Zimbabwe poachers turn to poisoning water holes

Associated Press

Sep 19, 12:39 PM EDT

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) -- Zimbabwe's wildlife authority says poachers have
begun poisoning watering holes, killing nine elephants and at least five
lions in recent weeks.

Spokeswoman Caroline Washaya-Moyo of Zimbabwe's wildlife department says
elephants' ivory tusks were removed but lions' heads and skins were left
intact.

She says the lions appeared to be accidental victims of the poisoning. She
told the Associated Press on Monday the new incidents were the first on
record.

She says buffalo were also killed, as were vultures that preyed on the dead
animals.

She says tests were being done to determine the nature of the chemicals that
could kill creatures as large as elephants, which can eat hundreds of pounds
(kilograms) of vegetation each day.

SA, EU want faster Zim reforms

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by Thulani Munda     Monday 19 September 2011

HARARE – A joint South African government and European Union summit at the
weekend urged Zimbabwe’s power-sharing government to quicken electoral and
democratic reforms required to ensure the next polls are free and fair.

In a statement issued at the conclusion of the summit, Pretoria and Brussels
said they noted the progress made by President Robert Mugabe and Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s unity government, while urging the
administration to do more to uphold human rights.

“We noted progress in the implementation of the Global Political Agreement
(GPA, that gave birth to Zimbabwe’s unity government) while also recognising
the ongoing challenges that are inherent in the process,” they said.

“We encourage the parties in the inclusive government to finalise and
endorse a road map on elections without any further delay.

“We agreed to continue our complementary efforts aimed at promoting,
encouraging and supporting the full implementation of the GPA and create a
conducive environment to the holding of elections that will be free and
fair, and transparent under conditions of a level playing field. We call for
the respect of human rights.”

The EU commended the efforts of South Africa and the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) in assisting the political leadership in
Zimbabwe to implement “the GPA and encouraged them to remain seized with the
process.”

South Africa, which brokered the GPA on behalf of the SADC, is the regional
bloc’s official mediator in Zimbabwe.

The statement also called on Mugabe’s ZANU-PF and Tsvangirai’s MDC parties
to conclude constitutional reforms that continue to drag on at a snail’s
pace.

No date for elections has been set but Mugabe has publicly said they must be
held by March next year, while rising reports of political violence in many
parts of Zimbabwe suggest a vote is imminent either in the first or second
quarter of next year.

Under the GPA Zimbabwe must first write a new and democratic constitution
before holding fresh elections.

A multi-party parliamentary committee leading the writing of the new
constitution expects to have a draft charter ready to be taken before
Zimbabweans in a referendum by year-end.

But civil society groups say Zimbabwe should not rush to elections even
after adoption of a new constitution, saying the new constitution as well as
several proposed electoral reforms would need to be given time to take root
to ensure the next vote is free and fair.

Zimbabwe’s elections have been characterised by political violence and gross
human rights abuses with the last vote in June 2008 ending inconclusively
after the military-led a campaign of violence and murder that forced then
opposition leader Tsvangirai to withdraw from a second round presidential
ballot.

Tsvangirai had been tipped to win the second round election after beating
Mugabe in the first round ballot but without the percentage of votes
required avoiding the second round run-off poll

The former foes eventually bowed to pressure from southern African leaders
to agree to form a government of national unity. -- ZimOnline

Zanu (PF) says it has unearthed US-British plot to infiltrate its structures

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/

19/09/2011 17:23:00    By Staff Reporter

HARARE - Robert Mugabe's embattled party Zanu PF has expressed concern over
alleged British, Americans and their Western allies’ plans to infiltrate
strategic institutions by holding dubious meetings on the pretext of mending
bi-lateral ties with Zimbabwe

Zanu PF Secretary for Information and Publicity, Rugare Gumbo says the
revolutionary party has unearthed a plot whereby imperialist forces are to
secretly invade the party and government structures.

Last week, the US ambassador met President Mugabe at the State House and
came out saying nice things about the aging leader

Under the alleged plot, western imperialist forces are pretending to be
willing to re-engage on socio-economic and political challenges yet their
hidden agenda is to cause confusion.

This appears to be the new thrust after realising that the initiative to use
the MDC-T to effect regime change has failed.

Over the past weeks, Zimbabwe has witnessed several diplomatic and political
representatives from the west holding meetings with Zanu PF top brass under
the alleged disguise of mending relations.

Last week, United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray enthused that
President Robert Mugabe was "mentally alert and engaging" when he met him
for an hour on Tuesday last week.

The rare compliment was a boon for the public media which took Ray's remark
that the "man has an encyclopedia of a brain" to mean the octogenarian is
better than his nemesis Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
But the meeting might have left many Zimbabweans wondering if the US, which
has been in the forefront of calls to isolate Mugabe because of his
not-so-impressive human rights record, has been forced to abandon its
hardline stance.

It was not the first time Ray had tried to reach out to Zanu PF and Mugabe.
In speeches delivered at a Sapes Trust policy dialogue and at a public
meeting organised by Bulawayo Agenda respectively, US president Barack
Obama's point man in Harare empasised the need to open a new chapter in
relations between the two countries.
The meeting with Mugabe was a follow up to another one Ray held with Zanu PF
chairman Simon Khaya Moyo where he relayed the same message. The US and
other Western countries slapped Mugabe and his inner circle with sanctions
after controversial 2002 presidential elections.

Despite the formation of a unity government in 2009 nothing much has changed
in Zimbabwe, especially on the human rights front. The US and the European
Union said as much when they renewed the sanctions against Zimbabwe early
this year.

It is in this context that Ray's pronouncements might have seemed
contradictory to many. However, analysts say the policy shift was inevitable
as America was fighting for its own economic survival.

