Tsvangirai looks at the situation at banks in Zimbabwe's capital

http://www.monstersandcritics.com

Business News
Sep 26, 2008, 13:47 GMT

Harare - Zimbabwe's prime minister-designate Morgan Tsvangirai on Friday
made a surprise visit to banks in the capital Harare that were the scene of
long queues resulting from cash shortages.

Some of those queuing temporarily forgot about the miseries as they cheered
the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader. Others said they had been
in queues daily for several weeks.

'We no longer have anything to do other than to come here daily to withdraw
money since the daily maximum limit is worthless,' said Maureen Mashavave,
who was carrying a baby on her back in a queue outside the Kingdom Bank.

Tsvangirai - accompanied by his MDC deputy Thokozani Khupe and party
spokesperson Nelson Chamisa - asked people if they were happy with 1,000
Zimbabwe dollars (10 trillion Zimbabwe dollars using the old currency) as
the maximum daily bank withdrawal allowed in Zimbabwe.

A loaf of bread costs at least 1,500 Zimbabwe dollars.

He left, shaking his head, and saying he was concerned about the situation.
'This is totally unpleasant and it has to be addressed as a matter of
urgency.'

'Hunger and problems are now gone,' a bystander shouted at Tsvangirai in
reference to the former union leader now being part of the government.

Cash shortages are just part of the collapse of the economy of a country
that was once the breadbasket of the southern African region.

Zimbabwe's economy has been on a steep downturn for a nearly a decade with
an estimated 90 per cent unemployment, shortages of electricity, food, fuel
and medical drugs, and at least 80 per cent of the population living below
the poverty line.

Year on year inflation, officially 11.2 million per cent - but independent
economists peg it at more than 20 million per cent - is the highest in the
world.

Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe signed a power sharing deal on
September 15 aimed at reviving the country's economy.

Zimbabwe begins official trading in hard currency

http://www.iht.com

The Associated PressPublished: September 26, 2008

HARARE, Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe began officially trading in foreign currency
Friday in what is seen as tacit acknowledgment that its own currency has
collapsed.

The change is expected to ease acute food shortages that have coincided with
Zimbabwe's record inflation and economic meltdown.

The central bank said it issued about 600 licenses allowing stores,
supermarkets, gasoline importers and other businesses to import and sell
goods for U.S. dollars, South African rand and other foreign currencies.

The licensed shops are reminiscent of Soviet-era hard currency shops in
Eastern Europe.

With the collapse of the tourism industry as well as agricultural and
manufactured exports, most of the foreign currency in the country comes from
the millions of Zimbabweans working overseas and sending money home to
relatives.

Much of it is already traded on the illegal black market. Central bank
researchers say Zimbabweans spend millions of U.S. dollars each month on
shopping trips to neighboring countries to buy the corn meal staple, cooking
oil and other goods including spare car parts and electronics.
With foreign currency trade now legal, business managers said they expected
goods to slowly return to supermarket shelves, though it would take time to
find stocks and work out financial details.

Stores will be able to sell goods for both hard currency and the local
Zimbabwe dollar. Only imported goods may be sold for hard currency.

The Reserve Bank said in a statement it charged businesses US$20,000 for a
license, and will also get 15 percent of the foreign currency sales.

Officials at one nationwide store chain said they would open a few foreign
currency outlets in coming weeks, but were unable to come up with the
US$600,000 fee needed to license 30 supermarkets.

The government and central bank have been struggling to contain Zimbabwe's
economic meltdown, with official inflation at 11 million percent - the
highest in the world - though independent financial institutions put real
inflation closer 50 million percent.

Some 4.5 million Zimbabweans have fled to neighboring countries as far as
the United States, Australia and former colonial power Britain. As many as 2
million are living in South Africa, according to central bank estimates.

Zimbabwe had been self-sufficient in most household supplies until June
2007, when the government ordered a price freeze that forced businesses to
sell products below cost. Now, toilet tissue is being imported from
Malaysia, toothpaste from Egypt and soap from Iran.

In August the central bank struck 10 zeros from the Zimbabwe currency, but
computerized accounting systems and automatic tellers have been unable to
handle transactions in trillions of local dollars.

Aid agencies estimate up to 2 million people will need food aid next month,
amid regular power and water outages and chronic shortages of gasoline, corn
meal, bread, milk and other staples.

President Robert Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980,
blames Western sanctions for the economic collapse. But critics point to his
2000 order that commercial farms be seized from whites. The often violent
seizures disrupted the agriculture-based economy.

Western sanctions targeting individuals and companies supporting Mugabe's
regime were tightened after disputed elections in March and June that led to
a power-sharing deal between Mugabe and his opponents signed Sept. 15.

Mugabe's ZANU-PF party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change
have so far failed to agree on the composition of a unity Cabinet.

RBZ increase cash withdrawal limit to stave off ZCTU strike

By Lance Guma
26 September 2008

The threat of strike action from the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
(ZCTU) has forced the Reserve Bank to increase the cash withdrawal limit
from Z$1000 to Z$20 000. On the 22nd September the ZCTU handed over an
ultimatum to the central bank demanding an immediate lifting of the limit.
In the letter, the union's general council noted with concern that 'ordinary
Zimbabweans, particularly workers, are now finding it difficult to access
their hard earned money from the bank. When they finally do so, the amount
so withdrawn is not even enough to purchase two loaves of bread or meet the
daily needs.' The ZCTU general council met last Saturday and gave the RBZ a
7-day ultimatum, failing which a call for national action was to be made.

In a series of changes made Thursday by Central Bank Governor Gideon Gono,
the withdrawal limit has been increased to Z$20 000, with effect from next
week Monday. Whether this will eradicate the problem of people enduring long
hours in the queue for cash still remains to be seen. Responding to the
changes Last Tarabuku the Acting Spokesman for the ZCTU said the union's
general council was meeting Friday to deliberate on their response. He
pointed out that the union had called for a complete scrapping of the cash
withdrawal limit altogether and not the mere adjustment done by Gono.

Meanwhile the central bank has also licenced 600 shops to sell goods in
foreign currency, in what is seen as an attempt to suppress a flourishing
black market fuelled by shortages of basic commodities. Gono said the
measures would discourage Zimbabweans from going outside the country to buy
goods and this in turn would revive struggling local manufacturers. Under
the new rules only imported items can be sold in foreign currency, while
locally produced goods like sugar, cooking oil and maize meal have to be
sold in local currency.

The Reserve Bank has also scrapped foreign currency restrictions on
individual Foreign Currency Accounts (FCA's) arguing this will help those
who hold them to buy from the shops licenced to sell in forex. The US$1000
limit has been removed and individuals can withdraw any amount. Analysts
however dismissed the changes as merely cosmetic, pointing to the need for
fundamental political and economic reforms. One of the demands put in by the
ZCTU was that employers be allowed to pay their workers in cash. Currently
employers have to seek permission from the RBZ by providing a payment
schedule. No word on this demand has come from the central bank. Despite the
signing of a power sharing deal two weeks ago the Zimbabwe dollar has
continued to plummet while prices of basic goods continue to skyrocket.

MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai on Friday embarked on a surprise visit of
banks battling with the cash queues in the capital Harare. People stuck in
queues in the city are said to have thanked the new Prime Minister designate
for showing concern about their plight. Despite Tsvangirai, Mugabe and
Arthur Mutambara signing a power sharing accord, a deadlock over the sharing
of cabinet portfolios and general distrust of Mugabe has failed to ignite
confidence in the process. Inflation at over 11 million percent,
unemployment over 80 percent, cash and food shortages, all remain testament
to the suffering of millions of people.

SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news

Farmers warn of famine in Zimbabwe

http://www.sabcnews.com

September 26, 2008, 17:30

Thulasizwe Simelane
Zimbabwe's commercial farmers are warning of a huge famine and predict the
worst agriculture season in the country's history. This warning comes in the
light of aid agencies calling on the country's new unity government to move
swiftly to avert a looming humanitarian disaster.

A cocktail of dire food shortages, communicable diseases and an out of
control inflation rate are threatening millions of Zimbabweans. Parties to
the country's power-sharing agreement have identified humanitarian aid as a
key priority but, aid agencies say work must start immediately if the
situation is to be turned around. Country farmers and aid agencies have
warned Zimbabwe to act now or prepare to count the human cost.

Zimbabwe is said to have only enough fertiliser to plant 34 000 hectares, as
opposed to the required two million hectares. Some international agencies
predict a shortage of cereal by November this year.

Meanwhile a cholera outbreak blamed on a shortage of water treatment
chemicals has claimed several lives in Harare.

Beleaguered Mugabe regime caves in on forex dealings

http://www.monstersandcritics.com

Business Features
By Jan Raath Sep 26, 2008, 11:53 GMT

Harare - Hundreds of businesses around Zimbabwe were readying Friday to open
their doors to sell goods in foreign currency as the country's own currency
accelerated in its crash towards oblivion.

The central bank Thursday granted special licences to 570 retail and
wholesale businesses, oil companies and service stations to charge in hard
currency, in the latest attempt by President Robert Mugabe's regime to put
goods back on the empty shelves of the country's stores.

The move was a major climbdown in the government's war against the booming
black-market trade in currency, groceries and fuel.

Inflation estimated at about 15 per cent a day has rendered the Zimbabwe
dollar almost worthless, falling to a billionth of its value since the
beginning of the year.

Faced with the accelerated collapse of what only eight years ago was
Africa's most robust and diverse economy after South Africa, the central
bank has shaved 13 zeroes off the value of the currency in a little over a
year.

At the same time, the US dollar has become the country's preferred currency,
with restaurants, service stations, fast food take-aways, pharmacies and
hairdressers insisting on hard currency.

Hundreds of backyard dollar shops selling imported groceries, liquor, and
hardware have also sprung up to replace once well-stocked supermarkets,
depleted by populist price controls.

