Zimbabwe hopes to revive struggling state firms

http://af.reuters.com/

Mon Oct 25, 2010 11:49am GMT

By Cris Chinaka

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe hopes to have clear plans by the end of the year
on turning around 10 struggling state firms under a revived privatisation
drive, which a cabinet minister said was attracting foreign investors.

A unity government formed by rivals President Robert Mugabe and Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai last year following a disputed 2008 election is
battling to fix an economy hit by hyperinflation, which reached 500 billion
percent two years ago.

In an interview with Reuters, State Enterprises minister Gorden Moyo said
Zimbabwe was determined to change the fortunes of government firms, many of
them notorious for shoddy services, perennial financial losses, gross
mismanagement and corruption.

Moyo said the government had recently approved a new programme to
restructure, commercialise and privatise at least 10 companies and had
received interest from foreign investors.

"We have a number of investors -- locally, regionally, internationally, from
the west, from the east, north and south -- who are all making inquiries and
are all making statements of interest in our public entities," he said on
Monday.

"The public entities in Zimbabwe have the potential to contribute over 40
percent to our GDP, and they can contribute to market capitalisation as well
as employment."

Zimbabwe's unemployment rate is above 80 percent.

Targeted firms include the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), National Railways of
Zimbabwe, fixed phone company TelOne and mobile phone operator NetOne,
AgriBank, Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (Zisco), the National Oil Company
of Zimbabwe, power utility ZESA, Air Zimbabwe and beef producer Cold Storage
Company (CSC).

Moyo said details would be available by year-end, but added that government
had identified a strategic partner for beef producer CSC. The grain board
GMB would be split into a commercial and social unit, handling grain
management and strategic food reserves.

The government was "at an advanced stage" of choosing a foreign investor for
Zisco, he said.

"We have said to ourselves, this side of Christmas, we would want to make a
determination to what happens to each one of them. We want to determine
whether we privatise or we commercialise or we restructure in general," Moyo
said.

Moyo declined to say which companies would be privatised.

The government solely controls or is the major shareholder in 78
corporations known locally as parastatals, in sectors such as energy,
transport, finance, mining and telecommunications.

"Over the years, our parastatals have been a drain on the fiscus (budget)
and this ministry is upbeat and really, really ready for the challenge so
that we are sure that we stop the drain, rehabilitate some of them, and
offload some of them," said Moyo.

Thousands join food relief programme in Zimbabwe

http://www.sabcnews.com/

October 25 2010 , 7:59:00

At least 80 000 people have registered to join the food-for-work programme
in Zimbabwe's Masvingo province in the wake of acute food shortages,
Zimbabwe's Herald Online reported today. Government introduced the
food-for-work programme in Masvingo last week following poor harvests in
most parts of the province.

Masvingo Provincial Governor and Resident Minister Titus Maluleke said that
government had introduced the programme to ameliorate the effects of looming
food shortages in the province.

Chivi and Mwenezi districts registered to join the programme after reports
that about 40% of the province's population will be in need of food relief
before year end. Minister Maluleke said more districts were expected to
enlist soon. "We have already started the food- for-work programme in Chivi
and Mwenezi, which are more vulnerable in terms of food availability and we
have since registered thousands of people who are receiving cash every month
under the programme."

He added that in the first quarter of next year, the number of people in
need of food aid could rise to about 80% of the population. Masvingo is
believed to have a population of over 1.2 million people, meaning one
million people will require food relief in the first four months of next
year. - Sapa

New constitution, a damp squib: NGOs

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by Own Correspondent Monday 25 October 2010

HARARE - Civil society groups have warned that the proposed new constitution
could turn out to be damp squib, reflecting the short-term interests of
political parties instead of a truly democratic charter that Zimbabweans
have long hoped could safeguard basic rights and ensure accountability from
the government.

According to the report on the constitution outreach programme jointly
published by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, Zimbabwe Peace Project
and Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, the process to draft Zimbabwe's new
governance charter was "remained entirely a de facto contest between ZANU PF
and MDC-T,  a scenario that appear to have sidelined the views of other
stakeholders".

"The risk of a constitutional outcome that reflects an obscene skew towards
the short-term interests of political parties remains a threatening
 reality," the organisations said in the report made available to ZimOnline
at the weekend

Operating under the banner of the Independent Constitution Monitoring
Project (ZZZICOMP), the civil society groups said entrenched political
positions have distracted from the real issues that ordinary Zimbabweans
wanted captured during the outreach meetings.

They cited more than 1 000 outreach violations between September 13 and 26
during meetings to round off public consultations in eight of Zimbabwe's 10
provinces, excluding the capital Harare and the second city Bulawayo.

The violations included the use of opening and closing prayer sessions laced
with hate language, coaching of participants on what to say and the bussing
in of people from other provinces in a bid to neutralize views of other
parties.

"Constitution outreach consultations are routinely violated through bussing
in of participants to venues that are perceived to be strongholds of rival
political parties, singing of party songs at outreach venues, use of hate
language, booing of dissenting views, use of venues that were used as bases
in the violent-infested 27 June 2008 elections, deploying security agents at
venues, (and) use of opening and closing prayers laced with hate language,"
the report said.

The majority of the violations were recorded in Mashonaland Central,
Midlands and Manicaland provinces where ZANU PF youths, so-called war
veterans and state security agents reportedly intimidated villagers into
parroting the party's position.

In one such incident, newly resettled farmers in Ward 34 of Headlands in
Manicaland were on September 14 threatened with displacement from farms if
they strayed from ZANU PF's position during an outreach meeting held at
Nehumba Primary School.

In another case, villagers were ordered not to speak during a meeting held
on 13 September at Stateland A in Ward 28 of Gokwe-Mapfungautsi
constituency. They were told that contributions were the preserve of war
veterans and an unnamed army major.

The ZZZICOMP report also said the emerging issues from the outreach meetings
included calls for elected provincial governors, the need for a single
national vice president and a president aged between 40 and 65 years.

The incumbent President Robert Mugabe is 86 years old and has been in power
since independence from Britain in 1980.