MAJOR SHIFT IN US DIPLOMACY
Trevor Maisiri of the African Reform Institute says the US international
diplomacy was going through a major shift, mainly influenced by the global
economic conditions.

"This is the reason why President Obama has made efforts in reconnecting
with the Eastern bloc countries and the 'BRIC' (Brazil, Russia, India and
China)," Maisiri said.

"Traditionally, the US diplomatic onslaught was based on closely guarded
enclavity which was mainly determined by ideological considerations.Today it
has opened up a lot and is beginning to consider relations even with
traditional and perennial rivals all in search of economic survival."

He said Ray's gesture must be read from a broader perspective of the
prevailing geo-politics and international diplomacy of the US in the wake of
the economic pressure it was facing.

Ray told Mugabe he was going to be hosting a business meeting in Washington
where US business people were going to be interacting with their Zimbabwean
counterparts.

The envoy said he had been receiving increasing amounts of enquiries from
Americans who want to do business with and in Zimbabwe. "So this engagement
is purely based on the economics of the relationship that Zimbabwe and the
US can ride on," Maisiri said.

"More and more we will see the US adopting a more aggressive engagement
policy even with those countries that they have traditionally had major
political and ideological differences with." - Plus, The Standard

Technologically Challenged Zim Police Give Up On Face Book Case

http://www.radiovop.com/

Bulawayo, September 19, 2011 - Zimbabwe’s first ever Face Book case has
turned into a comic after some clueless members of the Zimbabwe Republic
Police (ZRP) who have been trying to crack up Vikas Mavhudzi’s mobile phone
surrendered.

In a letter written to State prosecutor, Jeremiah Mutsindikwa by Detective
Inspector, B Samakande, the acting Officer In Charge of Bulawayo Central
Police Station’s CID Law and Order Section, the police candidly admitted
that their information technology experts had failed to access the alleged
Face Book posting by Mavhudzi, a resident of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second
largest city.

“This report serves to inform you that this station has failed to access the
Face Book message, which is subject of the charge in this case. Assistance
was sought from experts in the police’s information technology section
without any success. It would appear the message was deleted from the
network and it had not been served (sic) in the cell phone,” reads part of a
letter.

Mavhudzi is being charged for using social network site, Face Book, to
encourage an insurgency against President Robert Mugabe.

The following message allegedly posted on Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s
page by Mavhudzi in February landed the Magwegwe suburb resident in court.

“I’m overwhelmed; don’t know what to say Mr PM. What happened in Egypt is
sending shockwaves to all dictators around the world. No weapon but unity of
purpose. Worth emulating, hey.”

According to The Legal Monitor, a newsletter of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human
Rights (ZLHR), the message, allegedly posted via Mahvudzi’s cellphone, is
the prosecution’s smoking gun in this case. The 39-year-old is being charged
with subversion after allegedly suggesting that Tsvangirai should emulate
events in Egypt that saw long-time dictator Hosni Mubarak fall to a popular
street revolt. Yet, as prosecutors stepped into court last Tuesday, they had
no idea how to trace the message.

At least the police were candid about their failure. What has miffed defence
lawyer, Lizwe Jamela of ZLHR is the prosecution’s cockiness, even when faced
with such a dead end.

Instead of withdrawing charges, prosecutors are pressing on. “I expected
that the prosecutor would have simply withdrawn charges before plea but l
was very surprised to learn that even in the face of the revelation by the
police the prosecutor insisted on proceeding to trial with the matter,” said
Jamela.

At Bulawayo Magistrates Court last week, the only exhibit that the State
could show in court was the mobile handset allegedly used by the Magwegwe
resident to post the message.

This compelled Jamela to file an application before Magistrate Rose Dube to
oblige the State to furnish him with the alleged message from the phone that
they confiscated from Mavhudzi and are still holding onto in order for the
resident to be afforded a fair trial on Monday when trial resumes.
Mutsindikwa undertook to abide by the human rights lawyer’s request.

Zimbabwe collapsing: Tsvangirai

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/

19/09/2011 12:32:00    MOSES MATENGA,

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says politicking by Zanu PF was indicative
of a country teetering on the brink of a major political crisis. He said
Zimbabwe would slide into a scenario reminiscent of Ivory Coast if service
chiefs failed to recognise any election winner other than President Robert
Mugabe

But Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo yesterday dismissed Tsvangirai’s
sentiments.

“He doesn’t know what he is talking about. He is just talking to please his
sponsors in the US. Elections will only come after proper mechanisms are put
in place and we have been saying that as a party.”

Tsvangirai was speaking after meeting with civil rights leader Jesse Jackson
in Chicago, United States, on Saturday.

“. . . due to unilateral and misguided election talk by President Mugabe
without the necessary mechanisms for a free and fair poll as dictated by
Sadc and the AU (African Union), the country is teetering on the brink of
what could possibly become another serious political crisis,” he said.

“The expression by the people across the North of Africa represents and
manifests a failure of leadership and the perennial desire by the people of
Africa to send a clear message to their leaders that they deserve the same
rights as everyone.”

He added: “When you have the head of police and a few leaders in the
military publicly claiming that they will not respect the result of any
election in which President Mugabe is not the winner, it means we could yet
become another Ivory Coast.

“The people of Zimbabwe are once again on the frontline in the war for
freedom and rights and the fledgling democracy that was to grow following
the signing of the new transitional government in 2009 is under threat. The
struggle unfolding in Zimbabwe is one that pits good over evil, right
against wrong and freedom against tyranny.”

Tsvangirai said Zimbabwe’s main challenge was the refusal by State
institutions to recognise the inclusive government and the failure to
institute credible electoral, media and political reforms that will ensure a
credible election.

