Tuesday, 30th June 2009

Howzit

The 'inclusive' government, which has yet to be inclusive, unified or share any power was yesterday in danger of falling to pieces.

The MDC are said to be considering exactly that as they boycotted a rescheduled cabinet meeting.

The MDC says that by rescheduling the cabinet meeting, ZANU PF was denying the MDC the right to chair such a meeting in Mugabe's absence.

"Zimbabwe’s former opposition party said Monday it would boycott the next Cabinet meeting and was considering disengaging from a troubled, four-month-old unity government with President Robert Mugabe.

The Movement for Democratic Change has complained about continued harassment and arrests of Mugabe’s opponents and his unilateral appointments of top officials.

Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, bitter rivals, formed their coalition in February, pressed by neighbors to end a decade of violent confrontation and work together to resolve the southern African nation’s severe economic crisis.

MDC Vice President Thokozani Khupe said the latest irritant came Monday, when Mugabe rescheduled the weekly Cabinet meeting from Wednesday to Monday because he was going to be out of town for an African Union summit in Libya. At a news conference, Khupe depicted that as a snub to Tsvangirai, her party’s leader, saying he should have chaired the meeting in Mugabe’s absence.

Mugabe’s party "has not welcomed MDC as an equal partner," said Khupe, a deputy prime minister in the unity government."

In the event of the MDC disengaging from government, the last two years would have been in vain, the last ten years without reward, as Mugabe will just set up his government as he has done for almost 30 years, with little thought for the people of Zimbabwe, and he will undertake to subject the MDC to even more pain and suffering at ZANU PF hands.

"Khupe said her party would boycott the rescheduled Cabinet meeting, but remained committed to the (coalition) agreement in the interest of our people, despite clear evidence of the absence of a reliable and honest partner.

She did not say when MDC ministers would resume attending Cabinet meetings.

"It is our constitutional right to consider disengagement," she said. "It is time toxicity and insanity were removed (from the coalition)."

Mugabe refuses to play fair and will allow nothing to get in his way as he seeks to retain control of Zimbabwe and hold the people down as he and his cohorts live the life that many of us only dream of.

-o00o-

And while Mugabe continues to walk all over the MDC, a Kimberley Process team began a probe into the activity within the Marange Fields. I do note that the new gold find in Gutu has been sealed off by the ZNA and I wait to hear how much gold is in the find - and then will compare it to that which the government reports.

I wrote an editorial yesterday on the missing diamonds in Zimbabwe.

"Zimbabwe on Monday denied it was violating international regulations on conflict diamonds, as a Kimberley Process team started a probe of the country's eastern Marange diamond fields.

Mining secretary Thankful Musukutwa told journalists in the capital that complaints against Zimbabwe for trading in rough diamonds and violating human rights were not true.

"Under the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), conflict diamonds are rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance conflict armies at undermining legitimate governments," he said about the scheme against "blood diamonds".

"There is no armed conflict or any involvement of a rebel army or movement in Zimbabwe; therefore Marange diamonds do not fall within KPCS definition of conflict diamonds."

So - that leaves the question unanswered... "What could have Mugabe done with US$100 billion to rebuild Zimbabwe’s economy and put the country right? Would he not have been revered in all circles within Zimbabwe as being the man that averted total and absolute collapse within Zimbabwe?

Would he not then be the saviour, the liberator, the hero that his party attempt to sell him as?

Lately there has been much written about the Kimberley Process and the illegal trade of blood diamonds in and from Zimbabwe.

The Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, has just completed a three week tour of Western countries where he was endeavouring to raise US$5 billion in aid and assistance to rebuild the infrastructure of Zimbabwe.

Just 5% of the diamonds that have been illegally traded, stolen and unaccounted for, would have financed the deal! And it would have left 95% still for the ZANU PF to pinch…"

"Zimbabwe last week denied any killings by security forces.

"What we have in Marange are illegal panners who from time to time evade security forces and engage themselves in illegal digging and trading of diamonds," said Musukutwa on Monday.

The Kimberley team's visit was announced on Friday after a three day conference in Namibia where chairman Bernard Esau said the group had no proof of rights violations in Marange but had noted the HRW report.

Musukutwa said Monday's visit is the third by the scheme. "During the last two visits, they found Zimbabwe fully compliant with KPCS rules and regulations," he said.

"In March this year, the chair of the KPCS visited Zimbabwe and toured the Marange and Murowa diamond fields. He again reported that the country was compliant to the KPCS regulations."

Sadly, the administration in Zimbabwe leaves little room for the auditors to pick up on diamonds traded legally in Zimbabwe. If there was such a thing then Zimbabwe would not be in financial dire straits. But instead, the money has been channelled into ZANU PF accounts.

-o00o-

Not that long ago, when the SABC aired what they said was footage of prisoners in Zimbabwe, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa stated that he would improve the standard of life within the prisons in 30 days.

He failed. And didn't even so much as issue a statement... Perhaps defeat is not in ZANU PF's vocabulary.

So - Plan B...

"Zimbabwe's cash-strapped government is considering freeing starving prisoners in an effort to reduce the prison mortality rate that has already topped 1000 in the past six months. "The amnesty is going to mainly focus on the state of the prisoners’ health,"said an unnamed prison official who was quoted in the state-owned Sunday Mail. But, like most things in Zimbabwe, the planned amnesty will not take place until president Robert Mugabe, 85, allows it."

In Zimbabwe, nothing happens without the approval of Robert Gabriel Mugabe.

But, it typical ZANU PF fashion, this amnesty looks to sidestep the problem instead of solving it.