Zimbabwe's football authorities are among flocking to the US dollar.

Dynamos, the country's top team, have applied to the central bank to be able
to charge US dollars for tickets when they play Cameroonian team Cotonsport
Garoua in the semi-final of the African Champions League next month,
according to the state-controlled Herald newspaper.

The new licenses come with a hefty price tag. Companies have to pay 20,000
dollars for each outlet, and the central bank charges a 15 percent tax on
their takings.

'Failure to act in such extraordinary times, therefore, would be tantamount
to the highest level of betrayal to the hard-working people of Zimbabwe,'
said central bank governor Gideon Gono issuing the licences.

'Never mind that,' said a senior business executive who asked not to be
named. 'It's an admission finally that they have run the currency into the
ground.'

Observers also warn the move could exacerbate the plight of the poor.

'Where do ordinary people who earn a living selling tomatoes on the street
get US dollars? They will go to the black market, and that will push up
demand for forex, and make it much more expensive to buy than it already
is,' one wholesaler executive asked.

Basic commodities like maizemeal, the national staple, sugar, cooking oil,
bread, medicines and milk will still have to be charged for in local
currency. 'So it means they are going to continue to be in short supply.'

Gono also acted to try to relieve the critical shortage of cash and reduce
the crowds of angry customers waiting to draw cash from bank ATMs.

From Monday, they will be able to draw 20,000 Zimbabwe dollars a day,
instead of the derisory 1,000 Zimbabwe dollars, which is only enough for a
copy of the Herald.

The increased withdrawal limit is not likely to be much use for long. The
20,000 Zimbabwe dollar limit is equal to about 20 US dollars, having more
than halved in the last week.

'You can't win,' lamented businessman David Hwenge.

Zim set to run out of food by November

By Alex Bell
26 September 2008

A US aid organisation has warned that Zimbabwe faces completely running out
of food as early as the first week of November, because the government has
not ensured that adequate quantities of basic cereals have been imported to
make up for the poor harvest.

The US Agency for International Development's (USAID) Famine Early Warning
Systems Network (FEWSNET) said in a statement on Thursday that Zimbabwe
could face a 'critical shortage or exhaustion of cereals' as early as
November 'given the current pace of imports'. FEWSNET explained that the
current import rate of 8,786 tons of food per week would need to be tripled
between now and March 2009 'to avoid massive shortages'.

The government planned to import 600 000 tons of maize from South Africa
this year but only 175 000 tons had been bought by the end of August. "To
meet the country's estimated consumption needs for the remainder of the
marketing year, excluding carryover, an estimated additional 788 719 tons
of cereals are needed," FEWSNET said.

Zimbabweans have already been facing hunger and malnutrition after Robert
Mugabe's government imposed a ban on humanitarian food aid during the run up
to the election run off in June. The ban left millions of the most desperate
facing starvation, and although government said they had lifted the ban at
the end of August, there are still many blocking mechanisms in place to stop
the distribution of food. At the same time, the shattered economy and a
severe currency shortage has seen even the country's comparatively wealthier
groups struggling to afford the most basic food stuffs.

Macdonald Lewanika from the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, told Newsreel on
Friday there are 'grave concerns' that food remains inaccessible, despite
the deal signed by Zimbabwe's political rivals. He said it is unacceptable
that promises made during the signing of the deal have not been implemented,
and called for immediate action on the ground. Lewanika said: "The impasse
over sharing of cabinet posts needs to be resolved as a matter of urgency in
the interest of ending the suffering of Zimbabweans."

SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news

Starving residents take legal action against police

By Alex Bell
26 September 2008

Residents of Harare's Glen Norah suburb have taken legal action to stop
police from interfering with critically needed food aid meant to be
distributed to two hundred desperate households.

In July the Glen Norah Residents Association received a donation of food
items, including maize meal and sugar beans from the Catholic Church based
Jesuit Relief Fund, which was meant to be distributed to the association's
vulnerable members, including orphans, the elderly and people living with
HIV and AIDS.

But just after receiving the donation police officers from the Glen Norah
Police Station raided the home of Kingsley Kanyuchi, the residents
association's chairperson and interrogated him about the source and
destination of the food aid. The police then barred the association from
parceling the food relief, until it got authorization from the Ministry of
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has since filed a court application
with the high court, contesting that the association is under no legal
obligation to register under the Private Voluntary Organisation Act (PVO
Act) and is exempt from the PVO Act's definition of a private and voluntary
organisation. In a draft court order being sought by ZLHR, the lawyers want
the police and anyone acting through or under them to be barred from
frustrating or preventing the association from distributing food to its
members.

ZLHR spokesperson, Kumbirai Mafunda, told Newsreel the papers were filed on
Wednesday but said the lawyers have yet to find out when the case will be
heard in court. He added it was critical the case is heard as soon as
possible 'because of the number of people who are starving' as 'large
numbers of families are struggling'. Mafunda also added that despite the
lifting of the government imposed food aid ban, 'the lives of millions of
vulnerable Zimbabweans are still at risk'. He said checks on aid agencies,
such as submitting details of their humanitarian programmes and funding, as
well as areas and modes of operations to the government, are compromising
the resumption of critical field operations.

SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news

Mugabe has never been weaker

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=4809

September 26, 2008
Clapperton Mavhunga

ON SEPTEMBER 20, the African National Congress (ANC) asked Thabo Mbeki to
step down as state president of South Africa. But it also asked him to
continue as mediator in Zimbabwe. The logic, it seems, is that Mbeki is good
for Zimbabwe, but not for South Africa.

Overnight, the ANC became the ruling party of Zimbabwe. At least, that was
better than being a personal fiefdom of Mbeki, but not good enough for
Zimbabweans.

On Wednesday, SADC spokesman Charles Mubita said Mbeki will stay "unless he
personally thinks otherwise". Secretary-general Tomas Salamao chimed in:
South Africa is SADC chairman and decides who mediates.

New South African President and presumptive SADC Chair Kgalema Motlanthe has
already said he will not "reinvent policy". But the Zuma-Mbeki rivalry is
worsening, and Motlanthe might have to reinvent South Africa's Zimbabwe
policy, after all.

How a party in need of mediation itself can mediate in Zimbabwe is, of
course, a puzzle.

AU Chair Jakaya Kikwete sees "no cause for alarm" and hails the Zimbabwe
deal as "testimony to the fact that democracy and good governance are taking
root" in Africa.

Not quite a fact yet, Mr. President.

Even as he spoke, Kikwete should have been aware of the deadlock Mugabe had
left in Harare when hiving off to a useless tête-à-tête in New York.

Mbeki was ousted just as he finalized the draft of a UN speech to appeal for
western funds for the Zimbabwe deal. Instead, as the UN General Assembly
started deliberations, he was delivering his valedictory to Parliament.

Like Nkrumah, Kenyatta, and Mugabe before him, Mbeki takes his place in
history as a president busy making a name abroad as a Pan-Africanist while
his people suffered. He will claim credit for the AU and NEPAD, African
Renaissance and Quiet Diplomacy, but will forever be dismissed for denying
the reality of AIDS, the Zimbabwe Crisis, poverty, and unemployment.

Unlike President Mbeki, Former President Mbeki has no political teeth. While
former presidents have mediated African conflicts, none had been fired in
ignominy by their party as head of state.

Mbeki's personal role in Zimbabwe is finished, but the Mbeki doctrine stays.
SA domestic policy governs Zimbabwe, unless the ANC departs from Mbeki's
perception of the MDC as Zimbabwe's Democratic Alliance, to be negotiated
with only for the self-preservation of an erstwhile liberation war ally.

That is why Mbeki could not take a lead in imposing a regional blockade
against Mugabe. Instead he chose cowardly appeasement. Just like with AIDS
denialism in SA, Mbeki's quiet diplomacy has cost thousands of Zimbabwean
lives through diseases that could be treatable.

Quiet diplomacy became a formula to not only deny that Mugabe was the
Zimbabwean crisis on two legs, but to strike an elitist deal with an
out-of-sorts MDC leadership. Quiet diplomacy became a gag Mbeki used to
alienate the MDC from the masses, Soviet Politburo-style.

Since when has a popular movement retained popularity through isolation from
the masses? Mbeki is gone, but his deal remains. Informed analysts advised
the MDC to stand firm and negotiate from a high bar. Instead the MDC relaxed
its preconditions.

People wanted justice for victims of violence; the deal says 'amnesty'.

South Africa, big as it is, has just 29 ministers. We shall have 31, yet
Zimbabwe is the size of one SA province. The MDC said: "It's OK".

The people wanted Mugabe gone; the MDC said "No problem, how about Mugabe as
Executive President".

The people wanted a new constitution written by the people; now the
politicians will write it for us.

It is not far-fetched to now think the MDC either signed without thinking or
was thinking only of personal power. Otherwise why else would it sign
without formally getting the Home Affairs, Finance, Local Government, and
Justice Ministries?

How could they sign a deal that placed all faith in the generosity of Mugabe
to enforce the agreement, with no security guarantees from SADC or the AU in
the event of default?

If the MDC is genuinely a people's movement, it should understand that there
is no shame in contrition. It should admit it snoozed when it should have
remained vigilant.

There is nothing wrong with the MDC admitting that it fell for Mbeki's quiet
diplomacy and let down (and left out) its traditional base. This humility
will make it easier to reincarnate a single platform with civic society,
labour, and - thus far ignored - the Diaspora. This will enable the MDC to
turn the agreement from a weakness to a foundation worth building up.

Contrary to his rhetoric, Mugabe has never been weaker than now. A perusal
of his political trajectory since leaving prison in 1975 shows that Mugabe
has used fiery rhetoric to mask his weaknesses, especially within his party.
His words are not so much a sign of strength as a reflection of an attempt
to rally radicals to shore up his precarious position in Zanu-PF.