“We even have a situation where (Zanu PF) thugs storm into Parliament and
brutally attack elected MPs while the police watch. When you have a
situation where the same secretariat of the electoral commission that failed
to announce results for five weeks in 2008 is foisted on the supposedly new
ZEC, it means we are likely to have yet another disputed poll,” he said.

The AU and Sadc are the guarantors of the inclusive government, Tsvangirai
said and “we are encouraged by their desire to nurse this process so that we
prevent another Kenya and another Ivory Coast.

“Our region will continue to be rocked by conflict and people will continue
to flood the streets demanding freedoms if the world does not stand by us as
we try to carve out a new architecture in which the rights and the will of
the people are protected, respected and guaranteed.”

The MDC-T leader said another stolen election in Zimbabwe in which losers
decide to pickpocket the people’s victory would threaten the country’s
neighbours and put at risk their own political dispensation and progressive
policies.

“Preventive measures must always be taken before a situation implodes and
the world must assist Zimbabwe to ensure that we transit peacefully to a
democracy and a legitimate government.”

President Mugabe and Zanu PF have insisted the country will go for elections
before March next year. On the other hand, military chiefs, including
Brigadier-General Douglas Nyikayaramba, recently said they would not respect
any leader without liberation war credentials.
The President has also defended the military and Zanu PF hardliners’ stance
on elections. - NewsDay

Soldiers arrest and torture MDC-N youths in Bulawayo

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tererai Karimakwenda
19 September, 2011

A group of ten youths from the MDC-N party were picked up by soldiers in
Bulawayo on Saturday and severely beaten and tortured, for allegedly handing
out fliers too close to Robert Mugabe’s State House.

Edwin Ndhlovu, MDC-N spokesman for Bulawayo, told SW Radio Africa that the
soldiers detained the youth for about three hours, during which they were
stripped naked, beaten, splashed with water and made to roll around on the
ground.

They were then turned over to the police at Sauerstown, who held them
without any charges over the weekend, before handing them over to the Law
and Order section at Bulawayo Central Police Station on Monday.

According to Ndhlovu, the police plan to charge the youth with “trespassing
or criminal nuisance” if they appear in court as expected on Tuesday. No
charges have been brought against them since their illegal detention by
soldiers on Saturday.

SW Radio Africa correspondent Lionel Saungweme, said two of the youth
campaigners were encouraging people to vote in an area of Sauerstown, miles
from the State House, when a truckload of soldiers approached and detained
them.

“They tried to reason with the soldiers but failed, and they were forced
into a truck and driven around picking up more youths”, Saungweme explained.
A total of ten were abducted and taken inside the State House, where the
soldiers tortured them.

MDC-N spokesman Ndhlovu described the arrests as “political persecution of
people against Robert Mugabe and ZANU PF”. He added that the MDC-N is also
being targeted because their leader, Professor Welshman Ncube, is gaining
popularity.

Mugabe's Mega Rich Minister To Pay Damages To Top Civil Servant

http://www.radiovop.com

Harare, 19 September - The High Court has ordered Mines and Mining
Development Minister Obert Mpofu to pay damages for defaming a subordinate
in his ministry. Byl Manyange, a senior civil servant employed as a mining
commissioner for Kadoma took Mpofu and the then editor of The Chronicle
newspaper, Brezhnev Malaba and Zimpapers, publishers of the state-run
newspaper to court last year after he allegedly accused government employees
of corruptly issuing mining claims.

The mining commissioner protested that the Umguza legislator told police
graduates at a pass out parade at Ntabazinduna police training depot in
Matabeleland province last year that he was going to recall
or transfer corrupt mining commissioners as they were scaring away potential
investors and issuing claims for speculative purposes. Afterwards, the
mining commissioner was served with a transfer letter
moving him from the mining town of Kadoma to Bulawayo amid accusations of
arrogance and insubordination.
Manyange, who has been the mining commissioner for Kadoma since 1993 argued
that Mpofu’s utterances were taken by his superiors and subordinates to be
directed at him as he was the government employee
who was being transferred from his station to a new one.
In his defence, Mpofu argued that through his comments, he was merely
expressing an opinion on the prevailing state of affairs in his ministry.
But in a ruling delivered recently, high court judge, Justice Bharat Patel
ruled that Mpofu, who signs off his letters to President Robert Mugabe as
“your ever obedient son”, injured Manyange’s name and
reputation.
He however revised the quantum of damages sought by Manyange from $30 000 to
$6 000. Mpofu was ordered to pay $2 000 to Manyange in damages while Malaba
and Zimpapers will jointly pay $4 000 down from the $30
000 which the mining commissioners had lodged in his summons.
“As I read them, the articles taken together impute on the part of the
plaintiff (Manyange) a proclivity towards corrupt behaviour, illegal
activities, dishonest and unprofessional conduct and attempting to cover up
illegalities. Such imputations are unquestionably defamatory in accordance
with the applicable tests laid down by the courts……..The unavoidable
conclusion, as I have found earlier, is that the
cumulative effect of the impugned articles was to identify theplaintiff as a
corrupt official and to injure him in his name and reputation,” reads part
of Justice Patel’s judgment.
Justice Patel ruled that although Mpofu did not directly identified
Manyange, who is one of a handful of mining commissioners in the country by
name when he uttered his statements alleging corruption among his
subordinates, he was nonetheless “indirectly reckless.”
The Judge said Malaba was more culpable in defaming the mining commissioner
as he did not invite Manyange to comment on the allegations levelled against
him before publishing the defamatory
stories as would be expected of a professional journalist.
“That being so, it would be proper and fitting to apportion the damages to
be awarded, as between the 1st defendant (Mpofu) on the one hand and the 2nd
and 3rd defendants on the other, so as to reflect their respective degrees
of culpability,” Justice Patel said in his 16-page judgment.

