Zanu says wants better ties with EU

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

by Own Correspondent     Wednesday 21 September 2011

HARARE – President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party says it is ready to resume
dialogue with European Union (EU) countries but said Brussels must first
lift sanctions against its top leaders.

Party chairman Simon Khaya Moyo told Swedish ambassador Anders Liden that
the former liberation movement, most of whose top leaders are banned from EU
territory, was ready for re-engagement, telling the diplomat that there was
need to move away from “things which separate us”.

"We agree that we must turn a new page. We can't continue to live in the
past. We can't dwell on things which separate us after all we are one
humanity," Moyo yesterday told Liden, who had paid a courtesy call on the
ZANU-PF chairman.

Moyo acknowledged the role played by Stockholm in support of Zimbabwe’s
1970s liberation struggle, while repeating ZANU-PF’s favourite line that the
rest of the EU had been misled by Britain into imposing sanctions against
the party’s leadership over a bilateral dispute between London and Harare.

The EU, alongside the United States, Australia, Switzerland and New Zealand,
imposed targeted sanctions against Mugabe and his top officials about nine
years ago as punishment for allegedly stealing elections, human rights
violations and failure to uphold the rule of law.

The sanctions include a ban on weapon sales to the southern African country.

The Western nations have however maintained humanitarian aid to Zimbabwe
including providing food relief and HIV/AIDS support mostly through
non-governmental organisations.

Mugabe, who denies violating human rights or stealing elections, says
sanctions by the EU and its western allies were meant to weaken him and
eventually cause his ouster from power as punishment for seizing land from
white farmers.

The veteran leader -- who insists the targeted visa and financial bans have
had a wider impact beyond the targeted individuals to damage Zimbabwe’s once
vibrant economy -- has blocked democratic reforms, especially in the
security sector saying these could only take place after a sanctions have
been removed. -- ZimOnline

Minister Makone admits MDC-T powerless over ZPF youths

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tererai Karimakwenda
21 September, 2011

Violent thugs from ZANU PF have more power than the police and the MDC-T
cannot do anything to stop them, the co-Minister of Home Affairs Theresa
Makone has admitted, just a day after the Chipangano gang in Mbare assaulted
minibus operators as police watched.

Speaking on SW Radio Africa's programme "Question Time", the Minister
admitted that her party has no power to stop the violent youths and police
are not allowed to arrest them, as long as they are furthering the ZANU PF
agenda.

There is this unwritten law that is understood by ZANU PF that you cannot
arrest their members. We have talked about it in parliament, in cabinet and
party meetings. But what difference does it make if the hands of the police
are tied," Makone said.

She added that police officers had been assaulted on Tuesday by members of
the Chipangano gang in Harare, who were beating up minibus drivers refusing
to pay a fee for each trip. The incident occurred in front of the police
station.

Asked how it was possible for the police to fail to subdue and arrest a
group of young thugs, the Home Affairs co-Minister said: "It's not a
question of numbers. If instructions are given not to arrest them you can do
nothing."

Makone said she has spoken to Robert Mugabe about the violence on several
occasions and informed him that there was a problem. But he gets other
reports, from sources she says she does not know, that say incidents have
gone down.

"He needs to give a clear and direct command to the police to arrest all
perpetrators of violence without regard for color of their regalia" the
frustrated Minister explained, adding: "I'm unhappy with this as a minister
and a leader of women."

Makone confirmed reports in the Newsday newspaper that ZANU PF youths had
invaded her constituency and established a torture base there. According to
Newsday, Harare's deputy Mayor, Emmanuel Chiroto, has threatened to quit as
a result of ZANU PF's invasions.

Makone said she believes the violence would end if the SADC team that is due
to work with JOMIC is sent to Zimbabwe soon.

Regional leaders resolved to appoint a 3-member team to assist JOMIC with
the implementation of the GPA months ago. The team has still not been
appointed.

Zimbabwe: a new wave of land seizures?

http://www.csmonitor.com

Youths aligned with President Mugabe's ZANU PF party have begun a new wave
of land seizures, attacking white and foreign-owned companies and damaging
one of the few functioning parts of the economy.

By A Correspondent / September 21, 2011

Harare, Zimbabwe

A country still reeling under the economic meltdown of the controversial
land reform, Zimbabwe is on the brink of yet another potentially damaging
economic exercise: seizing white-controlled companies in urban centers and
mines through out the country.

Under the banner of the 21st February Movement, an organization formed in
line with President Robert Mugabe’s birthday, Zanu PF youths are
indiscriminately invading white- and foreign-owned companies under the
controversial Indigenization and Economic Empowerment Act, which requires
that foreigners possess 41 percent of shares while the rest goes to
indigenous people.

While compliance should be executed in boardrooms, young members of the
Zimbabwe African National Union -- Patriotic Front, led by President Mugabe,
have adopted the violent land reform style of grabbing the companies, at
times forcing the closure of strategic economic units and at the same time
causing mayhem, especially in the capital, Harare. It's a method that was
used in the past decade against white-owned farms, and which has been blamed
for a severe drop in food production. Once a food-exporter, Zimbabwe now is
a recipient of food aid.

Press reports in Zimbabwe suggests that the “rogue” youths have “literally
taken over Harare by invading almost all council properties, car parks,
ranks, markets and open spaces meant for council projects,” saying they were
taking over what “rightly belonged” to them.

Home Affairs co-minister Mrs. Theresa Makone has said she had given up on
trying to control the youths.

“In my constituency, there is chaos, and ZANU PF youths have finished
building a base and there is nothing I can do to stop their invasions," Ms.
Makone told NewsDay newspaper. "I and the deputy mayor are in the same area
and we have a problem. When I wanted to develop, they denied me. There is
nothing we can do...."

ZANU PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo has disowned the youths, saying they were
members of the opposition, while his party secretary for administration
Didymus Mutasa recently claimed responsibility for the violence that rocked
Parliament Building, saying they would defend the youths if they were
arrested.