"For months, overcrowded prisons have not been able to feed inmates, resulting in numerous deaths. Most of the dead were known to have succumbed to malnutrition-related illnesses. Government appeals for financial assistance to run its prisons have not yielded anything, forcing the authorities to consider releasing as many prisoners as possible.

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said: "We are going to grant prisoners in different categories (of) amnesty." Chinamasa said that his ministry was waiting for Mugabe "to give us authority to carry out the exercise"."

Not even the ZANU PF ministers can do anything without the nod from Mugabe. So much for a democratic, power-sharing, inclusive 'unity' government...

-o00o-

"Hordes of ZANU PF youth militia who were ordered by the courts to pay back property and livestock which they grabbed from rival Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters, were last week left stranded after their bid to get help from senior party officials hit a snag.

RadioVOP is reliably informed that more than 20 ZANU PF supporters from Bikita’s Nyahunda area, approached the provincial chairperson Lovemore Matuke seeking either financial or material help so that they could be able to return the property which they looted towards last year’s June 27 presidential runoff election.

However, Matuke openly told them that the party has nothing to do with their problems. He reportedly told the supporters to look for other means to return the property because "the party did not use anything from the MDC"."

What else do we expect? ZANU PF is not about to admit that they had anything to do with the political violence of last year. That would be an admission that could lead to the prosecution of their members for the deaths of over 130 MDC members...

"Contacted for comment, Matuke said ZANU PF does not promote violence or lawlessness. He added that those who were overzealous during the elections, in the name of the party, should now face the consequences.

"We can not pay for individuals who were looting using the name of the party. If anyone committed a crime, then the law shall catch up with him. If someone sent them, then let that person be answerable and pay for them, not the party.

"For your own information, I lost the elections but I never sent anyone to go and loot things from my rivals but I am the chairperson. Criminals must not hide behind our name," he said."

If what this man says is correct, then how come no one has been arrested and charged with the murder of commercial farmers during the continuing land grab? How come no ZANU PF member or war veteran has been arrested for the continuing violence against the commercial farmers and their workers?

If ZANU PF are going to hide behind the law, then they have got to hide behind all of them - thereby ensuring that someone be brought to book for their actions.

"Matuke is however, reported to have secretly met with MDC-T’s provincial spokesperson and Member of Parliament for Masvingo Urban Tongai Matutu and pleaded with him to stop representing MDC supporters in Bikita.

Speaking to RadioVOP, Matutu of the Matutu and Kwirira legal practitioners, confirmed that Matuke approached him last week.

"Matuke pleaded with me to withdraw legal help to our supporters in Bikita. He told me that his supporters are very poor to the extent that they cannot afford to buy themselves even undergarments, but I responded by saying those people who looted knew that they were not able to buy even undergarments.

"We are still working on our papers to make sure that those who committed crimes are arrested and pay for the damage," said Matutu."

Sadly, in the law courts in Zimbabwe, the judiciary is so bent that there is little chance of anyone seeing any justice - unless, of course, those seeking justice are ZANU PF members.

-o00o-

The power-sharing agreement says that each political party should be allowed their own room to relate to the people and their supporters.

Didn't stop the ZNA though...

"The Zimbabwe National Army tried to block MDC supporters from attending the party’s 10th anniversary rally on Sunday.

The police operating under code name "operation Maguta" put in place a number of roadblocks between Bulawayo and Kwekwe as well as Harare and Kadoma.

This resulted in thousands of MDC supporters failing to attend the celebrations.

"I failed to attend the celebrations because there were many roadblocks. By the time I got to Gokwe the rally had finished," said an MDC supporter.

Adressing over 10000 people at the rally at the Midlands North 10th anniversary celebratory rally at Gokwe Centre on Sunday, Hon. Khupe said the people’s voice can only be heard if they take part in the crafting of a new Constitution.

The 10th anniversary celebrations are being held under the theme "Celebrating a decade of courage, conviction and courage."

ZANU PF does not have any problem with any rally or celebration because somehow the State pays for it, and they control the ZRP and the ZNA, so access is facilitated.

This is the environment that the 'unity' government finds itself working within. ZANU PF can do whatever they want, whilst the MDC has major problems to do anything because of interference by the police or army.

And in all this, I see nothing affecting the smaller faction of the MDC led by rocket scientist, Arthur Mutambara.

"She said ZANU PF was trying to scupper the drafting of a new Constitution by forcing the Kariba Draft on the people of Zimbabwe.

"However, ZANU PF’s move will not work as the will of the people will prevail and we will have a people-driven Constitution at the end of the day," she said.

Hon. Khupe said the new Constitution would restore people’s dignity as it would bring in new reforms such as media and human rights reforms.

"This process will enable people to be free to move anywhere, anytime without being harassed."

-o00o-

And finally today, I have to laugh at the various allegations that I receive that I only look at politics in Zimbabwe with "an MDC eye", or that my "Tsvangirai at all costs" commentary indicates that I am a plant, put up to write pro-MDC opinion only...

I am a one-man-band, and run my various pages alone and without reward or payment.

Yet, every now and then, ZANU PF get caught doing exactly what I am accused of...

"The Herald newspaper was at the weekend forced to eat humble pie and retract a story in which it accused MDC ministers of absconding from official duty during the COMESA summit held early this month in Victoria Falls.

The paper carried an anonymously written retraction on Saturday apologising to the MDC for the falsehoods it published. The withdrawal served to fuel long-held suspicion that the paper is used by ZANU PF officials to tarnish the image of the party led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

The Herald had carried the story under the headline "MDC-T snubs Summit delegates".