Police chief bans all civic activities in Mat North

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tichaona Sibanda
19 September 2011

A senior police officer based in Bulawayo has come under fire for
unilaterally banning all civic activities in Matabeleland North province.

Chief Superintended Govu, who oversees policing duties in most of the
districts in Matabeleland North, has been branded ‘a ZANU PF activist in
police uniform.

There have been whispers going around Bulawayo that the police boss is
trying to protect ZANU PF by making sure he bans all other parties from
spreading their influence in the province.

In the past months Govu’s latest ban has been to stop Bulawayo Agenda from
holding peace soccer tournaments as part of its constitutional awareness
programmes. The civic organisation planned to hold soccer tournaments in
Nkayi, Tsholotsho and Lupane.

Busani Ncube, Bulawayo Agenda’s programmes officer, told SW Radio Africa on
Monday that they’ve been blocked from educating villagers on how to evaluate
a good constitution ahead of the referendum.

‘We don’t need permission to hold such meetings but the law says we must
notify the police, but we have done that several times and we have been
blocked for no apparent reasons,’ Ncube said.

Bulawayo Agenda is a civil organisation that provides an apolitical platform
for people to express their views and debate matters that affect their
lives.

Ncube believes the police are a problem as many are strong supporters of
ZANU PF and don’t want to see other organisations having meetings in the
province.

‘We know the reason why they don’t let us have our tournaments and meetings.
We have a police force that thinks any meeting convened by a civic
organisation is to be used to undermine a certain political party.

 

MDC-T condemns invasion of Chiredzi buildings by ‘thugs’

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
19 September 2011

The MDC-T has condemned the invasion of three buildings in Masvingo by ZANU
PF youths, calling the illegal takeovers the actions of “misguided thugs.”

The gang of about 60 youths, led by a ZANU PF group called the Masvingo
Youths Empowerment Association, stormed the buildings in Chiredzi last week,
bringing local business to a standstill. The group was seen  toy-toying and
singing revolutionary songs while they invaded the premises and declared
that the properties were now theirs.

The group invaded the Govan Investments’ building, reportedly owned by
Southhood Govan, the Graig Hanning Building and another one belonging to Jan
Van Javeert, from the South East Tanning Company. The three white owners are
reported to have already left the country. The ZANU PF group meanwhile has
threatened to take over other white owned properties in the area.

The Empowerment Association’s spokesman, Darling Zirebwa, is quoted by the
Daily News newspaper as saying that the group was targeting all property
owned by foreign whites in the whole of Masvingo province, starting with
Chiredzi.

“This is in response to the indigenisation drive, a policy by government
which we feel should also empower the youths. We will be taking more
buildings in Chiredzi before we move to Masvingo city where there are a
whole lot of listed properties we are going to take,” Zirebwa is quoted as
saying.

A ZANU PF youth official has also warned that these take-overs will not stop
in Chiredzi. ZANU PF national youth deputy political commissar Talent Majoni
told NewsDay that the youths would also move into the premises of bigger
companies, such as sugar conglomerate Tongaat Hulett.

“This is redistribution of wealth. After all, some of these whites acquired
the wealth by hook or crook, taking advantage of our ancestors when they
colonised us,” said Majoni.

But the MDC-T’s Chiredzi West MP, Moses Mare, told SW Radio Africa on Monday
that he “strongly condemns” what has happened, calling it the bevahiour of
“thugs masquerading as a legitimate youth movement.”

“These misguided thugs have come from the farms they invaded and are just
looking for businesses to loot. They are just looters,” Mare said.

He added: “This is another gimmick of ZANU PF campaigning. It is not a
government project. I do not agree with it.”

ZANU PF youths across the country have taken the party-led indigenisation
drive to heart, threatening to take over foreign owned businesses and any
business owned by perceived MDC supporters. Most recently, in Highfields,
the notorious Chipangano gang from Mbare rampaged through the market stalls
at Machipisa Shopping Centre, insisting they were taking over the
businesses. The group has also threatened businesses in Mbare on a number of
occasions this year.

Fresh farm invasions hit Masvingo

http://www.financialgazette.co.zw/

Friday, 16 September 2011 10:23

MASVINGO - A new wave of farm invasions has swept across this province,
targeting the few remaining white-owned farms.
Most of the targeted white-owned properties are wildlife conservancies in
the southern parts of the province.
Recently, a small group of soldiers in military fatigue briefly camped at
Ibeca Farm on the outskirts of the city; the farm is owned by a white farmer
and hotelier, Peter Goddard.
They allegedly demanded that Goddard vacates the property to pave way for
army Colonel, Francis Chakauya, who had a confrontation with war veterans
settled around the property. The former liberation war fighters resisted
plans by Chakauya to annex the property.
Thousands of apostolic sect members also invaded Chidza Farm, owned by John
Boland but the invaders were immediately evicted from the property by riot
police.
The invasions have created fissures in ZANU-PF amid revelations that some
party heavyweights and war veterans are flatly opposed to the eviction of
the few remaining white farmers, most of whom have managed to co-exist with
the newly resettled farmers.
The invasions also come in the wake of increasing concern among resettled
farmers in over recommendations by the Masvingo provincial leadership to
garnish part of their land in order to resettle families that would be
relocated as a result of the construction of Tokwe-Murkosi Dam in southern
Masvingo.
While Masvingo governor, Titus Maluleke, declined to comment on the reports
of fresh farm occupations in the province, war veterans leader, Isaiah
Muzenda, confirmed the development.
He said while land redistribution was a noble programme, it was wrong for
those with political or even military muscle to elbow others from their
properties.
Muzenda, whose Masvingo Wildlife conservancy shares a border with Ibeca
Farm, said it was improper for Colonel Chakauya to occupy the property at
the expense of other landless civilians that have long waited to be
resettled.
"Colonel Chakauya wanted to occupy Ibeca Farm on the basis of having been
misdirected by the Masvingo political leadership because it was agreed years
back that Goddard should remain on his property owing to his benevolence to
the local community and also his strong stance against the colonial regime
that was led by Ian Smith.
"However, what we are saying as war veterans is that if the political
leadership have decided to remove Goddard, there is nothing wrong because he
is a white man but Colonel Chakauya cannot occupy the property because under
those circumstances the property should be occupied by the first black
person who was given the property before being ordered to make way for
Goddard," said Muzenda.
The tough-talking Muzenda also lashed out at lands officers and senior
government officials in the province who are using their clout to kick out
some vulnerable black farmers from their land, which they were legally
occupying.
He said there were some black families that were being driven off their land
by powerful politicians in Masvingo Wildlife conservancy but vowed that as
war veterans they were not going to sit and watch such injustices. - Own
Correspondent

