Thursday, 30th April 2009

Howzit

One of the biggest problems that face the 'inclusive government' is the refusal by Mugabe to swear Roy Bennett into cabinet. And now it is considered a positive point that he has agreed to do this - but only once the criminal court has cleared him.

Now this raises all manner of queries.

Firstly, will Mugabe suspend any ZANU PF cabinet member that faces criminal charges in the future?

Secondly, what is the delay? The case revolves around events a couple of years ago. Why then, have we got a huge delay for the State to finalise their case? (There is nothing stopping Mugabe from ensuring that any case is dragged out in court for months on end... he has done it with the inter-party talks...)

Thirdly, is Mugabe not being the accuser, judge, jury and executioner? His party have made the accusation against Bennett, but it is not for him to decide the case - that is for the criminal courts to decide. What is stopping Mugabe from making like accusations against other MDC members of cabinet - and Mugabe deciding that they are guilty - before they even set one foot inside a court?

"The three principals in the unity government, Robert Mugabe, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, have met five times recently to discuss the controversies surrounding the implementation of the Global Political Agreement, but they have still failed to come up with a solution. Observers say this ‘dilly-dallying’ has been part of ZANU PF's strategy to wear the MDC down while not addressing the fundamental issues.

However, it has emerged that Robert Mugabe has agreed to swear into office MDC Deputy Minister of Agriculture appointee Roy Bennett, but only after the former commercial farmer has been acquitted of the charges hanging over his head. Bennett was arrested in February and spent a month in prison, charged with 'conspiring to acquire arms with a view to disrupting essential services'.

Although he is out on bail his trial has yet to start and could drag on for a long time. MDC insists he is innocent until proven guilty."

This is exactly my point. The rules of normalcy seem to have been changed by Mugabe - and the rest of the world sit idly by, doing nothing to correct the imbalance, and allowing Mugabe to continue with the ruination of Zimbabwe.

"Mugabe argues that Bennett is facing serious 'terrorism' charges, and that he is only prepared to swear-in the MDC official after his case has been finalised by the courts. Most analysts agree that these are merely trumped up charges and attempts to hamper the MDC. Bennett is also not the only MDC ministerial candidate facing charges in court.

Eric Matinenga, the MDC Minister of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs was sworn into the new government although he has a case pending in the courts for election related public violence. The Minister spent three weeks in remand prison last year after he was arrested when representing his clients - MDC supporters who were facing political persecution. Judgement in his case was set for May 4th and Minister Matinenga is currently working in the inclusive government.

Also, MDC Finance Minister Tendai Biti is facing treason charges and his case has not been concluded, and Mugabe appears not to have a problem with this."

How does someone 'run' cabinet when it is incomplete?

And, it would appear that Mugabe has made 'concessions' on the Chamisa/Goche ministry wrangle - but when you read into it, nothing has been conceded at all...

"It is believed that Mugabe has agreed to give Nelson Chamisa his Communications portfolio back, but as usual there is a catch. MDC insiders said there was a trade-off, and it appears that the ‘monitoring/snooping powers’ which were under Chamisa’s Communications’ portfolio will be given to Nicholas Goche’s Transport and Infrastructural Ministry - the same ministry that had recently been given the Communications portfolio by Mugabe.

Some argue that while Mugabe is giving back with one hand, he is taking away with the other."

This is pathetic. Mugabe has not agreed to anything - all he has done is underline his assumed authority.

-o00o-

Meanwhile, it looks like it is open season on the white members of the MDC... and leading the fray is Mugabe's friend, The Herald.

"Eddie Cross (n): unemployable, financially irresponsible, bitter and politically irrelevant. (Source: Zimbabwe Political Dictionary, 2009.)

If I were to write such a dictionary this would be a certain entry under the letter "E".

Much can be said about Cross, but like with all unsavoury subjects, the least said the better."

And then the writer proceeds to offer words aplenty.

I thought that the 'agreement' signed by the two factions of the MDC and Mugabe's ZANU PF allowed for political elbow room - and that fairness and level-headedness are to be given some priority. And the The Herald (Mugabe's mouthpiece) publishes such an article?

If someone were to write a similar article about Mugabe, then they would not see freedom for many, many weeks!

"His life mission, it appears, is to defend anything white as good and anything Western as blessed.

But like most things that are better kept out of sight and out of mind, Cross has a tendency to creep out from those dark parts of the national consciousness and intrude on our more serious business.

The other week, a good long while after leaving us in peace following his "let Zimbabwe crash and burn" mumbo-jumbo, he decided to flaunt how far divorced he is from the basic political realities that have shaped, and continue to shape, Zimbabwe.