There was however no common position on whether the country should continue
with the current arrangement where there is a president and a prime
minister, with some provinces proposing that only one of these positions
should be retained and should have limited powers.

Under Zimbabwe's 20-month-old coalition government, President Robert Mugabe
is supposed to share executive power with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

But the two politicians have regularly clashed over what powers exactly each
should exercise, with the latest spat being over Mugabe's unilateral posting
of new ambassadors to the UN and European Union and the extension of the
tenure of provincial governors without consulting Tsvangirai as required by
their power-sharing agreement.

IMF visit spells bad news for Zimbabwe’s central bank

http://www.swradioafrica.com

by Irene Madongo
25 October 2010

The visit this week of officials from the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
to Zimbabwe spells bad news for the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and government
officials hostile to transparency, an economic analyst has stated.

It’s been reported that the six-member IMF team will meet a number of senior
government officials, including Finance Minister Tendai Biti and Reserve
Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor Gideon Gono. The team will examine the state
of the economy under its Article IV provision, which requires it to visit
member countries, collect information and discuss economic developments and
policies.
On Monday, economic analyst Masimba Kuchera said: “To most of the people who
have a lot of things to hide, and mainly people in ZANU PF, it is bad news.
Some of the advice of the IMF is how to tighten controls on the fiscus,
taxes and monetary authority. For the RBZ and ZANU PF I don’t think it will
be good news.”

The IMF has been highly critical of the RBZ and has even called for an audit
of the institution, a move ZANU PF has strongly resisted. Following another
visit this year, the IMF said serious governance problems have remained at
the RBZ, stating that accounting and internal controls are weak, and there
was no approved budget for RBZ operations in 2009.

Kuchera also said that that the IMF visit will also be especially bad news
for Gono, who has been named as the man who bank-rolled ZANU PF’s campaigns
of violence.

“The problems he (Gono) has is that he was meant to change the governing
structure and revert to the RBZ’s core mandate of being a monetary authority
and not engaging in quasi-fiscal activities, such as providing finance for
tractors and implements to people with ZANU PF connections,” he said.

Kuchera said that one of the stumbling blocks to Zimbabwe getting more
assistance from the IMF is its poor record of debt. The country cannot pay
off its debt, curently pegged at up to $7 billion.

“The RBZ has admitted that they contributed $1,2 billion to the current debt
that we have, which is a lot of money. In terms of staff compliment the RBZ
was overbloated, it needs a serious audit and restructuring,” Kuchera said.

Confusion In Zanu (PF) As Mugabe Pushes For Early Election

http://news.radiovop.com/

25/10/2010 14:45:00

Harare, October 25, 2010 - There is confusion in Zanu (PF) ahead of polls
next year amid indications that President Robert Mugabe made the elections
announcement without consulting his party on its readiness.

Mugabe, apparently angered by his endless clashes with Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai, has in the past few weeks been preaching the gospel of elections
next year saying the life of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) ends soon.

In the process, Mugabe and Tsvangirai, the two key men in Zimbabwe's
politics have been engaging in a fierce war of words raising fears that this
could lead to violence between Zanu (PF) and the Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC).

While Mugabe is claiming that he is ready for elections, it appears that he
has not told his structures including the all powerful Zanu (PF) politburo
of the impending elections and this has created confusion in the party with
many questioning the logic of holding elections when it is clear that the
86-year-old leader's chances of winning are slim.

The confusion in Zanu (PF) was confirmed by the party's Secretary for
Administration Didymus Mutasa in an interview with Radio VOP.

"We have not met as a party to discuss the issue of elections next year. But
obviously if the president says we are going for elections next year, so be
it. Personally I am ready and will win anytime.

"People are worried about structures in Zanu (PF) having fallen apart,
people are saying it means we are not ready but they forget that when we
came from the bush in 1980 we had no structures but we still won the
elections.

"It all depends on what you have been doing for the people. It does not mean
that if you campaign you are automatically going to win. It does not work
like that. If you are Zanu (PF) there is no point in persuading you to vote
for Zanu (PF) because you will always vote for it," said Mutasa.

Sources told Radio VOP at the weekend that Mugabe's announcement had created
chaos in Zanu (PF) with the different factions of the party questioning
their leader's wisdom to call for elections when he has lost ground to rival
parties.

A member of the faction controlled by Retired General Solomon Mujuru said:
"I think age is catching up with the old man. Surely, how under the sun can
he call for elections he knows he will lose? It's madness."

"We are however suspicious that he might want to create a situation where he
loses and gets a dignified exit. In the process, he will dump all of us and
even destroy the party.

"The party's structures have collapsed, even in the rural areas Zanu (PF)
has lost support and we don't know where Mugabe will get support unless if
he uses extreme violence but then this tactic is difficult now because even
SADC is against that. There is total confusion in Zanu (PF) - people are
phoning each to try and come up with answers.

"The other logical conclusion is that maybe Mugabe is testing the waters to
see if Tsvangirai is ready," said the highly placed source.

Meanwhile Zimbabwe's civic society groups last week were putting pressure on
the facilitator to the country's political crisis, President Jacob Zuma of
South Africa to push for the leveling of the playing field in before
elections are held next year.

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition met Zuma's facilitation team in South
Africa recently and told them that Zimbabwe was not yet ready for elections
as there were a number of anomalies including the shambolic voters' roll and
the state apparatus that caused mayhem in the 2008 elections remained in
place.

The coalition told Zuma's team that the failure to fully implement the
Global Political Agreement (GPA) meant that very few reforms had been
undertaken since the inclusive government took shape last year.

In a position paper presented to the facilitators and in possession of Radio
VOP, the civic society groups also urged Zuma to ensure that Zimbabwe holds
credible elections acceptable to everyone.

"There is ample evidence that Zimbabwe's security sector remains highly
partisan, unprofessional and politicised. The National Security Council,
which was intended to provide civilian oversight to the security sector and
take a lead in reforming the sector, is barely functional.

"The office of the Attorney General (AG) remains extremely politicized and,
together with the Police, it has failed or is unwilling to implement the GPA
provision to 'apply the laws of the country fully and impartially in
bringing all perpetrators of politically motivated violence to book.'

