ZANU PF pushing for second GNU

http://www.swradioafrica.com

 

 

By Alex Bell
22 September 2011

A leading political analyst has warned that ZANU PF is quietly pushing for a second ‘unity’ agreement to keep the coalition government in place, to give the party a longer political life line.

The current coalition government is in its last days, with still no effort by ZANU PF to fully implement the original Global Political Agreement (GPA), which analysts have said gave the party a life line after losing the 2008 elections.

Political analyst Professor John Makumbe told SW Radio Africa that the party is now pushing for a second GPA and a second unity government, because it is in a very unstable state.

Makumbe said this instability has been clearly revealed by the latest diplomatic cables to be released by the whistleblowing group WikiLeaks. The confidential cables exposed a number of top ZANU PF officials as being unhappy with the state of the party under Robert Mugabe’s leadership.

But other cables have also shown that Mugabe remains the glue keeping the party together. According to a cable from 2009, Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi told the US Ambassador that there was no clear successor for when the frail Mugabe passes on. He added that despite the succession debate always centering on two factions, one supporting Vice President Joice Mujuru and the other supporting Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, neither will take over from Mugabe.

“He (Mugabe) 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,” Ambassador Ray was told by Mzembi.

Read cable

In another separate meeting held on October 15 2008, before the inclusive government was formed and Mzembi was the deputy Minister of Water Resources, he 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.

Read cable

Ambassador Ray has also been quoted in a separate cable as saying that: “There are many ‘pools’ within ZANU PF waiting for Mugabe to die, and when that happens, there will be an internal scramble to seize power which could spell chaos.”

Ray said this in a cable filed to Washington in January 2010 after the US Ambassador paid a courtesy call on Nigerian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Kunle Adeyanju, at the Embassy of Nigeria in Harare, where they discussed the Zimbabwean political situation.

Read cable

Political analyst Makumbe said that ZANU PF is “a party of yesterday,” saying there is little chance they can win a democratic election, regardless of who takes over from Mugabe. He said ZANU PF’s hopes of legitimately remaining in power will rest on a second term under a unity government, because another corrupt or violent election will not be allowed.

“South Africa especially is likely to back this, because they don’t want another violent election. The MDC however is opposed to it,” Makumbe said.

He added: “We have a situation that is getting very complex now, and we will have to wait and see what the next move will be.”

 

MPs walk out to avoid debate on Mujuru

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tererai Karimakwenda
22 September, 2011

Parliamentary debate on condolences to the family of the late Retired
General Solomon Mujuru, which was scheduled for Wednesday, was scrapped
after a majority of legislators walked out as the motion was announced.
Parliament was then adjourned and the debate shelved till further notice.

Mujuru died recently in a fire at his farmhouse outside Harare, under
suspicious circumstances that led to much speculation and anger within ZANU
PF circles. The party’s youth and Mujuru’s family demanded an investigation,
suggesting that foul play may have caused the fire.

The late Mujuru was considered a “kingmaker” in Zimbabwean politics and his
wife Joice, as Vice President, was tipped as a top contender to succeed
Robert Mugabe. One of the many rumours is that the General was killed in
order to tip the scales in favour of her ZANU PF rival, Defense Minister
Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Sources close to parliament told SW Radio Africa that it was MPs affiliated
with Mnangagwa who walked out to avoid debate on Mujuru, causing “a domino
effect” that saw other legislators exit. A minimum quorum of 25 is required
for any motion to proceed.

Only 200 White Commercial Farmers Left In Zimbabwe - CFU

http://www.radiovop.com/i

By Ngoni Chanakira, Harare, September 22, 2011 - Zimbabwe currently has only
200 white commercial farmers who are actively engaged in farming activities,
the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), has confirmed.

The CFU, once Zimbabwe's most powerful farming association, had more than 4
500 before the controversial Land Resettlement Programme (LRP) began in
2000.

Marc Carrie-Wilson, CFU's Legal Affairs Manager, told Radio VOP in an
exclusive interview in Harare that the few farmers left were trying their
best to return to agricultural production as happened in the 1980s when
Zimbabwe was the bread basket of southern Africa.

"There are about 200 commercial farmers left and in our association," he
said in an interview.

"The major problem facing the commercial farming sector in Zimbabwe today is
lack of finance and knowledge. The agricultural colleges are not producing
farmers who want to farm but those who view farming as a hobby."

He said there was new thinking within the CFU due to the new President,
Charles Taffs.

"I think he will lead the organisation to much better times because we are
seeing a change in the organisation right now," Carrie Wilson said.

The move comes amid sentiments by some personalities, even among the white
people, that the CFU is slowly losing its direction and should be
"abandoned".