In Zimbabwe’s second-largest city, Bulawayo, the same youths have occupied
buildings owned by Zimbabweans of Asian origin for the past year, claiming
it was part of their indigenization drive to pass businesses onto black
people. Prejudice against Africans of Asian origin is common throughout the
continent because of their prominent place in business affairs. African
politicians of the past, such as Uganda's former dictator Idi Amin, once
targeted Asian merchants and landowners.

While land invasions were aimed at "taking back" land owned by white
commercial farmers and giving it to the poor, the violent land reform which
started in 1995 has left thousands of farm workers without jobs and forced
hundreds of white farmers to flee to countries such as Zambia and Nigeria.

Political commentator Hopewell Gumbo says that the current wave of invasions
could finish off those few sections of the economy that still function.

“This is another exercise which spells doom for Zimbabwe, particularly on
the economic front," says Mr. Gumbo. "The unfortunate reality is that while
in the Government of National Unity, the MDC is trying to heal the battered
economy, Zanu PF is pulling in another direction.

“The new wave of invasions will not benefit the country at all except to put
the country on the rogue map of the world," he adds. "Zanu PF is
grandstanding.”

ZANU PF intimidation increases in Chipinge district

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
21 September 2011

Villagers in Chipinge district in Manicaland province have been ordered to
submit their names to village heads and threatened with death if they fail
to comply.

The threats came from two of ZANU PF's losing parliamentary candidates in
the 2008 elections. Central Committee member Enock Porusungazi lost to the
MDC-T in Chipinge South, while Tobias Matanga fared badly next to Prosper
Mutseyami of the MDC-T in the Musikavanhu constituency of Chipinge district.

But the two ZANU PF officials teamed up on Saturday and distributed
notebooks to village heads in the two constituencies and gave them
instructions to list first and surnames of villagers in their areas, dates
of birth and identity numbers.

On Monday the two ZANU PF members went around the constituencies, this time
directly approaching the villagers and telling them of their 'decree' issued
to village heads.

Pishai Muchauraya, the MDC-T spokesman for Manicaland, told SW Radio Africa
that villagers were also told to specify their political affiliations to the
village heads.

'These two constituencies are under the MDC-T and the villagers have been
alarmed with this new development that the MP for Musikavanhu has had to
leave Parliament and travel back to the district. We understand Porusungazi
and Matanga were specific when they issued these threats. They gave the
villagers a choice, that if they do not comply it's either they vacate the
area on their own volition or they will be booted off or more seriously,
killed,' Muchauraya added.

The MDC-T said it takes the threats seriously because Porusingazi has a
reputation of dealing ruthlessly with all known MDC supporters. The party
said they can only guess what the duo intends to do with the information.

'There is a possibility they may want to pass on the information to the
militias and the CIO, or they may want to approach the registrar general and
use the information to delete MDC activists from the voters roll.

'Chipinge is a drought prone district so it will be easy for them to
identify MDC supporters and exclude them from drought relief programs. We do
not want to take any chances, therefore we are going to report this to the
police, write to JOMIC as well as to the Zimbabwe Election Commission and
inform them of the situation in Chipinge,' said Muchauraya.

The Makoni South MP however dispelled any fears that the two ZANU PF
members, whom he described as 'deranged', stand any chance of wrestling back
the two seats.

'I can liken their actions to kicks of a dying horse, that can be very
dangerous, but overall they don't pose any threat as far as the race for
votes is concerned,' the MP said.

More activists arrested in Bulawayo

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tererai Karimakwenda
21 September, 2011

Just days after ten youths from the MDC-N were arrested and tortured for
distributing flyers in Bulawayo, police have arrested 20 more who were
peacefully conducting a voter registration exercise.

The activists were from the Youth Initiative for Development in Zimbabwe
(YIDEZ), assisting voters who may have problems with documentation and
registration procedures. The programme was jointly organized by the Zimbabwe
Lawyers for Human Rights.

SW Radio Africa correspondent Lionel Saungweme, said the youth activists
were arrested Wednesday morning in Bulawayo city centre. They are currently
being held at the Bulawayo Central Police Station and have not been charged
yet.

"A policeman was heard saying they might be charged for blocking the
pavement," Saungweme said, adding: "It looks like a broad strategy of
electioneering by ZANU PF to make sure other political parties are not
active on the streets".

He explained that the Mugabe regime has always used violence and
intimidation as political weapons ahead of elections in the past. But that
strategy will not be acceptable this time around, with regional leaders
insisting on a peaceful poll and monitoring the SADC facilitated GPA.

"SADC appears to be seeking a fair election and Robert Mugabe now has to
conceal his venom," Saungweme said.

The ten MDC youths arrested on Saturday had been abducted by soldiers for
distributing flyers in Sauerstown. They were accused of "throwing" flyers
over the fence at State House, which serves as home to Robert Mugabe in
Bulawayo, and were tortured before being turned over to the police.

Campaigning and electoral education are not supposed to be illegal in
Zimbabwe, but police continue to arbitrarily ban political activities not
affiliated with ZANU PF.

For Zimbabwe Premier, Optimism and Caution

http://www.nytimes.com

By RICK GLADSTONE
Published: September 20, 2011

The prime minister of Zimbabwe, one of southern Africa’s poorest and most
politically anxious countries, expressed hope on Tuesday that elections for
a new government could be held next year, bringing an end to an awkward and
rancorous power-sharing partnership between him and his rival, the country’s
legendarily autocratic president, Robert Mugabe.

In an interview with the editorial board of The New York Times, the prime
minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, said his relationship with Mr. Mugabe had
evolved since 2008, when Mr. Tsvangirai was forced to abandon a presidential
runoff with him after a campaign of violence and intimidation by Mr. Mugabe’s
supporters who feared Mr. Tsvangirai might win. Under a truce brokered by
South Africa, both men embarked on a collaboration that has been fraught
with tension and occasional blowups but has remained basically intact.

“The tone has changed,” Mr. Tsvangirai said. “We’ve gone from enemies to
opponents.”

Mr. Tsvangirai, who flew with Mr. Mugabe to New York for the United Nations
General Assembly, said the two had regularly scheduled meetings every Monday
in Mr. Mugabe’s office. There is “no defined agenda,” he said.