"Scores of cases relating to the 2008 electoral violence, in which victims
have named perpetrators in their reports to the police, have inexplicably
not been prosecuted.

"This perpetuation of the culture of impunity and the retention through lack
of action of security sector actors in the electoral and other political
processes will not bode well for credible elections in the near future, as
the state and its cohesive apparatus remains a major instigator of
politically motivated violence," read part of the position paper."

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition also emphasised to Zuma's team that reforms
implemented in the inclusive government so far were not sufficient enough to
create a condusive environment for an election that meets SADC standards.

It also said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) was not ready for
elections despite claiming that they were ready.

Crisis said violence which marred the constitutional making process
continued to haunt the country. The civic society groups then called for
Zuma to:

"Ensure that a credible election pitched on key benchmarks takes place in
Zimbabwe and use a SADC led elections supervisory mechanism for Zimbabwe's
next vote to prevent state-sponsored violence, which is in place at least 6
months before the elections and 3 months after.

"In addition, SADC should urge the political principals in Zimbabwe to have
broad domestic, regional and international observation of the elections in
the interest of openness," read part of the position paper to Zuma's
facilitation team.
 

Coalition Govt A Mixture Of Oil And Water: Tsvangirai

http://news.radiovop.com/

25/10/2010 15:30:00

Masvingo, October 25, 2010 - Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has described
the coalition government as 'a mixture of oil and water' an experiment whose
outcome is well predicted.

Tsvangirai, who was consulting his party supporters on the possibility of
holding elections next year, said the ballot was the only way out of
frustrations by Zanu (PF) which continued to violate the Global Political
Agreement (GPA) which gave birth to the coalition government.

"The coalition government is like a mixture of oil and water, very unrelated
and an unworkable combination. Zanu (PF) is not honouring the GPA. I am
treated as a junior partner, yet I beat Mugabe in the elections. Mugabe
wants to frustrate us so that we pull out, but we will not. It is better to
fight from within," Tsvangirai told his supporters.

He said the inclusive government was a temporary creature that should come
to an end when its lifespan expires next year.

"Power sharing worldwide has never worked 50/50. But we had to get into the
inclusive government and lobby for the constitution and reform some
electoral laws, which also help set the stage for elections fair.

"Principals went into the inclusive government with different aims. Mugabe
is concerned about grabbing more power, when we are busy trying to
emancipate the people of Zimbabwe. It is now appearing as if the MDC is
failing, yet it is Mugabe's tactics to discredit us."

Tsvangirai said he will participate in the polls provided they are free of
violence and the playing field is even.
 

MDC-M Mutambara ‘unwanted in Bulawayo’

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Irene Madongo
25 October 2010

Arthur Mutambara’s future as leader of the MDC-M appears to be in even more
doubt, following reports that the Bulawayo province has endorsed his party’s
Secretary-General, Welshman Ncube, to stand for the post of party president
at the party’s main congress next year.

NewsDay reported that the Bulawayo provincial council held a meeting at the
party offices on Saturday where it was unanimously resolved that Ncube
should ascend to the party’s top post. Sources said the agreed structure
will see Ncube take over as president with Edwin Mushoriwa has his deputy,
while Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga will become the party’s
Secretary-General. The meeting was attended by members of the party’s main
wing, the women’s wing, the youth league and 12 district chairpersons in the
province.

Mutamabara is coming under increasing criticism for what appears to be his
endorsement of ZANU PF. He recently shocked MPs by choosing to support
Robert Mugabe’s controversial unilateral appointment of ambassadors to a
number of countries in Europe and South Africa. The Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai called the appointments illegal as Mugabe had not consulted the
MDC leaders on the positions, as required by the Global Political Agreement
(GPA).

Even the MDC-M spokesperson Edwin Mushoriwa distanced the party from
Mutambara, saying his party sided with the MDC-T on the position that Mugabe
should have consulted his coalition partners when he made the appointments.
In August, Mutambara also came under fire following allegations that he
wrote a controversial letter claiming the three principals to the GPA agreed
to appoint provincial governors simultaneously with the removal of
sanctions.

MDC-M Bulawayo publicity secretary Edwin Ndlovu confirmed that the party
held a provincial council meeting at the weekend but denied the meeting was
about nominating candidates for the next congress. However on Monday
political commentator Professor John Makumbe said the reports are true and
Mutambara knows the bell is tolling for him.

“Mutambara had it coming. His actions, including opposing Tsvangirai over
the appointments, sent a bad message to his party members. The message is
that he supports Mugabe and ZANU PF, and at the end of the day they are
going to load him off. Welshman is the brains behind the MDC-M, he
instigated the split from the MDC, he could be out of a job if he doesn’t
get a position,” Makumbe said.

 

Didymus Mutasa admits crumbling ZANU PF structures

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tichaona Sibanda
25 October 2010

Senior ZANU PF politburo member Didymus Mutasa has admitted there are
worries within the party about the state of its structures, which have
apparently disintegrated. The situation is especially bad in the rural
areas.

In an interview with RadioVOP, the Presidential Affairs minister said ZANU
PF won the first elections in 1980 without recognised party structures
throughout the country.

"People are worried about structures in ZANU PF having fallen apart, people
are saying it means we are not ready (for elections) but they forget that
when we came from the bush in 1980 we had no structures but we still won the
elections," Mutasa is quoted as saying.

"It all depends on what you have been doing for the people. It does not mean
that if you campaign you are automatically going to win. It does not work
like that. If you are ZANU PF there is no point in persuading you to vote
for ZANU PF because you will always vote for it," Mutasa said.

The Politburo member also acknowledged that Mugabe's pronouncements that
elections would be held next year were never discussed in the highest
decision making body of their party.

"We have not met as a party to discuss the issue of elections next year. But
obviously if the president says we are going for elections next year, so be
it. Personally I am ready and will win anytime," Mutasa added.

Speaking in June at the commencement of the constitutional outreach
exercise, MDC-T's deputy organising secretary, Morgan Komichi, charged that
ZANU PF's structures in the rural areas had all but disintegrated.

Commenting on reports that the party was using CIO operatives to speak on
their behalf during constitutional outreach programs, Komichi said: "ZANU PF
as a party doesn't exist anymore. It is increasingly becoming clear from the
exercise that they don't have the people to articulate their views on the
new constitution. The daily reports that I'm getting across the country say
that the CIO's are now their voices during consultative meetings."
 

Cash strapped COPAC struggling to pay outreach teams

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
25 October 2010

The financially troubled COPAC management team owes thousands of dollars in
unpaid allowances to its outreach teams, SW Radio Africa can reveal.

The revelations come amid reports that COPAC has now set new dates for the
remaining Harare and Chitungwiza meetings. The 44 constitution outreach
meetings were originally set for the 18th and 20th September. But the
meetings were cancelled following violent disturbances by ZANU PF
supporters.

SW Radio Africa correspondent Simon Muchemwa reported in Monday that the
COPAC management committee was struggling to pay outstanding allowances to
some of its outreach team leaders, rapporteurs, technicians and drivers.

"These are the people that were involved with gathering views from
Zimbabweans right across the country but they are owed huge amounts of money
by COPAC. For instance COPAC is still to settle its huge bills with some of
the hotels used during the exercise," Muchemwa said.

He continued: "Team leaders and rapporteurs are owed something in the region
of $3,500 each, while most technicians are still owed about $1,600 each.
Drivers are owed between $600 and $800 and most of these people are
reluctant to continue with the exercise because they are still to be paid
some of their allowances."

Muchemwa said promises had been made that people would be paid half of their
outstanding balances when they check into hotels this Friday for the Harare
meetings. The remainder is expected to be paid out next week Monday, soon
after the completion of the meetings in the capital.

The meetings for Harare and Chitungwiza will now be held this weekend, from
the 30th to 31st October. Details of venues and times for the meetings will
be circulated as soon as they are made available by the management team.

"So many wrong things are happening within the COPAC exercise. Last week two
senior members of the secretariat were suspended for what officials are
saying was an attempt to tamper with audio and visual materials recorded
during outreach tours," Muchemwa said.

The data was supposed to have been kept under lock and key in a safe at a
local bank to ensure maximum safety, but why it was still at the
not-so-secure offices of COPAC remains a mystery. This equipment includes
laptops, voice recorders and video cameras.

Data uploading is expected to begin during the first week of November and
should be finalised after two weeks. A revised COPAC time table now says the
subsequent process of uploading and collation would be followed by thematic
group discussions beginning November up to December 22, 2010.

 

UK Zims protest resumed deportations

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
25 October 2010

Zimbabwean exiles living in the UK are set to stage a demonstration in
London this week against resumed deportations by the British government.

There has been a shocked reaction from the Zimbabwe diaspora in the UK to
the announcement by the British government earlier this month that it was
lifting its moratorium on deportations. A ministerial statement read out in
parliament by the Minister for Immigration, Damian Green, said the time was
"now right to bring our policy on returns of failed Zimbabwean asylum
seekers into line with that on every other country." Green told the House of
Commons that they based their decision on the "improved situation on the
ground in Zimbabwe since the formation of the inclusive government in 2009."

"This will mean that failed asylum seekers from Zimbabwe will from now on be
treated in exactly the same way as failed asylum seekers of all other
countries when it comes to enforcing returns," Green said, adding that those
found not to be in need of protection have always been expected to return
home.
"We prefer these individuals to return voluntarily and many hundreds have
done so. It is in everyone's interest for people to return to Zimbabwe and
use their skills to support themselves and help rebuild the country," the
immigration minister added.

Forcible returns to Zimbabwe from the UK were suspended in September 2006,
when high court judges ruled that those who could not demonstrate their
loyalty to Robert Mugabe's regime would face persecution on their return.
But prominent UK based Zimbabwean activist Ephraim Tapa told SW Radio Africa
on Monday that the UK government has not even concluded a new legal test
case on the general safety of returns to Zimbabwe. Tapa told SW Radio Africa
that "it is deeply disturbing that the British government seems to have
predetermined the outcome of the legal test court case. We did not expect
this in the UK."

The UK's Guardian newspaper claims the government's decision partly rests on
a report by a fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe in August. The newspaper said
the report is based on interviews with seven people, who had voluntarily
returned from Britain, who officials said faced no significant problems at
Harare airport or in resettling in Harare or Bulawayo.

"The mission's report said Harare and Bulawayo were considered to be
relatively safe from violence, especially for ordinary MDC supporters.
However several human rights organisations said small urban centres such as
Bindura and Chiredzi and the rural heartlands of ZANU PF were subject to the
risk of sporadic violence," the paper added.

Tapa said he was skeptical about the findings of the British mission. He
said: "The stolen elections of 2008 were drenched in blood. New elections
are planned for next year and we expect similar bloodshed unless
peacekeepers are sent to the country."

"It is not an opportune time for the UK government to change its policy and
we are particularly disappointed that Foreign Secretary William Hague has
not honoured his promise that there would be no change in policy towards
Zimbabwe," Tapa said.

Zimbabwean exiles will now demonstrate their anger over the UK government's
decision at a meeting to be addressed by a senior Home Office official at
Lancaster House in London on Wednesday. The demonstrators will present a
petition to Phil Douglas, the UK Border Agency's Director of Appeals and
Removals, who is to address the meeting.

The petition, addressed to Home Secretary Theresa May, reads: "We the
undersigned, members of the Zimbabwean Diaspora in the UK and sympathisers,
express our grave disquiet at the UK government's announcement that failed
Zimbabwean asylum seekers are to be deported - even before the hearing of a
test (country guidance) case is concluded. Our view is that the situation in
Zimbabwe is not suitable for the return of exiled Zimbabweans, especially
those who have shown their rejection of the Zimbabwean regime by applying
for asylum in the UK. In particular, we are aware of continuing widespread
acts of political violence by ZANU PF agents who enjoy immunity from
prosecution. We fear the situation is likely to worsen given plans to hold
new elections next year."

Chinamasa slams businessman Mawere’s return

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
25 October 2010

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa has reportedly lashed out at the return
of business mogul Mutumwa Mawere who recently returned to Zimbabwe after six
years in exile.

Mawere returned to Zimbabwe last week after a Harare provincial maguistrate
cancelled his arrest warrant. This followed his ‘de-specification’ by the
Home Affairs ministry, meaning he was free to challenge the seizure of his
companies by the government six years ago.

The government controversially seized Mawere’s business empire in 2004,
saying he had ‘externalised’ close to US$20 million in foreign currency and
his companies owed the state money. Over the years the seizure has been
exposed as nothing more than victimisation and in May this year Mawere,
along with other prominent businessmen accused of similar crimes, were all
‘de-specified’.
But Chinamasa, who SW Radio Africa understands is a major stumbling block in
Mawere’s bid to get his companies back, has already indicated the process
will be difficult. He reportedly said in a statement, days after Mawere’s
return, that the businessman “does not own any stake in the disputed mining
giant Shabanie Mashava Mine.”

Mawere owned Shabanie Mashava Mine through a consortium of companies before
the state’s seizure of his companies. The businessman has said he is in
talks with government officials to regain his stake in the Mine. But
Chinamasa is quoted by state media as saying that no talks are taking place.

“Accordingly, it is factually and legally wrong, incorrect, misleading and
mischievous to suggest that Mawere owns and controls (Shabanie Mashava
Mine),” Chinamasa is quoted as saying in his statement.
“The suggestions that Mr Mawere is a victim, and all of a sudden an angel,
whilst demonising people properly acting in their official/professional
capacities, are clearly unfortunate, unfounded and, indeed mischievous,” the
Minister is quoted as saying.

MDC ready for Zanu PF in next elections-Tsvangirai

http://www.dailynews.co.zw/

By Sidney Saize
Monday, 25 October 2010 15:26

HARARE - The MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai says his party is ready to take
Zanu PF head on in the next national elections scheduled for mid next year.

Addressing multitudes of his supporters at Sakubva Hall in Mutare at the
week end,Tsvangirai, who is also the country's Prime Minister said: "We will
go for the elections but we dont want the elections to be like a war; the
elections must be non violent. We want the elections to be free, fair and
credible.

"After the elections, the will of the people must be respected by allowing
the winner to take charge," said Tsvangirai.

The MDC leader was apparently making reference to the last elections in 2008
when his party beat Zanu PF but was never allowed to take charge of the
national affairs.

President Mugabe retained the presidency after a controversial re-run in
which he stood alone and beat no one. Tsvangirai pulled out of the race at
the last minute citing gross violence against his supporters by Zanu PF
elements.

Tsvangirai appealed to war veterans fingered in violence in the rural and
farming areas to desist from acts of violence and have self respect.

He said before the elections, a new voters' roll should be in place while
foreign election observers should  be allowed into the country prior to the
plebiscite.

"We must have Sadc and African Union election observers before we can hold
the elections. A proper voters' roll should also be available to ensure all
those that are above 18 years can go and vote. An independent electoral
commission should be in place before that election," he said.

He said Zimbabweans should shun violence ahead of the elections and urged
his supporters to register as voters.

"You must not just support the party, you have to go further than that by
registering as voters so that you vote overwhelmingly for your party,"
Tsvangirai told his party's cheering crowd.

The MDC leader said Mugabe had failed to comply with the country's
constitution and the GPA through his  unilateral appointments of provincial
governors and ambassadors without consulting the other principals in the
inclusive government.

He said the failure by Mugabe to appoint MDC national treasurer Roy Bennet
as Deputy Minister for Agriculture and consult the premier on some of the
appointments was annoying and made the  oprations of  government  difficult.

Tsvangirai's meeting in Mutare was aimed at meeting with his supporters to
get their views on the challenges the party is facing.

He was accompanied to the eastern border city by some of his top party
members,including secretary general Tendai Biti, organizing secretary Elias
Mudzuri, party spokesperson, Nelson Chamisa, youth chairperson Thamsanga
Mahlangu and women's assembly chairperson Theresa Makone.

Donors raise US$52m for farm inputs

http://www.zimonline.co.za/

by Own Correspondent Monday 25 October 2010

HARARE - Aid agencies have raised US$52 million for farm inputs to
Zimbabwean small-scale farmers as the southern African country targets a
bumper maize harvest during the 2010/11 farming season which begins next
month.

The UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said
some 556,000 households have been targeted to receive agricultural input
assistance from donors and 70 non-governmental organisations during the
2010/11 season.

"More than 19 donors and 70 NGOs are providing $52 million worth of
agriculture input support in the 2010/2011 season," OCHA said.

About 330,000 households will receive assistance through direct input
distribution or closed voucher system with a pre-determined input pack while
179,000 households will receive open vouchers which give the farmers the
option to buy inputs of their choice.

About 50,000 households will receive livestock vouchers enabling them to buy
farm animals of their choice.

On average, the input support is sufficient to cover an area of 0.25 to 0.5
hectares per household, consisting of maize, sorghum or millet seeds as well
as legumes seed and fertilizer.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti last week also unveiled a US$30 million funding
package for the summer cropping programme, with the amount being divided
into two facilities.

One facility valued at US$8 million will target 100,000 vulnerable
households in areas not supported by the humanitarian community.

Beneficiaries will access inputs through a voucher system after
participating in a government programme to rehabilitate roads and other
state infrastructure.

Another government facility valued at US$22million will support 300,000
communal and old resettlement and A1 farmers with inputs from the Grain
Marketing Board at subsidised prices.

Zimbabwe is targeting producing two million tonnes of the staple maize
during the forthcoming season.

Agriculture plumbed new depths in 2008 when farmers produced 500,000 tonnes
of maize against national requirements of two million tonnes, but production
has since picked up in the past year to 1.35 million tonnes.

 

ZANU PF organisation threatens BP & Shell-Masawara Plc deal

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/

25 October, 2010 09:41:00    MERNAT MAFIRAKUREWA

The Indigenous Petroleum Group of Zimbabwe (IPGZ) has challenged BP & Shell
Marketing Services (BPSMS)'s deal to sell its local refined oils assets to
business tycoon Shingai Mutasa's Masawara plc.