"I really don't think so," Carrie-Wilson said. "Maybe the disgruntled
individuals are saying so because we now have a new President who is very
strong."

He said there was new thinking within the CFU and it was working with the
Government of National Unity (GNU) to try and return Zimbabwe to its days of
glory.

Zimbabwe used to be the bread basked of southern Africa under the Southern
African Development Community (SADC).

However, Zimbabwe is now more of a basket case and has to regularly beg from
its "poor" neighbours, many of whom ironically benefited from its commercial
farmers who ran away after President Mugabe and his former ruling party
decided to grab land for their own purposes using the country's
indigenisation regulations in 2000.

"Things have now changed," said Carrie-Wilson said. "The CFU has changed and
we are working with the government on the Land Reform Programme."

Land reform alleviating poverty: President

http://www.herald.co.zw/

Thursday, 22 September 2011 02:00

From Morris Mkwate in New York
ZIMBABWE has moved closer to alleviating poverty in different parts of the
country following the successful

implementation of the land reform programme, President Mugabe has  said.

Addressing delegates to the High-Level Meeting on Desertification, Land
Degradation and Drought in the Context of Sustainable Development and
Poverty Eradication at the United Nations headquarters here on Tuesday,
President Mugabe said more than 213 000 households were resettled under the
historic programme.
He said the land reform programme resolved "excessive land use pressures"
that resulted in land degradation and desertification.
"I am happy my Government has managed to fully implement one of the
prioritised areas on poverty alleviation  through the historic land reform
programme, which has decongested the rural areas which were characterised by
excessive land use pressures that caused land degradation and
desertification," he said.

"The historic programme was aimed at, among its goals, poverty alleviation,
equitable distribution of land, income generation and environmental
restoration of the decongested land. A total of 213 656 households were
resettled on 14, 9 million hectares of land."
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe
Defence Forces, said Government was concerned by the impact of
desertification, land degradation and droughts on socio-economic
development.

He said although authorities have not invested in mitigation strategies
owing to several reasons, focus remained on combating these problems in
order to eradicate poverty.
". . . Drought, land degradation and desertification compromise the social,
economic and environmental pillars of sustainable development. It is,
therefore, important that we proclaim zero net land degradation and adopt
effective land reclamation programmes. Let's green our land for food
production and adaptation to climate change.

"My Government has since put in place a National Action Plan for
desertification control, land degradation, mitigation and adaptation. When
formulating the National Action Plan, Zimbabwe prioritised areas of
intervention including traditional energy sources, water resources
management, public awareness and capacity-building, soil conservation and
land tenure systems.
". . . My Government is also implementing initiatives in the driest regions
of the country through national programmes such as the ‘Million Tree'
campaign, in which five million trees were planted last year alone around
the country in order to reduce erosion rates, to rehabilitate, reclaim and
restore degraded land."

The President added that Zimbabwe signed the United Nations Convention to
Combat Desertification to monitor land degradation and was working with
various stakeholders to combat desertification through different
interventions such as aforestation and reforestation.

He said the country also participates in regional wildlife and natural
resources conservation programmes. Among such initiatives are Transfrontier
conservation with Mozambique and South Africa; Zambia andMozambique as well
as Botswana and Namibia.
"Under the auspices of the African Union, environmental monitoring systems
in individual countries, including Zimbabwe, are tracking changes in
biodiversity due to uncontrolled fires and droughts.
"In the 1980s, my Government embarked on community based natural resources
management programmes through a home-grown initiative called Community Area
Management for Indigenous Resources, which has spread throughout the country
and also copied in the Sadc region.

"The CAMPFIRE programme champions the sustainable utilisation of forest
resources and wildlife instead of excessively relying on agriculture,
particularly in marginal areas that are not viable for cultivation. Through
hunting trophies, eco-tourism and sale of wildlife products in these areas,
communities lead sustainable livelihoods in the face of desertification and
high incidents of drought."

Tuesday's gathering, which drew heads of state and other key stakeholders,
was among the high-level meetings that preceded today's official opening of
the 66th Session of the UN General Assembly.
The meetings sought to discuss critical issues affecting the world, among
them food and nutrition as well as poverty alleviation. The interface on
desertification, land degradation and drought ran concurrently with the
High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases, which was yesterday
expected to formulate a global strategy on dealing with the diseases.

Zimbabwe is located in Sub-Saharan Africa where between 60 and 70 percent of
the population lives in rural areas and primarily depends on agriculture.
Seventy-eight percent of land degradation occurs in the region.

Zimbabwe tobacco farms yield success

http://www.ft.com

September 22, 2011 3:41 pm

By Andrew England and Tony Hawkins in Harare

As Fidelis Gweshe walks between red brick farm buildings to show off his
tobacco seedlings he chuckles at his circumstances. “I’m a banker by
profession and farmer by accident,” he says.

Down the road, a neighbour, Manasa Matongo, sits on a log where he
cultivated a hectare of tobacco for the first time last year and quietly
outlines his plans for expansion.
More
On this story

    Leaked cable claims Mugabe has cancer
    Uncertainty threatens Zimbabwe’s recovery
    General’s death opens Mugabe succession race
    All eyes on military ahead of Zimbabwe poll
    Opinion It is time for Britain to talk to Mugabe

Between them, they represent the new faces of Zimbabwe’s black farming
community.

A decade after Robert Mugabe, president, implemented his controversial and
often violent land reform programme, both farmers are living off seized
white-owned land.

Under Zimbabwe’s land redistribution system Mr Gweshe, a former banker,
farms around 230 hectares and is an “A2” category, generally considered a
politically connected individual granted a large share of a seized property.
Mr Matongo, a former truck driver, with six hectares is a category “A1” –
the smallholder.

The land seizures, which began in 2000 and continue today, helped trigger
Zimbabwe’s international isolation and the collapse of one of Africa’s most
developed economies, destroying the agriculture sector.
Total tobacco sales

Yet in the past 18 months, there has been a tentative recovery, particularly
in tobacco, as black farmers have begun to grow a cash crop that was once
the preserve of white commercial farmers.

Tobacco production collapsed to a low of 48.8m kg in 2008, down from almost
five times that in 2000. At the start of 2009 it began to recover and
production more than doubled to 123m kg in 2010. This year, it is forecast
to be about 131m kg.

This has come as the number of white commercial farmers has plummeted from
4,500 to between 200 and 250, while the number of black smallholders
producing tobacco has gone from a few hundred to more than 60,000.

Tobacco production was the main driver behind a 34 per cent growth in the
agricultural sector last year.

The recovery is partly due to the relative political and economic stability
after the opposition Movement for Democratic Change joined Mr Mugabe’s
Zanu-PF party in a coalition government in 2009.

The main force driving the change has been the extension of contract farming
by tobacco companies and buyers, which have provided training and inputs for
black farmers as they seek to boost output of the Zimbabwean leaf.

Mr Matongo, 66, says he was only able to grow tobacco after he received
support from a tobacco company to build two barns used to cure the leaf. “If
I get a third barn, I could grow at least three hectares,” he says. “I
cannot just keep on begging for assistance [from the tobacco companies].”

Mr Gweshe, who lives in the farmhouse from which the former white owners
were evicted, has increased his production from 15 to 20 hectares two years
ago to 50 hectares with improved yields after the help of inputs from a
tobacco company. With the proper resources, he says, he could double
production again.

Experts caution that it is too early to gauge the sustainability of the
recovery in sectors like tobacco, while other areas of agriculture,
including wheat, coffee and flowers remain in dire straits, with negligible
levels of production compared to 10 years ago.

“People are jumping the gun to say [tobacco] is a success. I would say it’s
a success when we have reached former levels of production and surpassed
them,” says Deon Theron, president of the Commercial Farmers Union, which
represents white commercial farmers.

The union estimates the land reform programme has cost $12bn in lost
production.

In tobacco, two distinct areas of activity have emerged. There are 200 or so
mostly white large-scale commercial growers running sophisticated operations
that produce a higher quality leaf. Alongside that group, is the smallholder
sector operating at lower costs but also lower productivity rates. As their
number has grown their share of the crop has increased to around 65 to 70
per cent, but yields have halved, industry officials say.

“In the short term, quality has taken bit of a dip but it will recover
through training,” says an industry expert. “There’s a culture [of growing
tobacco], the knowledge is there, it’s just question of getting the right
inputs to the right people at the right time.”

Paul Zakariya, executive director of the Zimbabwe Farmers Union, which
predominantly represents black smallholders, says the reforms have brought
change for the ”better and worse”.

A significant number of black farmers given land are failing to produce
adequate crops because of lack of training, access to resources, access to
good markets and support from institutions, he says.

Some white farmers have returned and are either leasing land from black
farmers or working as managers. But Mr Zakariya says Zimbabwe needs to draw
more on the expertise of white farmers.

”We are not where we need to be at all,” he says. “It’s the politics we need
to take out of production and let the business people do their thing.”

MDC-T call on youth to defend against ZPF attacks

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tererai Karimakwenda
22 September, 2011

The escalating incidents of violence against the MDC-T took centre stage at
the funeral of the late party founder, Diamond Karanda on Wednesday, as
party officials called on their youth members to defend themselves, the way
he did until his death.

