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SOKWANELE

Enough is Enough

Zimbabwe 

PROMOTING NON-VIOLENT PRINCIPLES TO ACHIEVE DEMOCRACY

We have a fundamental right to freedom of expression!

Sokwanele reporter

14 October 2004

Judgment is expected to be given in the High Court in Harare on Friday (15th October) in the so-called treason trial of Morgan Tsvangirai, President of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)   After a legal process which has lasted for more than 18 months and has often times bordered on the comical and the farcical, Judge President Garwe is finally to pass down his judgment.  

 

But the question is, who is really on trial here ?   Is it Morgan Tsvangirai whom the regime have made a clumsy bid to frame on a charge of treason – or is it the Judge who has presided over the case, himself a representative of Robert Mugabe’s new-style partisan judiciary, and who has benefited handsomely from Mugabe’s patronage ?  Is it the leader of a popular opposition party – or the system itself which is intolerant of any meaningful opposition to Mugabe’s hegemony ?   In the final analysis, is it a party unequivocally committed to the path of non-violence -  or a ruling clique who, to maintain themselves in power illegally will resort to whatever degree of violence is necessary ?  Who, and what, is on trial ?

 

The parallels between Morgan Tsvangirai’s trial and the treason trial of Nelson Mandela in Rivonia in 1963-4 are indeed striking.  In both cases a true son of Africa was on trial for his life, arraigned by a brutal tyrannical regime representing a privileged minority. In both cases the accused’s real “crime” was, not that he was a danger to the state, but rather that he was a danger to the vested interests of a clique of corrupt politicians who were – and are – resisting peaceful change by every means at their disposal.  In both cases a man of the people who stood for true democratic values was being – is being – hounded by those who fear democracy above all else.  It is no coincidence then that  both accused, Mandela and Tsvangirai, were represented by the same eminent lawyer, George Bizos SC, whose name is synonymous with the struggle for freedom and democracy in Africa.

 

There is but one significant difference between the man who stood in the dock in the Rivonia trial and the man who will take his place in the dock in the High Court in Harare on Friday.  By the time Nelson Mandela was arrested and brought to trial the ANC had adopted a policy of (limited, targeted) violence in opposing the ruthless violence of the state. With the greatest reluctance the ANC had moved from active non-violent resistance to a strategy which included the use of violence. Umkhonto we Sizwe (The Spear of the Nation) had been born.  In Tsvangirais’s case he personally, and the party he represents, stands for a resolute policy of non-violence. Despite every provocation and the brutal violence employed against the party, the MDC still stands for non-violent resistance. 

 

Tsvangirai’s commitment to peaceful change is remarkable enough in the context of Zimbabwe’s recent history.  It is more remarkable still in the context of the numerous bloody battles that are waged across the length and breadth of the African continent, either for justifiable or non-justifiable ends.  And therefore this man deserves our whole-hearted support and our prayers, as much for the noble principles he represents  as for his obvious innocence of the ridiculous charges brought against him.

 

For Zimbabwe’s sake let us pray that the presiding Judge has enough integrity and judicial independence on this occasion at least, to do the decent thing and acquit him of all charges.  But irrespective of the judgment handed down on Friday this man, Morgan Tsvangirai, deserves the nation’s respect and our support as a champion of freedom and democracy – achieved by non-violent means.  For if Tsvangirai is convicted and the ZANU PF regime decides to make a martyr of him make no mistake, Zimbabwe will have moved a decisive step closer to armed conflict – a scenario too terrible to contemplate.

 

Visit:- www.sokwanele.com

 

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Zim Online

HARARE ON EDGE AHEAD OF TSVANGIRAI JUDGMENT
Thur 14 October 2004

      HARARE - Heavily armed police yesterday kept the main opposition
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party's Harare headquarters under tight
surveillance as tension heightened in the capital ahead of judgment tomorrow
in MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai's treason case.

      The police, some unarmed and some in civilian clothes, also stepped up
patrols on the streets of Harare and put up roadblocks on all roads leading
into the city centre.

      The army and government-trained youth militias were expected to join
in today in what sources yesterday told ZimOnline was a "well-oiled plan" to
crush any possible disturbances should Tsvangirai be found guilty and
possibly sentenced to death.