The retraction read: "We retract the story we published on June 8, 2009 under the headline 'MDC-T snubs Summit delegates. It has since emerged that there was a communication breakdown with Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials."

A communication breakdown? The only breakdown was that the newspaper published lies and got caught! But I was more interested in the retraction being printed in an inauspicious place of the paper, thereby diluting the apology.

"The withdrawal statement which was written by an unidentified person at the paper was tucked away on the second page of the paper’s Saturday issue, where it was much less prominent than the original story.

The MDC responded by saying the paper should henceforth desist from the practice of seeking to besmirch the character of it officials and carry out its public mandate in a professional manner.

"The retraction is consistent with the circumstances which were present when the summit took place. Yes, there are some MDC officials who failed to attend the summit for various personal reasons but their failure was not a collective MDC position, therefore, we view the Herald story as a deliberate attempt to besmirch and tarnish the image of MDC officials in various positions in government," said Nelson Chamisa, MDC party spokesperson."

ZANU PF hoisted by their own petard...

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Monday, 29th June 2009

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates updated...

-o00o-

Last evening, I happened upon a forum page on which the members were ripping into me and my book, "Without Honour". Given that it is more than apparent that those who try to portray the events of the Gukurahundi as run of the mill, there are also those who will attempt to excuse Mugabe for that action - and try to lay the blame at my doorstep, based on the idea that I am white.

A friend told me by email that "there is not such thing as bad publicity" and so I will refrain from entering the fray.

Those with delusions can carry on - my writings will remain available for free reading.

-o00o-

Normally, I would start a posting with something a little more palatable, but today I begin with news that an alleged killer within the ranks of the ZRP has been promoted by the Commissioner-General, himself man whose political alliance is against the Police Act in Zimbabwe.

"Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri has promoted Inspector Mawone, the alleged killer of a female police recruit during training in November last year, to the position of Chief Inspector. It was not possible over the weekend to ascertain the first name of Mawone, an instructor at Harare’s Morris Depot police training school. Sources in the police force say, however, that he has also since been drafted into a team of police officers due for deployment on a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Kosovo in August.

Mawone was accused last year of viciously assaulting police recruit Pamela Mudzingwa resulting in her death. Mudzingwa was 26 years old.

Those who witnessed the assault said the attack was so savage that the recruit soiled her pants before she lapsed into unconsciousness."

In Zimbabwe, if your are connected to ZANU PF in any way, then no matter what you do, you are protected. I fail, however, to understand why the death of a recruit at the hands of an instructor should get so much attention from Mugabe's party.

There are now at least three known killers in the ZRP that I can list - and all of them have not faced any charges, let alone spent a minute in police cells.

• the officer that shot dead an MDC activist who was celebrating the New Year in Bulawayo about two years ago...
• ZRP spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena who killed a child with his motor vehicle whilst allegedly drunk. He paid the family of the child off and has not faced any criminal charges...
• Inspector Mawone who killed this female recruit.

I am sure that there are many more known killers in Zimbabwe.

I believe that Mugabe likes to play his cards close to his chest and will only demand some sort of pay-back from these people as and when their position allows them to assist Mugabe. Failure to respond to Mugabe's orders will result in criminal charges being brought against them.

Murder is a 'continuing' crime and has no statute of limitation.

"Mudzingwa was rushed to the Morris Depot clinic from where she was referred to Parirenyatwa Hospital. She was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

Mawone, who was not formally charged with murder or assault, was later "exonerated" on the basis of a postmortem report which claimed the death was caused by a low sugar level in the blood of the deceased.

Mudzingwa’s relatives insisted the postmortem was falsified to protect the police instructor.

There were claims that Deputy Commissioner Barbara Mandizha ordered police details from Harare’s Homicide section not to prefer any charges against Mawone, who is said to be related to her. Mandizha is said a powerful force in the police force."

The ZRP, once a symbol of law and order in Zimbabwe, has sunken to a new low where killers and criminals are hidden within their ranks structure to await their further instructions.

"Mawone’s promotion and deployment for peacekeeping duties is a reward for the ‘good job’ he is doing," one of the police sources said.

"It is highly unlikely that one can be deployed for UN duties when the police command is not satisfied with one’s performance."

It is the ambition of all police officers in Zimbabwe’s police force to take part in the lucrative UN missions.

Those successfully deployed for such duties are paid US$130 per day for the entire one year duration of their mission. Civil servants in Zimbabwe currently earn $100 per month across the board."

I think that the correct expression is 'filthy lucre'.

-o00o-

I do find myself of late, reporting more and more stories about Zimbabweans who have fled the homeland and now find themselves in prison cells elsewhere in the world. Obviously, the experience is not as bad as living in Mugabe's prisons in Zimbabwe, but there are exceptions to that rule.

"Zimbabwe’s 100m sprint record holder Fabian Muyaba faces a lengthy jail term in the United States after he was convicted of preparing and filing false and fraudulent income tax returns.

Muyaba, 39, was convicted by a federal jury on Tuesday after a three-day trial along with another Zimbabwean, Joseph Mudekunye, both residents of Dallas, the third largest city in the state of Texas.

Sentencing has been set for September 24.

Muyaba, who represented Zimbabwe at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul and the 1992 Games in Barcelona, has been warned to expect a lengthy jail term for the fraud running into hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Muyaba and Mudekunye were each convicted on one count of conspiracy to aid and assist in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent returns.

Separately, Mudekunye was convicted on three counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent income tax returns and two counts of using a means of identification of another to commit a federal offence.