Gangs of ZANU PF thugs have caused chaos in Harare over the last few weeks,
assaulting legislators in parliament, market vendors, minibus operators and
even police officers, with impunity.
The Chipangano gang from Mbare have achieved notoriety for their violent
activities and have taken over many council-owned properties around the
capital, controlling parking lots, bus ranks and market stalls.

At the funeral where thousands of MDC-T members were gathered, the party’s
vice national Chairman, Morgen Komichi, called on the youths to “help
 Harare” and to defend themselves against ZANU PF attacks.
“Harare is under siege and now ZANU PF thinks this is Uzumba. Let’s rise up
and get ready to defend ourselves if (Police Commissioner-General Augustine)
Chihuri does nothing,” Komichi told the mourners.
Adding to this, the party’s organizing secretary Nelson Chamisa said their
youths are dying from injuries sustained in the attacks. “The ZANU PF youths
last year declared they were taking over what ‘rightly belonged’ to them,”
Chamisa reminded the mourning crowd.

Settlement Chikwinya, the MDC-T MP for Mbizvo Kwekwe, told SW Radio Africa
that the attacks are part of a “grand election strategy” to hit at the core
of the MDC-T, which ZANU PF believe is centred in Harare.
“We have not retaliated against ZANU PF. We respect the rule of law and our
doctrine of peace as a party. But if Police Commissioner Chihuri does not
act, we will protect our members from violence,” Chikwinya explained.
The MP said they are giving the police and ZANU PF youths a chance to join
them in peaceful co-existence, because the country would fall into chaos if
violence continued.

The co-Minister for Home Affairs, Theresa Makone, admitted to SW radio
Africa on Wednesday that she is powerless and the youth “are above the
police”. Makone said there is “an unwritten law within ZANU PF” that the
youth are not to be arrested, “if they are furthering ZANU PF’s agenda”.
Some observers have said retaliation is exactly the trap that ZANU PF wants
the MDC-T to fall for, so they can accuse party leaders of inciting their
members and arrest them. This would also turn attention away from ZANU PF’s
own violent activities, ahead of elections due next year.

 

WOZA leaders still detained, 10 others released

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
22 September 2011

A group of 10 women from the pressure group Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA),
who were arrested during a peaceful march in Bulawayo, were released from
custody on Thursday afternoon. But the group’s leaders are facing another
night behind bars.

The march, organised to commemorate the International Day of Peace, was on
Wednesday crushed by riot police officers, leaving many people injured from
beatings and 12 WOZA members arrested.

Eyewitnesses in Bulawayo have told SW Radio Africa that the march soon
descended into chaos, with police officers chasing and beating the peaceful
protesters. Some people were seen with bleeding wounds, and a number of
ambulances were dispatched to help collect the injured.

12 women, including WOZA leaders Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu, were
arrested and taken to Bulawayo Central Police Station. 10 of the women were
originally charged with ‘criminal nuisance’, while the two WOZA leaders were
charged with unexplained charges of ‘kidnapping’ and ‘theft’.

Lizwe Jamela from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) told SW Radio
Africa that the 10 women charged with ‘criminal nuisance’ appeared in court
on Thursday afternoon. He explained that the prosecutor refused to bring a
case against the group and ordered their released.

He explained however that it is not yet clear when Williams and Mahlangu
will appear in court, because police officials claim they are still looking
for “accomplices.”

Meanwhile, international NGO Freedom House has condemned the attack on WOZA,
calling it “an unacceptable violation of the fundamental human rights of
Zimbabweans.”

“Freedom House calls for the immediate release of all twelve women, and for
the Zimbabwean authorities to halt its targeted assault on WOZA and
like-minded organisations,” said Paula Schriefer, director of advocacy at
Freedom House.

US/EU Envoys Trying To Destroy Zanu (PF) - Party Spokesman

http://www.radiovop.com

Harare, September 22, 2011 - President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu (PF) party,
currently reeling from damaging Wiki Leaks cables, say it is receiving
friendly fire from western countries, aimed at destroying it from inside.

Mugabe and his party chairman, Simon Khaya Moyo have in the past three weeks
received courtesy visits at the State House and Zanu (PF) party headquarters
as western governments make surprising overtures for cooperation with the
former ruling party.

Mugabe met the United States Ambassador Charles Ray last week at State
House. The two had a two hour meeting where they discussed areas of
cooperation and the meeting ended with Ray wishing Mugabe a pleasant trip to
the just ended United Nations General Assembly in New York.

He also met the European Union (EU) Africa Delegation head, Nicholas
Westcourt.

For his part Moyo met the US ambassador and the head of the United States
Aid Agency (USAID).

But the party’s spokesperson said the party view the latest visits and
overtures for cooperation as friendly fire aimed at destabilising Zanu (PF)
from within.

“They are coming to us and we have no problem with cooperation but we know
what they are up to. They have realised that the MDC that they were working
with is useless and now want to effect regime change from within Zanu (PF),”
said Zanu (PF) spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo.

“They have seen the president and we are happy with that but we would have
been even more pleased if they were doing so genuinely but they are doing
what they are doing because they want regime change, they
are seeking regime change.”

To buttress his claims Gumbo said his party is aware of how the countries
are infiltrating formal government structures such as parastatals and the
judiciary through workshops.

“They are doing workshops in Nyanga for parastatals and we know what they
are doing,” said Gumbo.

The United States and the EU slapped Zanu (PF) officials with sanctions for
disregarding human rights in 2003.
Political analyst, Charles Mangogera says the latest move by the United
States and the EU to extend a hand of friendship to Zanu (PF) is a long
overdue realisation that any solutions to Zimbabwe’s political problems will
not be attained without the involvement of the former ruling party.

“It’s not surprising that the western envoys are now reaching to Zanu (PF),
maybe it is a realisation that Zanu (PF) still has a role to play in
Zimbabwean politics. They are getting an understanding that Zanu (PF) is an
institution and even if Mugabe goes, it will still remain so they are
probably seeking an understanding of the party,” said Mangongera.

A host of influential Zanu (PF) party officials including Vice President
Joyce Mujuru have been exposed for meeting American government officials
behind Mugabe’s back.

For long the Americans have sought to reach out to individuals they consider
to be moderates in the party and most of their past overtures have been
exposed by the Wiki Leaks cables.

The EU supports Zimbabwean Children

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Today, the European Union Delegation to Zimbabwe signed a Euro 6 million
(over US$ 8 million) Contribution Agreement with UNICEF to support
Zimbabwean Orphans and Vulnerable Children.
22.09.1111:28am
by Staff Reporter

In Zimbabwe the European Union provides direct aid to the population,
through its support for agriculture, food security and social sectors,
including health and education.

"This contribution expands upon the first Programme of Support to the
National Action Plan (NAP) for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) that
since 2007 has received Euro 10 million (over US$14 million) from the
European Union. This aid was vital in protecting children and providing
essential welfare support during the crisis in 2008 -9,'' said the Head of
the EU Delegation to Zimbabwe, Ambassador Aldo Dell'Ariccia.

Ambassador Dell'Ariccia added that over half a million OVCs have already
received support through the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM), which
was essential to keep them in school. The new Social Cash Transfer programme
provides a promising new way to effectively channel assistance to Zimbabwe's
children who are most in need of support.

This contribution is aimed at providing support to the most vulnerable
portions of the Zimbabwean population, in particular its orphans and
vulnerable children. The contribution will be pooled with other donor
resources in the Child Protection Fund (CPF) managed by UNICEF, that
finances and supports the Government of Zimbabwe's National Action Plan for
Phase Two: 2011- 2015 (NAP II).

The project is part of the EU support in the context of the political
dialogue between Zimbabwe and the European Union.

Contribution to the Child Protection Fund (CPF) € 6 million

The Child Protection Fund (CPF) is a multi-donor, multi-year funding
mechanism for implementation of the NAP II; it finances specific
interventions within the broad NAP II programme, in particular social cash
transfers, child protection services and access to primary education through
(BEAM).

Expected results from the CPF include:

• To increase the incomes of extremely poor households with orphans and
other vulnerable children. The social cash transfer will be provided to
eligible households and be inflation-indexed to the value of a minimum
basket of needs. This will strengthen the purchasing power in the form of
unconditional cash transfers to 55,000 'ultra poor', labour constrained
households and establish a national social protection system of regular
welfare payments.

• To enhance all vulnerable children’s access to effective child protection
services, including social welfare and justice services.

• To facilitate improved access for orphans and other vulnerable children
and their families to basic education. Through BEAM, primary school fees and
levies will be covered in 2011 for around half a million orphans and other
vulnerable children.

The CPF will also be supported with funding from EU Member States, including
the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom and will be managed by the
United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), working in close collaboration and in
support of the Ministry of Labour and Social Services.

Dangerous pollutants turn Save river murky

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
22 September 2011

A Chinese firm mining diamonds in Chiadzwa is allegedly discharging
dangerous pollutants into Singwizi river, a tributary of the mighty Save
river.

Villagers in Buhera South, Manicaland province have spoken of their
‘devastation’ after several kilometres of the river became ‘murky’ two weeks
ago.

Albert Chimwerurom Chishanyi village near the vast diamonds fields voiced
his concerns that mining operations near rivers that feed Save would destroy
their way of life.

He claimed that several livestock, mainly goats and cattle, have died after
drinking water from the Save river while dozens of people have ‘come down’
with water borne diseases and skin problems.