Nonetheless, it is clear that Mr. Tsvangirai and his political party, the
Movement for Democratic Change, have remained on guard for the possibility
that Mr. Mugabe and his party, ZANU-PF, might subvert the partnership. A
number of Mr. Tsvangirai’s supporters have been arrested and harassed by the
police and criminal justice system in Zimbabwe, which remain under Mr.
Mugabe’s control.

This year, a high-ranking army commander said he would ensure that Mr.
Mugabe remained president, and he called Mr. Tsvangirai a “national security
threat” who took orders from foreigners, suggesting the army’s intention to
interfere in elections.

Mr. Tsvangirai noted that the commander, Brig. Gen. Douglas Nyikayaramba,
had been censured for the remarks, which he described as the view of an
individual. He also said that others in the armed forces, as well as in
other branches of government under Mr. Mugabe’s control, had come to realize
that Zimbabwe could not go back to the days of one-party rule and
intolerance for opposing points of view.

He also said that some important barometers of Zimbabwe’s quality of life
had improved significantly under the power-sharing relationship, pointing to
closed hospitals that had reopened, textbooks provided to grammar schools
and improved sanitation. In Harare, the capital, clean water is available to
many people who once had no access to it, he said.

At the same time, Mr. Tsvangirai acknowledged that Zimbabwe remained
impoverished and hobbled by a lack of foreign investment, an antiquated
infrastructure and a traumatic decline in agricultural production. “We’ve
gone from bread basket to basket case,” he said.

He expressed confidence that the Southern African Development Community, the
regional alliance that has monitored the power-sharing arrangement in
Zimbabwe, would keep pressure on ZANU-PF and insist that when new elections
are held, they are monitored by outside observers.

“Everyone knows that unless there is agreement, the future of the country is
in question,” he said.

The ideal outcome of an election — which Mr. Tsvangirai said could happen in
the third quarter of 2012 — would be “we win, and there is a smooth transfer
of power, hallelujah.” But as a veteran of Zimbabwe’s brutal politics, he
acknowledged other possible outcomes, saying, “You always have to budget for
a negative.”

WOZA members beaten, arrested after police crush peaceful march

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
21 September 2011

A march by pressure group Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) was on Wednesday
violently crushed by riot police officers, leaving many people injured and
12 members arrested.

The march had been organised to commemorate the annual International Day of
Peace, and saw four groups of WOZA members converge on the Mhlahlandlela
government complex on Wednesday morning. The groups handed out leaflets and
flowers to passersby, singing songs and talking about national healing.

But this peaceful action was soon brought to a sudden stop when scores of
riot police started rounding up the WOZA members, saying they did not have
permission to march.

A listener in Bulawayo told SW Radio Africa on Wednesday that about 50 riot
police were deployed to break up the gathering. He explained that people
started running away because the police were beating everyone with batons.
He described how he too had to flee the scene because the police spotted him
trying to take photographs. He also described seeing a photographer lying on
the ground and bleeding heavily.

"Soon there were about six ambulances in the street, and about 20 people had
to be taken to hospital and I don't know what their fate is. I also saw a
group of WOZA women being arrested and taken away by the police," the
listener explained.

He added: "It's disgusting that this always happens to WOZA, especially on
the Day of Peace."

Lawyer Kossam Ncube from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) confirmed
that 12 women were arrested during the march. He told SW Radio Africa that
some of the women were beaten, and added "they will definitely be spending
the night behind bars."

"They have been arrested and detained and charged with criminal nuisance,
allegedly for throwing flyers and flowers," Ncube said.

He also explained that WOZA leaders Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu
were among the women arrested. He said the pair have been charged
separately.

"They have been charged with kidnapping and theft, apparently over an issue
from long ago. We can't understand what this is all about," Ncube said.

The WOZA members had been set to deliver a declaration to the province
Governor, highlighting recommendations around a Transitional Justice
programme. The group has done its own research on this issue and is set to
release its results soon. But it said in a statement that from their study
80% of people said they have personally experienced, or had a close relative
experience, human rights abuses. 28% said they had experienced assaults and
26% said they have experienced torture themselves.

Zimbabwe won't fold state airline despite debt

http://www.timeslive.co.za/

HARARE, Zimbabwe September 21 Sapa-AP | 21 September, 2011 20:01

Zimbabwe will not shut down its bankrupt state airline, an official said,
and is seeking foreign partners to rescue the debt-ridden service after it
was grounded by a series of crippling strikes that saw it lose thousands of
customers.

Air Zimbabwe's collapse is blamed on mismanagement and three crippling pilot
strikes in the past 10 months over unpaid salaries and allowances.

The airline resumed flights on Friday after the latest strike by its 49
pilots. Officials said one weekend flight carried only one passenger. They
estimated it would take six months to restore confidence.

Thousands of passengers have been stranded this year and have not received
refunds.

But Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi said the government-owned airline is the
country's symbolic flag carrier and cannot be dismantled without bruising
the southern African nation's ego and damaging Zimbabwe's image worldwide.

To abandon the troubled airline, he wrote in an opinion piece in the
state-run Herald newspaper on Wednesday, "is self-destructive and morally
wrong."

He said the airline owed at least $100 million and was looking for another
$500 million to upgrade its aging fleet. He said the recently ended strike
is estimated to have cost $8 million, and also had a severe impact on
tourism revenues.

"This is not readily available, especially when the airline cannot even pay
wages and salaries," Mzembi wrote.

He also said the bloated airline has 184 employees for each of its eight
aircraft, compared to a world average of 80 staff for each aircraft.

He said other African airlines had outside help from "serious, cash-rich and
committed" investors.

But loyalists of President Robert Mugabe's party have sharply opposed hiring
white or expatriate managers to run loss-making state enterprises. The
government imposed rules that require all businesses to be majority
black-owned.

Mutinhiri Faces Sack From Parliament

http://www.radiovop.com/i

By Nkosana Dlamini, Harare, September 21, 2011 - Embattled Marondera East
Member of Parliament, Tracy Mutinhiri now faces expulsion from her
parliamentary seat and her position as a deputy minister after Zanu (PF)
wrote to Speaker of the House Lovemore Moyo on Tuesday disowning her.