Mpofu Evicts Mail Staff

http://www.radiovop.com

Bulawayo, September 18, 2011- Mines Minister Obert Mpofu caused a scene when
he personally led an eviction of The Mail newspaper staff members including
journalists.

Mpofu was accompanied by his aides and bouncers.

Mpofu owns the building housing The Mail Bulawayo Bureau offices.

Radio VOP has it in authority that Mpofu has been having a fight with The
Mail bosses over non payment of rent for the Bulawayo offices.

The Mail shut down its Harare head offices in August hardly five months
after its launch but the Bulawayo offices were still open with employees
reporting for duty everyday.

When Radio VOP visited the building on Saturday night a notice had been put
on the main gate that reads: “Sorry this building is closed and anybody with
a problem should report to York House along 8th Avenue.” York is another
building owned by Mpofu in the city.

When contacted Minister Mpofu said: “Why are they rushing to you? That
building is mine they know their problem they should came and talk to me.”

One of  The Mail employees who is part of those evicted by Mpofu said: “We
don’t know what is happening, the Minister just came to evict us, we are
also shocked.”

There has been speculation over the newspaper’s ownership as controversial
businessmen John Brednkamp , Billy Rautenbach and Nicolas Van Hoogstraten
have been linked to the newspaper.

The paper has also been linked to  Mpofu and Indigenisation and Economic
empowerment counterpart, Saviour Kasukuwere.

The Mail was licensed early last year together with The Daily news which was
banned in 2003 when Professor Jonathan Moyo was still Minister of
Information.

Zanu-PF Forces Vendors To Cover Fuel Expenses

http://www.radiovop.com/

Karoi, September 18, 2011 – Zanu-PF is demanding a one dollar contribution
from each street vendor in bid to cover fuel expenses incurred at the burial
of the late hero, General Solomon Mujuru.
Radio VOP has it in high authority that vendors including those who sell
airtime, vegetables and clothes in Chikangwe high density surburb were
summoned recently at the party offices by Zanu-PF local leadership and told
to make contributions meant to cover fuel expenses.

''We have been told to make a $1 contribution per person. They say the money
will be used to pay for fuel that was used during the burial of General
Mujuru at the Heroes Acre in Harare" said a vendor who attended the meeting
but declined to be named.

Themeeting was addressed by former Zanu-PF councillor now party district
coordinating committee Karoi cluster chairman Stewart Jena and his deputy
Leornard Masamba.

"The two told us that those who do not pay up will be blacklisted ahead of
elections. We are not free and secure as they will not be accountable to us
if we give the money" added another elderly vegetable vendor who prefered to
be called Mai Chance.

Nearly 100 vendors have been targetted to raise fuel repayment as touts were
"cleared'' after they forced a rural bus operator to abandon its regular
route to go to Mujuru's burial in August. Party insiders claimed the amount
of the fuel is less than $50.00.

''This is yet another way of scaring away supporters as people must not join
party out of fear but our leadership does not understand it" added an
insider who declined to be named for fear of political victimisation.

Jena confirmed the meeting but downplayed it saying, "It was a meeting with
our supporters after restructuring".  Karoi town, situated about 204
kilometers north-west of Harare is a political hotbed where Zanu-PF youths
and war veterans are alleged of using violence to lure supporters

Zimbabwe not ready for elections: Makoni

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com

19/09/2011 18:47:00    by

Zimbabwe's former finance minister on Monday said to make the country a
success, an all-inclusive government was needed -- giving its people a role
to fill.

Dr Simba Makoni told a States in Transition Observatory's film viewing in
Pretoria East that he was sceptical in the wake of talks of elections in
that country early next year.

Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe and the Zanu-PF has called for elections
before March 2012, a move which has been largely opposed by his strained
coalition partner Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic
Change(MDC).

Makoni  was doubtful any elections would take place in Zimbabwe given the
state of its power-sharing government between Mugabe and Tsvangirai.

As things stand, elections would be prejudiced because most Zimbabweans
still live in fear and uncertainty. Its last elections were marred by
widespread violence and intimidation.

Mugabe was forced to sign a power-sharing deal in 2008 after election
violence waged mainly by militant supporters of his Zanu-PF party left at
least 200 MDC supporters dead.
Makoni said the MDC had failed to bring about any substantial change to
government reform despite holding a majority of parliamentary seats.

Makoni concluded that if any elections would be held they would only go
ahead at the end of next year or 2013 to give Southern African Development
Committee time to create the necessary framework dictating the process.

SADC has not taken any decisive steps to pave the path way for Zimbabwe's
unity government and elections.

Faster Reforms

The South African government and the European Union (EU) have both called
for faster reforms in Zimbabwe, to ensure a free and fair poll.

In a statement issued at the conclusion of a one-day meeting in the Kruger
National Park last week, South Africa and the EU urged the Zimbabwe
government to do more to uphold human rights. South African President Jacob.

Zuma headed South Africa's delegation, while the European delegation
included the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy and
European Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso.

“We noted progress in the implementation of the Global Political Agreement
(GPA) while also recognising the ongoing challenges that are inherent in the
process,” they said in a group statement, adding: “We encourage the parties
in the inclusive government to finalise and endorse a road map on elections
without any further delay.”

The EU commended the efforts of South Africa and the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) in assisting Zimbabwe’s coalition government
with fulfilling the GPA, but “encouraged them to remain seized with the
process.” No mention was made about ZANU PF’s ongoing refusal to honour the
full terms of the agreement.

Zuma meanwhile used the meeting to again call on the EU to remove its
targeted ‘shopping’ sanctions still in place against the Mugabe regime,
insisting the move would help with progress in implementing the GPA. ZANU PF
has used the restrictive measures as a convenient excuse not to implement
the deal, arguing that the MDC-T has not fulfilled its promise to have the
sanctions lifted.

But the EU’s Van Rompuy said that although they had already lifted some
restrictive measures a few months ago, "a credible roadmap for elections is
of utmost importance. It will facilitate for the EU a review of restricted
measures."

China donates 14 million dollars for Zimbabwe food aid

http://www.monstersandcritics.com

Sep 19, 2011, 9:15 GMT

Harare - China has donated 14 million US dollars' worth of food aid to
Zimbabwe, a country in which 1.7 million people need assistance, the
official Herald newspaper reported Monday.

The food is intended for villagers who lost their crops due to drought. The
donations, in the form of rice and wheat, however will have to be swapped
for the staple maize-meal, said the paper.

'China is ready to assist our good friend, good brother and good partner
within our capacity at any time,' said Liu Dan of the Chinese Embassy's
political section.

Last month the UN launched an appeal for 488 million US for Zimbabwe's
humanitarian needs, with the world body saying that food security was 'a
pressing issue' because drought affected six out of the country's 10
provinces earlier this year.

Food has been a perennial problem since President Robert Mugabe launched his
controversial land reform programme in 2000, with a peak of 6 million
locals - around half the population - needing food aid in 2002.

Zimbabwe's Agriculture Minister Joseph Made welcomed the Chinese donation,
saying much of it would go to vulnerable children and the elderly in the
affected areas.

'Globally we have food but there are a number of pockets that are under
pressure. We want to make sure that we look after such communities,' Made
told the Herald.

Mugabe calls China his 'all-weather friend,' principally because of the
Asian giant's unwillingness to criticise rights abuses committed in the
Africa country over the last decade.

China has already invested in mining and agricultural projects in Zimbabwe
and many small-scale Chinese businessmen run shops and brick-making concerns
here. But there are growing allegations that Chinese bosses ill-treat and
underpay local workers, making the Chinese popular with few outside of
Mugabe's top officials.

Moyo joins JOMIC

http://www.financialgazette.co.zw

Friday, 16 September 2011 10:29

Staff Reporter
ZANU-PF has seconded Jonathan Moyo to the Joint Monitoring and
Implementation Committee (JOMIC), tasked with overseeing the implementation
of the Global Political Agreement (GPA), which binds the activities of the
inclusive government. Rugare Gumbo, the ZANU-PF national spokesperson, told
The Financial Gazette, which first broke the story regarding plans by the
party to second Moyo to JOMIC, that the decision had been unanimous.
"We have seconded Moyo to JOMIC and the letter has been written to JOMIC to
that effect. No one is being pulled out from ZANU-PF, we are just adding our
numbers," he said.
After being booted out of the party in 2005 for contesting as an independent
candidate for Tsholotsho constituency, which had been reserved by ZANU-PF
for a woman candidate, Moyo was re-admitted into the revolutionary party in
July 2009.
Since then, his star has been on the rise.
Within months of his readmission, Moyo joined the party's policy-making
organ, the Central Committee, before being parachuted into ZANU-PF's supreme
decision-making body in between congresses, the politburo, in December 2010.
He has since become a useful cog in ZANU-PF's propaganda machinery despite
being blemished by whistleblower website, WikiLeaks, for holding secret
meetings with United States diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe.
Despite his flip-flopping tendencies, Moyo is credited with ensuring that
ZANU-PF remained in power at the turn of the new millennium after crafting
various pieces of legislation that enabled the party to suppress the
activities of its rivals.
Douglas Mwonzora, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) national
spokesperson, said the coming on board of Moyo at JOMIC was not an issue to
his party.
"It is the right of ZANU-PF to be represented or misrepresented. As MDC-T,
we believe Moyo would be a misrepresentation and we hope that political
parties get serious with these appointments," said Mwonzora.
"It is up to ZANU-PF to choose who represents them, but the principle of
equality has to be retained and it is up to the people in JOMIC to strike a
balance on the issue."