And this is quite surprising because the man is a whole MP, voted for by a constituency that obviously sincerely hoped that they were dispatching a man of credible intellect and unquestionable allegiance to the nation to Parliament."

Do me a favour...

Perhaps the reporter needs to apply his own feelings to his own work - "the least said the better".

-o00o-

-o00o-

This is a most disturbing story, as it would suggest that the accident that killed the Prime Minister's wife, Susan Tsvangirai, was deliberate.

"In a shocking revelation that might threaten the fragile power sharing deal between ZANU PF and the MDC,it has emerged that at least three ZANU PF ministers knew about the accident which injured Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and killed his wife Susan, according to a report that was submitted to the MDC.

The details are contained in a 50 page investigation report that was carried out by a private investigation company and submitted to the MDC two weeks after the accident, but the MDC has kept a tight lid on it and some members of the National Executive have not even seen it.

According to the report Defence Minister, Emmerson Mnagagwa,Transportation Minister, Nicolas Goche and Justice Minister,Patrick Chinamasa likely knew about the accident a few days before it happened.

The report also questions if President Mugabe knew about the accident beforehand as his travel arrangements to visit Avenues Hospital started being made in the morning of the day the accident occurred. Hospital Staff reportedly witnessed security agents and Mugabe’s security detail being dispatched to man the hospital in the morning."

This would perhaps explain the incredulity on Mugabe's face when he visited Morgan Tsvangirai in hospital on the evening of the crash.

"Also in the document is compelling evidence that the Driver of the truck,Chinoona Mwanda has strong links to the Central Intelligence Organization(CIO) and the Army. The driver of the truck, which belongs to the United States Development Agency (USAID) was taken into police custody after the accident.

According to the investigation Tsvangirai’s vehicle was being escorted by a Central Intelligence Organization vehicle which, for no known reason, increased its speed and disappeared from view. Just as that CIO vehicle was out of view a truck coming in the opposite direction appeared and sideswiped the PM’s car.

MDC officials claim that no help was provided by CIO guards on the scene and when a white farmer arrived and began to film the scene he was arrested and his pictures were confiscated."

Close security personnel are trained in first aid as their mission is the protect and preserve life - but perhaps that only applies to ZANU PF personages.

Mugabe - and the people that he insists on surrounding himself with - are often connected to questionable deaths - most of them is car 'accidents' on Zimbabwean roads and stretch back to even before independence.

"Several MDC politicians have since been involved in highly questionable road accidents since the signing of the power sharing deal.

Giles Mutsekwa, the MDC-T Home Affairs Minister was involved in a car accident last month. Mutsekwa was travelling to Harare on Mucheke road when his car was hit from behind by a Nissan Hard Body truck.

Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khuphe’s mother died from injuries received in an accident on the Bulawayo-Harare road last month. Minister of State Gorden Moyo and Minister of State Enterprise and Parastatals Sam Nkomo were travelling to Harare airport last month when the vehicle in which they were travelling was also hit from behind by another vehicle."

These are just three accidents that involve MDC people - there are many, many more that never received any police attention and were closed as 'accidents' even though the circumstances would suggest otherwise.

Mugabe's party have decided to keep silent on this incident and the ensuing report - and this, in itself, I find questionable.

-o00o-

Zimbabweans are a proud people. I know, because I am such a Zimbabwean. And when life in that country is reduced to living in holes and scrouging for food, then we must realise that Mugabe's continued tenure as President of Zimbabwe is plain and simply wrong.

"Last week thousands of Zimbabweans trekked to Makoni Shopping Centre in the sprawling town of Chitungwiza 27km from Harare, where the International Red Cross was giving food to not only the elderly and the orphaned but also to hordes of the unemployed who are yet to get tangible results from the Government of National Unity which has been in office for three months now.

"I don’t have anything to eat, since I am not going to work I just have to live on the handouts otherwise I will starve to death," said Vincent Bande who is aged 25.

Vincent like many other 'needy' people is not proud to live on charity. "I used to go to Mozambique but my ETD (Emergency Traveling Document) has since expired and I don’t have the money to get another one."

The 'inclusive' government has not done anything positive for the people of Zimbabwe - instead it is spending time and money arguing amongst themselves, whilst the people continue to perish.

"Police clampdown on the black-market has had a adverse on thousands who were living as vendors. "I used to sell fruits and vegetables but the police have been breathing on our necks, confiscating our goods, once the goods are taken by the police one cannot recover them," said Joseph Kanyepa 27 who passed his Advanced Level but cannot afford the amounts of fees which the colleges are presently asking.