Moyo confirmed receipt of the letter from Zanu (PF) informing him about
Mutinhiri’s expulsion from the party.

“I have received a letter from Zanu (PF) Secretary for Administration
Honourable Didymus Mutasa advising me, in my capacity as the Speaker of
Parliament, that one of their members Honourable Tracy Mutinhiri is no
longer a member of their political party with effect from 2nd of September
2011,” said Moyo, in an interview with Radio VOP.

Mutinhiri, who is also Labour and Social Services deputy minister, is being
accused by her party of de-campaigning the party and having a relationship
with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC), an arch enemy to Zanu (PF).

Moyo said he has since referred Zanu (PF)’s letter to Parliament's Council
to assess whether the communication of termination meets all the legal
requirements.

Zimbabwe’s Constitution gives power to a sponsoring party to terminate the
membership of any member it deems is no longer representing its interests.

Mutinhiri’s impending expulsion will become the fourth sitting MP to be
expelled from the House since the 2008 harmonised elections at the
instigation of their respective parties.

In 2009, the then Arthur Mutambara led MDC also forced the expulsion of its
members Abednico Bhebhe (Nkayi South), Njabuliso Mguni (Lupane East) and
Norman Mpofu (Bulilima East).

Coincidentally, the trio was also being accused of sabotaging party
interests in favour of the MDC-T.

Chiyangwa Bounces Back In Politics Amid Vote Buying

http://www.radiovop.com/

Chinhoyi, September 21, 2011 - Flamboyant business mogul who recently
returned to politics,Phillip Chiyangwa has divided Zanu (PF) youths who have
been deployed to prop up his election bid here this weekend.

Hardly a week after he was co-opted in Makonde district co-ordinating
committee as secretary for indigenisation, Chiyangwa is sponsoring some of
the youths to vote for him for the post of chairman.

A party insider told Radio VOP that Chiyangwa was paying for food and
accommodation for the youths who had been drawn from Karoi, Hurungwe and
Kariba and deployed in Kadoma and Chegutu on Monday. He was sidelining those
from Chinhoyi.

President Robert Mugabe is on record denouncing use of money to get support.

A disgruntled member from Karoi said there was confusion and division as
some youths had dumped acting chairman Hurungwe Senator Reuben Marumahoko
who had been mandated to re-structure the party grassroots structures that
were in shambles.

''Chiyangwa has brought divisions because of money. Some candidates are
pulling out."

He is due to contest Walter Chidhakwa from Zvimba.

Chiyangwa's re entrance to the party is still yet to get a nod from national
chairman Simon Khaya-Moyo.

He is famed for sponsoring the notorious gang code named Top Six in Chinhoyi
that terrorised mainly Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters
during his tenure as provincial chairman since 2000. He later turned his
back against Zanu (PF) in 2004 after he was arrested for espionage when he
was accused of selling party secrets.

As divisions continue to dogde the province, Chiyangwa who is President
Mugabe's nephew has support of party bigwigs among them Ignatius Chombo,
Webster Shamu among others.

He could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile villagers in Murehwa has called on politicians not to abuse youths
by giving them hand-outs to commit acts of violence but rather empower them.

Murehwa, a politically volatile area, witnessed cases of violence during the
29 March and 27 June 2008 elections.

Participants called on prosecution of perpetrators of violence starting with
Gukurahundu which happened in the early 1980s and resulted in at least 20
000 killed by the North Korean trained 5th Brigade.

President Robert Mugabe admitted that "it was a moment of madness''.

A similar meeting in Kwekwe called on the government to use new technology
to come up with a clean voters roll.

'Millions of Zimbabweans face deportation'

http://www.timeslive.co.za

THABO MOKONE | 21 September, 2011 00:28

More than 130000 undocumented Zimbabwean immigrants have benefited from a
special dispensation - but the government still has no idea how many of them
are living in this country illegally.

Department of Home Affairs director-general Mkuseli Apleni yesterday told
the Home Affairs portfolio committee that 134369 Zimbabweans, who had been
in the country without proper documentation, had been issued with work,
business or study permits since the introduction of the special dispensation
for Zimbabweans in 2009.

But Apleni said the department still did not know how many Zimbabweans were
in South Africa illegally.

"We do not have that record," he said.

He warned that illegal Zimbabwean immigrants who had failed to take
advantage of the special dispensation could be deported when the September
deadline for applications expired.

"To those people who chose not to apply, we have to apply . the immigration
laws of this country," he said.

The number of Zimbabweans at risk of being deported could be as high as
4million, according to civil society organisations.

The dispensation was agreed between South Africa and Zimbabwe in response to
the high inflow of illegal migrants to this country.

Apleni said that, since the special dispensation came into effect, 275762
Zimbabweans had applied for documentation to legitimise their continued
living in South Africa.

Of these applications, 141393 were at a pre-adjudication stage because
further information was required. Another 6243 people had applied for
amnesty.

Facebook trial collapses

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

21/09/2011 00:00:00
    by Staff Reporter/AP

THE trial of a Bulawayo man accused of inciting a political uprising on
Facebook has collapsed.

Lawyer Lizwe Jamela said Wednesday that investigators had failed to retrieve
the message as evidence and so the court threw out the subversion charge.

Vikas Mavhudzi, 39, of Old Magwegwe, had been accused of posting a message
on Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Facebook ‘wall’ urging him to lead
North Africa-style protests in Zimbabwe.

The message, said to have been posted on Tsvangirai’s ‘wall’ on February 13
at about 2PM, appears to have been deleted before police investigators could
retrieve it.

The message said: “I am overwhelmed, I don’t want to say Mr. or PM [sic]
what happened in Egypt is sending shockwaves to dictators around the world.
No weapon but unity of purpose worth emulating, hey.”

Prosecutor Jeremiah Mutsindikwa had charged that Mavhudzi was “advocating or
attempting to take-over government by unconstitutional means”.
Mavhudzi spent a month in jail in May before being freed on bail.

President Robert Mugabe, in power for more than 30 years, has cracked down
on public debate about the 'Arab Spring' that has toppled other longtime
rulers on the continent.

Two MDC members bailed in Glenview cop murder

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tererai Karimakwenda
21 September, 2011

Two MDC members who were arrested earlier this month and falsely accused of
murdering a police officer in Glen View, have been granted bail by Justice
Joseph Musakwa at the High Court.

Activist Memory Ncube and the MDC-T Harare province secretary for National
Healing, Kerina Dewa, were arrested on September 7th as police continued
rounding up MDC-T supporters, accusing them of complicity in the murder.

Police officer Petros Mutedza was killed by unknown revelers in a local
nightclub in Glen view back in May this year. The police, claiming to be
investigating the murder, arrested a total of 24 MDC members at the time. A
group of 17 were granted bail in July but 7 are still in remand prison.

The police claim Mutedza was murdered by MDC members who held a meeting at
the pub, despite evidence that many of them were not even at that location
on the day. MDC-T officials accuse the police of harassing their members and
attempting to destabilize the party.

Ncube and Dewa were granted $300 bail each.

Old Mutual reaches local ownership deal with Zimbabwe

http://af.reuters.com

Wed Sep 21, 2011 3:30pm GMT

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Old Mutual has reached an agreement with
Zimbabwe over local ownership of its Zimbabwe unit, the insurer said in a
statement on Wednesday.

Under a controversial law, foreign firms operating in the southern African
nation must sell a majority stake to local blacks.

Old Mutual said it had reached an agreement over the "first phase" of its
proposal to comply with the law. It was not immediately clear what the
agreement entailed.

Embattled Anglican Church builds new structures

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

The Anglican Church, whose properties around the country continue to be
grabbed by President Robert Mugabe’s bishop, Nolbert Kunonga, has started
building alternative venues to house its worshippers.
21.09.1111:55am
by Fungai Kwaramba Harare

Clifford Dzavo, the Secretary for Harare Diocese, said at least 40 percent
of the Church’s properties, including orphanages, were now in the hands of
Kunonga - who has been armed with a Supreme Court ruling that places control
of the church properties in his hands.

“Wherever we can we have built new structures and we hope to develop them
further,” said Dzavo.

Presently the Church of the Central African Province is engaged in a legal
battle for the control of its properties.

“Building new churches is not a sign that we are giving up but that we are
looking into the future. Our church keeps growing despite the seatbacks,”
said Dzavo.

In many areas, such as Chitungwiza, Kunonga’s rival Anglican church has far
fewer followers than the true church – but they do not have access to the
buildings, most of which they contributed to building.

“We are hopeful that eventually we will get our churches back, God’s will
shall prevail and the truth shall set us free,” said Getrude Mlambo a member
of the church in Chitungwiza. Members are hopeful that they will have some
form of shelter from the coming rainy season in which to worship.

Top CIO operative deployed to Malaysia

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

The Human Resources Director for Mugabe’s Spy Agency, the Central
Intelligence Organisation, T. Mlambo, recently left the country to take up
an undisclosed top post with Zimbabwe’s spy network in Malaysia.
21.09.1101:28pm
by Jane Makoni

Mlambo, a close associate of Mugabe and a permanent feature in the aging
octogenarian leader’s external visits delegation, hosted a farewell party
for close associates and church members at his Marondera Winston Park home
early this month. He flew out of the country for Malaysia a fortnight ago.

“Mlambo had overall authority regarding recruitment of spy agents into the
CIO.

Though he regarded himself a Christian of the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe,
his hands were dirty as he played a pivotal role in the violation of human
rights by the former ruling Zanu (PF) and the partisan state security
agents. He violently invaded a white owned commercial farm along the
Marondera-Hwedza-Bridge Road.

He went on to rename the property, Tafirenyika Farm. Following the farm
invasion members of the church began to shun him and his activities but he
could not repent,” said an insider at the CIO Headquarters in Harare.

Following the death of the former CIO Director and ‘National Hero’,
Muzariri, it was widely expected that Mlambo would be lifted to the post
because of his close relationship with Mugabe.

“Last year, Mlambo and some members of the Junta hosted a celebration party
at the farm and rejoiced his newly found status as a black commercial
farmer. Villagers from his rural home, Gutu, and church members from his
home church, Aleit Mission, graced the occasion.

He also invited male members from his Marondera church branch, Varume
veSangano, but most of them turned down the invitation as they did not want
to be associated with Mlambo’s ‘illegal’ land activities.

“At one point he suggested that the farm be turned into a church preaching
point, an idea shot down by church elders who said that the way the property
was acquired was against the teachings of the Holy Bible. Mlambo held a
powerful post in the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe where he is the Church
District Central Deacon.”

An announcement was made last Sunday at Dombotombo Reformed Church that:
“Mlambo has finally left the country to take a diplomatic post in Malaysia”.

Church members expressed relief over his departure.

Matapo endures prison torture

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

An army captain remanded in custody over a shadowy plot to kill President
Robert Mugabe is being slowly, quietly, methodically killed in Chikurubi
Maximum Security Prison.
21.09.1101:06pm
by Chief Reporter

Albert Matapo was put in a punishment cell for the fifth time in little more
than two months. In total he spent more than a month of lock-up. Yet he is
not a killer, a rapist, nor a strangler of children.

In 2007 Matapo and six other soldiers were arrested in connection with a
plot to stage a coup to topple Mugabe and replace him with defence minister
Emmerson Mnangagwa. Matapo, together with Nyasha Zivuku, Oncemore
Mudzurahona, Emmanuel Marara, Patson Mupfure, Shingirai Mutemachani and
Rangarirai Maziofa, all deny the charge. They have been held at Chikurubi
ever since.

Mnangagwa has since distanced himself from the group and described the
allegations as "stupid".

Matapo was arrested first for convening an illegal meeting and then on a
list of conspiracy charges in connection with a plot to kill the president.

