Wednesday, 30th September 2009

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates updated...

-o00o-

The bad luck that I have been experiencing with my left arm is obviously set to stalk me for the rest of my days. When I last saw the specialist in August, we made a decision for me to remain 'as is' until November when he will remove the holding bolt and I will be returned to my leather orthotic brace. (I can't wait!)

In the meantime, he has said that I can wean myself off the removable brace when I am at home.

Yesterday afternoon, without the brace on, I opened the front door to check to see if my cat was about (he is an independent spirit and roams far and wide). With the door open, a strong gust of wind blew up and tried the close the door on me - and the door handle struck my left arm forcefully.

Initially, I thought little of it, but within an hour or so, it was becoming apparent that I had possibly done some damage.

So we went to the Hand Unit and asked to see the specialist. Lo and behold, twenty minutes later we saw him and he poked, prodded, tweaked and twisted and came to the conclusion that all I had done was bruise it - and to carry on as normal.

This morning, I have some major pain - which I expected (and I have a high threshold of pain) - and it is all centred about three inches elbow side of the pin over what is left of the ulna...

I see the specialist late on the afternoon of the 10th of November.

-o00o-

If anyone has emailed me in the last 8 hours or so and I haven't replied, please accept my apologies - I am having problems picking up my ntlworld.com mail from Virgin and I am not at all sure why. I also use my ntlworld.com addresses to pop3 forward my Yahoo and Gmail emails...

It all worked last night - but not this morning.

I will have a go later this morning at sorting it all out.

(EDIT: A call to my ISP reveals that the problem is not mine, but a national problem. They are 'hoping' to have it sorted out today...)

-o00o-

Almost without fail, ZANU PF have the ability to turn the tables on the Zimbabwean public - and it does not matter who is in the firing line, they will make mincemeat of whoever.

Is this the 'democracy' that Mugabe professes to have brought to Zimbabwe?

"Around 88 villagers will be in court at the Nyanga Magistrates court on Wednesday, charged with extortion after they attempted to retrieve property and livestock seized by ZANU PF thugs. The villagers, perceived to be MDC supporters, were targeted in the run-up to the sham one man presidential election in June last year and lost cattle, goats, chickens, ploughs and food stocks harvested from their fields.

There has been no intervention from the coalition government to ensure a return of the looted property and no compensation has been paid to the villagers.

Earlier this year they took the matter into their own hands and approached the looters in Chifambe Village, under Chief Katerere, demanding their property back.

They were promptly arrested by police and were later released on bail. The villagers have named the master-minds of the looting as: Tichaona Kadyamusana, Gibson Nyakuba, Loveness Nyakabobo, Martin Njanji, Chenjerai Mukoko, Peter Masenza, Fungai Nyakurega, Mike Kadyamusuma, Obert Kadyamusuma, Courage Kadyamusuma, Rhodah Biasi, Paul Teta, Samuel Sanyamwera and Richard Bulawayo.

The thieves allegedly took food from the victims to feed militias camped in their nearby bases of Chawagonahapana and Avilla Business Centre in Ward 2 of Katerere. MDC supporters were also assaulted at the bases but local police in Nyanga refused to intervene and left the thugs to do as they pleased."

Let me guess - the police refused to intervene as they claimed the problem was 'political'... and yet they stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the so-called 'war veterans' when they invade farms - is that event not 'political'?

"The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights are also assisting another group of 16 villagers, who are demanding around US$853 in damages for sunflower seeds, goats, maize, sorghum, guinea fowls, chicken, groundnuts, beasts and sheep taken.

Similar cases have highlighted the need for a workable transitional justice and national healing mechanism to deal with grievances like this. This year a Bikita court granted an order, allowing 7 villagers to claim US$7000 from ZANU PF supporters who looted their property.

But villagers in Buhera, who were also targeted by ZANU PF militias, engaged in retaliatory attacks, frustrated at not being able to get their property back."

So the law in Zimbabwe is so warped that the victims of the looting become the accused in a subsequent court case, whilst the ZANU PF militia become the victims in a case where they were the perpetrators.

If that hasn't confused you enough, then you haven't been paying attention to the actions and antics of one Robert Mugabe who suggests one thing and alleges another, in total ignorance of the truth.

-o00o-

Here we go - Nestle are attempting to excuse their doing business with Grace Mugabe. I, for one, will go out of my way to avoid buying any of their products as I have no requirement of filling their coffers so that they can fill the coffers of the very people that destroyed the country which I know and love...

"The Swiss national food giant Nestle has been criticised heavily for buying milk from Grace Mugabe, who controversially has 'acquired' six farms, most of them taken from white commercial farmers. It was exposed this week that Mrs Mugabe's Gushungo Dairy Estate (formerly known as Foyle Farm) sells up to a million litres of milk a year to Nestlé Zimbabwe.

The previous owner was forced to sell his farm at just a fraction of its value, after a prolonged campaign of violence in 2003. Human rights groups and concerned individuals have criticized the multinational company for doing business with Mrs Mugabe, a woman who is responsible for illegal takeovers of land.

The UK Telegraph newspaper revealed at the weekend that Robert and Grace Mugabe own a total of 12 farms between them.

