Friday, 1st April 2011

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates updated...

-o00o-

This is not an April Fool's joke, but honest video footage that I was sent the link for on another forum. I told my wife, "I would give my left arm to be able to interact with lions like this!"

I am sure you will all agree, absolutely incredible!

-o00o-

A South African television advert for Halls...

-o00o-

The outcry over the mass grave in Mount Darwin continues unabated. Pro-Mugabe people claim it to be the grave of freedom fighter slain by the Rhodesian security forces during the chimurenga. Experts, with only the limited exposure they have had with the contents of the mine shaft, state that the bodies appear to be much newer than 31 years old, with hair, flesh and body fluids present...

And it would appear that the Mugabe administration is intent on covering up whatever the truth is, saying that they intend to build a monument to the memory of their fighters, stating - categorically - the the bodies are of their fighters, killed during the Rhodesian bush war...

"Hundreds of skeletons found in a remote mine shaft have brought a macabre thrust to election campaigning in Zimbabwe - but the presence of some corpses still with skin, hair and body fluids has raised doubts over claims white colonial-era troops committed the massacres more than 30 years ago.

Pathologists say visual evidence may point to more recent killings in a nation plagued by election violence and politically motivated murders.

Since President Robert Mugabe called for elections later this year to end a troubled two-year power-sharing coalition with the former opposition, his party and state media have mounted an intense campaign to discredit political rivals and Western critics of his authoritarian rule.

The Fallen Heroes of Zimbabwe Trust, a previously little known group of Mugabe party loyalists, last month launched a program to exhume skeletons in the mine shaft in northeastern Zimbabwe, saying the country's former rulers were guilty of human rights violations that far outweigh any accusations of rights abuses leveled against Mugabe's party and his police and military.

Zimbabwe's sole broadcaster, in news bulletins and repeated interruptions to regular programs, has urged ordinary citizens to visit the disused Chibondo gold mine near the provincial center of Mount Darwin, 160 kilometers (110 miles) from Harare, to witness the horror of colonial atrocities.

Reporters taken to Monkey William Mine at Chibondo on a trip organized by Mugabe's Ministry of Information said school children were bused there. Militants sang revolutionary songs, shouted slogans and denounced whites and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's pro-Western party for its links with Britain, the former colonial power.

"Down with whites. Not even one white man should remain in the country," villagers, evidently carefully choreographed, proclaimed. They danced at the site in what was said to be an ancient ritual to appease the spirits of those killed by white troops before independence in 1980.

Villagers appeared to go into trances and others wept and simulated firing guns.

Exhumed skeletons, bones and remains lay in random heaps, some covered by sheets and blankets, near a pile of coffins. Hair and clothes were clearly visible; one corpse wore black tennis shoes. The mine shaft emitted an overwhelming stench.

Journalists who descended a 40-meter shaft found a body with what appeared to be blood and fluids dripping onto the skulls below.

Jimmy Motsi, a leader of the trust group, told reporters the remains of more than 640 bodies have already been removed. Four other mine shafts in the district contain human remains, he said."

I wrote about this a few days ago. Mugabe is intent on using the find as anti-white fodder. As you have read, villagers have been carefully taught what to say and do, and Mugabe is going to use the effect to his best benefit. He will use the mass grave as a smoke screen to hide the truth, and rack up the feelings of hatred towards the few whites that remain.

Mugabe will only be happy when the last white has been physically thrown out of the country.

"The Mount Darwin district saw some of the fiercest fighting in the seven-year bush war waged by Mugabe's guerrillas that ended white rule and swept him to power.

Former colonial soldiers say guerrilla dead were disposed of in mass graves often doused with gasoline or acid.

Forensic tests and DNA analysis of the remains won't be carried out, said Saviour Kasukuwere, the government minister of black empowerment. Instead, traditional African religious figures will perform rites to invoke spirits that will identify the dead, he said.

Kasukuwere said the Chibondo remains were discovered in 2008 by a gold panner who crawled into the shaft. But spirits of war dead had long "possessed" villagers and children in the district, he said.

"The spirits have refused to lie still. They want the world to see what Smith did to our people. These spirits will show the way it's to be done," he said, referring to Ian Smith, the last white prime minister of the former colony of Rhodesia. "This is the extent of atrocities committed by the Smith regime. They loot our resources and they close up the mine with our bodies."

The prime minister's party has criticized the exhumations for stoking hatred at a time the nation still seeks healing not only from the pre-independence war but also from political violence that has left hundreds dead over the past decade and tens of thousands of documented cases of torture and abduction."

As I say, the Mugabe administration refuses to have any DNA tests or forensic tests, preferring to peddle their lies of mass killings during the bush war of the 1970s.

Serious questions have to be asked, but Mugabe and his racist administration refuse to answer.

"After independence an estimated 20,000 civilians were killed by Mugabe's soldiers when they crushed an armed uprising in the western Matabeleland province. Many of those victims still lie in unmarked mass graves in the arid bush.

In a sweeping crackdown ahead of elections proposed this year, police and security officials have banned rallies of Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change, arrested its lawmakers on what the party describes as trumped up charges and have hounded human rights activists.

Tsvangiria's party has called for scientific research and "informed debate and reflection" on all violence that included killings of its supporters surrounding disputed elections in 2008. The party stopped short of alleging that the corpses at Chibondo could include its supporters who have disappeared and remain unaccounted for in years of political and economic turmoil.

Zimbabwe's own pathology and autopsy facilities have been crippled by the country's economic meltdown under Mugabe's rule. No DNA testing is available locally."

Mugabe-ites are content to prolong the lie.

"What is happening... is a travesty. Bones speak quietly and in a language only an expert can hear. Let's not silence them forever, but bring them the help they need to be heard."

-o00o-

I have yet to understand why Mugabe is permitted to get away with everything. Regional leaders and SADC seem to sit and watch him commit the worst crimes of all, and refuse to do anything to stop him.

If that is the case, then why do they insist on having him as a member of the various institutions?

"Leaders of the Southern Africa Development Community called late on Thursday for an end to political violence in Zimbabwe.

Tensions are rising in the resource rich state as an uneasy unity government comes apart at the seams and as President Robert Mugabe, 87, pushes for elections this year.

There must be an immediate end to violence, intimidation, hate speech, harassment, and any other form of action that contradicts the letter and spirit of dialogue," the leaders from the regional bloc said in a statement after meeting in the Zambian resort of Livingstone.

The meeting of SADC's security organ was attended by Zambia's President Rupiah Banda, South African President Jacob Zuma and their Mozambican counterpart Armando Guebuza.

Mugabe and Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai were also in attendance."

Requesting politely that Mugabe desist from his acts of violence and intimidation is not going to glean any results whatsoever. Remedial action is urgently required, and I am not so sure that Mugabe needs to be consulted.

"SADC has been criticised in the past for being too soft on Mugabe but the tone of its leaders has been stiffening as the country lurches from crisis to crisis. What this ultimately means on the ground in the troubled country remains to be seen.

Mugabe, who was forced into a unity government with rival Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) two years ago, is pushing for an early election this year before agreed democratic reforms.

Friction is heating up between Mugabe's ZANU PF party and the MDC over political violence, the cancellations of opposition rallies and the arrest of MDC officials on what the party sees as trumped-up charges.

The Southern African Development Community also called for the completion of constitutional amendments and a referendum.

The government of Zimbabwe should undertake “all the steps necessary for the holding of elections,” SADC’s executive- secretary, Tomaz Salomao, told a press conference in Livingstone, Zambia, today following a summit of the 15-nation group."

So there you have it. SADC have stated that violence should stop... That ought to fix it!

-o00o-

SADC, adding insult to injury, has decided that Arthur Mutambara - deposed head of the smaller faction of the MDC - is the principle representing that faction in the coalition agreement...

When Thabo Mbeki, the original mediator was succeeded by Jacob Zuma as South African president, did we see a like statement as to who was the SADC-appointed mediator?

No.

So how can Mutambara continue as principle?

"The SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation says it still recognises Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara as a principal in the inclusive Government.

The organ said it had received no formal advice as to any changes.

This follows attempts by new MDC leader Professor Welshman Ncube to replace DPM Mutambara following a party congress earlier this year.

Sources revealed last night that the Troika - comprising Presidents Rupiah Banda (Zambia), Jacob Zuma (South Africa) and Armando Guebuza (Mozambique) - took the decision before the summit met to discuss Zimbabwe's political situation."

Have SADC been asleep? Have they not read or learned of the succession in the smaller faction of the MDC?

This is just pandering to one Robert Gabriel Mugabe...

And the summit 'discussed' Zimbabwe for a couple of hours... but we read of no resolution or agreement as to the way forward...

"The Troika started by deliberating the political and security situation in Madagascar and then discussed Zimbabwe for a couple of hours."

So SADC say they have not been formally informed of the changes, so they choose to ignore them. Good darts!

Is it any wonder that SADC recognise Mugabe as the 'duly elected' Zimbabwean leader?

SADC = Supporting African Dictator's Club.

-o00o-

Mugabe has the police eating out of his hand.

And the report describes the police officer as 'high ranking' - Inspector is the lowest commissioned rank in the police. Attempting to bulk up his stature with misleading words does not help at all.

"A high ranking police officer based in Gweru stunned the magistrates’ court on Tuesday when he opposed the granting of bail to the Job Sikhala led, MDC 99’s senior official on the grounds that his party gets sympathy from Western countries hence he could abscond there.

Detective Inspector Livingstone Tsango, the investigating officer in the fraud case involving David Sabola, the MDC 99 Secretary for International Relations told the court during cross examination that the accused should not be granted bail on the basis that Western nations, which he said, support MDC would provide the accused with a sanctuary to hide.

"Your worship besides that, we are dealing with a high profile case of fraud where the accused might interfere with state witnesses. As the investigating officer, I also oppose bail because the accused is a member of an opposition party that gets sympathy from Western countries that are anti-Zimbabwe."

Making statements that he is unable to substantiate is totally incorrect in a court of law. But, because he represent the pro-Mugabe police force, his words will go unchallenged.

"It is likely that these countries might provide the accused with a place where he can abscond to.

"Besides, we have a list of ministers and MPs from the opposition parties who have absconded in the past and they misrepresent to these nations that they are being politically persecuted back home.

"So, granting bail to the accused might see him escaping and falsely applying for political asylum from these countries," said Inspector Tsango. But Sabola’s defence counsel, led by Hillary Garikayi of Garikayi and partners shot back at Inspector Tsango’s reference to politics in a matter that should be dealt within the confines of the law."

I wonder if the 'high ranking' Inspector can provide us with that list of ministers and MPs that he says have absconded? I doubt it - ZANU PF will probably hide behind some excuse that includes the words 'State secrecy'...

"Garikayi said the state’s case of opposing bail is weak and from Inspector Tsango’s testimony based on politics. Said Garikayi: "We have heard other high profile cases where politicians have been accused of treason, yet the same courts have granted them bail without making reference to political affiliations.

"Is it wrong to belong to a political party? Is there any evidence that the accused has any links with Western countries that can provide him with sanctuary?"

Gweru magistrate, Florence Nago postponed the bail ruling to Wednesday."

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Thursday, 31st March 2011

Howzit

Okay, so ZANU PF experienced another defeat in the election of the Speaker of the House. I do note that the clerk of parliament has indicated that he believes the election was 'flawed' yet again following the smaller faction of the MDC stating openly that they would be voting for the larger MDC faction's candidate.

Now there is to be a SADC meeting in Livingstone (Zambia) and Zimbabwe is high on the agenda.

But for me, I do not see anything being decided or resolved as Mugabe has, over the years, emasculated SADC and they are now too afraid to do or save anything that might upset the old man of Southern African politics.

"Zambian President Rupiah Banda will Thursday chair a Heads of State summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Troika in the country's tourist capital, Livingstone.

The President's special assistant for press and public relations, Dickson Jere, said in a statement issued here that the meeting of the SADC Organ on Defence and Security Co-operation was expected to tackle various security challenges facing the region, including the political challenges in Zimbabwe and Madagascar.

Top on the agenda is the Zimbabwe road-map to a free and fair election."

Mugabe himself will be there. And I see him being very dismissive of the summit. He will address the meeting saying that his country is fighting imperialism and the echo of the colonial past.

He will probably rant at the other Africa heads of state and say that they should not look at doing the bidding of the West...

"The summit, which will consider a progress report on the security situation in the region, will also deliberate on matters relating to the consolidation of democracy in the region, and consider issues relating to the development of SADC's capacity for mediation, conflict prevention and preventative diplomacy."

Do we really believe that Mugabe will sit still for the duration of the summit? And how can SADC look at mediation when it has done absolutely nothing to spur the mediator, Jacob Zuma, into action?

-o00o-

Of course, this sort of call will feed the fire in Mugabe and he is bound to come out fighting when he addresses the SADC summit. (I have no idea of the agenda at the summit, bar that which I read above, but the summit is bound to give Mugabe the floor - something that everyone seems to do with surprising alacrity.)

He will malign the European Union and basically tell the West to wind its neck in...

"Governments in Europe are again being urged to penalise countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), over the regional bloc's failure to protect Zimbabweans."

SADC have certainly let the Zimbabwean population down, but, in typical African manner, the countries concerned will claim innocence. The biggest problem for Zimbabweans, has been the reluctance of the SADC-appointed mediator, Jacob Zuma (and, before him, Thabo Mbeki), to do anything positive in the troubles in Zimbabwe.

Zuma seems almost frozen in time when it comes to Zimbabwe. He hasn't been able to get ZANU PF to come back to the negotiating table, and I don't think he or his team have tried hard enough. Instead people shuffle North and South across the Limpopo River and nothing gets done except money is spent for that travel.

"A petition by The Zimbabwe Vigil has been re-launched, calling for financial penalties against SADC. Vigil coordinator Rose Benton told SW Radio Africa on Monday that they were calling on EU government to suspend direct financial assistance to SADC governments 'until SADC meets its obligations ove Zimbabwe'.

Benton described how, for example, the UK government gives £80 million a year to Malawi’s government, despite President Bingu wa Mutharika being a known Robert Mugabe ally. She said that in light of budget cuts in the UK there is even more reason for the UK to consider suspending aid to countries “that are allowing human rights abuses to continue in Zimbabwe."

Humanitarians will cry out that this would be counter-productive, but the time has come to shake the tree good and hard.

-o00o-

Mugabe feels nothing in setting the Zimbabweans security forces on the people of that country. He uses the army, the police, the air force and the prison services as extensions of his disruptive ZANU PF party.