In April this year, Matapo attempted to escape. Prison officer Donald
Gwekwerere, who is currently on bail pending appeal, allegedly supplied
Matapo and his co-accused with tools. They used a hacksaw to cut burglar
bars securing the observation window to their cell, but were caught as they
skipped the perimetre fence.

Their lawyer Charles Warara claim they tried to escape because the cells
they were living in were condemned and they were being ill-treated.

Matapo says he has been humiliated and tortured – kept in a punishment
isolation cell.

In late August, during a meeting with his lawyer, his cold hands were thin,
almost childish. He kept rubbing them to warm them a little. He remains
staunchly insubordinate – maintaining that he has not been convicted and is
unlawfully held.

He wakes up for reveille, goes to a drill for only one hour but doesn't do
the exercises, just stands. Prison officers have responded by subjecting him
to extreme punishment, and his lawyer fears for his life.

ZNA colonel threatens private newspapers

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Notorious Zimbabwe National Army Colonel, Charles Muresherwa, has threatened
to confiscate privately owned newspapers from Chimanimani villagers who are
seen reading them by Zanu (PF) youths.
21.09.1101:16pm
by Zwanai Sithole Harare

Addressing a party meeting at Mhakwe primary school on Saturday, Muresherwa
also warned civil servants in the area, particularly teachers, not to bring
papers such as the Daily News, The Zimbabwean and Newsday to the area.

“Muresherwa lied to villagers that there was drought relief meeting at
Mhakwe primary school. The meeting turned out to be a Zanu (PF) campaign
meeting where he accused the private media of writing lies about Zanu (PF).
He said the villagers should only read newspapers in the Zimpapers stable,”
said a teacher who attended the meeting.

Another teacher who was present said Muresherwa had instructed Zanu (PF)
youths in the area to confiscate all independent newspapers from anyone seen
reading them.

“Kombi drivers are no longer willing to buy the independent papers for us.
They are only comfortable transporting the Manica Post and Herald,” said the
teacher who refused to be named for fear of victimisation. He pledged to
bring copies of the Herald, Sunday Mail and Manica Post every week to the
area as part of his campaign gimmick.

Muresherwa, the aspiring MP for Chimanimani East, has been moving
door–to–door in the area with armed soldiers asking the villagers’ political
allegiance.

In February this year Zanu (PF) youths, allegedly on the colonel’s
Instructions, torched several huts of MDC supporters in Cashel Valley.

During the run up to the discredited March 2008 elections Muresherwa moved
around the constituency brandishing an AK 47 rifle and intimidating MDC
supporters.

Apostles ignore farm order

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

Members of the Johanne Masowe apostolic sect, who have been intimidating the
residents of Bollarnt Farm in Masvingo for the past few weeks, have refused
to accept the Zanu (PF) order to put an end to the invasion.
21.09.1101:39pm
by Zwanai Sithole Harare

The mapostori, who have been threatening the farm’s owners with knobkerries,
were told by the district administrator to leave the area, but are simply
defying the directive.

"We have heard nothing," said Madzibaba Lameck. "We will remain here. We
have been promised land. We have been struggling for land for years.”

"We won the war of liberation," he added. “Thirty years of independence and
we still haven't got our land back. These white people colonised us. We are
landless, and we are tired of waiting for what is ours."

James Mazvidza, the Masvingo District Administrator and the Zanu (PF)
Governor of Masvingo, Titus Maluleke, have told them that they must go
through normal land

allocation processes in order to lay claim to the farm. He said the
professional provincial lands committee team would have to assess the case,
and in the meantime the invaders must leave.

The fact that the present owners of Bollarnt legally bought their 4,000-acre
farm, with the approval of President Mugabe's government, cuts little ice
with the mapostori.

"They bought stolen property," said Madzibaba Lameck.

Zimbabwe cane ethanol project ready to distribute

http://biofuelsdigest.com

Meghan Sapp | September 21, 2011

In Zimbabwe, the Chisumbanje ethanol plant is waiting for final regulatory
approval to begin distributing the million liters of ethanol it has produced
during its first three weeks of production. The $600 million project is
expected to produce 70% of the country’s fuel needs. About 5,000 hectares of
cane supplies the facility while 400 outgrowers are expected to deliver cane
as well.

Thousands mourn death of MDC founder

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
21 September 2011

Thousands of MDC supporters gathered in Harare on Wednesday to pay their
respects and mourn the death of one of the party's founding members, Diamond
Karanda, who passed away on Sunday.

Karanda died after a short illness and is remembered as the MDC's first
Youth Assembly secretary for security. At the time of his death he was a
personal assistant to the MDC-T's Deputy Mines Minister, Gift Chimanikire,
who described Karanda as a "visionary."

Addressing mourners at Warren Hills cemetery the MDC-T deputy national
chairperson Morgen Komichi described Karanda as a "fearless fighter for real
change."

"Diamond was known for his courage," Komichi said, adding: "In Zimbabwe
there is no democratic freedom, no freedom of association, we have no well
equipped hospitals, schools, no better roads and there is high unemployment.
These are the issues that Diamond died fighting for."

Komichi said ZANU PF was to blame for Karanda's death as he was a victim of
ZANU PF and state security agents assault on several occasions since he
joined the MDC in 1999.

Karanda was also arrested on several occasions on various trumped-up
charges. On two occasions he and other MDC youths were abducted by state
security agents and dumped in remote areas. On both occasions they managed
to escape and come back to Harare.

Komichi castigated the police Commissioner General, Augustine Chihuri, and
the police for not taking any action against ZANU PF thugs, who continue the
party's reign of intimidation and violence in the capital.

"I want to tell Chihuri that if he does not take action and arrest the ZANU
PF hooligans, the MDC youths are going to defend their parents and the
people against the unruly behaviour of ZANU PF youths," he said.

Zimbabwe To Host Diamond Beneficiation Symposium

http://www.diamondintelligence.com

21 September 2011

Zimbabwe is planning to host a two-day conference to promote local value
addition of the country's diamonds. Conference organizer South Africa-based
Afrimond Zimbabwe says it hopes the diamond symposium, scheduled for October
26-28, will attract participants from some of the world's largest
beneficiation firms.