South African Radio 702 on Monday said it was inundated with calls from irate listeners who were calling for a boycott of Nestle. Although Switzerland has restrictions against members of the Mugabe regime, the Swiss government has said the regulations they have in place only apply to firms in the country and not subsidiaries elsewhere in the world.

A spokesman for the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs told the UK Daily Telegraph newspaper: "Nestlé confirmed that no individuals or companies in Switzerland were in any way involved in the relevant transactions... Therefore, no further investigations are planned at the moment."

So Nestle are not worried about their company doing business with Grace Mugabe and that is the end to it. No doubt other companies who want to follow suit will do so and make an absolute mockery of the sanctions that are in place.

"Critics say multinational support of the 'bad guys' just ensures that they will continue with their corrupt practices. Against the backdrop of this lack of reaction from the Swiss, Human Rights Watch is calling for a debate on "corporate behaviour and irresponsibility".

At the same time as the Swiss are clearing Nestle Zimbabwe from any wrong doing, soldiers are continuing to wreck havoc on white commercial farmers."

Nestle should be hanging their heads in shame, but have chosen to take a Mugabe-esque stance and intend to brazen it out.

I shall miss their coffee...

Nestle have gone down in my esteem
and so their logo is now downsized
accordingly...

-o00o-

There was a time when I had a list of all of the court orders that had been reported upon that ZANU PF - and by association - the police and the prison service had wantonly ignored. Sadly this list was lost when my old computer was hacked.

But - and I have no reason for anyone to not believe me - the list was very long...

"Seven people who were abducted last year by state security agents remain unaccounted for, almost a year after their enforced disappearances.

Rights group, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), disclosed that seven people, who were abducted at the time of the kidnapping of prominent human rights campaigner, Jestina Mukoko, were still missing up to now despite the issuance of several court orders ordering the police and state security agents to produce the abductees.

The seven include Gwenzi Kahiya, Lovemore Machokoto, Charles Muza, Ephraim Mabeka, Edmore Vangirayi, Peter Munyanyi, and Graham Matehwa."

It is a very sad indication of the intentions of the Justice minister when there is no consequential action taken by him in an attempt to rectify the situation.

But then again, look at the man.

With his his course record, the last person in Zimbabwe to steer the Justice ministry should by Patrick Chinamasa.

"Whilst we celebrate today’s victory with Jestina, we are mindful that 7 other abductees remain unaccounted for to date, and we urge the Attorney General to advise the law enforcement authorities to comply with several court orders for them to investigate these disappearances and inform of the whereabouts, and/or produce Gwenzi Kahiya, Lovemore Machokoto, Charles Muza, Ephraim Mabeka, Edmore Vangirayi, Peter Munyanyi, and Graham Matehwa, which orders they continue to defy with impunity," said ZLHR.

The statement follows Supreme Court’s order to drop Mukoko's charges due to the violation of several of her fundamental rights by state security agents."

In Zimbabwe, court orders are only obeyed if they suit ZANU PF - otherwise the defiance and arrogance continues. In my mind, contempt of court is a serious crime - but obviously not for ZANU PF.

"Mukoko, the Director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, was the victim of an illegal abduction in December 2008 and was subjected to various other human rights violations during her incommunicado detention which included torture. ZLHR said the unanimous ruling on the human rights activist was the only rightful and foreseeable outcome in light of the overwhelming facts and legal arguments presented in support of Mukoko’s application."

-o00o-

We haven't heard very much from Roy Bennett, the MDC Deputy Minister of Agriculture designate. And Mugabe continues to refuse to swear him into cabinet, stating that the criminal courts must hear the case against him first...

"Roy Bennett, the MDC-T Deputy Minister of Agriculture nominee, has said the security situation in the country is now one of concern, eight months after the formation of the inclusive government. The MDC official, who is still waiting to be sworn into office by Robert Mugabe, said it’s 'rule by the gun' and the MDC has no means of dealing with the problems bedevilling the coalition government, because ZANU PF is sharply in control.

Bennett was responding to criticism on SW Radio Africa by commercial farmers who accuse the MDC of not doing anything to stop the violent farm invasions. One such farmer is Charles Lock from the Headlands district who is being threatened by soldiers and he and his farm workers are being forced off the farm, despite several High Court judgments in his favour. The soldiers are acting on behalf of army Brigadier General Justin Itayi Mujaji."

And yet, even though there is a court order in place, and the offending individual has been named, the ZRP still do nothing to assist. What part of "serve and protect" did they not understand? Or did they all think that it referred to ZANU PF only.

What legal standing does anyone in Zimbabwe have if they are not ZANU PF members/supporters?

"Bennett said ZANU PF is completely ignoring a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the political rivals in July last year that there would be no farm invasions and that there would be a land audit. "Obviously this is being totally ignored and highlights the total disrespect for the rule of law and the total disrespect for court judgment."

Meanwhile, the farm invasions continue - perpetrated by ZANU PF people who have no experience in farming and who will use the farms for anything except farming...

"You will find government ministers, businessmen who are ZANU PF affiliated - who have thriving businesses in Harare, who have grabbed farms. It’s pure corruption, it’s pure greed, it’s pure theft and there is no such thing as enough."

Meanwhile, the MDC official is expected back in court for his trial on October 13. Mugabe is refusing to swear him in as the MDC’s Deputy Agriculture Minister, claiming he is facing serious terrorism charges. Bennett denies these claims of 'organising arms of war' to topple the Mugabe regime and says it is part of the on-going victimisation campaign he has suffered at the hands of ZANU PF. He said there is no movement on swearing him in and he is now waiting to see what happens when his trial starts in mid October."

-o00o-

"One farmer who has been on the receiving end of the madness for years now is Charles Lock of Karori farm in the Headlands district. His farm workers have been beaten shot, starved and evicted, despite numerous High Court orders and contempt of court orders, issued against the land invaders. Nearly a million dollars worth of crops have been stolen, that same amount in equipment has been looted. But the main problem for Charles Lock is that it is the army behind this theft, soldiers under the control of Brigadier General Mujaji.

This past weekend the violence intensified against Lock and his farm labourers. Having obtained yet another court order allowing him to remove his crops and equipment from his farm, Lock went with the messenger of the court and 3 police officers to serve the order on the soldiers. But the soldiers just threatened to kill Lock right in front of the police. Then on Sunday Mujaji stole the farm diesel and using Lock’s own tractors set about evicting all senior staff from the farm, and then drove off all the workers, who are now scattered by the roadsides with no food or shelter. Mujaji has so far stolen 300 tons of maize and 150 tons of tobacco, despite High Court orders to stop him. The tobacco was grown under contract and financed by international tobacco companies."

How is this acceptable by Mugabe and his bunch of brigands? When the law of the land is broken with such impunity and immunity, then the security of the entire country is put at risk. And Mugabe claims that the West is trying to achieve "regime change"... whilst he, himself, is putting the welfare of all Zimbabweans - regardless of colour, creed or religion - is severe risk.

Mugabe has lost the plot entirely.

"In an interview with SW Radio Africa Lock said he had no idea what to do next. The police can or will do nothing, the court orders are ignored and the military are a law unto themselves. He said as far as he could see a military coup has taken place in Zimbabwe.

A military coup is described as 'the sudden overthrow and seizure of a government by the military'. But in Zimbabwe’s case there is a government that encourages the military to ignore the rule of law and the military is fully behind the illegal activities of the government.

There may be a 'unity government' and a Global Political Agreement that is supposed to ensure the rule of law – but it’s clear to everyone now that this is a unity government in name only. The MDC members have absolutely no power – and seemingly little will to make an issue over the final destruction of Zimbabwe’s farms, and the misery that continues to be created for the tens of thousands of farm workers in this year alone, who have lost their livelihoods and any hope of a future."

Zimbabwe is now on her knees, at the mercy of Mugabe and his ZANU PF party.

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Tuesday, 29th September 2009

Howzit

Well - the story about Grace Mugabe supplying milk to Nestlé has caused quite a storm. And it is about time too.

It is pointless having sanctions - albeit targeted sanctions - if no one bothers to sustain and maintain them.

In a comment on this page received last evening, I read that Nestlé are also the manufacturers of:

Nescafé coffee,
Kit Kat,
Smarties,
Yorkie,
Aero,
Perrier water,
Häagen-Dazs ice cream
Cheerios cereal

So if we all proceeded with a boycott at an individual level, it wouldn't take very long before Nestlé had no choice but to listen...

"Talk Radio 702 on Monday received dozens of calls and text messages calling for a boycott of Nestlé because its Zimbabwean operation is buying milk from a farm controlled by the country’s rogue first lady.

It emerged at the weekend that Grace Mugabe is selling milk from six farms to Nestlé in Zimbabwe.

The company said it was forced into the move because other milk producers had shut down.

"It is not fair that they have taken six farms from people and Grace and Robert Mugabe are coining the money," said one furious caller.

Nestlé South Africa says it is not officially linked to Nestlé in Zimbabwe."

Oh, come on! Nestlé is Nestlé - the same company whether or not they dispute it. Are they trying to say that there are two separate companies with the same name that do the same thing? Absolute rubbish!

"By providing basic food products to Zimbabwean consumers [we] aimed to meet the needs of the local population and the other alternative was to move out of the country - had we decided to close down we would have triggered further food shortages and hundreds of job loses," says Mxakwe.

Nestle SA said it is buying milk in Zimbabwe from a farm controlled by President Robert Mugabe’s family that was seized as part of a program to transfer land from white commercial farmers to black citizens of the country.

Nestle buys milk from the Mugabe family’s Gushungo Holdings Ltd., which owns a property formerly known as Foyle Farm, Ravi Pillay, a spokesman for Nestle in Johannesburg, said in an interview today. Purchases account for as much as 15 percent of Nestle’s intake in the country, Pillay said in a later statement. Calls to Mugabe’s office in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, weren’t answered."

So Nestlé Zimbabwe say that they made the purchases to supply food to the population and Mugabe didn't answer any 'phone call. Why is it that the Mugabe family have decided that if they ignore something, it might just go away?

Nestlé is wrong - and sidestepping the issue with fanciful stories about 'providing the people with food' are equally wrong...

-o00o-

The Mugabe administration have come out fighting saying that the Gushungo Dairy is a fine example of the land appropriation process because the Mugabe family has turned the farm into a money-spinner.

As I said yesterday, it is very easy to turn a farm into a money-making concern if you have a bottomless pit of money.

But, in direct contradiction of his own 'one family - one farm' policy, Robert and Grace Mugabe own about a dozen farms!

"Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF party have always insisted that the government’s land reform programme is meant to correct 'historical imbalances' and give land to landless black Zimbabweans, through a one man one farm policy. But over the last decade productive farms have been taken from white commercial farmers and given to a new black elite. This weekend journalist Peta Thornycroft also revealed that Robert and Grace Mugabe ‘own’ 12 farms between them.

The President is said to have bought one farm near his rural home in Zvimba, Mashonaland West but then he went on to grab five other neighbouring farms.

Grace is said to have taken over six commercial farms, including Gushungo Dairy Estate in Mazowe, formerly known as Foyle Farm, which was the top dairy farm in Zimbabwe. The farm owner faced a campaign of violence over many months in 2003 until he was forced to sell his property at a quarter of its value, and ultimately he only received 40 percent of that amount. Russell Goreraza, Grace’s son from her first marriage, manages the farm."

So the 'one family - one farm' or policy that Mugabe has been waving in front of the masses is being ignored by him and his own family. No wonder the farm audit never got off the ground!

"The other five farms ‘owned’ by the First Lady are:

The 2,500 acre Iron Mask Estate. Grace Mugabe personally ordered elderly owners John and Eva Matthews to leave, giving them just 48 hours.

Sigaro Farm taken from Joe Kennedy, a major seed producer;

Gwebi Wood, which had been bought by Washington Matsaire, the chief executive of Standard Chartered Bank’s Zimbabwe subsidiary, in 2001;

In December last year, Ben Hlatshwayo, a high court judge who had evicted Vernon Nicolle from the 1,445-acre Gwina farm, was in turn forced out by alleged "unlawful conduct" on Mrs Mugabe’s part, according to court papers he reportedly filed;

Mrs Mugabe is also in control of the 1,740-acre Leverdale farm."

What part about her husband's policy did she not understand?

And then there is Robert himself...

"Although Robert Mugabe bought the 445ha Highfield Farm near his rural home, the other five farms were seized from their white owners. Three were owned by the Skea family - Cressydale, John O’Groat and Tankatara - who were forced out between 2000 and 2002 and have emigrated to Australia and New Zealand. The owners of the other two farms - Clifford and Cressydale - were forced out in 2006 and 2008.

Analysts say this is the real reason there have been delays in allowing an audit of land ownership, as required by the GPA, because it will reveal the multiple farms owned by the Mugabes and others in the ruling elite."

If one reporter is able to uncover twelve farms for one family, one wonder just what a land audit would uncover?

-o00o-

"A brave Zimbabwean tour guide is presumed dead after plunging 90m into the Victoria Falls while trying to rescue a tourist, police said.

The unnamed man was working for South African tour company, Sunway Safaris, reports said on Sunday.

The man was accompanying several western tourists on the Zambian side of the world’s largest waterfall. Here, tourists swim dangerously close to the tipping point of the falls, only prevented from falling by a slippery, submerged lip of rock.

Only the brave attempt a swim in the aptly named Devil’s Pool - and tour guides are tasked with ensuring their safety."

Perhaps the safety regulations for the Victoria Falls are in need of rewriting - and PDQ (pretty damned quick) as well!

I do note that the article does not detail the fate of the tourist...

-o00o-

Sadly, yet another story that highlights the lengths to which Zimbabweans will go to to escape Mugabe's rule... but I do wonder if some of these crimes were based upon simple avarice as opposed to the need to live a decent life.

Avarice is a disease that Mugabe suffers from in huge doses! Avarice: Reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins).

"A Zimbabwean woman has been jailed for 18 months after forging her birth certificate to stay in Britain.

Mavu Chinyani, 38, of London Road, Ashford, was jailed on September 17 for fraud by false representation at Croydon Crown Court, after denying the crime.

The court heard how Chinyani tried to con immigration officials into believing she had a British mother, who had given birth to her in Africa.

But officers from the UK Border Agency's West London immigration crime team discovered that that the woman Chinyani claimed was her mother was now deceased.

They then tracked down the real daughter of the woman, who confirmed she was an only child, and that her mother had never travelled to Africa."

Just stop and think about these fraudulent activities. The lengths to which this woman went to in order to be allowed into the UK beggars belief... But I am of the thinking that these cases should be looked at on a case-by-case basis to uncover the real reason why someone would be so determined to enter the UK.

"Chinyani was arrested on February 3 this year and charged with fraud by false representation.

She will be deported at the end of her sentence.

Gareth Redmond, area director of the UK Border Agency, said: "We now have teams of specialist officers working to investigate exactly this kind of crime. This is another example of their success.

"This was not a victimless crime. I can only imagine the distress caused to the family who found out a relative’s identity had been used in this way. I’m grateful for their help with the investigation.

"We and our law enforcement partners will continue to work to identify criminal activity like this and remove those who have no right to be in this country."

-o00o-

The Zimbabwe Telegraph has published the transcript of Mugabe's interview on CNN - and I managed to read about half of it before I gave up in disgust.

Mugabe is rambling and fails to make very much sense.

Perhaps that is a very good reason why he hasn't given an interview internationally for some years!

"AMANPOUR: No, no, since land reform. And - and remember that the presidents of Mozambique and Tanzania, when you took the country to liberation, said to you that you have the jewel of Africa in your hands, now look after it.

MUGABE: Yes, we are looking…

AMANPOUR: Did you look after it?

MUGABE: Yes, in a very great way. Over the last 10 years, we have had ZIDERA, the sanctions imposed on us by - by the United States, plus sanctions imposed upon us by the European Union, over the last 10 years.

AMANPOUR: Right, but they were specifically targeted sanctions…

MUGABE: No.

AMANPOUR: …against individuals, not against the trade or development.

MUGABE: Zimbabwe - no, no, no, no. The United States’ sanctions on us are real sanctions, economic sanctions. Have you looked at that? Look at them, and you’ll satisfy yourselves that they prevent companies from having any dealings with us.

AMANPOUR: But they’re very, very specifically targeted.

MUGABE: They prevent any - any - they prevent any financial institutions…

AMANPOUR: But how do you account…

MUGABE: …also from having any relations with us.

AMANPOUR: …for these incredible statistics, where, since you took over, life expectancy has dropped, manufacturing has fallen…

MUGABE: But I’m just telling you - I’m just telling you…

AMANPOUR: …1 in 14 people are malnourished…

MUGABE: I’m just telling you the reasons. It’s because of sanctions mainly.

AMANPOUR: But everybody says it’s not because of sanctions. It’s because of mismanagement.

MUGABE: Not everybody says so.

AMANPOUR: Most people do. Most independent observers say that.

MUGABE: In Zimbabwe - it’s not true.

AMANPOUR: How to get out of this now? How to get out of this? Do you think - for instance, right now…

MUGABE: The sanctions - sanctions must be lifted. And we should have no interference from outside. The continued imperialistic interference in our affairs is affecting the country, obviously."

The ramblings of a disorganised mind. That full transcript here...

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Monday, 28th September 2009

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates updated.

-o00o-

We returned from Bridlington last evening. What an amazing weekend - plus the two days were nothing but glorious sunshine! It is such a neat, tidy town and we really enjoyed ourselves, although there is no place like home...

Yours truly at the water's edge...

On Sunday we saw a lifeguard helicopter and a number of small boats working over the water near Flamborough - and I took some short videos of what was going on. The locals maintain that it was not a drill and that they were looking for a lost swimmer.

I will have a go at sorting out the video (done on my Nokia handset) and maybe I will publish ithe results - but I do need to check the Bridlington press as I don't want to tread on anyone's toes...

-o00o-

I see that Mugabe did choose to change his script for his address to the UN. The same ol', same ol'...

"Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe accused Western countries on Friday of "filthy antics" aimed at undermining a power-sharing government forged in February under a pact with former rival Morgan Tsvangirai.

In a speech to the UN General Assembly, Mugabe said the United States and the European Union had refused to lift sanctions on Zimbabwe, and "some of them are working strenuously to divide the parties in the inclusive government."

Anyone who has followed the events in Zimbabwe for the past few years will be aware that it is Mugabe that has been working strenuously to divide Zimbabwe... He never had any intention os living up to his side of the agreements with the MDC and now even goes so far as to claim that ZANU PF never lost last year's election!

" If they will not assist the inclusive government in rehabilitating our economy, could they please, please stop their filthy clandestine divisive antics," Mugabe said. The United States imposed sanctions in 2003 on Mugabe and other prominent Zimbabweans accused of undermining democracy. The European Union imposed measures of its own."

By couching his complaint as a polite question, Mugabe is hoping to catch the ear of sympathetic world leaders - but I doubt that it will work.

-o00o-

Another article on the internet about Mugabe's speech says that the UN assembly was largely empty when Mugabe took the floor, and that his speech held nothing new for anyone.

"In an empty UN 64th General Assembly floors Robert Mugabe slammed the US and EU on Friday for what he called "filthy clandestine antics" for keeping economic sanctions clamped on his authoritarian nation.

"The Western countries, in particular the United States, and the European Union still impose illegal sanctions against Zimbabwe, to our surprise... and refused to remove those sanctions," he said in his speech to the UN General Assembly. Mugabe has sent Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, the former opposition leader, to Europe and America to lobby for lifting of the sanctions and a restoration of foreign aid and investment.

He's had little success. But the European Union and other Western nations say the coalition, formed in February, has not done enough to restore the rule of law and begin democratic reform, blaming Mugabe and high-level loyalists for resisting change."

Sanctions are the responsibility of those that enforce the measures, not those that are the target of the sanctions. Mugabe would have the world believe that the sanction are full and economic as opposed to targeted travel sanctions - but that is typical Mugabe, skewing the truth to get his own way.

"We wonder what their motives are? And we ask what they would see us do?" "Where stand their humanitarian principles, we ask, when their illegal sanctions are ruining the lives of our children?"

When the US and the EU instituted the travel sanctions, Mugabe made a big thing of his 'look East' policy, but has repeatedly questioned sanctions, suggesting that they are hurting all Zimbabweans.

Mugabe is hurting all Zimbabweans, not sanctions...

"Zimbabwe's economic meltdown began after Mugabe ordered the seizures of thousands of white-owned commercial farms in 2000, disrupting the agriculture-based economy in the former regional breadbasket.

His critics point to continuing human rights violations, land seizures and laws requiring a majority local stake in foreign firms."

-o00o-

Now we know why the land audit is effectively on ice - because the likes of Mugabe and his high ranking loyalists have all got their hands on multiple farms in direct contravention of Mugabe's own 'one family - one farm' policy...

"Robert Mugabe's wife, Grace, who has taken over at least six of Zimbabwe's most valuable white-owned farms since 2002, sells up to a million litres of milk a year to Nestlé, The Sunday Telegraph can disclose.

Mr Mugabe, the president of Zimbabwe, his wife and a number of other figures linked to his administration are the subject of European Union and US sanctions as a result of their controversial 29-year rule over the once-prosperous country.

Nestlé, the multinational food company which is the biggest customer of Mrs Mugabe's dairy farm, is not obliged to comply with those sanctions as its headquarters are in Switzerland, but the country has its own set of measures, including against Mrs Mugabe, among which it "is forbidden to make funds available to persons mentioned, or put them, directly or indirectly, at their disposition". Nestlé denies that it has violated Swiss law."

Regardless of what Nestlé says, a simple boycott of their product would be a good start to putting an end to their clandestine activities.

I am very disappointed that a large company like this should continue to line the pockets of Amazing (Dis)Grace and her family. Is it not apparent to just about everybody on the globe that the Mugabe family flagrantly disregard their own polcies - and then proceed to do pretty good business with those companies that put turnover above human rights...

"Mr Mugabe, The Daily Telegraph disclosed, has built a secret personal farming empire comprising at least five white-owned farms from which the owners were forced out during his regime's evictions of about 4,000 commercial farmers.

Mrs Mugabe's properties total about 12,000 acres, but her most important is Gushungo Dairy Estate, formerly known as Foyle Farm. It is in Mazowe, about 30 miles north of the capital Harare. Other dairy farmers, who have also been forced off their land, said that the previous white owner of Foyle faced a campaign of violence over several months in 2003 until he was forced to sell his property to the state's Agricultural Rural Development Authority (ARDA).

The price was set at about a quarter of independent estimates, they say, and the former owner received only 40 per cent of that amount."

Do the math... 40% of 25% means that the owner of the farm realised just 10% of the true market value -and now the Mugabe family are coining it!

"Mrs Mugabe became a regular visitor as soon as the previous owner departed. Workers at the 2,400-acre property say it is now her farm, managed by Russell Goreraza, her son from her first marriage. She married Mr Mugabe in 1996, after his first wife died.

She visits the farm several times a week, according to workers at the dairy. Under her occupation, the farm has become one of the few in the country to benefit from investment in recent years and has been lauded in The Herald, the state-controlled newspaper.

Mrs Mugabe has built a new residence on the farm, remodelled the original farmhouse and constructed an office block, workers said.

The dairy produces 6,500 litres of milk a day, The Herald has said, which is only about 35 per cent of its output under the previous owner, who produced 6.5 million litres a year, more than any other dairy in Zimbabwe."

They say that what goes around comes around, and Grace Mugabe must be heading for a fall. And when it does happen, I will have little or no sympathy for her or her family...

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"Controversial Tsholotsho North MP Jonathan Moyo stunned his critics once again on Friday by suggesting that President Robert Mugabe must be allowed to die in office just like Zimbabwe's first three vice presidents.

The former Minister of Information and Publicity who has reportedly re-applied to rejoin the party he dumped in 2005 after plotting against Mugabe said there was no need to pressure the ageing leader to step down.

"When I drafted my manifesto as an independent candidate for Tsholotsho I put President Mugabe, the late vice-presidents Joshua Nkomo, Simon Muzenda and lately Joseph Msika, Herbert Chitepo, and Josiah Tongogara as my founding fathers of our country," Moyo told journalists at the Bulawayo Press Club."

This is plain stupidity. Look at South Africa. Nelson Mandela served as President in that country and then stood down. He may not be the sitting President but he is recognised as the founding father of a new South Africa.

Why can't Mugabe be the same?

I will tell you why - if he were to stand down, then all manner of shady deals will come to the fore and Mugabe's reputation would be mud.

But understand that his reputation is mud anyway, so he should stand down - and just be allowed to die... not in office, but as a poverty stricken Zimbabwean.

"Mugabe says he would not step down as long as “imperialists” are still pushing for regime change.

In an interview with CNN on Thursday,the 85-year-old leader refused to discuss his retirement plans."

For 'regime change' read 'determined to drain the resources of Zimbabwe completely and utterly'...

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I have a lot of reading to do to catch up - and so will stop today's posting right here.

Take care.

'debvhu

Friday, 25th September 2009

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates updated...

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Just to remind you all that there will be no postings on Saturday or Sunday as I am travelling with B to Bridlington later today for the weekend with the local branch of the Royal British Legion. Hopefully the weather will be better than of late.

A seagull on the chimney stack on the building opposite
the hotel that we stay at in Bridlington...

We will return on Sunday evening.

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"Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, in a rare interview Thursday, depicted himself as an African hero battling imperialism and foreign attempts to oust him rather than the widespread perception of a dictator clinging to power at the expense of the welfare of his people and country.

Robert Mugabe says sanctions against his country are "unjustifiable."

The 85-year-old Mugabe, the only leader of Zimbabwe since it became independent from Britain in 1980, rejected repeated assertions by CNN's Christiane Amanpour that his policies have driven the nation once known as Africa's breadbasket to virtual economic collapse.

Instead, Mugabe accused Britain and the United States of seeking to oust him by imposing economic sanctions, the effects of which he said were worsened by years of drought.

He denied that his country is in economic shambles, saying it grew enough food last year to feed all its people, and defended policies that have driven white farmers off their land as properly restoring that land to indigenous Africans.

"The land reform is the best thing (that) could have ever have happened to an African country," said Mugabe, a former revolutionary leader who came to power when white-ruled Rhodesia became black-ruled Zimbabwe. "It has to do with national sovereignty."

I am taken aback with the belief that Mugabe has that he has done nothing wrong, that all of the problems in Zimbabwe are because of sanctions and that the land grab is the best thing that has happened in Zimbabwe.

"It was Mugabe's first interview with a Western television network in several years, and he appeared to get frustrated with some of Amanpour's direct questioning, repeatedly denying widely accepted evidence and reports on his nation's woes.

Mugabe denied that his ZANU-PF party lost elections in 2008 that forced him to accept a power-sharing agreement with his chief rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, who now is prime minister. Violence surrounding the disputed election, much of it against opposition supporters, further damaged Zimbabwe's standing, but Mugabe rejected any blame on Thursday.

"You don't leave power when imperialists dictate that you leave," he insisted. "There is regime change. Haven't you heard of (the) regime change program by Britain and the United States that is aimed at getting not just Robert Mugabe out of power but get Robert Mugabe and his party out of power?"

He also waved off Amanpour's assertion that the power-sharing arrangement is not working, and that opposition political figures are continuing to get harassed and arrested."

Mugabe will put on whatever mask is needed to face down the journalist's questions - and in this interview - the first to the West for quite a number of years, he appeared very agitated, irritated and not in control. Perhaps because he is used of giving the journalists from ZBC the questions to ask.

"Asked about Roy Bennett, a white opposition figure who has yet to be sworn in as agriculture minister a year after formation of the power-sharing government, Mugabe stammered before saying Bennett faces charges of "organizing arms of war" against Zimbabwe. He added that he's heard the prosecution lacks evidence in the case, but said he won't agree to swearing in Bennett until after any charges are dropped.

Mugabe also denied any responsibility for harm to the nation from his economic policies, instead blaming what he called "unjustified" and "illegal" sanctions that he said were intended to bring regime change.

"The sanctions must be lifted. We should have no interference from outside," Mugabe said. "The continued imperialist interference in our affairs is affecting our country adversely."

When Amanpour challenged him by saying most of the sanctions were directed at individuals, rather than economic entities, Mugabe said she was wrong.

"The US sanctions are real sanctions, economic sanctions. Have you looked at them?" he said. "It's because of sanctions, mainly."

In Mugabe's world, if he denies something, that is an end to the matter - but it isn't something that is a two way street.

I suggest that Mugabe should either give more open and honest interviews in future - but after this effort, he will withdraw into himself and that is it...

"Zimbabwe belongs to the Zimbabweans, pure and simple," he said, then adding that white Zimbabweans - even those born in the country with legal ownership of their land - have a debt to pay.

"They occupied the land illegally. They seized the land from our people," Mugabe said. When Amanpour pressed him on white farmers being forced off their land, he shot back, "Not just off their land. Our land."

"They are British settlers," he said, later calling them "citizens by colonization, seizing land from original people, indigenous people of the country."

What of those farmers who purchased the land since Zimbabwean independence? They have been chased off the land. Did the Mugabe government not declare 'no interest' on the land before they sold it - and then violently and forcefully take it back?

More videos here...

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"A surprisingly jittery and agitated Robert Mugabe on Thursday performed dismally in a CNN interview in which he condemned "unjustified" Western sanctions against his country saying they were being used to force him from power.

In an exclusive interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Mugabe said he would use an address to the United Nations General Assembly this week to call for their lifting.

In the first interview with a major Western media outlet in years, the purpose of which was to explore the historic power-sharing agreement with the unity government, and get the his thoughts on the highly-emotive issue of land redistribution, surprisingly to many the usual Robert Mugabe swagger and confidence all but evaporated under professional interrogation by the CNN reporter.

The Zimbabwean dictator is used to relaxed controlled Zimbabwe State Broadcasting interviews conducted by party faithful masquerading as journalists and pausing selected questions, but on this particular occasion, Mugabe looked desperate, shaky and clinging to the desk, with his red eyes drooling out as he lost it from the beginning."

We are so used to seeing Mugabe in total control - when he addresses the UN, SADC and at various State functions within Zimbabwe - and I could probably write his speeches for him given that he repeats the same thing time after time.

But this time round, he appears to have been out manoeuvred...

"His body language left him exposed as just an arrogant old man and last night some of his staunch supporters openly expressed their disappointment. In the end it was a non-event. Nothing new from the Southern African dictator, and there will be nothing new at the UN General Assembly address. As predictable as Jonathan Moyo's articles,

In the interview, Mugabe was hopping to make bids for his own cause and convince his detractors that he is working for unity and renewal of his own political hubris, but in the end it was another opportunity squandered as intransigence took centre stage.

Mugabe's poor show, particularly in articulating his translation of the so called Global Political Agreement, could not match the standards of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai when he visited Western countries.

The increasingly predictable Robert Mugabe will have his chance to make amends by addressing the UN General Assembly, where he usually benefit from the alphabetical order of Zimbabwean President speaking during the last day after the likes of major States."

Mugabe is closer to 90 than 80 and his age is beginning to show... And his desperation to gain the upper hand is obvious.

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It makes sense for Mugabe and his loyalists to ensure that any land audit is done by them as they will be able to re-engineer the results so that they show that the land has been given to the 'landless blacks'. But they say they have not got the money...

"A comprehensive land audit to establish who owns what after almost a decade of often chaotic land transfers in Zimbabwe is being stalled by a lack of money.

President Robert Mugabe launched the fast-track land reform programme in 2000 to redistribute white-owned commercial farms to landless blacks. It also heralded the country's steep economic decline, widespread food shortages and political violence, while allegations that the redistribution process served as a smokescreen for land grabs by members of Mugabe's ruling ZANU PF elite were rampant.

The audit formed part of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) signed on 15 September 2008 by Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), and an MDC faction led by Arthur Mutambara.

The agreement led to the establishment of the unity government in February 2009, but major donors have held back billions of dollars in aid, adopting a wait-and-see attitude to gauge Mugabe's commitment to democracy."

I have written before that a simple spreadsheet listing which farms have been seized and who the new owners are would be a great start - but that would be too easy. ZANU PF claim that the audit will be expensive and will take time.

Based on the fact that there is no money, it has been shelved - even though it is part of the power-sharing agreement.

"While differing on the methodology of acquisition and redistribution, the parties acknowledge that compulsory acquisition and redistribution of land has taken place under a land reform programme undertaken since 2000," the GPA noted.

"The parties hereby agree to conduct a comprehensive, transparent and nonpartisan land audit during the tenure of the Seventh Parliament of Zimbabwe, for the purpose of establishing accountability and eliminating multiple farm ownership."

Three land audits were undertaken by the ZANU PF administration but the findings have yet to be made public. Herbert Murerwa, the current Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement, said his ministry required US$31.2 million to perform the audit, which could take up to nine months to complete, rather than the anticipated three months or so."

US$30 million! I would love to see a detailed accounting of just what the money would pay for!

Why doesn't ZANU PF publish their latest audit?

"To start with, if an audit is to be done then it should be done by an independent group of people and not government officials, who may be beneficiaries of the same programme," JAG spokesman John Worswick told IRIN.

"I don't think there will be a comprehensive audit anytime soon because senior [ZANU PF] government officials, judges and the military have taken over many farms - we have cases where individuals own as many as two or three farms," he said.

"Farming activities have been disturbed by senior government officials, who get on to a farm and strip all the assets before moving to a new farm." There has also been renewed violence on commercial farms in recent weeks."

Forget ever seeing an honest audit...

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Moyo is an anathema. And he will use whatever resources are available at any given time to influence the thinking in politics. This man is responsible for the penning of some of the most disruptive regulations introduced in Zimbabwe since 1980. POSA and AIPPA are products of Moyo's pen.

"ZANU PF "is facing a Lazarus moment" and must rise from the dead if it is to remain in power, Tsholotsho North MP Jonathan Moyo (Indp) said on Thursday as he prepares a shock return to the party’s ranks after quitting in 2005.

Moyo, who once told New Zimbabwe.com he would never rejoin ZANU PF, says "everything has changed" in Zimbabwe with the formation of a power sharing government led by President Robert Mugabe and former opposition rival Morgan Tsvangirai, now the Prime Minister.

"Politics is not a religion, and political statements, even those which include the word ‘never’, are intended to highlight and dramatise a point, and not to express a gospel truth," Moyo said in an exclusive interview with this website.

"It’s the same with scientific statements and theories, they are not permanent truth. Just like political opinions, they are true depending on the facts of the moment. The problem in politics emerges only when someone changes his or her principles, not when they change their opinions or affiliations.

"I have not changed my principles in terms of my nationalism, my belief in Zimbabwe’s sovereignty, belief in the country’s hard-won independence, the historic land reform programme and the necessity to empower Zimbabweans. At no point after leaving ZANU PF did I challenge those principles."

Moyo is a chameleon - taking on the colour of his surroundings to blend in, whilst he workd feverishly in the shadows to conform to public expectation with no intention of ever changing his principals.

"ZANU PF has made strategic errors in the last few years, and they don’t need me telling them. There has been too much focus on internal issues around succession politics and factionalism which has affected the focus of its membership.

"In the current scheme of things, any factional approach to politics is doomed to fail. So ZANU PF members must stop looking at each other from a factional point of view, but look at themselves as members of the same party.

"The party is facing a Lazarus moment, and it must rise from the dead. In politics, it is very possible to do a Lazarus, but the enormity of the task cannot be under-estimated."

Moyo will will use the infighting within ZANU PF to gain favour with Mugabe - but I am almost positive that if he changes from being and independent to ZANU PF, then he has to give up his seat and it becomes the subject of a by-election....

Then we will see if his support has waned or not.

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I'll catch up with you all on Monday - have a great weekend!

Take care.

'debvhu