And it isn't like this is just a threat. He has used the security forces as weapons against the population and many people have died as a result.

But maybe there is a light at the end of the tunnel - and it isn't an oncoming train...

"According to top ZANU PF insiders, Army Generals told ZANU PF leadership at a meeting held in Harare recently that the military would accept and respect any election outcome. Army Generals who vowed never to let Morgan Tsvangirai rule the country if he won presidential elections have back-tracked and warned ZANU PF that should the former ruling lose to MDC, the military would not frustrate the will of the people.

"The party should work extra-hard to win free and fair elections. As Party candidates, you should not rest on your laurels banking on false hope that the military would come to your rescue if you lose coming elections. Whatever threats the army issues to ZANU PF rival political parties would be empty words which would never be implemented. The military will accept whatever comes out of the elections. So, work hard in your constituencies," Brigadier General, Douglas Nyikayaramba, reportedly told shocked ZANU PF legislators.

Nyikayaramba who is Commander 3 Infantry Brigade in Mutare, Manicaland Province and a member of ZANU PF political commissariat, is on record vowing to never let Tsvangirai rule the country. The army Brigadier General also ordered traditional leadership to ban MDC gatherings.

"It seems that military interference by Western and American armies in Libya instilled fear among the top Mugabe supporting army officers. They have realised the international community would severely discipline naughty armies backing dictatorships."

Obviously there is always the idea that this is a feint as the Mugabe-ites tempt the quieter supporters of Mugabe out of their quiet corners, but, in real terms, I do believe that common sense will prevail.

Nothing like hope to guide the next step.

-o00o-

And now - back to reality...

"ZANU PF has deployed heavily armed soldiers in the three southern provinces of Midlands, Matabeleland North and South provinces in a desperate bid to force locals to support the party.

Highly placed sources in Nkayi and Lupane told The Zimbabwean that Zimbabwe National Army soldiers (ZNA) have now taken over party business in the area.. In Nkayi the soldiers are stationed at Panke lodge while in Lupane they are staying in tents pitched near Lupane State University.

"The are heavily armed soldiers who are staying at Panke lodge in Nkayi. Everyday in the early hours of the morning, they march along the Nkayi/Kwekwe road singing and chanting anti-MDC slogans. Villagers are really afraid of a repeat of the Gukurahundi era," said a Zimbabwean informant."

Zimbabweans, especially those that live in the Midlands and Matabeleland, are well aware of the threat that Mugabe has over them. He is a Shona, a long-term adversary of the Ndebele. He has taken the whip to the people of the South of the country before... the Gukurahundi was a vicious and deadly operation that saw between twenty and thirty thousand people lose their lives.

No one has ever been brought to book for those deaths, even though it has now been classed as a genocide...

"He said the soldiers were sometimes seen at the ZANU PF district offices. "Each ward in Nkayi has been assigned two soldiers who are being assisted by party youths to harass and force villagers to join the party's structures. The local youths are the ones who are providing the soldiers with the list of names of kay MDC supporters in the area," said a local who refused to be named."

During the war, there was a very unofficial communication network in the bush, made up. primarily, of what was known collectively as mujibha's... The land was land upon by a number of the native families, and their teenage (and younger) children were sheep herders or just milling around the general area.

They were the eyes and ears of the freedom fighters on the ground. Not much was missed by them.

And it is this unofficial network that once again finds itself being used to feed ZANU PF with news and information.

"The MDC Senator for the area, Robert Makhula, said he recently met soldiers in a convoy of pick pick-up trucks near Tohwe, about 30 kilometres north of Nkayi. "I spoke to them and they said they were going out to revamp ZANU PF structures and deal with people who were in ZANU PF but joined the opposition. This sounds like a general intimidation pattern which soldiers will uses to harass anyone who does not support ZANU PF," said Makhula."

I find it interesting that a newspaper that reports the MDC as the 'opposition' is the very newspaper that called the same party the 'ruling party' just yesterday...

-o00o-

I have already mentioned that Mugabe has headed to Livingstone, but in newspaper reports, does he really have to be referred to as: "Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Chancellor of the University of Zimbabwe and War veterans Patron, ZANU PF First Secretary and President Robert Mugabe"?

Hypocrisy of the highest order...!

-o00o-

I suppose it really does matter who signs your pay cheque.

Self-anointed archbishop Kunonga who believes that he is the leader of the Anglican church in Zimbabwe, is adding his voice to the growing chorus that targeted sanctions on ZANU PF members are the cause of the economic problems in Zimbabwe.

"The sanctions have affected every Zimbabwean regardless of political affiliation. They have also hit hard on all sectors of the economy, ranging from agriculture, industry, tourism and even sport, so this calls for collective denouncement of the sanctions," he said."

Kunonga is obviously a huge fan of the anti-sanctions petition, even though news on the internet this morning says that Mugabe is about to begin to use school children to bolster the numbers...

"President Robert Mugabe's supporters have drafted hundreds of schoolchildren from Mashonaland West province to sign a petition demanding scrapping of Western sanctions against the veteran leader and his top allies.

Mugabe's ZANU PF party hopes to collect two million signatures for the petition that shall be handed to ambassadors of Western countries that imposed the sanctions for onward transmission to their capitals."

One would have thought that using the identification numbers of the old, infirm and dead would have been enough to 'secure' the two million signatures...

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Wednesday, 30th March 2011

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates updated...

-o00o-

It would appear that Mugabe leads a flawed party. The secret vote was carried out yesterday afternoon for the Speaker of the House, following the court decision that the original vote experienced problems...

And guess what? Lovemore Moyo of the MDC won again.

I do note that ZANU PF have already tried to make the point that the smaller faction of the MDC had once again negated the secret part of the ballot by announcing that they would vote en bloc for Moyo...

"An ally of Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was re-elected Speaker of Parliament on Tuesday in a bitter political battle against President Robert Mugabe's party ahead of a possible general election.

The post became vacant after the Supreme Court nullified the election of Lovemore Moyo from Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party two weeks ago because the original vote in 2008, after disputed parliamentary election, did not follow proper procedures."

My information on the ground says that 199 MPs voted. The MDC secured 105 votes, ZANU PF 83. 1 paper was spoiled, which means that 7 ZANU PF MPs crossed over for the vote.

"The next elections are due in 2013 and Tsvangirai has threatened to boycott the vote if it is held without a new constitution and electoral reforms."

-o00o-

Once again, ZANU PF have indicated their unhappiness at the result and are suggesting that the statement by Priscilla Misisharbwi-Mushonga of the MDC stating that the smaller faction of the MDC would vote in favour of Lovemore Moyo is a violation of the secret ballot... again!

"The ZANU PF Clerk of Parliament, Mr Austin Zvoma, has raised concerned at the violation of the principle of a secret ballot by the MDC-M Secretary-General, Ms Priscilla Misiharabwi-Mushonga, who announced her party's position of siding with MDC-T in today's elections for the Speaker of the House of Assembly.

Mr Zvoma told ZVC News that he is studying the effect of the public utterances by the MDC-M Secretary General to see if there could be an urgent action that needs to be taken as the utterances are blatant and deliberately violating the principle and ideals of a secret vote."

Zvoma misses the point entirely. Just as the court decision missed the point.

In a secret ballot, should one of the voters wish to display their vote or indicate in speech how they voted, that is their right. The 'secret' part of the description indicates that voters have the right to prevent their vote from being seen by others.

An example. If there is a general election and a ZANU PF supporter pitches up to vote in ZANU PF regalia, is that voter then violating the principles of a secret ballot? No. The voter may have the right to hide his ballot paper, but if he wishes to tell anybody and everybody who he voted for by virtue of his garb, that is his right.

Surely ZANU PF, masters of the art of vote rigging are aware of this?

"He said it is unfortunate that the so-called proponents of democracy and the ones who have the guts to publicly violate the concept and ideals of a secret ballot."

ZANU PF should know. They have dictated who many people in Zimbabwe, some of them too young, some too old and some dead. should vote in a general election.

-o00o-

Oh dear. ZANU really do have their work cut out for them.

"MDC-T chairman Lovemore Moyo on Tuesday romped to victory trouncing ZANU PF's Simon Khaya Moyo to reclaim his post of Speaker of the House of Assembly.

He won 105 votes against Khaya Moyo's 93.

The result confirms MPs from the smaller MDC formation kept their promise to support the MDC-T candidate.

The result also exposed at least four ZANU PF MPs cast their votes in favour of the MDC-T candidate."

I absolutely love it - especially when you realise that Jonathan Moyo, ZANU PF's prodigal son was caught red-handed attempting to bribe MDC MPs to vote for their candidate.

"The MDC-T party said today it unearthed a $25000 bibery scam engineered by ZANU PF to lure its legislators to vote for its speaker of parliament candidate.

"Five of our MPS received $5000 each from a coordinator of the syndicate a senator Believe Gaule which they quickly handed over to us the chief whips of the party as evidence of the scam. We are in possession of the of $25 000 which our MPS have surrendered this morning, MDC-T chief whip Innocent Gonese told reporters at a press briefing in Harare Tuesday morning while her deputy Dorcas Sibanda was showing the bribe.

ZANU PF has nominated Simon Khaya Moyo for the position of the speaker of house of Assembly, while MDC-T has returned the ousted Lovemore Moyo for the same post whose elections are due this afternoon.

Gonese who refused to divulge the names of his party MPs who were given the bribe by ZANU PF said they are investigating 10 more MDC-T MPs who were promised farms and cash if the assist ZANU PF to win the speakership post.

"From the evidence we got from our sources from both ZANU PF and the MDC the people coordinating are Jonathan Moyo, senator Believe Gaule and Kudakwashe Basikiti," Gonese added."

I am not surprised. Jonathan Moyo is an agitator, a political troublemaker within the ZANU PF ranks. Mugabe feels no regret in a) chucking him out of his party for conspiring to have Mugabe dethroned, and b) feels nothing in bringing him back to cause more trouble for the MDC.

If, however, he had been a member of another political party when the Tsholotsho endeavour was exposed, he would have found himself in court facing treason charges. In fact, I am surprised he didn't...

"Efforts by this reporter to get a comment from ZANU PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo were fruitless as his mobile phone was not reachable. The position of speaker is up for grabs after the Supreme Court nullified the election of incumbent Lovemore Moyo following a challenge by former Information Minister Jonathan Moyo."

The Speaker election was won by the MDC candidate, Lovemore Moyo.

-o00o-

I was astounded to read, in another article, "Zimbabwe's ruling Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has alleged that President Mugabe's ZANU PF was trying to win the Speaker vote this afternoon through "vote buying"."

The MDC has the popular mandate but is not the 'ruling party'. For two reasons. Firstly ZANU PF will not relinquish control as they should, and secondly, when they do finally take control, I doubt that they would use the misnomer 'ruling party'.

I prefer 'the party of choice'.

-o00o-

ZANU PF, in an attempt to lend legitimacy to the exhumations of the bodies in Mount Darwin, have pushed aside the war veterans that have been conducting the removal, and are now ostensibly in charge.

I don't think that this changes much as ZANU PF and the veterans are pretty much cut from the same cloth.

"Government has taken over the exhumation and reburial of remains of liberation war fighters and supporters in Chibonda, Mt Darwin, and other places countrywide.

The process was being run by a voluntary organisation - the Zimbabwe Fallen Heroes Trust. War veteran and ZANU PF Politburo member Cde George Rutanhire leads the trust. Home Affairs co-Minister Kembo Mohadi told the ZBC yesterday that he discussed the matter with Vice President Joice Mujuru.

He said they had agreed to advise the President on the matter and he recommended that Government takes over the process. Minister Mohadi said the President said a monument should be erected at the site in memory of the freedom fighters and people massacred by the Ian Smith regime."

Did anyone notice how the idea that mass graves elsewhere in the country are suddenly brought up?

And once again, we have Mugabe and his cohorts making the huge assumption that the bodies are those of freedom fighters that were killed by the Rhodesian security forces. They have been unable to explain why the bodies already exhumed are not decomposed as one might expect a body that has lain in a mine shaft for 31 years...

"When we discussed this issue with Vice President Mujuru we thought that it was prudent that we advise the President on what was happening.

"The President said those people should be given decent burial where they are and build a monument there and give it to the National Museums and Monuments to do what they know best.

"As we speak right now, the Ministry has already taken over and we are going to rebury them there and build a shrine that can be seen by everybody and recognised by Zimbabweans.

"We are not going to bury them in the shaft but at a place around that area," he said."

This is nothing but a huge deception of the people and the truth will probably never be known.

Based upon the alacrity of the Mugabe party to rebury the bodies under a 'monument' with very little else, and the fact that it is evident that the bodies have not lain undiscovered for 31 years, but are those of people killed since then, I begin to smell a rat...

"Without blaming the trust for the exhumations, Minister Mohadi stressed that ZANU PF had never discussed the issue. He said whatever was done in Chibondo was the work of the ZFHT in its capacity as a voluntary trust.

"Cde Rutanhire is a Politburo member. He is not doing it on behalf of the Politburo but the Trust," said Minister Mohadi.

He said his Secretary Mr Melusi Matshiya and Mashonaland Central Governor and Resident Minister Martin Dinha held a meeting with members of the Trust regarding the takeover of the process.

Minister Mohadi said such experts as pathologists should be involved in the process. The Trust had exhumed remains of more than 400 freedom fighters believed to have been dumped in the shaft."

Of course pathologists have not been involved! they would have exposed the truth!

-o00o-

And finally today, you may recall that the Japanese ambassador pulled out of the signing of a grant of millions to Zimbabwe, breaking down in tears, following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit his country...

"The Japanese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Kochi Morita has finally donated 5.7 million dollars which he had initially postponed citing the disastrous development that took place in his home country."

I take exception to the manner in which this was worded. It is written as if the Zimbabweans were somewhat miffed at the delay...

They should be grateful for every penny they receive, especially from a country that has been knocked so heavily by acts of God.

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Tuesday, 29th March 2011

Howzit

Morgan Tsvangirai's impending arrest is because of his public outburst against the judiciary following the court's decision to set aside the election of Lovemore Moyo some two years ago because of 'flaws' in the process. The court decided that voting members from the MDC had not kept their ballots private.

So, after an abortive run at it, the election of a new Speaker of the House is due to take place today.

"Parliamentarians will today elect a new Speaker, with Clerk of Parliament Mr Austin Zvoma setting the rules that will govern the voting.

This follows the Supreme Court ruling three weeks ago nullifying the election of Mr Lovemore Moyo (MDC-T) as Speaker on the grounds that his election was flawed.

In a fresh turn of events, the Professor Welshman Ncube-led MDC formation that had threatened to boycott the election, yesterday pledged to back the MDC-T candidate.

The battle for the chair is pitting ZANU PF national chairman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo and Mr Lovemore Moyo.

Addressing journalists at Parliament Building yesterday, Mr Zvoma also said Cdes Oppah Muchinguri and Rugare Gumbo would be sworn in as Non Constituency MPs before the commencement of the polls."

I do realise that this article appeared in The Herald, the ZANU PF mouthpiece, and will probably reflect a Mugabe bias, but it is the only paper on the 'net that covers this event.

So how come Mugabe is not swearing in Roy Bennett? Oh yes - he has outstanding trumped up charges against him, and he has stated that he will 'never' swear Bennett in anyway.

I also find it very interesting that Mugabe should sweat in two Non-Constituent MPs, but that no by-elections have been held since 2008.

"The two are filling vacancies left by Vice Presidents Joice Mujuru and John Landa Nkomo in the House of Assembly and Senate respectively.

Cdes Gumbo and Muchinguri will assume Parliamentary seats in line with provisions of Constitutional Amendment (19) that created the inclusive Government.

Mr Zvoma said he had since notified President Mugabe of the developments following the Supreme Court judgment in line with constitutional requirements.

"The President has set that the election be held at 3pm at Parliament Building tomorrow (today). We have put in place all the necessary arrangements for the election in the event that there is more than one candidate," he said.

Mr Zvoma said in terms of Parliament’s Standing Order (6), the election would be strictly by secret ballot.

He said the nominees would also be allowed to select two polling agents each from the members.

"Each member must receive a secret ballot from the clerk and each member must indicate his or her choice on the ballot in the secrecy of the polling booth."

I wonder what excuse ZANU PF will use when they get beaten again in the election for Speaker...?

"He said if there was a tie, the matter would be decided by the toss of a coin as per tradition."

-o00o-

With this news, I do wonder whether the election for Speaker will, in actual fact, take place. ZANU PF have been threatening to have Lovemore Moyo arrested, so, if he wins the election for Speaker, he will probably be picked up, incarcerated and then ZANU PF will place their candidate in office.

And it is not without the bounds of possibility that they could do this.

"The smaller faction of the Movement For Democratic Change (MDC) led by Welshman Ncube said on Monday it will vote for Lovemore Moyo, the Morgan Tsvangirai MDC's candidate for the vacant position of speaker of Parliament.

Elections are tentatively set for Tuesday in Parliament. The party’s national standing committee had on 20 March resolved to abstain from the polls from the polls citing complicity of ZANU PF and the Tsvangirai led MDC-T in President Robert Mugabe’s refusal to swear Welshman Ncube as one of the three principals in the coalition government.

But in an interesting climb-down the smaller MDC faction secretary general Priscilla Misihairambwi-Mushonga, said the events of the past days merited a change in position.

The party said in particular the timing of the re-arrest of Elton Mangoma, the MDC-T minister of Energy and Power Development and the alleged threats of further arrests of MDC-T members of parliament by the police.

About seven legislators from MDC-T, including party leader Prime Minister Tsvangirai were said to be facing arrest so that they are not able to vote in the polls in which ZANU PF will field national chairman, Simon Khaya-Moyo.

"This means that ZANU PF is seeking to rig the vote in the Speaker’s election by getting an unfair electoral advantage over the MDC-T by the illegal reduction of eligible members of parliament able to participate in the Speaker’s elections," said Misihairambwi-Mushonga."

We know that events in Zimbabwe happen at quite a pace and that MPs do have a habit of doing what they want as opposed to the parties that they represent, so this afternoon will be very interesting indeed.

-o00o-

Mugabe and his party are not happy unless they have 'educated' those who they believe need it. If that means having to abduct youngsters and beating the 'truth' into them, then so be it. And, because Mugabe has a major stake in the running and diktats of the police, the chances of anyone being brought to book for these actions are remote.

"The whereabouts of scores of youths among them MDC activists remain unknown after they were picked up by armed police officers early this morning at Trenance and Richmond in Bulawayo Central. Eyewitnesses say armed police officers rounded up the youths aged between 15 and 31 years and took them to an unknown area. All police stations said the youths were not in their custody.

Meanwhile, MDC-T Vice President, Hon. Thokozani Khupe’s driver, Witness Dube, who was arrested last week on charges of refusing to sign the ZANU PF sanctions petition is still in police custody. He was today transferred to Bulawayo Central Police Station but no charges have been brought against him as the police officers are saying they are still consulting on a charge to lay against him."

Exactly. What criminal charge is there for him to face? All he has done is to exercise his opinion and decided not to sign the anti-sanction petition... what is illegal about that? Why does making a personal stand on a document that hold no statutory or constitutional clout necessitate arrest?

Welcome to Mugabe's Zimbabwe... where any thought or action that opposes Mugabe and/or ZANU PF is answered with violence and arrest...

"ZANU PF youths led by Tendai Gurenje last night axed to death eight cattle belonging to MDC Chimanimani West district treasurer, John Neshiri. A police report was made at Chimanimani Police Station but no arrests have been made. In the same district, Israel Mureyani an MDC activist from Nedziwa Village was on Thursday admitted at Mutambara Mission Hospital after he was attacked by ZANU PF youths the same day.

Gabriel Masize, an MDC and International Society of Poets member was abducted by plain clothes police officers on Saturday at Janganu Junction in Kadoma. He was taken to Kadoma Central Police Station and charged with undermining the authority of the President.

While in custody, he was severely assaulted under the feet and private parts. Masize was released after 18 hours but medical staff and Kadoma General Hospital refused to treat him saying he should first get a report from the police detailing how he sustained the injuries."

So we have the police involving themselves in political crimes, but refusing to action any reports against ZANU PF... We have hospitals refusing to treat victims of politic violence without a police report... but how does one get that report, if the political violence was perpetrated by the police themselves?

-o00o-

This is the second suicide of a Zimbabwean in the UK in recent weeks. The first was a woman who drowned herself in a river here in Derby.

"A 40 year old Zimbabwean man Lameck Nyatsanza has died in England in an apparent suicide and his body found in his mother's toilet.

He becomes the second Zimbabwean this month to commit suicide in the UK this month.

Benedict Manangazira jumped into a frozen Derby River last Saturday. She was rescued but died in hospital shortly afterwards. She left behind three children.

The latest to kill self, Lameck Nyatsanza, was found by his brother with a ligature tied to his neck, but a drug overdose is believed to have killed him.

Nyatsanza, a nurse, owned the Falcon Care Nursing Agency in Norwich - employing dozens of Zimbabweans in the area. He is listed as one of the managers of the care agency."

-o00o-

ZANU PF will do anything to belittle and embarrass anyone affiliated to or part of either of the MDC factions.

Why was it necessary for the Minister to appear in court in leg irons?

It is my understanding that leg irons are only used when there is a probability that the accused person might abscond...

"Minister of Energy and Power Development Elton Mangoma, has appeared in court wearing handcuffs and leg irons.

Two prison officers led a shackled and limping Mangoma into court wearing chains and a prison uniform.

The deputy treasurer-general of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC party, stood silently in the dock in the Harare Court where charges of abuse of public office were read out to him. The judge accepted a request from Mangoma's defence lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa for him to stand trial without the chains.

The MDC minister then stood trial without handcuffs and leg irons and he was cheered by MDC supporters in the public gallery."

The antics with handcuffs and leg irons is just to humiliate the MDC Minister as much as possible. He is accused of a crime that uses no violence, yet is paraded in court like a violence criminal who might escape...

"Justice Chinembiri Bhunu is presiding over the high-profile trial. The State called its first witness, Justin Mupamhanga, the permanent secretary in the Energy ministry.

Mangoma appeared in court Monday over a case he was arrested on two weeks ago. He was granted US$5000 bail at the High Court last week Tuesday. He was re-arrested last Friday on a further charge of unilaterally cancelling a tender for electricity metres and allegedly corruptly awarding it to a company that used to employ him as general manager.

He has been indicted to 18 July for trial on the fresh charge.

Mangoma is facing allegations of corruption arising from a fuel deal with a South African company without going to tender. He is denying the charges.

The minister will be back at the High Court tomorrow for his bail hearing on fresh charges that he abused public office by irregularly awarding a multi-million tender to purchase electricity meters by the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), a subsidiary of ZESA.

Last week, Mtetwa lashed out at the police and prosecutors for preferring to prosecute the minister in installments.

"We believe that the latest arrest is meant to deliberately subvert the High Court order with regards to bail and that the arrest is clearly politically motivated to ensure that the accused person is unavailable for political processes that are going on in Parliament," said Mtetwa in reference to the pending elections for the Speakership in the House of Assembly that has been set down for Tuesday."

Obviously the court should consider the seriousness of the alleged crime before they agree to any bail, any other charges (which, for me, appear to be splitting hairs, if, indeed, he is guilty of any crime) and the standing of the accused in society.

By re-arresting Mangoma, ZANU PF have indicated that they intend to make an example of the Minister, whilst there are serious things happening in parliament - like the election of the Speaker of the House, due to happen later today.

"Mangoma is the MP for Makoni North in the House of Assembly. And the MDC-N announced at a press conference Monday that they will vote for MDC Speaker Lovemore Moyo, dealing a blow to ZANU PF's spirited campaign to surreptitiously install Simon Khaya-Moyo as the new Speaker.

The spokesman for the Movement for Democratic Change, Nelson Chamisa, claimed that Mangoma was being kept in terrible and deplorable conditions at the remand custody centre, held in handcuffs, leg irons and prison clothes.

The conditions are inhumane, just like the conditions under which the colonial regime kept nationalist leaders and democratic activists, he said."

-o00o-

The problems in Zimbabwe are not all political - it is a problem of ZANU PF greed and the need to 'lead' - although they have no idea what it means to lead anything...

"The crisis in Zimbabwe goes beyond the disputed elections and is more about the division of opinions among Zimbabweans themselves, the Zimbabwe Institute said on Monday.

"Elections in Zimbabwe will not resolve the crisis," said James Muzondidya, research manager for the Zimbabwe Institute, which is a political advocacy organisation.

"The issue about Zimbabwe is much more beyond elections," he said.

"The Southern African Development Community's (SADC) strategy focus on credible elections is therefore very limited.

"This is more of a political and governance problem," said Muzondidya."

Mugabe has sought to make sure that the problem is multi-faceted. Racism, tribalism, unilaterallism... not to mention dictatorship... These are the problems that Mugabe seeks to include on the Zimbabwean population's dance card.

"He also criticised the "winner takes all" electoral system, saying it pushed an incumbent political party to hold on to power for dear life.

He was speaking in Pretoria during a University of South Africa discussion themed "SADC mediation and the future of democratic transition in Zimbabwe"."

If there was a 'winner takes all' policy in Zimbabwe, then two years ago we would have seen the back of Mugabe and his ZANU PF party.

"What you have at moment is an existing framework. SADC and everybody else need to look beyond the GPA because the protagonists in the Zimbabwe crisis are looking beyond."

The agreement came into effect after months of dispute over the sharing of cabinet portfolios. Its enactment saw ZANU PF leader Robert Mugabe remain president of the country while Tsvangirai became prime minister.

Muzondidya said that in the last two years, the ability of MDC to influence change had been very limited in the power sharing government."

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Monday, 28th March 2011

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates updated...

-o00o-

A new website that will entertain the opinions, policies and life of much-persecuted Roy Bennett went live yesterday. Roy Bennett has been arrested and detained on numerous occasions for a variety of reasons. Famously, having wrestled Patrick Chinamasa to the floor in the Houses of Parliament (in fairness, Chinamasa had been deliberately taunting Bennett, calling his forebears 'murderers and thieves'), he was sentenced, by parliament to a year in jail.

More recently, he has been put through a trial in criminal courts that sought to convict him on banditry and weapons charges. Surprise, surprise! He was correctly acquitted - and the Mugabe unilaterally appointed Attorney-General immediately appealed against the ruling.

Just two weeks ago, Bennett was cleared on appeal.

But Mugabe is determined that he will not be swearing Bennett into cabinet as the Deputy Minister for Agriculture.

Click on the graphic above to visit the site, or here...

The permanent link for the website is near the top of the sidebar.

-o00o-

Recently I had the great honour of reading Peter Godwin's "The Fear - the final days of Robert Mugabe".

The subject matter may have been decidedly repulsive, but I have nothing but respect for Goodwin as a writer. He has an ability with the English language that you very seldom see very much anymore.

And it would have been so easy to emphasise the pain and hurt that has troubled Zimbabwe for so long, but Godwin managed to avoid that trap, instead telling the story of events in Zimbabwe in such a manner that we have no choice but to face the tragedy head-on.

A brilliant read.

Here, Godwin is in a brief interview with "Morning Joe" on MSNBC...

-o00o-

I have written recently about the mass grave in Mount Darwin and how the bodies found therein cannot possibly be 'slain' freedom fighters from the chimurenga in the 1970s. Over the weekend, I was emailed some photographs of the decidedly political exhumation at the site...

You don't have to be a pathologist or a forensic technician to realise that these scenes display just how flawed the exercise is. Conducted by war veterans the scene of the mass grave has now been entirely jeopardised, and it would be nigh on impossible to be able to discover what happened...

Perhaps that was one of the intentions of this apparent non-CSI operation...?

-o00o-

This is more like it. Not only does the 'exhumation' of the mass grave in Mount Darwin not make sense, but we are, by now, aware that the bodies being pulled out are not chimurenga freedom fighters from the Rhodesian bush war...

ZAPU, the target of Mugabe's vicious and deadly Gukurahundi in Mataebeland and the Midlands in the 1980s, have stated that they want to begin exhuming the mass graves of the victims of that onslaught.

About time too!

"ZAPU says it has resolved to conduct a parallel process of exhuming the remains of its members who died before and after the country’s independence.

War veterans, who are closely linked to ZANU PF, have been exhuming bodies which they claim are of freedom fighters who died in the liberation struggle.

The programme has however courted controversy with ZAPU accusing ZANU PF of carrying the exhumations for political gain ahead of elections expected later this year.

ZAPU spokesperson Methuseli Moyo said ZANU PF wanted to distort the country’s history by claiming that mass graves being exhumed in Mt Darwin contained the remains of only ZANLA ex-combatants killed during the liberation war.

"We are in the process of organising a parallel process of exhuming the remains of our members to counter ZANU PF’s attempts to distort history," said Moyo, who could not divulge when the process would start."

I served in the Zimbabwe Republic Police in Matabeleland during the onset of the Gukurahundi, and it was that operation that finally put paid to my service. Not only was the wanton execution of between twenty and thirty thousand people unpunished, but Mugabe described it as a 'moment of madness', stopping short of actually apologising to the Ndebele people...

The exhumation of what ZANU PF claim were there fighters slain by Rhodesian security forces can only be like a red rag to a bull. ZANU PF have got it all wrong.

The exhumations are not being done properly and the chances of anyone being identified are now very remote. Which will suit Mugabe perfectly. The less chance of the truth being made public, the better for him.

"ZAPU, which is led by former ZANU PF politburo member Dumiso Dabengwa, has always accused ZANU PF of trying to distort the history of the liberation struggle and downgrading ZIPRA’s contribution to the war.

ZIPRA was the military wing of ZAPU.

"ZANU believes the exhumations have been engineered by ZANU PF to stir emotions among the people for its own political mileage as we go towards elections," said Moyo.

Former ZIPRA combatants last week took aim at ZANU PF for not consulting them before exhuming remains at Monkey William Mine in Mt Darwin in Mashonaland Central province.

They dismissed as lies that remains exhumed were of ZANU PF comrades killed during the liberation struggle."

There is little doubt that the Gukurahundi was an event that has done little to endear Mugabe to the people of Matabeleland - and that they have been decidedly sidelined in the halls of power has not helped at all.

"Moyo also said the party is "seriously considering organising the exhumation of Gukurahundi victims for the world to see and appreciate what Gukurahundi was all about".

"Gukurahundi evidence is plenty and fresh," said Moyo. "The fact that some of the architects of the genocide are still with us makes the task easier because they can give evidence and pin-point the mass graves we do not yet know.

"We are afraid that the ZANU PF-managed exhumations may be used to cover-up evidence of the Gukurahundi atrocities."

Mugabe is attempting to show his party as a victim rather than as a perpetrator.

-o00o-

The anti-sanctions petition is deeply flawed, and it is in the public domain that the signatures collected are either forcibly taken or are the signatures of people who have died, but ZANU PF continue with the exercise nonetheless.

My question is what crime has this person committed by refusing to sign the petition?

"ZANU PF supporters are reportedly coercing villagers in various parts of the country to sign the anti-sanctions petition, with reports that those resisting were being arrested.

The Welshman Ncube-led MDC party said some of its members in Mashonaland Central, Midlands, Mashonaland East, Manicaland, Masvingo and Mashonaland West provinces were being arrested or attacked for refusing to sign the petition.

"Simon Waiton, the MDC Muzarabani South chairperson, has been arrested by police after resisting to sign the anti-sanctions petition and is being held at Centenary Police Station," said the MDC’s deputy spokesman, Kurauone Chihwayi.

However, police national spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena denied the allegations.

"There is nothing like that. It’s absurd," said Bvudzijena.

"I can confidently say it’s not true, because not signing the petition is not a crime. That is a voluntary issue and no one can be arrested for not signing. If an MDC official was arrested, it could be for other reasons," he said."

Based upon Bvudzijena's comment above, then why are people being beaten for resisting and refusing to sign the petition? Obviously, it Siman Waiton has been arrested, it will be for another more believable charge, but trumped up nonetheless.

Meanwhile, ZANU PF will stop at nothing to achieve their goal.

"ZANU PF has ordered villagers here to bring identification documents belonging to dead relatives and append signatures on their behalf on the Mugabe-initiated anti-sanctions petition.

"We were ordered to sign the anti-sanctions petition on behalf of our relatives including those who died long back. ZANU PF officials said all that mattered was the national registration number to appear against the signature," said a villager at Nhekayiro Business Centre."

Rather like the flawed electoral roll, Mugabe's party are intent on using manufactured names and the names of the deceased to make up the numbers. But, as the article suggests, it is the national registration number that is the important reference. Therefore, given the opportunity, the signatures could by forensic cleaned and the depth of the duplicity exposed.

What makes me think that the 'petition' will never become public domain?

"At Nhowe Business Centre, Chief Svosve area, ZANU PF Marondera East District Chairperson, Sheppard Zenda, last Tuesday threatened villagers with violence if they did not support the anti-sanctions cause. Disgruntled villagers said since they were brutalized by ZANU PF and denied access to donor food items and farm inputs by Zenda, it was reason enough not to support the project. Those too old to walk the distance to designated petition signing centres had to give their identification particulars to ZANU PF militia, who would append signatures on their behalf."

ZANU PF, now desperate to get signatures for Mugabe's anti-sanctions petition has turned to those in custody to sign the fraudulent document.

"ZANU PF officials in Karoi have turned to convicted inmates in a desperate bid to garner 2 million signatures for their controversial anti-sanctions petition.

Prison sources said they were given their forms on Friday to distribute among prisoners in the complex. The prisoners were forced to sign the petition without any resistance. The prison guards signed the forms under the watchful eye of senior officer in Charge Christine Manhivi.

'Prisoners, who included those on remand, were also forced to sign the forms. We have all the details of these inmates so it was easy to compile the list. There were no questions on the matter. It is mandatory for everyone,"' said the sources who spoke on conditions they were not identified.

Prison officers told Radio VOP that the exercise will also be done at Hurungwe prison about 50 kilometers out of Karoi town.

"We are being monitored closely by prison security officers who want to prevent us from leaking information to the media," said another prison source."

It is easy to force signatures out of people in prison - all the pro-ZANU PF prison service have to do is withhold food and drink from the prisoners...

"Youth activists in Karoi have also embarked on a door to door campaign to collect signatures that will be forwarded to the host countries including Britain, USA among others as well as European Union.

The EU and the United States imposed targeted sanctions against ZANU PF leaders and businesses linked to the party as punishment for human rights violations. The targeted sanctions do not affect ordinary Zimbabweans with no links to the party. Since the sanctions were imposed in 2002, ZANU PF including President Robert Mugabe have been barred from travelling to those countries. Mugabe has only managed to attend meetings organised by the United Nations."

Perhaps someone should start a like petition. I don't believe that it would take very long to get 2 million signatures from Zimbabweans in the diaspora allying themselves with the targeted sanctions.

After all, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction...

-o00o-

Once again, Mugabe has displayed a total disrespect for the people of Zimbabwe. By calling the ZANU PF Burial Society grave sites the NATIONAL Heroes' Acre, he is suggesting that ZANU PF is a national institution, which it certainly is not...

"President Robert Mugabe has told critics only members of his ZANU PF party will be buried at the national Heroes Acre in Harare and said those unhappy with the development were free to establish separate shrines for their own heroes.

The ZANU PF politburo has, since independence, exclusively selected the country’s national heroes most of whom are then buried at the North Korea-built shrine just outside the capital.

The party has consistently ignored calls for a non-partisan selection process from opposition groups.

But critics say Mugabe has used the honour to punish critics as well as reward loyalists, some of them undeserving of the accolade."

Trust me, even the dead that have been buried at the shrine were against that being their last resting place. Joshua Nkomo, for many years Mugabe's adversary, is buried there and his family have stated, on more than one occasion that it would be the family's preference that he be buried in Matabeleland.

We have also read of the families of heroes being left to live in abject poverty, the dead being forgotten by the Mugabe administration.

Mugabe is dropping the thin veil of secrecy over his various programmes because he no longer sees the need for the duplicity to remain hidden. He no longer cares who knows that he and his party are intent on remaining in charge, popular mandate or not.

"But President Mugabe has again reiterated that only ZANU PF members who had shown consisted loyalty to the party would be buried at the shrine.

Speaking at the funeral wake of politburo member David Karimanzira who died at a Harare hospital on Thursday, Mugabe said those unhappy with selection process were free to establish their own shrines at any of the country’s innumerate hills and mountains.

Speaking in shona, the ZANU PF leader told mourners: "Kune vamwe vakati toda kuendesawo vedu ikoko, asi takati kwete. Zvikomo zvakazara munyika muno. Ngavatsvagewo chavo chikomo vavigane ikoko”.

Mugabe said there had not been any need a Politburo vote over Karimanzira’s Hero status.

"We did not even have to vote because everyone agreed that he should be buried at the National Heroes Acre."

Mugabe doesn't even bother with his own party protocols...

-o00o-

Mugabe no longer cares who sees his administration committing serious breaches in human rights, he no longer cares what the watching worl has to say by way of opinion. He only cares that he remains in power - and has his fractious party's backing.

"Police chanting liberation war songs on Saturday raided MDC-T headquarters at Harvest House in Harare beating up party activists from Mufakose that had converged to hold their primary elections.

The police officers are alleged to have failed to gain access into the building after alert MDC-T security officers sealed the entrance.

The raid comes as Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday met with South African President Jacob Zuma over the current arbitrary arrest and persecution of senior members of MDC-T and human rights defenders."

Since when do police details chant liberation war songs as they commit to the Mugabe party's whims?

The vast majority of policemen on this raid would be too young to have participated in the chimurenga...

The Constitution of Zimbabwe states - quite clearly - that police officers must be 'apolitical' (politically neutral) - but with a pro-Mugabe police chief in the shape of Augustine Chihuri, no serving member will escape the attentions of the party.

"The motive of the raid is still unknown but it comes in the wake of the re-arrest last week Friday of Energy and Power Development Minister Elton Mangoma for alleged abuse of office charges.

Mangoma’s arrest comes amid reports that nine other MDC-T MPs that include Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe, Home Affairs co-minister Theresa Makone, dethroned Speaker of Parliament Lovemore Moyo, Glen View MP Paul Madzore and Chipinge West MP Sibonile and Nyamudeza are among those also targeted for arrest.

Party spokesperson Nelson Chamisa yesterday described the raid as a sustained attack on the MDC-T party."

Mugabe is intent on demolishing the MDC and the support it enjoys before any date for an election is announced. That way, the majority of his work is done before real campaigning even starts...

"Efforts to get a comment from the police were fruitless as police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena’s mobile phone went unanswered.

Meanwhile, Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka yesterday confirmed that the PM met with Zuma in South Africa to update him on the "dire situation in Zimbabwe"."

Wasted breath when dealing with Jacob Zuma, possibly Mugabe's most fanatical supporter...

-o00o-

"Coup" is not a pretty word - it conjures up vision of a bloody takeover of the State by armed rebels. But Mugabe seems to have done it from the inside of government.

"Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says there are strong indications that President Robert Mugabe is no longer in charge of the country.

Tsvangirai said many of the issues he agrees with the ZANU PF leader in their weekly meetings are often later reversed, ostensibly by security chiefs.

Alternatively, Tsvangirai said in an exclusive interview with the Daily News this week, Mugabe was "playing games" with the MDC leader - if Zimbabwe’s octogenarian leader was not being held captive by security chiefs.

"In our bilateral meetings, I have discussed the issue of violence and implored Mugabe to deal with elements in the security organs.

His response has always been that we don’t condone violence. If he doesn’t follow up, it’s either he is in charge or not in charge. That leaves me with a question: Is he part of a conspiracy to undermine the government or his people are defying his instructions?" said Tsvangirai."

Obviously Mugabe is part of the conspiracy, but, because he is Robert Mugabe - labelled the 'second son of God' and the 'king of kings' by his ZANU PF party - he places himself in such a vaunted position that no amount of negotiating, voting or pressure will dislodge him.

The Joint Operations Command (JOC), made up of the more militant service chiefs in Zimbabwe, make the decisions and Mugabe just follows their lead.

He is a figurehead - an old man with little left to prove to anyone. He is only interested in preserving his own skin.

"To be truthful, what is now evident is that some of these actions are a fait accompli from a third force within the government, which acts with impunity. You wonder if there is still control by a civilian authority in government."

Tsvangirai said there was a group of senior ZANU PF officials who had seemingly taken over the "full-time" role of undermining his efforts and working relationship with Mugabe.

"There is a coterie in ZANU PF which includes senior people in the police, the military, Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), (and includes) Emmerson Mnangagwa and Jonathan Moyo.

"As PM I am accountable for the supervision of all ministers, but there are some who do not report to me but go directly to Mugabe and these include Mnangagwa and State Security Minister Sydney Sekeramayi," Tsvangirai said.

He accused the CIO bosses of shielding one of their operatives, Joseph Mwale, from prosecution - 11 years after the High Court ordered his arrest for the gruesome murder of Tsvangirai’s bodyguards.

Former High Court Judge James Devitte ordered Mwale in 2000 to be arrested and charged with the gruesome and broad daylight murder of Tichaona Chiminya and Talent Mabika at Murambinda Growth Point, during a campaign for Tsvangirai.

Devitte emotionally told the court that the brutal killings "were a wicked act" and nullified the results of the Buhera North constituency which had been contentiously won by ZANU PF’s Kenneth Manyonda who narrowly beat Tsvangirai.

Mwale and his accomplice, Kainos "Kitsiyatota" Zimunya, are still enjoying their freedom.

"What we are aware of is that he (Mwale) is under the protection of the state. It is his bosses at the CIO who are supposed to produce the man. We are waiting. So far there is a conspiracy of silence about this man," Tsvangirai said.

He said since becoming the PM, he did not take up the issue with Mugabe because "I thought the warrants and orders around his arrest were sufficient".

It was critical that the State adequately dealt with murders and violence, including the Gukurahundi atrocities, said Tsvangirai. While he said cabinet was trying to deal with the issue of violence, national healing and GPA problems, he slammed recent exhumations of bodies by suspected ZANU PF, which he said were illegal.

"It’s illegal to exhume bodies. Police must investigate missing people and exhume them after carrying forensic assessments. The MDC has its members missing and how do we know if those that are being exhumed are not our members? Forensic assessments should be done to verify the state of the bodies not what we are witnessing," Tsvangirai warned.

ZANU PF has come under serious attacks from civic and rights groups over its conduct around the political exhumations of people it claimed were buried in mass graves by Rhodesian forces.

The exhumations have sparked a welter of emotions, in particular from relatives of the Gukurahundi operation, which led to the killings of more than 20 000 civilians in Matabeleland and some parts of the Midlands during a crackdown against supposed bandits by security forces.

A North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade ran the operation in what became to be understood as one of the darkest periods of post-independence Zimbabwe.

Relatives of the people slain during Gukurahundi have demanded that the exhumations be extended to Matabeleland and the Midlands if ZANU PF is serious about its 'discoveries'."

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Take care.

'debvhu