Muyaba was also convicted on six counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent income tax returns."

I have no sympathy for the convicted person, although I am aware that some people are in a quandary as to whether they should better their lives through crime, their life style being reduced to an almost unbearable low because of their enforced departure from Zimbabwe.

But something tells me that Muyaba was voluntarily in the USA.

"The defendants concealed the fact from their clients that they deducted substantial fees from the clients’ Refund Anticipation Loan checks. They also submitted returns using others’ electronic filer identification numbers, rather than their own, to prevent the conspiracy from being discovered."

I was saddened to note that Muyaba was a student at the same school as myself, although many years after me.

"Muyaba, a former Churchill Boys High School student, clocked a Zimbabwean 100m sprint record of 10.15 seconds in 1990. The record still stands."

-o00o-

Adding to the burgeoning number of Zimbabweans that are finding themselves stripped of their jobs and/or freedom, this story made the internet a day or so ago...

"A Zimbabwean nurse who stripped and shouted at an elderly British woman before leaving her standing in full view of other patients has been struck off.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council heard that Memory Musekiwa, 35, of Walsall, shouted at the weeping pensioner who had wet herself while she was being treated at Worcester Royal Hospital. Musekiwa allegedly yelled at the pensioner: "I give you a buzzer and you wet all over the floor, now I've got to clean this mess up." She appeared before the NMC’s Conduct & Competence Committee this week charged with shouting at a patient, failing to promote a patient’s privacy and dignity, using force with a patient, and refusing to wash a patient."

It takes a special sort of person to be a nurse. A giving person with loads of patience and understanding - I should know, I am married to a retired nurse! - and yet this 'nurse' decided that her mouth did the job better than her heart...

"The patient, who was in her late seventies, "cried and cried" following Musekiwa's "brutal" behaviour, the NMC heard at a hearing on Tuesday. Musekiwa, shouted, removed the woman's nightdress and then left her with no curtain around her, said Salim Hafejee for the NMC. "She then pushed Patient A on to a commode and told her to stay there while she went to get a mop," he told the panel.

"When Patient A asked to be washed, she refused and put a clean nightdress on her."

-o00o-

"To celebrate newly-found peace and unity"? Surely it is a good idea to have first achieved that which you would celebrate?

"President Robert Mugabe is expected to declare through a proclamation a weekend or three days of national dedication to celebrate newly-found peace and unity.

The Herald reported on Saturday that the Minister of State responsible for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration John Nkomo made the remarks when he addressed the Zimbabwe Council of Churches conference held in Harare on the role of the Church as a reconciler, healer and peace builder He said the proclamation was part of the program of the Organ on National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration’s activities over the next six months. "It is further proposed that traditional leaders and faith leaders in Zimbabwe will take the people through a process of dedicating the country according to the various cultures and religious practices of our Zimbabwean people," he said."

There is no unity in Zimbabwe.

There is no peace in Zimbabwe.

There is no healing in Zimbabwe.

So the idea that the country in unified, peaceful and healing is totally and utterly incorrect. And for the President to spend money - which would be spent feeding the people - and time misleading the people on such an exercise is just plain foolhardy.

"Although Nkomo did not give any dates, he said the national dedication would be followed by the official launch of the Organ on National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration by the principals to the Global Political Agreement.

Thereafter, the organ would embark on provincial and district consultations targeting opinion makers, traditional leaders, faith-based groups, civil society and others concerned with national healing. Workshops with local, regional and international experts to consider best practices and formulate recommendations for appropriate mechanisms and systems to guide the implementation process would be held.

Nkomo said a stakeholders’ conference to define the work of the organ would also be held with members of civil society, political parties, churches and other interest groups."

What a waste of resources!

But there is no telling those that will sell the concept to the world.

You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all of the time.

-o00o-

One of Mugabe's best known ploys is to deflect attention from one area to another by passing on misinformation. And I wonder, with the negative publicity right now on the diamond fields, if this is not another of his plays...

"Hundreds of "fortune seekers" have invaded Zouma resettlement area in Gutu following the rediscovery of alluvial gold at a disused mine - raising fears of massive land degradation and proliferation of illegal panning.

Fears abound that the latest gold rush in Gutu could ignite full-scale illegal panning by thousands of unemployed youths in scenes reminiscent of the infamous Chiadzwa diamond mining in Marange.

The Zouma area already has hundreds of illegal miners from all parts of the country, scrounging for gold after some resettled farmers accidentally stumbled upon gold late last month.

Illegal gold mining in the Zouma area started at the beginning of land reform, but abruptly stopped after all the gold in the first find was mined out."

Especially since this story appeared in Mugabe's mouthpiece, The Herald...

Whilst people rush to Zouma to seek thier fortune, Mugabe will continue with the rape and pillage of the Chiadzwa diamond fing in the Eastern Highlands.

And, it has to be asked again - where has all the money for the diamonds gone?

"However, in the latest gold rush, villagers, communal farmers, resettled farmers and even teachers and their pupils, reportedly have joined in the hunt for newly discovered treasure - raising fears of massive land degradation in the area.

Sources said on Saturday that the proliferation of illegal mining had heavily scarred the environment in the Zouma area.

"There is indeed a gold rush in the area and people from all walks of life are joining in the gold craze after the discovery of the mineral in the area by some resettled farmers.

"This has indeed changed the face of the area as scores of illegal miners from all over the province have joined in damaging our environment," said Mr Lovemore Matuke, the former House of Assembly Member for Gutu North."

I see that the police say they are investigating... Investigating what? How to chase the people away so that the bigwigs can get involved - assuming that the gold find is true...

