Platinum giant loses mining rights in Zimbabwe under black empowerment laws

http://www.washingtonpost.com

By Associated Press, Updated: Thursday, September 8, 1:42 AM

HARARE, Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe’s black empowerment minister says he is ordering
the withdrawal of the mining rights for the country’s biggest platinum
producer.

Saviour Kasukuwere said Wednesday the South African-controlled Zimplats
company failed to comply with an Aug. 31 deadline requiring foreign
businesses to say how they propose to yield a 51 percent stockholding to
black Zimbabweans.

He says the Zimplats license will be revoked in coming days, making it the
first major mining enterprise to be suspended under the nation’s
“indigenization” laws that critics say scare off much needed investment in
the troubled economy.

Zimbabwe and South Africa are the world’s largest suppliers of platinum, a
corrosion resistant metal with a wide range of industrial uses that is
priced higher than gold.

Zim mines min backs away from Zimplats expulsion

http://www.iol.co.za/

September 7 2011 at 05:01pm

Zimbabwe's minister of mines, Obert Mpofu, has refused to endorse
empowerment minister Saviour Kasukuwere's assertions that giant platinum
miner Impala Platinum (IMP) could lose its platinum mining license for
‘failing’ to comply with a controversial policy compelling foreign companies
to cede majority shareholding stakes.

Business Live/I-Net Bridge this week reported that Kasukuwere was powerless
and that he would have to seek authority from the central bank to cancel
foreign banks' licenses for failure to comply with the indigenisation law,
according to an official in his ministry.

It now also appears that the minister, who said yesterday that his ministry
would engage the mines ministry to institute proceedings to cancel Implats'
license for Zimplats, would have to get endorsement for this from Mpofu.
President Robert Mugabe said on Tuesday foreign investments in the country
were safe.

Although Mugabe's comments sharply contradicts those of Kasukuwere, the
vocal Zimbabwe empowerment minister says the government has run out of
patience with Zimplats over its failure to comply with the problematic law.
Zimplats, a division of JSE listed world number two platinum miner, is the
biggest platinum group metals miner in the country.

Mpofu seemed unaware of Kasukuwere's sentiments when he was asked for
comment about the government's move to cancel Zimplats' license. “Did they
tell you that (Zimplats would lose its license) and who said that,” said
Mpofu.

He referred further questions and enquiries about the issue back to
Kasukuwere, saying ‘the ministry of mines’ could not be involved in issues
outside its portfolio. Kasukuwere was however not immediately reachable for
comment.

“Deal with Kasukuwere on that issue, my business is not to assess other
people's statements or portfolios; I only deal with my portfolio,” said
minister Mpofu

This is likely to throw cold water on Kasukuwere's high sounding threats,
which apparently, he has previously made against other large foreign groups
with operations in the country. His explosive statement, which was carried
in the state run daily, the Herald, come on the back of a statement early
this week by Implats which said Zimplats was still negotiating with the
government.

Mugabe yesterday appeared to have backed off from his usual attacks on
foreign firms, possibly signaling a shift in the government's previous
non-accommodative and resolute stance on the issue after he said: “The
government looks forward to full co-operation by all stakeholders to achieve
win-win benefits. Investments in the country remain safe, but we would like
to urge foreign companies to comply with the country's laws.”

Finance Minister, Tendai Biti also cautioned against Kasukuwere's
“confrontational approach” and revealed that his ministry was helping banks
negotiate for lower mandatory thresholds that should be ceded under the
indigenisation law.

In his statement however, Kasukuwere said Zimplats “continues to defy the
laws of Zimbabwe” and “continues to abuse the process”. He said his ministry
had in “many instances tried to engage (Zimplats) in a manner that achieves
our objectives of a win-win situation” but to no avail, hence the decision
to cancel the giant platinum miner's license.

“We have tried to negotiate. They come forward and take six steps back and
therefore we have taken the position to deem them non-compliant in terms of
provisions of the Indigenisation Act,” stated Kasukuwere.

No comment could be obtained from Zimplats officials in Zimbabwe. However,
for its full year ended June 30, Zimplats achieved turnover of US$527
million, reflecting a 30% increase, which has been attributed to a 4% surge
in sales volumes and firming international metals prices.

Executives at the platinum miner have been worried and uncertain for a long
time over the future of their operations and investments in the country.
“Zimbabwe's economic future remains very much linked to a speedy resolution
of the political challenges facing the country,” the company said recently.

Although the law is being spearheaded by the Zanu PF side of Zimbabwe's
coalition government, some government officials - including some with links
to President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF party - are said to be opposed to
Kasukuwere's “confrontational approach” to enforcing compliance with the
law.

Zimbabwean economists have already warned of the dire consequences to the
economy and investment prospects should the government forge ahead with the
law. - I-Net Bridge

Q+A-What next in Zimbabwe mine ownership showdown?

http://www.reuters.com/

By MacDonald Dzirutwe and Ed Stoddard

HARARE/JOHANNESBURG, Sept 7 | Wed Sep 7, 2011 1:13pm EDT

(Reuters) - A showdown looms between foreign mining companies in Zimbabwe
and the government over its drive to force them to surrender 51 percent of
their local equity stakes to black investors.

Zimbabwe said on Tuesday it could prosecute or cancel the mining licence of
Zimplats , the local unit of Impala Platinum , the world's second largest
platinum producer, for failing to agree to comply with the policy.

But Harare said it had reached agreement with Rio Tinto's Murowa mine and a
deal was "imminent" on Mimosa.

On Tuesday Empowerment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere also said 45 mining
companies had their local ownership plans approved or were working towards
full compliance, while 51 firms had ignored a two-week deadline they had
been given.

Here are some questions about what may come next:

COULD ZIMPLATS' LOSE ITS LICENCE?

This is possible but may be pure brinkmanship. There is no money in
Zimbabwe, public or private, which could be invested into the operation to
keep it going and so such a move would effectively pull the plug on a key
source of scarce foreign exchange and employment.