      Police at roadblocks were searching vehicles and pedestrians coming
into town for possible weapons that could be used if riots broke out.

      Judge President Paddington Garwe will deliver his ruling tomorrow,
eight months after Tsvangirai's trial for allegedly plotting to assassinate
President Robert Mugabe in 2001 was concluded.

      Tsvangirai denies plotting to kill Mugabe and says he was set-up by
Canadian-based political consultant, Ari Ben-Menashe, on whose evidence the
state's case rested.

      If found guilty tomorrow the opposition leader faces at the very least
a lengthy jail term or at worst the death penalty. Although Tsvangirai can
appeal against Garwe's ruling at the Supreme Court, a verdict tomorrow
condemning the opposition leader to death or a long jail term could spark
off political riots in Harare, which is a stronghold of the MDC.

      Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena could not be reached for comment
last night.

      Chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly Lovemore Madhuku said
the deployment of the police on Harare's streets indicated the law
enforcement agency already knew the contents of Garwe's judgment and feared
MDC's supporters might react strongly to the
      ruling.

      Madhuku, whose assembly campaigns for a new and democratic
constitution for Zimbabwe, said: "This shows that the judiciary system is
embedded with the ruling elite to an extent that judicial decisions are
discussed before they are delivered in court.

      "We strongly condemn the use of the uniformed forces in suppressing
voices of dissent. This is clearly another act of closing the limited
democratic space. The police act is not acceptable at all. Freedom of
expression and movement is being eroded at a very fast
      rate in Zimbabwe."

      In a statement released yesterday, the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition,
which brings together civic and human rights groups in the country, said
Tsvangirai's trial was a trial of the MDC itself and all other alternative
voices in the country.

      The group said: "It is rather the trial of an opposition party which
according to junior Minister (of Information) Jonathan Moyo is disloyal to
the ruling party. The idea that there is only one correct view is false - In
essence freedom has been on trial in the Tsvangirai case."

      Meanwhile, the MDC yesterday said it was standing by Tsvangirai. Party
spokesman Paul Themba Nyathi said in a Press statement: "It is clear that
the president of the MDC is being persecuted for leading the fight of the
people who need jobs and food.

      "We will stand in solidarity with the president on judgment day. We
have called on all democratic forces and civil society to come to the High
Court to hear the verdict for themselves."

      The party, which has used mass action to crippling effect in the past,
did not say whether it would resort to this method of protest if its leader
was convicted tomorrow. - ZimOnline

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Zim Online

Journalist dragged to court over army desertion story
Thur 14 October 2004

      GWERU - A correspondent of the Standard newspaper, Richard Musazulwa,
appeared at the Magistrate's Court here on charges of breaching state media
laws over a story he filed for his paper alleging that army recruits were
deserting a military base near Gweru
      because of hunger.

      Musazulwa was charged with publishing falsehoods which under Section
80 (1) (b) of the government's Access to Information and Protection of
Privacy Act (AIPPA) carries a two-year jail sentence.

      Alternatively the journalist could be fined or banned from practising
in Zimbabwe.

      The journalist, who was allegedly threatened and harassed by the
police during interrogation, was granted Z$50 000 bail and remanded to 26
October.

      The story, which was published in January this year, alleged that at
least half of the 39 recruits at the Zimbabwe Military Academy near here had
last year deserted the training programme because of hunger and the rigorous
training exercises they were subjected to
      at the college.

      The army denied recruits were fleeing hunger and said drop-outs at the
college were common but said these were because of some recruits failing to
meet the military school's demanding training routine.

      The Standard is the only independent Sunday newspaper in Zimbabwe
following the forced closure of the Daily News on Sunday by the government
last year.

      More than 100 journalists, most of them working for the independent
media, have been arrested by the police in the last two years for breaching
state media laws. None of them have been convicted.

      Three newspapers, including the country's biggest and only independent
daily paper, The Daily News, have been shut down by the government for
violating the press laws. - ZimOnline
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Zim Online

Minister seeks court order to halt miners' strike
Thur 14 October 2004
      HARARE - Acting Mines Minister July Moyo has appealed to the Labour
Court to stop a week-long strike by the country's estimated 25 000 mine
workers that industry
      experts say has been costing the country about US$3 million daily in
lost export earnings.

