Monday, 9th March 2009

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates updated...

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Let's talk web banners for a moment. You will see that I have been playing with this page's banner lately. Right now, you will see Susan Tsvangirai's picture within a small map of Zimbabwe on the right hand side. It is my intention to rotate salient pictures of events in Zimbabwe through that map. I also intend to make the surround of the map a little more larny - a gold flash or at least a different colour - something like that.

Watch this space.

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You are able to leave condolence messages for the Prime Minister and his family on the tragic death of his wife here...

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Please be aware that there will be no posting tomorrow as I have a medical appointment at the DRI. You guessed it - my left arm...

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"The wife of Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who was killed in a car crash that also injured her husband, is expected to be buried on Wednesday, a senior MDC and government official said on Sunday.

The driver of a truck involved in the crash is likely to appear in court on Monday charged with culpable homicide, his lawyer said. Tsvangirai was flown to neighbouring Botswana on Saturday to recover from the accident and to undergo another medical check-up, but is expected to return to Harare late on Monday, the MDC official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.

"The arrangement is that Mrs Tsvangirai will be buried on Wednesday in her rural home of Buhera," he said. A procession commemorating her would be held in Harare on Tuesday."

I am mightily relieved that ZANU PF have not attempted to railroad the grieving process and suggested that she be buried at Zeroes' Acre (misspelling deliberate).

Susan is the people's hero - and if she is buried in Buhera then she can be remembered as the person she was - Morgan's solace, his pillar of strength, the people's mother...

"Lawyer Chris Mhike said police had not decided whether the truck driver would be brought before a Harare magistrate or would appear in a court in Chivhu town nearer to the scene of the accident.

"They are hoping they will bring him to court tomorrow. He is facing charges of culpable homicide, it is something that usually attracts a fine or community service depending with the degree of negligence and if the case is not politicised," Mhike told Reuters."

Imagine that. A fine for killing someone... At least we know that the driver will have to live with his conscience every day for the rest of his life.

I did note yesterday that the MDC was not releasing details of the PM's return - because of security fears. Too right!

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"Morgan Tsvangirai could return to Zimbabwe as early as today to organise the funeral of his wife, Susan, who died when the car they were travelling in was hit by a US aid lorry carrying British relief supplies.

Mr Tsvangirai, the Prime Minister in a power-sharing Government with President Mugabe, had gone to neighbouring Botswana for rest and medical treatment after Friday’s crash. Supporters in his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) had feared that a prolonged absence would leave hardliners within the Government free to force through their agenda. But an MDC official said last night that Mr Tsvangirai would be back in time to organise Wednesday’s funeral. He is expected to return tonight. Mr Tsvangirai left hospital on Saturday, unsupported but with a baseball cap over his bandaged head, after treatment for severe head, neck and chest bruising."

Whilst sympathisers have been gathering at the Tsvangirai home in Harare, the final paragraph of this report is an indication of the true feeling in the country.

Mugabe may have visited Tsvangirai in hospital, but that was all for the cameras/ The two men are still separated by a huge gulf of differing policies and ethos.

"A grinning young man in a silver SUV yesterday demonstrated the intense hatred felt by many in ZANU PF for Mr Tsvangirai and the MDC. He drove the car at high speed through the crowd of mourners milling outside the Tsvangirai’s home."

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Yesterday I asked how it was possible to decide that the incident was a 'genuine accident' from afar. And seeing as there were no High Commission staff at the scene, all the more difficult.

You may remember that I qualified the statement by explaining that it was perhaps as strange as my feeling that this was deliberate - from 6000 miles away.

"Senior lieutenants of Zimbabwe's prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Sunday privately disputed claims that a traffic incident that killed his wife last week was an accident, and blasted the UK government's Foreign office official for making remarks of a "genuine accident" before a full independent investigation is carried out.

Members of his party, the Movement of Democratic Change (MDC), said the threat to Mr Tsvangirai’s life was being overlooked as diplomats sought to keep an agreement to reconcile Zimbabwe’s political parties on track. The party vowed to conduct its own investigation into the car crash in which Susan Tsvangirai, 50, was killed and her 56-year-old husband suffered head injuries.

One member of the MDC criticised comments by a British official that last week’s crash, which involved a vehicle that was distributing medical aid on behalf of British and America assistance programmes, as a "genuine accident".

"How would the British government know this for sure?" he said. "We had our own people on the scene very shortly afterwards and there was no sign of any High Commission representative.

"We also know that the British government has a great interest in ensuring that the unity government in Zimbabwe is a success despite all the evidence that Mugabe has repeatedly flouted all the conditions."

The fall-out over this fatal collision (I am reluctant to label it an 'accident') will be felt for a long time yet. The Prime Minister will have to handle the pressure of the 'unity' government as well as having to live with the hole left in his life.

How does a person endure that sort of pressure?

And Mugabe has passed on his condolences already - come Thursday it will be business as usual.

" Mr Mugabe’s show of sympathy did little to allay the fears of Mr Tsvangirai’s supporters that he had been targeted by Zimbabwe’s security forces, the members of which have a vested interest in ensuring a continuation of Mr Mugabe’s rule. MDC leaders pointed out that there had been at least four attempts on Mr Tsvangirai’s life in his years of opposition.

"This is not a genuine accident," said Sibanengi Dube, the MDC spokesman in South Africa. "This is an organised hit that was designed to eliminate our leader. "We believe that the powerful and notorious clique in Mr Mugabe’s ZANU PF is determined to scupper efforts by the inclusive government to get Zimbabwe back on track."

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There have been many articles written in the last few days - and in recent years - about the habit that Mugabe has of 'removing' those that irritate him enough. Questions have been raised as to what part did Mugabe play in the sad death of the Prime Minister's wife, Susan Tsvangirai.

This article joins those of that description...

"The death of Susan Tsvangirai and the close escape of her husband, the Zimbabwean prime minister, has raised questions about how long Zimbabwe's power-sharing agreement can continue. Robert Mugabe entered that agreement in bad faith, arresting the treasurer of the Movement for Democratic Change on the very day the new government was formed. His continued assault on white farmers shows that nothing has changed in Mr Mugabe's mind – his racist and megalomaniacal agenda continues unabated. It is hardly a surprise that many wonder what Mr Mugabe's involvement in Mrs Tsvangirai's death might have been, even though the Foreign Office claims to believe it was an accident.

After all, Mr Mugabe has a record of killing opponents, and the fake car crash is a tactic he has used in the past. Whether or not it was a failed attempt to eliminate his new prime minister, Mr Mugabe deserves blame. His insistence that he, not the prime minister, should control the police meant that a country's head of government drove without a police escort. In most countries, that would have been inconceivable, but in Zimbabwe the prime minister is evidently expendable."

It does cross my mind as to just how many, and who of ZANU PF will attend the funeral in Buhera on Wednesday?

Any of their number that do attend will do so under strict instruction from Mugabe's office - and should prepare themselves for nothing less than a frosty reception.

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And whilst we grieve with and for Morgan Tsvangirai, life in Zimbabwe must continue.

Roy Bennett is due to appear in court tomorrow - and he remains in custody even though his bail application was granted.

Bennett has been informed of Susan Tsvangirai's death, and is reportedly devastated...

But how about I finish this posting with an article that should make your day a little easier?

"Three men who were ZANU PF base commanders in Chiredzi North Constituency last year during the run up to the June 27 presidential runoff elections were each sentenced to 30 months in jail with hard labour by a Chiredzi Magistrate for torturing a Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) member.

The three Vengai Zihura (38), Alek Ziwende (38) and Eukeria Muvengwa (37) were brought before the magistrate on Thursday.

Appearing for the state, Prosecutor Edmore Mbavarira, told the court that the three assaulted a woman whom they accused of being an MDC-T supporter using wet and dry logs, before fingering her genitals in front of a mob, accusing her of supporting Tsvangirai."

Mugabe stated, not that many days ago, that he could only consider a pardon once the courts had completed their work.

What's the bet that not only do these three get a pardon, but that the magistrate is arrested on some trumped up charge and thrown into prison?

Okay - it probably will not happen - but it is more tham possible in Mugabeville...

"Pleading before Magistrate Judith Zuyu, the three said they were only acting on instructions of the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area Ronald Ndava (ZANU PF).

However, the magistrate ruled that the three be locked up in prison for 30 months with hard labour.

Chiredzi residents on Friday celebrated news of the three's sentencing."

If they were acting under the instruction of the local MP, then he should be brought up on criminal charges as well, but being ZANU PF, he won't...

And the complainant, an MDC member, will be further victimised.

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Take care.

'debvhu