If it's brinkmanship and the government is just trying to wring more
concessions from Zimplats, then the two sides may suddenly reach a deal.

Canada's Caledonia Mining Corporation for example said on Aug 19 that the
empowerment minister had asked the minister of mines to cancel the operating
licence of its Blanket Gold Mine in the company on the grounds that it was
not complying with the ownership rules.

But it said on Aug 23 that the cancellation of its licence has been
suspended.

If Zimplats was to be shut down, Implats could decide to completely leave
the country, as the unit accounts for about 10 percent of group production
and it might find the political environment too unwelcoming.

This would leave Aquarius high and dry with Mimosa even if a deal is
clinched on the empowerment status of that mine as Implats is its 50/50
joint venture partner on the operation.

That would further pressure Aquarius, which has lost about 40 percent of its
value since the Zimbabwean government announced the policy in March, as
Mimosa accounts for around a quarter of its production and has huge
potential for expansion.

HOW ARE COMPANIES COMPLYING?

This is very unclear and the government seems to be applying different rules
to different companies, giving the impression of an ad-hoc policy agenda.

Caledonia said its plan that was accepted "will take into account the
independently verified intrinsic value of the mineral resources, plant and
equipment at the mine."

This is quite different to a requirement of 51 percent equity, which Implats
chief executive has said "cannot work."

It remains unclear how Rio reached its deal and a company spokesman in
London declined to comment.

John Robertson, an economic commentator in Zimbabwe, says Rio was ahead of
the curve back in the 1970s and had set up employee trusts, which the
government may have decided counts especially if they involve dividend
payments.

WHAT'S BEHIND THE MOVE?

Elections will likely take place next year and President Robert Mugabe's
ZANU-PF party needs funds quickly to help him fund his campaign as he tries
to defeat unity government partner and rival Movement for Democratic Change
in the poll.

Analysts also say that empowerment minister Kasukuwere is aware that there
is a movement within ZANU-PF to overturn the legislation so he wants to get
as much done as possible before that happens.

Anglican priest arrested by police in Highlands

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tererai Karimakwenda
07 September, 2011

An Anglican priest was arrested by police on Tuesday for allegedly stealing
church property worth over $1.5 million, as harassment of Zimbabwean clergy
from the Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA) continues.

Church officials immediately dismissed the arrest of Reverend Julius
Zimbudzana, who runs St Mary’s Anglican Church in Highlands,

The rogue bishop Nolbert Kunonga

and accused the police of taking instructions from the ex-communicated
Bishop Nolbert Kunonga.

Reverend Zimbudzana was arrested in the morning and police spent the whole
day at his home at the Highlands Anglican Church, claiming that they were
searching for the “stolen properties”.

Bishop Dr. Chad Gandiya, head of the Harare Diocese of the Church CPCA,
described the charges against Zimbudzana as “unfounded, baseless and very
strange” and explained that no parish in the diocese owns properties worth
that much.

The Bishop told SW Radio Africa on Wednesday that Reverend Zimbudzana had
been denied bail. “We were told by the police that they have clear
instructions not to release him. We don’t know from whom,” Gandiya added.

The Anglican diocese split with Kunonga back in 2007 after serious
differences emerged. Kunonga, who was nicknamed “Mugabe’s Bishop” after
declaring his loyalty to the ZANU PF leader, started his own Diocese and has
since used the police to harass clergy and parishioners who support the
CPCA.

Last month Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku of the Supreme Court ruled that
all Anglican properties were to be in the custody of Kunonga and six other
trustees, until the courts make final judgments in the case. However Kunonga
has used the ruling to evict priests illegally, with help from the police.

“Kunonga’s people have been going around evicting our priests from their
houses without even proper eviction orders. Last week Reverend Jonah
Mudowaya was beaten up. Who is there to protect us,” a frustrated Bishop
Gandiya asked.

In a statement released Wednesday the CPCA said: “The right of worship as
enshrined in the country’s Constitution has been violated and the CPCA calls
on the national political leadership to immediately intervene and put a stop
to Kunonga’s abuse of the police services.”

Bishop Gandiya said lawyers are looking at all possible alternatives and
will soon decide how to proceed with the situation.

Anglican Bishop of Harare: "Priest's arrest for 'theft' of US$1.5 million is baseless"

http://www.anglicancommunion.org

Posted On : September 6, 2011 10:39 PM |

From the Diocese of Harare, CPCA

Highlands Police today (Tuesday 6 September 2011) arrested Reverend Julius
Zimbudzana, the priest in charge at St Mary’s Anglican Church for allegedly
taking over Anglican church property worth over US$1.5 million as police
intensified their persecution of the Anglican Church, hiding behind unjust
court rulings.

Dr Nicholas Chad Gandiya, the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Harare in
the Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA) immediately dismissed
the charge as persecution of the Anglicans under the CPCA by
the police, acting on the instructions of the ex-communicated Dr Nolbert
Kunonga.

“That [accusation against Revd Julius] is unfounded, baseless and without
foundation,” Bishop Gandiya said. “This is very strange indeed as no parish
in our diocese (perhaps the exception of the Cathedral Parish) has
properties worth that much. He has been refused bail. The police claim they
have clear instructions not to release him.”

The Bishop says the intense persecution of the Anglican clergy under the
CPCA has clearly gotten out of hand and most clergymen are traumatised by
these sad developments. What has become apparent in these attacks is that
rogue elements within the police are listening to instructions coming from
Kunonga to use the law to abuse innocent people, denying them of their right
to worship.

While Reverend Zimbudzana was arrested in the morning, Bishop Gandiya was
only allowed access to the incarcerated priest at 6pm, as the police spent
the whole day moving the priest from his residence and the Highlands
Anglican Church claiming they wanted to inspect the properties stolen.

“They then brought a desk, a refrigerator that they claimed belonged to the
church, and a Mothers’ Union (MU) banner,” Gandiya said. “Vari kuedza
kutsvagiridza nyaya (They are desperate for a conviction). It looks like
they just want to keep him detained as part of the harassment showing the
clear breakdown of the rule of law.”

Reverend Zimbudzana’s arrest comes in the wake of the 4 August 2011 ruling
by Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku in his Chambers in which he ruled that
all Anglican properties in the Diocese of Harare were
under the custody of Kunonga. At the same time Chidyausiku allowed an appeal
by the CPCA against this determination to stand, but went on to refuse this
appeal to suspend an earlier judgement by High Court
Justice Hlatshwayo, a normal judicial and legal practice the world over.

CPCA lawyers are busy trying to secure the release of Reverend Zimbudzana
and ensure other clergymen are free from further persecution. The right of
worship as enshrined in the Country’s Constitution has been violated and the
CPCA calls on the national political leadership to immediately intervene and
put a stop to Kunonga’s abuse of the police services.

AG goes after Mugabe allies

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Thelma Chikwanha, Community Affairs Editor
Wednesday, 07 September 2011 09:49

HARARE - Vice President Joice Mujuru and other senior members of President
Robert Mugabe’s inner circle face possible prosecution for exchanging
information with United States diplomats, attorney general Johannes Tomana
has said.

WikiLeaks, a whistle blower website which has caused a sensation by leaking
confidential US diplomatic cables, has released cables exposing Mugabe’s top
allies as hypocrites who supped with the 87-year-old’s enemies by night.

Among the senior officials in the line of fire are: Mujuru, politburo
members Saviour Kasukuwere, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu and Jonathan Moyo, Tourism
Minister Walter Mzembi, army officials and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor
Gideon Gono among others.

Last year when the leaked cables were first published, Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai was said to have met with US envoys and suggested that they
maintain targeted sanctions while publicly calling for their lifting.

The revelations prompted Tomana to say that he would instigate a probe into
what he called “treasonous collusions.”

“The Wikileaks appear to show a treasonous collusion between local
Zimbabweans and the aggressive international world, particularly the United
States.

“With immediate effect, I am going to instruct a team of practicing lawyers
to look into the issues that arise from the WikiLeaks,” Tomana told the
state-controlled Herald newspaper then.

In light of the explosions of the US confidential cables last week, Tomana
told the Daily News yesterday he still had plans to go ahead with the probe
which initially targeted Tsvangirai.

However, in light of the revelations that some senior members of the former
ruling party like Mujuru, Kasukuwere, Moyo and Gono held discussions  with
the Americans, the AG who openly supports Zanu PF, said no one was above the
law.

“Why are you going for personalities? Do you not know what the constitution
says? The constitution covers everybody and I am just doing my job,” Tomana
said when asked if he will probe Vice President Mujuru.

The leaked cables which were published on the WikiLeaks website released
minutes of meetings held by political leaders with US government officials
where they divulged sensitive information about the country and their
respective parties

If the AG goes ahead with his plans, prominent politicians whose clandestine
meetings with the Americans who Mugabe considers enemies of the state face
prosecution?

Vice President Mujuru held a secret meeting with the US ambassador and
suggested more meetings saying they were useful.

Previously Zanu PF with Moyo being the most vocal demanded Tsvangirai’s
resignation and prosecution after the PM’s expose saying it was treasonous
and treacherous.

“There are only two things that could happen in any civilised democracy, for
him to  resign not just from Government but public life altogether. He must
also be prosecuted for a litany of treasonous acts against the State.

“The only questions about those two things is not whether they should happen
but when they are going to happen,”  Moyo said.

The Member of Parliament for Tsholotsho North went on to say Tsvangirai’s
actions were treasonous before his own secret meetings with the Americans he
loves to insult were revealed.

A great orator and shrewd analyst and faithful messenger according to US
officials,  Moyo now finds himself in a catch 22 situation.

Treason attracts a prison sentence of up to 20 years according to Zimbabwean
laws.

Moyo even went as far as accusing Tsvangirai of conniving with the US to
affect a coup.

However interesting details in a meeting held on March 30, 2007 with
Ambassador Christopher Dell, he dispensed party secrets and a planned
reshuffle of security agent’s bosses to avert the possibility of a coup.

Another Zanu PF official who was once an MDC member Gabriel Chaibva even
suggested the MDC should fire Tsvangirai from the party because of his
actions.

Also likely to face fire and brimstone over WikiLeaks’s revelations are the
two generals who said army commander general Constantine Chiwenga lacked
military expertise.

In Zimbabwe anyone who insults the person of the president can be
prosecuted.

Zanu (PF) admits party is rocked by WikiLeaks

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/

07/09/2011 16:16:00    Staff Reporter

HARARE – The embattled former ruling party Zanu PF admits the party has been
rocked by fresh WikiLeaks reports and its spokesman Rugare Gumbo has
described the situation as tense and disturbing as a result of latest
revelations by the whistleblower website alleging that some of the party’s
bigwigs held secret discussions with the United States of American Embassy.

Today Zanu PF has said it implored those named in the cable leaks to start
examining their conscience as the party is seriously investigating the
matter.

Responding to the cable leaks, Zanu PF Secretary for Information and
Publicity, Rugare Gumbo said it is unfortunate that some senior and
prominent people have been implicated but the party will look into the
matter with the seriousness it deserves.

Gumbo revealed that the latest cable leaks could be a drop in the ocean and
challenged those who were engaged in such activities to start examining
their conscience as the country braces itself for more leaks.

The wikileaks cables have implicated some Zanu PF Officials, Army Generals,
MDC Officials and Reserve Bank Officials among others for having secretly
met the US Embassy officials.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Johannes Tomana says he will not order any
immediate stop to an on-going probe focussing on possible spying activities
by Zimbabwean nationals working in cahoots with the American government.

“We are actually going to look at anything that violates our Constitution
and our laws and we will take action against anybody who does that,” Tomana
told Radio VOP in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.

There are fears Tomana, who is being accused by President Robert Mugabe’s
opponents of sparing the veteran leader’s loyalists from criminal
prosecutions, would develop cold feet after it turned out top Zanu (PF)
officials also met US diplomats secretly to pour out on the party’s secrets.

Although there are no casualties yet, Tomana’s probe took off early this
year after the first WikiLeaks cables implicated Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai as having begged the US to maintain its sanctions on President
Mugabe and his allies for failure to abide by the unity agreement.

The probe was seen as a witch hunt on the MDC-T leader that was aimed at
weakening his strong challenge on the veteran leader’s 31 year old
stranglehold on power.

Tomana said he would not seek any politician’s authority to proceed with his
investigations insisting he was an autonomous individual.

“The investigating authority is the ZRP and the prosecuting authority is me
so there are no sacred cows. We will prosecute anybody who is found to have
committed an offence. We do not know on anybody who has been made a sacred
cow by our constitution,” he said.

Tomana would not attach a date on when the first Wikileaks prosecutions
would begin saying “an investigation is very unpredictable in its nature”.

The latest round of US diplomatic cables released by the website brought
astonishing revelations of President Robert Mugabe's party officials having
met US diplomats clandestinely to discuss issues that have long been
labelled taboo within Zanu (PF).

Zimbabwean lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa awarded Inamori Ethics Prize

http://blog.cleveland.com

 

Published: Wednesday, September 07, 2011, 6:00 AM     Updated: Wednesday, September 07, 2011, 9:38 AM

By Rachel Dissell, The Plain Dealer

 

AP fileBeatrice Mtetwa, lawyer and recipient of the 2011 Inamori Ethics Prize.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Zimbabwean lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa is most widely recognized for her zealous defense of journalists being detained or deported by her country's government.

But it is her work defending the elementary civil and human rights of average citizens that has propelled Mtetwa for the past two decades, she said.

The acclaimed attorney is being awarded Case Western Reserve University's Inamori Ethics Prize today.

No stranger to international accolades, Mtetwa, is nonetheless humble and said she shares the honor with "all the people out there who challenge the system knowing there are consequences and yet still do it.

"I come in after they have already exercised their rights," Mtetwa said. "They are the brave ones for doing it. Without them I would have nobody to defend. I feel it is my duty to join them in the battle for basic democratic rights."

Mtetwa previously had been honored for her efforts when the Committee to Protect Journalists presented her with the Burton Benjamin award for lifetime achievement in 2008. The following year, she won the Ludovic-Trarieux International Human Rights Prize for her defense of human rights in Zimbabwe.

Some of Mtetwa's battles in the Zimbabwean courts have been dramatic.

In 2003, she defended and fought deportation of journalist Andrew Meldrum, who at the time was working for The Guardian, a British newspaper. Mtetwa secured a court order preventing his deportation minutes before he was to board a plane leaving the country.

Meldrum, now the deputy managing editor of the online international new agency, GlobalPost will attend a symposium at CWRU today and the free ceremony following it at Severance Hall.

More on the prize

The Inamori Ethics Prize celebration begins with an academic symposium at 12:30 p.m. in the Inamori Center for Ethics and Excellence, located on the ground level of Crawford Hall, 10900 Euclid Ave. The event is free, however seating is limited.

At 5:30 p.m., winner, Zimbabwean lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa will be publicly honored at Severance Hall with the Inamori medal and a monetary award. Following by musical performances, Mtetwa will speak about her career.

Meldrum told event organizers that he was going to allow the government to deport him but that Mtetwa convinced him to challenge the case because it could affect more than a million others living in the county with valid residential permits, weakening the rights of others.

Mtetwa has also "rescued" foreign journalists like New York Times reporter Barry Bearak, after he was arrested and charged under an obsolete law requiring press accreditation.

In 2008, she represented a cadre of journalists during a time when President Robert Mugabe's government was cracking down on them before an election.

Mtetwa said she 'often found herself urging people to defend their own rights for the betterment of others.

She recalled the case of a woman who had been accused by a relative during a family dispute of taking a small amount of money - less than a dollar. Police jailed her on Christmas Eve.

Mtetwa got the woman released the next day and then took her case all the way to the 'country's highest court --eventually winning.

"I felt so strongly that is was an abuse of power on the part of the police," she said. "It was a very petty case and I thought that a law that allows people to be locked up like that in that situation was improper and unreasonable."

Mtetwa's principles have put her in danger in the past. She's been arrested and beaten by police on multiple occasions for her outspokenness. Her public stance on having an independent and impartial judiciary has not made arguing her cases any easier.

The mother of two said she was well primed to fight difficult battles as the eldest daughter in a large polygamous family, where she began challenging her father's authoritarian and oppressive rules at an early age.

Her defiance sometimes caused her to be beaten.

"I didn't want to end up like one of my father's wives," she said. "I don't want this life for myself or for my siblings." Mtetwa said that all of her sisters became educated professionals.

In the past few years, Mtetwa said despite being disliked, she's earned a measure of respect from many in the police forces.

Nowadays, she said they don't slam doors in her face or threaten her. They mainly comply with her requests for information and quietly ask that she keep their names out of the newspapers.

But progress in pushing democratic ideals has been frustratingly slow and sometimes circus-like as government officials in Zimbabwe seem to be able to change long-standing laws based on their whim and will.

Other lawyers and activists have fled the country.

"Those fighting are fewer and fewer and some of the few left are fearful because they don't know what will happen to them."

Despite the human rights climate in Zimbabwe, Mtetwa has an optimistic but realistic outlook.

When asked what future hopes she has for her country, she quickly rattled off this list: an impartial judiciary, a proper human rights commission and electoral body, a police force that understands it is not an extension of any political party and an independent attorney general.

"If we can get one or two of those things accomplished the rest will start to fall into line," she said.

 

 

More than 20 injured after ZANU PF attack in Highfields

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
07 September 2011

More than 20 people have been hospitalised after a ZANU PF led attack in
Highfields on Wednesday, which also saw businesses being looted and shut
down.

A gang of ZANU PF youths, believed to be part of the notorious Chipangano
gang, were bussed into the area on Wednesday morning, before unleashing
violence on market vendors and other passersby at the Machipisa shopping
centre.

The gang, which eyewitnesses told SW Radio Africa was led by Chipangano
leader Jim Kunaka, looted and damaged market stalls and indiscriminately
beat up anyone in their way.

A market stall owner told SW Radio Africa that riot police, who were out in
force in the area, did nothing to stop the attacks. It was only after the
vendors tried to retaliate to protect their property that police moved in
and fired tear gas. But they fired at the victims of the attack.

SW Radio Africa’s Harare correspondent Simon Muchemwa said that the police
presence was high because the Chipangano gang had sent out warnings earlier
this week that they would target Machipisa. The ZANU PF youths apparently
warned that they would come to take over the market stalls as part of the
party’s ‘indigenisation’ drive. It would appear that to Chipangano, black
Zimbabweans at the Machipisa shopping centre are not regarded as indigenous.

Muchemwa explained that the violence in Highfields is not an isolated
attack, adding that ZANU PF attacks have been reported almost every day
since last Thursday.

“Last week MDC supporters were beaten in Budiriro when they put up posters
ahead of a rally for Welshman Ncube’s party. And then at the rally on
Saturday, more people were taken away and seriously beaten,” Muchemwa said.

He added that in Mufakose on Sunday the same Chipangano gang attacked people
and looted a bar, apparently owned by a supporter of the MDC led by Ncube.

The violence in Highfields comes a day after a mob of ZANU PF youths
attacked people outside Parliament, where crowds had gathered for the
opening of a new parliamentary session. At least two people, including an
MDC-T official and a journalist, were injured after the mob started beating
up anyone they thought were MDC supporters.

The journalist, Henry Chimbiri, spent a night in hospital. He was then
arrested on Wednesday morning when he tried to make a police report at
Harare Central police station. It’s understood he is being held for taking
photographs without police permission.

The violence in the capital also came as ZANU PF leader Robert Mugabe
denounced violence, during the opening of parliament on Tuesday. A
commentator told SW Radio Africa that if Mugabe truly wanted violence to
end, his orders would be carried out. But Mugabe’s public sentiments are
insincere because his party continues to use violence against the people.

Air Force director threatens locals

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

The Director of Air Force Intelligence, Wing Commander Bramwell Katsvairo,
last week left villagers terrified after he warned them of a return to the
days of violence in Mutoko where he left a trail of destruction in 2008.
06.09.1105:20pm
by Fungai Kwaramba Harare

Accompanied by Zanu (PF) terror troopers, Chipangano, exported all the way
from Harare’s Mbare High Density suburb, Katsvairo gave the people a stern
warning against supporting any other party besides Zanu (PF).

“On Sunday at Kapondoro shopping centre people were forced to a meeting that
was organized by Ingidzai Kapondoro, the Zanu (PF) district chairman, and
many people went to the meeting,” said Tapera Tsiga, the MDC-T Mashonaland
East Spokesperson for youth.

“A lot of people attended the meeting including Ordo Nyakudanga and Chief
Chimoyo, along with other traditional leaders. Zanu PF youths who beat me up
in Mbare said that they would do it again as nothing has been done to them,”
Tsiga added.

Katsvairo, who was the mastermind of the terror campaign in 2008, is back in
the thick of things and is already preparing the ground for Zanu (PF)
violence.

In June 2008, Katsvairo is alleged to have murdered Tendai Mafuta, but he
was never arrested for the crime.

Zim "Egyptian style" Uprising Activists Trial Postponed

http://www.radiovop.com

Patrick Chikwande, Harare, September 07,2011 - A Zimbabwe magistrate court
on Wednesday further postponed the hearing of the matter of six activists
who are facing charges of plotting an "Egyptian or Tunisian" style uprising
against President Robert Mugabe government.

The State which has dropped the treason charges to alternative charges of
inciting violence and disturbing peace in the country after the prosecution
failed to present its case before the courts. The matter will now be heard
on September 14 and Magistrate Chivasa will hear the matter, the prosecution
said in court Wednesday.

The six are former Highfield MP and International Socialist Organisation
(ISO) head Munyaradzi Gwisai, Antonater Choto, Welcome Zimuto, Eddison
Chakuma, Tatenda Mombeyarara and Hopewell Gumbo.

"This is the third time that the accused persons have appeared for trial and
each of the times that they come to court the matter is not heard," Alec
Muchadehama, the lawyer of the six said in court in his submissions.

"We want to place it on record in court that if the trial fails to take off
on September 14, we will be applying for refusal of further remand. We are
also going to apply for the relaxation of bail conditions and the release of
the passports of the accused."

Two magistrates have so far rescued themselves from hearing the matter on
several occasions delaying the hearing of the case.

Zimbabwe police arrested 45 activists in February at the time when the Arab
spring where citizens in country's with dictatorships embarked on mass
uprisings to topple their government which they accused of trampling on
their rights and looting state resources. All the other 39 activists’
charges were dropped.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe activists and ordinary people are set to submit a
petition to the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs to demand the dropping
of the charges of the six activists facing charges of inciting violence.

"It is more than six months since they were arrested, detained in remand
prison, have been placed in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day,
released and subjected to restrictive bail conditions, with passports held
by the courts and having to regularly report to the Law and Order section of
the Zimbabwe Republic Police," the petition seen by Radio VOP read.

"The legal rights of the 6 are being violated and they have been severely
punished before the court has ruled guilt or not. We therefore demand their
freedom, by dropping the newly shopped charges in the interest of peace
democracy and the true pursuit of human rights agenda."

The petition says the dropping "the dropping of the treason and subversion
and subsequent charge shopping is a clear indication of the baseless nature
of the accusations in the first place."

Air Zim Expecting Delivery Of First Airbus Plane

http://www.radiovop.com

Harare, September 07, 2011 - Embattled Air Zimbabwe has moved in to acquire
an A 320 Airbus aircraft with a 150 passengers’ capacity to arrive in the
country by September 20, 2011, Radio VOP has established.

Impeccable sources from Air Zimbabwe have revealed that a special team of
senior engineers have just returned from a trip in Paris, France where they
had gone to inspect the plane.

The sources said the plane with two engines, would be good to service the
regional and domestic routes only.

“The delivery of the two other airbuses with a bigger passenger capacity is
expected to be within the first two weeks of October,” said one source that
declined to be named.

Air Zimbabwe acting chief executive officer Innocent Mavhunga could neither
confirm nor deny the latest development arguing that the information can
only come from the shareholders which is mainly the Government of Zimbabwe
through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development.

“That is a shareholder issue and I can’t comment on that. I do not have any
comments to make on that issue but please get your confirmation from the
ministry of transport,” said Mavhunga.

Efforts to get a comment from Transport Minister Nicholas Goche proved
fruitless as his mobile number was not immediately available.

However President Robert Mugabe described the situation at the embattled
national airline as a “big let-down to the nation” during his official
opening of the 4th session of the 7th Parliament on Tuesday. Mugabe said
that the government was working on short-term measures to bail out the
airline.

“The grounding of some Air Zimbabwe planes is a big let-down to the nation,
indeed, a sad development.  Government is currently working on short-term
measures to guarantee the immediate resumption of flights by the airline. As
a medium to long-term solution, however, government is in the process of
courting strategic partners for the airline,” he said.

ZEF hosts workshop on Diaspora Vote

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

The Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (ZEF) this weekend hosted one of its many
consultative workshops with the Diaspora in Bloemfontein. This follows a
series of workshops the organisation has been hosting. Recently on the 23rd
of July, ZEF hosted another workshop in Botswana. The workshop was designed
to find Diaspora consensus on the Transitional Justice and issues related to
disenfranchisement. Previous workshops had been held in Durban (6th July)
and Cape Town (30th July).
06.09.1105:52pm
by Gabriel Shumba

These workshops are inspired by the realization and the keening imperative
that Zimbabweans in the Diaspora should have the right to vote as it is a
fundamental right to express or participate in how they are governed. About
4 million Zimbabweans live in the Diaspora and lack of inclusion of such a
large proportion undermines the fundamental principles of inclusivity and
participation with the potential of undermining the credibility and
legitimacy of the next referendum and elections in Zimbabwe.

ZEF believes that while the government is keen for Zimbabweans in the
Diaspora to invest and rebuild the country, it is important for them to
participate fully in all country’s national programmes. Diaspora voting has
recently been implemented successfully in South Africa and Mozambique
henceforth there is no reason why it should not be implemented in Zimbabwe
not only in these upcoming elections but also in the referendum such that it
becomes a constitutionally protected right.

The Bloemfontein workshop was addressed by among others Gabriel Shumba
(Executive Director) and Michael Majuru (Retired Judge of the High Court of
Zimbabwe and ZEF Board Member). The workshop resolved that ZEF has to take
the lead together with other Diaspora formations to ensure that the demand
for the Diaspora vote which was articulated in ZEF’s submissions to the
constitutional Parliamentary Committee should be raised again with Zimbabwe’s
parties, principals, negotiators and facilitators in the Global Political
Agreement.

ZESN takes Electoral Amendment Bill debate to Hurungwe and Kariba

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) conducted 3 workshops at
Kadyamatamba village in Hurungwe, Karereshi on the 31st of August, Zambezi
Valley (ZV) Hotel Nyamhunga in Kariba on the 1st of September and at Nhare
Church of Christ in Hurungwe on the 2nd of September. The workshops focused
on the Electoral Amendment Bill, 2011.
07.09.1106:49am
by Ellen Kandororo-Dingani"

Attendance for the 3 workshops were:

Hurungwe Karereshi 168 participants (86 males and 82 females)

Kariba Nyamhunga 56 participants (24 males and 29 females)

Hurungwe Nhare Church 64 participants (38 males and 26 females)

Issues raised during the workshops There was debate on the Polling Station
Based Voters’ Roll. Participants argued that, it is a recipe for disaster
given the prevailing political conditions in the country where the law is of
little effect in punishing perpetrators of violence as has been noted in
previous elections.

On election Observation, participants argued that accreditation of observers
should be the responsibility of ZEC given that it has the sole
responsibility of overseeing all election related processes.

Below: Question and answer session at the ZV Hotel workshop.

Kariba participants acknowledged the need for the Diaspora vote while others
highlighted that the cost implication should also be taken into
consideration given the economic state of the country.

There was also a suggestion by Kariba participants that ZESN structures and
members can also assist in collecting people’s views on the proposed
Electoral Amendment Bill as the Parliament-led public hearings may not be
able to cover the whole country.

Some participants in Hurungwe suggested that the new constitution should
include a clause to allow them to recall non-performing parliamentarians.

In Kariba, participants acknowledged that the of setting election dates
should not be a sole responsibility of one person. They also recommended
that election periods be specified in the constitution e.g. Zimbabwe shall
have elections in the first quarter after every 5 years or so.

In conclusion at all workshops participants welcomed the Electoral
Amendments but bemoaned the timing considering the COPAC process still
underway.

Perpetrators of Organised Violence and Torture must be accountable

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Dear Friends
06.09.1105:49pm 0 0
by Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum

On 31.8.11 the Public Interest Unit of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum
('the Forum') issued the attached statement concerning the case of our
client, Mr Caleb Marange, a victim of organised violence and torture. Mr
Marange was awarded compensatory damages of USD$5.500 following his assault
in 2006 by three ZANU PF youth supporters in Marondera who accused him of
being an MDCsupporter.

The Forum hopes that this judgement will act to foster accountability at
community level by holding individula perpetrators of organised violence and
torture accountable for their actions.

Reports and statements issued in recent days by the Forum's 19 member
organisations include the following items:

Today, 6.9.11, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Zimbabwe) issued
a Press Release reporting that two Associated Press reporters were briefly
arrested and detained as they were trying to cover the expulsion of the
Libyan Ambassador to Zimbabwe. This can be accessed via the following link:
http://www.misa.org/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?category=2&id=1315298559

Yesterday, 5.9.11, the Legal Monitor, Editon 109 was released by Zimbabwe
Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR). Amongst other issues, there is an item
about the launch of the Forum's Transitional Justice nationwide survey which
we circulated in yesterday's mailing. There is also news that human rights
lawyers have petitioned the High Court to impose a jail sentence on the
Registrar General for contempt of court after he defied a court order to
renew a citizen's passport. Too large to attach here, we will gladly send
you a copy of the Legal Monitor upon request until such time as it is
available on the ZLHR website via www.zlhr.org.zw

ZLHR's submission to Parliament about the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission
were noted in the attached excerpt from Zimbabwe's Hansard of 30.8.11

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Associaition (ZimRights) issued the attached
Newsflash of 5.9.11 about the plight of children and Somerby Settlement near
the Snakepark on the outskirts of Harare. ZimRights is concerned at press
reports that under age children are being forced into marriages because of
the poverty in the settlement.

The Students Solidarity Trust (SST) issued the attached Press Release today,
6.9.11. It reports on the acquittal of five student activists in Masvingo.

Reports and statements recently released by other civil society
organisations and international bodies include the following items:

Yesterday, 5.9.11, the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) issued a Press Release
about the brutal and fatal attack on a farming family which apparently took
place early last Friday morning. This can be read on line via the following
link: https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/sep6_2011.html

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) issued the attached Press
Release of 5.6.11. It reports on 3 ZESN workshops with communities in
Hurungwe and Kariba about the proposals in the Electoral Ammendment Bill. Of
note was the opposition to the proposal for a polling station based voters'
roll.

Today, 6.9.11 the States in Transition Observatory of the Institute for
Democratic Alternatives in Southern Africa (IDASA) released the latest
editon of Zimbabwe Election Watch. This issue covers the month of August
2011 and measures Zimbabwe's electoral environment according to the SADC
Principles and Guidelines Covering Democratic Elections. This can be
accessed on line via the following link:
http://www.idasa.org/media/uploads/outputs/files/electionwatchaugust.pdf

Geoffrey Van Orden on Tomana's letter to the EU

"I understand that the Zimbabwean Attorney-General, Johannes Tomana, (who
himself was unilaterally appointed in 2008 by President Mugabe, against the
will of the Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai - in direct
violation of the Zimbabwean Constitution) has recently written to the
President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, questioning the
legality of the EU's "restrictive measures" imposed against President Robert
Mugabe, senior members of his regime and companies linked to his regime.
These restrictive measures have been in place since Mugabe violently rigged
the 2002 Zimbabwean Presidential election. In his letter to Van Rompuy,
Tomana raises some technical objections to the restrictive measures and says
that the Government of Zimbabwe may consider bringing a case to the European
Court of Justice (ECJ).

"I have been, and remain, supportive of the EU's restrictive measures
against Mugabe and his inner circle. Contrary to the false claims by
supporters of Mugabe, these are not 'sanctions' against Zimbabwe and her
people, but carefully targeted measures against 163 individuals and 31
companies that have supported Mugabe and his oppressive agenda. They stop
Mugabe and his henchmen from shopping in Europe and freeze their European
bank accounts.

"Until Mugabe and his cronies step aside and there is real evidence of
change, including free elections and an end to harassment of the opposition
and journalists alike, the EU is right to keep its measures in place.
Mugabe, with help from his security apparatus, still manages to trample on
the basic rights of the Zimbabwean people. "

ENDS

The MDC Today - Issue 234

Wednesday 7 September 2011

Mr Last Maengahama, the MDC Secretary for Information, Communication
Technology and Development was in the early hours of this morning visited by
10 police officers in civilian clothing looking for his brother, Pardon, in
connection with the murder of a police officer in Glenview.

The officer was murdered by unknown revellers at a bar in the suburb in May
this year.

So far, five members of his family have been implicated in the murder.

Kerina Gweshe, an MDC member from Glen View, was arrested and is detained at
Harare Central Police Station since morning on similar allegations. She has
been implicated in the case because the week before the murder, she is
alleged to have held a party where MDC members were invited.

Meanwhile, the case of the 24 MDC activists who are falsely accused of the
Glen View murder today appeared before the Harare Magistrate today for
routine remand. The case was postponed to a later date.

It is exactly four days before the MDC celebrates 12 years since its
formation on 11 September 1999. On Saturday, 10 September 2011, thousands of
MDC supporters are expected to gather at Gwanzura Stadium to celebrate 12
years of the people’s struggle for real change.

MDC 12th anniversary: celebrating the people’s fight for real change. Let’s
finish it!!

Together, united, winning, voting for real change!!

--
MDC Information & Publicity Department

WikiLeaks: "Moyo advised the US how to penetrate Zanu PF and oust Mugabe"

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/

06/09/2011 13:59:00    By Thelma Chikwanha

HARARE - Jonathan Moyo, a Zanu PF politburo member who claims to be one of
President Robert Mugabe’s foremost defenders advised the United States on
how to penetrate Zanu PF and remove the 87-year-old leader from power,
according to leaked US diplomatic cables.

The information is set to expose Moyo’s hypocrisy, as it emerges that, like
many in Zanu PF, he publicly supports Mugabe by day only to undermine the
octogenarian leader by night. Mugabe counts the US among his worst enemies.

The cable, dated March 30, 2007, shows that Moyo dispensed to the Americans
inner Zanu PF secrets, including a planned reshuffle of state security
agents bosses to avert the possibility of a coup.

This was at a time when the majority in Zanu PF had been angered by Mugabe’s
insistence on hanging on to power despite failing health and dwindling
public support, the cable quotes Moyo as saying.

According to whistleblower website WikiLeaks, some of the advice given by
Moyo to former US ambassador Christopher Dell included how the Americans
could achieve Mugabe’s ouster by tapping into some of Mugabe’s reform-minded
allies.

“Moyo urged the US to send positive signals about post-Mugabe future as this
could help convince many party stalwarts to abandon Mugabe,” reads part of
the cable.

“Moyo noted that Mugabe genuinely fears ‘hanging’ if he leaves office and
suggested international guarantees for his safety could help persuade Mugabe
to go.

“Moyo urged the US to expand our outreach to Zanu PF moderates.  The
ambassador said we were working to do so but that many Zanu PF moderates
were afraid to meet with us.

“Moyo urged the US to send positive signals about the post-Mugabe future as
this could help convince many party stalwarts to abandon Mugabe,” reads the
cable.

The revelations are likely to anger Mugabe, who in 2004 accused the
political turncoat of plotting a coup.

The cable suggested that Moyo endorsed travel and economic sanctions imposed
on Mugabe’s ruling elite by the US and other Western countries to the extent
that he even offered suggestions on potential targets.

“On sanctions, Moyo accepted the placing of policy makers and their families
on sanctions lists, but urged us not to list parliamentarians who are not
members of either the Zanu PF politburo or central committee,” read the
leaked cable sent to Washington by Dell.

The former US ambassador to Zimbabwe had a tumultuous relationship with
Mugabe when he served in Harare from 2004 to 2007.

Moyo had been expelled from Zanu PF when he met Dell.

Moyo revealed to Dell how liberation war fighters implored on the late army
commander, General Solomon Mujuru and Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa,
to urge Mugabe to step down.

“Moyo said he thought it highly unlikely the military would act on its own
and stage a coup.  The surviving members of the General Staff of the
Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (Zanla) had recently approached
both General Solomon Mujuru and Mnangagwa to urge Mugabe’s retirement.

“They believed Mugabe would be defeated in 2008, and it was important for
Zanu PF to put forward another candidate to win and preserve liberation
gains. Mujuru’s response was to have the leaders talk to Mnangagwa;
Mnangagwa in turn rebuffed them, saying the central committee had replaced
the High Command as a political decision maker,” reads the cable.

The former information minister told Dell that a major shake-up in the
security sector was in the works to “break up potential coup-plotting
networks.”

“With regard to the CIO (Central Intelligence Organisation), Moyo said
Mugabe had received information that CIO director Happyton Bonyongwe had
been conferring with Solomon Mujuru.

“Furthermore, he had received information from CIO sub-directors that
Bonyongwe was doctoring information.  Believing Mujuru to be involved with
both military and CIO dissension, Mugabe had summoned Mujuru.

“According to Mugabe, Mujuru had not yet responded. Meanwhile, a massive
shake-up was underway in the security services, with many re-assignments
within and between agencies being made in order to break up potential
coup-plotting networks,” reads the cable.

In the cables, Moyo is also quoted seeking support from the US for his Third
Way project which would have seen them replacing Mugabe with “people
acceptable to both the MDC and Zanu PF.”

He told US officials that the project would target disgruntled officials and
supporters from both parties.

The cables also reveal Moyo met several US officials on a number of
occasions and at times after he would have initiated the meetings. - Daily
News

WikiLeaks: Mnangagwa 'grabbed Mugabe by the lapels'

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

07/09/2011 00:00:00
    by Staff Reporter

DEFENCE Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa “grabbed President Robert Mugabe by the
lapels” during a heated argument in 2008, according to leaked United States
embassy communications.

In an October 2, 2008, memo to Washington released by WikiLeaks, former US
ambassador to Zimbabwe James MacGee admitted he had been unable to confirm
the “physical altercation”, but was persuaded that there appeared to be a
“serious rift” between the two men.

According to McGee, Mnangagwa and Mugabe squared off over latter’s plans to
give away the Home Affairs portfolio to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s
MDC-T party during negotiations for a power sharing government.
In the end, Zanu PF and MDC-T agreed to appoint a minister each to share the
portfolio.

McGee wrote in the cable: “Mugabe leads a fractured party and he is trying
to satisfy key individuals and groups. Rumours circulated last week that he
and Emmerson Mnangagwa were involved in a heated argument over the
possibility of ceding Home Affairs to the MDC.

“According to these rumours, Mnangagwa grabbed Mugabe by the lapels at which
point Mugabe's bodyguards forcibly subdued Mnangagwa, injuring him to the
point that he was hospitalised.

“We have been unable to confirm the physical altercation; nevertheless,
there appears to have been a serious rift between Mugabe and Mnangagwa over
the allocation of ministries. Mnangagwa is loathe to allow any of the
security apparatus to pass to the MDC.”

Citing sources, McGee added that “defence forces chief Constantine Chiwenga
and Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono are opposed to the MDC assuming
responsibility for Home Affairs. They fear the ministry and police would
investigate them for corrupt activities.”

The account of Mnangagwa’s confrontation with Mugabe has been met with
incredulity by both supporters and political opponents of the two men.

“McGee was stretching the boundaries of what is possible, let alone what is
rational," said one Zanu PF MP. "This is one case which might discredit the
entire catalogue of these cables. It makes you wonder how much of these
dispatches are untested wishes of diplomats trying to shape US government
policy on the ground."

Seemingly intent on confirming the face-off, the US embassy’s former Deputy
Chief of Mission Katherine Dhanani met Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi two
weeks later on October 13 and quizzed him about the incident.

“Mzembi said he had been at recent meetings that included Mugabe and
Mnangagwa and he doubted there was a rift between the two,” Dhanani wrote in
a cable dated October 15, 2010, released by WikiLeaks last Friday.

“He categorised as false reports that Mnangagwa had been beaten at Mugabe's
behest and said these reports had been spread by a faction of the CIO
[Central Intelligence Organisation].”