Indeed stocks in the shops have increased, with prices going down, but many Zimbabweans who are still living on less than a dollar a day cannot afford the prices. Zimbabwe has shelved its currency and is using the greenback and the rand, stable currencies indeed but equally elusive.

"I don’t earn any foreign currency so I have to live on donations as if I did not go to school," said Joseph."

And therein lies one of the bigger problems. The government has shelved the Zimbabwean currency for at least a year - and the majority of people in Zimbabwe do not have access to any form of foreign currency, and therefore they have no buying power and are forced to live in handouts.

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Wednesday, 29th April 2009

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates updated...

-o00o-

Once again, this will not be a long posting as I have to go into town to fulfill a few functions before my hospitalisation on Monday. For the first time in four days, the weather doesn't look that bad, so I may as well take advantage of it...

-o00o-

In an earlier posting this week, I asked what could be done if the Mugabe administration fails to pay the award to farmers...

That was answered yesterday in an article that talks about the seizing of Zimbabwean assets in the event of them defaulting on the order.

I posted that article on one of my other pages here...

It was suggested to me yesterday in electronic conversations with other bloggers that such an action would be counter-productive to the Zimbabwean people and the new inclusive government.

But I maintain that the seizing of the farms was a lot more counter-productive than anything else.

-o00o-
-o00o-

Mugabe has made it a habit to have people arrested - or at least accused - of launching coup attempts against him. This goes back into the early 1980s. He accused the York brothers of stockpiling weapons on their Marula farm. And so the accusations have flown thick and fast ever since.

No matter how ridiculous, no matter how far fetched, he has pointed fingers - and people have been imprisoned and charged.

"Lawyers representing six men who were arrested in 2007 for plotting to topple President Robert Mugabe’s government this week filed an urgent High Court application seeking the release of two of the accused from Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison on medical grounds.

Emmanuel Marara and Nyasha Zivuku, according to the chamber application filed by their lawyer Charles Warara, were "very ill" and one of the accused needed urgent medical help.

In the application, Warara said: "I had been advised that Emmanuel Marara and Nyasha Zivuku had fallen ill and that Emmanuel’s condition was very bad that he needed urgent attention."

These men have been in custody for two years, give or take a few months - and any extended stay in Mugabe's prisons is going to result in huge medical problems. I am staggered, however, in the slow nature of the State case. One would have thought that there has been enough time to have investigated the case thoroughly.

But as with most things Mugabe, taking their time is one of their habits.

"I met the accused and on assessing his condition I was convinced that he was in a bad state. He explained to me that he has been coughing for the past two weeks spitting blood and that he has lost weight."

Warara said when he enquired from the prison authorities if his client had been afforded any medication, he was informed that there no medical attention given to him and that there was no medication at all at the jail and this left him exposed and without help.

"The accused’s right to be afforded medical attention or at least to be examined by a doctor has not been afforded him and it is the case with Nyasha Zivuku who has been in pain for months following injuries he sustained during the time he was arrested and tortured," Warara said. "The accused need urgent medical attention and unless they are urgently released to a private hospital or to a properly equipped government hospital they will die of curable ailments."

According to the application, the six accused have been in prison for almost two years and they have not been medically examined to establish the state of their health."

So why have the State taken so long to process this case?

Because they don't have very much evidence to work with and it suits Mugabe to have these men locked up...

-o00o-

If we were to analyse the political negotiations since the elections last year, we would see a reluctance on the part of ZANU PF to concede any kind of power, even though they lost the parliamentary majority.

Mugabe believes that with him 'retaining' the Presidency, he still has full control of the country, and therefore has worked hard to ensure ZANU PF control.

"The 5th meeting between Morgan Tsvangirai, Robert Mugabe and Arthur Mutambara, aimed at resolving outstanding issues in the coalition government, teetered on the edge of collapse Tuesday. Mugabe continues to refuse to back down on his unilateral amendments and violations to the unity deal, and all his coalition partners have been able to do is declare them 'null and void'. Although the South African Business Day newspaper reported that talks held on Monday remained deadlocked 'after long hours of intense discussions' Tsvangirai’s spokesman James Maridadi insisted Mondays’ meeting was brief and only sought to set the agenda for the next meeting.

On Tuesday that meeting took place around 3pm, soon after the normal Tuesday cabinet meeting. Maridadi was reluctant to say if there was any progress on the issues that have paralyzed the government so far. Under dispute is how Mugabe unilaterally stripped away the communications sector from a ministry controlled by the MDC, has dragged his feet on swearing in Deputy Agriculture Minister designate Roy Bennett, encouraged fresh farms invasions and kept mum on the continued detention of political prisoners. The appointment of governors, ambassadors and permanent secretaries is another issue that the parties have also failed to agree on."

Mugabe needs to be made aware of just what he agreed to when he signed the paperwork in September. He cannot be allowed to carry on as if nothing has happened - and he will need to have this underlined by someone who he actually respects.

He shuns SADC and the AU - and holds the UN is some disdain.

So who can carry out this function?

Even the wishes of the Zimbabwean people have been ignored. How is it that the loser of an election hangs on to power, and the winners have to negotiate just how much power they can have?

"Both ZANU PF and the MDC had agreed all outstanding issues should be solved by the end of April but Tuesday’s meeting represented the last day to do this as most government officials were taking evening flights to the International Trade Fair in Bulawayo. Tsvangirai was due to catch a morning flight on Wednesday while Mutambara, Nelson Chamisa, Gorden Moyo and others traveled Tuesday evening. Mugabe is also traveling but his itinerary was not yet known."

The words "Mugabe", "stalemate" and "impasse" are back on the front pages.

-o00o-

I ask again. Why is it acceptable that Mugabe stays in all-encompassing power - having lost the election - and now refuses to budge to the winners of the election, while dragging the country down as he makes all manner of unilateral decisions and policies.

What part of 'sharing' doesn't he understand?

Why does he remain in full power? He should be a 'lame duck' President with his party losing the parliamentary majority...

"Zimbabwe’s leaders last night failed for the fourth time in a fortnight to resolve a series of contentious issues threatening to paralyse the country’s shaky coalition government.

The crisis talks remained deadlocked after long hours of intense discussion, signalling a serious political problem besetting the new government.

A fierce power struggle is raging behind the scenes as President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai intensify their battle for political control.

Sources close to the talks said last night the meeting had ended in a stalemate."

When the agreement was signed, there were visitors aplenty to witness the ceremony. Leaders of African countries, who all, or so it seemed, were happy for the resolution of the Zimbabwean crisis.

What do they say today, knowing that, in essence, nothing had changed and Mugabe is still in charge?

"The leaders agreed to meet again today to try and break the stalemate." a senior government official said. "It’s proving to be very difficult because neither of the leaders wants to make any concessions."

Why should the MDC be conceding anything? They have been on the receiving end for ten years? They won the election - end of story...

And if the free world were to have anything to say about it, perhaps a new election - with international observers - not ZANU PF plants...

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Tuesday, 28th April 2009

Howzit

Just a reminder that this page will effectively go into hibernation from Monday next week as I will be hospitalised for some radical surgery on my left forearm. As they are doing a bone graft from my hip, I am informed that I will be in hospital until such time as I am walking...

For that reason, and as I have no real idea as to how long it will be before I am in any way fit enough to contemplate normal life, after Sunday, this page will remain in abeyance.

Thanks for your understanding.

Again, there are not a lot of stories about Zimbabwe on the internet today - but that could easily change as the day wears on.

-o00o-

The problems for Gideon Gono just do not show any sign of going away. He now has taken to removing vehicles from his managers to give to legislators - whilst legislators have reportedly shunned the move.

RBZ employees are not very amused, and some of them have begun to walk to work so that the vehicles are not nearby to be handed on.

"RBZ boss Gideon Gono dished out 50 cars legislators cars for temporary use until Treasury finds money to purchase vehicles under the Parliamentary Loan Scheme.

The cars came from the pool section of the bank while the remainder were taken from various departments. According to sources, the cars would be returned when the Ministry of Finance has enough resources to buy the cars for the MPs."
Gono cannot seem to do anything to appease anyone - except Mugabe.

He is intent on supplying these vehicles - even though it is a function that should be fulfilled by central government. Morgan Tsvangirai has ordered his MPs not to accept the vehicles from the RBZ, but not all MPs have heeded the call.

"Managers are entitled to cars and some senior managers where reported for work last without the cars fearing that they would be taken from them, according to people familiar with developments at RBZ.

Others said they would resist the move to dispossess them of the cars. "We will not return those cars. How can I return the car when the bank hasn’t paid me?" asked a senior manager. "The transport division did not get a single car as managers refused to surrender their vehicles."

Non-payment of salaries is just another problem facing Gono, but his position seems cast in steel with the backing of Mugabe...

"RBZ is due to retrench employees to focus on its core business of prices and financial sector stability. One employee is said to have fainted after he was told to surrender the car. The employees have vowed to cling to the cars arguing that they would form part of their retrenchment packages."

I can guarantee that Gono's vehicle is not one being considered for removal to be handed on...

-o00o-

I find it quite amazing that the ZRP should focus on arresting MDC members - but have gone out of their way to stop investigation and prosecution of ZANU PF members involved in the murder of over 100 MDC members in political violence last year.

How can the ZRP make the unilateral decision not to prosecute their own, but continue with the arrest of others?

"Three more people have been arrested in Tsvangirai's village in Buhera bringing to 13 the number of people arrested in connection with acts of alleged arson and politically motivated violence which took place in Buhera during the burial of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s late wife.

Manicalnd police spokesperson Inspector Brian Makomeke confirmed the arrest of the 13 people and said the net will soon close in on those who are currently on the run.

He said the 13 are likely to appear in court soon facing charges under the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, for malicious damage to property."

But not one person will appear in court for the murders of MDC members.

If that isn't skewed justice, then I really don't know anything...

-o00o-

This - whilst they continue to invade farms, and incarcerate farmers for remaining 'illegally' on the land? What is to stop invasions from happening on these farms in a year, five years, or tomorrow?

"Thirteen white commercial farmers in Guruve have been granted offer letters and retained their farms after complying with all the terms of the Land Reform Programme.

The development - which puts paid to recent reports that white farmers were being hounded off the land - was revealed by Mashonaland Central Governor and Resident Minister Advocate Martin Dinha during a tour by the provincial lands committee over the weekend.

The 13 - who were among the 210 resettled farmers yet to receive land offer letters in the district - included Mr Brice Gordon Francis of Chikonyora Farm, Mr Barry Warwick of Gurungwe Farm, Mr Duncan Wood of Lotiof Msitwe Farm, Mr John Strong of Disi Farm, Mr John Kennedy of Delken Farm, Mr Malcolm Francis, also at Gurungwe Farm, Mr Geoffrey Dollar of Red Lichen Farm, Mr Craig Hughes of Ternanog Farm, Mr Robert Irvine of Mazooma Farm and three others at Impinge Farm."

What is so different about these farms that they are being retained by the farmers? Not that I query the gesture - I only query why these farms?

What of the farms that have been taken over, and now lie fallow?

"Adv Dinha told some of the white farmers who received him on his tour of Guruve on Friday that the Land Reform Programme was not racist in principle but the fact of the matter was that colonial land tenure policies were skewed in favour of whites.

"The Land Reform Programme was meant to redress the colonial land imbalances which, unfortunately, were in favour of people of your race.

"That is why the Land Reform Programme appeared as if it targeted people of your race," he said."

And therein lies the clue. "your race" - which just happened to be farmers who fed the country for a couple of decades after independence.

"Adv Dinha said farming in Zimbabwe was not based on colour or creed. He said the province had noted that the white farmers who chose to stay and share their farms with indigenous farmers had not been given offer letters together with about 210 other farmers in Guruve.

"The law is clear on land. All the land belongs to the State and you can only stay on that land on the express authority of the State.

"Without the express written authority of the State, you are staying on that piece of land illegally, whether black or white," he said."

I really do despair...

"We consider you as Zimbabweans and you are part of us. You should also be seen participating in national events such as independence (celebrations).

"I am not saying you should support a prescribed political party. What we want is to see you freely participating in all State occasions," he said."

Not long ago, Mugabe labelled white farmers as 'enemies of the State' and now these farmers are to carry on as if nothing ever happened? It boggles the mind!

-o00o-

I am always heartened by the number of people that risk their freedoms to attend an MDC rally. Whilst the political agreement states that each political party should be given room to carry out their own activities with regard to speaking to the public, ZANU PF have worked with the police to prevent Tsvangirai from holding any rally.

But he has, and the numbers are good.

"MDC President, Hon. Morgan Tsvangirai on Saturday raised concerns over outstanding issues that are affecting the inclusive government formed in February.

He was addressing over 30000 MDC supporters gathered at Chinhoyi Stadium in Chinhoyi, Mashonaland West province to commemorate the MDC’s 10th anniversary celebrations.

Although the President gave a commitment that there was no going back on the inclusive government, he was deeply concerned that the inclusive government was facing a number of teething problems that were affecting its day-to-day operations.

"There's no reverse on the inclusive government. There will be insults, but we will get there. We have one project, which is the inclusive government. It has specific policies and specific targets, which is to pull this country out of the quagmire," Hon. Tsvangirai said.

"We respect each other, although we may disagree. There's nothing Mugabe does without me approving and there is nothing I do without him approving," he said."

If I am not mistaken, the number attending this rally in Chinhoyi are bigger than the number that attended the Independence day celebration at Heroes' Acre in Harare.

"Hon. Tsvangirai also raised concerns over the lawlessness that was taking place in some farms.

"Let’s not take the law into our hands. We should be able to distinguish between land issues and criminality. We will not tolerate violence and chaos that is taking place in some farms especially here in Mashonaland West province," he warned.

"The issue that we all should speak with one voice is the land," Hon. Tsvangirai said.

He explained that under the Global Political Agreement (GPA) there was no room for taking the law into one’s hands."

In Zimbabwe, no matter how illegal an order is, if it has been handed down through ZANU PF lines then the execution of that order will bring with it immunities - to the point that they are getting away with murder.

The vast majority of illegal activities in Zimbabwe are carried out as political orders and therefore, excusable...

"The president also paid tribute to several MDC supporters from Mashonaland West province and Senator Bennett who were recently released from remand prison on trumped-up charges of banditry, terrorism and insurgency.

Those who were abducted by the State security agents and spent at least three months in remand are; MDC Mashonaland West provincial chairperson, Concilia Chinanzvavana, and her husband, Manuel Chinanzvavana, Violet Mupfuranhewe and her husband Collen Mutemangau and their two year-old son, Nigel Mutemangau.

"They are the true cadres of the nation. We salute you because without your sacrifices, the MDC would not be what it is today," said President Tsvangirai."

-o00o-

Very recently I wrote that not that long ago, Zimbabwe was a beacon of education standards in Africa and that we had the highest literacy figures in the region.

Sadly, Mugabe's rule has put paid to that. Schools have not opened and for years have run on a stop-start basis, with a distinct shortage of teachers and the threat of a loss of children with the ever increasing school fees.

"Government is considering reducing the amount of school fees charged in primary schools as "hardly any parent can afford" those announced recently although the cutback will not be dramatic, Education, Sport and Culture minister, Senator David Coltart says.

Coltart told parents and party supporters at a constituency meeting at Mahatshula Primary school in the city on Saturday that the level of fees announced in March was arrived at after consultation with experts who set the figures as the amounts needed to educate a child a term.

There has been growing outrage from parents who say they cannot afford the US$150 fee announced when most of the civil servants are paid a US$100 monthly allowance.

But Coltart said his ministry had put in place a new policy where parents would apply for relief through a Means Test Application (MTA)."

A difficult area to enter, as it would appear that the vast majority of parents would need assistance given that unemployment is now over the 90 per cent mark. This assistance then would put more strain on already stretched government monies, and therefore the system has the potential to breakdown - before it has even started.

"The MTA requires parents who cannot afford the fees to apply at every school through the school head who, together with the parents committee, will assess the level of fees they can pay. MTA is unlike the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) which was administered in Harare but had discontinued giving assistance to pupils without means to pay fees due to lack of funds.

Under BEAM some schools that had applied for funds have not received what they had applied for, for the past three years before the program was discontinued."

And whilst normal Zimbabweans struggle to receive adequate education for their children, the big shots in ZANU PF have got their children receiving an education elsewhere in the world. Doesn't say very much for the situation in Zimbabwe, does it?

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Monday, 27th April 2009

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates updated...

-o00o-

It would appear that things are not going very well within the smaller faction of the MDC led by Arthur Mutambara. Last week we read about a former MP calling for Mutambara to be recalled - and then over the weekend, that MP (Job Sikhala) was fired by the faction for bringing the party into disrepute.

"MDC-Mutambara faction lead by the Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara has split in to yet another two factions according to well placed sources.

Leading the breakaway faction is Defence & Security Secretary and former St Mary's Member of Parliament, Job Sikhala Nkayi lawmaker and MDC-M Chairman for Matebeleland North Abednico Bhebhe. According to the well placed source Job Sikhala received by hand a letter of suspension signed by the Secretary General of the party Professor Welshman Ncube suspending him pending dismissal.

The letter also directed Job Sikhala to return all party regalia and property and to stop speaking on behalf of the party with immediate effect. The letter went on further to threaten legal action if he failed to adhere to its contents.

The fire brand former Member of Parliament for St Mary's who is a founding member of the original MDC immediately declared that he will together with other disgruntled party members form a breakaway faction that will also maintain the party name MDC."

I do not understand the need to hang on to the MDC name. If the person breaking away does not believe in the policies that the party stands by, then surely the need is one of complete reinvention - name included.

It also makes life a little more confusing when we have the main Tsvangirai-led MDC, then the Mutambara-led MDC and now a second level MDC faction being formed. Have these people even stopped - for just one second - and asked themselves about voter education?

"The Zimbabwe Observer could not immediately contact Nkayi lawmaker Abednico Bhebhe to ascertain if he too had received a letter of suspension.

Bhebhe and Sikhala kicked off their campaign to oust the party's leadership in Nkayi where they addressed a rally last week calling for an extraordinary congress to elect a new leadership.

At the rally, Sikhala who fell out of favour with Tsvangirai over policy differences in 2005 and went on to lose his St Mary's seat on an MDC-M ticket last year, castigated Mutambara for joining hands with President Robert Mugabe in the inclusive government and for referring to the Head of State as "father of the nation".

"Our party has been misrepresented in the inclusive government by Mutambara whom we now view as a ZANU PF functionary."

Why then the rush to keep the name? Surely a new faction stands the chance of being viewed as a "ZANU PF functionary" as well?

Robert Mugabe must be grinning from ear to ear with the further breakdown of the MDC.

-o00o-

"US Attorney Rebecca Gregory announced today that a 24-year-old Plano man has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for tax fraud in the Eastern District of Texas.

A man believed to be Zimbabwe Government Minister Made's son was also sentenced to 60 months in a US Federal jail for the same crime.

Ransom Nyamaharo was convicted by a jury on Jan. 16, 2009, for conspiracy to present false claims to the government and conspiracy to commit identity theft and bank fraud and was sentenced yesterday by US District Judge Marcia Crone.

Nyamaharo was also ordered to pay restitution of $3,097,822.65.

Co-defendant, Karimanjora Dumba Made, of Plano, was also convicted on Jan. 16, 2009, and was sentenced on Apr. 14, 2009, to 60 months in federal prison.

Made is believed to be the son of Mugabe's personal farm manager Joseph Made."

Well, they may be able to subvert justice in Zimbabwe, but when they try and pull the same stunt in someone else's country, they find that it comes along with a huge reality pill.

Okay, the article does say that that co-accused is BELIEVED to be Made's son, but the names appear to be Zimbabwean and, if nothing else, it proves that US justice works.

"According to information presented in court, from 2005 to 2008, Nyamaharo and Made opened and operated retail tax preparation businesses in which they prepared and filed fraudulent tax returns on behalf of clients.

As part of the their scheme, they also prepared and filed tax returns in the names of individuals whose personal identifying information had been obtained and used without authorization.

To further facilitate the fraud, Nyamaharo and Made established business relationships with several banks which offered refund anticipation loans.

The false claims for income tax refunds were submitted to the Internal Revenue Service and also to the banks.

The banks, relying upon the accuracy of the information provided to them, authorized the issuance of loans secured by the false income tax refund claims."

Corruption and criminal intent seem to run in the blood in the Made family.

-o00o-

Nothing like reinventing the wheel.

"Zimbabwe's vote rigging machine, the legendary Registrar-General, Tobaiwa Mudede, who is also an A2 farmer, claims he has invented a new plough he dubs The People’s Plough.

It is a plough that has two dishes and fashioned in such a manner that it takes a portion taken by two standard ploughs.

Mudede said he invented the plough following shortages of fuel for tractors in the past season although farmers had cattle to use as draught power.

He said the plough which has undergone tests, is expected to be manufactured soon."

Are we sure that the plough actually does what he claims it does, or does it somehow keep part of the land for illicit use elsewhere?

"Asked for comment, a prominent opposition politician laughed off the latest effort to rig for a new legacy by a man well known to be behind Robert Mugabe's years of continued dictatorship.

"I'm sure many now hope Mudede finds this interesting and becomes his new job for life - inventing things, not votes," said the opposition official in a joke to our reporter."

I do wish that reporters would learn to use punctuation correctly! I have corrected it above so as not to compound the errors.

-o00o-

When one looks at politics in Zimbabwe and wishes to personalise it, we need look no further than Morgan Tsvangirai and Roy Bennett. Both of these men have been harried and frustrated, imprisoned and charged with crimes that would make most men blanche.

Physical beatings, long=term incarcerations and attempted assassinations - that is what has become being an opponent to Mugabe's ZANU PF party.

But the Zimbabwean people don't forget.

"Persecuted MDC treasurer-general Roy Bennett received rousing welcomes at two rallies in Chegutu East and Harare on Sunday, with thousands openly showing empathy for a man who has endured a sustained harassment campaign by ZANU PF hardliners.

Bennett addressed a rally attended by over 2000 people at Neuso Township in Ward 2 of the Chegutu East constituency together with MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa and deputy national organising secretary Morgan Komichi. The rally was also attended by Chegutu Mayor Francis Dlakama and Chegutu West MP Takalani Matibe.

Neuso Township is under the jurisdiction of ZANU PF MP Webster Shamu, who is also Media, Information and Publicity minister."

I love it! The MDC having a rally in ZANU PF's back yard! And the number may not have been huge, but they are indicative of the growing realisation within Zimbabwe that ZANU PF only hang on to power through violence and threats. That and the want to shower the party faithful with gifts of money, cars and farms...

"At Kuwdzana 4 Open Space in Harare where over 5 000 thronged the grounds for a constituency feedback rally organised by Chamisa, Bennett was asked to return to the podium by public demand at the end of his address.

A simple and deeply religious man, Bennett moved the thousands as he spoke about his persecution, his stints in jail and what he called the unstoppable winds of change.

"Leaders are installed by God and removed by God," he said to applause. "All the persecution I have suffered is unwarranted and an attempt to stop the winds of change. When I was in prison you prayed for me. And I want to thank you all the people of Zimbabwe for remaining resolute in the face of such harassment and terror," he said, speaking in fluent Shona.

Bennett said he was born in Zimbabwe, his father was born in Zimbabwe, and there was no other home he knew."

Known as "Pachedu" (between us), Bennet has sacrificed everything he owns and has given his time to serving the people. And for his time, Mugabe has targeted him and has made his life an absolute hell. What kind of 'national healing' is that?

Mugabe refuses to swear Bennett into cabinet. Who is Mugabe to not only subvert the wishes of the people, but to make decisions that are outside his remit?

But after 29 years of Mugabe, he believes that nothing is outside his remit.

"Bennett said nothing could stop the winds of change adding the persecution he had suffered was nothing as compared to the violence endured by many Zimbabweans across the country during election related violence last year. He said many paid the ultimate prize.

"They are scared of the X," he said. "The only thing that can defeat them is the X. No amount of persecution can stop an idea whose time has come. These people think they can stop change by refusing to swear me into office. But no one can ever go against the people and God and succeed."

Bennett, who was nominated deputy minister of Agriculture by the MDC, has not been sworn to office because President Robert Mugabe will not swear him in, ostensibly because he is facing serious charges. He is facing charges of attempting to assassinate Mugabe in 2006."

I am encouraged by these rallies. They are the lifeblood of the MDC and hope in Zimbabwe.

"Bennett said he was humbled by the support shown to him by Zimbabweans when he was in prison in February. He said the MDC was now in government but the job was not yet done."

-o00o-

Why is it that The Herald and The Sunday Mail never tire of going in to bat for Mugabe's failed administration? The investigation that they claim to have carried out is nothing more than pro-Mugabe officials scratching each other's backs - and leaving Zimbabwe in a huge hole financially.

Can Gono actually account for this money?

"The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe borrowed a cumulative US$5,25 billion from foreign correspondent banks to meet critical requirements for the country following written down authorisation from the Ministry of Finance that started in June 2004 and ends on June 30 this year, it has been learnt.

All the five letters of authorisation were written by the Secretary for Finance, Mr Willard Manungo, and were copied to the then Ministers of Finance Dr Herbert Murerwa and Dr Samuel Mumbengegwi.

The Sunday Mail made investigations into this matter following reports last week that the Minister of Finance, Mr Tendai Biti, had moved a motion in Cabinet to investigate the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Dr Gideon Gono, for allegedly going overboard by borrowing more than US$1 billion without relevant authority from Treasury."

The 'relevant authority' is easy to gain, especially if all persons concerned work for Mugabe - which they do. What I want to know, is what was this money used for?

"After borrowing the US$1,2 billion, the RBZ gave US$514,2 million to the Grain Marketing Board, US$4,7 million to the Ministry of Information, US$15,6 million to Zesa, US$13,7 million to Zinwa, US$4,4 million to the Ministry of Defence, US$228,1 million to Ministry of Finance, US$1 million to Zimbabwe Republic Police, US$68 900 to Ministry of Agriculture, US$104 479 to Ministry of Health, US$9,4 million for scholarships, US$243,3 million and another US$131,1 million for Ministry of Agriculture (fertiliser and seeds) and US$2,9 million to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, giving a total of US$1,2 billion."

It is one thing 'giving' the money to these departments, but have they (the departments) given a true and correct accounting of their utilisation of the money? Many of the departments listed are in dire straits. Health is just one example.

There would appear to be a lot of collusion between the RBZ and the treasury (I refuse to give such a warped department a capital letter) - and this is what Biti would like investigated - not necessarily the beginning of the money - but where it went...

Ministies and departments now owe the RBZ a huge amount of money, -which treasury have decided to back - so when does the money get repaid?

"If RBZ is repaid or refunded, it will be able to pay off whatever it owes to industry, NGOs, the gold sector, suppliers of grain and lines of credit, leaving a substantial balance for its capital as well as lender-of-last resort functions."

The operative word being "if"...

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu