http://www.radiovop.com
Harare, September 09, 2012 - Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai last Saturday
officially launched his Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC-T) party’s Yes
campaign for the new draft constitution where he
insisted the controversial
Copac document signed by all the three
co-governing parties was final.
Tsvangirai told hundreds of party loyalists
who comprised the party’s
structures in Harare that he will not be party to
any deliberations aimed at
revising the controversial document during the
principals meeting on Monday.
Tsvangirai said the negotiation process of
the draft document was well
represented at all stages insisting the proposed
principals meeting to
discuss Zanu PF amendments to the document was merely
of academic
significance.
He said the three principals did not have
any power to overhaul what the
people expressed in the draft
constitution.
“Three people! Three people to determine the destiny of
this country?! Vanhu
vatatu! Inini handipo. Ini ipapo ndinenge ndisipo
because vanhu vane final
say panezvavakataura, are the people of Zimbabwe (I
will not be party to it
because those who have the final say are the people
of Zimbabwe),”
Tsvangirai said to loud applause from party loyalists who
packed a hall in
the Harare Show Grounds, venue for the launch.
The
MDC-T leader challenged Zanu PF to campaign for a “No Vote" for the
draft
document during the referendum insisting his party will
prevail.
Tsvangirai accused President Mugabe and his Zanu PF of attempts
to return
the country to the condemned Lancaster House Constitution through
amending
the Copac document which his party says is the best opportunity for
the
country to restore democracy.
The MDC-T leader, who had just
arrived from his visit to the United States
of America where he had attended
President Barack Obama’s Democratic Party’s
Convention, said he would not
wish to become President one day and start
using the Lancaster House
document which he said is full of all the
instruments of
oppression.
“Change without transformation, change without laying the
basis of how we
are going to be governed is meaningless. Change chete
yekungoti bvisai
vaMugabe muise vaTsvangirai. Ini ndotora ma instruments
iwawo
kukudvinyirirai (Change just to remove Mugabe and replace him with
Tsvangirai is not enough because I will use the same instruments Mugabe is
using to oppress you). That is not change,” he said.
Tsvangirai’s
decision to launch the yes campaign for the draft constitution
is the most
tangible expression he will not go back on the controversial
document, which
President Mugabe’s party has overhauled.
But the MDC decision to go start
its Yes campaign is sure to be strongly
resisted by Zanu PF which is
demanding a revisit to some of the clauses in
the draft.
http://www.newzimbabwe.com
09/09/2012 00:00:00
by Staff
Reporter
ZANU PF has dismissed as “scandalous” and “futile”
Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai’s weekend launch of a ‘vote yes’ campaign
for the draft
constitution, insisting the document cannot be put to a
referendum without
the endorsement of all the three GPA
parties.
Addressing MDC-T supporters at the campaign launch in Harare,
Tsvangirai
ruled out further negotiations on the Copac draft. He said the
constitutional reform process must be taken forward to a referendum leading
to new elections.
But Zanu PF officials said the MDC-T campaign was
futile as long as there
was no agreement between the GPA parties.
Said
Politburo member, Jonathan Moyo,: “In the first place, this just shows
that
these guys have taken time-wasting to new heights because you cannot
call on
Zimbabweans to say ‘yes’ to nothing.
“The only draft that can be taken to
a referendum should be agreed upon by
the three parties to the GPA. Anything
else is nothing and for Tsvangirai to
say ‘yes’ to nothing is
scandalous.
“Maybe this is a way of practising his wedding vows. If he
wants to say ‘yes’
to (new love) Elizabeth (Macheka), he should not bother
the rest of us.”
Zanu PF spokesman, Rugare Gumbo, added: “The MDC-T has
an agenda to disrupt
the constitution-making process.
“They are fully
aware that they cannot go it alone and hold a referendum.
Only the
President has the legal mandate to call for a referendum. Theirs
is a
futile exercise and it will plunge them into the deep.”
The MDC
formations have since endorsed the draft and are pressing for the
document
put to a national referendum.
But Zanu PF wants its proposed amendments
discussed by Mugabe, Tsvangirai
and MDC leader Welshman
Ncube.
Tsvangirai, though, ruled out any further discussions.
“I
am surprised by people who are saying the three principals are going to
meet
to discuss the draft constitution,” he said.
“I will not be part of that
. . . I am saying let’s move forward because we
are done with the draft. The
Speaker (of the House of Assembly) should
organise the Second
All-Stakeholders.”
Ncube also said his party was already campaigning for
a ‘yes vote’.
“We are holding our own rallies to support the draft,” he
said.
“We accept that the process is not yet complete but we are also
acknowledging that this draft was accepted by the select committee and the
management committee where all the three parties signed for the draft so we
cannot ignore that process.”
Still, National Constitutional Assembly
(NCA) chairperson, Lovemore Madhuku
the MDC campaigns were premature.
He
said: “How do you call for a Yes Vote when the Second All Stakeholders’
Conference has not yet been carried out and the process of taking the draft
to Parliament has not yet been done
“It means that the MDC-T is not
recognising these two important stages and
is dismissing them
outright.
“It confirms that the draft which they are supporting does not have
the
views of the people but it is their own constitution which they are
campaigning for.”
http://www.newzimbabwe.com
Backing draft ... MDC-T deputy
leader Thokozani Khupe with Morgan Tsvangirai
at the launch
08/09/2012
00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
MDC-T leader and Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai plans to challenge
President Robert Mugabe Monday to take
the stalled draft constitution to a
referendum, insisting Zanu PF can
campaign for a ‘No’ vote if it has
reservations over the
document.
Launching his party’s campaign for a ‘Yes Vote’ in the planned
referendum on
the draft new constitution in Harare Saturday, Tsvangirai said
he would use
Monday's routine meeting of the GPA principals to press Mugabe
to call a
referendum on the contested document.
The constitutional
reform process is effectively stalled after the MDC
parties rejected Zanu
PF’s amendments to the Copac draft which was released
in July.