Many commentators have tried to convince us that Mugabe has lost his head. I
am unable to share that opinion. It is important to understand that Mugabe's
position in Zanu-PF has never been that of an absolute ruler. That is why
puppets are necessary.

So he uses hard-hitting anti-western rhetoric to insist that he is not a
sellout to those with some spine who from time to time confront him.
Patronage keeps all the puppets in his corner to keep out those who want the
succession issue discussed.

Bribery works so long as the resources to support it exist: now they are
drying up, so what does Zanu-PF do? Use the MDC as a goblin to get western
donor support to keep its networks of patronage working. Smart!

Mugabe speaks as a man who knows he took the MDC for a ride - and won! And
he has the 'agreement' to show for it. What he says is true: The government
is a pyramid with the president at the top. People told the MDC this would
happen; it did not listen.

No wonder Mugabe thinks Mbeki is a jolly good fellow!

Mugabe thinks that he can hoodwink the international community as he and
Mbeki outfoxed the MDC. But that may turn out to be his biggest mistake. The
world is a far more complicated place since the last time he traveled
widely. Not only have targeted sanctions narrowed his itinerary; they have
blinkered his vision.

Mugabe may find it a tough act with Mbeki gone.

Even as he spoke, Kikwete should have been aware of the deadlock Mugabe had
left in Harare when hiving off to a useless tête-à-tête in New York.

Mbeki was ousted just as he finalized the draft of a UN speech to appeal for
western funds for the Zimbabwe deal. Instead, as the UN General Assembly
started deliberations, he was delivering his valedictory to Parliament.

Like Nkrumah, Kenyatta, and Mugabe before him, Mbeki takes his place in
history as a president busy making a name abroad as a Pan-Africanist while
his people suffered. He will claim credit for the AU and NEPAD, African
Renaissance and Quiet Diplomacy, but will forever be dismissed for denying
the reality of AIDS, the Zimbabwe Crisis, poverty, and unemployment.

Unlike President Mbeki, Former President Mbeki has no political teeth. While
former presidents have mediated African conflicts, none had been fired in
ignominy by their party as head of state.

Mbeki's personal role in Zimbabwe is finished, but the Mbeki doctrine stays.
SA domestic policy governs Zimbabwe, unless the ANC departs from Mbeki's
perception of the MDC as Zimbabwe's Democratic Alliance, to be negotiated
with only for the self-preservation of an erstwhile liberation war ally.

That is why Mbeki could not take a lead in imposing a regional blockade
against Mugabe. Instead he chose cowardly appeasement. Just like with AIDS
denialism in SA, Mbeki's quiet diplomacy has cost thousands of Zimbabwean
lives through diseases that could be treatable.

Quiet diplomacy became a formula to not only deny that Mugabe was the
Zimbabwean crisis on two legs, but to strike an elitist deal with an
out-of-sorts MDC leadership. Quiet diplomacy became a gag Mbeki used to
alienate the MDC from the masses, Soviet Politburo-style.

Since when has a popular movement retained popularity through isolation from
the masses? Mbeki is gone, but his deal remains. Informed analysts advised
the MDC to stand firm and negotiate from a high bar. Instead the MDC relaxed
its preconditions.

People wanted justice for victims of violence; the deal says 'amnesty'.

South Africa, big as it is, has just 29 ministers. We shall have 31, yet
Zimbabwe is the size of one SA province. The MDC said: "It's OK".

The people wanted Mugabe gone; the MDC said "No problem, how about Mugabe as
Executive President".

The people wanted a new constitution written by the people; now the
politicians will write it for us.

It is not far-fetched to now think the MDC either signed without thinking or
was thinking only of personal power. Otherwise why else would it sign
without formally getting the Home Affairs, Finance, Local Government, and
Justice Ministries?

How could they sign a deal that placed all faith in the generosity of Mugabe
to enforce the agreement, with no security guarantees from SADC or the AU in
the event of default?

If the MDC is genuinely a people's movement, it should understand that there
is no shame in contrition. It should admit it snoozed when it should have
remained vigilant.

There is nothing wrong with the MDC admitting that it fell for Mbeki's quiet
diplomacy and let down (and left out) its traditional base. This humility
will make it easier to reincarnate a single platform with civic society,
labour, and - thus far ignored - the Diaspora. This will enable the MDC to
turn the agreement from a weakness to a foundation worth building up.

Contrary to his rhetoric, Mugabe has never been weaker than now. A perusal
of his political trajectory since leaving prison in 1975 shows that Mugabe
has used fiery rhetoric to mask his weaknesses, especially within his party.
His words are not so much a sign of strength as a reflection of an attempt
to rally radicals to shore up his precarious position in Zanu-PF.

Many commentators have tried to convince us that Mugabe has lost his head. I
am unable to share that opinion. It is important to understand that Mugabe's
position in Zanu-PF has never been that of an absolute ruler. That is why
puppets are necessary.

So he uses hard-hitting anti-western rhetoric to insist that he is not a
sellout to those with some spine who from time to time confront him.
Patronage keeps all the puppets in his corner to keep out those who want the
succession issue discussed.

Bribery works so long as the resources to support it exist: now they are
drying up, so what does Zanu-PF do? Use the MDC as a goblin to get western
donor support to keep its networks of patronage working. Smart!

Mugabe speaks as a man who knows he took the MDC for a ride - and won! And
he has the 'agreement' to show for it. What he says is true: The government
is a pyramid with the president at the top. People told the MDC this would
happen; it did not listen.

No wonder Mugabe thinks Mbeki is a jolly good fellow!

Mugabe thinks that he can hoodwink the international community as he and
Mbeki outfoxed the MDC. But that may turn out to be his biggest mistake. The
world is a far more complicated place since the last time he traveled
widely. Not only have targeted sanctions narrowed his itinerary; they have
blinkered his vision.

Mugabe may find it a tough act with Mbeki gone.

Crisis Zimbabwe: Time to implement this Deal!

28 September 2008

Time to implement this Deal - Zimbabweans continue to suffer

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition is gravely concerned by inordinate delays
in concluding the allocation of ministries by the three main political
players in Zimbabwe following the signing of a power sharing deal signed on
the 15th of September 2008. The deal between ZANU PF and MDC is now 14 days
old and no concrete changes have been recorded. While the main principals in
this deal continue to contest over issues of power, the suffering of
ordinary Zimbabweans continues with no promise of an end in sight.

Since March 2008 to date, Zimbabwe has been running without a government and
the continued utterances by the Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr.
Misheck Sibanda, of a de facto government of outgoing mostly un-elected
cabinet ministers is unacceptable. The people of Zimbabwe want a legitimate
administration to begin the reconstruction process. It is time to turn
signatures into real improvements of livelihood. All we want is;

Ø Food security in the country,

Ø economic recovery,

Ø improvement of social services,

Ø Institutional reforms,

Ø a people driven democratic constitution,

Ø rebuilding international relations,

We call on the principals to resolve the impasse over equitable sharing of
cabinet posts in the interest of ending the suffering of Zimbabweans.

Zimbabweans from all walks of life are placing their hope on a unity
government as they have, for almost a decade, witnessed a collapse in the
economy, health services, education, rule of law and agriculture. The
Coalition therefore urges the key political players to put the national
agenda first ahead of partisan differences and champion a sustainable
framework of engagement for a prosperous Zimbabwe.

Issued by:

Japhet Moyo

Spokesperson

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition

Nurses Demand Bribes in Forex

http://www.radiovop.com


BULAWAYO, September 26 2008 - Most nurses in Bulawayo's major
hospitals are reportedly demanding foreign currency from patients to ensure
preferential treatment.

Patients who can not afford to give the nurses foreign currency are
reportedly neglected and ignored by the health personnel.

"It is now common knowledge that if you go to major hospitals such as
Mpilo you have to make that sort of arrangement so that there is hope of
recuperating," said Thabani Ndlovu, a Bulawayo resident.

"Either the patient or the patient's relatives negotiate with the
nurses so that sick person will be looked after. In some instances the
nurses actually sell things such as drips and other medicines to patients.
"

A report on staffing levels within Zimbabwe's crumbling healthcare
system paints a dire picture of the impact of the brain drain, with vacancy
rates for crucial skills in hospitals as high as 70 percent.

More than 3 500 nurses and 969 doctors had left government health
institutions by September 2007 after the health professionals intensified
their hunt for better opportunities in the region and abroad, a report
prepared by the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe (NCZ) revealed early this year.

Of late most civil servants have been demanding payment of salaries in
foreign exchange in a country where the economy has almost been dollarised.
Central bank governor recently approved the use of foreign currency by
licenced wholesalers and retailers.

ZCTU To Grill Tsvangirai Over Deal

http://www.radiovop.com

HARARE, September 26 2008 - Opposition Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC) leader and newly designated Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
will appear before a Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) general council
Saturday morning, where he is expected to be grilled on the merits of his
party's recent power sharing agreement with Zanu PF.

President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF and the two factions of the MDC
signed a power sharing agreement on September 15, aimed at stopping
Zimbabwe's economic meltdown as well as end nearly a decade of bitter
political rivalry.

The ZCTU feels the deal is a "far cry" from its expectations and that
it is an outcome of a flawed process.

The labour body says the deal is centred on power sharing among the
protagonists while skirting the primary causes of the prolonged dispute.

The labour body feels Zimbabwe's problems are too complex to be left
in the hands of politicians who are preoccupied with self-serving interests.

"An all-inclusive dialogue is the only way forward to resolve
Zimbabwe's political and economic impasse," ZCTU secretary general
Wellington Chibebe said this week.

"Ownership of the dialogue process should rest with the people of
Zimbabwe, not just a few politicians, some of them who have been rejected by
the electorate.

"ZCTU continues to advocate for a Neutral Transitional Authority and
the drafting of a people driven constitution which will lead the nation into
a free and fair democratic election where people will choose their own
government. The current temporary arrangement has not created a people's
Government."

Several civic organizations have also expressed disappointment over
the deal.

Despite its intended purposes, so they say, Tsvangirai, who won the
last credible election on March 29, conceded too much for Mugabe, 84, whose
powers are still intact.

The MDC leader did not take part in the June 27 presidential run off.
He cited massive state sponsored violence and intimidation on his
supporters.

Tsvangirai is a former ZCTU president who quit in 1999 when he turned
into politics.

Tsvangirai still waiting for a passport

http://www.iol.co.za

    September 26 2008 at 07:53AM

By Stanley Gama

Harare - Despite being Zimbabwe's prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai
still can't officially travel outside the country.

And his aides have to make laborious special arrangements with foreign
governments every time he visits them. The registrar-general's office in
Harare is reluctant to issue him with either a new passport or an emergency
travel document, it has been established.

One reason given is that the office has run out of materials. But
senior officials in the office have pointed out that hundreds of Zimbabweans
have been issued with passports in the past few months.

At one stage Tsvangirai was offered a repatriation document by the
Zimbabwe embassy in Pretoria, which is usually meant for dead people whose
bodies have to be returned. "Tsvangirai refused . because he said he was not
a dead person," a Movement for Democratic Change official said.

Tsvangirai first applied for a new passport in May after the pages in
his old one had been exhausted. It normally takes two days for an emergency
passport to be issued in Zimbabwe.

He was told on various occasions that there was no passport material;
that the machines were down; and at one point he was accused of having
imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe and so did not deserve a passport.

The MDC leader, shuttling in and out of Zimbabwe while negotiating the
power-sharing deal, was issued with two emergency travel documents with an
unusually short lifespan.

The first allowed him to travel to Angola only for a Southern African
Development Community meeting. It expired and he was issued with a new one
for travel only to South Africa to attend the SADC summit. This expired
after three weeks.

Normally, emergency travel documents in Zimbabwe have a lifespan of
six months, and holders can travel to as many countries as they like, as
long as they indicate their destinations on the application form.

Tsvangirai's spokesperson, George Sibotshiwe, confirmed on Thursday
that the MDC leader's passport had still not been released almost four
months down the line.

"We are disappointed by the lack of sincerity on the part of Zanu-PF
and in particular their inability to deal with the passport issue of the
prime minister-designate.

"We believe that (so much) progress has been made in this dialogue
that issues like passports are simple and must be handled in a professional
manner," Sibotshiwe said.

The MDC took the matter to court, but the case was postponed each
time.

Tsvangirai managed to travel in the region by making special
arrangements with receiving countries. When Tsvangirai applied for a new
passport, the registar-general demanded the old one, which has not been
returned.

Registar-General Tobaiwa Mudede was said to be out of the office the
whole week when The Star made inquiries.

A staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he believed
there was a deliberate ploy to deny the MDC leader a passport.

"Everyone in the passport office took an interest when Tsvangirai's
application came through and workers wanted to process it quickly as he has
a lot of sympathisers at the registar-general's office.

"However, we were ordered by our superiors not to process his
application. No reasons were given.

"Since Tsvangirai applied for a passport more than three months ago,
we have issued hundreds if not thousands of new passports. So if the bosses
here are saying there is no material, where did they get the material to
process thousands of passports?" the official said.

Last month Tsvangirai was held up for a day just before the SADC
summit in Sandton when his emergency travel document was seized by security
officials at the airport. The document was later returned.

This article was originally published on page 11 of The Star on
September 26, 2008

Power-sharing deal looking precarious

Photo:

Goodbye for a while

HARARE, 26 September 2008 (IRIN) - A Zimbabwe power-sharing deal brokered by South Africa's former president, Thabo Mbeki, appears to be unravelling.

On 15 September, Mbeki oversaw the signing of a deal between President Robert Mugabe, the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambura, leader of a smaller MDC faction, in what became his last foreign policy act as president. He was ousted from South Africa's top job a few days after returning from Zimbabwe.

Mbeki's axing meant the South African president had to cancel his trip to a UN annual General Assembly meeting in New York, while Mugabe departed for the US and is only expected to return to Zimbabwe in early October, as it is the custom of the 84-year-old president to have his annual medical check-ups abroad.

The deal was expected to signal the beginning of Zimbabwe's reconstruction, but reports of political violence are still commonplace, the inflation rate of more than 11 million percent remains unchecked, an outbreak of cholera in the capital, Harare, and Mashonaland West Province has claimed 20 lives in the past week, and reports that children have begun to succumb to starvation indicate that the country's humanitarian situation is worsening.

Earlier this year the UN estimated that more than five million people, out of a population of 12 million, would require food assistance in the first quarter of 2009. November is the planting period for the main agricultural season, but cash shortages, a paucity of agricultural inputs and renewed disruptions on farms do not bode well for the coming harvest.

Mbeki's power-sharing deal became deadlocked last week after ZANU-PF reportedly refused to concede any of the portfolios covering security, home affairs, justice, local government, finance, information and foreign affairs to the MDC.

Parliament has convened once since the disputed presidential election on 27 June, but was immediately adjourned and is not expected to reconvene until mid-October. It is yet to pass the constitutional amendments needed to create the posts of prime minister and deputy prime minister - allocated to Tsvangirai and Mutambura, respectively - under the agreement.  

Mugabe feels ZANU-PF pressure 

A member of ZANU-PF's politburo, the party's top decision-making body, told IRIN that before leaving for New York, Mugabe was accused by senior party members of ceding too much power to the opposition parties. "It looks like Mugabe used the UN conference as an excuse to flee from the gathering storm in his party," the party insider said.

It looks like Mugabe used the UN conference as an excuse to flee from the gathering storm in his party. Because of his lengthy absence from the country, there is a lot of uncertainty

"Because of his lengthy absence from the country, there is a lot of uncertainty within the country and ZANU-PF. In addition, when ... [apportioning] cabinet posts, Mugabe has to deal with the delicate issue of mollifying two camps in his party which are jostling to succeed him."

The constitutional amendments need a two-thirds majority to pass, which could potentially hand disgruntled ZANU-PF MPs a way to stall the deal.

The changing of the guard in neighbouring South Africa, in which Mbeki was deposed ahead of next year's scheduled elections, left Mugabe "devastated", according to the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU).

The MDC often accused Mbeki of being partisan towards Mugabe after the Southern African Development Community (SADC) appointed him as the regional body's lead negotiator in 2007, while Mugabe recently lauded Mbeki's style of negotiations.

Such praise has not been reciprocated in South Africa, where the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), the country's largest union federation and an alliance partner of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), played a pivotal role in ousting Mbeki and remain unhappy with his power-sharing deal.

COSATU spokesman Patrick Craven told IRIN the federation was "profoundly unhappy with the negotiations on the table" and termed it an "elite deal negotiated between a few individuals, with no attempt to involve civil society." The power-sharing government has a five-year term.

Union pressure on Tsvangirai

SADC spokesperson Charles Mubita told Zimbabwe's official The Herald newspaper that Mbeki would continue to lead the SADC's mediation talks, because "It does not need someone to be a sitting president to facilitate in a dispute."

COSATU's Craven said the union federation has so far not taken a position on Mbeki's continued role as the lead negotiator in Zimbabwe.

Tsvangirai will attend a meeting of the ZCTU's general council on 27 September to explain the details of the power-sharing agreement. The labour federation, which was a launch pad of the MDC, is against the negotiated deal and prefers the formation of a transitional authority, followed by free and fair elections.

Tsvangirai and the MDC achieved a parliamentary majority in the 29 March general elections but was a couple of percentage points shy of the 50 percent plus one vote required to win the presidency outright.

Tsvangirai withdrew from the run-off ballot in protest against the high levels of political violence, which Mugabe subsequently won as a sole candidate - a result not recognised by the international community.

The 2008/09 Agricultural Season Fertiliser Shortage

 

Friday, 26 September 2008 15:50 Phil Matibe

 

Zimbabwe is headed for another disastrous Agriculture season.

The perennial September fertiliser debacle is upon us once again. Farmers who should already have fertiliser in their sheds are staring at another disastrous season without adequate fertiliser, the most important item in agriculture after land.

Communal farmers are resorting to using anthill soil, ash, stover and animal manure as they mitigate the unavailability of commercial fertiliser.

The bungling Minister of Agriculture, Rugare Gumbo announced last week that Zimbabwean companies would only be able to produce 12 000 tonnes out of the targeted 30 000 tonnes, despite receiving US$13 million from the central bank, specifically for fertilizer production, ahead of the farming season.

About 70 percent of Zimbabwe is covered with sandy soils, mostly derived from coarse granite, which are generally acidic. This presents a challenge for any agriculturalist wishing to replenish the NPK (nitrogen, phosphate and potash) macronutrients required for plant growth to overcome soil fertility depletion. These soils need periodical rest, rotation with legumes and agricultural lime applied to adjust the acidity.

So using a conservative fertiliser application rate of 250kgs per hectare for Ammonium Nitrate(AN) and 300 kgs per hectare for Compound D basal fertiliser for the 2008/09 maize crop, only 24 000 hectares of maize will have adequate fertiliser at a cost of US$1083.00 per tonne. The average world price for one tonne for 34.5% AN fertiliser is US$425.00 per tonne and for Compound D (8:14:7, N-P-K) is US$500.00 per tonne. These prices are from Harare depots, transportation to rural areas can increase this price.