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Sunday, 28th June 2009

Howzit

It is now well gone 9am and I am only just beginning the day's posting - primarily because it was almost 4am before I finally fell asleep. I am unable to tell you exactly why I didn't do my normal and fall asleep immediately - but I will say this, the local radio station plays some really good music!

-o00o-

"The Member of Parliament for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Mutare East constituency, Shuah Mudiwa who was convicted for kidnapping a 12 year old girl last week has been sentenced to seven years in prison.

Mutare acting chief magistrate, Hlekani Mwayera sentenced Mudiwa to seven years in prison while two and a half years were suspended provided that the accused does not commit a similar offence.

Shuah Mudiwa was elected as a member of parliament in March last year after beating former cabinet minister, Christopher Mushowe.

"The removal of such offenders from the society is called for. I therefore sentence you to seven years in prison," magistrate Hlekani said in her ruling."

There is another report on the internat that suggests the conviction and the imprisonment are politically motivated.

Of course it is! But in this case, Mudiwa was about to blow the gaffe on the Chiadzwa diamond fields - so Mugabe's party had to move quickly and get rid the threat. The result? Seven years in jail.

"A Zimbabwean MP who was about to reveal to an international delegation the site of a mass grave of diamond diggers, allegedly killed by government troops last November, has been arrested and jailed.

Shuwa Mudiwa, whose Mutare West constituency covers the Marange diamond fields where the killings occurred, was expected to disclose details of the massacre to a delegation from the Kimberley Process, a certification scheme aimed at preventing the sale of "blood diamonds". It is due to visit Zimbabwe this week."

I have stated previously that if it proves difficult to prove the killings, then surely it should be relatively easy to prove the number of diamonds disappearing at source.

RBZ governor, Gideon Gono, quantified the weekly loss of carats - and yet if the Mugabe administration had control of the fields, then how would they be able to quantify the losses? And then, where has all the money gone?

If the Mugabe administration had plugged the hole, then surely the legitimate trade of diamonds would increase. Even if his party kept the money for the party, then how come it is still broke?

Very simple really. Mugabe is feathering his nest and those around him follow suit... And thier use of the army to carry out party and personal 'business' must then by classed as illegal...

-o00o-

This article, written by Professor Jonathan Moyo - the only independent MP in the Zimbabwean 'unity' government - is as long winded as it is negative about Tsvangirai. Why Moyo just doesn't drop the pretence and come out pro-Mugabe, I will never know...

"While Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s three-week tour of some European countries and the United States has come and gone, it has left behind a lot of dust over its purpose and achievement, which are now the subject of political mystification and media hullabaloo.

Against this background there are six irresistible observations that stand out as having critically defined the Prime Minister’s mission and which, therefore, warrant critical scrutiny to help clear up the growing confusion and controversy over the tour.

The six compelling observations are these:

- What was supposed to be a Government trip led by the Prime Minister ended up as his ego-trip.
- The tour was hijacked by the United States and its European allies, who suddenly became new-born champions of the very same September 15 2008 Global Political Agreement (GPA) that they, in fact, oppose.
- While the trip was expected to raise critically needed financial support for the inclusive Government’s US$8,3 billion Short-Term Economic Recovery Programme (Sterp), it ended up as a fund-raising campaign for American and European-created NGOs in Zimbabwe that are linked to the MDC-T.
- The Prime Minister transformed the tour from being about seeking the re-engagement of Zimbabwe’s inclusive Government with Western governments to facilitating his own personal re-engagement with the governments of the United States and its European allies.
- To appease his European and American hosts at the expense of the suffering ordinary people in Zimbabwe who are now living like hunter-gatherers, Prime Minister Tsvangirai abandoned the core purpose of the trip which was to seek the removal of the devastating illegal economic sanctions imposed by the countries he visited; and
- The tour was poorly planned, premature and too long."

This was not a 'government' trip as Mugabe refused to have government pay for it.

But I am unable to work out just how Moyo should label the tour as totally unfulfilling, insofar as at least SOME of the Western countries were forthcoming with aid - at least, in a manner that prevents the likes of Mugabe getting his hands on the money.

The donor countries are all calling for further reform, and near the top of their list is AIPPA and POSA - two bits of legislation that Moyo himself was the primary author of!

"While some MDC-T propagandists have celebrated the Prime Minister’s extended tour, they have hopelessly failed to appreciate that Mr Tsvangirai’s prolonged stay outside the country in a tour during which he has brought back home precious little and when nothing at home collapsed in his absence has served to dramatically demonstrate his irrelevance as a key player capable of making things happen for Zimbabweans in or outside the country. Any leader who can spend some three weeks away from his country globe-trotting without being missed is not at all important in the everyday scheme of things.

The second observation is that, given the worsening state of the economy that has robbed ordinary people of their national currency, there was no need for the Prime Minister to undertake his extended tour if its core objective did not, by definition, include that he would specifically seek the removal of the illegal economic sanctions that have broadened and deepened the country’s political and economic meltdown."

For those who are unsure, "propagandists" are people "who disseminate messages calculated to assist some cause or some government" - so what does Moyo call himself?

The manner in which Moyo has written this, one would be forgiven for thinking that either Tsvangirai or 'illegal sanctions' are responsible for the economic breakdown in Zimbabwe...

Sanctions, whether economic or targeted, are the domain of the country putting them in palce. Very similar to the law of tresspass when it comes to private property. The imposition of sanction, whether economic or targeted, are not under the control of the Prime Minister.

Get over it - and move on...

If Moyo is so correct, then why did it take from end of March last year until mid-February this year to establish an 'inclusive' government which is nothing like that?

-o00o-

The longer that this carries on, and the more words that are written, the more chance there is that the Chiadzwa/Marange diamond fields will be Mugabe's downfall.

The fact that he and his stalwarts are using the army to 'protect' the fields, whilst they help themselves to a national resource - the fact that even with the assumed increased security that the country remains penniless, to me at least, are proof of some serious wrongdoings here.

"Human Rights Watch said Friday that Zimbabwe's armed forces have taken over diamond fields in the east and killed more than 200 people, forcing children to search for the gems and beating villagers who get in the way.

Zimbabwe's deputy mining minister, Murisi Zwizwai, denied the allegations and said the military is there to secure the area.

More than 100 witnesses, miners, police officers, soldiers and children were interviewed for the Human Rights Watch report titled "Diamonds in the Rough." It details allegations of human rights abuses by Zimbabwean armed forces in their attempt to control access to the precious gems.

The New York-based group said researchers had gathered evidence of mass graves and accounts of an incident last year when military helicopters fired at miners, while armed soldiers on the ground chased villagers from the area.

"There are hundreds of victims of human rights abuses that are unwilling to come forward for fear of the military," Zimbabwe researcher Dewa Mavhinga said."

If the RBZ governor is to be believed, and at the time we had no reason to disbelieve him, then where has all the money gone?

I get the feeling that this is a question which will be asked many, many times...

"The report also alleges that some of the income from the diamond fields is going to officials of President Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF party, long accused of trampling on human rights and democracy in the southern African country.

The international human rights watchdog is calling on Zimbabwe's coalition government, formed in February, to stop the alleged abuses and to prosecute those responsible.

It also is urging the international body that governs the global diamond industry to press Zimbabwe, a participant, to end the illegal trade in Marange diamonds. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, established in 2002, aims to stem the flow of "blood diamonds" being used to fund fighting across Africa. Participants are forced to certify the origins of the diamonds being traded. This assures consumers that by purchasing diamonds they are not financing war and human rights abuses."

Figures show that there are some serious discrepancies.

"The Marange diamond fields were discovered in 2006 - at the height of Zimbabwe's political, economic and humanitarian crisis. Villagers rushed to the area and began finding diamonds close to the surface. Mining is now managed by Zimbabwe's Mining Development Corporation under protection of the military.

It is estimated that the diamonds could be worth $200 million a month to the cash-strapped country, but the Mining Development Corporation claimed in 2007 that it was made $15 million from gem exports."

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Saturday, 27th June 2009

Howzit

Yesterday, did I not question where all the money had gone? Well, it appears that I am not the only one that is asking questions...

"The Zimbabwean military and senior figures in Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF party are making millions from a diamond field where hundreds of miners were massacred last year, a new report has claimed. The diamond deposits at Chiadzwa, in Marange district in eastern Zimbabwe, cover more than 10 square miles and were the scene of a huge influx of illegal miners after Mr Mugabe's government declared them open in 2006, despite a British company, African Consolidated Resources, having a legal claim on them.

Amid widespread reports of police exploitation and corruption, at the end of last year hundreds of Zimbabwean soldiers, some of them airborne, were sent in to evict the miners by force, and the resulting massacres were revealed by The Daily Telegraph.

In its report, Diamonds in the Rough, Human Rights Watch says that "at least 214" people were killed at Chiadzwa, and that ZANU PF used the mineral deposits to reward the military and keep them loyal as Zimbabwe spiralled into chaos.

"The police and army have turned this peaceful area into a nightmare of lawlessness and horrific violence," said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "Zimbabwe's new government should get the army out of the fields, put a stop to the abuse, and prosecute those responsible."

Operation Hakudzokwi - or 'No Return' - lasted for three weeks in October and November 2008.

"From the helicopters, soldiers indiscriminately fired live ammunition and tear gas into the diamond fields and into surrounding villages," the report said."

What else did we expect from Mugabe? Whenever he takes control of something that has the potential to bring Zimbabwe back from the brink of the abyss, instead he takes it out of context and uses it to a political end, which enriching the lives of himself and his stalwart ZANU PF supporters.

"One miner told Human Rights Watch: "I first heard the sound and then saw three helicopters above us in the field. I was not worried, I just assumed it was a team of buyers who had come for business in helicopters as they sometimes did. However, soldiers in the helicopters started firing live ammunition and tear gas at us. We all stopped digging and began to run towards the hills to hide. From my syndicate, 14 miners were shot and killed that morning."

Another said he, along with others, had been forced to dig a mass grave for the victims, in which 72 bodies were buried, and a headman in the area said that at the time Chiadzwa resembled "a war zone in which soldiers killed people like flies".

Thousands of miners fled the region, and mining and the associated revenues are now controlled by the military and police. While the prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai is on a tour of Europe and the US seeking funding for reconstruction, it is estimated that the diamond fields, if operated legally, could earn the government USD 200 million a month."

The Chiadzwa field had the ability to finance the rebuilding of Zimbabwe and make it a viable country yet again, but Mugabe has decided that the financial rewards are too great to pass up. So the fields remain a question mark for the country, with some reports saying that the soldiers are forcing children to mine for them.

And I have found a very basic article on the report, "Diamonds In The Rough".

"ZANU PF figures, though, deny any wrongdoing. Human Rights Watch alleged that Gideon Gono, the governor of the reserve bank of Zimbabwe and a close Mugabe ally, backed the operation and benefited from the diamond business.

Joyce Mujuru, the ZANU PF vice-president, is also alleged to own a claim in the diamond fields known as churu chamai Mujuru - Mrs Mujuru's anthill.

Soldiers on mission in Marange would first get special allowances directly from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and then be offered a 'once- in-a-lifetime' opportunity to benefit directly from diamond smuggling," it said. "The plan was for all army units to rotate and take turns to 'guard' the diamond fields and take the associated benefits."

Not that many months ago, Gideon Gono quantified the weekly loss of the precious stone in Chiadzwa, but has failed since then to account for that loss. If ZANU PF have taken control of the fields, then surely the official diamond input would increase? Not so...

-o00o-

We should fully understand that in the event of a ruling in Mukoko's favour, Mugabe's administration has a couple of options. They can concede that they have made a huge error and drop the charges, or, they can do their normal thing and defy the court order, electing to go ahead with the case - or, as a third option, they can compound the error and spirit Mukoko away yet again.

Whatever happens, Mukoko and her co-accused are in for a serious ride...

"Zimbabwe state prosecutors on Thursday conceded security agents had abducted and illegally detained a leading rights activist who asked the Supreme Court to stop her prosecution on terrorism charges. Jestina Mukoko, a prominent rights campaigner is seeking a permanent stay of her prosecution on charges of recruiting or trying to recruit people to overthrow the government. More than a dozen other opposition activists face similar charges.

The case has raised tensions in a new unity government formed by arch-foes President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and is a test of the administration's commitment to democratic reforms demanded by Western donors. Mukoko says she was seized at dawn in her night dress by unidentified armed men from her home on December 3 last year and tortured before being handed over to the police 19 days later.

Her lawyer Jeremy Gauntlet told a full bench of the Supreme Court on Thursday that Mukoko's rights had been grossly violated, including by being denied medication and a lawyer, and by being kept in solitary confinement.

"The process [of her arrest] is so contaminated that you should order a stay of prosecution," Gauntlet told the court, adding that prosecutors were solely relying on evidence extracted from Mukoko during torture to prosecute her. The court reserved judgement on the matter indefinitely.

If it rules in Mukoko's favour it would affect the other activists who have made the same application at the Supreme Court.

State prosecutor Fatima Maxwell, in response to a question from Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, said the state did not dispute Mukoko's evidence and had not questioned the security agents who had abducted her. Asked if she was conceding that Mukoko's abduction and detention were illegal, Maxwell told the court: "Yes my Lord."

And Maxwell will probably find herself divested of her job, if not in a cell next door to Mukoko. That's what you get for being honest in Zimbabwe.

"On whether Mukoko had been tortured, Maxwell added: "The allegations as they stand and if proved are a clear violation of the three rights in the constitution."

These are the right to liberty, protection at law and right from torture. But Maxwell said the violations should not prevent Mukoko from being prosecuted but rather there should be a separate inquiry to investigate the allegations.

"We respectfully submit that yes the violations are serious, multiple and were protracted... the only meaningful redress in this case is a stay of prosecution," Gauntlet said."

Does Mugabe really expect the law courts to proceed with a flawed case whilst a separate enquiry is held into the case at the same time? How does an innocent person fight a lawful case if the State is intent on continuing with the charade?

-o00o-

Do we expect that the Mugabe administration will abide by this high court ruling?

"A high court judge in Zimbabwe on Friday ordered the release of a top official of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party after he had been locked up for 11 days on what the MDC called "trumped-up charges." MDC director-general Toendepi Shonhe was arrested earlier this month for reporting to police that four other MDC activists, released in March after having been abducted and held in illegal detention for nearly six months, had been abducted again.

Police said they had not been abducted, but collected by officers for further investigations in alleged terrorism charges. They then arrested Shonhe on charges of perjury.

The arrest indicates that tensions remain high between the MDC and the ZANU PF party of President Robert Mugabe, which the MDC said was behind the incarceration."

There was a time that I was building a list of all of the court orders that Mugabe, his party and the police has chosen to ignore and defy - but it actually got that unwieldy and large that I abandoned it. I am sorry that I stopped it now.

"When Shonhe appeared in court a week ago, a magistrate granted him bail. But authorities appealed against his decision, effectively forcing him to wait for the appeal to be lodged.

However, the appeal had not been lodged a week after the initial sentencing. Instead, the state on Friday appealed to the higher court against granting Shonhe bail.

Judge Felistas Chatukuta dismissed the appeal after hearing arguments that there was "no merit" to the state's case."

'No merit' will not deter Mugabe. More 'evidence' will be brought up, made up and 'found' - and the case will continue...

"Shonhe has lodged an appeal to the supreme court to strike down the provision forcing suspects to stay in custody if the state lodges an appeal, on the grounds that it contravened the rights of accused persons.

The provision has been used repeatedly against opponents of Mugabe ever since Tsvangirai and Mugabe entered into a coalition transitional government."

This is the nature of the inclusive government. Mugabe and his party will attempt to prosecute where they can - and where they can't then the 'accused' persons will be held incommunicado and in a secret place until they feel that the time is right to produce them in court.

When it comes to ZANU PF, the law means absolutely nothing - at home or abroad. And, it would appear, that no one or no organisation is prepared to go toe-to-toe against the regime.

-o00o-

I said that Mugabe would not be amused with Tsvangirai. I said thatMugabe will rip into him - and that is what has happened.

"As Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai concluded his Western tour Friday in France, President Robert Mugabe criticized Mr Tsvangirai and his Western interlocutors for refusing to lift sanctions him and many senior officials of his long-ruling ZANU PF party.

In an interview broadcast on state television, Mr Mugabe chided Mr Tsvangirai over his high-level contacts with leaders including US President Barack Obama, saying "these that you call your friends" were "imperialists" who could never be friends of "people that desire... freedom."

Two points here. Firstly, Mugabe neatly forgets that he was once the darling of the West and it was various Western governments that effected his rise to power.

Secondly, Mugabe sent Tsvangirai into the world as the 'acceptable' face of the unity government. He faced a call for more reforms and any aid promises would be through aid programmes and agencies.

Does that not tell Mugabe something?

Why is it that Mugabe homes in on 'sanctions'? Surely, if he were the humanitarian that he would have the world believe he is, his main thrust would be to improve the life standards of the Zimbabwean people?

"Other ZANU PF officials, speaking through state media, have been critical of Mr Tsvangirai’s just-ending three-week Western tour, during which he re-engaged Western governments and sought reconstruction aid. Mr Obama and other Western leaders said development aid depends on reform in human rights and the rule of law, among other issues.

Mr Mugabe said Zimbabwe would seek assistance from "friendly nations," presumably in the Far East where he turned to after relations with the West soured in the past decade."

Sadly, Mugabe has missed the point entirely and has told the world that any money raised in the East would be used to 'prop up' ZANU PF and make the party a more presentable creation for the voters.

The profile of ZANU PF can never be disguised, no matter how much money is thrown at it.

And Mugabe misses the opportunity to draw the Zimbabwean people closer to him with this outburst.

"Harare-based independent political analyst Rejoice Ngwenya told reporter Ntungamili Nkomo of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that Mr. Mugabe’s attack on the West was nothing but the typical propaganda to which he resorts when things are not going well for him."

-o00o-

For almost 30 years, Mugabe has gotten his own way in Zimbabwe. In the last year or so, some of his control seems to have been wrested from him. And I am not so sure that he is too happy about it.

"Two ZANU PF legislators yesterday defied their party by refusing to appear before a disciplinary hearing arguing that the issues raised were insignificant.

Chivi North Member of Parliament Tranos Huruva and Kudakwashe Bhasikiti Mwenezi east legislator yesterday refused to attend a party disciplinary hearing in which they were supposed to answer charges of placing the party’s name in disrepute when they engaged in a fist fight following district elections in Mwenezi last month.

"We can not attend such a hearing when the issues raised are so insignificant," said Huruva. "Even if they summon us a hundred times were will not attend."

Bhasikiti also said that he had snubbed the hearing because it was not important. "We have more important things to do than attend these kangaroo meetings," he Bhasikiti."

When the MP says that he has more important things to attend to, I wonder what he means? Does he mean that he is busy feathering his own nest, or is he working to improve the living standards of the Zimbabweans within his constituency?

I will not presume to make a decision on the answer.

"The Masvingo ZANU PF provincial executive had summoned the two to answer charges of putting the name of the party into disrepute after they engaged in a fist fight following a restructuring exercise of the Mwenezi district executive committee. At least four party members were injured in the ensuing melee.

The hearing had been scheduled for yesterday but did not take place when the two legislators failed to turn up."

Just being a member of ZANU PF is questionable - and when two legislators deem it necessary to resolve their differences with violence - well, it sort of fits the mold.

-o00o-

Whatever happens in Zimbabwe, it is guaranteed to be interesting. Mugabe does not let up. The pressure is sustained and continuous.

"There are reports that the Attorney General is ready to formally charge Finance Minister Tendai Biti with treason, and to also arrest Economic Planning Minister Elton Mangoma on kidnapping charges, SW Radio Africa has been told.

A highly placed source in the MDC told us on Friday that Johannes Tomana, under instruction from some members of ZANU PF, has already crafted the indictment charge sheet and was waiting for Biti to return from London before formally laying charges against him. Biti returned to Harare on Wednesday after a few days in Brussels and London as part of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s delegation.

The Finance Minister, who is also the secretary general of the MDC, confirmed to SW Radio Africa about the plot. "Yes I’ve heard of the plan (arrest) from reliable sources but I can’t comment any further," Biti said."

Mugabe does this sort of thing to deflect the attention elsewhere. He is very accomplished at this - and it has proved to be very successful in the past.

Biti is at the helm of the finance ministry - and with that position comes the ability to delve into the financial misgovernance by ZANU OF in previous years.

Why not have the threat of prison (or worse) hanging over Biti's head?

"The state first laid the treason charges against Biti last year, for allegedly authoring a document said to have contained details of a plot to ‘fix’ the election outcome.

Biti denies the allegations and maintains charges against him were politically motivated.

Authorities last year April produced a secret document, alleged to have been drafted by Biti, showing how teachers employed by the electoral commission had agreed to overstate the MDC votes, in return for payment. The document has already been discredited and most analysts point a finger towards the agents of the Central Intelligence Agency for drafting it."

We don't expect anything less from Mugabe and his followers.

"Not much is known about the Mangoma kidnapping allegation, but the Makoni North MP and MDC deputy treasurer-general, has been arrested on countless occasions in the last two years. On all occasions he has been released without being charged.

"In simple, this will be the end of the Inclusive Government, surely because one would be hard pressed to justify why we should continue to be part of the ‘half fish-half human’ government,’ our source said.

Political analyst Glen Mpani warned that the consequences of such arrests would be costly, and unimaginable. "The plot to arrest Biti and Mangoma is ample evidence all is not well in the inclusive government. What it simply shows is that the hardliners will stop at nothing to try and ensure that they entrap those they consider to be the key pillars in the sustenance of the life of the MDC," Mpani said."

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu