Friday, 31st July 2009

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates updated...

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In the sidebar of this page, you will see a new addition. Called "Flag Counter", it reports on how many people have visited from different countries.

My thanks to PJH for passing on this little gem along.

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I very nearly missed this, but was able to watch it late last night on Channel 4.

Now, whilst I appreciate copyright and all that comes along with it, I am sure that copyright will be effectively ignored when I publish the 5 parts of the documentary that someone chose to upload to You Tube.

DISPATCHES - BANKROLLING MUGABE

PART 1



PART 2



PART 3



PART 4



PART 5

I am always very interested an any documentary about Zimbabwe and this programme shows, in quite graphic detail, the circumstances which Zimbabweans - be they black or white - are forced to live in.

Mugabe didn't have to do anything for the country to have been a success, but greed and avarice has ensured that whoever takes over in future has got their work cut out for them.

Hopefully, when that happens, ZANU PF will be a dark and dim memory only...

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I had briefly communicated with Asher recently as he wanted me to write for the Zimbabwe Metro, but he told me he was travelling and we would speak again in August.

How sad that such a young life should be snuffed out in such a freak accident.

"The founder and owner of one of well known Zimbabwean website Zimbabwe Metro, Asher Mutsengi has died. A message on the website "We miss You Asher Mustengi" is displayed on the Home Page. Postings on the message gives a brief on the death of a guy well known for writing articles for most of the websites, Zimdaily, Newzimbabwe.com The Zimbabwe Times, etc in addition to his own personal site www.mutsengi.com and Zimbabwe Metro itself.

Clicking on the graphic will take you
to the article...

Asher died in a farming accident in Saskatchewan doing what he loved to do working on the land, learning skills he hoped to take back home one day. He drowned in a wheat bin suffocated by the grain he was shoveling. A terrible accident.

He is to be buried back home in Gutu as soon as travel arrangements can be made."

Dreadful news indeed. My deepest sympathies to Asher's family and friends.

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A Nokia 2310 - on eBay these telephones are sold for about £30 - and yet Chinotimba would have us believe that it would have netted him some US$19 million in business in the time that the handset was out of his possession? Surely he would have had a more up-market handset seeing as it is a tool to net huge amounts of money? Even my mobile phone is more modern than this!

"Thamsanqa Mahlangu, the deputy Youth Minister and MDC Youth Assembly Chairman, who was arrested on Tuesday on charges of stealing a cell phone, was Thursday remanded in custody to Friday when a bail ruling will be made.

Harare Magistrate Kudakwashe Njerambini said he wanted time to go through the submissions of the State and defence lawyers before making a ruling. Mahlangu and his aide, Malven Chadamoyo, who was also remanded in custody stand accused of stealing a cell phone belonging to self-styled war veteran leader, Joseph Chinotimba on July 17.

The arrest of Mahlangu who is also the MP for Nkulumane occurred at a time when the unity Government is reeling from the effects of what the MDC publicly says is renewed persecution through prosecution of its MPs and ministers on trumped-up charges."

Even if the MP had 'stolen' the handset, how come he is being held in custody?

Justice in Zimbabwe is a difficult thing to nail down. Depending on who you are and how well you are 'connected', dictates how you are treated by the system.

"For Mahlangu the prospect of a jail term pales into total insignificance in comparison to the US$19 million that Chinotimba is now suing him for as reparation for loss of business during the two weeks that he has been denied use of his Nokia 2310 cell-phone.

It is not clear at this stage what business Chinotimba engages in that generates 19 million greenbacks in the space of two weeks.

When the dust has settled over this case the taxman will no doubt pay a visit to his business premises, there to confirm that the boisterous war veteran leader is in compliance with all the requirements of the tax department."

I do laugh out loud - for I said exactly the same thing to Violet Gonda of SW Radio Africa when the story first broke. Chinotimba had best ensure that his paperwork is all in order...

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Now consider this. Convicted of kidnap and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and released on US$100 bail - while another MP is remanded in custody for the alleged theft of a £30 mobile phone...

The law is an ass.

"MDC MP for Chipinge South Meke Makuyana who was earlier this month sentenced to 18 months in jail after being found guilty of kidnapping was on Thursday released on $100 bail.

Pishai Muchauraya, the MDC spokesman for Manicaland province told us Makuyana denies the charges and has since appealed against both conviction and sentence.

The Chipinge South legislator was sent to prison for kidnapping two ZANU PF supporters in the run-up to the 2008 harmonised elections. Chipinge provincial Magistrate Samuel Zuze convicted Makuyana, along with Councillor Chisumbanje Hardwork Masaiti, and two MDC-T party supporters Wedzerayi Gwenzi and Simon Chaya, after a full trial."

How does one compare the two 'crimes'? How does the one that is evidently the worse of the two seem to receive less punishment?

I know why. ZANU PF have secured the conviction - and, to them, the conviction is the most important thing as the MP is obliged to stand down, eroding the slim majority that the MDC holds in parliament.

If the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is able to delay any resulting by-election much longer, then all parties can contest that election. The three parties had an agreement that any by-election would not be contested for the first year of power-sharing.

That 12 month hiatus is now almost lapsed.

"This has become the latest state apparatus to eliminate all prominent MDC-T members in Manicaland where ZANU PF lost dismally in the March 2008 election," Muchauraya said.

He added; "MDC-T scooped 20 seats out of 26. Most of the defeated ZANU PF members were either ministers or central committee members, the likes of Joseph Made, Oppah Muchinguri, Enock Porusingazi and Patrick Chinamasa."

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Robert Mugabe has contradicted himself again. When he spoke recently about a pardon for people mixed up in the political violence last year, he stated that the courts have to finish their job before a pardon can be considered.

Yet in the late 1980s, following the Gukurahundi, he issued a blanket pardon for his armed forces that participated in the massacre.

Not one member of the forces faced a criminal trial, not one member of the armed forces was arrested or charged with any crime.

How is it that his people can be pardoned without ever being charged, but everyone else has to go through the process of law in Zimbabwe?

"The MDC-T has appealed to principals of the inclusive government to set free convicted MPs amid fears that the former opposition party could lose its majority in the House of Assembly.

Moving a motion that seeks to appoint an independent parliamentary select committee to investigate the prosecution and conduct of the Attorney-General in “politically motivated prosecutions”, Masvingo MP Tongai Matutu said President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his deputy Arthur Mutambara should pardon incarcerated MPs."

Mugabe will reject this motion out of hand, once again either claiming that the courts have to do their job, or that there is no room in parliament for convicted criminals.

I do like the simple sentence made by the MDC: "The role of the Attorney-General is to prosecute not persecute."

I expect this motion to fail.

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Legally obliged or not, the Prime Minister is still a rank of note, and I believe that the armed forces are supposed to salute him. Even if they don't want to, it is a politeness, a mark of respect - at least for the position, if not the man...

"Zimbabwe’s Defence Minister says army generals are not obliged to salute Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai despite the power sharing agreement with President Robert Mugabe. The generals who include army commander General Constantine Chiwenga, police chief Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri and air force commander Air Vice Marshal Perence Shiri have been avoiding an encounter with the Prime Minister since he agreed to join the unity government in February.

According to the September 15 power sharing agreement, Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai share executive powers putting them at par. But there are persistent rumours that the generals who were reported to have seized control of all government operations when Zimbabwe ran without a government for most of last year after disputed elections, are opposed to the coalition."

Whatever the legal standing, the chiefs do not want to give any weight to Tsvangirai. First and foremost, they say that Tsvangirai deserves no salute as he does not have any chimurenga credentials - a direct reference to the fact that Tsvangirai did not participate in the bloody bush war with the Rhodesian security forces in the 1970s.

Is that a badge to be worn with pride? That war was as bloody as they come, and invariably, it was the black population that endured the majority of the bloodshed at the hands of Mugabe's and Nkomo's fighters...

"Defence Minister, Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa, a strong ally of President Mugabe told parliament the service chiefs were not legally obliged to salute any person outside their military structures. But he said there might be a moral obligation to salute senior civilians in the country, which includes the Prime Minister.

He was responding to a question from an MP from Mr Tsvangirai’s party on why service chiefs had not attended the Prime Minister’s swearing in and whether they would salute him. Mr Mnangagwa said President Mugabe was being saluted by service chiefs and their subordinates because he was the commander in chief of the army.

"There are two positions: the legal and the civil position. At law, no officer will commit any offence for not saluting a person who is not in the military structure, but morally they should salute senior members of society,” he said.

Zimbabwe’s uncomfortable coalition has been rocked by power struggles from the day it was inaugurated."

Is the Prime Minister not a "senior member of society"? So ZANU PF say that a salute is a matter of personal preference?

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After much arguing to and fro, the security forces chiefs have finally met with Morgan Tsvangirai - a man who they obviously despise and loathe...

"The Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and the country’s powerful service chiefs met on Thursday in Harare, the first such meeting at the highest political level since the formation of the inclusive government.

A highly placed source in government told us the two hour meeting, which was chaired by Robert Mugabe was 'very cordial'. Up until Thursday, there has been fierce resistance to the formal constituting of the National Security Council (NSC) among the service chiefs, who see the establishment of the new security organ as a threat to their hitherto unchallenged power.

Dismissing advance predictions that the meeting would be confrontational or tense, our source told us the meeting was 'very good,' and that Tsvangirai and the service chiefs joked with each other after the meeting."

Whether this is a sign of better things to come, I don't know - but I sincerely hope so.

With a better relationship between Tsvangirai and the service chiefs, the inclusive government may just have a chance - a slim chance nonetheless.

"Minister of State for Security Sydney Sekeramayi said the meeting was warm, cordial and inclusive, and placed national interests ahead of everything else, which was the point of convergence for all participants."

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Take care.

'debvhu

Thursday, 30th July 2009

Howzit

First things first - your help is required please.

I have received an email from a reader who would like to make comms with Claire 'Sugar' Bresler who we think is married to a Dr Rob Dyer. If you are able to assist us with reuniting these two friends, then please contact me in the first instance at mandebvhu(at)ntlworld.com...

Wouldn't it be great to put two friends together?

Thanks in advance.

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When I was made aware of this last evening by Violet Gonda of SW Radio Africa, I wanted to laugh out loud, but then realised that this was just plain silly/stupid/pathetic.

If Chinotimba was without his phone for 19 days even, that means he would have us believe that he turns over US$1 million a day. His business acumen must be something to behold!

"Self styled war veteran and ZANU PF member Joseph Chinotimba is suing Thamsanqa Mahlangu the MDC Deputy Youth Minister for US$19 million for loss of business.

Mahlangu was arrested on Tuesday on allegations of stealing a cell phone belonging to Chinotimba two weeks ago. The MDC MP for Nkulumane is being held at Rhodesville Police Station in Harare. His lawyer Charles Kwaramba told SW Radio Africa on Wednesday that his client was issued the summons in his prison cell.

Kwaramba said: "Mr. Chinotimba is claiming in excess of US$19 million for loss of business. He alleges that he lost business during the time he didn’t have his cell phone."

That would mean that Chinotimba must have a company of some sort. Is it registered? Doing what? (In between his 'duties' loyal to Mugabe - beating up on MDC supporters and commercial farmers...)

I can think of a few businesses that would do anything to achieve the turnover that Chinotimba is claiming.

I also am aware that Chinotimba claimed ZW$50 grand in compensation for injuries sustained during the Chimurenga. What exactly were those injuries? I only ask because if he is turning over that amount of money, then his disability doesn't prevent him from doing very much, does it?

"It is reported the MDC official sat at the same table with Chinotimba during the lunch break, when the latter left his mobile phone on the table while he collected some food, and on returning to the table he could not find his phone. The police reportedly tracked the number with the help of the network provider and arrested a Hwange woman who was using the sim-card.

The woman allegedly implicated Mahlangu when she was arrested. But Mahlangu, through his lawyer, categorically denies the allegations made against him.

Kwaramba said: "Obviously there was a misunderstanding, and what has sort of exacerbated the matter is that it is now being blown out of proportion. He (Mahlangu) got the phone from one of his PA’s who picked it up. It had been dropped on the floor. It was picked up by somebody and they handed it over to him thinking that it was his because he has a similar phone. He then said it wasn’t his, and what transpired thereafter is that he kept it. He wanted to give it back to the organisers of the conference."

I shake my head in wonder. I sincerely hope that Chinotimba has been paying his taxes for this amazing turnover... And his mobile telephone should be gold plated if it is able to garner that sort of turnover.

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Further to the report above, there was another article that reported that Mahlangu admitted to having the phone in his possession, but that it had been picked up from the floor and handed to him for safekeeping.

Nothing ominous there.

"Zimbabwe’s Deputy Youth Minister Thamsanqa Mahlangu has admitted he walked out of a conference with a phone belonging to war veterans’ leader Joseph Chinotimba but denies theft, it was revealed last night.

On Wednesday, Chinotimba sued Mahlangu to the tune of US$19 million for lost income, even before he appears in court charged with theft. Mahlangu, the MP for Nkulumane, was expected in court on Wednesday following his arrest on Tuesday afternoon but the case never resumed.

In a sensational development, his lawyer admitted the youth leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party led by Morgan Tsvangirai walked out of a Harare conference with the phone, but will deny stealing it."

In the event that someone finds some lost article, and hand it to their superior, that does not constitute theft.

I dunno - the event of having the telephone seems to be reason and evidence enough for the veterans' leader to sue the MDC minister for a huge amount of money and have theft charges preferred against him.

Without even trying, ZANU PF have caught yet another MDC minister in their web of deception.

"Obviously, there was a misunderstanding, and what has sort of exacerbated the matter is that it is now being blown out of proportion. Mahlangu got the phone from one of his personal assistants who picked it up. It had been dropped on the floor.

"It was picked up by somebody and they handed it over to him thinking that it was his because he has a similar phone. He then said it wasn’t his, and what transpired thereafter is that he kept it. He wanted to give it back to the organisers of the conference.

"But he doesn’t have this phone now. He had given it to another minister - one of the ministers whom I can’t mention now, who has the phone. He gave the phone sometime ago to that minister. So it is not really like he has had the phone for the past two weeks."

Very simple. If you see someone else's property being dropped or left behind - don't pick it up!

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We all know that Mugabe says one thing and does another. And the rate at which he and his party are gobbling up Zimbabwe's resources, the country is due a name change - to MUGABEVILLE...

"Despite his frequent and vociferous claims that the land reform programme was designed to give farming land to landless blacks, President Robert Mugabe and his immediate family have been exposed as a multiple farm owners.

The Mugabe family owns at least 10 large-scale commercial farms. Mugabe has in the past said that even polygamous men should respect the ‘one family one farm’ policy, which he and his polygamous inner cabal have flagrantly violated.

Earlier this year Mugabe took ministers on a tour of Gushungo Dairy Estates, formerly Foyle Farm which he grabbed from accomplished dairy farmer Ian Webster, to show off the millions of dollars of state-of-the-art equipment he had installed there.

But he has kept very quiet about most of his farms, presumably for fear of being exposed as a multiple farm owner.

Investigations have revealed that Mugabe also owns Highfield Farm on the outskirts of Norton, while two nearby farms were acquired by the state to create a security buffer zone. Iron Mask Farm, next to Gushungo Dairy Estates, also belongs to the Mugabe family although it is believed to be in the name of his wife, Grace. Iron Mask was owned by the Matthews family and Grace was reportedly enticed by their mansion farm house with Italian tiles.

Despite government policy not to sell equipment found on farms, Grace auctioned machinery at the farm during a public auction. As accusations of multiple farm ownership against the Mugabe family increased, Grace tried to hoodwink the nation that she was building a home for street kids at the farm. The project has been quietly forgotten.

Inquiries within the farming sector have revealed that the Mugabe family has also taken over Sigaru Farm, Liverdale Farm, Bassil Farm and Mazowe Farm in Mashonaland Central.

Grace is understood to be currently completing the formal takeover of a farm in Mashonaland West which she wants to give to her son from her first marriage, Russell Goreraza. His father, Stanley was posted to China several years ago as a military attaché before Mugabe helped himself to Grace."

So the lies and subterfuge continue. Mugabe signed an agreement with the two factions of the MDC to share power, but has held on to power and has appointed the RBZ governor and the AG unilaterally - and provincial governors who now must be paid compensation when they stand down - bu the coalition government!

If Mugabe appointed them illegally, then their claim for compensation should be against Mugabe...

"Mugabe’s nephew, Leo Mugabe, according to divorce papers served on him by his wife, has three large-scale commercial farms while younger brother, Patrick Zhuwawo has two farms.

Mugabe’s sister Sabina was involved in a much-publicised farm grab in Norton at the height of the farm invasions. It has not been possible to establish yet which other farms have been quietly acquired by the Mugabes - but one thing is certain, they have grabbed a large percentage of Zimbabwe’s best arable land."

No wonder Mugabe is not interested in a full audit of the farmlands in Zimbabwe!

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I am not so sure of this. Mugabe will place some restrictions on both the BBC and CNN and will demand that their reports be filtered through his office before airing.

Of this I am absolutely positive...

"Zimbabwe has lifted reporting restrictions on the BBC and CNN, allowing the news organisations to report freely from the country for the first time in eight years, Zimbabwe's media minister said.

Webster Shamu, Zimbabwe's minister of media, information and publicity, said the BBC and his government had now "acknowledged the need to put behind us the mutually ruinous relationship of the past".

In a letter to the BBC, he said: "We agreed that whatever communication problems which the BBC and the officials of the Zimbabwe [government] may have had in the past, the Zimbabwe government never banned the BBC from carrying out lawful activities inside Zimbabwe.

"For the purposes of the record, I restate the main points of our meeting. We acknowledged the need to put behind us the mutually ruinous relationship of the past."

Just this week there was an article by the BBC that said Jonathan Moyo had written a two-page letter suspending accreditation of the BBC...

"Following the one-hour rant on the phone, he then faxed me a two-page letter “suspending all accreditation of BBC correspondents in Zimbabwe” pending agreements on ethical and professional codes of conduct. Since then we have never been allowed to report from inside Zimbabwe except on two occasions."

I don't know who is walking around with blinkers on, but Moyo's letter put paid to coverage inside Zimbabwe. So where Shamu is getting his information from, I would love to know...

"The letter added that the BBC had agreed to employ local people at a bureau in Harare, adding that the corporation was free to send crews around Zimbabwe. The decision follows meetings between the broadcasters and senior government representatives, according to a report in the Zimbabwe Times.

BBC reporters have been banned from Zimbabwe since 2001, although corporation journalists, including John Simpson, the world affairs editor, had managed to evade the ban by reporting undercover within the country.

BBC reporters had officially been allowed in on two occasions since the ban – for the cricket World Cup in 2003, when some matches were played in Zimbabwe, and for the England cricket tour to the country the following year.

Jon Williams, the BBC's world news editor, and Sarah Halfpenny, the Africa bureau editor, were involved in the talks with Mr Shamu and his permanent secretary, George Charamba, according to the Zimbabwe Times."

Whilst I would be happy to see open coverage of events in Zimbabwe, I do wonder just how long it will last.

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How much am I bet that the first time there is a public protest in the Zimbabwean streets, that the police lay into the participants and imprison as many as possible?

"The Zimbabwean government on Tuesday said it had instructed the police to allow citizens to demonstrate but warned those who might take to the streets without giving notice to law enforcement agents, a government minister announced Tuesday.

"We had a meeting with the Commissioner General of Police (Augustine Chihuri). He will not unnecessarily impede people who want to demonstrate. We have given certain instructions to the police for the people to be allowed to demonstrate," co-home affairs minister Giles Mutsekwa told a news conference in Harare.

But Mutsekwa, who is from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC party, warned demonstrators who fail to notify the police that they shall be "guilty of an offence" and added that the police will not hesitate to use "minimum force" to control demonstrators."

Two points here. Even if demonstrators give notice to the police of an intended protest, if it does not fall within the ZANU PF wants and needs, then the demonstration will be disallowed.

So nothing has changed there.

And the threat of using "minimum" force is unreal. The ZRP have no idea what "minimum" force is. They lay into the people with gay abandon, inflicting some major injuries, which, in the past, have resulted in the people being hospitalised and incarcerated - not necessarily in that order...

"Chihuri, who is one of the key security figures behind Mugabe's power, has been accused of ordering police to break up demonstrations by civic organizations, opposition political parties and other groups perceived as opposed to Zimbabwe’s veteran leader.

The police had continued to ban protests even after formation of a power-sharing government by Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, who heads a smaller faction of the MDC.

"The ministry does not deny anyone from taking part in peaceful demonstrations. Let it be known to all and sundry that demonstrations are allowed in Zimbabwe but must be done within the confines of the law," Mutsekwa said."

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Take care.

'debvhu

Wednesday, 29th July 2009

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates updated.

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More ZANU PF treachery.

"Zimbabwe's Deputy Youth Minister Thamsanqa Mahlangu was arrested on Tuesday over the theft of a mobile phone belonging to war veterans’ leader, Joseph Chinotimba.

Mhlanga shared a table with Chinotimba at a July 17 workshop convened by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara to craft a “shared national vision”.

Police say during a lunch break, Chinotimba stood up to get some food and left his phone on the table. On his return, the phone had vanished.

Mutambara’s pleas for the phone to be returned were not answered and Chinotimba made a report to the police.

With the help of a network provider, detectives tracked down the sim card to a Hwange woman.

Following her arrest, the woman implicated Mahlangu whom she claimed was her boyfriend."

How very convenient for the police investigation to lead to Mahlangu.

I don't believe a word of it.

But of more concern to me is yet another MDC MP has been arrested on charges that could see him imprisoned for longer than six months which will mean the forfeiture of his seat.

The MDC is now within a couple of seats of losing their majority in parliament.

Which begs two questions.

Under the agreement signed in September last year, seats vacated for any reason will be contested only by the party that held them before such vacancy. Why do we not have any by-elections underway - or is Mugabe busy dragging his heels as he waits for the twelve month timeframe to pass?

And, in the event that ZANU PF does somehow bully their way back into majority, will any MDC person be permitted to hold not only their seat, but any position in cabinet - or will Mugabe dissolve cabinet and start again with an entirely ZANU PF set-up?

Can the world not see the warped mind of Mugabe at work here?

"National police spokesman Senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena said: “His arrest is in connection with the theft of a cell phone at a function that was held at the Harare International Conference Centre. Vice President [Joice] Mujuru officiated at the function.

"Two other people are facing charges relating to using the cell phone line without the consent of the owner and in breach of the Telecommunications Act. These are Geraldine Phiri, 21, and Patience Nyoni, 27, of Hwange."

However, the MDC-T, in a statement, said Mahlangu’s arrest was part of a ZANU PF-led plot to victimise its legislators and party members."

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Chinotimba's rise through the ranks is highly questionable, and whilst I will not waste valuable web space here, he is a person of very low morals and doesn't care what he says and who he threatens.

He believes that he has the silent acceptance of Mugabe, and will do anything to remain so. Even if that includes the death of another.

Chinotimba's name has been linked to at least one death during last year's reign of terror on the MDC members - but do we see Chinotimba being arrested for his actions?

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"Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's party is one seat away from losing its majority in parliament, threatening what little power his Movement for Democratic Change has in the shaky coalition government.

Five MDC lawmakers - all convicted of instigating violence after last year's presidential election - have been jailed in the five months since Mr Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe formed a coalition government. Members of parliament sentenced to more than six months in jail are required to step down unless their sentences are overturned on appeal.

The MDC has accused Mr Mugabe's party of politically motivated trials aimed at eroding the party majority. That would consolidate the president's power, and allow him to pass laws or block legislation without consulting Mr Tsvangirai's party.

In addition to the five already convicted, 16 MDC legislators, including Finance Minister Tendai Biti, have cases pending in court. Mr Biti faces treason charges; others are accused of political violence. All deny the charges."

If we are to believe that the MDC are responsible for the acts that their MPs are being convicted of, then we must also question why we see no ZANU PF people in court. 130 MDC activists and members were killed in last year's violence, and even though many ZANU PF people were named, no one has been arrested or brought to court for trial.

"No one from Mr Mugabe's party has been prosecuted for violence that raged last year before the presidential election. During the campaign, army soldiers and police beat, raped and tortured MDC party members and supporters, and stole their property, according to human-rights groups who reported on the situation at the time. An estimated 163 people died, and thousands were injured.

Mr Mugabe has repeatedly denied that his followers were involved in the violence."

If ZANU PF were not involved in the violence, then who killed the MDC members? Other MDC members?

I nearly choked when I read ZANU PF's claim that they don't interfere in the courts.

"Ephraim Masawi, a spokesman for Mr. Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, said his party doesn't interfere with the courts.

"Doing so will jeopardize the inclusive government and we have no desire to see the collapse of this government," Mr. Masawi said. "The fact that people from our side are not being prosecuted might just explain and underline the truth, which is that ZANU PF was not responsible for last year's violence."

What a lot of hogwash! ZANU PF people were named - has the ZRP even investigated these claims? No.

"Witnesses say violence has flared anew in the countryside. These witnesses report seeing gangs of young people loyal to Mr Mugabe harassing and beating MDC supporters ahead of by-elections to be held in coming months to install successors to the imprisoned lawmakers."

Why does it take months to set up a by-election? So that the 12 month period of non-contest clause will have expired, that's why.

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And while the politicians vie for a foothold in Zimbabwe's future, the gang of robbers that invaded an MDC minister's home have been arrested and are now being tagged with the responsibility of another audacious raid.

"The seven men arrested for raiding Regional Integration and International Co-operation Minister Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga’s house last month have been implicated in the Chivhu Spar robbery in which US$25000 cash was stolen in May.

Sources close to the investigations yesterday said the gang used part of the US$25000 to throw parties in Epworth.

Some of it was squandered in spending sprees with girlfriends."

I suppose it makes some sort of sense - once they had realised that they had this huge amount of money, they next logical step would be to spend it...

Quite silly to waste that sort of money on booze and women - and it will be this that is the catalyst required to convict them of the two crimes - and instead of drinking alcohol they will soon be incarcerated in Chikurubi, probably to spend the rest of their miserable lives there...

"Police sources close to the investigation of crimes committed by the seven-member gang say indications were that the group was linked to the Chivhu Spar robbery.

Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena yesterday said investigations into the crimes committed by the gang were still in progress.

Makaika Milanzi (33), Assan Chikwada (29) and Tichaona Soda (31) were shot and seriously injured on Sunday when they resisted arrest."

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I had to laugh at this article, only because of a misspelling. The article said that vehicles had been dumped at the "crap" yard following accidents. Surely they meant "scrap"?

"Managers at the struggling state controlled broadcaster are grabbing vehicles used for news gathering leaving reporters begging guests and sources to provide them with transport if they want to go out on assignments.

One of the news managers said have since approached News and Current Affairs General manager Tarzan Mandizvidza for the issues who have since not taken action. The managers who grabbed the only left two news vehicles according to sources are Human Resources Manager Ms Benania Shumba and Finance General manager a retired soldier Brigadier Kasu.

Most of the vehicles which the news organization was using acquired from the Reserve Bank during the March 2008 political campaign period have since been dumped in the company's [s]crap yard after having accidents through negligence by both the drivers and the management."

You gotta laugh - coz if you don't, you will cry.

"ZBC last year received more than thirty vehicles from the RBZ for political campaign,and most of them were taken by senior managers allocating only three to the news department. Most of the vehicles taken by the senior managers have since been dumped at the company's garage after having had serious accidents. It is reported that one of the vehicles which is now not repairable was involved in a fatal accident while being driven by ZBH Chief Executive Happison Muchechetere's son who is not the company employee and nothing was done to hold him accountable."

It does sound like their driving skills are just about on a par with their reporting skills.

And it all sounds very familiar, doesn't it?

-o00o-

"Justice and Legal affairs Minister, Patrick Chinamasa, has claimed that he is the sole author of the Kariba Draft constitution. Chinamasa told journalists at the Chinhoyi Press Club recently that he had crafted the Kariba Draft in the comfort of his lounge over a long period beginning in 2001 - not at Lake Kariba or in a houseboat as previously reported.

He said he later took the draft to the secret Kariba houseboat meeting for "baptism" with the aid of Welshman Ncube, Secretary General of the breakaway faction of the MDC. He said if he had his own way he would have called the document the "Chinamasa Draft" as it was the result of his efforts alone.

Chinamasa said he was therefore surprised why some politicians and civil society organisations like ZCTU and NCA were denouncing the document. He vowed that the Kariba draft would be used as a working document. He also said ZANU PF had adopted it and urged the MDC to follow suit. "We drafted the Kariba Draft from late 2001 with Welshman Ncube before the split of the MDC. In 2007 we were joined by Tendai Biti and Nicholas Goche and went formally to Kariba to baptize it."

Chinamasa is an objectionable person - he even tried to re-engineer the agreement between the two factions of the MDC and Mugabe between the end of negotiations and the signing of the document in an effort to throw the bias back in favour of ZANU PF.

This is the man who claimed that the film footage aired by SABC of Zimbabwean prisons was from another country - and then had three prison guards prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act. The guards were found not guilty, but he had them fired anyway.

He then promised to have prison life improved within thirty days - and proceeded to do absolutely nothing...

"We cannot throw seven years of hard work down the drain. ZANU PF has adopted the document and we expect the same from the MDC," said Chinamasa.

Chinamasa is also believed to be the brains working behind the scenes with the blessing of top party officials on an exit strategy for Mugabe. He was trying to get rid of Mugabe while Welshman Ncube was trying to get rid of Morgan Tsvangirai.

Chinamasa survived Mugabe’s purge of the party following the infamous Tsholotsho Declaration, widely seen by many as an abortive palace coup and Ncube failed to oust Tsvangirai."

The Kariba Draft is hardly worth the paper it is written upon, because it is loaded in favour of ZANU PF - and try as they might, it will not be adopted without some serious editing...

-o00o-

Having recently been bestowed with the title of 'supreme leader' by some parts of the ZANU PF fan club, Mugabe has now told the pro-Mugabe media just how to describe his position.

"Zimbabwe-President Mugabe has instructed the Herald and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation to refer him as the Head of State, Government and Commander in Chief of the Defence forces whenever a report is made.

Mugabe’s spokesman George Charamba wrote to the two state media instructing them to refer Mugabe with the titles following continued referral of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai as the head of Government.

According to the political agreement, Tsvangirai is supposed to be the head of Government as he oversees Government business and policies.

After the formation of the new Government, Tsvangirai was referred to as the head of Government."

More of Mugabe and his loyalists breaking with what was agreed to and signed up to - but did we actually expect anything else?

" Mugabe is understood to have been angered after the state media reported that Tsvangirai met his counterpart Gordon Brown during his tour of Europe.

Brown is the Prime Minister of Britain and he is the head of state and Government.

"The feeling at Mugabe’s office was that Tsvangirai was treated as the head of state when he visited the US and Europe last month. In Germany he was given the honour of inspecting a Guard of Honour. This did not go down well with Mugabe and he made it clear that it must be cleared who is in charge. That is why every time he is now referred as the Head of State and Government and the Commander in Chief," a source at ZBC said."

Mugabe is only President following a one-man sham election after he lost the first round of voting and then had his militia, police, soldiers and war veterans enact a reign of terror on the MDC, resulting in at least 130 deaths, forcing Tsvangirai to withdraw from the ballot.

"Charamba was quoted in the state media saying it must be noted that Tsvangirai was "just a senior minister."

It has never been clear on what powers Mugabe and Tsvangirai will both wield in the Government.

On most cases, the two have said conflicting statements indicating confusing the country on who had the final say on may issues. At one time Mugabe was quoted saying he would introduce the Zimbabwe dollar but Tsvangirai later said this was impossible leaving the country confused on what was the final position."

Mugabe is determined that the only way in which the MDC will lead the country is once they have pried the mantle of power from his dead hands...

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Tuesday, 28th July 2009

Howzit

I initially read this story last night - and all it does for me is prove that ZANU PF and Mugabe are not interested in participating in a power-sharing coalition.

"Finance Minister Tendai Biti on Monday morning received a live bullet and a handwritten note enclosed in a khaki envelope, and addressed to him at his Harare home address.

Biti’s aide Nqobizitha Mlilo, confirmed that the 42 year-old secretary-general of the MDC and MP for Harare East constituency viewed this as a death threat on his life after receiving the 9mm bullet and note, written in shona.

The note was written: 'raira nhaka,' or 'prepare your will'. The envelope containing the bullet and the note is believed to have been delivered to his house. The Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was informed of the incident and so was the Acting President Joice Mujuru."

Mugabe is not averse to using violence and death to achieve his own ends - and this sort of thing is the epitome of his various campaigns.

It must, however, be asked why Biti should be selected. Whoever sent the bullet and the crude note obviously hasn't put much though into it. Was the previous Finance Minister - a ZANU PF man - a better Minister?

"He’s a bit low and shaken up as a result of this episode. He says it is the first time he’s seen a bullet in his life and it is also the first time his family had endured something like this," Mlilo said.

The Minister made a report to the police as he viewed this as a serious threat to himself and his family. The Central Intelligence Organisation, which is charged with protecting cabinet ministers has now taken charge of the investigations. The bullet, note and envelope have since been sent for forensics in the capital. Biti was able to speak briefly to SW Radio Africa.

"I’m fine though, but what can I do? My wife is worried and so is everyone else," Biti said. The Finance Minister was due to meet Tsvangirai to discuss the issue."

Mugabe may not have set his brigands upon the MDC Minister per se, but the threat is real and has obviously got the message across.

-o00o-

Just this last weekend, Mugabe had set aside three days for 'national healing' (as if a three day period is going to miraculously fix the conflict raging in Zimbabwe) and now it would appear that the problem has pitted family against family...

"Families are turning on each other in Zimbabwe's rural areas, where a higher premium is being placed on political allegiance to either Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF party or Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), than ties of blood.

Ebba Katiyo, a middle-aged MDC supporter Uzumba, a village in Mashonaland East Province, told IRIN while convalescing after a beating ordered by her uncle because of her MDC membership that relatives were turning on each other over party loyalties.

"My uncle, who is the village head and a ZANU PF official, summoned me [on 12 July 2009] to a public meeting where he berated me for continuing to be an MDC supporter," she said.

"After he publicly humiliated me, he ordered some youth militia [established by ZANU PF and often accused of political intimidation and thuggery] to beat me up - they used sticks, their feet and clenched fists to beat me all over my body."

The problem in Zimbabwe is not one that needs to be resolved by forcing families to stand toe-to-toe against each other - the emphasis should be on the people standing shoulder-to-shoulder with each other.

"A few days later the same youth militia accosted her and again assaulted her, leaving her for dead. She was discovered by friends and brought to the capital, Harare, for medical treatment.

Mugabe declared three "peace days" from 24 to 26 July "to observe the prevailing peace, [and] promote the ideals of national healing and reconciliation", but in the rural provinces of Mashonaland West, East and Central, Masvingo and Manicaland - once ZANU PF strongholds - supporting the MDC still carries the risk of a beating."

So much for 'national healing'...

-o00o-

And another report displays the ZANU PF attitude as it publicly attempts to hoodwink the world that the national is pulling together...

"As Zimbabweans united to pray for peace in the country this weekend, 15 people were arrested merely for wearing black in protest at the government’s campaign towards national healing.

The 15 members of the pressure group, Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe were hauled into custody in Harare on Saturday, after police were apparently tipped off about a planned ROHR protest. The group had urged members to wear black in protest against the three ‘Peace days’ gazetted by Robert Mugabe last week, and to show solidarity for victims of political persecution and violence. A demonstration was also planned to march peacefully to parliament."

Mugabe pays lip service to the attempts to unify the country and the government, but has his supporters and activists beating up on anyone who stands for freedom and peace, and has them all arrested for breaking some archaic law...

"But on Saturday, a bus loaded with 12 black-attired ROHR members on their way to the demonstration in the city centre, was rerouted to Mbare police station. Three other people, not associated with the ROHR group, were also arrested en-route, because police thought they were part of the demonstration. The 15 people were detained and interrogated for ten hours before they were released. By which time the peaceful ROHR demonstration in the city had been disrupted by the police, who dispersed the rest of the ROHR members.

ROHR’s spokesperson Edgar Chikuvire told SW Radio Africa on Monday that the arrests "casts shadows on any hopes that national healing can ever be achieved when people are unnecessarily arrested for peacefully expressing their displeasure with Government processes."

If Mugabe really meant these three days of national healing to work, then he should have had the government organise something a little more formal - so that people committed to the healing of the nation could have congregated together as a group of like-minded people who would have had some protection against the treatment doled out by the ZRP.

"There cannot be peace without national healing and that cannot come before truth, justice and compensation to victims of political violence," Chikuvire said "That should be approached holistically and wholeheartedly rather than calling for symbolic days and monumental moments celebrating ‘new found peace and unity,’ while violence against civilians still continues."

At the risk of sounding monotonous, so much for 'national healing'.

-o00o-

And so much for Mugabe's promise that the land would be returned to the 'landless blacks'...

"Attorney-General Johannes Tomana has taken over a ranch in Masvingo in the midst of an apparent spree of acquisition of properties in the province by President Robert Mugabe’s senior officials.

According to official records, Tomana has acquired Malangani Ranch in Masvingo.

Tomana, whose appointment as AG by Mugabe has become one of the points of conflict and controversy faced by the six-month-old inclusive government, is among senior ZANU PF officials who have seized ranches in the province.

Tomana has announced publicly he is a ZANU PF member."

So the landless blacks continue with no land, the former white commercial farmers have to make do with no compensation for many years of hard work, their workers are now without jobs - and Mugabe's lot grab the spoils...

And it doesn't just stop with Mugabe's nearest and dearest.

"Fortune Charumbira, the president of the Council of Chiefs, has acquired Dyres Ranch in Mwenezi.

Chivi North ZANU PF Member of Parliament Tranos Huruva has taken over Kaywood Ranch while Chivi Central legislator Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana, also a member of Mugabe’s party, now owns Wanezi Block Ranch.

Mangwana, a former government minister, is co-chairman of the parliamentary committee charged with drafting a new constitution.

The acquisitions have reportedly taken place with the blessing of outgoing governor Titus Maluleke.

The seizures have provoked anger among war veterans in the province. The former freedom fighters have since approached Vice-President Joyce Mujuru to intervene to stop the spree of acquisitions."

In the hard times, Mugabe called repeatedly for the assistance of his war veterans - but now that he and his loyalists have got what they want, they have abandoned the war veterans and left them to rot with the rest of the population and the country.

"Former war veterans chairman for Masvingo, Isaiah Muzenda, said on Monday the war veterans had petitioned Mujuru to revoke the controversial allocation of conservancies to ZANU PF officials.

"This is daylight robbery," said Muzenda. "We have asked the Vice-President to urgently intervene before we take the law into our own hands."

Although no official comment could be obtained from Mujuru Monday, The Zimbabwe Times has it on good authority that a two-page petition was handed to her office last week.

"These (people) should be stopped form taking over these properties because they are just using their political muscle to grab the sanctuaries," said Muzenda.

He accused governor Maluleke of greed.

"Maluleke is very greedy," said Muzenda. "That is why he allocated these vast pieces of land to his friends.

"To us this is corruption; therefore, Maluleke should be investigated."

And don't stop with the governor - investigate the whole land grab fiasco. And see how many farms have been given to Mugabe's shamwaris, and then see how many of the seized farms are actually being used - for agricultural purposes...

"On Monday, Maluleke confirmed sanctioning the allocation of the properties. “As governor of Masvingo, I have made sure that these (people) get the land but I am not the one directly involved," he said.

"Ask Minister (Francis) Nhema who is responsible for (the Ministry of) Natural Resources. He is the one who gave them the offer letters and not me. I only played a facilitator’s role."

Nhema could not be reached for comment but he is on record as stating that black Zimbabweans should be given priority in wildlife management."

-o00o-

"Zimbabwe's coalition government will name former opposition officials to head diplomatic missions in five countries, in line with last year's power-sharing agreement signed by the three main political parties.

A top government official said Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC party will be asked to provide candidates to serve as ambassadors in Germany, Australia, Sudan and Nigeria, while an official from the MDC formation led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara will be appointed ambassador to Senegal.

"The ambassador designates are going to go for three weeks training on diplomacy, they will start training on August 3 and they will be posted after they complete the training and we expect them to be in their stations by the beginning of September," said Gorden Moyo, who is Minister of State in Tsvangirai’s office."

The problem I have with this is that ZANU PF will probably object to the MDC candidates - and there is still the matter of Mugabe's unilateral appointment of provincial governors - which the coalition government has agree to compensate because of their shortened tenure...

How much are they to be compensated? And surely that compensation is payable by Mugabe's party as he appointed them without agreement from either of the MDC factions?

"Under the agreement appointments to key public posts should be shared among the political parties but Mugabe had refused to dismiss serving ambassadors aligned to his ZANU PF party in order to make way for MDC candidates.

The veteran leader only agreed at a later stage to allow Tsvangirai and Mutambara’s MDC parties to fill up any ambassadorial posts that may fall vacant. The five posts that will be filled up by the two MDC parties had been vacant for some time now.

Zimbabwe ’s three principal political leaders remain divided on the issue of central bank governor Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana who the MDCs say Mugabe re-appointed and appointed respectively without consulting them as is required under the power-sharing pact."

Why does Mugabe bother to sign agreements that he has no intention of fulfilling? To buy more time?

-o00o-

I find this article to be very interesting - given that Mugabe's people have now been calling for a return of the BBC and CNN - but, I would think, they will want to filter any reports by the two media stations...

"The BBC has been banned from Zimbabwe for almost four years (now many viewers and listeners have asked to be reminded why, especially during coverage of the Zimbabwean elections.)

It was a beautiful winter’s afternoon in Johannesburg on Tuesday July 24, 2001 when I received the all-familiar rant on my mobile from the Minister of State for Information and Publicity, Professor Jonathan Moyo. Shouting at the top of his voice, he told me that the BBC was going to be kicked out of Zimbabwe for reporting lies about the land seizures.

At the time, we had our then Africa correspondent Rageh Omaar in Harare covering stories, including the opening of parliament, for various BBC programmes. The Johannesburg-based crew had been in the country for about a week filming farmers and farm workers whose properties had been destroyed by ZANU PF supporting war veterans. The story was clear and simple, as it always has been - President Robert Mugabe’s land redistribution policy was in full swing.

ZANU PF party loyalists were invading mostly white-owned farms and in some instances killing the farmers and chasing the black workers off the land, replacing them with pro-ZANU labourers. In his opening speech in parliament, President Mugabe reiterated his commitment to land seizures. Prof Moyo felt that we misrepresented his leader by reporting this, because he didn’t see the farm invasions as stealing the land from its legal owners.

He saw it as redressing the colonial imbalance of the past. Following the one-hour rant on the phone, he then faxed me a two-page letter "suspending all accreditation of BBC correspondents in Zimbabwe" pending agreements on ethical and professional codes of conduct. Since then we have never been allowed to report from inside Zimbabwe except on two occasions."

Please note that Moyo is now the only independent MP in parliament - he fell out of favour with Mugabe a few years ago.

"Otherwise we’ve had to be creative, and since our creativity began we’ve managed to do about a dozen “tourist” trips. But these have not been our only efforts; we’ve also been talking to senior people both within the ruling party and government itself. The most recent face-to-face contact was last month when I flew into Harare and had a meeting at ZANU PF headquarters.

There’s a tremendous amount of goodwill towards the BBC from many ZANU PF officials but equally there’s enough vitriol to have cost us the coverage of this election. In our many attempts to kick-start normal relations, I have seen at close range how deeply divided a party like ZANU PF is on an issue such as media freedom. We will continue to approach the Zimbabwean government officially and informally until we get accredited."

Good luck with that. Until the BBC is prepared to report the 'Mugabe line' on stories in Zimbabwe, they will have major hurdles to overcome...

" We want to be back in the country that has some of the nicest people on this vast continent. Zimbabweans are some of the darlings of Africa and it is a shame that we are not allowed to tap into that human spirit of resistance, struggle and dignity."

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu