and had, and still have, a right to
them.
(Yes, such may be unpopular in certain quarters but it's the truth and
time
we started saying so),
b) Respect for all constitutional laws and the
rule of law. .
c) A recognition that Zimbabwe needs to design and implement
at once a
pattern of land distribution that balances effectiveness with a
respect for
the ethnic balance. This to be achieved by a transparent,
equitable and
legal land reform programme.
d) Recognition that all forms
of agriculture, commercial, subsistence small
scale, will have a place in
Zimbabwe for the foreseeable future and that
all should be sensibly arranged
for maximum production and maximum social
content.
e) Tolerance towards,
and support for, both squatters and displaced farm
workers during the land
reform process.
f) A determination that all useful land will be put to use
and those who
have acquired land illegally and made no use of it should be
obliged to
give it up.
g) A recognition that the creation of a sustainable
system will be
essentially a Zimbabwean responsibility. There may be some
donor money but
the bulk of the work of reconstruction on sensible and useful
lines will
fall to Zimbabweans (and never, by the way, will there be a
greater need
for the Zimbabwean commercial farmers' remorseless energy and
flare for
improvisation.).
4) Proposals for the conduct of a
comprehensive, independent, non partisan
and effective land audit to
establish who is where and what is what. A good
NGO project this.
5)
Proposals for the early resurrection of commercial farms to production.
6)
Proposals for distribution and early exploitation of unused and
fallow
land.
7) Proposals for an early confirmation of which farmers wish
to return or
remain or renounce their farms to facilitate the land reform
process and
the establishment of commercial farming core areas.
8)
Proposals for the funding and distribution of restitution/compensation.
9)
Proposals for the improvement of agriculture on communal lands,
possibly
through allocation of title deeds.
10) Proposals for assistance
to, and re-location and re-training of those
squatters who are committed to
the land but must move from reclaimed
commercial farmland.
11) Proposals
for the resurrection of the agricultural support sector, once
such an
important employer in Zimbabwe.
Nearly all of the plans of man undergo
numerous changes before
implementation and many hardly work even then.
Hopefully more able people
have better plans already further advanced. I
wish I could see them.
Perhaps I have not been looking in the right
places.
Who will pay for all the above, for the hundreds of thousands of
hours of
expert time required? I don't know. In a perfect world we could fund
such
projects with plunder recovered from those who have so gleefully robbed
and
cheated since 1999. But Zimbabwe is very far from being a perfect
world.
Yet amidst the chaos and misery any group of Zimbabweans trying to
set
things right and build a future out of the wreckage must and should
attract
at least a stream from the oceans of donor money sloshing around the
world.
If I find any I'll let you know.
The dawn is coming and if it finds
us asleep then, however in the right we
may be, we will also be up a creek.
Indefinitely. There is hope. There are
prospects. But we have to find them,
articulate them, and make them a part
of Zimbabwe's future.
Yours
sincerely,
Sophia
Janssen
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
2: Re Open Letters Forum No. 174 dated 29 October
I write in reference to
A.R.B-Walker's letter to the JAG Open Letters Forum
No. 174 dated 29 October
2003 and applaud his actions and decisions. If
only more Zimbabweans thought
like him.
Frank
Urquhart.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
3: Is Anyone's Media Licence to Operate Legal?
Sir,
Just a
thought....
If, as a recent court ruling states, the media commission is
NOT legally
constituted, Do they have the legal right to issue the licences
that are
currently seen as valid?
How could these licences be legal as
they are issued by a commission that,
in itself, is NOT legal?
Momma
Kat
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
All
letters published on the open Letter Forum are the views and opinions
of the
submitters, and do not represent the official viewpoint of Justice
for
Agriculture.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES: Updated November 3, 2003
Please send any job
opportunities for publication in this newsletter to:
JAG Job Opportunities
<justice@telco.co.zw>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
NATIONAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
(ad
inserted 30 October 2003)
Bookkeeper / Accounts Administrator
Required:
A small but growing manufacturing / retailing / investment
group of
companies, seeks the services of a Bookkeeper/ Accounts
Administrator.
The person should have very good knowledge of practical
business
bookkeeping, up to Trial Balance. A reasonable knowledge of Balance
Sheets
is required. The person should be a self-starter, motivated,
and
outgoing. The chosen candidate will have all the direction needed
for
him/her to perform their tasks. The following description with regard
to
the position is needed:
1) Cashbooks, Debtors, Creditors, Bank
Reconciliation's, Wages,
2) Must be computer literate with regard to
Microsoft Office, i.e. MS Excel
and Windows and MS Word.
3) Must be
computer literate with regard to Our Accounting Software,
such as QuickBooks
Accounting, Sage, or Pastel
4) Must be able to handle Monthly Returns,
such as, Sales Tax (Shortly
VAT), PAYE, NEC, NSSA, Manpower and Standards
Development Levy.
5) Basic understanding on implementation and the
administration of company
flow charts (paper work trail) and the correct
manner in storing and filing
company records.
6) Basic knowledge on
compiling accounting records for External Auditors.
Interested
candidates, please e-mail a copy of your CV to vb@hms.co.zw or
phone 091 253
991
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
(ad
inserted 30 October 2003)
We are looking to recruit an assistant
restaurant manager for our St.
Elmo's location in Harare. The successful
candidate should be highly
motivated, and preferably have good food service
experience. A competitive
package will be offered.
The St. Elmo's
franchisee in Zimbabwe/ Zambia is expanding and this job
will almost
certainly lead to promotion.
The successful candidate will be sent to
Cape Town for Training with the
Franchiser.
Please respond
to:
ted@houses.africaonline.co.zw
and copy all responses to:
elmos@pc2000.co.zw
(Bus:
263-4-702412
(Home: 263-4-861930
ÈCell: 263-91-210-203
ÊFax:
263-4-790584
ted@houses.africaonline.co.zw
*
Snail Mail: Private Bag 604E, Harare, Zimbabwe
*Physical (i.e. courier)
Address: No 2 Denmark Road, Milton Park,
Harare,
Zimbabwe
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
(ad
inserted 30 October 2003)
We are a steel products manufacturing company
looking for a temporary
supervisor to oversee the manufacture and erection of
sheds inside and
outside the country. Position immediately available. Please
contact us at:
mtemwa@zol.co.zw, or
phone 011409229 or
744207.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
(ad
inserted 20 October 2003)
"Pottery manufacturing company in Greendale is
seeking a Production
Manager, to oversee and control the manufacturing,
costing and exporting of
pottery. Enthusiastic, self-starter with friendly
disposition is
required. Computer experience especially spreadsheets a
must.
Please e-mail CV's to markh@zimestatecoffee.co.zw or
write to P.O.Box
GT2696, Graniteside,
Harare."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
(ad
inserted 15 October 2003)
I am looking for an experienced driver.
Ideally, the successful applicant
will be able to double as a gardener and
live on the property.
Alternatively, is there anyone in the Highlands
area who has a driver whom
they would be prepared to share?
Replies to
gailc@zol.co.zw or phone
498266/091-354079
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
(ad
inserted 13 October 2003)
We are looking to recruit a candidate from
Zimbabwe to be our
Zimbabwe Liaison Officer - based in Harare,
Zimbabwe
Salary between £490 - £600 Sterling per month (depending on skills
and
experience), full time, Contract - from November 2003 until March
2005
Reporting to the Southern Africa Programme Manager (SAPM), the
Zimbabwe
Liaison Officer (ZLO) will work to ensure the effectiveness and
efficiency
of CIIR / ICD's programme in Zimbabwe. The postholder will be
supporting
CIIR / ICD's skillshare and advocacy work in the country. She/he
will also
be expected to help the SAPM to maintain a broader perspective of
the
Southern Africa Region. The ZLO will provide supervision and support
to
CIIR / ICDs Development Workers (DWs) and maintain and build
key
partnerships with local partner organisations in response to CIIR /
ICD's
HIV & AIDS and disability strategies for Zimbabwe.
The
postholder should have degree or appropriate qualification in social
sciences
or related field and three to five years of relevant work
experience,
preferably within a non-governmental organisation, preferably
with senior
responsibility.
You should have excellent administration skills and sound
book keeping and
financial management experience. Competent IT skills,
excellent
self-organising, and prioritising skills, as well as experience
of
providing support to and of monitoring personnel is essential. Due to
the
nature of the post experience of being able to work effectively within
the
current social/economic and political environment in Zimbabwe is
essential.
Good interpersonal and communication skills to liaise
effectively with
people at various levels and good oral and written
communication skills in
English and in Shona and/or Ndebele are important. It
is essential to have
a proven ability to think and act strategically in
response to HIV & AIDS
as a development issue and a good grasp of gender
analysis and dynamics in
southern Africa. Last but not least you must have a
valid full driving
licence and willingness to travel extensively by car
within Zimbabwe.
Closing date 31 October 2003
Interviews Early
November
For further information and an application form visit
http://www.ciir.org/ciir.asp?section=jobs
or email icd@iway.na
alternatively fax ++264
61 232317.
CIIR / ICD are committed to equal opportunities
Charity No.
294
329
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
(ad
inserted 07 October 2003)
We have a vacancy coming up in at the end of
November for an Administrator
who will perform various BASIC functions in our
Harare office.
It is not too demanding and would suit a semi-retired
farmer.
Salary modest but has the use of a car to and from work, fuel
provided.
The primary role is to "keep and eye on" warehousing and
general office
situation. Please contact JAG offices for contact
details.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
(ad
inserted 02 October 2003)
The Trading Company in Msasa is looking for a
mornings only bookkeeper who
is able to work up to trial
balance.
Please contact 486596, 011 217 841 or email tradeco@icon.co.zw for
further
details.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
(ad
inserted 02 October 2003)
RESCUE Sheltered Workshop for 43 mentally and
physically disabled invite
application for the following posts:
1.
Administrator/Director
2. Workshop Manager
3. Bookkeeper
The
disabled persons have been trained to carry out various semi-skilled
work in
the manufacture of wheelchairs in a well-equipped and spacious
workshop in
Harare.
Applications with CV to be sent to Chairman Executive Committee,
P O Box
A381, Avondale, Harare.
Tel: (w) 304575, cell 011 405
046
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
(ad
inserted 01 October 2003)
We are looking for someone to work on our till
in the Art Mart, please
contact Lindy Rowlands at 485514 for more
details.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
(ad
inserted 19 September 2003)
VACANCY FOR CLASS 2 DRIVER
Applicant, who
should be 30 years of age or over, would ideally have:
Minimum 5 years
experience
Good references
Competitive salary offered.
Contact: Ms
Bassett
KDB HOLDINGS (PVT) LIMITED, Harare
Telephone:
758921
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
(ad
inserted 19 September 2003)
Retired farmer/handyman required overseeing a
clothing and fabric factory
in Msasa. No special qualifications needed.
Work hours are from 7am - 5
pm on Mon-Thurs and 7am - 1pm on Friday. Please
contact 011 217 841 for
further
details.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
- Avondale area
(ad inserted 19 September 2003)
We are looking for
someone to work a 2-3-morning week. Must be computer
literate and have
knowledge of Data input, Excel and Graphs.
Please contact 04 794478 for
further
details.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
(ad
inserted 16 September 2003)
We have a vacancy for a
receptionist.
Applicant must be MS Word/ Excel/ e-mail literate and of a
cheerful manner.
Salary on application.
Phone Carol Livingston 305613/4
Harare
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
(Glen Lorne)
(ad inserted 04 September 2003)
Position for a 5-day week
mornings only handyman at Imba Matombo Hotel will
be available from 14
September 2003. Please contact Julie Webb
499013.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
BULAWAYO
(ad
inserted 10 October 2003)
We are looking for someone who has:
1.
Loads of common sense
2. Patience
3. Sense of humour and an ability to
communicate at all levels
4. Self-motivation
5. Prepared to work hands on
(mostly feet on!)
6. Perseverance
7. A touch of stubbornness would be an
advantage
8. ENERGY (that should perhaps have been listed first!)
That
is the basic mindset.
Then:
Experience in sewing most important.
Designing and pattern making an
advantage but not essential.
The working
environment is in an export orientated clothing factory - we
are
unquestionably competitive in the world market and have
uncompromising
quality standards to support this.
The work is hard,
the job is rewarding. If you are interested, please
contact me on email: judepete@mweb.co.zw
Judith
Clark
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHEGUTU
(ad
inserted 02 September 2003)
Farm sitter urgently required from 16-30th
September 2003. Duties to
include looking after tobacco grading shed and
possible ridging to be done.
Please contact 091 321
406.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
GWERU
(ad
inserted 30 October 2003)
Vacancies exist at a safari camp near Gweru for
Hotel School trained staff
with at least 2 years experience in the Hotel and
Catering industry.
Positions offered include Food & Beverage manager,
reception staff, chefs,
cooks, housekeepers, laundry staff, general cleaners
and ground staff.
Send CV with application to The Manager, Box 1218,
Gweru.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
GWERU
(ad
inserted 18 September 2003)
SITUATION VACANT / EMPLOYMENT
A very
exciting and challenging opportunity for a financial controller /
accountant
in the tourism industry
IDEALLY: We require: A couple who can both become
involved in the
business and who do not still have children at
school.
Either the husband or wife should have extensive accounting
experience and
be able to manage the accounting staff.
The company is
also involved in Christian mission and overseas student
tours throughout
Africa, conducting hunting safaris and has an export
orientated weavery
business.
The company offices, homesteads, extensive workshops and very
busy Safari
lodge/camp are based on a game park 10 kms out of
Gweru.
Enthusiastic and committed couples interested in joining us should
please
forward details to or phone me directly on 091-205956
The
position is available immediately and really is an exiting one.
We
offer:
· Company vehicle
· Company house on the game park
·
Competitive salary
· Lots of perks
ANDREW CONOLLY
ANTELOPE PARK /
AFRICAN ENCOUNTER SAFARIS
P O Box 1218, Gweru, Zimbabwe
Phone/Fax: +(263
54) 52172, 50919
E-Mail: antelope@mweb.co.zw
Web-site:
antelopepark.co.zw
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
HEADLANDS
(ad
inserted 30 October 2003)
Position suitable for retired man or couple to
help with cattle operation.
Large house and garden.
Negotiable job
description and remuneration.
Phone 04 - 882978
Email: fertylin@zambezi.net
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
KARIBA
(ad
inserted 20 October 2003)
Do you love the bush, enjoy gardening, and have
the personality to make
guests feel welcome? Are you mechanically minded?
Interested in catering?
We are looking for a mature fit couple to run our
resort at Kariba. If you
feel this is for you, please email us on conquest@mweb.co.zw.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
KARIBA
- TIGER BAY
(ad inserted 16 September 2003)
Lake Fresh Fisheries in
Kariba has a vacancy for the position of General
Manager with the core
business being Kapenta Fishing. Ideal for successful
farmer - minimum age 30
years. The company offers a very attractive Salary,
free vehicle for company
use, plus free house, lights and water, with 21
working days leave p/a.
Genuine applications only please
Phone 011 608 782 or 308960, or email conquest@mweb.co.zw
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
KARIBA
(ad
inserted 09 September 2003)
A General Manager is wanted in Chalala,
Kariba to start work immediately.
Skills to include:
1. diesel
mechanic,
2. must be a hard worker,
3. is familiar with boats and
equipment,
4. good at labour relations,
5. preferably married as social
life is limited.
A 3-bedroomed cottage is offered for
accommodation.
Salary is substantial but negotiable.
Please
contact 061 2523 or 011 715 425 for further
information.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
MASVINGO
(ad
inserted 16 September 2003)
Wanted:
A farm manager / assistant for
a horticultural project situated 25 km from
Masvingo.
Please contact Mr.
P. Buchan on Buflower@zol.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
MUTARE
(ad
inserted 03 November 2003)
Management position available on an expanding
horticultural project a half
hour outside Mutare.
Please contact: dalyn@mutare.icon.co.zw
telephone -
020 4 2207 / 011 210 668 / 020
64065.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
NKAI
(MATABELELAND NORTH)
(ad inserted 08 October 2003)
We have a job offer
as a manager of a large Timber Milling operation in
Nkai. We are looking
for:
1. A decision maker with good managerial skills, able to control
and
discipline a large work force. Integrity and honesty are
vital.
2. Because Nkai is in the middle of the bush and far away from
any towns,
it is important that the applicants are personalities that are
not
interested in social life or likely to turn to alcohol. A more
introverted
type of person would be more suitable. Preferably without
children at
school.
3. Duties will involve the running of a very
large hardwood sawmill, hire
and fire of labourers, maintenance of all
machinery and vehicles and
dealing with customers. Work will often take up
weekends. Any mechanical
knowledge will be greatly advantageous.
4.
Accommodation at the moment consists of a Bungalow. However when the
right
person is found for the position we intend building.
5. Salary although
not fully decided at this point will be very high. We
will work out a scheme
based on percentage of profits as well as a basic.
Salary although paid in
Zim Dollars will be based on the Rand.
Regards
Glen
Wiseman
Cell phone: 011 208
329
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
RAFFINGORA
(ad
inserted 20 October 2003)
Wanted:
Someone to assist on farm; any
retired farmer or displaced couple looking
for somewhere to live or something
to do.
Contact Doreen for more information on e-mail: sylviadu@ecoweb.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTERNATIONAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOTSWANA
(ad
inserted 29 September 2003)
AMEECHI INVESTMENTS SEEK A SUITABLY QUALIFIED
MECHANIC FOR A RANCHING
OPERATION IN BOTSWANA. THE POST IS WITH IMMEDIATE
EFFECT. APPLICANTS WITH
EXPERIENCE WITH HEAVY EARTH-MOVING EQUIPMENT WILL
HAVE AN ADDED ADVANTAGE.
CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND CONTACTABLE REFERENCES
ARE REQUIRED.
APPLICATIONS WITH CVs TO BE POSTED ASAP TO THE FARM MANAGER,
AMEECHI
INVESTMENTS, PO BOX 602195, GABERONE, BOTSWANA.
Please
contact: kok@zta.co.zw for further
details
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
MALAWI
- TOBACCO MANAGERS
Tobacco managers wanted in Malawi: 2003/4 seasons
100ha Flue cured 100ha
Maize African tobacco managers of Malawian extraction
wanting to relocate
with costs paid and paper work facilities. Malawian
Passport Holders will
obviously be given preference. Respond to JAG's email
address and we
will
forward.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
NIGERIA
(ad
inserted 16 October 2003)
I work for a US based Consulting firm -
GoodWorks
International LLC, engaged in amongst other things, promoting
investment in
Africa.
Some of our clients in Nigeria, in this respect,
Northern State Governors
have asked that we enquire into the possibility of
attracting farmers
seeking to divest or diversify their knowledge, expertise
or investments
from Zimbabwe and the Southern African region into the
northern part of
Nigeria.
The northern part of Nigeria is seeking to
boost its economic activity and
develop its communities by promoting the only
viable assets it has - its
agriculturally viable land and traditional farming
communities. Riding on
the back of an "agricultural boost" would be the
development of tourism in
the area, largely renowned for a rich culture,
colorful festivals, an
erstwhile beautiful game reserve and numerous other
historically valuable
sites which have suffered neglect.
The northern
part of Nigeria has a traditionally farming community, notable
for the
production of maize, sorghum, cowpeas, groundnuts, rice, sugar cane
etc.,
cattle rearing and poultry farming.
The idea would be to have these
farmers, enter into joint
venture/working/concession/management agreements
for farms or land either
owned and/or controlled by the state
governments.
Similarly, I am also seeking game park operators who might
be interested in
considering a similar working arrangement for a game reserve
located in
Bauchi state (Yankari game reserve).
I would appreciate
your putting me in touch with members of the farming
community interested in
exploring this opportunity further and I would be
happy to provide additional
information and arrange working
visits/conference calls.
If you have
any questions, please let me know.
I look forward to hearing from you as
soon as possible.
Regards.
Aisha Rimi
GWI Consulting
1900 K
Street, Suite 1050
Washington DC, 20006
www.gwiconsulting.com
Tel: 202
736 2152
Fax: 202 736
2213
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOUTH
AFRICA
(ad inserted 07 October 2003)
There is a vacancy for a
vegetable production manager in SA. The project is
involved in the production
of baby vegetables and peas (Mange Tout) for the
local market (Woolworths)
and the European markets.
The applicant must be able to work in SA. The
project is based in the
Southern Cape region of George.
Good
experience in all aspects of farming are essential - I am looking for
a
particularly dedicated person.
Please contact me - CHRIS CHARTER
info@1910fruitbox.co.za
+27 82
880-1351
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
UGANDA
(ad
inserted 09 October 2003)
Ugandan Forest Resource Management and
Conservation Programme
PLANTATION SPECIALIST: TERMS OF
REFERENCE
Qualifications:
Degree or Diploma in Forestry or Forest
Engineering
Essential Experience:
· Minimum 8 years practical
experience of establishing, management and
harvesting of large-scale,
commercial, tropical or sub-tropical timber
plantations - particularly pines
and eucalypts.
· Proven experience of modern weed control techniques -
including the safe
use of herbicides.
· A thorough understanding of modern
tree nursery techniques.
· Demonstrable experience of working with chain
saws.
· Experience with skidding logs using a 4WD tractor and double-drum
winch.
· Organising and supervising private Contractors to carry out
work.
· Drawing up and implementing fire protection plans for
forests.
Desirable Experience:
· Knowledge of Health and Safety issues
in forestry operations.
· Experience in training in various aspects of
plantation silviculture and
harvesting.
· Forest Certification
experience.
· Knowledge of marketing roundwood.
· Competence in computer
use - especially MS Office applications.
Duration:
A 12-month contract
initially but with a likelihood of extension
Location:
The successful
applicant will be based in Kampala. The work will involve
frequent travel
around Uganda which will necessitate frequent overnight
stays up-country.
Kampala is a thriving, cosmopolitan city with excellent
facilities for
shopping, schooling and general R&R.
Start Date:
ASAP from 1st
October 2003.
Support:
The post-holder will have the use of a good 4WD
vehicle to carry out his or
her duties and a driver will be assigned to the
vehicle.
Salary and Conditions:
To be discussed with Agrisystems Ltd.
(UK).
Background:
The activities of the FRMCP places considerable
emphasis on the development
of new plantations and the sustainable management
of the remaining mature
plantations.
Despite the excellent growth
conditions available for tree plantations in
Uganda, the forest plantation
sector still remains under developed and a
serious shortfall of timber is
predicted in the near future.
The FRMCP has already started establishing
some demonstration plantations
in Forest Reserves in strategic places around
the country and has also
recently launched a Sawlog Production Grant Scheme
to act as an incentive
to the private sector to plant commercial timber
crops.
The lack of practical skills (following years of poor management
and
general unrest in the country) is severely affecting the FRMCP's
plantation
development plans hence the need to recruit a suitable person who
can pass
skills to the Programme's management team, private sector &
other
stakeholders to meet its plantation development targets.
Other
Info:
The post-holder will join the Agrisystems Technical Advisory (TA) team
-
reporting directly to the FRMCP's Chief Technical Advisor.
Please
contact: david@agrisystems.co.ke
for further
information.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
UGANDA
(ad
inserted 08 September 2003)
I have been in Uganda for the last six weeks.
Whilst there, I met a Ugandan
who is a lawyer by profession, who owns three
pieces of land and who is
looking for someone to run farming operations for
him. He has 800 acres
between Entebbe and Kampala, where he is doing maize
and cattle and two
other properties of 10 square miles and two square miles
respectively, both
with potential for irrigation if necessary.
Should
you know of anyone who might be interested, I would ask that they
send
responses to the Ugandan email address for more information:
marcr@spacenet.co.ug
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ZAMBIA
(ad
inserted 01 October 2003)
HORTICULTURE MANAGER REQUIRED IN ZAMBIA ON THE
COPPERBELT
VEGETABLES AND FRUIT
Vegetable and fruit grower supplying large
supermarket chain from
developing irrigated Copperbelt Farm requires a
suitably qualified hands-on
Assistant. Married or single. Wife could assist
in office. Some
experience with seeding growing an advantage.
Excellent
free housing and services paid, and vehicle provided.
Salary
negotiable.
Please reply email simmonds@zamnet.zm
Fax: Zambia +260 2
210468
Tel: Zambia +260 96
990096
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ZAMBIA
(ad
inserted 09 September 2003)
Mechanical Engineer required for a large
engineering firm in Lusaka. All
enquiries contact Diego Casilli in Lusaka on
dcasilli@amanita.com.zm
or
+2601286452.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
For
the latest listings of accommodation available for farmers, contact
justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw
(updated 3 November 2003)
JAG LEGAL COMMUNIQUE
JUSTICE FOR AGRICULTURE LEGAL COMMUNIQUE - November
3, 2003
Email: justice@telco.co.zw; justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw
Internet:
www.justiceforagriculture.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRELIMINARY
NOTICE TO COMPULSORILY ACQUIRE LAND
The Herald of Friday 31 October 2003
contains new listings Lot 120 (4
farms) and Lot 121 (6 farms) have been
listed under Section 5 Notice and
Lot 122 (1 farm) has been listed under
Section 3.
LOT 120
GOROMONZI 4945/83 PATRICK FRANCIS MELLON REMAINING
EXTENT OF BELLEVUE FARM
1266.5172
LOMAGUNDI 9221/87 E D DODGEN (1987)
P/L NYRUGWE 594.4325
MARANDELLAS 5315/97 NICHOLAS TRIAL HOWMAN S/D A OF
CLOSEBURN OF RASTENBURG
126.9497
SALISBURY 441/70 MICHAEL EDWIN GUYSE
THORBURN REMAINDER OF S/D A PORTION OF
ELLANDALE 1189.5976 MORGEN
LOT
121
MAZOE 3678/94 WELMODE FARM P/L UMVUKWE FLATS A 1032.2400
DARWIN
11653/99 MTUATUA P/L LOT 1 OF LOT 1 OF MTORAZENI 1025.4006
DARWIN
11654/99 YOYO INVESTMENTS P/L REMAINDER OF LOT 1 OF
MTORAZENI
1530.1394
MAZOE 4410/81 WORMWOOD FARM P/L S/D A OF WORM WOOD
OF MOORE'S GRANT
334.2046
SALISBURY 104/93 STOCKADE FARM P/L STOCKADE
OF MADZUGETU 402.4747
SHAMVA 2886/88 ROBOROUGH FARM P/L TEMBO
326.3705
LOT 122 (Section 3)
SALISBURY 2242/69 P B ARNOTT & SON
P/L R/E OF GOOD HOPE 1460.6822 ACRES
Zim Standard
Pius Ncube suffers stroke
By Loughty
Dube
OUTSPOKEN Roman Catholic Archbishop and strong critic of
President
Robert Mugabe's misrule, Father Pius Ncube, right, has suffered a
stroke but
is recovering at his parish home, The Standard has
established.
The Archbishop of Matabeleland, an ardent critic of
Mugabe over the
years, is said to have suffered a mild stroke on the right
side of the body
but is said to be recovering "quite quickly" from the
attack, sources in the
church said.
"He just had a slight
problem but the stroke was not serious. It was
quite mild and he will be well
soon. There is no need to panic as the father
is out of danger. He is now
taking a rest but will be performing his normal
duties very soon," said a
Catholic nun at the parish.
It was however difficult to establish
finer details of the nature of
the attack as church officials kept referring
this reporter from one person
to the other.
Ncube, unlike other
senior Roman Catholic bishops, has questioned some
of Mugabe's policies that
have been blamed for marginalising the two
Matabeleland provinces and human
rights abuses by State security agents
loyal to the Zanu PF
leader.
Mugabe has not made his hatred of Ncube secret and has on
numerous
occasions openly accused the senior cleric of dabbling in politics,
instead
of concentrating on matters of the pulpit.
Mugabe's
clashes with Ncube date back to the early 1980s when the
bishop, together
with some clerics, led the publication of a report compiled
by the Catholic
Commission for Peace and Justice (CCJP) outlining atrocities
perpetrated by
Zimbabwean soldiers during political disturbances
in
Matabeleland.
Ncube was in June this year praised by the US
Secretary of State Colin
Powell for his stand against human rights abuses in
Zimbabwe.
His work with the Peace Solidarity Trust, a grouping of
church leaders
from Southern Africa, has also angered Zimbabwean government
officials.
Ncube is the current chairman of the Trust.
The Trust
last month released a damning report outlining activities at
the Green
Bombers' National Youth Training camps, where horrendous stories
of rape of
young girls were told.
It was not possible to talk to Archbishop
Ncube at the time of going
to print.
Zim Standard
Zesa fails to connect Zimre Park
By Valentine
Maponga
WHILE the government claims that its rural electrification
programme
is gathering momentum and has covered much ground, the State's
Zimbabwe
Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) is failing to connect
electricity to
most parts of Harare's new residential areas.
Zesa's inability to pay for products, which this year has resulted in
the
termination of supplies from major suppliers such as Cafca, has led
to
serious shortages and delays in new electricity connections around
Harare,
it was learnt last week.
Most houses in the Zimre Park'
Phase Two housing scheme have been
without electricity for the past three
years and the power utility
attributes its failure to electrify the houses to
crippling shortages of
equipment and manpower.
"We have been
regularly visiting Zesa's head offices, only to be
referred back to their
Harare East offices, under which we are told Zimre
Park falls, but nothing
has materialised," said one house owner who said he
was willing to pay any
amount to get electricity.