‘Mnangagwa, Mujuru to be dropped'

http://www.financialgazette.co.zw

Friday, 16 September 2011 10:33

Clemence Manyukwe, Political Editor

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe will not be succeeded by ZANU-PF's two top
presidential hopefuls, Vice President Joice Mujuru and Emmerson Mnangagwa,
as the veteran leader has other plans to settle for a younger party
candidate, according to latest WikiLeaks revelations.
The stunning disclosures were allegedly made to United States diplomats by
Tourism and Hospitality Minister, Walter Mzembi, who reportedly claimed that
President Mugabe was aware of the minister's meetings with the American
representatives as the ZANU-PF leader was using him to gauge the mind of
Western powers.
Mzembi who was described in leaked US classified cables as "a US Embassy
interlocutor over the last several years" is also alleged to have claimed
that he had raised the need for reform with President Mugabe.
But in a far-reaching claim Mzembi is alleged to have claimed, during
different meetings in 2008 and 2009 that Mujuru or Mnangagwa, the two
leading contenders in ZANU-PF succession politics, would never see their
dream of replacing the incumbent coming true as their leader had plans of
his own.
The US cables say Mzembi and Environment Minister, Francis Nhema are
considered as moderates in ZANU-PF, although a few others, including
Transport Minister Nicholas Goche and VP Mujuru, were said to have signalled
that they could play "constructive roles."
ZANU-PF is currently reeling from the explosion of WikiLeaks cables that
have named its members as having secretly met US diplomats and at times
divulged sensitive party information.
This week, ZANU-PF politburo member, Jonathan Moyo, owned up to the meetings
with US envoys and urged his colleagues to follow-suit.
In the latest revelation, the Tourism Minister is said to have claimed that
ZANU-PF would consider contacts between its members and the diplomats as
criminal activity. At a meeting on March 26, 2009 shortly after being
appointed Tourism Minister following the formation of the inclusive
government, Mzembi, according to the leaked cables, allegedly told US
diplomats: " Mugabe will not step down at the ZANU-PF conference in December
(2009). He is aware of the divisions within the party and is afraid the
party will fall apart in his absence. He will not support either Emmerson
Mnangagwa or Joice Mujuru to succeed him but is fostering a stalemate
between the two with the hope that a younger successor will emerge."
In another separate meeting held on October 15, 2008, before the inclusive
government was formed and Mzembi was the deputy minister of water resources,
the minister is again quoted by the cables as having said:
"ZANU-PF leadership was old and that Mugabe's successor would be neither
Mnangagwa nor the Mujurus, but would come from the younger,reformist part of
the party."
At that meeting, the minister is also said to have reiterated that President
Mugabe was the glue holding the party together and there were fears that in
his absence, ZANU-PF would split.
Another submission was that both Mnangagwa and Mujuru would be defeated in a
poll by Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mzembi is the second ZANU-PF official named in WikiLeaks exposures as
predicting Tsvangirai's electoral victory.
In other cables, the late general Solomon Mujuru was alleged to have claimed
that Tsvangirai would defeat President Mugabe in the March 2008 general
polls, a view that later came true.
This is however, the first time that the possible dropping of both Mujuru
and Mnangagwa from the succession race has come out.
President Mugabe has previously indicated that he would not step down for
fear that ZANU-PF would disintegrate.
When asked in April this year about a 2002 interview with New African
magazine in which he said he would gladly step down if his party found a
suitable successor, President Mugabe said the party would find someone but
he could not leave while the party was in crisis.
"We have got to ensure that we are out of the crisis first before we can
think of that. And also, the party needs me and should not create weak
points, points of weakness within the party. We must remain solid and in
full gear. Once you have change, and if we had it now for example, the new
man or new woman -- that is an act that might destroy the party for a while
as it goes through transition," Mugabe said in the interview.
Another disclosure attributed to Mzembi by the cables is that the ZANU-PF
leader blames party members for his March 2008 electoral defeat, a claim
that President Mugabe has himself previously made in public.
"On October 13 (2008), Mzembi said he attended a meeting with Mugabe and
party insiders, including Emmerson Mnangagwa. Mugabe told the group they
would not be in the position of negotiating with the MDC had ZANU-PF members
worked harder in the March elections. Nevertheless, he now favoured
concluding the agreement. According to Mzembi, discussion focused on the
finance ministry. Mugabe was inclined to let it go," the cables add.
"Opposition to this was based on the fact that MDC leadership of finance -
and also home affairs - would facilitate investigation and prosecution of
high level ZANU-PF officials; some of those at the meeting wanted guarantees
they would be left alone."

Parirenyatwa hospital is letting down patients

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tichaona Sibanda
19 September 2011

Many nurses and doctors working at Parirenyatwa hospital in Harare have been
exposed as routinely displaying bad attitudes to patients awaiting treatment
at the casualty department.
Our correspondent Simon Muchemwa spent seven hours at the hospital on Friday
and told us there was a disturbing lack of compassion to patients.

‘The attitude of some of the nurses and doctors left much to be desired. I
think bad attitudes of nurses and doctors, and filth, are the two biggest
problems besetting the hospitals,’ Muchemwa said.

Our correspondent gained uninterrupted access to wards, the casualty
department and some examination rooms and found blood on the floors,
overflowing bins and used syringes, sanitary pads and bandages lying on the
floor, all posing a health hazard for other patients.

‘What I experienced and saw at the hospital can amount to deep routed
failings, routine neglect and patients left for hours without being attended
to. Patients, some visibly in pain and needing urgent treatment, were made
to wait for hours to see medical staff,’ Muchemwa added.

When our correspondent arrived at Parirenyatwa at around 3pm he found
approximately 80 people queuing in the waiting area. Of the several
examination rooms at the hospital’s outpatients department, only one had a
doctor in it who was attending to patients, another two had nurses who were
seeing patients.

It has long been alleged that doctors spend more time attending to patients
at their private surgeries. The hospital, which recently received a fresh
coat of paint, badly needs a management team that spends more time
inspecting its facilities.

‘Its clear there is poor supervision at the hospital as evidenced by the
falling standards in the wards and the casualty department. Generally I
think Parirenyatwa is a good example of a medical facility falling into ruin
through shameful neglect,’ Muchemwa said.

Cabinet reshuffle shows power of hardliners and military- Wikileaks

http://www.insiderzim.com

Monday, 19 September 2011 12:41

A cabinet reshuffle on 10 February 2004 which saw only one minister being
dismissed was viewed by United States embassy officials as an “anti-climatic
disappointment” which suggested “immobility and paralysis to the extreme”.

According to a cable released by Wikileaks the reshuffle suggested
“continuing hard-liner influence and military presence in political circles”
but was not likely to signal a significant shift in the direction or quality
of government policy.

In the reshuffle President Robert Mugabe only dismissed Mines Minister
Edward Chindori-Chininga but appointed two former members of the military-
Josiah Tungamirai and Ambrose Mutinhiri as ministers.

According to the US cable:”Many expected a more significant house-cleaning
by a ruling party intent on projecting seriousness on corruption. With just
one minister left seatless after the music stopped, the reshuffle probably
was an anti-climactic disappointment to many in the party; others are
breathing a sigh of relief -- for now.

“The appointment of three people from Manicaland--Mutasa, Chipanga, and
Mushowe-- reinforces the continuing influence of the Mutasa/Chinamasa
hard-liner faction, which figured prominently in the November appointments.
The appointment of Retired Air Marshal Josiah Tungamirai and retired
Brigadier Ambrose Mutinhiri conforms to the trend of a growing military
presence in political circles.”

Ministers demand cut on oils deals with South Africa-Wikileaks

http://www.insiderzim.com

Monday, 19 September 2011 11:58

Some unnamed government ministers wrote to the South African power company
Eskom and oil company Sasol demanding a cut on all business deals between
Zimbabwe and South Africa because they operated businesses that could act as
middlemen- one of the cables released by Wikileaks says.

The cable dispatched by former United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Tom
McDonald on 8 September 2000 says this information was provided to embassy
officials by the Managing Director of the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe Gideon
Gono.

At the time CBZ was the last resort the government turned to when it needed
hard currency and Gono was the “go-to” man.

Gono was irritated that he was being sidelined in oil deals since a cabinet
reshuffle which saw former Security Minister Sydney Sekeramayi become Mines
and Energy Minister.

Sekeramayi had , however, finally turned to Gono “in desperation” and Gono
had travelled to South Africa to arrange lines of credit.

Gono said he was told By Eskom and Sasol officials that “more than one
Zimbabwe minister and a few other notables from north of the border” had
already sent letters to Eskom and Sasol requesting a cut on all new energy
deals between South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Embassy officials said Gono’s information was highly credible and if this
story came out in the media, there would be a public outcry which could put
strong pressure on Sekeramayi to resign.

Constitution Watch of 16th September 2011 [Constitution-making moves slowly towards drafting stage]

Lies and spies

Dear Family and Friends,
We are neck deep in Wikileaks cables and the high tide is still
flooding in. Every day the leaked diplomatic cables are providing
evidence that nothing is as it seems in Zimbabwe. The cables have
exposed lies and spies, hypocrisy and duplicity, and double standards
of monumental proportions. The nation is holding its breath as we wait
to find out the fate of the most senior figures in the country who
have betrayed their leaders. The secret whisperings made to American
diplomats in Harare have left few big names unscathed.

Predictably, the state controlled ZBC TV are largely ignoring the
leaked cables which expose any criticism of Zanu PF’s leadership but
the independent press are overflowing with the stories and newspapers
are flying off the streets. In the past week the headlines have told
the story in all its gory, backstabbing and treachery.

“D Day for Zanu PF spies,” said News Day on Monday, describing
officials who support President Mugabe during the day and decampaign
him at night. Beneath the headline were the photographs of Reserve
Bank Governor Gideon Gono, the two vice Presidents and Jonathan Moyo.

“Dead Men Walking” was the classic headline of the Daily News mid
week, with pictures covering their front page of all the
‘sellouts” who wanted President Mugabe out of power. Pictures were
of senior figures within Zanu PF including Indigenisation Minister
Saviour Kasukuwere and Vice Presidents Joice Mujuru and John Nkomo.
Politburo member Jonathan Moyo was there too, described as the
‘serial flip flopper’ due to his continual mind changing about
which political party he supports. Moyo then went on to launch a one
hundred thousand US dollar lawsuit against the Daily News for their
reporting of the Wikileaks cables which exposed his indiscretions.

“Zim politics enters injury time,” was the headline of News
Day’s mid week editorial, with the subtitle: “with friends like
these who needs enemies.” The Editor spoke of betrayal and treachery
within Zanu PF which had made friends more dangerous than enemies.
Editor Brian Mangwende ended his piece with an old Arabic saying:
“Better a thousand enemies outside the house, than one inside”

“Army Commanders Face Court Martial.” was the top story in The
Zimbabwe Independent this week. You could almost hear the national
intake of break with the release of the Wikileaks cable concerning the
two senior army officials who had criticized their boss, General
Constantine Chiwenga. The two, a Major General and a Brigadier General
had described Chiwenga as a “political general” with “little
practical military experience or expertise”. The whispers started
coming in fast and furious, they speak of traitors, investigations and
even court martial.

“Forked Tongues,” was the headline of the editorial comment in The
Zimbabwean, the article ending with the words: “Only one thing is
certain – what has been whispered behind closed doors will be
shouted from the rooftops.”

It remains to be seen what action will be taken against the top Zanu
PF leaders who have betrayed their supreme leader. But one thing that
has become dramatically clear is the coming of age of Zimbabwe’s
independent press. They have done us proud in what is a notoriously
oppressive and dangerous profession in the country.
Until next time, thanks for reading, love cathy. 17th September 2011.
Copyright � Cathy Buckle. www.cathybuckle.com