‘This river (Save) not only provides drinking water, but also irrigation
which allows the cultivation of crops and raising of animals in a controlled
area. We also heavily rely upon the river for other domestic uses like
bathing, cleaning, and washing clothes.

‘Now we have these mining companies being built close to riverbanks and
dumping their wastes into the water. Save has become so polluted, filled
with toxic materials, that we have stopped using the water for home
purposes,’ Chimweru said.

He said this serious episode of water pollution must be urgently
investigated by the government as the health of thousands of lives has been
put at risk. There are almost 100 families living along the stretch of the
river that is polluted. Villagers said the water had turned ‘oily black.’

‘As a first step, government should raise awareness about the hazards of
indiscriminate waste disposal. Secondly tighter laws should be legislated
and existing laws amended to curb illegal dumping of toxic chemical wastes
into water sources. Government should insist that waste materials be
disposed off properly,’ Chimweru added.

Zimbabwe Anglican Dispute Returns to Supreme Court at Justice's Bidding

http://www.voanews.com/

21 September 2011

Justice Chidyausiku recently issued an interim ruling giving Kunonga control
of church properties resulting in the eviction of priests and nuns – even
those taking care of orphans in one case – by Kunonga loyalists backed by
police

Sandra Nyaira | Washington

Zimbabwe Supreme Court Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku on Thursday was to
hear further arguments in a long-running case pitting former Harare Bishop
Nolbert Kunonga against a new Anglican administration appointed by the
Church of the Province of Central Africa, headed by current Harare Bishop
Chad Gandiya.

At stake in the case are Anglican church assets including churches and other
properties, some well beyond the geographical bounds of the diocese.

Kunonga resigned from the Anglican church and was later excommunicated, so
there are no religious issues at stake in the tangled legal battle.

Chidyausiku recently issued an interim ruling giving Kunonga control of
church properties and assets. This was followed by a wave of evictions of
priests and nuns – even those taking care of orphans, in one case – by
Kunonga loyalists backed by police.

The Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa filed an appeal in the
Constitutional Court - the full bench of Supreme Court justices.

But Chidyausiku summoned both parties to his office, instructing the Church
of the Province of Central Africa to drop its appeal and instead file an
urgent appeal which he said he would hear Thursday, promising an urgent
ruling Friday in the case.

All this comes ahead of an announced visit by the Archbishop of Canterbury,
Dr. Rowan Williams, who has asked to meet with President Robert Mugabe
although he has characterized the visit to Zimbabwe as pastoral in nature.

Church of the Province of Central Africa spokesman Precious Shumba said his
group is concerned at the latest move by Chidyausiku, who has effectively
prevented the case from going before all of his peers, thus retaining
control of the outcome.

Speaking for Kunonga, Bishop Alfred Munyanyi said evictions from church
properties of anyone linked to Gandiya will continue regardless of the
pending hearing.

Old Mutual, gov’t reach agreement

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by James Mombe     Thursday 22 September 2011

JOHANNESBURG -- Zimbabwe’s largest insurer and one of its biggest investors,
Old Mutual, said on Wednesday that it had reached agreement with the
government over its plans to transfer shares to local blacks.

Under a controversial economic empowerment law that came into force last
year foreign-owned firms must sell at least 51 percent shares to indigenous
black Zimbabweans or face a host of punitive measures including fines or
withdrawal of operating licences.

Old Mutual said in a statement that the government, which has in recent
weeks rejected share transfer proposals from several foreign-owned firms,
had accepted the first phase of its empowerment plan.

The company that is the largest financial services provider in southern
Africa said the phase would see 25 percent of Old Mutual Zimbabwe, its
Zimbabwean unit, transferred into black hands through a combination of
grants and awards.

It said it would under the plan give a grant to pensioners equivalent to a
10 percent of stake in Old Mutual Zimbabwe, and grants and awards to staff
worth nine percent of the unit.

Another 2.5 percent stake valued at US$10 million would be given in the form
of a grant for youth development, said the statement. In addition, the
financial services giant said it was also making commitments to agriculture,
housing and other funds but did not provide details of these.

President Robert Mugabe’s previous government used its majority in
Parliament in 2007 to ram through the indigenisation law requiring all
foreign-owned companies to sell controlling stake to local blacks.

Apart from Old Mutual, other prominent foreign firms ordered to transfer
shares to locals include Impala Platinum Holdings’ Zimplats, Rio Tinto’s
diamond mine Murowa, British American Tobacco and local units of British
banks Standard Chartered and Barclays.