Rejoice Ngwenya, also resident at Zimre
Park, said some of the
residents were willing to buy their own equipment to
have their properties
electrified.
"People have already said
they are willing to buy their own
electricity metres and even transformers to
get connected. If there are
problems at Zesa, I think it's high time they do
something. We are always
getting excuses that there are no electricity fuses
or transformers," said
Ngwenya.
Many house owners in Zimre Park
say there are not getting value for
their properties because they do not even
know how to value their properties
for renting out.
"You cannot
ask for someone to pay for a house which has got no
electricity. A lot of the
people who own these houses are out of the country
and want to rent them, but
it's very difficult for one to appreciate a house
without electricity while
living in a city like Harare," said another
disappointed owner who said he
had to team up with neighbours to buy a
transformer.
"We bought
our own transformer for the connections but now it's over
three weeks without
being connected. We are living in the dark because even
candles and firewood
are now very expensive," he said.
Some Zimre Park residents say
they have now resorted to the use of gas
stoves and lamps, which are
considered very dangerous if not handled
properly.
Currently
Zesa is undergoing a commercialisation process, which
officials at the power
supplier claim would revive the beleaguered
parastatal into viable
business.
Zim Standard
As economic crisis takes toll on tourism
By
Lee Berthiaume
Great Zimbabwe turns to white elephant ON this hot
Sunday, it wouldn't
be unreasonable to expect dozens of visitors wandering
through the
labyrinthine complex exploring the mysteries of the Shona
people.
Yet the site's parking lot is empty, its nearby hotel
deserted. Guides
lounge around waiting for some one to request their
services.
The economic and political situation has had a large
impact on the
ancient ruins of the Great Zimbabwe, and the rest of the
country's tourist
market.
Great Zimbabwe is indeed dying a
second death, a sad thought that the
people of the world won't ever learn
about the Mashona people.
Rising above the valley floor, the
ancient ruins of Great Zimbabwe,
the centre of the Munhumutapa Empire, still
conjure a feeling of mystery and
majestic presence.
When German
archaeologists "discovered" the site in 1871, their first
thought was that it
had to have been built by either a conqueror from the
Middle East or Europe -
the Romans or Persians.
They refused to believe that the indigenous
people who lived in the
area could have constructed such a
structure.
Only recently have the Mashona people - ancestors of the
modern-day
Shonas - received recognition for their work. Situated over 1 800
acres, the
Great Zimbabwe is a cultural, architectural and spiritual
wonder.
Though it is significantly sketchy as to how or why it was
built,
historians believe the Great Zimbabwe - which gave the country its
name -
was built both as an administrative and ruling centre for the
Mashona
Kingdom and as a defensive fortification against attacks by
aggressive
groups in the region.
Carbon dating reports the
oldest sections, the Hill Complex, were
constructed sometime around 1200 AD.
Fires were constructed at a nearby
granite quarry which is still visible
today.
The heated stone peeled off the quarry walls and was carried
back to
the construction site several kilometres away, including a march up
the
steep hill to the palace.
The granite walls and different
doorways that still exist today show
the intricacy of such construction as
each stone was placed in a specific
way. The walls create not only a barrier
from the elements but also
protection during an attack, situated as they are
on the edge of several
cliffs. From the Hill Complex, the Mashona could
survey the land for miles
in every direction.
Even now it's easy
to picture the Mashona people watching a trade
caravan snaking through the
hills to the east bearing brass, gold and
porcelain.
Such
artefacts - from a brass spoon to plates with Chinese and Persian
designs -
have been discovered within the ruins and ancient Portuguese
documents speak
of Great Zimbabwe as a trading hub for the region.
On the east side
of the complex, cut into the side of a cliff from
which the valley spreads
below, is a cave. Sitting inside, the chief's
representative would enter the
cave and yell a message.
That message would ring through the valley
and bounce off the
mountains beyond to be heard miles away.
Stone steps, worn from centuries of use, snake down from the hill
complex,
where the chief and his dignitaries would eat, sleep and be
entertained, to
the valley below.
Visitors must go single file through a narrow
defile between a boulder
and the cliff where an army could be thrown back by
a few well-armed
defenders above. However, the Mashona people were not
without their
courtesies; rock benches have been placed at intervals on the
path up the
hill.
At the foot of the hill was where the chief's
army slept. While no
buildings remain - the clay and mud huts have long since
disappeared -
artefacts testify to the army's presence.
A dirt
path that is still used today bears signs of having existed
centuries
earlier. Stone arches are visible just under the dirt, as are
bones from
animals consumed by Great Zimbabwe's inhabitants, who numbered as
many as 18
000 at one time.
Walls still mark the Valley complex, where the
chief's junior wives
lived, their huts protected by the stone barriers. There
they would care for
his sons, hoping their name would be called from the cave
to sleep with the
chief that night.
However, the junior wives'
walls pale in comparison to the Great
Enclosure, where the chief's senior
wife would care for his heirs. The
largest pre-colonial structure south of
the Sahara, the walls protecting the
senior wife rise up to 13 metres high
and in some places are six metres
thick.
Even in the blistering
heat, the walls still exude a chill from the
night before and their feeling
of impenetrable strength is awe-inspiring
even in this day of steel and
concrete.
Besides the legend of the Mugabes, the site's traditional
caregivers,
the stories surrounding Great Zimbabwe are few and speculation
runs rampant.
The reasons the Mashonas felt it necessary to build Great
Zimbabwe in 1100
AD and what befell the Mashona empire and caused the site to
be abandoned
around 1600 AD, are still shrouded in mystery.
Some
say the city's population simply exceeded its ability to support
everyone and
this reason is the most lauded as there is no evidence of a
battle.
Zim Standard
Aids fatalities make "Business of Death"
lucrative
By Lee Berthiaume
IF it wasn't for the large
sign, the hearse and the stacks of coffins,
it would be easy to dismiss
Harmony Funeral Services as just another
warehouse bay at the bustling Makoni
shopping centre of Chitungwiza, near
Harare.
Yet this is exactly
the type of funeral operation, one of a plethora
of "fly by night" businesses
that have been popping up throughout the
country in the wake of killer
diseases like HIV/Aids and tuberculosis, and
at a time when the country is
facing unprecedented food and medicine
shortages.
In Zimbabwe,
where dozens of other industries are collapsing due to
the country's economic
crisis, the "business of death" is thriving.
Next door to Harmony,
a sign reading "Coffins" is affixed to a wall
with two arrows pointing down a
narrow passage between two stands. Here a
family has decided to start a
business selling home-made coffins to anyone
who needs one.
Once
you've bought that coffin, the next stop is Sydney Marufu's stand
down the
road. Marufu and his family have been selling tombstones since last
year when
they needed to make money and realised that death was the easiest
place to
start.
"We started because most of the people are dying," Marufu
said. "We
see different people every day and there are many."
According to Casper Magwere of Homage Funeral Services, Zimbabwe has
seen an
increased demand for funeral services given the country's
current
situation.
"You have the HIV/Aids epidemic and many
others," Magwere said, adding
that 95 per cent of the funerals his company
services are the result of
HIV/Aids deaths. "And tuberculosis is on the rise.
There is a generation
that has to be served."
In 2002, Harare
alone had 17 504 recorded deaths, an increase of
almost 500 from the year
before. The three leading causes of death in the
capital - according to the
city's health department - were pneumonia,
tuberculosis and HIV related
illnesses, all of which are on the increase.
Last year there were
57 524 reported cases of sexually transmitted
diseases compared to 49 166 in
2001, continuing the trend for the third
straight year.
While
funeral parlours in Harare are busy trying to service the
capital, they are
also receiving steady business from rural communities
where HIV/Aids rates
and cases of other terminal illnesses are even more
prevalent.
According to a manager at Doves Funeral Services, as of October 20
there had
been 19 467 recorded deaths in Harare and the surrounding area,
which equals
roughly 67 per day. According to the manager, who asked not to
be named, his
parlour receives between eight and 12 new clients per day.
With so
much death around, Magwere said there's plenty of business
for
everyone.
"The number of deaths is increasing on a daily
basis. I think every
parlour would agree they have a fair share (of
business)," said Magwere.
According to Magwere, a service at an
established parlour can cost
anything between $150 000 and several millions,
depending on how involved
the service is.
Still, many families
cannot afford to bury their loved ones with even
the simplest
service.
In response, the country has seen an increase in the
number of funeral
assurance plans, which operate like life insurance. Still
others have
started to pay for their funerals in advance through pre-payment
plans. This
way, when they die, their survivors don't have to worry about
coming up with
the money to pay.
Still, even with these options,
many people have turned to
alternatives like Harmony and Marufu. However,
Magwere and others say these
alternatives don't provide people with what they
need.
"A lot of them are fly by night in that they are here to
take
advantage of people's grief," said the Doves manager. "I'm sure a lot
of
them are making a profit off HIV/Aids."
The main service that
is missing, said Magwere, is the counselling and
the comforting that
established funeral homes offer.
He said Homage not only provides
funeral services but also helps
orphans and conducts HIV/Aids
counselling.
"We go a step further," Magwere said. "We are trying
to go that extra
step. These guys are coming into it for the money and I
don't think it's
very fair. We have to be seen to have heart."
Zim Standard
German NGO sponsors rural water project
By
our own Staff
AT least 48 000 families are set to benefit from a
project by the
German Agro Action (GAA) and the European Commission
Humanitarian Aid Office
(ECHO) aimed at the rehabilitation of rural water
points in Zimbabwe.
The project manager, Jochen Hertle, said the
project was a result of
his institution's ongoing response and interventions
to the effects of the
drought and poverty alleviation to the rural
communities.
About 1,2 million Euros was injected into the project.
The villagers
to benefit will be from six selected districts of Gwanda,
Mwenezi, Nkayi,
Bulilimamangwe and Gokwe South where 100 water points have
already been
rehabilitated so far.
These districts receive small
amounts of rainfall every year which
makes it difficult for people to
practise proper farming without the use of
irrigation
facilities.
"A total of 1 200 boreholes will be rehabilitated and
38 water points
are to be constructed from which increased availability and
accessibility to
reliable, hygienic, safe and clean water for domestic use is
expected," said
Hertle.
Hertle said about 48 000 families are
also set to benefit from a
"Participatory Health and Hygiene Education"
programme in which 500 people
in different communities are to be trained in
health refresher courses.
"Despite the shortages of spare parts and
the spiralling inflation, we
have all the materials we need for the water
project which is expected to be
completed in May next year," he
added.
Currently, GAA - the largest private non-governmental
organisation for
humanitarian aid in Germany - and local partners are
implementing a "food
for work" project based on self-help activities to
rehabilitate farm
irrigation schemes for 3 300 families in Manicaland and
Matebeleland South.
Two projects for water supply in Nyamarimbira
have also been
implemented in conjunction with Intermediate Technology
Development Group
(ITDG).
Recently, statistics from United
Nations indicated that more than 5,5
million Zimbabweans will need food aid
by January next year due to food
shortages caused by the drought and the
government's highly criticised land
reform programme.
Zim Standard
As economic crisis takes toll on urban households Open
air meat
markets flourish
newsfocus By Caiphas Chimhete
FROM a distance, all that a casual observer can see are scores of
people
carrying small plastic bags to and from an open space at Huruyadzo
Shopping
Centre in St Mary's, Chitungwiza's oldest and most impoverished
suburb. On
getting closer, swarms of flies create a diversion as their
source of
attraction becomes obvious.
For the mostly women holders of
makeshift stalls at this open air meat
market, keeping away the flies from
their merchandise is a major
pre-occupation. Wielding all kinds of "weapons"
ranging from newspapers,
tree branches or just their hands, they frenziedly
wave about - as they try
to clear the intruders that are taking as much
interest in their wares as
the people milling around their
stalls.
As the price of beef, pork and chicken continue to
skyrocket beyond
the reach of many ordinary Zimbabweans, open-air meat
markets have
mushroomed in many high density suburbs, providing an
alternative source of
beef at more affordable prices. Enterprising vendors,
taking advantage of
the situation, have set up make shift butcheries wherever
they can get
customers. This can be along dusty streets, any open spaces
reserved as
children's play grounds or township squares.
Meat
cuts ranging from ordinary beef, offal, (guru nematumbu), fish,
chicken offal
(including gizzards and intestines) as well as pig ears are
sold from
unhygienic wheelbarrows, dishes, plates as well as small cups.
The
vendors are, understandably, very secretive about the source of
the cheap
meat.
"Why do you want to know where we get the beef? If you want
it just
buy and leave," retorted one meat vendor, as he fought away swarms
of
determined flies attracted by the foul smell that was emanating from
the
beef.
It is generally thought the source of the meat could
be cattle
rustlers who slaughter beasts at a council farm near Mufakose or
steal
cattle from villages in the Seke communal area. So far, a number of
people
have been arrested and charged for cattle rustling.
Yet
despite the unhygienic state of these open-air meat markets and
backyard
butcheries, ordinary high-density dwellers in areas such as
Budiriro,
Kuwadzana, Highfield, Tafara, Mabvuku, Glen View and Mufakose,
Chitungwiza's
Unit H, D, N and Makoni Shopping Centre, now increasingly rely
on them for
their daily beef needs.
"We have been buying this meat for quite
some time now but none of us
has fallen ill. If we continue buying from these
people, the butcheries will
reduce their prices," said Mai Tapiwa of Bidiriro
One suburb.
Presently, the average price of super beef in
supermarkets is $15 000
per kilogramme while that of stewing beef is about
$11 500 per kg. Belly
pork and pork chops cost about $7 900 and $8 000 per kg
respectively.
A snap survey by The Standard last week revealed that
the majority of
meat-starved people in high-density suburbs did not care
about the risk
posed by the flies hovering around these makeshift meat
markets.
Health experts warn however, that the coming of the rains
could just
be all that is needed to cause a disease outbreak in most of these
areas if
the meat vendors continue their business.
The Consumer
Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) acting executive director,
Rosemary Mpofu,
expressed grave concern over the safety of consumers saying
they become
vulnerable to diseases if they buy food from street vendors.
"The
Consumer Council of Zimbabwe, through its research, has
discovered that more
and more consumers cannot afford to buy meat through
the formal market and
are turning to street vendors for meat products," said
Mpofu.
The consumer watchdog said consumers have a right to a healthy
environment
and safety.
"This is an infringement on the consumers' right to
safety," she said.
However, Harare City Council director of health
services, Lovemore
Mumbengeranwa, through his secretary declined to comment
referring all
questions to Cuthbert Rwazemba, the council's public relations
officer.
Rwazemba demanded the questions in writing, saying he will
forward
them to Mumbengeranwa, a process that was likely to take more than a
week.
Zim Standard
Bakers halt operations
By Kumbirai
Mafunda
MILLERS and bakers have stopped milling and baking
operations
countrywide owing to a reduction in rationed allocations from the
country's
sole grain procurer, the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), it emerged
last week.
Baking industry sources said the GMB recently reduced
its wheat
allocations to millers, thereby causing a countrywide shortages of
bread,
which is a basic foodstuff to most households.
Millers
said they have not received wheat supplies from GMB since
September, as the
parastatal body battles with wheat shortages.
Sources said
Bulawayo, the country's second largest city, is the
hardest hit as it has
gone for the past two weeks without bread, owing to
erratic supplies of flour
from millers.
"We have gone for two weeks now without bread. We are
not getting any
wheat from GMB," said a source from Bulawayo.
He
said the limited supplies they used to get were from a few farmers
who were
selling their grain directly and not through the GMB, but even that
had
dwindled.
"For the past three weeks, some bakers have gone without
baking. It's
likely to get worse," said one Harare baker.
Apart
from the wheat deficit, bakers said they were confronted with
energy
constraints to move the few supplies by road.
They also said the
National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) was failing to
provide wagons to ferry
the meagre supplies from farmers.
Another source said the small
quantities being imported from
Mozambique were currently blocked by NRZ
locomotives that are fuelling in
Mozambique.
"We are also faced
with problems of diesel to transport wheat and
flour," the source
added.
In the light of the critical flour situation, the
Confederation of
Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) held an emergency meeting in
Harare with the
National Bakers' Association of Zimbabwe on Thursday. The
outcome of the
meeting could not be ascertained before going to
Press.
Officials from the three major millers - Blue Ribbon,
National Foods
and Victoria Milling - confirmed that the flour situation was
becoming
"desperate".
They said in recent weeks, their single
allocations had gone down from
2 500 tonnes per week to between 400 and 500
tonnes. The supply situation
was also very erratic and sometimes no
deliveries were made.
Under normal circumstances, millers said they
required about 3 000
tonnes of flour each per week. The millers said the GMB
told them the flour
problem was not caused by shortages, but by supply
bottlenecks as a result
of logistic problems.
The wheat
shortage, bakers said, is forcing some of them to import
flour from South
Africa and other neighbouring countries, hence the
precipitous increase in
the price of bread, sometimes costing $3 000 a loaf
from last
week.
Agricultural experts said wheat harvests from the winter
wheat crop,
which began last month, were unlikely to exceed 30 000
tonnes.
That harvest, experts said, would only last for about a
month as
actual wheat requirements necessary to feed the nation each month
amount to
about 40 000 tonnes.
Zim Standard
Top cop admits police giving public raw deal
By our own Staff
MASVINGO: A senior police officer has said the
Zimbabwe Republic
Police should repent from its wrong doing against the
public if it is to
regain the confidence of the people it
serves.
Delivering a lecture on customer care at Masvingo Phoenix
Centre,
police spokesman, Chief Superintendent Oliver Mandipaka, said
the
partnership and trust between the police and members of the public no
longer
existed.
"We are giving the public a raw deal and we must
repent from our wrong
doing as soon as possible in order to regain the lost
confidence and pride,"
said Mandipaka.
"We have received
numerous complaints from members of the public who
accuse the police of
brutality, harassment, hostility, as well as demanding
bribes from the
complainants.
"Right now, the Zimbabwe Republic Police is losing
millions of dollars
through civil lawsuits and there are piles and piles of
these at the Police
General Headquarters. The public is increasingly getting
disgruntled by our
actions," said Mandipaka, in a rare admission by a senior
ZRP officer of the
police's failings.
The ZRP, whose head
Augustine Chihuri has publicly admitted being a
member of the ruling party,
has been accused of being partisan.
Shortly after the workshop,
Mandipaka said the police was trying to
resuscitate its battered image.
Zim Standard
Nightmare in a govt hospital - a personal
experience
By Wilson Dakwa
I HAD never dreamt that one day
I would be admitted at a hospital but
as I later learnt, things can happen at
anytime and one has to be ready for
such an eventuality.
About a
week ago I was rushed to a city referral hospital in an
ambulance suffering
from hypertension.
My nightmare began on arrival at the hospital's
casualty department
where I was wheeled in a stretcher.
The time
was shortly after 2 pm and there was a lot of activity in the
corridors as
patients and staff moved about.
My stretcher was wheeled into the
corridor and there I was to lie for
the next one and half-hours without being
attended to by anybody, despite
being in a bad state. The nursing staff and
junior doctors appeared more
interested in making conversation among
themselves about their different
experiences.
After what seemed
an eternity, a fellow whom I believed to be a doctor
finally came and before
he could inquire about my condition, he read the
chart that had been left by
the ambulance crew detailing my medical history.
He began shouting
at me saying that it was my fault that I had been
admitted to the hospital
and that I should look after myself instead of
bothering over-worked health
personnel.
I ignored his remarks and after an hour I was finally
wheeled into a
ward on the third floor. This ward was full of people who
looked very ill,
and mostly elderly.
Here I was told to lie on
the bed for two and half hours again without
being attended to. A doctor
finally came and I was at last given medication.
6 pm was supper
time and here, if you are expecting a decent meal, you
will be disappointed.
Supper consisted of sadza and something black and that
resembled
vegetables.
It later turned out that the "black thing" were boiled
vegetables and
are a daily diet, something which long-term patients in the
ward described
as worse than prison food.
At 6 am, we were all
given our medication and from then on the staff
ignored us. By 4.30 pm I was
getting worried since I had not received my
afternoon medication. I began to
feel dizzy and knew that my blood pressure
had risen to dangerous
levels.
I called for a nursing sister and told her about my
condition and
complained that I had not received my afternoon
medication.
To my surprise, the sister insisted that the afternoon
medication had
been administered to me, but I pleaded: "Sister,
since morning I have been sleeping on this bed and no one has attended
to
me."
After some intense argument, she finally agreed to give me
my
medication after warning me that I risked an overdose.
It
later transpired that my outburst was a blessing as the staff in
the ward
began administering medication to most of the patients. It turned
out that
the majority had not been given their daily medication and this
was
particularly bad since some were seriously ill.
Zim Standard
Justice a pipedream as lawyers hike fees
By
Violet Nyambo
FOR the ordinary Zimbabwean, having legal
representation in court has
become a pipe dream as it now costs an arm and a
leg to hire the services of
a lawyer. Most lawyers interviewed by The
Standard admitted that legal fees
were now above the reach of most people and
that many clients were opting
out after failing to raise the huge fees
demanded.
"We are receiving fewer cases because of the high legal
tariffs we
have to charge which most people cannot afford. In my case, I deal
mainly
with clients who have property cases," said one lawyer who
requested
anonymity.
Currently, an ordinary case that appears in
the High Court can set a
client back by as much as $500 000 in deposit fees
only. Charges also depend
on the severity of the case and the experience of
the lawyer.
The Law Society of Zimbabwe recently spelt out new
tariffs for general
professional services which are charged at an hourly rate
and were effected
from the beginning of last month.
In a report,
Albert Musarurwa, the national director of the Legal
Resources Foundation
(LRF), said that access to justice by low-income
earners remains the biggest
challenge for the government and the legal
sector in Zimbabwe.
"An unregistered law graduate's hourly charge ranges between $10 000
and $15
000; between $12 000 and $20 000 for the least experienced legal
practitioner
(0-2 years experience) and between $50 000 to $75 000 for the
most
experienced lawyers," reads part of the report.
The consultation
fees for most lawyers The Standard spoke to range
between $50 000 and $60
000. One senior practitioner who deals with
commercial cases said his firm
charges $127 000 for consultation alone.
"Tariffs for legal
services are high in a situation where the
statutory minimum wage is $48 000,
what more of the unemployed litigants?
"The need for lawyers to
provide legal services to indigent and deserv
ing clients is an absolute
imperative," the LRF report states.
The report also stressed the
need for government to set aside more
financial resources for the provision
of legal services.
Zim Standard
Critical shortages hit blood bank
By Violet
Nyambo
THE National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS), the
country's blood
bank, was saved from closure last month by aid agencies after
it ran out of
basic consumables.
So critical were the shortages
of basic equipment such as needles and
test kits that at one time some
officials mulled the possibility of stopping
blood collections
altogether.
The fuel crisis that has persisted since last year also
worsened
matters as it grounded NBTS vehicles, making it extremely difficult
for
officials to reach out to blood donors, mainly school
children.
Emmanuel Masvikeni, the NBTS marketing and public
relations manager,
confirmed to The Standard that essential equipment used
when collecting
blood almost ran out in September.
"We have an
acute shortage of foreign currency and most of the
products such as test
kits, reagents, needles and haemophilia drugs are
exported and we cannot
afford to buy them," he said.
Masvikeni said a donation of test
kits from the Department for
International Development (DFID), which will
last up to the end of this
year, saved the day.
"Blood level are
satisfactory for the mean time and they can sustain
us up to the festive
season. The demand for blood is low at the present
moment because of the
current strike by the medical staff," he said, in
apparent reference to a
national work stoppage by junior and middle level
medical
doctors.
The need for blood in Zimbabwe usually increases during
the festive
season because of an increased number of motor vehicle
accidents.
The NBTS is the main supplier of blood to hospitals and
heavily
depends on the school children who make up about 75% of the
donors.
Zim Standard
MDC candidates assaulted by Zanu PF
vigilantes
By our own Staff
ZANU PF's notorious "Top Six
vigilante" unit in Mashonaland West last
week assaulted some Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) officials and
prevented them from submitting their
papers to the nomination court for the
mayoral elections in Chinhoyi, The
Standard has learnt.
The Zanu PF supporters also assaulted three
officials from the
Registrar General's Office, whom they accused of being
"sell outs" for
having accepted MDC nomination papers as they had planned to
block the
presentation of the papers.
The nomination papers were
later taken away by the rowdy supporters.
But MDC
secretary-general, Welshman Ncube, vowed to challenge the
Registrar-General's
Office's declaration that Zanu PF won the elections
unopposed despite reports
of intimidation and assaults.
"We cannot rest while the electoral
process is being abused by Zanu
PF. We have to fight for our democratic
rights," said Ncube.
The Registrar-General's Office last week
declared Zanu PF candidates
unopposed winners in two mayoral seats, 13 urban
wards and seven rural
district council by-elections around the country,
despite reports of
widespread violence and intimidation in towns and wards
that were not
contested.
Zanu PF's Risipa Kapesa, won the
Chinhoyi mayoral seat "unopposed"
while in Marondera, Ralph Chimanikire, was
declared the mayor after the MDC
"failed" to nominate a
candidate.
MDC mayoral candidate for Chinhoyi, Edeline Huchu and
another
candidate for ward three, Cleopas Watama, were attacked at their
homes and
ordered to withdraw their candidatures.
The two were
admitted at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital overnight after
being beaten up by
Zanu PF's local "Top Six" gang.
"The gang ordered me to withdraw my
candidature and started assaulting
me. I denied that I was contesting the
election. They placed a rock on my
neck before they left. I have a swollen
neck right now. I repeatedly called
out their names that's why they left me,"
said Huchu, who said she knows her
attackers.
In two other
cases, MDC administrator for Mashonaland West, Gift
Konjana, was severely
assaulted at Chinhoyi Nomination Court where he had
gone to pay the election
fee for Huchu, while Blackmore Nyangairo - a
candidate for ward 13 - was also
attacked at his home in White City.
Konjana and other MDC officials
who tried to present nomination papers
for Huchu were on Tuesday detained and
locked in an office until about 6 PM.
The MDC alleges that the
provincial registrar, a Mr Chirenda, informed
the Registrar-General, Tobaiwa
Mudede, that Zanu PF supporters had
"hi-jacked" the process and were
demanding that their candidates be declared
winners unopposed.
Contacted for a comment Mudede yesterday said: "Send a fax now, we
cannot
talk over the phone, you will misrepresent me."
Police spokesperson
Wayne Bvudzijena, said they had not received
reports that MDC candidates were
barred from presenting their papers.
"We have not received anything
of that sort," said Bvudzijena.
But MDC provincial chairman, Silas
Matamisa, insisted that he
approached one Superintendent Marisa of the ZRP,
who supplied riot police to
control Zanu PF supporters but
failed.
"Konjana was attacked inside the nomination court in the
presence of
some police officers," said Matamisa.
The MDC said
this also happened in the presence of some officials from
the Electoral
Supervisory Commission (ESC).
ESC spokesperson, Thomas Bvuma, could
not be reached for a comment.
Zim Standard
Journalist arrested
By our own
Staff
BULAWAYO - A South African-based Zimbabwean journalist,
Andrew
Zhakata, is wallowing in a Beitbridge prison after he was arrested on
Monday
on allegations of sneaking into the country illegally to write reports
on
the country's health delivery system.
By the time of going to
press, Zhakata, who is employed by The Star
newspaper in Johannesburg, was
still in police detention by Friday and the
police could not explain why he
had not been taken to court despite the fact
that he was arrested six days
ago.
Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena referred The Standard
to
Matabeleland South police spokesman, Trust Ndlovu, who said he had
no
information on the matter.
Zim Standard
Right to land is transient
To my
fellow displaced farmers, I say all those people who so happily
have "taken
up their rights to land" are going to find that they have a very
transient
right to that land.
When a bigger chef comes along or a stronger
war vet, or a bigger
group of Green Bombers who suddenly fancy the piece of
land that the "new"
farmer has spent so much money on....he is going to start
looking around for
a means to secure ownership of his piece of
land.
He is going to find that his nebulous piece of paper from the
lands
office or the rural council or the governor or his minister or who ever
gave
him the right to use the piece of land, will be valueless in the face of
a
bigger force.
He will then have to find a way of securing his
title to the property.
And so it is when those very people who have
taken the land away from
us, have to try and resort to the law to secure
their property that we will
start to revisit a man's right to title to his
property.
Jean Simon
Harare
Zim Standard
It's the economy, stupid!
FOR the
past four or five years, the country's economy has been in
deep recession -
to put it mildly. Over the same period, countless
high-sounding policies
supposedly to carry us out of this morass have been
propounded by the
authorities who seem to have their heads in the cloudsŠand
are seemingly
oblivious of the realities on the ground.
The local currency's
value has plummeted to ludicrous levels and with
each passing day, continues
its slide, disappearing fast like sand in an
egg-timer.
All the
nonsense of price controls has exposed the folly of the policy
makers that as
long as the quintessential conditions and groundwork are
absent, they can as
well pack their belongings and vacate office. Stone age
economics and
populist blue-prints only help, if they help in anyway, in
delaying the
inevitable.
Look at what they did with the price of commodities.
They price them
at ridiculous levels to appease the electorate but the
fallacy has now come
into the open that you can't sell below your production
cost. Trying to do
that has forced many companies to shed off staff or some
have simply voted
with their feet.
All this blabber-talk of
conspiracy theories should be dismissed with
the contempt it deserves and for
anyone to continuously peddle such feeble
smoke-screens smacks of malice and
lack of regard for the intelligence of
Zimbabweans.
Everybody is
complaining, at least those who are seeing reason and
reality, that things
have gone out of hand. Commuters are paying through the
nose to travel to and
from work and getting to their destinations at odd
times.
Even
more saddening is that the police are failing to conduct their
normal
business because they don't have fuel. A wry smile crossed my lips
when I
read that the police had failed to ferry accused persons to the
Magistrates
Court - how things have fallen apart in Zimbabwe!
So, before
Herbert Murerwa (title or no title, what's the difference)
announces his
trillion dollar budget, which I am sure, though pray not, will
be just as
hopeless as its predecessors, I would give a word of advice: give
us an
honest and upright account on how the government is going to spend and
how
much its going to draw in.
For Pete's sake, we don't want another
supplementary budget that is
almost double the original just to finish off
the last three months of the
year.
All the problems we have -
cash problems, forex shortage, black
market, perverse corruption - are
symptomatic of a fractured economy and as
long as fiscal and monetary
discipline are not brought back, we are bogged
down till kingdom
come.
Like Bill Clinton said in his election campaign in the early
'90s, the
answer to all this: "It's the economy, stupid!" But as long as we
think it's
the imperialists, this confused comedy of our lives will continue
to stick
like a leech.
Kumbirai Dunduru
Harare
Zim Standard
Reduce personal tax: MDC
By Kumbirai
Mafunda
THE forthcoming 2004 National Budget should grant massive
concessions
to low-income earners and increase the income tax threshold to
$200 000 with
effect from January next year, says the opposition Movement for
Democratic
Change (MDC).
In its proposals for the Budget
entitled 2004 National Budget:
Pro-consumer Taxation, the party's finance,
budget and economic planning
shadow minister, Tapiwa Mashakada, said
hyperinflation - estimated at 455,6%
as of September - has unleashed severe
socio-economic difficulties
especially on the low-income earners and
pensioners.
Mashakada said the Budget's biggest challenge and
priority should be
economic stabilisation and recovery. This, he said could
be achieved by
pursuing inflation targeting measures coupled by the hardening
of interest
rates within the next 18 months.
The MDC has already
stated that the Zimbabwean economy has degenerated
to reflect traits that are
only found in economies of failed states due
either to war or serious
economic arson.
As well as experiencing one of the highest
inflation rates in the
world, Zimbabwe is struggling with multiple shortages
including those of
foreign currency and local bank notes, and an unemployment
rate of more than
80%.
Mashakada said serious consideration
should be given to low income
earners, retrenched workers and pensioners to
cushion these vulnerable
groups from the adverse impact of
hyperinflation.
In the 2003 National Budget, the tax-free threshold
for individuals
was increased to $180 000, up from $90 000. Analysts say it
is highly
unlikely that this would be revised again this year, given the
government's
insatiable appetite for spending.
The MDC has
proposed the tax-free bonus for the low-income bracket to
be increased to $4
200 000 from $2 400 000 per annum and an 80% bonus tax
free for the
middle-income bracket targetting those earning $6 000 000 to
$12 000 000 per
annum.
All pension income should be exempted from taxation while
retrenchment
packages should be 100% tax exempt, the MDC says.
On Value Added Tax (VAT) earmarked for introduction next year, the
opposition
party says it should be reduced to 5% on all stages and on point
of sale
machines.
Mashakada said fuel imports and essential drugs should be
duty free so
as to stabilise pump prices and improve the nation's
health.
To develop Zimbabwe, the MDC is advocating for project
finance and
capital development allocations to each and every Member of
Parliament.
Mashakada said the funds would be allocated under a
parliamentary vote
and would warehoused by Parliament on behalf of each MP
with disbursement
done by the Clerk of Parliament direct to
suppliers.
The MDC is also proposing that exporters should retain
80% of their
earnings and surrender 20% only to the central bank for
essential imports.
Currently, exporters only retain 50% of their earnings
while the other 50%
is capitulated to the RBZ.
Since the
introduction of the 50:50 retention scheme, exporters have
expressed
disgruntlement over the RBZ's failure to release their money
in
time.
To liberalise the foreign exchange market, the MDC has
proposed that
individual and corporate foreign currency accounts (FCAs) and
bureaux de
change be re-introduced.
"The economy is in the jaws
of politics. A quick resolution of the
political impasse is a sine qua non
for economic development," said
Mashakada.
Zim Standard
Transport ministry in dire straits
By Tafara
Tandi
BULAWAYO-Failure by the government to allocate sufficient
funds to the
Ministry of Transport and Communication, which received only
$11,898bn out
of the proposed $35,694bn last year, has seen a stagnation in
road
construction and maintenance work.
Hardest hit by this
problem are newly resettled areas, which badly
need roads and bridges for use
by the new farmers.
Under its chaotic fast track land reform
exercise, the government
resettled villagers in remote areas - including
nature conservancies - which
do not have any infrastructure such as roads and
bridges.
Zimbabwe's cash-strapped government only allocated
$11,898bn to the
roads ministry, a mere third of what it had
requested.
"The vote was a mere pittance especially when taking
into
consideration the projects the ministry intended to embark on,"
said
legislator, Silas Mangono, the committee chairman of the
Parliamentary
Portfolio Committee on Roads last week while presenting a paper
at a
pre-budget workshop for MPs in Bulawayo.
This scenario,
Mangono said, had resulted in major road projects
grinding to a halt owing to
lack of finance. The shortage of diesel, cement,
gases and steel on the local
market also worsened the situation.
"Government should put in place
mechanisms through which the ministry
can source these scarce inputs to
ensure that road construction and
maintenance works continue even under
difficult times," said Mangono.
Zim Standard
Banks queues re-emerge
By our own
Staff
THE relief and joy at the easing of the bank notes crisis in
recent
weeks seems to have come to a premature end because meandering queues
have
once again emerged in front of banks.
Long winding queues,
which had become a common eye sore at the
country's commercial banks, seemed
over following the introduction in
September of the bearer's cheques in
higher denominations of $5 000, $10 000
and $20 000 by the Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe (RBZ).
However, the cash crunch has returned to haunt
banks and building
societies, once again inconveniencing clients who were
relieved at the
settlement.
Queues have now re-emerged at most
banks, especially at the new and
smaller indigenous banks that sprouted after
the liberalisation of the
financial sector.
Sources in the
financial sector said the RBZ has in recent weeks
slashed bank-note
allocations to commercial banks, hence the new shortages.
"Allocations from the central bank are coming down. Most banks
are
experiencing a decline in allocations because the central bank thinks
the
market is saturated," said one source.
Another bank official
cited capacity constraints straining the RBZ's
attempts to continue servicing
the market.
"There is a mismatch between the demand from the market
and what the
RBZ can afford to pump into the market. With raging inflation,
there has
been an increase in the demand for money," said the
official.
Economists said the shortages were a direct result of the
ballooning
inflation, which, according to the government's Central Statistics
Office
(CSO), blazed past the 455% mark in September.
Some of
the experts urged the central bank to adjust bank note
allocations to
commercial banks and building societies and to introduce
higher denominated
notes.
"With prices escalating on a daily basis, the transaction
demand for
money will also increase hence the need to look at introducing
higher
denominations," said Trust Holdings' group economist, David
Mupamhadzi.
Currently, the highest note in circulation in Zimbabwe
is a bearer's
cheque whose value is $20 000.
However, a retail
manager at a commercial bank in the capital said
there was nothing amiss in
the re-emergence of queues at banking halls: the
increased demand in notes
was a result of workers withdrawing their
salaries.
Another
Harare-based economist warned the RBZ that it must view the
reemergence of
queues for money as an indication that the introduction of
bearer's cheques
was never going to be a permanent solution to the note
crisis.
Zim Standard
Ian Smith should just shut up
Sundaytalk with
Pius Wakatama
The Standard last week reported that Ian Douglas
Smith, the former and
last Prime Minister of white-ruled Rhodesia as saying,
"I told you so," in
regard to the economic meltdown and lawless chaos that
Zimbabwe finds itself
in today. He made it clear that he felt vindicated by
the way President
Robert Mugabe had destroyed the country's
economy.
He said: "Even ordinary people now see that they were
wrong, through
hindsight, to allow him (Mugabe) into power. I get so many
people calling to
say how much the country has gone down the drain and how
they want to
restore Rhodesia to what it was."
It seems as
though Smith is still as senseless as he was when he was
Prime Minister of
Rhodesia.
If he had any sense at all, he would just shut up instead
of gloating
over the pitiful state that our beloved country finds itself in
today. His
government was no better than that of Robert Mugabe and we are
where we are
today because of him and his racist Rhodesia Front
Party.
He should, in fact, be thankful that after our real
independence in
1980, he and his cabinet of rebels were not lined up in
Rufaro Stadium and
shot for their crimes against the people of this
country.
We have the hopeless government we have today because the
extreme
right-wing Ian Smith refused to listen to the legitimate cry of
the
Africans. He also stubbornly refused to listen to many reasonable
whites
like the former Southern Rhodesia Prime Minister, Garfield Todd, and
Pat
Bashford, then leader of the Centre Party.
"I told you so,"
indeed! What did he tell us.
The message which came across loud and
clear to every black man was
that we were baboons who belonged to the hills
and mountains. I still
remember my disgust when, after being heckled by some
students at the then
University of Rhodesia, Ian Smith retaliated by singing
in Africaans, a song
referring to them as baboons.
Africans in
this country did not really care about the colour of the
person ruling them
as long as they were treated fairly and equally with
everybody
else.
The early nationalists like Reverend Samkange, Benjamin
Burombo,
Charles Mzingeli, George Nyandoro and James Chikerema, did not
originally
agitate for one man one vote or majority rule. They agitated for
an end to
racial discrimination in all areas, including the allocation of
land.
Successive white governments resisted the reasonable and
legitimate
demands of Africans. They even went ahead to enact more virulent
racist
laws. It became clear to Africans, therefore, that the only way to
secure
their rights as citizens were by attaining majority self rule. Thus
came the
demand for one man one vote which was endorsed by the United Nations
General
Assembly in 1962.
On April 1964, Ian Smith declared that
he did not expect majority rule
in Rhodesia in his life time.
He
threatened to declare Rhodesia independent of Britain unilaterally
because
the British had clearly told him that it would not grant
Rhodesia
independence before majority rule.
Harold Wilson, the
then British Prime Minister pleaded with Smith not
to declare unilateral
independence (UDI) "for the sake of your country and
for the sake of Africa".
In defiance, Ian Douglas Smith broadcast to the
nation the Rhodesian
government's proclamation of independence.
The die was cast. There
was only one way left for blacks to achieve
their legitimate goals and that
was through war. The armed struggle was
therefore initiated and the first
shots were fired in Chinhoyi. The door to
a negotiated settlement providing
for eventual one-man one-vote with
reasonable transitional measures was
therefore, firmly closed by Ian Douglas
Smith and his Cabinet of
rebels.
Thanks to Ian Smith, the country went through a traumatic
racial war
whose scars will never be forgotten or erased. This is how the war
veterans
came to power. We can therefore rightly blame Ian Smith for aiding
them to
come to power. I will not continue to dwell on the painful past for
that is
now water under the bridge. It is better and more profitable to dwell
on the
painful present.
Am I the only one who seems to feel that
the wind has changed
direction?
When our problems started in
ernest we were told by the State media
that these were caused by the MDC, the
British, the United States and then
the European Union as well. The
President, aided and abetted by his faithful
side-kicks - Jonathan Moyo,
Tafataona Mahoso and Patrick Chinamasa - really
went to town in blaming the
whole Western world for the mess Zanu PF had
clearly created through
corruption and ineptitude. Later "unscrupulous"
local businessmen joined the
long list of scapegoats.
However, this line of propaganda has now
worn thin. People's
skepticism can no longer be hidden. They now laugh openly
when any
government leaders tries to blame the MDC or external forces for the
mess in
Zimbabwe. A new approach had to be found.
Thanks to the
genius of a professor in the President's office.
Jonathan Moyo is never one
to look far for new strategies and tactics. The
man is brilliant, the idea is
to now to shift blame elsewhere. The President
can do no wrong of course. He
is never to blame.
We all know that when animals are hungry enough
they will devour their
own offspring. Zanu Pf is really hungry for new scape
goats. Why not put the
blame for the disaster, which is Zimbabwe, on
individual department heads,
ministries and ministers. Of course, the fact
that no ministry was ever
allowed to take any action on anything without
President Mugabe's approval
is irrelevant. The President must remain
clean.
I was just aware of this new strategy when the faithful
government
media started to publish analysts' comments criticising
government's
handling of this and that.
The first casualty was
Leonard Tsumba, head of the Reserve Bank.
He was blamed for the
foreign and local currency shortages and had to
go. Who will be
next?
Me thinks it will be the hapless and confused Minister of
Lands,
Agriculture and Rural Resettlement, Joseph Made. He is to blame for
maize
seed and input shortages, isn't he? After that whose head will roll
next?
Your guess is as good as mine.
He who has ears to hear let
him hear.
Zim Standard
Running a race by yourself - Zanu PF
style
Zimbabwe is now being ruled through fear and intimidation
ONE of the
most stupid statements to come out of the mouth of that media
dinosaur
Jonathan Moyo two days ago was to lie that "people have
spoken
overwhelmingly in favour of Zanu PF" following the sham that the
ruling
party wants us to believe were 'democratic' mayoral, urban and
rural
district council by-elections that were never held.
In an
interview with last Friday's Government Gazette that passes for
a daily
newspaper after the Politburo meeting, it was reported that
this
anachronistic body was happy that the ruling party had last week managed
to
'win' unopposed mayoral seats and 13 unopposed wards in Marondera
and
Chinhoyi. Zanu PF also 'won' unopposed in rural wards in Marondera,
Bindura,
Shamva, Mutoko, Mangwe and Umzingwane.
In Chinhoyi, for
example, notorious Zanu PF goons so called the "Top
Six" are reported to have
assaulted not only MDC candidates preventing them
from submitting their
nomination papers, but also officers from the
Registrar General's office whom
they accused of being sellouts.
Yet the junior minister would have
us believe: "The MDC was having
difficulties in finding candidates. This
shows that the people now
understand the context of the current economic
challenges facing the
country. The people have confidence in the ability of
the party and
government".
For the past three years, Zimbabweans
have endured many daft and
senseless things from this man but in terms of
lack of reason, none beats
this one. This one really takes the
biscuit.
How did the people speak when no elections were going to
be held
because of intimidation, harassment and violence visited upon
opposition
candidates and supporters as we report elsewhere in this issue. It
is really
amazing to see the extent to which things are being twisted to
conform with
the warped thinking of a party that has lost all legitimacy and
credibility
in the eyes of the majority of Zimbabweans.
Every
time Jonathan Moyo opens his mouth, he says things which bear no
relation to
what is happening on the ground. To argue as he did that the
people had now
abandoned "the spirit of blame" just because the opposition
party failed to
field candidates in the wake of massive intimidation is a
grotesque
distortion of the truth.
Obviously, if you run a race by yourself,
you are going to 'win'
because there is no competition. Given the seriousness
of the current
crisis, there is no way Zanu PF can win a free, fair and
transparent
election. Absolutely no way! And Zanu PF knows that.
This country is now being ruled through fear and intimidation. This is
an
all-powerful truth and it will be pure evil for self-styled political
pundits
like Jonathan Moyo to ignore or wish it away. There is nothing to
celebrate
about a bogus win in which you deliberately hound your opponents
out of
existence. Where is the democracy in that? But we also happen to know
that
the problem is that democracy is a hurrah word - even a political
dinosaur
like Jonathan Moyo claims to be a democrat!
What Jonathan Moyo
conveniently forgets is that the people know why
they are in such a terrible
predicament. They are living the problems on a
daily basis. People are not
stupid Johno. They are very intelligent and
highly discerning. There is
evidence also witnessed by one's own eyes. They
see their communities'
opposition candidates' rights being violated with
impunity.
Zimbabweans do not buy your crap about the shortage of foreign
currency being
the major cause of the current economic difficulties, neither
do they believe
you when you talk about tourism in Zimbabwe having soared to
60%. It is
simply not true.
It is common knowledge that businesses and
individuals are struggling
with fuel shortages, run-away inflation and the
consequent daily price
increases. And the root caue of all this is the
destruction by the ruling
Zanu PF party of a once thriving
economy.
Tourism, far from picking up significantly, has actually
slipped from
being a major foreign currency earner. No amount of lying will
wash with the
long-suffering Zimbabweans.
There is a crippling
inability in the department of information and
publicity in the Office of the
President to communicate truthfully and in a
simple language with the people
of Zimbabwe. There is no political will to
fix the problem that has
bedevilled this country for three years now.
Committee after committee -
nothing comes to fruition.
The latest is the cabinet task force to
look into the problems of
foreign exchange facing the country. How the same
people who, themselves are
guilty to a large extent of causing the problem
can then be expected to
carry out an objective and truthful investigation
boggles the mind.
This is like setting a thief to catch a
thief!
Zim Standard
State bans unbanned paper
overthetop By Brian
Latham
CONFUSED police in a troubled central African police state
have banned
an unbanned newspaper. The move came just a day after a court
ruled the
banned newspaper should be registered.
The same court
also ruled that the so-called commission that registers
newspapers in the
troubled central African basket case was not properly
constituted and had
shown bias.
That didn't stop the police from closing the paper down
again.
Analysts said they did not understand the police action,
but
attributed it to the assumption that the nation's police force has
a
collective IQ of three.
For their part, Zany propagandists,
also not known for their
intelligence, claimed that though a court had ruled
the banned paper should
be registered, it was not registered and was
therefore illegal.
Thousands of victims of Zany logic pointed out
that this is not the
first time the Zany Party had over-ruled the troubled
central African police
state's courts.
"The police and the Zany
Party are above the courts," said one
political analyst who cannot be
named.
Still, the Zany Party has had its way by keeping the streets
free of
the troublesome newspaper. This leaves it free to behave largely as
it
likes, though in reality it always behaved exactly as it liked. The
only
difference is that people have to wait until the end of the week to
read
about it.
The new banning of the paper coincided with an
unprecedented rumour
sweeping the troubled central African gossip factory.
Tens of thousands of
people announced that the most equal of all comrades had
gone to join his
ancestors - or at least gone to hospital.
Unfortunately the banned newspaper was unable to set the record
straight
because it had been banned. That left rectifying the rumour to
the
state-owned Daily Horrid, but it remained silent on the
issue.
Instead the Horrid repeated reams of turgid drivel about
some land
report no one will ever read or take notice of, but which is
apparently
important to the Zany Party and the six people who read the Horrid
every
day.
Still, never one not to look on the bright side, the
banning of
newspapers has had one positive effect: it has made the Zany Party
even more
unpopular.
Some analysts believe that isn't possible,
but Over The Top can report
that the sale of Zany Party cards has fallen
dramatically. In fact, were it
not for the fact that the green-clad
Dzaku-Dzaku are forced to carry cards,
they wouldn't be moving at
all.
In the meantime, troubled central Africans are waiting to see
if the
banned newspaper will still be banned after it is registered. Most
expect it
will remain banned - or that a new law will prevent it from
being
registered.
On the other hand, it may end up in the hands
of the Zany Party which
will then trumpet to the world that the troubled
central African nation has
a free press. Of course, no one will believe it
because no one believes
anything it says.
But OTT can dispel the
rumour that the dysfunctional disinformation
minister intended to use the
seized equipment from the banned paper in a new
propaganda agency. It was
merely an idea, not an intention, and clearly an
unworkable idea because no
one in the ministry knew how to use the
equipment.
Government
finances being what they are, typewriters are about as
sophisticated as the
technology gets - and most of those are broken.