Early this month, BPSMS announced it had agreed a deal to sell the assets
that include depots and service stations to FMI Zimbabwe, a wholly owned
subsidiary of London-listed Masawara plc.

The Shell Petroleum Company trades under the BP franchise in Zimbabwe.

Collectively, BPSM local assets include 73 retail sites, six country depots,
four town depots and a lubricants plant, now dormant, among others.

The facilities are currently being rented by a number of indigenous refined
oils dealers, among them Redan Petroleum, Sakunda Energy and Comoil, which
were also vying for the same assets.

In a letter to David Chapfika, the chairperson of the National
Indiginisation and Economic Empowerment Board (NIEEB), IPGZ
secretary-general Crosby Mashiri questioned why incumbent leases were not
accorded the right of first refusal in the deal.

Mashiri further contended the affected dealers sustained the industry during
the country's gravest fuel crisis in 2007/2008 when foreign operators
stopped trading.

"We write to express our displeasure with the above transaction.

We feel the process was flawed and was targeted to benefit specific
interests," said Mashiri.

"Our view is that the invested funds are the seller's funds.

We believe in the empowerment of the majority and not continued enrichment
of one against broadbased economic empowerment".

Mashiri urged a forensic audit of Masawara plc.

"Is this not warehousing by BP which will then try to get back into Zimbabwe
when sustainable volumes are reached?" he said.

BP Southern Africa CEO Sipho Maseko a fortnight ago revealed the global
energy company had in principle agreed to sell its assets to FMI Zimbabwe.

"With their experience and existing businesses in Zimbabwe, we believe that
FMI Zimbabwe will be able to build on BPSMS's good assets and grow the
business further in line with their plans," Maseko said.

Masawara, in which Mutasa owns 63,4%, also confirmed the deal through a
spokesperson.

The investment fund got the deal in the second round of a privately tendered
expression of interest after government rejected bids by South Africa-based
Engen Petroleum and KenoilKobil on indigenisation grounds.

Registered in Jersey, US, Masawara listed on AIM in August and raised
approximately $25 million to finance strategic acquisitions in the country.

The company owns 30% of TA Holdings, a locally-listed investment company,
and 40% of Joina City, the largest retail and commercial property in
Harare. -NewsDay
 

Failing to Address Schoolgirl Pregnancies

http://www.ipsnews.net/

By Ignatius Banda

BULAWAYO, Oct 25, 2010 (IPS) - Concern over reports of growing numbers of
pupils dropping out of school due to pregnancy has rekindled debate over the
link between intergenerational sex and HIV infection among Zimbabwe's youth.

While accurate data on the number of schoolgirls who leave classes because
of pregnancy are not available, child rights activists and education experts
say the issues that lead to schoolgirl pregnancies, including sexual
violence, have largely remained unaddressed.

Intergenerational sex between schoolgirls and older men has been flagged as
a key factor.

"Everyone knows schoolgirls fall for much older men because we want cell
phones and money as many of our parents cannot buy us these things,"
Bulawayo schoolgirl Tatenda Hlatshwayo told IPS.

"Even if we know what happened to other girls who fell pregnant and were
ditched, we still follow them, not because we are stupid but because we also
want those things," she said.

Accepted by parents

Teresa Chigovera of Childline, a child protection NGO, says while having sex
with a minor - girls under 16 - is a crime in Zimbabwe, what has made
assisting the victims difficult is that families accept offers of marriage
made by perpetrators.

"While some families report these men to us and the police, they soon
withdraw the charges, claiming the much older man responsible has made
arrangements to either marry the pregnant schoolgirl or pay for the needs of
the unborn child," Chigovera said.

"But we know the men disappear as soon as the threat of arrest is over," she
added.

The most recent Zimbabwe National Demographic and Health Survey, published
in 2007. identifies intergenerational sex as one of the primary HIV risk
factors for young women. According to UNAIDS/WHO (2008), the HIV prevalance
rate for females aged 15 - 24 is 7.7 percent, compared to just 2.9 percent
for males in the same age range.

The worry over high rates of HIV infection and pregnancy also raises
questions about the effectiveness of the sex education in schools.

In 2000, the government introduced sex education into the curriculum -
covering reproductive health, avoidance of early initiation into sex - as
part of efforts to slow the country's HIV prevalence rate among young
people.

"Sex education must be failing to raise awareness if we are still talking
about how to deal with learner pregnancies," said Abigail Dube, a head
teacher at a secondary school in Nkulumane High School said.

Thomas Ntini, whose children are in high school, believes the curriculum is
failing the country's school-aged children.

"When [the Ministry of Education] first introduced sex education, many
parents complained that this was only serving to corrupt our kids. Now
schoolchildren are jumping into sex and getting pregnant and we still do not
agree whether to let them go back and learn as mothers with other children,"
Ntini said.

"But where are the men who abuse our kids? They disappear and repeat the
same elsewhere and you are just plain lucky if your child is not affected,"
Ntini continued.
 

Student activists appear before a Harare Magistrate

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/

Written by Student Solidarity Trust
Monday, 25 October 2010 15:23

Three Student activists Tafadzwa Mugwadi, Noel Gotora and Vivid Gwede today
appeared before a Harare magistrate following arrests made on 22 October
2010. The arrests come after a lecture memorial was held at the University
of Zimbabwe in the honor of renowned student activist Learnmore Jongwe on
that same day. Learnmore Jongwe was a student activist who proved his
bravery in terms of challenging the University and state authorities by
demanding accountability and transparency in governance and educational
service delivery.
Meanwhile on the 22nd of October Joshua Chinyere, James Katso, Temptation
Tazviinga, Tinashe Hlathswayo,Tinashe Chisaira, Culvern Mungiri,Sydney
Chisuko, and Chikomborero Mukwaturi who are facing charges of participating
in an illegal gathering following a ZINASU demonstration in March 2010 at
Parliament Building against the abuse of human rights in the country,
appeared before a Harare magistrate to get their judgment on the 22nd but
failed to get a judgment after the state failed to provide an exception and
judgment has been moved to the 29th of October.
The student Solidarity Trust will continue to lobby for the respect of
freedom of association and speech without the oppressive POSA regulations
which seeks to police and monitor all public gatherings. The victimization
of student activists and all human rights defenders must stop. It is through
dialogue that a truly Zimbabwean voice can be given and national healing can
take place.