"...we hope this will become an annual event that will bring together
diamond experts and practitioners from all around the world," says Sakiwe
Ndhlovu, operations director and area representative for Afrimond Diamond
and Jewellery Institute, as quoted by New Ziana. "The conference will
discuss matters that will promote diamond beneficiation and encourage the
utilisation of the resources to the benefit of the African people," she
added.

According to Ndhlovu, so far, organizations expected to attend the
conference include the World Diamond Council, African Diamond Producers
Association, Overseas Private Investment Corporation and industry
representatives from India and Israel. Various government ministries are
also expected to participate in the conference, which is also aimed at
bridging the skills gap between Africa and the West, reports New Ziana.

Emirates to launch Zambia and Zimbabwe routes

http://www.businesstraveller.com

Published: 21/09/2011

Emirates will fly to Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, and onwards to Zimbabwe’s
capital Harare from February next year.

The five-times weekly service will commence on February 1, adding the 20th
and 21st African destinations to the Emirates network.

Flights will depart Dubai on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
at 0925, arriving in Lusaka at 1450, before leaving for Harare at 1620 and
landing at 1720. The return leg will depart Zimbabwe at 1920, landing in
Zambia at 2020, before departing for Dubai at 2150, landing back at 0710 the
following day.

The route will be served with A330-200 aircraft configured for
three-classes, with 12 in first class, 48 in business and 183 in economy.

Land invasions, poaching threaten Trans-frontier tourism

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Zanu (PF) youths have gone on the rampage, invading wildlife conservancies,
cutting down trees and poaching wild animals.
20.09.1105:41pm
by Itai Mabasa

Gonarezhou National Park, Manjinji Bird Sanctuary, Chipinge and Malati
Safari areas, which form part of the National Parks estate, Bubiana,
Chiredzi River, Save and Malilangwe conservancies - part of the Great
Limpopo Trans-frontier conservation area – have all come under attack,
reports Wildlife and Environment Zimbabwe.

The NGO’s director, Dr Willie Ndoku, said commercial poaching of numerous
species for horns and hides had reached alarming proportions and if it was
not stopped soon “we should forget about our participating in the Great
Limpopo Trans-frontier tourism”.

The same area is also under threat also from those poaching animals for
meat, who starting veld fires to drive the animals to places where they can
easily be caught.

“Besides the fires, trees are being destroyed by people who cut them to sell
as fire wood in urban centres,” added Ndoku.

WEZ has written to the Ministry of Environment asking for assistance to save
the area but their call seems to be falling on deaf ears. The perpetrators
are said to be Zanu (PF) youths who claim that all the fertile land has been
grabbed by party big-wigs - hence their efforts to claim the non-arable land
in the conservancies.

“The land invaders have also occupied the southern part of Gonarezhou
National Park, Chiredzi and Save conservancies. Conservancy owners are
battling to keep them out – but without success. WEZ appeals to the powers
that be to help remove these people from the game conservation areas and
settle them on suitable arable land where they can do their cropping,” said
WEZ in a recent statement.

The organisation says government must intervene “before it is too late”, or
the country will be guilty of failing dismally to conserve its wildlife
resources.

“This requires both political intervention and strengthening PWMA with
dedicated staff that do their work without fear or favour. This can only be
done if decision is taken at cabinet level,” said Ndoku.

Efforts to get comment from Environment Minister Francis Nhema were
fruitless.

Meanwhile, Zanu (PF) supporters are also reported to be targeting
white-owned properties in Chiredzi urban with a grouping masquerading as an
empowerment lobby group calling itself “Youth Movement” having invaded an
urban property belonging to the Henning brothers before proclaiming it as a
flea-market.

Peter Hennings has written to the South African Ambassador to Zimbabwe
complaining about the police’s failure to handle the case.

“Greig Henning reported the matter to the Police at Chiredzi but they
declined to accept the criminal charge of Breaking and Entering that he
attempted to lay. The police instead stated that what had happened is
"country-wide". According to them It is being perpetrated by "youths" who
claim that since the "fat cats" have grabbed all the agricultural land,
there was nothing else left for them to grab other than "low-activity" urban
property,” said Hennings in his letter.

Zanu (PF) through indigenisation minister Saviour Kasukuwere, has been
calling for the invasion of white-owned properties under the guise of the
policy that has been used by Zanu (PF) to plunder and loot resources.

Into Africa with the reserve that knows no frontiers

http://www.independent.co.uk

Straddling five countries, Kaza is the world's biggest wildlife park

By Daniel Howden

Wednesday, 21 September 2011

It's not your average park. Entering from the west in Angola it would
conservatively take you more than a month of continual driving to come out
the other side in eastern Zimbabwe – assuming that any vehicle could
withstand the journey.

It is 15 times the size of Tanzania's epic Serengeti reserve and home to the
largest population of elephants on the continent. And yet few people working
outside African environmental circles will have heard of Kavango-Zambezi
Transfrontier Conservation Area, or Kaza for short.

Straddling five countries and 36 national parks, making it the largest
nature area anywhere in the world, Kaza was made a legal fact last month as
Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe signed up to the most
ambitious scheme of its kind.

The conservation area will link up a who's who of southern African safari
stars from the Victoria Falls to the Okavango Delta and the Zambezi,
Chobe-Linyanti, Kwando and Cuito river systems. The reserve's flora is
equally phenomenal with at least 3,000 species as well as more than 600 bird
species across savannahs, woodlands and wetlands.

The legal establishment of the reserve has been warmly welcomed by
conservationists: "Eco-systems don't respect political boundaries," said Dr
Deon Nel, head of the biodiversity unit at the World Wide Fund for Nature in
South Africa. "In order to fully conserve eco-systems we need to look beyond
these boundaries to processes, like migration routes that work on a larger
scale. Many of these processes are lost in national parks."

Experts have pointed out that fragile eco-systems will be more resilient to
threats such as climate change if they are not fractured by political
borders that prevent high-impact animals such as elephants from ranging
across larger areas.

While the scientific benefits of the trans-frontier dream have long been
accepted, the political agreement has been slow in arriving. The concept of
a Southern African wildlife sanctuary was presented at a regional talking
shop as long ago as 1993, but 10 years on Namibia's then President, Sam
Nujoma, was still describing it as a "golden opportunity" that hadn't been
seized.

Turning the mosaic of national parks, hunting reserves, conservation areas
and rivers into a network has focused on the so-called "four corners"
region: the point at which Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe meet,
around Impalila Island in Namibia. Angola, which early on was still emerging
from a disastrous civil war, was included because of its importance as the
source of most of the regions' rivers.

The treaty signed in the Angolan capital Luanda in August created a reserve
roughly the size of Sweden at 450,000 square kilometres. The governments
involved are primarily interested in the tourism potential of the leviathan
they have created.

Namibia's Environment and Tourism Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, said:
"Conservation will be a vehicle for tourism, thus bringing about
socio-economic development in this region."

However, much of the immense land area covered by the agreements lacks the
infrastructure at present to absorb many more tourists.

Modest grants by the Dutch and German governments have helped set up an
administration for Kaza with offices in Botswana, but feasibility studies
have suggested that while the long-term benefits of the joint venture would
be considerable, hundreds of millions of pounds of investment in roads,
airports, accommodation and park authorities will be necessary to realise
them.

The challenges in the meantime are considerable. One of the first items on
the agenda is an appeal for funds for the removal of land mines that still
litter the area gazetted within Angola – a lethal hangover from the civil
war.

"There's a whole lot of things that need to be happen to make this real,"
said Dr Nel. "But we must start with political agreements and a legal
understanding which has to be followed up with the commitment of resources
from the governments involved."

New film charts Mugabe’s rise and fall

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

A documentary that traces President Robert Mugabe’s rise to power, his early
promise as a progressive democrat and the octogenarian leader’s subsequent
degeneration into a politically intolerant dictator was launched here early
this week.
21.09.1111:15am
by Mxolisi Ncube

“Robert Mugabe… what happened?” was produced and directed by Simon Bright of
Zimmedia, a multicultural film and video production company, which has won a
number of international awards for both documentary and fiction.

The film traces Mugabe’s childhood, when he was allegedly dumped by his
father to be brought up by his mother, Bona, to his school days and later,
his involvement in the liberation struggle, where he was one of the people
who broke ranks with Joshua Nkomo’s Zapu to form Zanu in 1963.

It also revisits Mugabe at Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980, when he
proclaimed national reconciliation, but later killed 20 000 mostly civilian
Ndebeles in a bid to crush Nkomo’s party, then the biggest opposition.

The 52-minute-long film also documents Mugabe’s other brutal acts, such as
the violent land invasions where hundreds of farm workers were killed and
Operation Murambatsvina, which displaced more than 700 000 people and
affected 2.5 million others in 2005.

“Twenty years later (after independence), Mugabe launched a civil war, or
‘chimurenga’, against his own people. Over the next decade he destroyed much
of what he had fought for and built,” says the commentary.

At the end of the film, Simba Makoni, one of Mugabe’s former close
lieutenants, says the documentary accurately captured Mugabe as who he
really is.

“The film does justice to tracing the path that Zimbabweans have travelled
since 1980 and in exploring the change of Mugabe’s character,” said Makoni.

Wikileaks: Mugabe outmanoeuvred MDC to increase size of cabinet

http://www.insiderzim.com

Wednesday, 21 September 2011 11:43

President Robert Mugabe outmanoeuvred the two factions of the Movement for
Democratic Change in naming the new government because his Zimbabwe African
National Union-Patriotic Front ended up with more ministers than the two MDC
factions.

Under the Global Political Agreement signed by the parties on 15 September
2008, the new government was supposed to have a cabinet of 31 ministers, 15
from ZANU-PF and 16 from the two MDC factions.

But when cabinet was announced it had been expanded to 47 ministers, 25 from
ZANU-PF and 22 from the MDC.

The new cabinet had 42 ministers, 22 from ZANU-PF and 20 from the MDC
factions. Five other ministers, three ZANU-PF and two MDC were not members
of the cabinet.

The increase in the cabinet and the number of ministers gave ZANU-PF a
majority though in principle all decisions were to be made by consensus.

According to a diplomatic cable released by Wikileaks ZANU-PF leader
President Robert Mugabe was the prime mover for the expanded cabinet but MDC
leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara took the bite because they
also wanted to accommodate their own people.

”Mugabe was the prime mover as ZANU-PF lost cabinet positions as a result of
the inclusive government, and he tried to find positions for ZANU-PF
loyalists. Nevertheless, Tsvangirai and Mutambara went along in an effort to
find positions for some of their people as well,” the cable says.

A Zimbabwean organisation took the government to court for violating the GPA
by increasing the size of the cabinet but lost the case.

Wikileaks: Chombo among ZANU-PF officials who got multiple farms

http://www.insiderzim.com

Wednesday, 21 September 2011 07:08

Leaked documents that were circulating in March 2003 listed Local Government
Minister Ignatius Chombo as one of the top officials of the Zimbabwe African
National Union- Patriotic Front who had received more than one farm under
the controversial land reform programme.

Chombo, one-time ZANU-PF chief whip Joram Gumbo, former Masvingo provincial
governor Josiah Hungwe, political commissar Elliott Manyika, businessman
Mutumwa Mawere, Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi and his wife, the late
Sabina Mugabe, Boniface Shamu and police spokesman Wayne Vudzijena were
reported to have gotten two farms each.

One notch up with three farms were: Indigenisation Minister Saviour
Kasukuwere, former Information Minister Jonathan Moyo, air force chief
Perence Shiri and Mines Minister Obert Mpofu.

Former governor Peter Chanetsa had four farms and one for his wife. Someone
only cited as C. Chingosho had seven farms.

The names are contained in a cable released by Wikileaks and dispatched by
ambassador Joseph Sullivan on 5 March 2003.

Bill Watch - Parliamentary Committee Series [Committee Meetings 19-23 September]

Bill Watch 39/2011 of 20th September [Parliamentary Sittings Resume]