A farmer in Zimbabwe this season will pay U$$ 1.08 per kg of fertiliser as compared to US$0.45 per kg for his counterpart in a neighbouring functioning economy. Therefore, to plant one hectare of maize the farmer will fork out US$594.00 per hectare, assuming the rains are good, the seedbed is perfect and germination is within the acceptable 95-99% range. However most farmers will have to replant or embark on “gap filling” because there is never a perfect season.

A sixty-horsepower tractor requires 35 litres of diesel per hectare to plough one hectare of land and then another 20 litres per hectare to disc with a harrow. 10 litres per hectare is further required for planting. The fuel requirement for a single hectare becomes 65 litres of diesel, which costs US$2.05 per litre in Zimbabwe. Therefore US$133.00 per hectare is required for land preparation without accounting for combine harvester costs.

Mechanisation has become a necessity due to the HIV pandemic compounded with general malnutrition. Most people are too weak for the rigorous manual labour required for maize husbandry.

Last month the same minister announced that the government has only secured 30,000 tonnes of maize seed out of a required 50,000 tonnes. He said only 11,300 tonnes of maize seed was sourced from local seed houses while 18,700 tonnes was imported from neighbouring countries.

Therefore, Zimbabwe now produces only 22.6% of its maize seed requirements. This for a country that used to produce 100% of its maize seed requirements and also supplied the bulk of Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique’s maize seed needs.

The imported seed to be used by the Zimbabwean farmer is planted at a seeding rate of 25 kgs per hectare in order to achieve the optimum plant population of 55 000 plants per hectare. Hybrid maize seed costs US$4000 per tonne and Open Pollinated Variety (OPV) maize seed cost US$900 per tonne. The 25g kg pack required to plant one hectare will cost the farmer about US$120.00.

With these levels of input costs, the farmer needs US$847.00 per hectare for the pre-germination portion of his input costs excluding labour, electricity, insurance and other variable costs.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe last month announced a new producer price of maize of ZW$4500.00 , old value ZW$ 45 trillion , which equates to US$41.02 per tonne using the prevailing official exchange rate of 120:1 to the US dollar. These exchange rates changes hourly and by the time you read this article please use the current rate.

The national maize yield average has now dropped to 1.5 tonnes per hectare. US$61.53 or ZW$7883.60 per hectare gross margin presents a loss that renders maize production in Zimbabwe economically unsustainable.

Maize is being imported from South Africa is arriving at a rate of 8 786 metric tonnes per week. With only twenty-five weeks left before the 2008/09 maize harvest, Zimbabwe’s maize stocks will be 219 650 metric tonnes against a national requirement of 1 164 000 000 metric tonnes. As of August 31,2008 the government of Zimbabwe

Agricultural inputs are being diverted to the parallel market whilst the RBZ is engaged in supporting speculative non-agricultural activities.

Zimbabwe’s elephants could provide a natural resource that could help alleviate a national fertilser shortage. An African elephant can drop 60 to 100 kilograms per day. An elephant consumes about 4-6% of its body weight per day. A 5000 kg bull will eat around 300 kg of vegetation per day. Because elephants do not have an efficient digestive system and only 44% of their food is absorbed with the rest passing through undigested. This means around 60kg of dung can be collected from just one elephant per day.

With an elephant population of over 60 000, Zimbabwe could harvest 3 600 tonnes of manure every day.

Organic manure contains a wide range of minerals and nutrients, including abundant amounts of the three main chemicals that plants need for growth, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Today in Zimbabwe, cows and other livestock are being used as a method of payment for school fees, not only will this further decimate the nation’s breeding herd gene pool but will reduce the availability of cattle manure, a major fertiliser input for smallholder farmers on communal lands. Cattle manure is an integral component of soil fertility management in the communal areas in Zimbabwe

Communal farmers are now resorting to planting uncertified seed derived from stored commercial grain. The usual “guma guma” fraudsters are exploiting the situation by merely tinting maize grain with a green dye , repackaging and selling it as hybrid seed to unsuspected communal farmers.

The 105 combine harvesters, 3 000 tractors, 100 000 ox-drawn ploughs, 20 000 ox-drawn harrows and 45 000 ox-drawn scotch carts, provided by the RBZ as a vote-buying gimmick to gullible farmers before the Presidential elections, will now just rust away.

Zimbabwe teachers union urge authorities to postpone examinations

By Violet Gonda
26 September 2008

School children from most government schools in the country have had no
lessons since the school term opened this month because of a teachers
strike. The strike for better wages has come at a time when many pupils are
preparing to write their final O and A' level examinations.

Takavafira Zhou, the president of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe
(PTUZ) said children cannot be expected to write exams when thy have not
attended lessons. He said his Union has sent letters to the authorities
saying the most logical and realistic thing was to postpone the exams "or
even declare that 2008 is altogether a forgotten year and we may start
afresh next year, assuming that the new deal will work and perhaps
conditions would have improved."

Practical exams for science students have already started and Zhou said in
some schools "grounds people" are invigilating the exams because of the
teachers' strike. "It's a tragedy. Even June exams, the markings were
abandoned because the teachers refused to mark. So assuming that they will
write, who will mark?" Zhou asked.

However Tendai Chikowore, the President of the Zimbabwe Teachers Association
(ZIMTA) said this is a war of a different kind and a war that is bound to
have casualties. She said: "If the government finds it in its best interest
to postpone, then that is fine, but what we don't want to do is cause a
conflict between ourselves and the parents because we don't know what the
parents want. We haven't carried out a referendum."

The ZIMTA president admitted that there is a breakdown of the system in
Zimbabwe that has made it impossible for teachers to go to work. She said
there is a need for a political settlement as the situation is impacting
negatively on most of the government institutions.

Chikowore wouldn't call the action by the teachers a strike, saying civil
servants in general have been incapacitated by the government and this is a
system that is now breaking down and affecting all sectors. The ZIMTA
president said there was no declaration of a strike but simply a reaction to
a system which has completely broken down and which needs a complete
overhaul. "The majority of teachers were finding it difficult to go to work
simply because the levels of remunerations were low coupled with the levels
of maximum withdrawals that they could access at the bank, and this is a
situation that has deteriorated across the civil service," Chikowore said.

ZIMTA is the biggest teachers union in Zimbabwe, and is largely seen as
pro-government.

SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news

Cash-hungry Zimbabweans tired of political impasse

Reuters

Fri Sep 26, 2008 5:42pm BST

Email |Print | Reprints
By Nelson Banya

HARARE, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Edith Tembo sits on the pavement outside a
Zimbabwean bank, tired and dejected after waiting all night to withdraw
money that is barely enough to pay for her bus fare home.

A deadlock over the allocation of cabinet posts has dashed hopes that a
power-sharing deal between President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader
Morgan Tsvangirai would bring quick relief for Tembo and others hurt by the
nation's economic crisis.

Zimbabwe is struggling with the highest inflation rate in the world --
pegged at above 11 million percent -- and chronic shortages of food, foreign
currency and fuel. There is now a shortage of Zimbabwean dollars.

"When the deal was signed, we expected that at least things would start
changing for the better, but our situation is actually worse now," said
Tembo, who supplements her husband's income by selling scarce groceries on a
roadside stall.

"Everywhere, queues are longer and goods more expensive than before."

Tsvangirai, who is set to become prime minister under the power-sharing
pact, came face to face on Friday with the extent of the once-prosperous
nation's crisis on a visit to banks in Harare's central business district.

Hordes of residents waiting for cash in lines that spilled onto the streets
greeted him.

"We are hungry, Prime Minister!" a young man in the crowd said, as he
enthusiastically shook Tsvangirai's hand. "Please help us, we've been here
for hours and the money can't even take us far."

Tsvangirai, the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change,
promised to address the situation.

LIMITS ON CASH

But his success hinges on his ability to work with Mugabe, his bitter rival.
The veteran Zimbabwean leader, in power since 1980, had routinely dismissed
Tsvangirai as a Western puppet before agreeing this month to form a unity
government.

The deal was hatched in the wake of the country's disputed presidential
election. Tsvangirai won the first round and withdrew from the second after
his supporters were attacked by Mugabe's security forces and his ZANU-PF
party.

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki helped broker the deal between
the ruling party and the opposition, which was supposed to get the majority
of cabinet positions.

Mbeki, however, was ousted from power last weekend and the impasse over who
will get what cabinet positions has led to growing frustrations on the
streets of Harare.

"We are suffering, facing problems on every front," said Munashe Mpofu, who
is unemployed. "No one is addressing this crisis."

Apart from cash shortages at banks, Zimbabweans endure long queues for
transport, food, including bread, meat and maize, and other commodities.
There are also frequent power cuts.

Some routinely spend the night outside banks to be first in line to get
cash.

But the central bank imposes strict withdrawal limits in its effort to stem
black market trade in foreign currency, often leaving customers unable to
take out enough cash to do their basic shopping, especially on the thriving
black market.

On Monday it will raise those limits, a decision that comes in the wake of
its recent decision to relax foreign exchange regulations to allow some 600
traders to charge for goods and services in foreign currency.

But analysts say such measures are unlikely to improve the situation given
the existing political uncertainty.

"There is a crisis of expectations. People were already sceptical about this
deal and were only willing to give it a chance out of desperate hope for
services, products and jobs, but it has not had the best of starts," said
Lovemore Madhuku, a political commentator.

"Instead, what they see is politicians bickering over jobs increases their
desperation and does not bode well for the future."

Last August, Zimbabwe lopped off 10 zeros from its currency in a bid to
fight the effects of hyperinflation that saw shoppers carrying huge piles of
banknotes for simple transactions. (Editing by Paul Simao and Charles Dick)

Monetary regulations harming the poor

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk


Friday, 26 September 2008 13:57
The MDC condemns the current monetary regime which allows both
individuals and companies to withdraw a paltry $1 000 per day which is not
enough to address the basic needs of an average family.

The long queues at our banks as people strive to withdraw their
salaries are an indictment on the unworkable policies of this government.