The
MDCs want the regional SADC grouping to intervene and help break the
deadlock but Zanu PF says GPA principals, Mugabe, Tsvangirai and MDC leader
Welshman Ncube should meet and come to a compromise over its
amendments.
But Tsvangirai told MDC-T supporters gathered for the launch
at the Harare
Show Grounds that three individuals could not, between them,
be allowed to
determine the future of the whole country.
“For three
people to determine what is best for this country is improper and
I will not
be part of that. The way forward is that on Monday, I will meet
Robert
Mugabe and I have a few words,” he said.
“I am done with the
Constitution-making process, let’s go forward. Let the
Speaker of the House
of Parliament (Lovemore Moyo) organise an All
Stakeholder Conference and the
Referendum leading to the holding of free and
fair elections.”
The
MDC-T leader accused Zanu PF of going back on agreements reached between
the
parties during negotiations over the Copac draft.
“This is not an MDC-T
document, Zanu PF negotiators (Patrick Chinamasa and
Nicholas Goche) were
there; even Mugabe was also there but now there want to
change everything
saying Tsvangirai, Mugabe and Ncube will discuss the
issue,” the MDC-T
leader.
“So we are meeting on Monday and I will only have one word for
Mugabe, 'Uko
takatopfuura uko handei mberi. Ini ipapo handipo. Ini handiko
(We are
through with negotiations; I will not be part of any new talks.
let’s take
the process forward)'.
“If Zanu PF feels there are issues they
are not comfortable with they should
campaign for a ‘No Vote’ and we will
campaign for a ‘Yes Vote’ and see who
wins. We should move on to the next
phase which involves the parliament, the
second all stakeholders’
conference, a referendum and then free and fair
elections.”
The MDC
parties have since endorsed the Copac draft but Zanu PF is demanding
amendments which the party says align the document with views expressed by
members of the public.
Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete has already
indicated the regional SADC
grouping’s Troika, which deals with peace and
security issues, would discuss
the stalemate at its next meeting in
October.
The regional block helped facilitate the formation of the
coalition
government after violent but inconclusive elections in 2008 and
has been
helping the GPA parties negotiate a so-called roadmap to new polls
that are
now expected next year.
The new constitution is part of a
raft of political reforms the MDC parties
have been hoping would help ensure
free and fair elections.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
South Africa’s main opposition, the
Democratic Alliance (DA), urged the
country’s Finance Minister not to offer
budgetary support to Zimbabwe until
Zanu (PF) adhered to the country’s
political roadmap.
09.09.12
02:11pm
by Chris
Ncube
Ian Davidson, DA Shadow Minister of International Relations and
Co-operation, wrote a letter to the Minister Pravin Gordhan, warning if the
loan was given under the prevailing conditions in Zimbabwe, the money may be
used to fund Zanu (PF)’s terror campaign ahead of the elections the former
ruling party wants held early next year.
“I have written to the
Finance Minister urging him to ensure that any loan
funding granted to
Zimbabwe is strictly conditional on adherence to the
roadmap for peaceful
political transition outlined in the Global Political
Agreement. In
particular, we cannot provide funding to Zimbabwe if agreement
is not
reached on a new Zimbabwean constitution or if an election before the
new
constitution has been finalised and agreed by all relevant parties,”
Davidson said in a statement on Sunday.
His sentiments follow reports
Zimbabwe’s finance minister, Tendai Biti, will
meet the South African
government in the next two weeks to secure budgetary
support to the tune of
$100 million (R827 million at the current exchange
rate).
Davidson
recommended that the funding be given for specific projects and not
as a
‘blank cheque for Mugabe.’
He said project-based funding will allow for
more effective monitoring –
making it possible to ensure that real benefits
accrue to the people of
Zimbabwe.
“Rumours abound that Zanu PF leader
Robert Mugabe plans to call an early
election later this year and that a
recurrence of the violence and
intimidation that characterised the 2008
elections is likely. Without the
appropriate conditions attached to a loan,
funding from South Africa could
go to Mugabe’s war chest. The money is then
more likely to be used for
political campaigning and bulking up Mugabe’s
militia than for any tangible
benefit to the Zimbabwean people. It will be
unconscionable for this to be
allowed to happen,” Davidson added added.
http://www.thezimbabwemail.net
Staff Reporter 2 hours 10
minutes ago
The embattled Zanu PF National Chairman,
Simon Khaya Moyo has called for the
expulsion of members of his party who
belong to factions.
Moyo was addressing scores of Zanu PF members at the
annual environmental
fair which was held at Tongogara High School in
Shurugwi.
The Zanu PF National Chairman said his party’s constitution has no
provision
for factions.
He said those who belong to factions are way out
of line and should leave
the party.
The environmental fair was
organised by the Legislator for Shurugwi North
who is also Minister for
Environment and Natural Resources Management,
Francis Nhema.
The fair
is aimed at educating communities on sustainable ways of using the
environment.
Khaya Moyo also took a swipe at some senior party
members whom he said were
using money to sway views in the party.
He said
his party will decisively deal wit such corrupt senior leaders.
Prior to
his key note address, Simon Khaya Moyo toured various company
stands that
were exhibiting at the environmental fair.
The fair was graced by the
Senator for Shurugwi who is also Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Simbarashe
Mumbengegwi, the former Governor and Resident
Minister for the Midlands
Province, Cephas Msipa, the Legislator for
Shurugwi South, Annastancia
Ndlovu, Amai Sekeramayi, the Minister of
Environment and Natural Resources
Management, Francis Nhema and other senior
government and Zanu PF
officials.
Meanwhile, Zanu PF loyalists have condemned the MDC-T party for
trying to
hoodwink Zimbabweans into accepting a compromised draft
constitution which
deliberately omitted crucial views and includes foreign
agendas.
The condemnation follows the launching of MDC-T’s campaign for a
‘Yes’ vote
for the current draft constitution in the capital.
During the
launch MDC-T leader, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said his
party
endorsed the draft constitution in its state, and added that his party
sees
no problems with issues such as devolution, citizenship and that they
needed
former white commercial farmers to return into the country.
Following the
launch, President Mugabe's supporters condemned the campaign
with Goodwills
Masimirembwa labeling the campaign an act of desperation from
the party
which panders to the whims of its western paymasters.
Murewa South
legislator, Joel Biggie Matiza, lashed out at the MDC-T
campaign saying,
Zimbabweans never voted for the inclusion of gay rights in
the party, and
will never accept a constitution which leaves out their
aspirations while it
is premised on foreign agendas.
The document which the MDC-T party is
attempting to impose on the electorate
is one which has been condemned by
several legal experts who say that the
three political parties must first
agree on it whilst the greatest respect
must be given to the views of the
people as they spoke during the outreach
programme of the
constitution-making process.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw/
By Richard Chidza, Staff
Writer
Sunday, 09 September 2012 13:31
HARARE - Finance minister
Tendai Biti yesterday flew out of the country
heading for Australia as he
battles to raise money for budgetary support
and the emotive issue of civil
servants bonuses.
In an interview with the Daily News on Sunday
yesterday, Biti declared that
failure to pay bonuses to government employees
was not an option.
“We have three priorities before the end of the year.
The first is to
finance civil servants’ bonuses and we are going to do
that,” he said.
“I am not a pseudo-masochist. I am looking forward to a
happy ending to this
year. If we keep inflation figures down and the
economic stability is
maintained I will be a happy man and I have no
intention of making myself
unhappy by failing to pay bonuses, finance
agriculture and the referendum,”
Biti said.
In his state of the
economy address earlier this week, Biti said government
would need to work
extra hard to raise cash to support the payment of
bonuses.
“Government is under serious strain and as I said, we have
adopted a
three-pronged approach to raise funds. The first is local domestic
revenues
mobilisation, including diamond revenues. I have meetings scheduled
with the
President, the Prime Minister and minister of Mines.
“There
have been exports of diamonds amounting to about $450 million. That
means on
the face of it, we are owed in excess of $250 million by diamond
companies
and we are going to demand our pound of flesh,” he said.
“We are also
going to intensify our regional and international mobilisation
of funds that
is why you saw us sign that line of credit with Botswana.
“On the 21st of
September I will be leading a high-powered delegation to
South Africa where
we are going to make a request of $100 million and as we
speak I am on my
way to Australia to seek funds for budget support,” said
Biti.
Biti
added he would be visiting Angola as Zimbabwe’s begging bowl
transverses the
region and beyond in search of the $400 million before
year-end.
He
said there was need for political willingness for government to harness
and
benefit from diamond revenues. In a thinly veiled challenge to Mines
minister Obert Mpofu to put the interest of the
country before his party,
Biti said Zimbabwe needed mature political
leaders.
“We need
political maturity and every political leader in Zimbabwe must know
that the
country’s resources need to benefit all citizens,” he said.
The issue of
diamond revenues has threatened to collapse Zimbabwe’s
coalition government
with reports that money raised through diamond sales is
not finding its way
into the Consolidated Revenue Fund amid claims of
military involvement in
the murky diamond industry.
Biti has had to revise his $4 billion budget
after projected $600 million
inflows from the trade of the precious stones
failed to bear fruit.
Mpofu argues he cannot disclose how much the
country is earning from the
sale of diamonds because it is a national
security issue and tied to
circumventing “sanctions” against the country’s
political leadership
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
By Jeffrey Muvundusi, Own
Correspondent
Sunday, 09 September 2012 13:22
BULAWAYO - President Robert
Mugabe’s Zanu PF party is running a parallel
government using proceeds from
Zimbabwe’s rich mineral deposits, a Cabinet
minister has
alleged.
Gorden Moyo, the minister of Parastatals and State Enterprises
in the shaky
coalition government, told journalists in Bulawayo that money
from diamond
mining ventures in Marange was difficult to account
for.
Moyo is also chairperson of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC
party in
Bulawayo province.
He said national development was
suffering as a result.
“There are no resources in this government and
some of the resources that we
have are used in parallel government because
Zanu PF runs one,” said Moyo,
who acted as Finance minister last
month.
“Zanu PF runs a parallel government in the sense that the funds
that are
coming from Chiadzwa in Marange and other various platinum mineral
sources
in the country are not going to treasury,” he said.
He was
briefing journalists after a closed-door meeting at MDC offices on
Friday
with the minister of Water Resources and Management Samuel Sipepa
Nkomo and
the Bulawayo City Council deputy mayor Amen Mpofu on challenges
faced by
residents.
“If those funds were coming to government, surely we would
resolve issues of
development. Zanu PF runs a parallel government where they
have a parallel
Finance minister who is holding on to all these funds from
the mining
sector,” the minister claimed.
Moyo said the coalition
government was not helping “in any way”.
“We have policy inconsistencies.
There are a number of policies that have
been crafted and have not been
implemented. This government is not helping,”
he said.
It was not
possible to get a comment from Zanu PF officials.
But the party has in
the past accused Tsvangirai’s MDC of running a parallel
government using
donor funds sourced from the West.
Mines minister Obert Mpofu, a senior
Zanu PF member, has also repeatedly
refuted allegations by Finance minister
Tendai Biti that some firms mining
in Chiadzwa are not remitting taxes to
government and that they are closely
linked to Zanu PF.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
Sunday, 09 September 2012
13:18
HARARE - Willy Pabst, the Germany industrialist and hunting enthusiast
who
has been leading a campaign to save wildlife sanctuary, the Save Valley
Conservancy, from occupation by Zanu PF officials has made sensational
claims that party stalwarts have been asking for bribes from owners of the
targeted conservancies.
Pabst has been leading a public campaign
through a series of newspaper
adverts to save the conservancies that he
himself invested in way back in
1993.
He told the Daily News on
Sunday that a clique of “greedy” Zanu PF officials
have openly approached
owners of wildlife ranches demanding bribes ranging
from $10 000 to $100 000
in exchange for permits issued to them by the
National Parks and
Wildlife.
“There were 25 people who were given hunting permits each for
about $5 500.
They have been coming to us asking for money in exchange for
the permits,”
said Pabst in a telephone interview from his Cape Town
base.
“They have been asking for money from my colleagues and business
partners.”
The country’s wildlife authority says the move to parcel out
wildlife
ranches to Zanu PF officials is necessary to empower blacks in this
multi-million dollar sector.
The takeover of the conservancies has
set Zanu PF cabinet ministers against
each other.
Tourism minister
Walter Mzembi is fighting in the conservationists’ corner
while minister of
Environment Francis Nhema is pushing for the accommodation
of black people
in the sector.
Mzembi argues the takeovers are tarnishing Zimbabwe’s
image ahead of the
United Nations World Tourism Organisation general
assembly to be co-hosted
with Zambia next year.
Nhema, on the other
hand, says the indigenisation of the white dominated
wildlife sector takes
precedence over the tourism indaba.
According to Pabst, indigenisation is
being used as a front for looting by
President Robert Mugabe’s
cronies.
“This is not indigenisation. This is a group of 25 people who
are determined
to enrich themselves by destroying wildlife at the expense of
the
communities that are benefitting from Save Valley projects,” said
Pabst.
He claimed the Zanu PF officials who were recently issued with
leases and
hunting quotas openly declared that they are not interested in
the wildlife
business and are willing to step aside if a bribe with the
right figures
comes their way.
Asked how the businessmen responded to
the alleged requests for bribes,
Pabst said, “We could not entertain such
mafia style operations. It is
blackmail and we cannot run businesses based
on blackmail. This has nothing
to do with indigenisation.”
Pabst
claims in his newspaper adverts that thousands of livelihoods are
threatened
in the 2 600 square kilometre nature reserve and surrounding
districts.
“When humans behave like animals, we destroy not only each
other but
generations to come,” the adverts read, adding that politicians
“want to
destroy agreements and policies that have made Save the world
leader in
conservation management.”
One of the alleged bribe seekers,
former deputy minister and Zanu PF top
notch Shuvai Mahofa, described the
accusations as “rubbish”. “That is
rubbish. It is stupid and ndezvavo
izvozvo izvo (they can go to hell),” she
said when approached for comment by
the Daily News on Sunday.
“I entered into a contract with Terry and we
agreed that we are going to
work together and we have been working together
very well for a year now but
this Pabst then came and influenced Terry not
to work with me and that is
when the problem started,” said
Mahofa.
“We agreed to put money into the business and that is why I have
taken these
whites to court. I am suing them for breach of contract. Hunting
costs me
$84 000 and that is the money that I want Terry to contribute. “I
do not
care what they say because I am now in business and making money. We
have
freed Zimbabwe from these Germans and Italians,” said
Mahofa.
Save Valley Conservancy is a habitat for elephant, zebra,
giraffe, as well
as the nation’s second largest surviving population of
endangered black
rhinoceros.
The area also supports an array of
African antelope and most species of
birds and small animals.
Several
nearby communities also benefit in the form of employment and
conservation
efforts.
The German government recently gave $30 million to the
Kavango-Zambezi
Transfrontier Conservation Area to help regional countries
boost wildlife
conservation efforts and curb poaching but Zimbabwe was
excluded from the
fund because of its failure to protect wildlife.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
Sunday, 09 September 2012
13:16
MASVINGO - Former Gutu South MP Shuvai Mahofa, one of the 25 Zanu PF
officials accused of forcing their way into the lucrative Save Valley
Conservancy, has accused fellow party member and Tourism minister Walter
Mzembi of playing politics with the issue. Mahofa described Mzembi as a
“small boy”.
She described the Tourism minister as a loser using the
issue to fight back
those who failed to vote for him for the post of
provincial chairperson. “He
is playing politics. Why is he doing this when
he also has a conservancy? If
he failed to get a good one (conservancy) that
is his own fault. He should
let us do our business in hunting and make a lot
of money and stop being
used by white people,” said Mahofa.
“He is
doing this because we refused to vote for him for the position of
Zanu PF
provincial chairperson. He lost to Lovemore Matuke so he is bitter
and wants
to use this as a way of getting back at us.”
Asked to answer allegations
that she lacks requisite wildlife management and
hunting skills, Mahofa
laughed loudly saying, “We cannot let the whites
enjoy riches in our
country. We also want blacks in this sector. It is
unacceptable that these
few whites are allowed to harvest the money there.
In fact I am realising
that farming is a waste of time, there is a lot of
money to be made in
hunting.
I am in there and I now know that. I am very happy with my
hunting business
and I have made hundreds of thousands of
dollars.”
In addition she said, “Business is very good and there is free
money to be
made out there and Mzembi must leave me to make money and get
old and die
well.”
“You just sit and wait for whites to come and pay
for hunting and make
money,” Mahofa added. Mahofa said she has a lease, a
licence and a hunting
quarter which allows her to do the business of hunting
lawfully.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
By Chengetayi Zvauya, Parliamentary
Editor
Sunday, 09 September 2012 13:23
HARARE - Zanu PF has boycotted a
public meeting on the stalled draft
constitution scheduled for South Africa
today, with a top official claiming
that debate on the new governance
charter has turned into a “boxing ring”.
Paul Mangwana, who led the Zanu
PF team in the Constitution Select Committee
(Copac), a parliamentary body
charged with crafting the draft constitution,
was supposed to represent Zanu
PF at the public meeting.
He told the Daily News on Sunday he was
boycotting the event to spare
himself possible
embarrassment.
Representatives of the MDC formations who were part of
Copac and civil
society are expected to headline the Johannesburg
meeting.
Mangwana said his party was not prepared to participate in the
event because
President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and
Industry
minister Welshman Ncube, the coalition government principals, were
still
seized with the matter.
“I am not going to South Africa for
this public meeting. We handed over the
draft constitution to the principals
and it is better to wait for the
principals to discuss it before we can
start any debate.
“This is the position that Zanu PF has decided to take,”
said Mangwana.
Tsvangirai and Ncube have already declared a deadlock on
the draft
constitution talks after Zanu PF refused to accept the Copac draft
and
instead authored its own document.
“The two say regional Sadc
leaders, who are the power-sharing accord
mediators and guarantors, should
intervene to break the deadlock hence there
is no need for the principals to
open fresh negotiations.
Mangwana revealed the other reason why he is not
too keen on attending the
meeting.
“These meetings have become
sparring boxing matches between Zanu PF and MDC
to the amusement of the
spectators. It is not necessary to do so at this
stage. MDC declared a
deadlock on the constitution, so let the principals
unlock it before we
start these meetings."
“As far as Zanu PF is concerned, this is a civil
society meeting with MDC,
their partner and it is not a Copac meeting,” said
Mangwana.
Thoko Matshe of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition will chair the
meeting.
Speakers include law professor Lovemore Madhuku of the National
Constitutional Assembly, Douglas Mwonzora (MDC and Copac co-chairperson) and
Qubani Moyo of Ncube’s MDC Mwonzora said Mangwana’s absence was of no
consequence.
“With or without Mangwana we are going to South Africa.
He is afraid of the
backlash he has been getting from his party. This is why
he is now appearing
on ZBC television, radio and state media misinforming
the nation about the
draft constitution, whilst we the other co-chairpersons
are being
systemically shut out.
In South Africa we shall tell the
Diaspora people the truth, which they are
entitled to know,” said
Mwonzora.
“During the outreach stage I went with Mangwana to South Africa
to gather
their views and it is only fair that we keep them informed on
developments
on the constitution-making process,” said Mwonzora.
http://www.radiovop.com
Harare,
September 09, 2012 -- Census enumerators who were responsible for
counting
Zimbabweans in the past two weeks are up in arms with the
government over
the delays in their payments for the work done as well as
lack of contracts
for their services.
"We are yet to know the figures we are supposed to get.
We were only given
$150 after the completion of the census count. We are
worried as you know
the officials are pressing to have us get same wages
when others counted a
lot of people while others were working in difficult
circumstances in rural
areas walking long distances," one enumerator told
Radio Vop on condition of
anonymity.
Zimbabwe held its 2002 census
and the population was adjudged to be 11.2
million up by 1.2 million from
the 1992 census. Officials had said
population growth rates had been slowing
in southern Africa including
Zimbabwe as AIDS pandemic hit hard the
region.
Zimbabwe had also had a lot of people fleeing the country over
the years on
political reasons as well as economic after the economy
collapsed.
The census will cost about $40 million, with donors chipping
in $12.6
million, the finance ministry said.
The Finance ministry has
said the last census cost the country $40 million
while donors chipped in
with $12 million of the amount. President Robert
Mugabe,88, urged
Zimbabweans to participate honestly in the census count and
said the 2002
census did not please him as figures showed that so many
people were dying
of HIV or AIDS.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said a population census
is a 'rich source
of information' that enables the country to plan and
strategise. In apparent
reference to the problems caused by the army and
police in trying to hijack
the census, Tsvangirai said a population census
had always been done by
civilians.
Several thousands of people have
complained that this year's census was not
done properly as they were not
counted. MDC deputy legal and parliamentary
affairs minister, Obert Gutu
recently wrote on social sites that his
household was not counted. He
wrote:"I am told the census is over but my
household in Ward 8, Harare, was
not enumerated. What exactly is taking
place here?"
This year's
census has not also counted Zimbabweans in the diaspora as the
government
has said it does not have the resources.
http://www.newzimbabwe.com
Danger to himself and
others ... Munyaradzi Kereke
08/09/2012 00:00:00
by Lebo
Nkatazo
POLICE Commissioner Augustine Chihuri warned that
Munyaradzi Kereke was
“unfit to possess a firearm” THREE YEARS before the
former Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe adviser allegedly raped his 13-year-old
niece at gunpoint, New
Zimbabwe.com can reveal.
Chihuri gave his
warning in July 2007 after Kereke drunkenly trashed a hotel
room in Masvingo
and discharged two rounds from his CZ pistol during a
jealous-fuelled early
morning row with his girlfriend.
The police chief said the former Stanbic
Bank employee and founder of the
Rocfoundation Medical Centre was “unfit to
be working in the governor’s
office”.
Inexplicably, Kereke kept his
job as an adviser to Reserve Bank governor
Gideon Gono, and his gun licence
was never revoked.
Three years later, on August 22, 2010, Kereke’s niece
tearfully told how he
had walked into a bedroom where she was babysitting
his child and raped her
at gunpoint – while his wife prepared food for him
in the kitchen.
A report was made to Highlands police who transferred the
file to Borrowdale
police who have jurisdiction over the Vainona suburb,
where the alleged rape
took place.
Police interviewed the alleged
victim’s 15-year-old sister – the first
person she told of the assault – and
received a supporting medical report
from a Dr E T Chanakira at Parirenyatwa
Hospital who examined her on
November 1, 2010, and confirmed her hymen was
broken in a manner consistent
with sexual penetration.
The alleged
victim’s lawyer, Charles Warara, says police are yet to charge
Kereke and
his attempts to obtain answers from Chihuri and Attorney General
Johannes
Tomana have come to grief.
Our revelations that the country’s top cop
knew Kereke was a “danger to
himself and others” three years before the
alleged attack pose uncomfortable
questions for the police and Gono over how
he was allowed to keep a gun –
and his job.
In a letter dated July
19, 2007, and seen by our correspondent, Chihuri
wrote to Gono to warn: “Dr
Kereke is a man of violent disposition, who is a
heavy drinker as well. It
is quite clear that he cannot control his temper
and temperament at all, and
this renders him unfit to possess a firearm.
“It is beyond reasonable
doubt that if Dr Kereke continues to possess a
firearm, he is a danger to
himself and others.
“The reasons for his temper in this case (row with
girlfriend) are very
frivolous to warrant such reaction from a man of his
status both socially
and professionally.”
Chihuri went on to advise
Gono that “I have no reservation in recommending
that such a character is
unfit to be working in the governor’s office,
considering the damage such a
character may bring to the reputation of the
office in particular, and the
Reserve Bank in general.”
It appears Chihuri’s advice was ignored by
Gono, who retained Kereke on his
staff until he was sacked in February this
year for undisclosed reasons. The
police also did nothing to enforce
Chihuri’s warning – although Kereke was
fined for discharging a firearm in
public.
The Flamboyant Hotel withdrew its malicious damage to property
complaint to
the police after an apparent cover-up attempt by the Reserve
Bank which
dispatched its chief of the Financial Intelligence Inspectorate,
Evaluation
and Security Department – one M.E. Chiremba – who paid Z$50
million to the
hotel.
The failure to at least arrest Kereke over the
rape allegations – which he
forcefully denies and has already sued two
newspapers over – has raised
concerns with the victim’s family and lawyer
who suspect a cover up.
A police memorandum also seen by New
Zimbabwe.com, prepared after the hotel
incident in 2007, also reveals that
Kereke fired his gun on at least one
other occasion outside the Liquids
Night Club in Masvingo.
On a separate occasion, he is alleged to have
drawn his weapon during a
confrontation with a Central Intelligence
Organisation agent only to flee
after the spy reacted faster and pointed his
own firearm at him.
Kereke is said to have been overheard boasting that
he was “very powerful
and influential such that police could do nothing to
him”, says the police
memorandum.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
Zanu-PF will meet soon to determine
the hero status of the veterinary expert
Dr Stuart Hargreaves, President
Mugabe said yesterday. The Head of State and
Government, and
Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces was
speaking while
consoling the Hargreaves family following the death of the
principal
director for Livestock and Veterinary Services.
09.09.12
01:30pm
by
OWN CORRESPONDENT
Dr Hargreaves died last week after a long battle
with renal cancer.
Speaking in an interview soon after delivering his
message to Dr Hargreaves’
widow, Shirley, at their Borrowdale home,
President Mugabe described Dr
Hargreaves as a patriotic
Zimbabwean.
“We came here to express our condolences on the passing on of
Dr
Hargreaves,” he said.
“Everybody knows the good work he has done.
From day one of our independence
we were together. He was on the animal side
of our agriculture.”
President Mugabe said Dr Hargreaves represented
Zimbabwe at various forums
and proved to be a loyal person.
“We had
meetings together and sometimes he went to represent our country in
the
region and internationally,” he said.
“We trusted him very much, he was
loyal. Where some Europeans thought that
Zimbabwe was no longer safe to stay
in, his own judgement was, in fact, that
Zimbabwe was a place to live in, so
he stayed. He was a very hardworking
man, a true Zimbabwean and some
Europeans did not like that. That is why our
party is going to meet soon to
sit and determine his hero status.”
Dr Hargreaves died on August 28 at a
private hospital in Harare and was
buried at his farm in Norton.
He
served Government for 41 years in the department of livestock and
veterinary
services and had an interest in assisting rural and smallholder
farmers.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw/
Sunday, 09 September 2012 13:20
HARARE - Just paid a bribe and
feeling like making a confession?
Go online and a confession website has
been created specifically for
Zimbabweans forced to part with their hard
earned dollars by public service
providers.
Introducing confessions
with a new twist, Zimbabweans can now exchange
experiences of when where and
why they paid a bribe and to whom on website:
http://www.ipaidabribe.org.zw.
This
is part of an initiative to tackle corruption by harnessing the
collective
energy of citizens to show how much corruption is going on
around, according
to information on the website.
“It aims to quantify petty corruption by
understanding the role of bribery
in public service delivery.
The
uniqueness of this anti-corruption movement lies in transforming data
into
knowledge to inform the government about gaps in public transactions
and in
strengthening citizen engagement to improve the quality of service
delivery,” reads information on the website.
The website has been up
since December 2009 but has been seeing more traffic
in recent months,
signifying the popularity it is gaining and the growing
rate of corruption
in Zimbabwe.
A sample of confessions from the website points to obvious
culprits.
Police bribery tops the chart with 34 reports around Zimbabwe
while driver’s
licence bribes come second.
Other popular confessions
are bribes to municipal services, the passport
office, Zimbabwe Revenue
Authority (Zimra) and state power firm Zesa
Holdings.
The website is
playing the role of whistle blower, bringing to attention the
location of
people asking for bribes and how they do it.
“Man by the name Moyo
clamped my vehicle saying my disc, which was valid,
was on the wrong side of
the dashboard. He made me pay $25,” reads one
confession.
“Zimra
officials at Plumtree Border Post are disregarding the invoices we
submit
when clearing our ex-Japs and they inflate prices so that we pay
them,”
reads another confession.
Goes another one: “I am one of those Zimbos who
had never paid bribes for
anything...until my brief visit to South Africa
last year (August), paid on
my way back at the border.”
“It was after
three failed attempts of trying to get a driver’s licence when
I was finally
introduced to a VID Examiner. I passed,” said another.
“I paid $10 to the
Zesa guy so that my electricity is not cut off for an
overdue bill,” another
person confessed.
With new technology taking root, the days of confessing
face-to-face to a
prejudiced human being may be facing extinction.
September 9th, 2012
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) members express concern the once again the word ‘election’ dominates the political rhetoric and that the Copac draft has once again become hostage to political posturing and egos. WOZA call for the immediate resumption of Constitutional reform processes leading to the second all stakeholders’ conference and the setting of a date for the referendum.
WOZA members provided their leadership with a mandate to begin a vote ‘yes’ campaign if their main requirements were included in the draft. Members also provided a mandate to conduct a boycott campaign for any elections conducted without significant reforms in place.
In June 2012 WOZA members were consultation on political and constitutional developments. Members estimated that they had lost confidence and trust in the MDC. Some members measured their level of trust at 45%. A result confirmed by recent Freedom House and MPOI surveys. Both MDC parties in the government, political analysts and academics must realise that there were no ‘undecided’ people, no people ‘fearful’ of disclosing their support in this sample. The people in the WOZA consultation were ordinary women – brave and blunt and giving the opposition a 45% trust rating.
As the MDCT launch their ‘YES’ campaign, they must be warned that WOZA is watching and listening. WOZA challenge the MDCT and MDC to push for additional reforms on the age limit for presidential candidates and further reduction of presidential powers. Additionally WOZA suggest the removal of the word ‘unitary’ in the preamble which describing the state and insertion of the word ‘devolved’. Zimbabweans were clear that they no longer want a highly centralised unitary state.
Members also warned about the tendency of President Robert Mugabe to back track on agreements and this too has come to pass with ZANU PF refusing to respect their own signatures on the Copac draft and have practically rewritten their own draft. Once again ZANU PF pretends national interest whilst telling blatant lies.
WOZA members see their views in the draft and will not allow ZANU PF to misrepresent our views. WOZA have campaigned tirelessly for reforms and the victory ‘sweets’ cannot be stolen from our mouths.
The ‘victory sweets’ are represented by this content in the Copac draft.
WOZA demand the immediate finalisation of second all stakeholders’ conference dates. A transparent and accountable system to call for the second all stakeholders conference participation of all sectors of society and provision for inclusion of stakeholder input.
Members are also unhappy with the manner in which the Zimbabwe Republic Police continue to disrupt organisation activities and letters of complaint delivered to the police and to the Joint Operating and Monitoring Committee (Jomic) remain ignored. (See letter of complaint – http://wozazimbabwe.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/WOZA-complain-of-police-harrasment-ZRP-Jomic.pdf)
We demand that cabinet summon the Police Commissioner and instruct him to allow full and unfettered peaceful meetings and protests as an advance of section 4:24. This section is necessary part of the referendum preparation phase civic awareness work. If he is not prepared to allow citizens this space then we call for his immediate dismissal.
On the second last
day of the Paralympics, Vigil supporters saw off President Mugabe in the
Marathon. He only agreed to take part if he was promised the gold medal and
insisted that we give it to him before the race to make sure. He also demanded
to start a day before the opposition, given that he is about the oldest
contender in the dictator stakes. Furthermore, he insisted on starting at the
Embassy which is only a short distance to the finishing line in the nearby
Mall.
An earlier agreement
drawn up after a vastly expensive international consultation exercise which has
gone on since the Beijing Olympics four years ago was rejected by Mugabe at the
last minute because it was precipitate and did not reflect his
wishes.
With much cajoling we
managed to get the decaying despot on his way with posters reading ‘Marathon
Mugabe’, ‘Still running after 32 years’ and ‘Plans to run at 89’. (Thanks to
Fungayi Mabhunu for playing Marathon Mugabe wearing our all too frightening
Mugabe mask.)
On a happier note the
Vigil was pleased to see that Tanzanian President Kikwete, the new Chair of the
SADC Security Troika, has called a meeting for October 7 and 8 to deal with Zanu
PF’s refusal to accept the COPAC draft constitution they signed off on. The
Vigil believes that the Troika has no alternative but to call Mugabe’s bluff for
disregarding the GPA (https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/sep7_2012.html#Z13
– SADC
to tackle constitution deadlock: Kikwete).
Other points
·
The Vigil noted the
remarks by Botswana’s President Khama at a state banquet for visiting President
Zuma that ‘nothing less than free and fair elections in Zimbabwe should be
acceptable to the international community. SADC, as the guarantor of the GPA,
must ensure transparency not only of the elections but also of the process
leading to the polls’. Khama also stressed the need for SADC monitors as well as
the wider international community to participate in observing the process
“before, during and even after the elections.” (SADC tells Mugabe off –http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/news/zimbabwe/60634/sadc-tells-mugabe-off.html).
·
Vigil supporters are
very appreciative of Botswana’s generous loan of $70 million to Zimbabwe. But we
would caution them that Zanu PF never pays its debts – from China to Iran, from
Malawi to Zambia, Zimbabwe has yet to be recorded as paying up. Mr Biti, in his
begging bowl tour of SADC, will no doubt tell you that your only hope of getting
these loans repaid is to get Mugabe’s Zanu PF out of
power.
·
The Vigil was
interested to see that last week’s diary featured in the Herald. (see:
MDC-T to lose forthcoming
election: Zim Vigil – http://www.zimdiaspora.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9367:mdc-t-to-lose-forthcoming-election-zim-vigil&catid=38:travel-tips&Itemid=18)Frontpage
Slideshow | Copyright © 2006-2011 JoomlaWorks Ltd.. We advise people to
compare the Herald article with what we actually said. In particular, the Vigil
is not anti-Tsvangirai as suggested. In fact we are taking up a collection to
pay for expenses incurred if his former mistress Locadia succeeds in her claim
for $15,000 a month maintenance ‘because this is what she will need to maintain
the standard of life she enjoyed with Mr Tsvangirai’. So far we have collected
£0.07 (see: https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/sep8a_2012.html#Z12
– Tsvangirai must take
responsibility). PS – we were interested to read: These new-found suits make me
sick – http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/comment/opinion/60608/these-new-found-suits-make.html.
·
We were happy to
welcome an American academic who had taught in Zimbabwe and wanted to meet
Zimbabwean women and talk to them about their experiences as immigrants. We are
eager happy to share our experience after 10 years on the
street.
·
Thanks to Thandiwe
Gwarumba for the tasty cakes
·
During the week Vigil
members attended a meeting at Parliament called to discuss the deteriorating
situation in Swaziland. It marked a week of activism coinciding with Swaziland’s
Independence Day on 6th September. The co-ordinator of the Swaziland
Vigil Thobile Gwebu talked about human rights abuses particularly the gross
offences against women (see: http://www.swazilandvigil.co.uk/Campaign-News/swaziland-a-kingdom-in-crisis-meeting-at-the-houses-of-parliament-sw1a-0aa-on-5th-september-2012.html
for Thobile’s speech). The meeting was attended by MPs, trade union leaders and
civil rights activists.The Trades Union Congress (TUC) said it was going to call
for the suspension of Swaziland from the Commonwealth – echoing a petition run
by the Swaziland Vigil.
FOR THE
RECORD: 54 signed the
register.
EVENTS AND NOTICES:
· The Rain that Washes
showing
at the Lounge, Leicester Square Theatre, from Monday 17th September –
Saturday 6th October at 7 pm. Check: http://leicestersquaretheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/126523428/events
or phone the booking line: 08448733433 for
specific dates and to book tickets, ‘Instantly plunged into a young man’s
compelling story of growing up in turbulent Zimbabwe, we live and breathe his
extraordinary journey from innocence to escape, finally returning to his
homeland to witness the greatest betrayal of all . . . Inspired by a series of
interviews between Zimbabwean Christopher Maphosa and writer Dave Carey, The
Rain That Washes is a true story that is poignant, political and most of all,
personal’.
·
Next Swaziland
Vigil. Saturday
22nd September from 10 am – 1 pm. Venue: Swazi High Commission, 20
Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB. Please support our Swazi friends. Nearest
stations: St James’s Park and Victoria. www.swazilandvigil.co.uk.
· ROHR Bournemouth
elections and fundraising. Saturday
22nd September from 2 pm. Venue: to be advised. Good food and
entertainment. Founder and President Ephraim Tapa and the UK Executive will be
in attendance. Contact: Memory Dzapasi 07585907566, Urther Chagadama
07951269667, Dennis Muringai 07917426201, Nancy M 07404159038.
·
ROHR Cambridge Branch
Relaunch: Saturday
29th September from 1 – 4 pm. Contact: Memory Simbi 07584759284, Deon
Matora 077866674066, Richard Zvinoira 07810592390. Venue: To be
advised.
·
10th
Anniversary of the Zimbabwe Vigil / Zimbabwe Action Forum
(ZAF). Saturday
13th October from 6.30 – 9.30 pm. Venue: Strand Continental Hotel
(first floor lounge), 143 Strand, London WC2R 1JA. Directions: The Strand is the
same road as the Vigil. From the Vigil it’s about a 10 minute walk, in the
direction away from Trafalgar Square. The Strand Continental is situated on the
south side of the Strand between Somerset House and the turn off onto Waterloo
Bridge. The entrance is marked by a big sign high above and a sign for its
famous Indian restaurant at street level. It's next to a newsagent. Nearest
underground: Temple (District and Circle lines) and Holborn. Future special
ZAF meeting: Saturday 10th November when our special guest will
be Ben Freeth. This meeting will take the place of the regular ZAF meeting in
November at 6.30 pm at Strand Continental Hotel (first floor lounge), 143
Strand, London WC2R 1JA. For directions see above.
·
Zimbabwe Vigil
Highlights 2011 can be viewed on this
link: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/the-vigil-diary/363-vigil-highlights-2011.
Links to previous years’ highlights are listed on 2011 Highlights
page.
·
The Restoration of
Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s
partner organisation based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil
to have an organisation on the ground in Zimbabwe which reflected the Vigil’s
mission statement in a practical way. ROHR in the UK actively fundraises through
membership subscriptions, events, sales etc to support the activities of ROHR in
Zimbabwe. Please note that the official website of ROHR Zimbabwe is http://www.rohrzimbabwe.org/. Any other
website claiming to be the official website of ROHR in no way represents the
views and opinions of ROHR.
·
ZBN
News. The Vigil
management team wishes to make it clear that the Zimbabwe Vigil is not
responsible for Zimbabwe Broadcasting Network News (ZBN News). We are happy that
they attend our activities and provide television coverage but we have no
control over them. All enquiries about ZBN News should be addressed to ZBN News.
·
The Zim Vigil
band
(Farai Marema and Dumi Tutani) has launched its theme song ‘Vigil Yedu (our
Vigil)’ to raise awareness through music. To download this single, visit: www.imusicafrica.com and to watch the video
check: http://ourvigil.notlong.com. To watch other
Zim Vigil band protest songs, check: http://Shungurudza.notlong.com and http://blooddiamonds.notlong.com.
·
Vigil Facebook
page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8157345519&ref=ts.
·
Vigil Myspace
page: http://www.myspace.com/zimbabwevigil.
·
To sponsor the Mike
Campbell Foundation expedition ‘Sailing across the Makgadikgadi Pans’ which will
raise money for the work of the Foundation, go to www.justgiving.com/Mike-Campbell-Foundation.
·
Useful websites:
www.zanupfcrime.com which reports on Zanu
PF abuses and www.ipaidabribe.org.zw where people can
report corruption in Zimbabwe.
Vigil
co-ordinators
The Vigil, outside
the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place every Saturday from 14.00
to 18.00 to protest against gross violations of human rights in Zimbabwe. The
Vigil which started in October 2002 will continue until
internationally-monitored, free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe. http://www.zimvigil.co.uk.
Call to suspend
Swaziland from Commonwealth
The British trade
union group, the Trades Union Congress, says it is to call on the Commonwealth
to suspend Swaziland because of human rights abuses. The call echoes an appeal
in a petition to the Commonwealth signed by hundreds of people at a regular
vigil held outside the Swaziland High Commission in London (www.swazilandvigil.co.uk).
The co-ordinator of
the Swaziland Vigil, Thobile Gwebu, told a committee meeting at the Houses of
Parliament (on 5th September) about the oppression by the country’s
absolute ruler King Mswati III who, she said, had recently bought an airliner
while his people starved. She said women were particularly victimized because
they had few rights.
‘Swazis are reduced
to eating cow dung so they can fill their bellies as required for the AIDS
medicines provided by NGOs’, she said.
Tony Dykes, Director
of the NGO Action for Southern Africa, said something must be done before the
situation in Swaziland gets even worse. Polly Jones of Unison, Britain’s biggest
public sector union, said workers in Swaziland had had no pay rise in years
despite annual inflation now reaching 9%.
The Labour Shadow
Minister for International Development, Rushanara Ali MP, said Swaziland was not
being challenged enough by the outside world about its human rights
record.
Zimbabwe Vigil
Co-ordinators
The Vigil, outside
the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place every Saturday from 14.00
to 18.00 to protest against gross violations of human rights in Zimbabwe. The
Vigil which started in October 2002 will continue until
internationally-monitored, free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe. http://www.zimvigil.co.uk