Zimbabwe fuel prices up again
BBC: Friday, 1 September, 2000, 11:52 GMT 12:52 UK

The Zimbabwean authorities have announced massive increases in the price of fuel - just over a month after the last price rise.
Paraffin - used by most homes for cooking and heating - has doubled in price for the second time.

Diesel fuel is up by 54%, and unleaded petrol by 40%.

The state-run national oil company, Noczim, said the price rises were needed because of the recent devaluation of the Zimbabwe dollar and escalating prices on the world oil market.

Our correspondent in Harare says Zimbabwe has the air of a country spiralling out of control, with new price rises announced almost daily.

This comes despite promises by President Robert Mugabe during June's parliamentary election campaign to introduce sweeping price controls.

The increase in the cost of fuel has been by far the most dramatic.

Noczim has for years been selling petrol at below-cost price, partly in an effort to hold down inflation and to reduce the potential for social unrest.

Market prices

That policy has become unsustainable and Zimbabweans are feeling the effects of a sudden readjustment towards world oil market prices.

The doubling of the paraffin price comes after a 130% increase in July.

The petrol price went up by 20% at the same time.

Serious foreign currency shortages mean that in any event all fuel is extremely scarce.

The government has yet to make an official comment on the price rises.

At the same time, ministers are concentrating on speeding up the redistribution of white-owned land, with the listing of hundreds more farms for acquisition becoming a weekly event.

Another 410 have been listed, bringing the total to nearly 2,000.

ZANU PF disowns war vets
Staff Reporter
Senior ZANU PF party members are distancing themselves from the pre-election violence by former independence war veterans in desperate attempts to fend off challenges of the June general election results in their constituencies by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), it was established this week.


In affidavits filed with the High Court to oppose the MDC challenges, senior ZANU PF politicians, including Politburo members Syd-ney Sekeramayi and Moven Mahachi, have disowned and distanced themselves from the pre-election activities of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans' Association (ZNLWA) led by Chenjerai Hunzvi.

The MDC has petitioned the High Court to nullify the results of 38 constituencies won by ZANU PF because of the violence and intimidation by the veterans and party supporters during the run-up to the election.

The opposition party also cites gross irregularities during the casting and counting of votes as some of the reasons the results in the contested constituencies should not stand.

In response to a petition by MDC's Leonard Mapu-ranga, who lost Goromonzi to ZANU PF stalwart and Higher Education and Technology Minister Herbert Murerwa, the minister emphatically dissociates himself from the ZNLWA and its members.

"I must clearly point out that from the outset all the alleged corrupt and illegal practices are alleged to have been committed by members of the ZNLWA," says Mure-rwa in his response.

"As much as I have participated in the liberation struggle, I am not a member of this association. This association is an autonomous body with its own chain of command which I am not part of and which is accountable in its own capacity for the actions of its members," he says.

ZANU PF Politburo members Sekeramayi and Maha-chi also deny any link with the ZNLWA or sanctioning acts of violence by the veterans and party supporters.

"I did not sanction acts of atrocities in Zimbabwe or Marondera East constituency, whether in my personal capacity or in my capacity as a member of the ZANU PF Politburo or as Minister of State Security," submits Sekera-mayi, State Security Minister before the elections and now the Minister of Mines and Energy.

"I cannot therefore be held accountable as an accomplice or having abetted the political violence in Marondera East constituency," said Sekeramayi, who narrowly beat the MDC's Didimus Dzinemunhenzva in the election.

Dzinemunhenzva has petitioned the court to nullify the results in Marondera East because he says Sekeramayi used his position as State Security Minister to intimidate the electorate into supporting him.

In one case, Dzinemu-nhenzva alleges that Seke-ramayi publicly threatened white farmers and their workers at a ZANU PF election rally held in the constituency.

The former state security boss is said to have threatened that he would deal with those pretending to support him but intending to vote for the opposition.

The MDC almost ended ZANU PF's 20-year political dominance of Zimbabwe when it won 57 out of the contested 120 seats in the June poll.

The labour-backed party says it would have beaten the ruling ZANU PF in another 38 constituencies had the veterans and ZANU PF supporters not denied its candidates access to voters in rural and farming constituencies.

There have been several recounts to establish the MDC's claims of irregularities during the counting of votes.

In all the recounts completed so far, winning ZANU PF candidates have not only maintained their positions but have increased their winning margins, a development which most observers say indicates that vote-counting was not thorough or fool-proof.

AirZim may lose planes over debt
Staff Reporter

A SPECIAL committee investigating alleged mismanagement at Air Zimbabwe has warned that the national airline risks having planes impounded by overseas creditors who are owed more than US$4 million (about $200 million).

The team, led by former Bulawayo town clerk Mike Ndubiwa, slammed the airline's management led by lawyer Tich Garabga for failing to work together and said the company was now technically insolvent to the tune of $1,5 billion.

The probe team also noted splits within the Air Zimbabwe board chaired by businessman Nick Nyandoro because of different backgrounds and corporate exposure.

Ndubiwa's team was appointed by former acting Transport and Energy Minister Simon Moyo in June and its report has since been submitted to new Transport and Communications Minister Swithun Mombeshora, currently on a business trip to Geneva.

The confidential report obtained by the Financial Gazette this week said the national airline was virtually surviving on sales of advance tickets and bank overdrafts and that its interest burden had become untenable.

It warned that there was a real possibility that Air Zimbabwe planes would be impounded any time by international creditors owed more than US$4 million.

A full-scale investigation into the procurement of goods and services and spares parts at the national airline was also recommended.

The probe team said there had been a 50 to 60 percent reduction in foreign revenue earnings due to low business at the airline and blamed some of the losses to poor marketing and public relations strategies.

It said Air Zimbabwe's London office used to sell 100 000 pounds worth of tickets a week but sales had dipped to a paultry 12 000 pounds a week.

It noted that the airline had failed to utilise a working capital facility of US$10 million obtained from KBC bank of London and that this had cost it $500 million in lost potential revenue.

Ndubiwa's report says Air Zimbabwe had a poor image that earned it a "Tenda Taenda" ¾ (you can only be happy after you have gone) ¾ reputation mainly because of its lack of adherance to its flight schedules.

Although the probe team noted that Garabga, appointed to the helm of the airline in May last year, was well intentioned and had the right qualities to transform the airline, it said he lacked communication skills.

"He is overzealous and, in his zeal for results, may act in a manner that lacks sensitivity and transparency, thereby eroding cohesion among the rest of his management team," it said.

Ndubiwa's team said Garabga himself had conceded, when he appeared before the probe team, that his management was not working as a team.

The probe team accused the airline's general manager for finance, Maria Harune, of being at the centre of conflicts within management.

It noted that debt recovery was not being pursued in a robust manner and the current balance sheet showed that debtor figures went up from $172 million in 1998/1999 to $417 million in the current financial year.

The system of procuring spares was also said to be open to abuse by top managers.

The report also accuses Air Zimbabwe of flying routes that were not economically viable such as the Harare/DRC/Harare and Harare/Frankfurt/Harare and of using planes not best suited for certain routes.

It said the airline lacked a coherent and aggressively pursued public relations campaign supported by a sustainable advertising programme and did not have either a strategic partner or credible frequent flyer programme.

Garabga, who is on a business trip to London, was not available for comment.

Zimbabwe government lists black-owned farms for seizure
HARARE, Sept 1 (AFP) -

The Zimbabwe government Friday listed 410 commercial farms it intends to seize for resettlement by landless blacks -- but more than 10 percent of them are registered in the names of black owners.

"It could be an anomaly," said Nokwazi Moyo, director of the country's Indigenous Commercial Farmers Union (ICFU). "It's counter-productive to dispossess black farmers of their farms."

The government in July launched a controversial land resettlement programme aimed at redressing longstanding inequities in land ownership dating from the colonial era.

It aims to acquire five million hectares of productive farming land, mainly from whites, on which to settle hundreds of thousands of landless blacks before the onset of summer rains in November.

But Friday's list, which brings to 1,952 the number of farms earmarked for acquisition, includes properties belonging to blacks, the most prominent being famous nationalist veteran of the 1970s liberation war, James Chikerema.

War veterans have played a key role in the Zimbabwe's current land crisis, leading the often-violent invasions of some 1,600 white-owned farms since February in a bid to speed up land reform.

Chikerema said he was not surprised by Friday's listing of his 250-hectare farm in Hartley, northern Zimbabwe, saying it was an act of reprisal by President Robert Mugabe.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's Mugabe's vendetta against me," Chikerema told AFP from his home in the capital.

He said in addition to never being a member of Mugabe's ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, he had also been critical of the way the ruling party was carrying out its policy of farm acquisitions.

"I'm for orderly land redistribution, as long as it's done fairly," said Chikerema.

Chikerema, whose record of militant African nationalism extends as far back as the 1950s said: "I'm a war veteran, I started fighting for the principles of democracy, fairness and justice long before he (Mugabe) was on the scene."

The ICFU's Moyo added that the compulsory acquisition of black-owned properties was likely to lower production on the farms, and reverse any gains made by black farmers in post-independent Zimbabwe.

He said replacing those "who have experienced hardships on those farms, and replacing them with others with a scarcity of resources" would lower production "and undermine those with initiative, replacing them with those dependent on the state."

Govt runs out of funds for salaries
Staff Reporter

ZIMBABWE'S civil servants could go without pay in the next few months as the government battles to raise salaries for its 140 000-plus employees, it was learnt this week.



Treasury sources said funds for the civil servants' salaries ran out in June and money to pay July and August salaries was only drawn from expenditure cuts by ministries.

Finance Minister Simba Makoni and Treasury Secretary Charles Kuwaza were both not available for comment this week but the sources said the government had instructed its ministries to cut further their expenditures to raise funds to pay salaries for the past two months.

"The budget for salaries was blown in June, forcing the government to instruct ministries to cut expenditure in some areas," said one source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The sources said there was now uncertainty over the civil servants' salaries for September and October, raising fears that the government might be forced to increase its borrowings from the domestic banking sector and add more pressure on interest rates.

Interest rates have dropped from over 60 percent to an average 56 percent since Makoni introduced new monetary policy measures at the beginning of August to contain spending by ministries.

Earlier this year, Kuwaza said expenditure cuts of $6 billion had been approved for this fiscal year ending in December as part of efforts to slash the widening budget deficit and domestic debt, which has soared to $116 billion.

The cash-strapped government has since the beginning of the year struggled to meet its salary bill and has resorted to increased borrowings from the domestic banking sector to pay civil service wages.

Makoni has already said he will try to contain expenditure by government ministries in order to reduce the budget deficit, forecast to reach 20 percent of gross domestic product in the current financial and calendar year.

The government's domestic debt has been growing at the rate of about $1,5 billion a week for the past three months and the national domestic debt has risen from $78,9 billion at the end of December 1999 to over $116 billion at the end of July.

Increased domestic borrowing is expected to fuel year-on-year inflation, which rose to 53,4 percent in July this year, and prevent the private sector from borrowing money from local financial institutions.

Civil service wages and salaries account for more than 40 percent of the total annual expenditure bill of the government.

The civil servants were allocated $23,4 billion for wages and salaries in the 2000 national budget which runs until December 31, but the vote excludes increments awarded this year.

The increments - up to 90 percent for some civil servants and more than 200 percent for President Robert Mugabe and his Cabinet ministers - are expected to add an extra $11 billion to the government's wage bill this year.

Civil servants are currently negotiating for an additional 30 percent pay hike, although the government has rejected their demand.

Don't lose heart, Cde John
DEAR John 

Now that tempers have cooled down, let me explain in greater detail my stance against the police action last week to evict independence war veterans from some of the farms that they are occupying.

Let me start by making clear that my stance was not and is not in anyway a vote of no confidence in your capabilities as minister in chargeof the police and the maintenance of law and order in the country.

Far from it, but I was and am only concerned about the brutal methods used by the police to evict the comrades - methods that evoked memories of wholesale displacements of blacks from their homes by previous white settler regimes.

I take your point that the comrades obviously sought to present the government with a fait accompli by building houses on farms they knew were not up for resettlement, and yet we still needed to handle the situation with greater sensitivity.

The reason is simple: the veterans now remain as the only solid pillar of my political support among so many party waverers and pretenders. They were also instrumental in launching our party to its slim victory in the June ballot.In trying to seek a balance between the broader interests of the people - the maintenance of law and order - and the urgent need for land and housing for our comrades, we inevitably have to be seen to be tilting towards the latter.

I hardly need to emphasise that this is the way we do things in ZANU PF.

With my own job on the line in the next presidential election in a year's time, I couldn't and cannot risk offending this key constituency, a constituency that is potentially capable of destabilising the country because of its military training.

In fact, it was because of this realisation that I had to bend backwards way back in 1997 to award unbudgeted gratuities to these comrades.

I know I have been much maligned and vilified for taking that decision, and yet the interests of the country - in this case its peace and stability - had to come first, whatever our detractors claimed.

Our enemies often say that such measures only keep postponing the resolution of these problems and yet, if you look at the situation from where I am, I have managed not only to buy the peace but also helped our party in the process. It's really killing two birds with one stone.

I was happy that you appeared to understand and even appreciate my difficult position after the explanations which I gave you on this issue on my return from Maputo and at follow-up meetings of the Cabinet and the Politburo.

I know it's painful and difficult to take so much flak, as you did comrade, but your sacrifices must be viewed in the broader interests of our party.

I must therefore sincerely commend you for taking the pain in your strides and remaining a true and valient cadre of the party.

By taking the flak on my behalf and being cast as the odd man out, you have also lifted my profile and presidential campaign among our comrades whose faith and trust in me has solidified even further.

This is what politics is all about Cde John and you can be certain that I will not forget your sterling contribution when reshuffling the Cabinet next time round.

You certainly paid a high price so that I could look good.

Kindest regards.

Sincerely

ME


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION

Bulletin
Friday 1st September 2000

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 
In order to keep members better briefed on CFU activities, CFU will be sending out regular briefings by e-mail on major activities.  This bulletin will be mailed to farmers only.  This is in addition to the daily incident report which has a wider mailing list.  After Congress, Steve Crawford will be handing over the management of the Information Room to Malcolm Vowles, Deputy Director (Administration and Projects). 
 
    INDEX
Key meetings


  1.. Fast-track resettlement


  2.. Bankers position on seasonal finance


  3.. Current position of CFU litigation


  4.. CFU information campaign


KEY MEETINGS:


Friday 1st September:


  a.. Consultative meeting on the maize marketing crisis: Farming Unions, GMB, Ministry of Agriculture.


Monday 4th September:


  a.. Formal consultative meeting with the IMF delegation lead by the Assistant Director for Africa, Paulo Neuhous at 2.30pm.


Tuesday 5th September:


  a.. Consultative meeting to reach a common position on the fast-track resettlement programme: Farming Unions, Womens' Land Lobby Group.


Wednesday 6th September:


  a.. Private Sector consultative meeting with key Ministers. Each major sector will have an opportunity of a ten minute presentation to five key Ministers. There will be a joint private sector communiqué following this meeting.


CFU Congress will be held on the 6th and 7th September 2000 at the Stewart Room in Meikles. Delegates should register between 08:30hrs and 09:00hrs.




1. Fast-track resettlement programme:


With the batch of 410 farms gazetted today, a total of 1 952 properties have now been issued with preliminary notices of compulsory acquisition. Based on the Minister's statement, a further 274 are expected next week, bringing the total to 2 226 properties (7 million hectares according to the Ministry).


It is imperative that affected members respond to Ministry within 30 days of the gazette, even if they are gazetted more than once. Failure to do so could result in the property being conceded by default. Through its Regional Offices, CFU will endeavour to inform affected members, but given the volume of notices, individual members have a responsibility to check the notices that are published in the Herald and the Chronicle.


Ministry inform us that Section 8 Orders have been delivered to over 200 owners of the list of 804 properties listed on 2nd June. Subsequently, court papers have been issued on the recipients of those Orders. Members who receive Section 8 Orders should inform their Regional Office immediately. In at least one case, the 30-day period for the Ministry to file for confirmation through the courts has expired, thus invalidating the Order.


Two cases have been won in the High Court on technicalities. In one case, the Section 8 Order was withdrawn and in the other, the preliminary notice was also withdrawn. Affected members should not pin their hopes on technicalities, but should nevertheless inform their legal representative of any anomalies.



2. Bankers position on seasonal finance.


Banks have taken a rigid stance and are not providing seasonal finance to any of their clients who are listed. This obviously has dire consequences on the farming operations of those affected. At this time, bankers are uncompromising in their approach. The President of the Bankers' Association will be addressing CFU Congress next week. The economic consequences of this will form the major thrust of the CFU presentation to key Ministers next week.


3. Current position of CFU litigation:


In light of the sensitive nature of litigation by CFU against various parties, a consultative legal forum has been formed to advise the Union on legal strategies. All the major legal firms are represented. This legal forum was consulted regarding the withdrawal of litigation and CFU has maintained close communications to consider the optimum legal strategy. Various options are under active consideration at this time.


4. CFU Information Campaign:


CFU has retained the services of an advertising agency to run an intensive media campaign outlining:



  a.. Facts on land ownership


  b.. Continuing lawlessness


  c.. The social and economic impact of the fast-track resettlement programme


  d.. Alternative solutions to land reform


This campaign is at an advanced stage of preparation and will be launched during next week.


Urgent request:


The Minister of Information and other key Government officials continue to state that only unproductive farms have been listed for compulsory acquisition. In light of this deliberately misleading information, we URGENTLY need good colour photographs illustrating productive farms that have been listed. Please submit these to Malcolm Vowles (Deputy Director - Admin and Projects) at Head Office with details of property name, date gazetted and gazette number.

COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION
AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Visit the CFU Website:- http://www.mweb.co.zw/cfu

Letters to the editor of the Financial Gazette

* Make photocopies and hand them out to fuel queues and long distance bus drivers .

* Send a copy to every captain of industry that you know, or know of. We discovered that the CEO of a large bank had not thought of the implication that government tax revenue would fall. So, CEO's and captains of industry are not infallible. Send this to them.

* Make copies and hand them out to large gatherings like Soccer matches - and the queues outside the employment exchange. 

 

 

 

 

 

- Maiden Parliamentary Speech

Mr Speaker

Sir, I stand before you and this house as a woman of Zimbabwe, a child of Africa, I stand before you on the soil of my ancestors, filled with the spirit of freedom, aware of the responsibilities of peace and with the energy to remake and build a new, great Zimbabwe. I see it as my task, and those of the people of Mutasa, the Movement for Democratic Change and every Zimbabwean to heal and enrich our mother land....

I speak to you as a woman; a mother; a patriotic Zimbabwean and a person honoured with the trust and confidence of the people in her community sufficient to have been elected a member of this House.
This House where the people of Zimbabwe put their hopes, dreams and fears before us and ask us as their representatives to honestly and without fear consult, debate, discuss and find solutions to the problems that the people in the farms, villages, businesses, schools, hospitals and homes of our country face.

I speak to you as the mother of five children. Mr Speaker, I know that I share with all members of this House that my children grow up in a peaceful, prosperous Zimbabwe - I want my children to receive good schooling, I want them to remain free of AIDS which is killing 2 000 Zimbabweans every week, I want them to have good medical care, I want them to look at our flag with pride and a sense of commitment to our nation, I want them to find jobs when they leave school - jobs in this country, not South Africa or Botswana - here, this is where our young people belong.

I want our children to help build this nation into the greatest in Africa.

I consider myself privileged to address the honourable members of this house as the honestly elected MP for Mutasa, I say honestly because I did not have to resort to violence and intimidation in order to coerce the votes of my constituency.

Mr Speaker, the question of violence need to be addressed yet again. I feel I would not have done much justice to the people of Mutasa constituency, whom I represent, and Zimbabwe, if I do not raise this issue in this August house.

I would want to bring to your attention ladies and gentlemen that the reign of terror that was unleashed on Zimbabweans and the Honde Valley in particular which left 89 people homeless is not and will not be acceptable in an Independent Zimbabwe. People were subjected to physical and psychological torture in a liberated country. This really leaves a lot to be desired about our past and present government.

I therefore call upon all the members of the house to agree that the government and all perpetrators be held responsible for the damages and that the victims should be compensated - just as the government plans to compensate the War Veterans who's illegal homes were destroyed by the police recently...

The perpetrators must be brought to book if democracy is to be practised in this country, Sir, the lawlessness and anarchy which still prevails in our country allows certain Zimbabweans to feel that they are a special group of people, who think that they are above the law. They continue to intimidate and terrorise people even after the elections. As if what they did was not enough, only a few weeks ago the same culprits burnt three more houses in my constituency. What it means is that the darkest hour of Zimbabwe's history, prior to elections has turned out to be the darkest weeks after the elections. Therefore we the citizens of this country are faced with two options:-

1. To surrender to the threats, intimidation, murder and rape by ZANU PF, and allow the breakdown of law and order to continue to destroy our nation, or

2. Unite for democracy and freedom, and say "NO MORE' -

I, like thousands of Zimbabweans, was bitterly disappointed, when the President, in his address to the nation failed to call for the restoration of law and order in our country in order to stop the bloodshed and bleeding economy. I therefore call upon the President to acknowledge the wishes of the majority in this country and be determined to stop the beatings, rape, torture, farm invasions, burning and destruction of property as this will affect the people's morale and our economy.

We need not be a laughing stock of the whole world. Let us have properly organised and democratic land reform programmes and policies. In Shona we say "kumhanya handikusvika'. We will feel the awful consequences later if we rush to do things and by then it will be difficult to reverse. Consider the long-term problems of rushing the resettlement programme. Remember the infrastructure; this includes roads, clinics, schools, the resources; machinery, seeds, fertilizers all are needed for a kick-start, has the government put this in place?

I strongly believe that the farm invasions, lawlessness and anarchy that is prevailing in this country has nothing to do with the land issue or landless people, to be more precise, the land hungry people have been exploited by the government in order to stay in power. The people of Zimbabwe who supported the chimurenga war primarily because they wanted land have been forgotten and instead the land acquired by government was shared amongst themselves and ZANU PF cronies.

Not until after the humiliating defeat at the referendum did the government and ZANUPF realised they had lost the support of Zimbabweans, and hatched their diabolical plan to use disgruntled war veterans and unemployed ZANU PF supporters to terrorise and intimidate the voters.

I hasten to add that not all war vets are bad, indeed very few of them participated in the government-sponsored reign of terror. To substantiate my point I use the parliamentary results in Manicaland as an example, where the whole eastern strip of the province boarders on Mozambique, voters favoured MDC over ZANU PF. This is quite extraordinary considering that the majority of war veterans came from this area because of its close proximity to Mozambique where they were trained.

The people of this area feel very strongly about the land issue as many of their relatives sacrificed their lives in the chimurenga war because of their need for land, but despite their efforts they have been marginalized to an extent that very little or virtually no development has taken place in some areas,

The people of Mutasa, whom I represent expect that:-

1. The Government should be a servant of the people

2. The Government must listen to the people and not vice versa

3. The Government is for all the people of Zimbabwe.

4. The Governor of Manicaland should NOT be someone rejected in an election.

I say the government should be for all the people of Zimbabwe.

To take you back honourable speaker to recent events in Matebeleland where on Saturday 5th August Mr Obert Mpofu, the new Governor for Matebeleland North who came into this House through the back door was speaking at the official launch of the accelerated resettlement programme. It is a shame to note that Governor Mpofu stated in public, that there should be no land for MDC people, and it is due to this issue that I choose not to refer to him as an honourable member but merely Governor Mpofu. He clearly said that MDC supporters would not be resettled because they had shown no interest in the land by voting against the party in the June elections. He urged his ZANU PF members and war veterans to ensure that no MDC supporters were resettled in their Districts and I quote "I do no want to see any person from MDC on the list of people who will be settled. The MDC supporters should wait for their government to give them land". Surely honourable speaker this is proof that the accelerated resettlement programme is being politicised for personal gain by ZANU PF faithfulls and is already being used as a campaign tool for the Presidential elections.

One of the main reasons the AIDS pandemic is spreading so quickly is Poverty, the Fast Track Land resettlement Programme embarked on by the Government is also FAST TRACK to Poverty and is therefore Fast Tracking the Aids pandemic - are you and your government comfortable with that.

Honourable Speaker I therefore call upon all people of Zimbabwe to stop being tribalistic, racist etc, this should be swept under the carpet and urge all Zimbabweans to work together towards the social, political and economic development of this nation, only this will serve the poor and if not the majority of this country. The people of Manicaland and Mutasa in particular implore the Government to respect the rule of law and restore peace and order to our beloved Country.

The violence that transpired is NOT a figment of the imagination as the President may suggest, as I have been on the receiving end of the state sponsored violence I take exception to the presidents reference to the level of violence being insignificant and acceptable.

I have had my home burned to the ground and most of my worldly possessions and food granaries destroyed by fire, I have had petrol bombs thrown at me and my family, I have been beaten by thugs,

I have identified the perpetrators and made the necessary reports to the Police, who, as I speak have done little to bring the culprits to book. This is state sponsored violence.

Amongst all this I was arrested and held in custody for 2 days for allegedly kidnapping a War Veteran. Mr Speaker and Honourable Members of the House - do I look like someone who could kidnap one of the War Veterans who are holding 1500 farmers and the country to ransom?

This Mr Speaker is tantamount to Police harassment for political gain. We are aware as to who is behind this and he should be ashamed.

The honourable speaker, the ministry in which my party the MDC, considers me most suited is Gender, Youth and Culture where in the wisdom of the President he has chosen the Honourable Border Gezi as the Cabinet Minister. I suggest Mr Speaker that the Honourable President had another one of his lapses of sensibility when he made that choice as it is on record that the Minister in question "Madzibaba" who, as Governor, tolerated, abetted, incited and probably finances some of the worst violence against women and girls, and using unemployed youth as militia, is now minister of Youth, Gender and Employment creation -

Youth employment through Militia,

Gender by Gang Rape.

GENDER

Mr Speaker there is a lot of misconception about this gender ministry, many tend to think that it is a ministry that deals with women's issues only.

Let me give a brief definition of this Ministry - Gender Ministry is a ministry that deals with or looks at equality between men and women. So even those men who feel that their issues are not well represented are free to bring them to me and I will endeavour to put these issue to this house for debate. One such example is the exorbitant amount of money paid by the bridegroom as lobola. I feel this should be reduced to a small token of appreciation and as a way of cementing the relationship between 2 families. This will be of advantage to women, as they will no longer be seen as property bought to be used and abused by men. The cementing of families will help to eliminate our promiscuous life style and halt the spread of AIDS.

It will be my duty to see that women come to realise their rights, to contribute to the development of this nation irrespective of their marital status, tribe and race.

It has been a trend in Zimbabwe that the people of this country think and believe that politics is only for the single woman and married women must be content to be mothers and housewives. I therefore would want to stand as a role model, to demonstrate that it is our right as women to participate in politics so as to influence policy making decisions which affect us as women. I therefore urge all women in Zimbabwe to realise their rights and take up the challenge in all sectors of life. In order for us the women of Zimbabwe to be heard let us speak with one voice. To you honourable gentlemen, I would say the time has come for you to cease exploiting and looking down on women, decision making is for us all.

Today I will concentrate more on women's issues because I feel women in Zimbabwe have been marginalized for a very long time, we need to wake up, unite and work for our rights and equality. I advocate equal opportunities in Parliament, work places, learning institutions etc.

Women empowerment, socially, economically and politically is what I will fight for in this August house. Gone are the days honourable members when women thought politics is a game to be played by men alone, economic hardships affect women as well, if not more than men.

It is a shame that Zimbabwe's parliament has fewer women MPs in this legislature. In the previous parliament 22 out of 150 MPs were women, after the controversial elections in June, there are only 14 women MPs.

What a set back for women, one would say, however personally I disagree with the arithmetic and with the sense of loss. It is not quantity but quality that matters. Let us look again at the numbers - since only 5 ZANU PF women were elected, ZANU PF's gender ratio plummeted. The opposition got seven women into parliament by the ballot, among them are human rights and grassroots activists of impressive credentials.

On his appointees his Excellency should have been gender sensitive by increasing the number of Women parliamentarians but not by taking those that were rejected by the people.

I believe women's agenda differ according to political persuasions. In Zimbabwe, the well-documented state sponsored violence that preceded the elections has drawn one clear dividing line among women in politics.

I hope that my colleagues and I on this side of the bench will be able to install a sense of stability and a sense of gender purpose on the other side, where it is noted that not one of those women, at any time, or at any place, denounced the violence and gang rape of their Zimbabwean sisters, yet they were entitled to and received UNDP money for campaigning.

I say shame on you for betraying your gender in search of power.

Gender involvement in politics must be for the whole country and ALL its people and not by patronising the President by wearing his picture on ones bosom and posterior.

School children are being abducted and sexually molested, the police stand by and do nothing, where is the cry foul from that side of the bench, where is the Red Card to the perpetrators and instigators from you women on that side of the bench.

Again I say shame on you for, by your very silence, condoning such terrible acts just so that you can stay in power.

As supposed leaders what you are doing by condoning such actions is tantamount to raping your own children - shame - zvinonyadza

Y O U T H

Our youth are the future leaders of this nation, therefore I expected the president in his speech at the opening of the 5th parliament to have shown serious concern about our youth. Over 65% of our educated youth are unemployed and furthermore our education system does not prepare them for future life. Many of them resort to begging, drink and drugs because they do not have the practical skills to earn a living.

The youth want proper jobs - being paid to intimidate, rape and plunder for Cheffs is not employment.

Jobs must come from development - development means investment - investment means a stable economy and law and order.

We have all of the ingredients for development except good governance.

Our people have been betrayed and we no longer have the ingredients for job creation.

Honourable "Madzibaba" Gezi it is your responsibility to come up with clearly defined youth policies that will empower our youth politically, economically and socially.

A piece of land carved out of a highly productive farm is not going to solve the problem. Development is not about prejudicing the future it is about creating a future.

The Fast Track resettlement programme is prejudicing the future of the youth of this country. There will be no winners in this diabolical scheme, history will show this and the President Robert Mugabe will be exposed as the betrayer and user of his people.

Those of you who support him for his political survival - shame on you because you are supporting the Fast Track to Poverty. Our objective should be to eliminate poverty not Fast Track Poverty.

To conclude on the subject of youth, I say, our country needs sound social and economic values to pass on as a legacy to our Zimbabwean youth.

MY CONSTITUENCY

Mutasa is the constituency that I represent. It is on the boarder with Mozambique and I am sure everyone here would agree with me that the people in my constituency supported the Chimurenga war more than any other constituency in Zimbabwe but to my surprise there is no development at all. The people in Mandeya part of the Honde Valley have been marginalised to the extent that they now believe ZANU PF government considers them to be Mozambicans.

They were used by ZANU PF in the chimurenga and have now been abandoned.

Roads

Most of the roads are in a very bad state. Tell me where has all the development money gone - propping up a dictatorship in the DRC and Swiss bank accounts.

There is a long list of roads and bridges requiring urgent attention and construction, the Honourable Minister Mombeshora this is your responsibility please ensure that the job gets done and your ministry is not brought into further disrepute.

Clinics and Hospitals

The health services in my constituency have deteriorated to unacceptable conditions. There are no medicines in all clinics.

There are 14 clinics and 3 hospitals in my constituency. We need more clinics and hospitals need upgrading.

Tsonzo Hospital was destroyed during the war but to my surprise, 20 years after independence there are many buildings which have not been re-roofed.

Honourable Dr Stamps this is your responsibility - what have you been doing all these years as an appointed member of this honourable house. Please make sure that hospitals are upgraded, adequately staffed with qualified Doctors and supplied with the medicines necessary. We tired of your excuse about no money or inadequate funds. We should not have to suffer because the tax-payers money is being wasted by the government. Zimbabweans deserve and need access to good health care

Hauna Hospital in the valley has been functioning with no doctor at all since 1998 forcing serious patients to travel all the way to Bonda Mission Hospital.

.

Schools

Buildings of most primary schools are dilapidated and neglected. 20 years after Independence most schools in my constituency still do not have telephones. The Honerable Minister responsible must see the importance of communication.

When schools have telephones, this will help both the school and the local community. Sometimes people in my constituency have difficulties in communication with their relatives when there is a death in the family.

More O'level secondary school are urgently needed as pupils walk more than 15km to the nearest secondary schools.

Mutasa is a very huge constituency but it has got only 2'A' level schools, where is the development - where are the pledges made 20 years ago.

The living conditions of the Rural teachers leaves a lot be desired and the ministry must do something about this state of affairs. Our future is in the youth and their education. How can we expect firsts class education from underpaid teachers housed in sub-standard accommodation who are under equipped and without modern teaching aids.

Projects

Mutasa constituency is blessed with rivers that flow throughout they year yet very little of this water is being put to use. Instead of the "Fast Track Land Programme" the government should have facilitated the irrigation schemes at Mutarazi, Manunure and many more.

Osborne dam should be seen to help local people but people in my constituency are having difficulties in obtaining fishing permits/licenses. Please can this be addressed as a matter of urgency.

Other problems

Electrification; there has been very little development in this area..

Most business centers and schools have no electricity yet some areas like Gatsi, Murara and Sherukuru are not far from the source.

Electrification of Rural Schools would benefit local people as it will be possible to have adult education at night. Most houses in Hauna GP and DC Area have no electricity, this is the sort of development the people deserve - not the carving up of productive land to further ZANU PF political survival objectives.

Head tax - People in my constituency are not happy with the payment of head tax which has risen by more than 100% from $20 to $50 per head for every member of the family who is above 18 years old.

They vowed not to pay this money because they don't see its purpose since no development has ever taken place in their areas. They suspect a lot of corruption taking place at our local district council. I challenge the Honourable Minister of Local Government to investigate and report back to this house on the matter.

Also, $50 per head is too much for them, they cannot afford it due to economic hardships created by the governments mismanagement, poor governance and corruption.

Manicaland Governor

People in my constituency are not happy with the appointment of Oppah Muchinguri as our governor. They want to know why the President nominated her yet she was vehemently and openly rejected by the people of Mutare North Constituency that she now represents. Oppah polled about 5000 votes against Major Giles Mutsekwa's 19000 votes. They want to know whether there were no other ZANU PF members of ladies that he could have nominated. Would she be very effective in representing the same people who rejected her. I ask where is the sanity in that. Where is the democracy.

Pre-election violence victims: I demand from the government to assist with the construction of houses that were destroyed in my constituency by ZANU PF supporters.

Thanks to all the Zimbabweans, NGO's, Churches who helped with food temporary shelter and clothing for the displaced persons and not forgetting the Newspapers who published the truth.

Tax payers' money: May I make an appeal to you Mr. Speaker to warn the honourables who are often absent from this house, those who come only for 10-15 minutes and then disappear , those that spend half the time in this house dozing, May they be reminded that they are wasting the tax payer's money.

To close, because I speak for the majority of the people and the future of the women, young girls and boys who rely on our honesty and integrity, we can assure the Honourable Minister of Gender Youth and Employment Creation "Madzibaba "also known as "the dancer' that we will not be intimidated and that we will be watching your every step to ensure the development of the nation for the future of our youth no matter how fancy your foot work!!!!

A Father who betrays his children is no longer worthy of being a Father

A Father who has his children raped and beaten is no longer worthy of being a Father

A Father who will not listen to the cries of his children is no longer a Father

The man once called the Father of the Nation, Robert Mugabe, is no longer listening to the nation. I request that his Excellency the President retire from office with dignity and allow space for a leader who will listen to the people and lead this country out of economic and agricultural disaster free from corruption and state sponsored violence.

The Honourable Evelyn Masaiti

MP Mutasa

Wednesday, 30 August 2000