      The workers downed tools on October 7 to press employers to hike
salaries from $270 000 to Z$1.47 million for the least paid worker. An
average family of five requires slightly more than a million dollars per
month to survive according the country's main union body, the Zimbabwe
Congress of Trade Unions.

      Associated Mine Workers Union of Zimbabwe president Tinago Edmund
Ruzive, told ZimOnline yesterday that the union would insist on an immediate
salary hike when it appears before the court today.

      He said: "We have been directed to appear at the Labour Court. The
order (to come to court) was signed by the Acting Minister, July Moyo. We
will be pressing for our demands (to be met)."

      Ruzive said the workers had yesterday and today temporarily stopped
their strike action while awaiting the outcome of the hearing.

      Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines executive Douglas Verden said mining firms,
which are already facing viability problems because of a hostile operating
environment, would try to reach a compromise with the workers.

      Several of Zimbabwe's mining firms face collapse because of lack of
hard cash to buy new machinery and spares.

      The perceived high political risk because of Zimbabwe's lawlessness
and political violence has also scared away foreign investors with enough
cash to shore up the depressed sector. - ZimOnline

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Zim Online

Court sets free women activists as police fail to turn up
Thur 14 October 2004

      HARARE - Nine women activists arrested for protesting against a draft
law that will restrict non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were yesterday
cleared of charges of breaching state security laws after the police failed
to turn up in court.

      The women, all of them members of the Women of Zimbabwe Arise pressure
group, were part of a group of about 60 women who marched for 440 kilometres
from Bulawayo to Harare in protest against the proposed law.

      Police arrested and charged the women for violating the state's Public
Order and Security Act which prohibits Zimbabweans from gathering to discuss
politics or from holding political protests without police clearance.

      The Attorney-General, the country's prosecuting officer, refused to
put the women on their defence but the police insisted they wanted the
activists tried in court. The Harare Magistrate's Court however had to free
the women after the police failed to turn up.

      A separate group of women activists, numbering about 50, who were
arrested for demonstrating against the draft NGO law at Parliament, are
expected to appear in court next week, also to answer charges of breaching
state security laws.

      Civic society experts have warned that the new restrictions to be
imposed on NGOs by the new law will see critically needed humanitarian
assistance to Zimbabwe drying up.

      The government says the restrictions are necessary to rein in NGOs it
accuses of working with its enemies to topple it.

      * And in another matter at the courts yesterday, Justice Tedius Karwi
issued an interim order barring Mashonaland Central Governor, Ephraim
Masawi, from harassing and threatening opposition supporters in his province
with death.

      The order was made following an application by opposition Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) party national executive member, Claudious Marimo,
who says he was evicted from his property in the province and threatened
with death by ruling ZANU PF militias.

      Marimo told the court that the militias were acting on orders from
Masawi. The court will make a final determination on the matter after
hearing submissions from Masawi. The governor denies instigating violence
against MDC supporters in his province or threatening Marimo with death. -
ZimOnline
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Daily News online edition

      Why Sadc decided on electoral guidelines

      Date:14-Oct, 2004

      EVERY member of the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) has a
sovereign right to pass its own laws, without reference to the regional
organisation.

      The minimum requirement is that the laws conform to international and
regional standards. If a member-country legalised child prostitution, for
instance, it is doubtful that Sadc would not raise hackles.

      If a member of the United Nations passed legislation which breached
the letter and spirit of the UN Charter, the organisation would protest.
Belonging to a regional or international organisation entails the obligation
to respect the tenets which guide that movement.

      The Sadc guidelines on elections were introduced in that spirit. The
conference in Mauritius, which resulted in their publication, was attended
by all member-states, who endorsed them without reservations.

      While it is true that the guidelines are not legally binding on
member-states it would be ludicrous to say a member-state can ignore them
completely and not risk censure or worse from the organisation.

      This would provoke the question: In that case, why introduce them at
all? Sadc introduced the guidelines because a majority of the member-states
felt there was need for uniformity in the conduct of elections in the
region.

      The paramount concern of the authors was the democratic right of the
voters. They needed to be protected against governments or political parties
which, in the past, have ignored these rights with impunity.

      Some of the governments sought to defend their actions on the basis
that it was their sovereign right to conduct their elections in any way they
felt was democratic - in their own terms.

      For Zimbabwe, the Sadc guidelines come at a crucial time. Our
elections since 1980 have been mired in controversy, the main complaint
being that the laws are skewed in the governing party's favour.

      Tendai Biti, the Harare East MP, in welcoming the Sadc guidelines
joins many other Zimbabweans who believe they offer Zimbabwe a golden
opportunity to hold elections, at last, on a level playing field.

      But when the government and Zanu PF insist that the guidelines are not
the law, questions must be raised.

      The guidelines are intended primarily to make Sadc elections freer and
fairer than they may have been in the past. Certainly, in Zimbabwe's case no
neutral observer would dispute this assessment.

      The MDC has won a host of petitions against Zanu PF victories in the
2000 parliamentary elections.

      The courts have decided those elections were neither free nor fair. As
we approach 2005, none of the seats Zanu PF lost in the petitions have held
by-elections.

      The Zanu PF MPs will have served their full terms by March next year.
This is an utter travesty of democracy and the rule of law. If for that
reason alone, the government must be made to adopt the Sadc guidelines
without heavy amendments.

      Any tinkering with them could land us back in square one: the killing
and cheating of past elections.

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The Herald

Basic commodities' prices still beyond reach: CCZ

By Golden Sibanda
PRICES of basic commodities continue to be beyond the reach of many
consumers, the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe(CCZ) has said.

The consumer watchdog expressed concern over the seemingly unabated surges
in the price of commodities pointing out that over the past three months
prices of white sugar, fresh milk, cooking oil, meat and washing soap had
risen by a combined 64 percent.

Also among commodities whose prices have gone up are other food items like
roller meal, flour, bread, salt, household goods, health, clothing and
footwear.

"During the month of August, a family of six required about $1,4 million to
buy basic commodities and other essential services.

"However, in September, the same family required about $1,6 million,
indicating a 14,3 percentage increase," said CCZ.

"The consumer council is concerned that basic commodities continue to be
priced beyond the reach of many consumers," said the consumer watchdog.

CCZ attributed the upsurge in commodity prices to a rise in the price of
fuel on the domestic market.

Domestic fuel price rises were in turn instigated by wave of fuel on the
world market, which have since shot to record highs of over US$53 per
barrel.

The consumer watchdog has lamented the latest developments saying the
continued increases in prices might defeat efforts to contain inflation.

Prices of essential services such as telephone calls have also not been
spared.

As a consumer representative body, CCZ constantly analyses market trends,
their impact on consumers and qualify as well as quantify products for the
budget required by a family of six, over one month.

Analysis of price trends, said CCZ, is important for purposes of policy,
bargaining and budgeting recommendations for all key stakeholders.
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The Times

Letters

            How to help the people of Zimbabwe
            From Mr David Sogina

            Sir, I agree with Mr Geoffrey Van Orden (letter, October 6) that
the situation in Zimbabwe is dire and needs salvation. I do not agree that
isolating the Mugabe regime is the right approach.
            What the Conservative MEPs and the ACP did in banning the
Zimbabwean delegate was childish and petty and won't help the people who are
feeling the pain. What the EU should be doing is negotiating with the
Zimbabwean Government and finding common ground.

            America did not bar Mr Mugabe and his entourage during last week's
United Nations meeting in New York. What Jack Straw did in shaking hands
with Mr Mugabe was courageous and commendable. Straw has often said that he
does not agree with Mr Mugabe over human rights and the rule of law in
Zimbabwe.

            How do you help the people of Zimbabwe if you stop communicating
with that country? When sanctions are applied the people who feel them most
are those at the bottom. The best approach is to put constant pressure on Mr
Mugabe wherever he goes until he changes his policies.

            Yours faithfully,
            DAVID SOGINA,
            21 Lime Court,
            Trinity Close, Leytonstone, E11 4RX.
            davidsogina@lineone.net
            October 6.
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NECF to Set-Up Task Force On Indigenisation Policy

The Herald (Harare)

October 13, 2004
Posted to the web October 13, 2004

Tinotenda Mabwe
Harare

THE National Economic Consultative Forum (NECF), the national think tank
responsible for facilitating economic revival dialogue in the country has
reorganised its task forces to come up with one that is dedicated to the
policy of indigenisation.

The task force would look into all sectors of the economy, liasing with
relevant Government agencies to find out the shareholding capacity that
should be reserved for indigenous black people in all businesses.

"NECF task would be to analyse tenders, contracts and sub-contracts, supply
systems and service to Government, social authorities and parastatal bodies
and recommend the appropriate percentage that shall be reserved for black
indigenous people.

"Recommendations to relevant authorities will be made in the event that
contracts are awarded to foreign firms so that they plough back a certain
percentage into research an development and training of small and medium
enterprises (SMEs) in an effort to empower them and ensure viability," said
the chairman of the task force Mr Joseph Chipato.

The group advocates that black indigenous people own 60 percent of the
tourism and hotel industry and this applies to consultancy, freight
forwarding, customs clearance services as well as Real Estate, Tour
operations, Hunting Concessions among others.

"The transport and communication sector needs to be beefed up by deliberate
policy intervention to enable locals in the transport business to compete
with their regional counterparts.

"A shareholding of 50 percent for black indigenous people is being proposed,
as projects have been identified in roads, railway and civil aviation
involving construction of infrastructure and supply of equipment," the group
added.

NECF lamented the sharp falling of the budgetary allocation for the Public
Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) and this has adversely affected the
development of oral infrastructure and amenities as the projects provide a
scope for generating employment opportunities for the local people and
indigenous firms hired to implement the projects.

Participants said mining claims that have been lying idle for a long time
should be given a new lease of life through empowering a consortium of
indigenous people who must aim at developing them into viable entities given
the necessary resources.

The group said that monopolising economic benefits only leads to insecurity
of invest- ments whether by foreign or local investors and hence there
should be economic liberalisation that should open space for more players in
the sector.
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Xinhua

      Zimbabwe not accept conditional aid: president

      www.chinaview.cn 2004-10-14 03:47:35

          HARARE, Oct. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe
said on Wednesday that his country does not accept foreign aid that seeks to
replace its home-grown programs.

          Addressing a meeting here, he said, "Rather, it should be a
complement to our efforts. It is for this reason that my government refuses
to allow nongovernmental organizations to be used as instruments for the
destabilization of our country."

          The president said his country had established justice and
promoted its people's right to self-reliance by embarking on the land reform
program.

          In 2000, Zimbabwe began seizing farms from white farmers, who
owned the bulk of the country's arable land, to resettle landless peasants.

          The land reform has been strongly criticized by the West,
especially its former suzerain Britain. Enditem

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ECB delegation to meet Zimbabwe opposition

Paul Kelso
Thursday October 14, 2004
The Guardian

An England and Wales Cricket Board delegation will meet members of
Zimbabwe's main opposition groups after arriving in Harare on Sunday to
conduct a safety and security inspection in preparation for next month's
tour.
John Carr, the ECB's director of cricket operations, Richard Bevan of the
Professional Cricketers' Association, and representatives of a security
consultant retained by the ECB will spend four days in the troubled African
country canvassing opinion from all sectors of Zimbabwean society, as well
as inspecting the facilities and hotels that England are scheduled to use.

Bevan attended a meeting at the Foreign Office yesterday to seek guidance on
the visit and will also liaise with two other "independent" but unnamed
overseas missions in Zimbabwe during the reconnaissance.

Safety and security is one of the grounds on which the International Cricket
Council would allow the England team to withdraw from the tour.

David Morgan, chairman of the ECB, said that there was little prospect of
the tour being cancelled when the ICC executive board meets this weekend in
Lahore.

"Nothing I have seen in the papers I have been presented gives me any reason
to think the tour will not go ahead. However, there are matters yet to be
disclosed, including the findings of the racism inquiry that was held in
Zimbabwe recently."

Morgan also confirmed that he expected the England team to sport the logo of
their main sponsor, Vodafone, during the matches in Zimbabwe. Lord
MacLaurin, his predecessor at Lord's and chair of the telecom company, has
said he would not be in favour. "Unless they say otherwise, the logos will
be worn," Morgan said.
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The Herald

'Zimbabweans abroad will not vote'

Herald Reporter
THE Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Cde Patrick
Chinamasa, yesterday reiterated Government's position that Zimbabweans
outside the country will not vote during next year's parliamentary
elections.

He told Parliament that Zimbabweans who were residents in the country and
appear on the voters' roll will vote.

Cde Chinamasa was responding to a question from Bulawayo South MP Mr David
Coltart who wanted to know why Zimbabwe was not taking the example of other
countries in the region that were allowing their citizens abroad to vote in
elections.

"The law in our situation is explicit, citizens of Zimbabwe who are
residents will be allowed to vote," said Cde Chinamasa.

Mutasa MP Ms Evelyn Masaiti (MDC) asked Cde Chinamasa when parties would be
given access to the public media to air their programmes.

"You can't have a country that is perpetually on elections from January to
December. Outside election periods, broadcasters are free to determine what
news to broadcast," said Cde Chinamasa.

He said access to the media by all political parties would be reasonable
during the run-up to the election period and this was the practice in all
the other countries.

He said access to the media is regulated during election periods.

Mr Abedinico Bhebhe, Nkayi MP (MDC) told Cde Chinamasa that although
thousands of people were living and working abroad, they still remained
Zimbabweans.

He asked whether Government was going to make laws that would enable them to
vote.

Cde Chinamasa said the economic difficulties facing the country were
precipitated by the MDC working with Britain.

"The MDC now wants to reap where they did not sow. They campaigned for the
introduction of sanctions and they are the ones who are travelling abroad
lying to the people so that they can get votes," he said.

Bulilimamangwe North MP Mr Mzila Ndlovu (MDC) asked Cde Chinamasa whether it
was Government policy to discriminate against certain people when conducting
reburial exercises.

The minister said reburials were for those who died participating in the
liberation struggle and were a continuous process.

"We are not talking of deaths of people who died otherwise," he said.

Cde Ndlovu also asked what would be done to people who were killed by
Government.

"It's clear that the MP is being mischievous. There were problems between us
(the Matabeleland disturbances) which caused deaths but those people who
died were not in pursuance of the liberation struggle.

"You are raising it because you think it will give you votes in
Matabeleland, it will not," said Cde Chinamasa.

Mr Jacob Thabane Bubi-Umguza MP (MDC) also asked Cde Chinamasa to explain
who was a loyal opposition party and who was not.

"We have a democratically elected President and Government and you don't
expect the Government to give coverage to an opposition party that says if
the President doesn't go, we will remove him violently," said Cde Chinamasa.

Giving an example, Cde Chinamasa said even in countries like the United
States, terrorist organisations like Al-Qaeda would not be expected to be
given a platform or media coverage.

Said Cde Chinamasa: "If the opposition want to use the public media to say
the Government should be removed violently, we will not allow that, we are
not stupid."

He said he did not agree with the notion that the playing field in politics
in the country was tilted in Zanu-PF's favour.

"Look what the foreign media in South Africa say. Over the past four years,
we have been playing soccer on a field with a slope and we are playing
uphill," said Cde Chinamasa.
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The Herald

Zimsec yet to release June results

Herald Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Schools examinations Council has not yet released the "O" and
"A" Level June examination results.

The results are normally distributed to regional education offices
throughout the country for collection during the first week of September.

Last year's June results were also delayed by about a month. Reports then
indicated that the delay had been caused by gross anomalies unearthed on the
results sheets.

Zimsec spokesperson Ms Faith Chasokela attributed the delays in releasing
the results to a technical problem experienced by the council. She could,
however, not elaborate on the nature of the problem.

"We are working flat out to ensure that the results are released as soon as
possible," she said, without giving a timeframe within which they could be
released.

However, there were indications that the results could be out before the end
of this month.
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New Zimbabwe

Eric Knight joins Zimbabwe internet radio station

By Staff Reporter
Last updated: 10/14/2004 09:56:05
SWIVELLING on his chair at an East London location, Eric Knight, born this
month 36 years ago, can at last smile.

Alongside his long-time friend Ezra "Tshisa" Sibanda, they were pulled-off
the airwaves on Zimbabwe's state radio at their prime. But today they have
been reunited thousands of miles away.

"It was sad leaving the ZBC," says the former Radio 2 DJ and host of
Thursday night TV entertainment programme Mutinhimira Wemimhanzi/Ezomgido.

"But I can say it was a blessing in disguise. Standards took a dramatic down
turn just before I left...we were not being given freedom to express
ourselves as broadcasters, but on this station (Afro Sounds FM), we will be
able to broadcast exactly what is happening without fear or favour."

What Knight is talking about is a new radio station started by former ZBC
employees who fell out of favour with the new regime of Information Minister
Jonathan Moyo.

The station -- set to be officially launched in late November -- started
broadcasting three weeks ago and has become a huge hit with Zimbabweans,
particularly those in the diaspora.

"What I can do on this station which I couldn't do at the ZBC is to express
myself. There is freedom here which allows us to be able to independently
express ourselves while sticking to basic broadcasting ethics which I am sad
to say, no longer exist at the ZBC."

Knight knows what he is talking about. Known as the "Airwaves Commander" or
simply, "General" to his fans, he joined the ZBC in April 1989, working his
way to the top of the tree as one of the country's finest young
broadcasters. He became the face of Zimbabwe television entertainment.

His popularity launched the singing career of his wife Martha who now lives
with him in Manchester, England.

Knight is expected to be a permanent fixture on the station. Station bosses
were said to be working on programming. Sources tell New Zimbabwe.com that
Ezra "Tshisa" Sibanda is ready to unleash his popular Radio 2 programme
Ezemuli.

Station manager Zenzo Ncube was tight-lipped on the programming. He said
last night: "We have lined-up exciting new programmes, and it is premature
to say if Ezemuli will be relaunched on the station. Personally I think that
would be great, Ezra is a fine prsenter."
TO LISTEN TO AFRO-SOUNDS FM go to the website: http://www.zimnews.co.uk and
follow instructions. More information mail@zimnews.co.uk or call 02070934828
or 07843655418
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NOCZIM Dispatches Fuel to Farmers

The Herald (Harare)

October 13, 2004
Posted to the web October 13, 2004

Harare

THE National Oil Company of Zimbabwe has dispatched about 22 percent of the
initial 4,8 million litres of diesel earmarked for disbursement to farmers.

The fuel, which is part of the 15 million litres of diesel earmarked for
farmers, was delivered to 18 of the 52 districts in the country with the
remaining districts expected to receive supplies before the end of this
week.

A Noczim spokesperson said the retail price of the diesel had been reduced
to $1 650 a litre as part of Government's commitment to support the agrarian
reform programme.

"Farmers intending to access this fuel can contact their respective district
agricultural inputs sub committees," she said.

In order to ensure transparency in the allocation of fuel, the spokesperson
said a Noczim-Arex Fuel for Farmers Committee had been set up to ensure that
fuel is delivered to farmers and is used for the ntended purposes.

The committee was expected to monitor all distribution being done, with Arex
officers on the ground expected to submit weekly reports giving details of
the recipient farmers. These include the name of the farmer, the farm
number, farmer's national identity registration number and quantity of fuel
purchased.

The Noczim spokesperson said the committee would also set up audit teams
throughout the country to ensure that the facility is not abused.

The disbursement of the commodity, which started last week, was expected to
bring relief to wheat producers who are currently in the process of
harvesting their winter crop.

The supplies were also supposed to benefit those farmers who are busy with
their land preparation ahead of the onset of the 2004/2005 agricultural
season. The disbursement process was, however, nearly tainted by reports
that the facility was being abused in some parts of the country with
non-farmers benefiting despite the fact that it was meant for farmers only.

Some service stations in Guruve were last week accused of selling the fuel
meant for farmers to private motorists at the subsidised rates.

The allegations were, however, refuted by Arex director Dr Frederick Mlambo.

The fuel intended for the farmers was being distributed through branch
networks of oil companies such as Caltex Wedzera, Exxon/Mobil, BP/Shell,
Exor, Country Petroleum, Total, Comoil, Zimoil, FSI and others.

Meanwhile, diesel supplies in the country, particularly Harare, remained
critical yesterday with very limited supplies being found in some parts of
the city.

Most commuter operators have been failing to adequately service their routes
as they were spending most of their time queueing for fuel and searching for
the commodity.

Most fuel stations were by yesterday out of stock while others reported
receving limited supplies.

The chairman of the Petroleum Marketers' Association, Mr Masimba Kambarami,
last week said there were adequate fuel supplies in the country despite the
intermittent shortages.

This was after the arrival of eight million litres of petrol and diesel in
the country.
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