Tuesday, 27th April 2010
Howzit
Sorry that this posting is so late. I went into town first thing this morning to do some private business before it got too full of people. I dunno how it happens, but even if I am wearing a long sleeved jacket and my hand is in a pocket, I still somehow get everyone walking into me, so I tend to shy away from crowds...
-o00o-
There is one thing I note with the Mugabe administration. If they deny a story, then the chances are that it is true. If they remain silent about a story, then the chances are that it is true.
In short, the Mugabe administration wouldn't know the truth if it leapt out from behind a bush and bit them in their nether regions!
"Zimbabwe's government on Monday denied reports that it had signed an agreement allowing Iran to mine uranium, saying there was no certainty that the southern African state had commercial uranium reserves.
President Robert Mugabe told Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Harare last week that Zimbabwe backed Iran's controversial nuclear programme and accused the West of seeking to punish the two countries for asserting their independence.
But Industry and Commerce Minister Welshman Ncube on Monday dismissed a report in Britain's Daily Telegraph claiming Harare had struck a deal allowing Tehran to mine untapped uranium reserves to secure raw material for its nuclear programme.
The report said Zimbabwe would get oil for access to potential uranium deposits."
Well, if the Zimbabwean government hasn't signed a deal with Iran, perhaps it should! But it must be a governmental deal, not a ZANU PF deal. Mugabe has a hbit of mortgaging the country's natural resources away - and whatever the country gets for their resources, Mugabe treats as if it is the property of ZANU PF.
Wrong! Natural resources belong to the country, not to a select few elitist members of his party.
"It's not true. No such agreement was signed," said Ncube, a minister from a splinter faction of the Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe's unity government.
"There is no certainty that Zimbabwe has uranium deposits. You first have to prove that there are uranium deposits and that has not been done," he told Reuters.
Ahmadinejad was in Zimbabwe last week for a two-day visit and there was no official indication of any link between his trip and Iran's nuclear programme."
Oh well. No one wants to tell us the truth - so perhaps we should take this denial as confirmation that the deal was brokered and agreed - just as other denied deals are in place...
"Ncube said Zimbabwe and Iran had only signed general cooperation agreements in the fields of energy, science and technology and agriculture but officials from the two countries still had to meet to finalise details of any investment.
Asked whether Zimbabwe would in future consider jointly mining uranium with Iran, Ncube said: "There is no evidence that Zimbabwe has commercial deposits of uranium, so that question does not arise at all."
In short, the Mugabe administration wouldn't know the truth if it leapt out from behind a bush and bit them in their nether regions!
"Zimbabwe's government on Monday denied reports that it had signed an agreement allowing Iran to mine uranium, saying there was no certainty that the southern African state had commercial uranium reserves.
President Robert Mugabe told Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Harare last week that Zimbabwe backed Iran's controversial nuclear programme and accused the West of seeking to punish the two countries for asserting their independence.
But Industry and Commerce Minister Welshman Ncube on Monday dismissed a report in Britain's Daily Telegraph claiming Harare had struck a deal allowing Tehran to mine untapped uranium reserves to secure raw material for its nuclear programme.
The report said Zimbabwe would get oil for access to potential uranium deposits."
Well, if the Zimbabwean government hasn't signed a deal with Iran, perhaps it should! But it must be a governmental deal, not a ZANU PF deal. Mugabe has a hbit of mortgaging the country's natural resources away - and whatever the country gets for their resources, Mugabe treats as if it is the property of ZANU PF.
Wrong! Natural resources belong to the country, not to a select few elitist members of his party.
"It's not true. No such agreement was signed," said Ncube, a minister from a splinter faction of the Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe's unity government.
"There is no certainty that Zimbabwe has uranium deposits. You first have to prove that there are uranium deposits and that has not been done," he told Reuters.
Ahmadinejad was in Zimbabwe last week for a two-day visit and there was no official indication of any link between his trip and Iran's nuclear programme."
Oh well. No one wants to tell us the truth - so perhaps we should take this denial as confirmation that the deal was brokered and agreed - just as other denied deals are in place...
"Ncube said Zimbabwe and Iran had only signed general cooperation agreements in the fields of energy, science and technology and agriculture but officials from the two countries still had to meet to finalise details of any investment.
Asked whether Zimbabwe would in future consider jointly mining uranium with Iran, Ncube said: "There is no evidence that Zimbabwe has commercial deposits of uranium, so that question does not arise at all."
-o000-
The number of politicians killed in motor vehicle accidents this last weekend had risen to four, with a second accident on Saturday night claiming the life of ZANU PF Centrel Committee member Alice Nkomo.
And perhaps I need to correct myself as the three MDC members that died in the first accident on Saturday night near Zvjshavane were members of the Mutambara-led MDC factions.
"Zimbabwe’s roads claimed four senior politicians from both ZANU PF and the MDC-M, this weekend alone, raising more questions about the state of the roads, but more importantly, the way people drive in Zimbabwe.
ZANU PF Central Committee member Alice Nkomo died in a car accident Saturday night along the Bulawayo-Plumtree Road, together with three other people she was travelling with.
Also on Saturday the MDC-M’s Renson Gasela, Lyson Mlambo and Ntombizodwa Gumbo were killed in a road accident along the Zvishavane-Gweru road. The party said the vehicle slammed into a stationary front-loader when they were on their way to an MDC meeting in Shurugwi. Six other party members from the Midlands province sustained injuries and were taken to United Bulawayo Hospital.
MDC-M Education Minister David Coltart told SW Radio Africa on Monday: "We are all devastated by this. This is the loss of three outstanding colleagues who worked very hard for the party over the last decade."
"I am particularly sad about Renson Gasela. He was an MP with me from 2000. He was a particularly outstanding MP and member of our party, both the former united MDC and the MDC under the leadership of Arthur Mutambara since 2006."
"He was a principled man, had a great integrity and a thoroughly nice individual. A true patriot of Zimbabwe and I think people from across the political divide will acknowledge this."
Gasela was the former MDC MP for Gweru Rural and the Party’s Secretary for Lands and Deputy Secretary for Information and Publicity. He was also a founder member of the original MDC and former general manager of the Grain Marketing Board. Lyson Mlambo was the party’s National Chairperson for the Disciplinary Committee and Midlands South Provincial Chairperson. Ntombizodwa Gumbo was the Midlands South Women’s Assembly Provincial Chairperson."
Coltart went on to explain while Zimbabwean history is littered with numerous 'accidents' which killed a number of aspiring politicians, foul play is not suspected in this instance.
"I think in the circumstances of this case, we probably have to rule out foul play. It seems to me that this is just yet another example of the breakdown of law and order in the country. Where someone has had a vehicle breakdown, without lights and they have not bothered to put warning triangles or other warning signals."
The Minister added: "Normally of course this would be met by a criminal prosecution. We would have police out trying to prevent this type of thing but it doesn’t happen in Zimbabwe because the rule of law has broken down."
As the article says, the ZRP are to busy propping up ZANU PF to do the job which they are employed to do.
And perhaps I need to correct myself as the three MDC members that died in the first accident on Saturday night near Zvjshavane were members of the Mutambara-led MDC factions.
"Zimbabwe’s roads claimed four senior politicians from both ZANU PF and the MDC-M, this weekend alone, raising more questions about the state of the roads, but more importantly, the way people drive in Zimbabwe.
ZANU PF Central Committee member Alice Nkomo died in a car accident Saturday night along the Bulawayo-Plumtree Road, together with three other people she was travelling with.
Also on Saturday the MDC-M’s Renson Gasela, Lyson Mlambo and Ntombizodwa Gumbo were killed in a road accident along the Zvishavane-Gweru road. The party said the vehicle slammed into a stationary front-loader when they were on their way to an MDC meeting in Shurugwi. Six other party members from the Midlands province sustained injuries and were taken to United Bulawayo Hospital.
MDC-M Education Minister David Coltart told SW Radio Africa on Monday: "We are all devastated by this. This is the loss of three outstanding colleagues who worked very hard for the party over the last decade."
"I am particularly sad about Renson Gasela. He was an MP with me from 2000. He was a particularly outstanding MP and member of our party, both the former united MDC and the MDC under the leadership of Arthur Mutambara since 2006."
"He was a principled man, had a great integrity and a thoroughly nice individual. A true patriot of Zimbabwe and I think people from across the political divide will acknowledge this."
Gasela was the former MDC MP for Gweru Rural and the Party’s Secretary for Lands and Deputy Secretary for Information and Publicity. He was also a founder member of the original MDC and former general manager of the Grain Marketing Board. Lyson Mlambo was the party’s National Chairperson for the Disciplinary Committee and Midlands South Provincial Chairperson. Ntombizodwa Gumbo was the Midlands South Women’s Assembly Provincial Chairperson."
Coltart went on to explain while Zimbabwean history is littered with numerous 'accidents' which killed a number of aspiring politicians, foul play is not suspected in this instance.
"I think in the circumstances of this case, we probably have to rule out foul play. It seems to me that this is just yet another example of the breakdown of law and order in the country. Where someone has had a vehicle breakdown, without lights and they have not bothered to put warning triangles or other warning signals."
The Minister added: "Normally of course this would be met by a criminal prosecution. We would have police out trying to prevent this type of thing but it doesn’t happen in Zimbabwe because the rule of law has broken down."
As the article says, the ZRP are to busy propping up ZANU PF to do the job which they are employed to do.
-o00
While the government has indicated that it will seize some of Chiyangwa's land, the civil case in which Chiyangwa is suing the Harare City Council and he is preferring charges of criminal defamation on the Harare Mayor, we who observe the proceedings are to be forgiven for the confusion this has all caused.
The Mayor is being sued for statements he made while heading the probe into the acquiring of the land, but the governmental is taking the land anyway.
Do the two cases not cancel each other out?
"Controversy mounted over businessman Philip Chiyangwa's property acquisitions following the publication of a notice that the government intended to compulsorily acquire some of his land in Harare.
In a government gazette published in The Herald on Friday, the Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement Herbert Murerwa announced that the government would repossess more than 586 hectares owned by Chiyangwa, through his company Pinnacle Holdings (Private) Limited.
The government also intends to acquire land from the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association and Jetmaster Properties another of Chiyangwa's companies.
Murerwa said the land would be used for urban developments.
"Notice is hereby given in terms of section 8(1) of the Land Acquisition Act (Chapter 20:10) that the President intends to acquire compulsorily the land described in the schedule for urban development," reads the notice.
"Deed of Transfer 5021/07, registered in the name of Pinnacle Holdings (Private) Limited, in respect of land situate in the district of Salisbury, being the remainder of Subdivision A of Stoneridge, measuring 586,8960 hectares."
Perhaps Chiyangwa is not the much-loved nephew of Robert Mugabe as he would have us believe. Yes, he probably is a relative, but the fact that the government is taking his land questions just how close he is to the President.
"Yesterday Chiyangwa refused to comment on the announcement saying: "Respect my freedom. I don't want to talk to you people. Don't phone me again, tell everybody there (at The Standard) not to call me."
Methinks this is a case of the petulant infant throwing a tantrum...
"According to the website, the stands are for churches, corner shops, a residential park, agri-residential premises and shopping centres.
Available are 4775 stands serviced for sale in a proposed mixed use development at Stoneridge in Waterfalls with planning permission for a shopping centre, industrial, institutional and recreational development, said the company.
Meanwhile, Harare councillors are reportedly planning to counter sue Chiyangwa who has pressed criminal defamation charges against them following the publication of report accusing him of illegally acquiring vast tracts of land around the city. The councillors say Chiyangwa also defamed them when he said they were "hoodlums" after council resolved to investigate his property deals around December.
Councillors hope the counter suit will offset Chiyangwa's claim for US$900 million in a defamation suit filed at the High Court last week. Alec Muchadehama who represents the councillors said he had entered an appearance to defend but could not confirm that the councillors wanted to counter sue."
The Mayor is being sued for statements he made while heading the probe into the acquiring of the land, but the governmental is taking the land anyway.
Do the two cases not cancel each other out?
"Controversy mounted over businessman Philip Chiyangwa's property acquisitions following the publication of a notice that the government intended to compulsorily acquire some of his land in Harare.
In a government gazette published in The Herald on Friday, the Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement Herbert Murerwa announced that the government would repossess more than 586 hectares owned by Chiyangwa, through his company Pinnacle Holdings (Private) Limited.
The government also intends to acquire land from the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association and Jetmaster Properties another of Chiyangwa's companies.
Murerwa said the land would be used for urban developments.
"Notice is hereby given in terms of section 8(1) of the Land Acquisition Act (Chapter 20:10) that the President intends to acquire compulsorily the land described in the schedule for urban development," reads the notice.
"Deed of Transfer 5021/07, registered in the name of Pinnacle Holdings (Private) Limited, in respect of land situate in the district of Salisbury, being the remainder of Subdivision A of Stoneridge, measuring 586,8960 hectares."
Perhaps Chiyangwa is not the much-loved nephew of Robert Mugabe as he would have us believe. Yes, he probably is a relative, but the fact that the government is taking his land questions just how close he is to the President.
"Yesterday Chiyangwa refused to comment on the announcement saying: "Respect my freedom. I don't want to talk to you people. Don't phone me again, tell everybody there (at The Standard) not to call me."
Methinks this is a case of the petulant infant throwing a tantrum...
"According to the website, the stands are for churches, corner shops, a residential park, agri-residential premises and shopping centres.
Available are 4775 stands serviced for sale in a proposed mixed use development at Stoneridge in Waterfalls with planning permission for a shopping centre, industrial, institutional and recreational development, said the company.
Meanwhile, Harare councillors are reportedly planning to counter sue Chiyangwa who has pressed criminal defamation charges against them following the publication of report accusing him of illegally acquiring vast tracts of land around the city. The councillors say Chiyangwa also defamed them when he said they were "hoodlums" after council resolved to investigate his property deals around December.
Councillors hope the counter suit will offset Chiyangwa's claim for US$900 million in a defamation suit filed at the High Court last week. Alec Muchadehama who represents the councillors said he had entered an appearance to defend but could not confirm that the councillors wanted to counter sue."
-o00o-
Given the lateness of the hour, this will be today's last article.
"Econet Wireless, the country's largest mobile operator las week launched a free phone service in a major investment into communities. The first free phone service was launched in Epworth on Thursday.
The innovation comes as another first from the mobile operator soon after the launch of a new national call centre in Graniteside industrial area in Harare.
The free phone service will be run under Econet's YourFone brand.
YourFone pay phone will provide an inititative for everyone to manage a call through "call me back" messages."
I'm no stranger to Graniteside, having worked for two companies with offices in the immediate area, one on Kelvin Road South and the other on Crawford Road.
I am not sure I understand the end for a call centre, and I don't process to have any knowledge of the "call me back" system. All I can say is that I hope it works.
"Not owning a cellphone will no longer be a barrier to communication," said Ranga Mberi, Econet's corporate communications manager."What people will be able to do is approach an operator who has one of the free phones and contact their relatives who own Econet mobile phones, asking then to call them back, for no charge at all."
Just to clear up any confusion, what has "no charge"? The initial call, or the resultant call?
"Econet Wireless, the country's largest mobile operator las week launched a free phone service in a major investment into communities. The first free phone service was launched in Epworth on Thursday.
The innovation comes as another first from the mobile operator soon after the launch of a new national call centre in Graniteside industrial area in Harare.
The free phone service will be run under Econet's YourFone brand.
YourFone pay phone will provide an inititative for everyone to manage a call through "call me back" messages."
I'm no stranger to Graniteside, having worked for two companies with offices in the immediate area, one on Kelvin Road South and the other on Crawford Road.
I am not sure I understand the end for a call centre, and I don't process to have any knowledge of the "call me back" system. All I can say is that I hope it works.
"Not owning a cellphone will no longer be a barrier to communication," said Ranga Mberi, Econet's corporate communications manager."What people will be able to do is approach an operator who has one of the free phones and contact their relatives who own Econet mobile phones, asking then to call them back, for no charge at all."
Just to clear up any confusion, what has "no charge"? The initial call, or the resultant call?
-o00o-
Take care.
'debvhu
'debvhu
posted by Robb WJ Ellis at 10:25 AM
Union Jack (1963 - 64, 1998 - ??)
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home