Maximum daily withdrawal limits have put a strain on both companies
and individuals as the amounts are largely inadequate even for a two way
trip to Chitungwiza. An average family of five needs about $7 000 to buy
basics every day and $1 000 per day is not even enough for a two-way trip to
Chitungwiza.

Civil servants and ordinary Zimbabweans are spending important
production time of up to a whole day in bank queues waiting to withdraw
money that is only enough to buy cellphone airtime for four minutes!

The repercussions of keeping people's money in banks while inflation
erodes value are far greater than simply increasing the daily limit.
The restrictions on daily maximum withdrawals have spawned corruption,
crime and petty theft as people resort to other means of raising a quick
buck to sustain their families.

With the critical humanitarian situation in the country, people need
money to feed their families and their parents. Even the BACOSSI programme
has dismally failed to address the massive starvation that has swept across
the country. It has failed because people need more than just cooking oil,
beans, soap and mealie meal which are covered by this programme. They need
to pay school fees for their children.
They need water and power in their homes. They need transport to go to
work.
They need to buy clothes and school uniforms for their children.
They need to survive in this hostile economy where all measures taken
by the previous government have dismally failed to ameliorate the people's
poverty.

The RBZ regulations to allow selected shops and wholesalers to sell
goods in foreign currency will cause more havoc on an economy already
teetering on the brink of total collapse. It is unclear where ordinary
Zimbabweans will be expected to access the foreign currency to buy these
goods without resorting to the parallel market. It is also unclear how a
majority population getting its salary in local currency will be expected to
take advantage of these shops.

The MDC hopes that Zanu PF moves away from its intransigent position
on key ministries so that a new government begins to address the people's
basic needs. The only way forward is to speed up the political resolution of
the Zimbabwean crisis as brokered and guaranteed by SADC and the African
Union on 15 September 2008.

Zimbabweans cannot wait any more.

Hon Elton Mangoma, MP
MDC Secretary for Economic Affairs

Dinyero locked up for bad-mouthing Mugabe

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=4817#more-4817

September 26, 2008

Commissioner General of Police Augustine Chihuri

By Our correspondent

HARARE - Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri has detained former
soccer star Masimba Dinyero for three weeks after he allegedly criticized
President Robert Mugabe for continuing to cling on power while police
officers starve.

Police officers are among the lowest paid civil servants in Zimbabwe.

Police sources revealed that Dinyero, a serving police officer, allegedly
criticised President Mugabe last month during a casual discussion with
fellow policemen.

He was summoned before a police disciplinary hearing which recommended he be
detained for 21 days in Harare's Chikurubi police barracks. This is the
maximum period a police officer can be detained for any breaches of the
police disciplinary code.

The source said at one time the police chiefs contemplated dismissing the
former footballer but later reversed the decision, ostensibly in the spirit
of the power-sharing agreement which was being negotiated between Zanu PF
and the MDC.

It is taboo for any Zimbabwean, let alone a police officer, to be heard
criticizing the powerful Zimbabwean leader, who has publicly stated that
only God will remove him from office.

"It is not the first time that Dinyero got into trouble speaking against the
government," the source said.

"Only two years ago, he was abruptly transferred from a Harare police base
to a remote station in Manicaland as punishment for his outspokenness."

Dinyero made his name in the late 80s and 90s when he turned out for Black
Mambas, the police team.

The pinnacle of his career was in 1989 when he was voted Zimbabwe's best
footballer.

In the mid 1990s he turned out for Dynamos, the nation's most successful
team. He was a fringe player in the sensational national team that was
coached by the late German mentor Reinhard Fabisch.

Efforts to seek comment from both Dinyero and police spokespersons were
fruitless.

The police Commissioner General is an avowed supporter of Mugabe's ruling
Zanu-PF and fierce critic of the Movement for Democratic Change, now the
majority party in Parliament. He has publicly vowed never to salute anyone
other than Mugabe, should they become President of Zimbabwe. He is a member
of the Joint Operations Commission (JOC), which is generally viewed as
having usurped Mugabe's executive powers after he lost the presidential
election on March 29. Zimbabwe's security chiefs comprise the membership of
the JOC.

The controversial police chief has threatened to fire any police officer
perceived to be sympathizing with the MDC.

Chihuri has plunged the once highly professional police force into a
partisan organization in which promotion into the higher ranks is now on
political grounds rather than on merit.

Police officers were in June forced to cast votes in favour of President
Mugabe in a presidential election re-run as it became evident the 84 year
old leader was headed for yet another embarrassing defeat by Tsvangirai.

Chihuri has purged the police force of officers suspected of being
sympathizers of the MDC or frustrated them into leaving the force.

Mbeki's departure no advantage to MDC

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=4805

September 26, 2008
Tanonoka Whande

I HAVE always believed that the bad can never triumph over the good. When
the good become accomplices of the bad both become bad.

Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC are now tainted as they are slowly becoming
bad and they are now being viewed with suspicion by many.

And it all has to do with that agreement to work with Mugabe and Zanu-PF. A
day after signing the infamous agreement, Tsvangirai conceded his uneasiness
in signing the agreement and went as far as to state publicly that he does
not trust Mugabe one bit.

But he signed the agreement and he is having problems with it and the people
are not amused.

I notice Tsvangirai's slow but carefully choreographed move back towards the
people to complain about Mugabe not holding up his end of the deal.
Tsvangirai and the MDC must be reminded that they denied the people the
chance to know, debate, accept or refuse the much celebrated agreement the
MDC reached and signed with Robert Mugabe, with more foreigners than locals
in attendance.

Tsvangirai and the MDC shut the people out and now it appears as if they
want to come back to the people to complain about Mugabe.

Meanwhile, Thabo Mbeki, the man who, behind only dictator Robert Mugabe,
caused more distress and deaths in Zimbabwe, has been disgraced by his own
party and recalled from the presidency of South Africa.

Something becomes glaringly clear.

Mbeki, unlike Mugabe, had no alternative but to bow to the demands of his
party, something that Mugabe would never do. Mbeki told the nation that
since he has been a loyal member and servant of the ANC all his life, he was
going to abide by the party's decision.

When Mugabe lost the 2000 referendum, he urged his supporters to "accept the
will of the people" only to unleash so-called war veterans on the farms and
on the people and destroy the nation through vengeful decisions meant to
punish the people for rejecting his proposed constitution.

Mbeki was magnanimous in the acceptance of his firing but hours later was
marshalling his cabinet appointees to resign en masse with him so as to
bring instability to the nation through vengeful, self-serving,
retrogressive personal decisions meant to punish the very same compatriots
that he served.

Like Mugabe, Mbeki does not seem to appreciate that civil servants are in
government to serve the nation, not the person who appointed them to office.
Like Mugabe, Mbeki is trying to destabilise his country as punishment to the
nation for having failed to execute his duties responsibly, both at home and
abroad.

While South Africans do not appear to be getting a better replacement, they
have shown that in their country, there is, at least, still a semblance of
democracy where public officials resign if and when they become tainted with
scandal.

In that respect, Jacob Zuma himself should go nowhere near State House.

If Mbeki could listen and bend down to his people's wishes and actually
vacate State House, why the hell does he think Zimbabweans deserve anything
less from a long serving mediocre leader who continues to occupy State House
by default? Why has Mbeki assured the subjugation of the Zimbabwean people
for so long?

African dictators have a lifetime policy reserved for all disgraced and
rejected fellow authoritarian presidents.

Some careless operative at SADC insisted that Mbeki, rejected by other
countries as mediator and dumped by his own compatriots as State President,
should continue to mediate over the Zimbabwean crisis.

Why should Zimbabweans continue to suffer because of Mbeki's ineptitude?
Mbeki failed and watched our country sinking deeper into the abyss. When he
started his mediation talks he literally encouraged the split within the MDC
ranks, favouring a splinter group of Mugabe-supporting malcontents over the
mainstream MDC.

His so-called agreement signed in Harare two weeks ago has stalled and is on
the verge of collapse. Mugabe is now using Mbeki's power-sharing deal to
humiliate the opposition and to thumb his nose at the world.

Now, since Mbeki demanded the exclusion of the media and prevented the
participation of Zimbabwe's civil society in the flawed talks that he
chaired, he might want to tell us now what all those lengthy talks he
chaired were all about. Today, I am appalled that Mugabe and Tsvangirai are
now haggling and sparring over cabinet posts. I thought that is what they
were discussing for all those months? Weren't such issues as the allocation
of cabinet posts of importance to a 'government of national unity'?

And these misguided SADC and AU functionaries are insisting that the same
failure that has, by dint of his diplomatic quiet, assisted Mugabe in
ruining Zimbabwe, along with thousands of its nationals, should remain as
mediator. Like Kofi Annan, Mbeki could not even mediate his own survival in
office or elsewhere.

And then, there is the MDC itself which has apparently become quite euphoric
in that they believe that the sacking of Mbeki is to their advantage. They
feel that Mbeki's sacking supposedly strengthens their hand.

Morgan Tsvangirai, Nelson Chamisa, Tendai Biti and all their followers
should do us a favour and recognize that they are not the leaders of morons.

The MDC should wake up and stop taking people for granted. Mbeki's departure
does not add positive marks to the MDC. The MDC will not look better because
someone else looks worse. The MDC has to fight for its own name, in its own
right. This party should wake up and work not only for the people but with
the people.

They still have to explain to us why they left civil society behind and went
into a dangerous and unworkable agreement with Mugabe. Now that they have
problems, they want us to assist them to avoid blame. Unless the MDC jumps
out of this embarrassing and sorry arrangement, they could be history. They
now stand in the queue, waiting to be allocated positions by Mugabe, the man
they defeated at the polls.

Mugabe plotted this and, slowly, it is becoming very clear who is in charge.

If the MDC does not do something soon, the agreement they signed is going to
destroy Tsvangirai and the party because the MDC is willing to ignore the
mandate given them by the people and, instead, focus on fighting for
positions in government.

Yes, Tsvangirai is the Prime Minister designate. But he won't get any
meaningful ministries or any power behind that throne. While Tsvangirai is
assembling with his group dishing out cabinet posts to each other, Mugabe is
in New York and, on the strength of this agreement, can legitimately tell
the world that 'we have a deal and we are working with the opposition to put
things right'.

Meantime, Tsvangirai nurses his 'prime minister designate' tag which gives
him no authority or brings any relief to the people.

There is an abundance of lawyers in his party, why did they not advise him
not to sign that document?

Now, instead of these people working for the country, they are going to be
tied up and embroiled in fights over positions as they all want to stamp
their personal authority on a country that belongs not to them but to the
people.

Politicians are all the same.

When Liberators Are Oppressors

http://www.namibian.com.na

Friday, September 26, 2008 - Web posted at 10:04:58 AM GMT

IT is disheartening to follow the role played by the Namibian
government since the political and economic crisis started in Zimbabwe.

The politicians, ruling party youth league and unionists have
continued to label the Opposition party, MDC, in that country as an agent of
imperialism and receive instructions from the West mainly from former
British PM Tony Blair, apparently with the aim to recolonise Zimbabwe.

They are simply singing Robert Mugabe's infamous song.

The problem of the "consultative government" led by President Pohamba
has failed to function coherently and efficiently as initially envisaged by
himself.

Why is President Pohamba overruled by the same people he appointed in
taking decisions? The President is elected to take quality decisions and
guide the nation to achieve the set goals.

The Pohamba presidency has done well in certain areas but failed in
providing strong leadership, instead the youth league and the unions
affiliated to Swapo have taken advantage of that weakness.

The Sam Nujoma presidency was coherent in decision-making processes.

What is wrong with many African leaders that they fail to see the
light in the tunnel and the only thing they see and recognise is the forces
of darkness and evil? Now we hear Mugabe and his rival, Morgan Tsvangirai,
have agreed on a power-sharing deal.

What are you saying now that the Zimbabweans have spoken despite their
deplorable sacrifices in the face of the despotic Robert Mugabe and his
clique? The Namibian people have been embarrassed by our leaders' claim to
uphold the rule of law and embrace the democratic principles as enshrined in
our Constitution but at the same time support a regime which maims and
starves its own people and blames the West for its own inability to govern
the competently.

Our government should embrace true democracy and rule of law at home
and internationally.

Will the Namibian government and its leaders continue to call
Tsvangirai the imperialist when his party won majority seats in parliament?
Africa must learn from experience that change is unstoppable whether we like
it or not.

We do not know as yet the details of the power-sharing deal but it is
clear that the opposition is going to play a big and responsible role in
that country.

Let us help the people of Zimbabwe to unite and rebuild their
beautiful country instead of dividing them for cheap politics of liberation
war.

Yes, we truly fought for liberation but it should not be used to
oppress the populace simply because someone wants to cling to power
forever - it is untenable and selfish.

Governments and their ruling parties must put the interest of the
people first.

As Africans we must be true uniters and not dividers for peace,
stability, fair justice and socio-economic emancipation.

Professor W Wakambwela Via e-mail

The sad story of Harare's courts

The Herald

Friday, September 26, 2008

By Daniel Nemukuyu

IF one were to mistake some of the courts of law in the country's
capital city for a marketplace somewhere in Mbare they probably would
not be far off the mark.

Disorder has become the order of the day at most courts in and around
Harare, a development that has left many people pondering over the
differences between what an honourable court is and what a disorderly
marketplace is.

On this matter there should be no mincing of words: standards at the
courts countrywide have gone to the dogs with illegal vending taking
place right at the main entrances and even inside the court buildings.

Public respect for the courts has been compromised a great deal by
this sharp decline in standards.

In a bid to augment their salaries, court staffers have now resorted
to preparing meals for sale to colleagues, not to mention the
hundreds of witnesses who throng the courts every day.

The Herald visited Harare Civil Court early this week and caught up
with an unidentified woman serving lunch to customers in one of the
disused courtrooms (129), where a plate of sadza and beef bones was
going for $1 000.

As compared to other formal food outlets in the city, food at the
court is much cheaper and several lawyers, court officials, witnesses
and others flocked to the courtroom towards lunch-hour for a bite of
the meal that is now popularly referred to - as is the fashion across
the country - as "Bacossi", thanks to its knockdown price.

But the sad tale of falling standards does not begin or end with food
being cooked and served in disused courtrooms.

Toilets at most courts are no longer different from those found at
the public bus terminuses in the average high-density suburb.

One is greeted by a heavy stench coming from the broken-down toilets
that continue to be used despite their deplorable state.

The impression one gets is that no one wants to take responsibility
for ensuring that the faults are attended to in time and that the
rest rooms are cleaned daily, not just for the sake of upholding
court standards but, more importantly, for public health reasons.

As thousands of people flock to the courts every day, flooded toilets
can lead to serious disease outbreaks that will be difficult to
control.

Once upon a time, Government-employed janitors who were responsible
for the cleaning, but recently the authorities have resorted to
hiring private companies to do the job.

Even then, it is now unclear whether or not the cleaners are still
doing their job considering the mounting piles of rubbish that are
evident all over the premises and litter in the corridors. The nation
is left wondering as to who exactly is to blame for the unhealthy
situation at the courts.

But this situation is not confined to Harare Magistrates' Courts alone.

A visit by to the Chitungwiza Magistrates' Courts and adjacent
Government buildings revealed that the complex had gone for more than
three months without water between October 2007 and early this year.

Recently, some courts had to be closed due to water cuts, leading to
unnecessary backlogs in the processing of dockets.

When water cuts are experienced, courts operate onlyonly in the
mornings before adjourning until the following day.

Unfortunately, the sad tale does not end there.

Gone are the days when the courts had a well-defined dress code that
was respected by all at the risk of inviting contempt of court
charges.

Now witnesses and other interested parties come to court dressed in
jeans, T-shirts, mini-skirts, sandals, sleeveless body-tops,
sneakers, hipsters, pedal-pushers and other forms of dressing that
are better associated with Harare's night life than venerable law
courts.

Tucked-in shirts used to be a requirement, but some witnesses now
dress as if they going out for a beer drink.

Although culture is widely understood to be dynamic, respect for the
courts must be preserved at all costs and if it means amending dress
codes from time to time to suit the fast-changing fashion trends, so
be it.

There should simply be a way of ensuring that levels of
respectability are maintained notwithstanding that culture is dynamic.

Put simply, there should be order at the courts and the responsible
authorities should act on this as a matter of urgency.

And even the security system is not what it used to be.

Security at the courts has now become so porous, prisoners and
suspects brought from police stations are escaping from the building
that is teeming with police and prison officers.

Earlier this month, a suspected thief from the Democratic Republic of
Congo, who had been brought from remand prison, escaped from the
court holding cells after a routine remand hearing under unclear
circumstances.

This was followed by a foiled escape by a suspected teenage cellphone
thief who had been brought to court from Milton Park Police Station.

The boy, who was in handcuffs, was left outside Court 17 on the third
floor at the Rotten Row building as the investigating officer went
into the courtroom to surrender a docket to the prosecutor.

Somehow, he removed the cuffs and took to his heels.

After a dramatic chase, the boy was finally apprehended by court
orderlies and members of the public on the first floor.

Thefts are now rampant at the courts despite the fact that it is the
place where security is believed to be tight and it is also the place
where criminals are supposed to be dealt with.

At the end of August a Harare businessman lost a car radio to a
daring thief who broke into his Isuzu truck while he was attending a
case at the Harare Magistrates' Courts.

An alert prison officer who spotted the thief gave chase and only
caught up with him while crossing Rotten Row as he fled towards the
city centre.

Something must be done before the situation gets further out of hand.

The Zimbabwe Prison Service have not made the situation any easier by
their perennial failure to bring prisoners to court from remand
prison.

Many cases are postponed and the reasons are now obvious to people
who regularly attend court sessions.

It is either blamed on fuel shortages or van breakdowns and it is
high time the authorities addressed the problem to keep the wheels of
justice turning.

A Harare lawyer, Mr Cathew Manyani of TH Chitapi and Partners,
expressed concern over the prejudice suffered by the "voiceless"
suspects who were being further remanded in absentia, adding that
Government should get to the root of the problem.

"Failure to bring prisoners to court heavily prejudices our clients
and it affects our business as lawyers. Finalisation of cases is
delayed while one languishes in remand prison.

"At the end of the day, the accused person's right to trial within a
reasonable time as enshrined in the Constitution is trampled upon.
One cannot run away from the fact that justice delayed is justice
denied. The situation becomes worse for accused persons who do not
have legal representation. Such accused persons have no say unlike
those whose lawyers can register their concerns in court," said Mr
Manyani.

A visitor at the Harare Magistrates' Courts, Mr Godfrey Tafataona
Shumba, who had come all the way from Chimanimani to hear a
relative's case, registered his displeasure over the pungent smell
emanating from the toilets at the courts, saying such a situation was
undesirable for a court of law that hosted thousands of people every
day.

"I have been here since morning waiting to hear my uncle's case. For
the three hours I have been here, I am being exposed to the stench
coming from the toilets and I feel this is unhealthy and unsuitable
for human use.

"People should not spend a long time here when the facilities are in
such a bad state. Imagine, I have to endure all this suffering just
to hear my relative's case. Something must be done.

"If I was a witness in any case here, I was not going to come.
Spending time here is like torture and I feel for the court officials
who operate from here daily," said Mr Shumba.

If the court buildings are not respectable, what chance is there that
the proceedings will be respected?

We demand a new constitution, now

http://www.hararetribune.com

Friday, 26 September 2008 00:42 NCA

The National Constitution Assembly is greatly disturbed by the failure by
the country's protagonists as expressed by the ' historic deal ' to ad d
ress nitty gritties of a democratic process in constitutional making
process.

The deal was ' historical ' for a number of reasons first by the coming
together of extreme protagonists into forming an inclusive government and
second for its combined effort in failing to address the desires and
aspirations of ordinary citizens, that is in writing a new people driven
democratic constitution as expressed by the deal itself on what it says and
what it does not say.

As expressed by the NCA chairperson Dr Lovemore Madhuku, it ' s a major
concern for the NCA and Zimbabwean citizenship that the deal failed to
adequately explain how a democratic process would be achieved in the
constitutional making process.

The NCA understands that the Kariba document authored by ZANU PF and MDC
will be tabled as an alternative referendum even though it was drafted
without broad consultation and in a manner that was not transparent.

NCA would also want to point that it will not and will never participate in
rubber stamping initiatives, the NCA will fight to the last drop in making
sure people of Zimbabwe have been accorded an opportunity to write their own
laws.

It is therefore the view of the NCA that the inclusive government should
abort its Kariba document and accord Zimbabwe through a participatory
process to suggest what should get into a new constitution.

It is high time politicians stop imposing their own desires into the broader
majority and start consulting those who elect them into offices. It is high
time politicians stop behaving like they have and know the sovereign will of
the broader citizenship.

The NCA will not cease to fight for a new people driven democratic
constitution until Zimbabweans have been freed from the Lancaster House
constitution that has perpetuated the misery of Zimbabwean lives by resting
executive authority on a selected few.

The NCA would also like to call on SADC, facilitation team and the
International community to pressure Harare regime to make sure it allows its
citizens to express their will in the constitutional making process.

In the next coming weeks the NCA will highlight its agenda for making sure
that the new Harare regime succumb to the demands of the ordinary citizens
and put to an end elite deal making processes

Zimbabweans shall write their own laws

People of Binga District not spared from starvation

http://www.hararetribune.com

Friday, 26 September 2008 15:13

Binga:- The people of Binga have not been spared from the starvation that
has blanketed the whole country.

Villagers have not received any hampers from the BACOSSI scheme and now
survive on fish as they cannot access mealie-meal or any other basic
commodity. Desperation has driven many people into trading second hand
clothes in exchange for food.

Bulawayo:- Banks are characterized by long winding queues as people withdraw
insufficient cash. The sky rocketing inflation rate forces people to
withdraw their money on a daily basis before inflation reduces it to
nothing.

Hwange:- Two 30-tonne trucks delivered sugar in the town today. The 2kg bags
of the scarce commodity were only sold at TM and Spar for $800 each.

In an attempt to stop people from hoarding, the sugar was sold from the
shops? dispatch bay to avoid disorder as the security guards also made sure
each person buys a single bag of sugar.

Finally there is sugar on the shelves but unfortunately the super markets
only accept cash but not bank cheques or swiping.

Workers Body Unhappy With Tax Thresholds

http://www.radiovop.com


HARARE, September 26 2008 - The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
(ZCTU) has described as a fallacy, a recent government move to review the
tax-free income threshold to Zd 15 000, up from Zd 500.

According to regulations gazetted Wednesday, all workers in Zimbabwe
will now be exempted from paying tax on the first Zd 15 000 they earn in a
month.

Government said this was meant to reduce the burden on under-paid
Zimbabwean workers.

But the ZCTU said the new tax bands, which take effect from September
1, fell far short of their ostensible objective of ensuring that workers
were left with more disposable incomes.

In a statement, ZCTU secretary general Wellington Chibebe says this is
meant to "hoodwink workers into believing that efforts are being made to
alleviate their problems."

"The tax bands that have been announced do not cushion the workers
against the effects of run away inflation," Chibebe said Thursday.

The ZCTU, which puts the now elusive Poverty Datum Line (PDL) to be
over Zd 200 000, is advocating for the total scrapping of income tax
obligations on all workers who earn below that. Most workers in Zimbabwe
earn far below Zd 200 000.

"For some years now,' says the labour body, "the ZCTU has been
advocating for the highest taxed person to be taxed at 30 percent." "It
borders on sadism that what little workers gain through negotiations is
always chewed up by Income Tax."

Zimbabwean workers pay 47,5 percent income tax, 15 percent VAT and 3
percent Aids levy.

The labour union questions government's sincerity in purpotedly
lifting the burden on its citizens when it is charging business 30 percent
income tax, while ordinary Zimbabweans pay 47,5 percent.

The ZCTU feels businesses are already making money as opposed to
individuals and should hence pay more.

Zimbabweans are battling to survive the world's highest inflation,
pegged at 11 million percent, according to official figures. Independent
economic analysts estimate the rate to be far above that.

Most workers in Zimbabwe are now involved into petty projects such as
selling scarce basic commodities on the black market in a bid to supplement
their meager incomes.

Some have simply taken into corrupt dealings like trading in foreign
currency or demanding kickbacks from clients, all in a bid to survive, a
situation that has seen Zimbabwe becoming one of the world's most corrupt
nations.

A letter from the diaspora

http://www.cathybuckle.com/indexph.shtml

26th September 2008

Dear Friends.
All week long I have been wandering what I would write about in this week's
letter. With so little real news coming out of Zimbabwe during this current
impasse, it was hard to see what there was to talk about that the political
analysts hadn't already dissected and mulled over all week. Then, Robert
Mugabe came to my rescue!
Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Mugabe said : "Once again I appeal to
the world's collective conscience to apply pressure for the immediate
removal of these sanctions by Britain, the United States and their allies
which have brought about untold suffering to our people." No sooner had I
read those words and watched the clip on the BBC website when my phone rang.
It was a good friend of mine calling from Murehwa. He wanted to thank me for
some money I had sent him and to tell me that the gift had enabled him to
buy two buckets of maize. With very careful rationing that might last a
couple of weeks he told me. One helping of sadza a day and perhaps a little
bowl of thin porridge in the morning for the kids before they go to school.
No meat, so they supplement the sadza with vegetables from his garden -
grown I may add with seeds sent from the UK! My friend is one of the lucky
ones but for most of the people in Murehwa it's an early morning trip on
foot to the nearest muhacha trees. 'You know muhacha? he asked me. Of course
I know muhacha. In this area of the country it is a scared tree and I had
often sat under its shade with friends at a rural bottle store. The fruit of
the muhacha is edible and sweet. Every child knows that and in the old days
it was what you would call a 'leisure' activity, gathering the sweet fruit
to munch on the way home. There's a grove of these trees deep in the rural
area about eight or ten miles from Murehwa and every morning people trek
there to gather the fruit. No longer is it a leisure pastime, now it is the
people's only means of survival. 'You have to get there early' my friend
told me because people fight, they actually exchange blows so desperate are
they for the hacha. It is all they will eat for the day. Like all wild
fruits, if eaten to excess, it will have a disastrous effect on the
digestive system and acute diarrhoea follows. With nothing else in the
stomach such conditions can prove fatal and without drugs or medical
intervention people will die - have already died in the area. The local MP
for the area is none other than the Minister of Health, himself a doctor. I
wonder if he heard his president tell the UN Assembly that "The majority of
our rural people have been empowered (by the Land reform programme) to
contribute to household and national food security and to be masters of
their destiny" If that is the case then why are the people surviving on wild
fruits? Why are their own grain huts empty? Why are the huge grain silos in
Murehwa housing imported maize accessible only to those with foreign
currency to buy the precious commodity?
Mugabe appeals to the 'world's collective conscience' but apparently has
none himself as he leaves his people to starve while he struts the world
stage accusing everyone else of causing the Zimbabwean people's 'untold
suffering.' The contrast between Mugabe's weasel words at the UN and what my
friend told me of the people's suffering could not be more marked. This week
I listened to two highly respected Africanists, Richard Dowden and William
Gumede debating the situation in Zimbabwe and I was shocked to hear Richard
Dowden remark that Mugabe cared nothing for Zimbabwe's future, that he was
quite prepared to destroy the country in order to save his own position. Of
course, I had heard that comment before from friends sitting around under
the muhacha tree at the bottle store. I had even been inclined to make the
same judgement myself but to hear that view coming from such a scholarly and
objective source shocked me. Can it really be true that this great
'Liberation Hero' has become so bloated with power that he is blind to the
suffering his policies have caused? Is it the fault of the sanctions against
the leadership of Zanu PF as Mugabe claims that have caused the tide of
human misery that has swept across the land? Climate change and sanctions
have hindered food production, he claims but Mugabe knows that is not true.
Has he not himself chivvied the resettled farmers for not growing more food?
I watched the Old Man being interviewed this week in New York. He was asked
if he would allow Human Rights monitors into Zimbabwe to see for themselves,
"Ah,ah,ah' he replied and shook his head. He was smiling at the time, the
smile on the face of the crocodile, I thought. Later he claimed that his
government had been falsely accused of human rights abuses. Tell that to the
victims and their families, Robert Mugabe. Who else but you gives the orders
for your opponents to be 'taught a lesson for not voting the right way.' "We
won't stop" said one of his bully boys this week talking of the ongoing
attacks on MDC supporters, "until the President himself tell us to."
Like everyone else in the diaspora, we are a long way from home and it's
often hard to separate fact from journalistic fiction but that phonecall I
received, just this morning, renewed my doubts about the wisdom of
negotiating with such a man as Mugabe. Trusting Tsvangirai's personal
integrity is one thing but can we be sure that all his top people are
similarly motivated by what is best for Zimbabwe and not by hunger for money
and power. All we can do from this far away is watch and wait and hope that
truth, justice and, above all, conscience will prevail.
Yours in the (continuing) struggle. PH