Critics say the empowerment campaign is a ploy by Mugabe to seize thriving
businesses and hand them over to his allies as a reward for support in much
the same way that the veteran leader’s land reforms were executed in the
name of the people but benefited his top lieutenants the most.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who says he is for genuine indigenisation
of the economy that benefits ordinary Zimbabweans, has castigated Mugabe’s
empowerment drive as “looting by a greedy elite”. -- ZimOnline

Senior MDC-N members defects to MDC-T

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com

22/09/2011 19:14:00    Staff Reporter

HARARE - The two MDC formations are headed for a major showdown after
revelations that some senior members of the embattled Professor Welshman
Ncube led movement have defected to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T
party.

Deputy Spokesperson for the Ncube led MDC, Mr Kurauone Chihwayi confirmed in
a telephone interview that the movement has individuals elected on the party’s
ticket into parliament who are now conniving with MDC-T.

Chihwayi however denied reports from some sections of the media that a probe
team has been set up saying they have no intention of setting up one to
investigate the matter.

Those fingered to be working with MDC-T are Deputy Speaker of the House of
Assembly, Nomalanga Mzilikazi Khumalo, Gwanda North MP, Zinti Thandeko
Mnkandla and Senator Kembo Dube.

After recently exchanging accusations over the hijacking of the late Gibson
Sibanda’s children, whose late father was in the Professor Welshman Ncube,
observers say the latest issue is bound to see the two formations clash
seriously, with Khumalo losing her post as House of Assembly Deputy Speaker.

ANC, Zanu PF clash over Malema

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

22/09/2011 00:00:00
    by Staff Reporter

THE African National Congress has accused Zanu PF of “influencing” its Youth
League’s president Julius Malema, whose crusade for the nationalisation of
mines and quicker land reforms has divided South Africans.

Malema has been hit with a misconduct charge by the ANC for calling for the
ouster of President Robert Mugabe’s arch-critic, Botswana leader Ian Khama.

ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe, himself a target for removal by the
ANC Youth League at next year’s congress, arrived in Zimbabwe on Tuesday for
talks with Zanu PF’s top leadership.

In the absence of President Robert Mugabe who is at the United Nations in
New York, Mantashe met separately with acting president John Nkomo, Zanu PF
national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo, Vice President Joice Mujuru and the
party’s secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa.

Mutasa revealed that Mantashe had claimed, in meetings, that Zanu PF was
feeding Malema’s radical programme. According to Mutasa, the ANC secretary
general also claimed that Zanu PF youths had massed outside the South
African embassy in Harare to demonstrate against the ANC’s decision to
charge Malema.
Zanu PF, a traditional ally of the ANC, strongly denies both allegations.

"We talked about the youths," Mutasa told the Herald. "They blamed us saying
'Malema speaks like you and thinks like you'.

"We told them that we are not influencing him. If he speaks like Zanu PF,
that is the way he likes to speak, we cannot change him. If he thinks like
us, that is up to him."

Mantashe told reporters that the ANC was yet to take a firm decision on
nationalisation after sending teams to several countries in which the state
has a massive stake in mining operations.

"We want to look at what is best for South Africans and when people advocate
for a policy, we want a policy that does not hurt the economy,” Mantashe
said.
"Nationalisation is a nice policy to talk about, but we don't want that
which scares away investors."

During his three-day visit which concluded on Thursday, Mantashe visited the
National Heroes Acre and went on a tour of A1 and A2 farms in Mashonaland
East to see “success stories” of Zimbabwe’s land reforms.

Tanaka Bus Service Claims Intercape Row Is Political

http://www.radiovop.com

By Garikai Chaunza, Harare, September 22, 2011 - Tanaka bus services which
is in a legal battle with South African luxury coach operators, Intercape
Ferreira Mainliner (Private) Limited (Intercape) and Unitrans Passenger
(Private) Limited operating as Greyhound has distanced itself from using
politics and racism to penetrate the Harare-Johannesburg cross boarder
route.

“We are a true business entity which has nothing to do with politics," an
official of Tanaka who refused with his name told Radio VOP after two days
of trying to get a comment from the company through a series of e-mails and
telephone calls. "We are not here to comment on any political statement and
not going to attend to political connotations which some of the questions
seem to be meaning. We do not as well analyse politics in any other
countries we will be operating."

The official, however, refused to divulge Tanaka's shareholding structure to
Radio VOP. Tanaka is being accused of trying to use the controversial
indigenisation law to penetrate the already saturated Harare –Johannesburg
route.

The state controlled weekly The Sunday Mail reported  that Tanaka is being
blocked by Intercape, owned by whites from entering the Zimbabwean market
through plying the Johannesburg-Harare route which was advertised in the SA
Government Gazette mid this year.

Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi told Radio VOP:
“Currently I am attending a debriefing  meeting which ends late today but at
the meantime I can confirm handling the case.”