Nickel and dime Zimbabwe

http://www.mg.co.za/

RAY NDLOVU - Oct 25 2010 10:59

With a grim smile on her face the till operator took out the cellphone
tucked under her blouse and asked: "In what currency are you paying?"

I held up several $20 notes, to which she responded: "The rate is seven."

I pay up, silently grumbling about unstable exchange rates. In recent weeks
the effects of a strong South African rand against the US dollar have been
felt in Zimbabwe, upsetting the country's multi-currency system.

The rand is pegged at R6,90 to the greenback, a far cry from R10 in February
last year, when Zimbabwe abandoned the Zimdollar in favour of foreign
currency.

The stronger rand -- it has gained 30% against the dollar this year -- has
driven up the price of groceries and imports from South Africa. Zimbabweans
use the US dollar in 90% of transactions.

Recently the Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency announced that
year-on-year inflation in September had peaked at 4,4%, from 3,6% in August,
on the back of a strong rand.

Public servants, already reeling from a salary freeze and earning $150 a
month, are particularly feeling the pinch.

Rural teacher Steven Ngwabi (28) told the Mail & Guardian: "My salary isn't
enough to cover my costs and these new rates mean I have even less money.
But what can we do?"

Ronald Chiyangwa (26) compared the salary erosion to Zimbabwe's
hyper-inflationary period. "We might as well bring back the Zimdollar,
because this foreign currency thing is not working," he said.

Fearing economic destabilisation, the authorities are not contemplating the
return of the local currency. Nor do they seem committed to adopting a
single currency or joining the rand monetary area.

CONTINUES BELOW

Expectations are high that Finance Minister Tendai Biti will address the
issue of currency fluctuations in next month's budget speech.

Q&A: Jestina Mukoko

PYD Press Statement on the Call for Elections in Zimbabwe

LM Edition 68

Click here to read LM Edition 68 from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)

When will the Zimbabwean diaspora return?

Photo of a Zimbabwe storm taken by rickinzim (via Flickr).

I am a Zimbabwean who has lived out of Zimbabwe for 10 years now. Though this is hardly an unusual revelation, I do somehow have the sense that I am making a guilty confession. I retain something of a deserter's sense of shame. The shame of having left a sinking ship. The guilt of having left friends and family behind. Of course, there are none who leave Zimbabwe without losing a part of themselves. We fly far away to find new job opportunities and education possibilities but we live with the phantom pains of a lost limb. There are few Zimbabweans abroad who do not feel like ships, bobbing on foreign seas, waiting for a storm to clear so that they can one day make their way home. Of course, we have been bobbing on those foreign seas for years now. The storm has still not abated.

We are a mixed bunch, the Zimbabwean disapora. Some of us are what my mother calls the "when we's"; recreating braais in inhospitably wet English weather, importing boerewors, seeking out Aromat, Castle beer and Milo, and chatting for hours about a country that only exists now in memory. Those Zimbabweans have replicated their 'little Zimbabwes' in London, Perth and South Africa. Then there are the few who have relocated with a grim determination to forget the homeland and begin anew. They support Australian or British sports teams now and have consciously striven to pick up American drawls and Irish lilts. They flick the channel whenever Bob's face appears. And thus they manage to avoid the worst of the separation pangs.

But perhaps most of us are in the third group; those that live away from Zimbabwe in a peculiar state of hybridity. Having existed abroad so long, we have become such a blend of cultures and identities that we now feel strangely anchor-less. We yearn for Zimbabwe like she is a lost child, and yet we know that as time apart increases, both she and we are maturing along divergent paths. We sense her call but worry that when we finally meet again there shall be awkward silences and a painful sense of difference. Despite these fears, we remain hopeful. We watch the news, protest at the occasional Zim rally and talk with one another about that wonderful day when Zimbabwe's storm will have passed and we can all return.

But the storm continues.

I have watched the storm for 10 years now. Still I drift expectantly, waiting for the right time to go "home", whilst sensing the increasing inappropriateness of the term.

Tsvangirai spoke to The Economist Magazine the other week and insisted that in view of the GNU and its successes, the country of Zimbabwe 'can only move forward'. So is now the time to return? I confess I am not so optimistic as Tsvangirai. I doubt that even Tsvangirai himself can be so optimistic as his spoken self. I read about the recently gazetted Indigenisation law and feel little certainty about future investment opportunities in Zimbabwe. I read about the censorship of Owen Maseko and trial of Farai Maguwu and have little sense that democracy and rule of law is clearly improving. I look towards the possible elections in 2011, observe the continued GPA disagreements and regular incidents of violence, and I cannot help but feel that there is every possibility things in Zim could in fact get worse. In this regard I consider myself not a pessimist, but a pragmatic realist.

Tsvangirai's political rhetoric aside, the storm has not yet broken.

But the real question I find myself asking these days is not whether the storm has abated as much as it is how long I can responsibly wait for change. Christ called for his followers to be the light in the darkness. Mahatma Gandhi said that one must be the change one wishes to see in this world.  Clearly these leaders of men did not accept that we should wait for the storm to finish. They insist instead that it is up to each of us to bring in the new dawn.

I confess, I do not feel that I know what being the change really looks like for the Zimbabwean diaspora. Perhaps it is enough that we are engaged in activism overseas, raising the plight of Zimbabweans to international ears and sending back our monthly remittances. But there is a niggling part of me that wonders how real change can come in Zimbabwe when such a large part of its wealthiest, most skilled and educated populace live and invest in faraway places. I cannot easily envisage how a new dawn will arrive without those people's involvement, resources and skills. It certainly does not seem legitimate to stand outside, awaiting a new day whilst expecting someone else to make the sacrifices that will bring it.

And still another, deeper part of me questions just how long a ship can survive, drifting anchor-less and waiting.  Can one exist as "diaspora" forever? I find myself unsatisfied with this rootless-ness.  There surely comes a time when storm or not, we must either anchor where we are or else turn our ships and steer them homewards.

This entry was posted by Glow on Monday, October 25th, 2010 at 2:54 pm.

Constitution Watch 21/2010 - 25th October (Harare Outreach Meetings Set for 30 & 31 October)

CONSTITUTION WATCH 21/2010

[25th October 2010]

Remaining Harare Outreach Meetings Scheduled for Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st October

44 constitution outreach meetings to replace those meetings that were disputed or not completed during the original Harare outreach over the period 18th to 20th September will now be held next weekend, 30th and 31st October.   Details of venues and times for the meetings will be circulated as soon as they are made available by COPAC.

COPAC’s Preconditions for the Harare Meetings

After the disruption of so many of the original Harare outreach meetings by violence and intimidation, coaching of participants and bussing in of outsiders, the COPAC management committee agreed that the coming Harare meetings would be subject to the following preconditions, which were announced in a COPAC press statement of 6th October:

1.   That parties take responsibility for the behaviour of their supporters during the outreach programme. In this regard, the political parties will publicly and in writing contained in a document signed by their Secretaries General denounce violence, intimidation, racism and other malpractices during the outreach programme and implore their supporters to desist from these activities.  [This document has not yet been finalised.]

2.   That the political parties have a prime responsibility to prevent the bussing of people from outside Harare or from areas in Harare in respect of which outreach was properly done. The law enforcement agents are hereby implored to put measures to ensure that the bussing is prevented during the ensuing outreach programme.  [They have not said how they are going to do this]

3.   That the outreach meetings will be broken down into smaller manageable groups. The meetings should be held in securable places like schools etc.  [This is being arranged.]

4.   That the Zimbabwe Republic Police, through the Co-Ministers of Home Affairs and the Commissioner General of Police, is hereby called upon to ensure that mechanisms are put in place for the effective maintenance of law and order during the outreach programme. In this regard sufficient guarantees will be given regarding the security of members of the public during this programme.  [Police have said this will be done.]

5.   That the Political Party Liaison Committee for Harare will be made up of senior national leaders from Political Parties. Equally the District Liaison Committees will be made up of senior political party leaders.  [The parties have not yet submitted the names of their representatives on these committees.]

6.   That the public print and electronic media, and in particular the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, publishes the dates and venues of the outreach meetings as well as the COPAC Code of Conduct in such a way as to sufficiently inform members of the public on same.  [It is too early to comment on compliance or otherwise with this condition.  Veritas will circulate the dates and venues and the  COPAC Code of Conduct as soon as possible.]

7.   The Management Committee hereby calls upon the ZRP to immediately take action designed to bring all those responsible for all crimes committed during the entire outreach programme including specifically the crimes committed during the disturbances in Harare between the 18th and 20th of September 2010, to book.  [ZRP have provided COPAC with some documentary evidence of investigations commenced and dockets opened.]

Outreach Attendance Figures as at 6th October

At the COPAC press conference of 6th October it was announced that, excluding Harare, over 4 600 meetings had been conducted, with a total participation of 963 000 people.  [Veritas will circulate detailed statistics when they are available.]

Youth and the Outreach

From the outset attendance by young people at outreach meetings was low, particularly in the Matabeleland Provinces and Midlands.  An effort to remedy this defect was the holding of a two-day meeting between COPAC and 200 representatives of children and youth on the 22nd and 23rd September at Parliament Buildings in Harare.  The event was organised by UNICEF, COPAC and the Ministry of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs.  All 10 provinces in the country were represented. 

This interaction between COPAC and a mere 200 young people was condemned as wholly inadequate when youth organisations held a discussion forum in Harare on 12th October to assess youth participation in the constitution-making process.  The overwhelming verdict from speakers and participants from the floor was that youth had not been adequately catered for in the process.  There should have been more awareness-raising among youth before the outreach commenced.  As it was, young people had felt unwelcome at outreach meetings, even when held at schools.  In many places they had been subjected to pressure and told they could not attend or could attend but as observers only.  

COPAC Meeting with Diaspora in Johannesburg

On 2nd October the three COPAC co-chairpersons met representatives of Zimbabweans resident in South Africa.  Views expressed included the right to cast absentee ballots in elections and the right to dual citizenship.  The organisations represented at the meeting were assured that the views of Zimbabweans in the Diaspora would be taken into account in the making of the new Constitution.  Diaspora organisations have since announced that they will soon – probably this week – be submitting a draft constitution setting out their position. 

Making Submissions to COPAC Online: COPAC Website

The COPAC website – www.copac.org.zw – is operational.  [Do not be put off by the fact that some aspects of the website – such as latest news – have not been updated since July.]

All Zimbabweans, whether in the Diaspora or resident in the country, are welcome to make use of the website to tell COPAC what they want to see in the new constitution. 

This can be done by answering the website’s talking points questionnaire online.  Contributions made via the website will be collated along with the information collected by the outreach teams during the countrywide outreach exercise and the collated information will be provided to the thematic committees for use in preparing their reports. 

Instructions for accessing the talking points questionnaire

Go to the website homepage at www.copac.org.zw

·      Once you are on the homepage, place your cursor on the tab labelled “talking points” and an option to register will appear on the screen.

·      Click on the option to register and a new page to register as a new user will appear.

·      Your name, a username, email address, password and a verification of the password will be required to register.

·      Thereafter, basic information will be required –gender and year of birth

·      Contact information- city of birth, country of residence.

·      An option to upload a profile picture will appear (there is an option to skip this stage).

·      A message acknowledging that you have been registered will appear.

·      An activation link will be sent to your email address.

·      The account must be activated by clicking on the activation link before the user can login.

·      Once you have logged in, you can answer the questions in the questionnaire online, and if you wish to do so you can also supplement your answers by making additional comments in the space provided.

Act Now!  If you wish to submit your views via the website, the sooner you do so the better.  Although no deadline for online submissions has been announced, COPAC has said collation of information will commence after the remaining Harare outreach meetings.  So there is no time to lose.  Veritas suggests you aim at having your say before the end of the month.

Veritas makes every effort to ensure reliable information, but cannot take legal responsibility for information supplied