Minister Mzembi last week was quoted by the Sunday Mail acknowledging his
personal intervention in the case.

It is alleged that trouble started when Tanaka applied to South Africa’s
Cross- Border Road Transport Agency (CBRTA) for a permit to ply the
Johannesburg-Harare route which was advertised in the SA Government Gazette
in June this year.

Tanaka is said to be arguing that Intercape wants to monopolise the luxury
coaches’ segment on the Johannesburg-Harare route while at the same time it
is offering semi-luxury coaches and service.

Wikileaks: Mugabe just trying to save his skin

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Many people had anticipated that the meeting of the Zanu (PF) Politburo
would see fireworks against members implicated in the WikiLeaks. It had been
speculated that top officials would be disciplined one way or the other.
20.09.1105:47pm
by Stanford G Mukasa

Those not yet implicated were sanctimoniously screaming for strong action
against the guilty, with Attorney General Johannes Tomana, a party
sycophant, reportedly saying he was investigating the perpetrators of the
leaks and would bring legal charges against them.

One of the implicated officials, political opportunist and Zanu gadfly,
Jonathan Moyo, wrote a lengthy diatribe in a futile effort to justify what
he had done. In the process, he ended up not only contradicting himself but
creating a smokescreen of ludicrous excuses.

However, the Politburo meeting ended with a whimper. An insider report
suggested that the aging party leader, Robert Mugabe, said he would
“personally deal” with the offending members in his own time.

This shows how decadent and old-fashioned Zanu has become. They still use
the word Politburo which they borrowed from the Soviet Union at the height
of the Cold War. The Russians abandoned this term over 20 years ago.

Nevertheless, the issue threatens to irreparably destroy whatever is left of
Zanu. Mugabe’s action in postponing discussion is indicative of the
political fragility of his party. I believe there is yet another more
compelling reason why he tabled the WikiLeaks issue.

The bulk of the WikiLeaks revelations were focused on removing Mugabe from
office. If he had pushed the guilty up against the wall, they and many other
Politburo members may have gained sufficient courage to change the topic to
Mugabe’s exit and successor.

He has so far successfully restricted any debate on his exit and successor.
The truth is, Mugabe is just trying to save his skin. He now knows that even
his closest friends and colleagues have joined the Mugabe-must-go band
wagon. Far from saving ZANU as he claims, Mugabe is scared stiff of the
barrage of criminal and civil lawsuits he will face once he steps down.

He is also acutely aware that, once he steps down from office, he will not
have the heavy security he enjoys now. He also knows there are thousands of
people waiting for a chance to take a stab at him.

Zanu is under pressure to come up with a successor as soon as possible.
Mugabe will be 88 or 89 years old by the time Zimbabweans go for elections
in 2012 or 2013. What happens if he should die while campaigning? Or minutes
after he has successfully rigged the elections?

What is making party members apprehensive and impatient is that Mugabe is
not giving them time to groom his successor.

One vice president, Joyce Mujuru, is apparently in good health. But the
other, John Nkomo, is not. Waiting impatiently in the shadows is Emerson
Mnangagwa.

A potential clash in the leadership struggle here may emerge. Mujuru could
claim that she must be the successor by virtue of her being the vice
president. On the other hand, Mnangagwa may bulldoze his way to the
presidency by claiming he is the anointed successor to Mugabe and that he
was not implicated in the WikiLeaks revelations—as Mujuru was.

But neither has a chance of winning free and fair elections.

Former Member of Parliament Margaret Dongo was very perceptive when she said
a few years ago that Zanu men were all Mugabe’s “wives”.

The Ignatius Chombo Wikileaks dossier

Congratulations to the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare

By Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, 23/09/11

I wish to congratulate Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Welfare on
the news that they have procured modern equipment for early detection of
cancer because my aunt died of cancer last year.

According to the state-owned Herald 21/09/11, the equipment which includes
linear accelerators and treatment simulators cost US89 million. That is
money well spent because we are all susceptible to cancers of one kind or
another.

The paper said linear accelerator radiation equipment is used for treating
certain malignant as well as non malignant conditions by detecting
high-energy radiation to the exact location of the cancer.

The benefits to our country are enormous as people will become more
confident that they will be able to get affordable treatment at home and
also restore public respect for our health system which is struggling to
find its feet since the days of drug shortages.

It was also gratifying to note that Zimbabwe has just held a national
conference organised by the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe to discuss the
impact caused by cancer on the health sector. That is very commendable.

Until a cure is found to the treatment of cancer, we can only urge for more
research and increased funding from world bodies like the World Bank and the
European Union.

Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, Political Analyst, London,
zimanalysis2009@gmail.com