CHINJA MAITIRO!

Land reform: How the looting on farms began

2007-12-17T12:23:00.001+02:00

Sundayview by Judith Todd

LINK!!!

TRYING to find out what happened to land bought by government for resettlement with donor funds that had come mainly from Britain, Chief Minister Joshua Nkomo travelled the country in August and September 1988.

It was said that, of the funds provided, Zimbabwe had spent 47 million pounds by 1985, with which well over three million hectares had been purchased, and that three million pounds that had not been spent had been returned by a largely disinterested Zimbabwe government to Britain.

President Mugabe and colleagues had other matters on their minds and weren’t wasting much time or thought on the ownership or use of land by their fellow citizens. I knew this at first hand. My father’s Hokonui Ranch, well watered and bordering crowded communal lands, had been offered twice to government for acquisition, but no one was interested.

Before Nkomo left Harare, he assembled information on farms acquired. Just before he arrived in Matabeleland South, Governor Mark Dube and the head of the provincial police force based in Gwanda went on unscheduled leave. That was a dramatic illustration of how little they respected the status of the chief minister in the president’s office and with what contempt they viewed the unity accord. In their absence, Nkomo was attended to by the provincial administrator.

When they met in Gwanda, Nkomo asked the provincial administrator how many farms government had acquired in Matabeleland South. The PA was obviously ill at ease and flustered, but said he thought there were fifteen. "Really," said Nkomo, taking a list of farms from his pocket. "This is very interesting, because the people in Harare think there are sixty-four. So let’s just visit all the names on this list and see what the true situation is."

On the second day of touring, the PA begged to be excused from accompanying Nkomo as, he said, he was beginning to feel very sick. Flu or something. Nkomo assured him that he would undoubtedly start feeling better as the day wore on and did not excuse him. The PA had already admitted that he had been instructed by Governor Mark Dube to tell Nkomo that the government had bought only 15 farms in the province.

As they travelled from farm to farm, the workers assembled, so happy to meet Nkomo, who chatted easily to them, admiring the beautiful cattle and the wonderful farm. So when he asked to whom it belonged, they freely said, "Governor Dube," or whoever the chef in possession of the land was.

"How many cattle on this farm?"

"One thousand," or however many there were.

"And to whom do they belong?"

"Governor Dube," or whoever the chef was.

But there were not only cattle on these farms. There were government tractors, trucks from the District Development Fund, and where did all these cattle come from?

One of the farms turned out to "belong" to the indisposed provincial administrator.

When Nkomo reported his findings on Matabeleland South, President Mugabe gave the impression of being stunned. Only one word could describe what had been going on, and that word was looting. Now we could begin to understand why people like Governor Dube were at all stages trying to sabotage the return of the dissidents to society. Their disruptive presence in the bush was a wonderful cover for the grabbing of land, animals and equipment and an excuse not to resettle the landless people for whom it was claimed the farms had been acquired.

Despite Nyagumbo and others who hated Nkomo, the integration of PF Zapu and Zanu PF seemed to be going quite well. One of the people being particularly friendly post-unity was Deputy Minister Amina Hughes.

Just before the 70th birthday in July of Senator Joe Culverwell, the Deputy Minister for Education, she told me that she had got hold of some fake rhino horn powder as his birthday present. Rhino horn is reputedly a powerful aphrodisiac, hence the plight of the rhinos.

I went to a small American embassy party in honour of the new head of the US Information Services, who was originally a Palestinian . . . Senator Culverwell was a fellow guest at the party, and we were on the balcony watching the most glorious sunset. It was the sort of evening that, depending on your circumstances, could inspire thoughts of rhino horn.

So Joe told me of this wonderful gift that Amina had given him. He said: "So many people want it! Comrade Marere (a fellow deputy minister) has offered me Z$10 for just a little pinch!" Of course, I didn’t tell him that I knew about it and that it was fake. I just said I wondered how Amina could have got hold of it. Could it have been from Mrs Victoria Chitepo, Minister for Tourism and Natural Resources? Joe looked horrified?

Two prominent members of the former PF Zapu were named as envoys, more fruits of unity. Isaac Nyathi, who was detained with Masuku and Dabengwa after Nitram was banned, became the new high commissioner to Nigeria and Ghana. Arthur Chadzingwa was the ambassador to Algeria. Arthur was someone loved by people in all groups. He was a candidate for PF Zapu in the 1980 elections, but was prevented from campaigning in his home area of Manicaland by members of Zanla. At least they said: "Sorry, Arthur" and didn’t visit violence upon him.

During the time of the Pearce Commission, when thousands of people were locked up by the Smith regime, Arthur was for some time held in a cell with Charlton C Ngcebetsha. He helped the time pass by teaching Arthur cricket in a cell with no ball and no bat. Arthur said he got pretty good at shouting HOWZAT! Arthur also told me that Ngcebetsha had lamented the fact that most great men like Winston Churchill and Garfield Todd had disappointing children.

Charlton Cezani Ngcebetsha was born in the Transkei in 1909, and moved north to Ntabazinduna, outside Bulawayo, as a missionary for the Presbyterian Church. He became heavily involved in education, business, politics and the press, and was close to Joshua Nkomo. He founded the African Home News in 1953, which was closed in 1965 when he was detained in Gonakudzingwa. Charlton Ngcebetsha was quite irrepressible, and somehow, within a short time of his detention, the first edition of Gonakudzingwa Home News hit the streets of Bulawayo . . .

Shadreck B Gutto, the Kenyan academic, was "requested" to leave Zimbabwe, where he had been teaching at the university. He was given 48 hours to clear out and went to Norway. Paul Themba Nyathi, our director, returned from leave in Zambia, where he had bumped into some representatives of a group of 300 exiles who were still too scared to return to Zimbabwe.

Eleven of their number had gone home the previous September and promised to write to their comrades to tell them what life was like. As the people in Zambia hadn’t heard a word from them, they assumed they were either locked up in Stops Camp, or dead. So the safe return of these 300 would probably be a task for us in the New Year. We hadn’t yet finished coping with the former dissidents. Forty-three of them were doing very well in the new co-operative in the Nkayi area, but the rest still had to establish themselves.

Excerpt from Judith Todd’s latest book, Through the Darkness; A Life in Zimbabwe, available from www.zebrapress.co.za.

THE ZIMBABWE INTELLIGENCE FORCES AND THE ZIMBABWE CRISIS – PART TWO.

2007-11-26T07:48:00.000+02:00

DID YOU MISS THESE ONES???

WHY THE SADC/MBEKI TALKS CANNOT AND WILL NOT SOLVE ZIMBABWE'S PROBLEMS!!!

IS THE NATION OF ZIMBABWE READY FOR THE EARTHLY DEPARTURE OF ITS "FATHER"??

THE ZIMBABWE INTELLIGENCE FORCES AND THE ZIMBABWE CRISIS PART ONE!!!

PRELIMINARY REMARKS:

I promised you that I would write more about my relationship with the Intelligence Forces operating in Zimbabwe. I could definitely do that but I have noticed that I could never make the average person understand that one can be related closely to the Intelligence Forces and not intend to have any monetary benefit from that relationship. I’m sure there are some already who are looking at me with raised eyebrows after my submission “THE ZIMBABWE INTELLIGENCE FORCES AND THE ZIMBABWE CRISIS - PART ONE.”

Is Mr Hove a CIO “informer”? Has he been planted into the “Democratic Forces” etc etc???

Many people are not able to think above the “obvious!”

The jails all over the world are full of innocent individuals who could not prove their innocence because of certain complexities.

In a submission entitled “The thoughts and memories of a former ZANU-PF cadre” (link available at www.finalpushzim.blogspot.com), I said I marvelled at the complexity of a movie called “THE FUGITIVE”. In this film, an innocent doctor was turned overnight into a fugitive by a very complex set of happenings.

Please kindly read that submission of mine and also look for that movie if you haven’t seen it yet.

There are situations in life where only God above can “vindicate” someone! Not even the cleverest lawyer can secure an acquittal in certain situations! If you have never been in that kind of situation, you will never understand what I’m talking about. But through this submission, I hope to make you understand what I’m trying to say.

I then also promised you, dear readers, that I would relate my experiences and discussions at the ANC Headquarters on a certain August day in 2006. Its very true that I was granted audience by a very Senior ANC Officer whose office is situated on the 9th floor.

I could relate exactly what we discussed and how I was completely disappointed by the clear commitment of the ANC Administration to stand with Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF in spite of what they themselves admit they know about the true situation in Zimbabwe. I will refer to that fully as I go on with this present submission.

What is desperately urgent is that I make absolutely clear where I personally stand on certain strategic issues!

It is more important that you understand what my objectives are rather than just for you to visit my sites and treat them simply as either “Libraries” or “Archives” where Zim issues are found and that being the “be-all-and-the end-all.”

If all my effort is just viewed just “another Zimbabwean blogger”, then I will have completely failed in what I have set myself to accomplish. I’m a blogger for the simple reason that I have to communicate with all around the world and blogspots are the perfect avenue for reaching millions and even decision-makers can peruse (as I know they do) and get “the feel” of the common person that I believe I am.

I get inspiration from other bloggers and I see others get inspiration from my work.

Whenever I come across anything important pertaining to the country of my ancestors, I either copy and post on one of my 30 blog-sites or I just provide a link from my Main Site direct to the source site.

My main objective, though, is to establish myself as a reliable analyst and hopefully even enter the “game” itself.

But like the late Professor Masipula Sithole, I may not survive in the real game for I’m too sincere and too honest. That’s why I could never succeed even as a paid “informant” for anybody.

When I lost my job with ZESA in October, 2003 (see October is a strange month not only for the MDC); a Senior Operative in the CIO offered to “look after me if I could assist him in certain assignments.” I told him clearly that I was looking at the overall solution of the National Crisis and not at my own personal situation or calamity. That continues to be my stand even now.

The very fact that I deliberately wrote a letter which was published by the “Financial Gazette” on the 10th of June, 2003 showed how committed I was to risk my own career in ZESA for what I believed as the truth.

The letter was entitled “Appeal to Mangwengwende” and I was lamenting that the Power Utility was being run as a Political Tool of ZANU-PF and workers were being victimised, dismissed etc and I was indirectly calling for the return of the Legitimate Chief Executive Engineer Simbarashe Mangwengwende who had been improperly “fired” by the Simon Khaya-Moyo appointed Sidney Gata who was Robert Mugabe Matibili’s brother-in law.

It is vital that I inform you that I was then Chairman of the Workers’ Committee for the District covering Mutorashanga to Kariba.

An informal relationship had already developed between me and many Intelligence Operatives and this had been strengthened when I participated on a Saturday Evening Reggae programme which was being done on 3FM in Gweru.

This reggae programme was being hosted by a certain “Rebel Soul Jah” (Rungano Nhara) and we were supporting the Land Reform Programme among other “black-consciousness” discussions.

I loved that programme because it gave opportunities for callers to call in “live” and contribute whatever they wanted to contribute without any sensorship.

My intention was to give the people of Zimbabwe the platform to air their grievances and let the “powers-that-be” hear the common from the “comfort of their homes.” I actually provoked the listeners to discuss such areas as “corruption”, “the state-sponsored violence” etc.

A lot of ZANU-PF Central Committee members were impressed by my voluntary efforts including the discussions on “sensitive” subjects such as curruption, State-sponsored Violence etc.

But (as I expected), I developed enemies on both sides but I also developed new friends as well.

(By both sides I mean ZANU-PF being the one side and the MDC being the other side.)

ZANU-PF viewed me with suspicion and Professor Jonathan Moyo (the then Minister responsible for Information) personally called “Man Soul Jah” (Joseph Nhara), the then 3FM Station Manager asking that the programme exclude me.

The programme did continue without me but I would be given many minutes by my friends at the station who allowed to speak “live” from my telephone 300km away hence making me an effective broadcaster “from the comfort of my home”.

(I used to joke that the money I was saving on transport to get to Gweru was now effectively diverted to my telephone bill.)

The “powers-that-be” were still not impressed and “Rebel Soul Jah” was told to do away with “live calls”. In fact throughout the four State Radio Stations, all “live” calls were banned because I now found joy in phoning and inserting politics whenever I got through to any of the Stations.

Then within a few months the Raggae programme on 3FM was dropped altogether!

But many of the friends and enemies I got during my period of “broadcasting” continue up to this day. I called myself “The Radical Soldier” since each Rastaman had to have a special identity of his own.

So it was difficult for many people to know whether I was ZANU-PF or MDC. I could not fit properly within ZANU-PF because how could I be such a “boora ngoma”? (one that vandalises a drum while the people are busy enjoying at a function or simply put a “boat-rocker”)

I could not fit in properly within the MDC because I was supporting the Land Reform Programme!

But “The Daily News” published my letters and I wrote under the same nume-du-plume “Radical Soldier”.

My main lament was that there was too much arrogance on ZANU-PF’s part and I believed both the main parties could sit down and discuss National Issues for the sake of carrying the country forward. But I continued to be received with “mixed feelings.”

ZANU-PF viewed me as a “sell-out” and the MDC viewed me as a “ZANU-PF sympathiser” or at worst, as a CIO informant. I loved the confusion because my main objective was to highlight the errors of ZANU-PF while trying to bring the MDC to appreciate the values that ZANU-PF stood for. Even now I believe the way forward for Zimbabwe is a “reconciliation” of the two main parties’ positions.

LETS NOW GO DEPEER INTO THE SUBJECT BEFORE US!

Firstly, apparently truth is not a respected commodity in Politics.

We are always made to believe that “Politics is a dirty game!” So anyone who tries to mediate or be a facilitator in any mediation efforts in the world must make up their minds whether they want to go the direction of the full truth or they want to continue to be biased political players while pretending to be neutral referees.

The Zimbabwean situation is too complex and requires an exceptionally high degree of integrity and objectivity. As we go on with this submission, we will discover if the ANC and Cde Thabo Mbeki pass or fail the test.

I will not need to judge them!

You will see for yourselves from the “litmus tests” that will be before us.

The first near-impossible task before me is to try and show you that it is completely irrelevant to concentrate on the holding of Elections in 2008 as a way of resolving the Zimbabwean Crisis. Those on the “ZANU-PF side” want to mobilize the very persons who have been made abject destitutes by Mugabe and ZANU-PF to vote for the same Mugabe and ZANU-PF and Mr Robert Mugabe surprisingly expects a “resounding victory!”

Who must give Mugabe and ZANU-PF a “resounding victory”?

Millions are in foreign lands and are not allowed to vote so they can remove the present Administrators and put in a new set of Administrators who can then work day and night to try and bring sanity to the present tragic situation.

On the other hand, the Opposition Forces themselves are in complete disarray! The tragedy is not only in their disarray! The greater tragedy is in their failure to see the disarray and what caused it in the first place.

How Brother Morgan Tsvangirai fails to see that he and he alone was the cause of the October, 2005 split completely baffles me!

I’m completely aware of very delicate and painstaking efforts that were made to try and bring some sort of compromise after the 12 October 2005 tragedy. Like I’ve always said, “I believe I’m one of the most informed persons in Zimbabwe” and that I’m not ashamed to say.

Mr Gibson Sibanda appeared drunk (but it was obviously stress, depression etc) as he staggered into the room where they were giving a Press Conference explaining to the world what the real truth was about the state of the Movement for Democratic Change. (I’m talking about the events of October, 2005)

A lot of emissaries were sent from the Gibson Sibanda / Prof Welshman Ncube side to the MDC Founding President but they were repeatedly told about their mothers’ very private parts (literally!)

We are looking for a person who can lead Zimbabwe out of its present predicament and is Tsvangirai that person?

While it is very disappointing that the MDC has failed to re-unite, those of a higher perception should see it as a real blessing indeed that Tsvangirai received the longest rope possible but has failed to put it to good use. If you think I’m an extension of “ZANU-PF Propaganda” by saying this, I forgive your shallowness!

Are we serious that Morgan Tsvangirai should lead the country when he has completely failed to, at least, acknowledge his glaring shortcomings while leading a Political Movement?

So the first impossible task is to convince Tsvangirai to step aside and allow someone alse to complete the noble task which he himself began! I think it is much easier to talk to Cde Robert Mugabe about stepping aside than it is to tell Mr Morgan Tsvangirai!

So while we “weep” for the failure of the MDC to “re-unite”, we must be grateful that the “original” MDC didn’t get into power otherwise we would having serious Contitutional Crises one after another.

The second impossible task is to make Cde Thabo Mbeki more sincere in his efforts to solve the Zimbabwean Crisis!

Cde Thabo Mbeki, as I have repeatedly said before, is more to blame for the Crisis in Zimbabwe than even Mugabe and ZANU-PF!

Were it not for the moral support from Mbeki and the ANC, Mugabe would not have proceeded the way he did!

But on the other hand it is not entirely false that the land issue had to addressed. I have said before that the land issue itself needs a submission of its own. There are too many half-truths and too many outright lies as far as the land issue is concerned.

Contrary to popular information, it was not Cde Mugabe’s idea that the land issue be addressed in the manner that it was now done. There is nothing as difficult as trying to inform angry people about something. The Zimbabweans have just to know the real truth about how the present “chaotic” Land Reform/Distribution Programme really came about.

Its very strategically important to know that because there is nothing as dangerous as fumbling in ignorance and having a whole lot of intellectuals lacking inside information on how things really happened in ZANU-PF.

That is where characters like us come in. To provide accurate inside information about the workings of ZANU-PF so that those that are seeking a way forward for Zimbabwe may not do “piece-jobs” which will not help the present situation.

HOW DID THE “CHAOTIC LAND RE-DISTRIBUTION” REALLY HAPPEN?

After ZANU-PF and the Intelligence Forces saw the clear popularity of Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC, the situation was really desperate. Mugabe and ZANU-PF had to do one of two options.

The first one was to admit that the NCA/MDC Coalition must just be allowed to get into power.

It was a pure co-incidence that there was the “bad” correspondence between Britain (Claire Short etc) and ZANU-PF over the so-called failure of Britain to fulfil its obligations over providing funds for purchasing land from the white farmers.

I do not refuse that the land issue was a burning one which needed addressing. In fact I commend Mugabe and ZANU-PF for their patience over the two decades after 1980.

I also castigate Mugabe and ZANU-PF for rampant corruption in their use or rather misuse of the funds that they were receiving from Britain over the early years from 1980.

I also strongly castigate Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF for frustrating Dr Joshua Nkomo and the ex-ZIPRA fighters when they tried to establish models for re-settlement and self-reliance on the farms they purchased with their meagre “De-mob” payouts.

The 22nd of December, 2007 is exactly 20 years after that so-called “Unity Accord” when PF-ZAPU was effectively swallowed by Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF. But to add insult to injury, the NITRAM farms were not returned to their rightful owners. Many ex-ZIPRA fighters have since died and their families are wallowing in poverty and Robert Mugabe has not yet addressed this injustice.

The ex-ZAPU people in that “Unity Accord” eg Joseph Msika, Dumiso Dabengwa, Simon Khaya-Moyo etc are feeding their bulging bellies with ZANU loot and forgetting the issues affecting their former members. Wait until Mugabe dies and see these “resurrection” of issues like these!

I again castigate Mugabe and ZANU-PF for “crushing” the Rev Ndabaningi Sithole’s model of resettlement as he was trying it at his Churu Farm.

(My desire has always been to take a lot of time to explain where exactly some of us stand as far as the complex Zim Politics is concerned.)

The second option was for ZANU-PF to take a very risky path and do all the unthinkables you can ever imagine. This is the option that they decided to take.

Let me at this juncture address the details of how the “chaotic land re-destribution” really happened.

The serving and retired Army Generals, senior Intelligence Chiefs and very senior ZANU leaders like Cde Nathan Shamhuyarira requested a meeting with Cde Robert Mugabe. This was in early 2000. This meeting was held at the State House itself unlike other meetings which are held either at the ZANU-PF Headquarters or Munhumutapa (formerly Milton) Buildings.

I heard from very reliable sources that retired General Mujuru wept when he asked Cde Mugabe why the children had died in the Liberation War. (“Vana vakafirei nhai vaMugabe? Ko tinondoti chii kwavari vana ava?’/ “For what reason did the children die Cde Mugabe? What are we going to say to them?”)

I understand Cde Mugabe himself said, “My hands are tied. There is nothing I can do. There are all the laws: laws of trespass etc.” The meeting was very sombre and emotional. All the consequences of “unleashing the people” into the Commercial Farms were discussed. ZANU-PF did not do the so-called “land grab” without appreciating the very consequences that are before the country at the moment.

Cde Mugabe was told in no uncertain terms that he risks being just a “puppet” at State House while the country deteriorated into uncontrollable anarchy. The retired and serving Generals threatened not only to “turn a blind eye” to “farm invasions” but to actively assist in them.

An agreement was made that a task force was to be established which would include intellectuals like Dr (or is it Prof?) Claude Mararike which would carefully explore the direction that was being now taken and to have a serious look at the finer details of Information Dissemination and Control, The Legal Issues etc. Contrary to popular belief, Cde Mugabe did not behave as a normal dictator would in this particular so-called “Land Grab Issue.”

Cde Mugabe had to get assurances from those in the most senior positions that there would be a “pact of blood” unto death as they arranged to go this direction. This is very, very strategic to note for many wonder why no-one is organising a “coup” etc. Who will do the “coup” and with whom will he have arranged it?

I find it extremely irresponsible for Prof Jonathan Moyo to give the world a false hope that there could ever be a coup in Zimbabwe as things stand. Prof Moyo was close enough to the goings-on to know that the meeting in Victoria Falls occurred well after this meeting I’m referring to here. Anyone as high up as the Politburo would have to call for some uprising of some sort from outside the country and never from within Zimbabwe.

ZANU yakarukwa zvokuti hapana mutsauko pakati paiyo ZANU pachayo nemapazi eHurumende anenge maporisa, masoja, “zvipoko” etc etc (ZANU-PF is so well arranged that there is no difference between ZANU-PF the Political Party and the “arms” of Government eg the Police, The Army, The CIO etc etc.)

After the year 2000, ZANU-PF entered into a new “gear” and any “dubious” members within the Civil Service are immediately “flushed out” and either flee on their own or may even be severely dealt with if they continue to (as they say) continue to “frustrate the revolution.” Many have disappeared without trace if they dared persist in certain “counter-revolutionary” activities.

ZANU-PF was made to re-visit the very methods which they used during the war years. “Pungwes” (all-night rallies) had to return. Political Commissars had to be restored to effectiveness. The late Cde “Border-to-border” Border Gezi (although he himself was not a real war veteran) supervised this very strategic Department.

The ZANU-PF leadership then said they would only respect those Institutions and Laws that were not counter to the Revolution.

The late Vice-President Simon Vengai Muzenda once asked,” Ko High Court yamunoti ichakubatsirai kuti isu vene vevhu tisatora ivhu redu, yakanga iri kupi varungu pavakatitorera ivhu racho? Yakati chii High Court yacho? Inga varungu vacho ivavo ndivo vakatouya nayo High Court yacho?”

(This High Court which you say must and help you that we, the rightful owners of the land must not get our land back, where was it when the whites took that land away fron us? What did that High Court say then? Isn’t that the same whites are the ones who brought that same High Court?)

So the “flushing out” of senior Judges like Chief Justice Gubbay was very deliberate and had nothing to do with any inefficiencies etc on their part.

Think-tanks like Dr Tafataona Mahoso, Dr Claude Mararike etc were tasked with studying various previous revolutions so that they could not only chart the way forward but to also provide the “Revolution” with the necessary Academic “face”.

I once personally asked Dr Mararike (face-to-face) if they didn’t see certain of ZANU-PF’s faults eg rampant corruption, the assassination of various ZANU-PF and non-ZANU-PF members and his reply to me was very direct and specific. “We do not get distracted from our goals because of certain individual and specific incidents.” (words to that effect.) “There is no revolution that is perfect just like there is no individual that is perfect.” Knowing that I am a Minister of Gospel, he specifically said, “Jesus himself said there is none that is perfect but God only.”

So anyone who talks about ZANU-PF’s lack of respect for Human Rights, State-Sponsored Violence, the Rigging of Elections, Corruption (say in the Distribution of land etc) is really wasting their time; yes, wasting their precious time.

Prof Jonathan Moyo shocked me one day when he was still the Minister of State for Information. He was addressing Officers in the Zimbabwe National Army at their prestigious MILITARY ACADEMY. He said words to the effect that the issue of “multiple ownership” of farms was not important. What was important was that the land was now in black hands.

What the Honourable Professor did not realise then (perhaps he realises it now); is that for a Revolution to succeed, there should be a very minimum number of individuals who are dissatisfied with the “goings-on”. If you don’t care who you hurt, who you disappoint, who you frustrate etc then you end up with millions who you will describe as “sell-outs” like the situation we have at the moment with Zimbabwe.

Robert Mugabe rigs the Elections, Morgan Tsvangirai calls for that regime to be isolated, then Mugabe says Morgan is a sell-out because he calls for “sanctions” against the country.

WHAT STUPID LOGIC AND APPRENTLY MUCH OF AFRICA BELIEVES IT!

If you will ill-treat me, like Dr Sidney Gata did specifically to me then don’t cry foul when I get the chance to hit back!

The lesson is: DON’T ILL-TREAT OTHER PEOPLE FOR ONE DAY YOU MAY FALL INTO THEIR HANDS REQURING MERCY!!

Mr Tsvangirai was perfectly justified in calling for South Africa and every country to completely isolate the Mugabe Regime. The issue was not only about the land issue. Surely which black person did not know that the Land Issue had to addressed in some way? But Mugabe and ZANU-PF were supposed to respect the new bigger Political Party and engage them in dialogue.

NOT FOR THIS ROBERT MUGABE TO TAKE HIS USUAL LINE OF TRYING TO “CRUSH”, TO “CRUSH” ETC.

Why did Mugabe and ZANU-PF resort to rigging the Elections, torture and kill MDC supporters? Tsvangirai repeatedly called for ZANU-PF to a table where all issues could be discussed. That was the way forward. Tsvangirai has no fault whatsoever in anything he said or did during the whole duration of his leadership of Opposition Politics.

Whatever problems we may have with Tsvangirai should never give Robert Mugabe anything to smile about. We have come a long way with Mugabe and we know his tricks: where he smiles and where he frowns. Anyone who gets consolation from the problems afflicting the Opposition Formations is a stupid fool.

Back to the land issue!

What the world needs to know about the position of the original MDC on the Land Issue is as follows:

The MDC was agreed that land belonging to absentee landlords had to be acquired. The MDC was agreed that farmers who had land lying fallow perennially could have that land acquired. It was never imagined by the MDC that ZANU-PF wanted to evict all the 4500 white Commercial Farmers.

What the MDC was not aware of is that ZANU-PF wanted to use the “Land Grab” to destroy the “bases” of the MDC.

No-one in ZANU-PF should ever refuse that one of the objectives of ZANU-PF’s “land grab” was to destroy the support base of the MDC! I challenge anyone to refuse this or anything I have written or said in any of my numerous writings!

I urge all those who are serious in solving the Zim crisis to appreciate that Mugabe and ZANU-PF laugh when you hammer on Mugabe’s “Dictatorial” style etc.

Mugabe is used by ZANU-PF as the “Fall Guy” while the real actors eg Ignatious Chombo, Perrence Shiri, Elliot Manyika etc do the real “dirty work.” Those that compare ZANU-PF with a Mafia Organisation are very correct. Seniority is paramount in ZANU-PF! Unless Mugabe himself wants to “retire”, there can never be a “Leadership Renewal” in ZANU-PF.

Incidentally there are too many issues where Mugabe would have to face the people in Courts of Law so even if it was me in his shoes, I would never agree to “retire.”

Yes, to an extent Mugabe is a Dictator, but there is a very close group that would throw him out if he “fell out of line.” Solomon Mujuru is actually effectively more powerful in ZANU-PF than Robert Mugabe, believe it or not!

Mugabe would never survive if he “threw away” such characters as Solomon Mujuru and Emmerson Mnangagwa. These are the characters that have the capacity to destroy ZANU-PF if they fled the country and called for some uprising of that sort.

But of course greater characters have been assassinated by Robert Mugabe and his “comfort girl”, Oppar Muchinguri / Rushesha and that would be the only way Mugabe could rise above their influence if he really wanted to.

(As a by-the-way ……did you know that Air-Vice Josiah Tungamirai was poisoned? Just as another by-the-way ……did you know that Professor Masipula Sithole was also poisoned?)

Back to Mujuru and Munangagwa……..they would never think of effecting an uprising against Mugabe because of the intricate Mafia-type relationship that exists among them. that because Their hands are “well-oiled” and this patronage began well before the present “land grab.”

In closing let me tell you something that few people know about!

Like many Zimbabweans, I was completely disappointed when Cde Mugabe granted a Presidential Pardon to CIO operative Kanengoni and the other ZANU-PF youth leader who shot and nearly killed Cde Partick Kombayi during the Election Campaigns of 1990. Mr Patrick Kombayi was standing against the late Vice-President Simon Vengesai Muzenda in the Gweru Urban Constituency and Cde Kombayi was standing as a ZUM candidate.

Kombayi was warned repeatedly not to stand against the Vice-President but he correctly refused to withdraw. What is Democracy if some people are threatened if they stand against certain Candidates?

As he was driving his car like any other citizen in broad daylight, he was shot and nearly murdered and had to be flown to Britain to receive specialist medical treatment. Ironically, Britain has always looked after many that fled Mugabe and ZANU-PF going back to the late great “Chibwechitedza” Joshua Mqabuko kaNyongolo Nkomo.

The would-be assasins were arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced in a competent Court of Law and had to serve lengthy jail sentences. As soon as the sentence was passed, a Presidential Pardon was produced and the two thugs were released to join the world of the innocent.

But did you know the whole story of what led to the Presidential Pardon?

Certain in the CIO had vowed that their Minister, Emmerson Munangagwa (who had given the “go-ahead” to the assassination of Patrick Kombayi) would not see the sun if the two operatives served even a single day of any sentence handed down to them.

So Munangagwa approached Robert Matibili and informed him of that state of affairs.

Mugabe then hastily signed the Presidential Pardon even before the Judge had reached a Judgement of any sort.

So the world must know that these speculations of a Munangagwa Faction which may do this or a Mujuru Faction which may connive with whoever else to do that may be seriously exaggerated. While I do not rule out anything in Politics, it is wise sometimes to get a lot of inside informatiom before categorically stating that “a coup is imminent” etc.

The structure of ZANU-PF is that senior Government Officials (including Army Commanders, Intelligence Officers etc) report to Politburo members. It is therefore very difficult for any senior Military Person to arrange for any major activity without word quickly reaching the very Presidency of the Party.
Dissatisfied members (especially junior ones) just quietly flee the country and the best they can do is to encourage the opposition Forces to step up their determination. The senior ones have too many perks and would never risk leaving their lives of luxury to start an uncertain life in South Africa, Britain or wherever else.

I sincerely thank you for the opportunity to communicate with you all in this manner.

In my next submission, I will digress a bit and look at how the ANC Government is fully responsible for the high crime rate in South Africa. The problem can never be solved by policing alone. Political will is required and apparently Cde Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a cold academic who cannot re-invent himself to be an effective charismatic revolutionary.

South Africa needs an aggressive leader that will challenge the status quo and lead the fight for his people. There are too many dissatisfied people in the country and the white people should go out of their way to embrace the new Order. At present they are taking a “lets wait and see attitude” and meanwhile they are being gunned down in dozens. The “have-nots” are not only gunning down white people.

It’s a war for survival and whoever is the “haves” category must and will get the sound.

Many whites are busy mocking the Zimbabwean situation not knowing that they may themselves need to rush to the same Zimbabwe when the simmering pot of black anger erupts here in Azania. The problems Zimbabwe is going through at the moment do not mean the black man should not get a place in the sun in the land of his forefathers. The white man should be taking the opportunity to make first moves and not make jokes out of Zimbabwe’s passing challenges.

My coming submission will look at what I have seen in the South African society and for your “preview”, South Africa will continue to be a violent society and that not having much to do with foreigners, as commonly believed.

The “haves” are not safe behind the 3-metre high walls that they are erecting! A more equitable distribution of wealth is the only answer. Unfortunately the ANC’s so-called leaders are busy dealing in corruption and have forgotten the reason why millions like Cde Steve Biko, Cde Ruth First and others died.

Cde Jacob Zuma is promising to deal more firmly with criminals. He promises to bring back the death sentence if it is the majority view in the country.

Someone else said the public have too many guns and only the Police and the Army should have guns. My experience on a certain night showed me that the public is not safe in the hands of the Police especially when certain unscrupulous among them think none is watching their moves.

The solution is to identify the groups that survive on crime. The late great singer Peter Tosh asked, “Everybody talks about crime, crime, but who are the criminals?”

I know many you may not see the depth in my line of argument.

Don’t worry; the full submission is on its way.

GOD BLESS US ALL!

Respectfully submitted,

Rev Mufaro Stig Hove.

www.zimfinalpush.blogspot.com

Tsvangirai, you owe the people an explanation!

2007-09-28T07:44:00.000+02:00

Friday 28 September 2007
LINK!!!!

By Tanonoka Joseph Whande

GABORONE - Circus maestros, Barnum and Bailey, couldn’t have dished out better entertainment. The greatest show on earth runs in Zimbabwe’s politics and parliament.

Go ahead; count the skeletons. It’s all part of the grotesque act because, you see, Zimbabwe’s parliamentary circus plays with skulls not balloons.

And these our parliamentarians, supposed custodians of our democracy, are the authors of the current tragicomedy. They appease a dictatorship instead of clipping his despotic wings.

Parliamentarians from both sides of the political divide are on the Zimbabwean stage and are the ones cheering the audience. They are mistaking activity for accomplishments.

Our parliamentarians were elected to represent the people’s views yet, as has become clear, they just attend parliament to assure their salary.

Morgan Tsvangirai’s mission, as leader of the opposition, was to topple Robert Mugabe, albeit constitutionally, to restore democracy. And the people gave him the necessary support.

Several times, Tsvangirai was physically battered for his efforts. The so-called ‘war veterans’ were the first to have a go at him. With the intensity of swarming bees, they beat him to a pulp, as he sat helplessly behind his desk.

But Zimbabweans were soon to discover that Tsvangirai had more guts than one can find on an abattoir’s floor. People almost thanked God.

A lot then happened and some of his supporters and assistants died horrific deaths, like being burnt alive inside locked vehicles.

We remember all too well the farmers who were killed for their farms and for showing an interest in the possibility of a change of government.

We remember much too well the hundreds of citizens who were beaten up, abused and killed because of supporting Tsvangirai. Thousands, both black and white, lost their homes, their property and lives.

Dogs were set on our children at colleges, with some disappearing and others dying mysteriously. Just about everyone wished for a change of government. Tsvangirai soldiered on, making some questionable decisions along the way.

Although it is now obvious that there were some traitors waiting for a chance to rock the party, he must take the blame because he could have handled the issue better. Earlier this year, Mugabe’s people had another go at him again.

Tsvangirai’s puffed-up face was plastered on television screens across the world. The leader of the opposition was paraded in front of the world in a torn shirt and with bleeding scars on his head.

We were shown the blooded face of Nelson Chamisa, one of our legally elected Members of Parliament. He could hardly talk and almost died.

A Mack truck could not have caused such damage; these were Mugabe’s self-confessed ‘degrees in violence’ on display. Then a veteran cameraman was abducted and murdered for allegedly filming these victims.

Very shameful, indeed.

People continue to be abused. Expensive mediation talks continue to be hosted outside Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, the country is gearing up for parliamentary and presidential elections.

Whichever way one looks at it, it is all an effort to give people a chance to change or renew their government’s mandate. Yet people are still being abused and starved or killed for supporting not only an opposition party but a rival faction within ZANU-PF itself.

The mediation talks are being held ostensibly to level the political playing field. But, truly, it is Tsvangirai, who, more than anyone else, stands to benefit from all these efforts.

He is even the peripheral beneficiary of all this mayhem. Last week I learned that Tsvangirai had instructed his party’s Members of Parliament to vote for a constitutional amendment that allows Mugabe to anoint his own successor.

To me, it was like reading a book with the last chapter removed. Tsvangirai now instructs members of parliament, whom people voted into parliament, to acquiesce to a bill that denies the people of Zimbabwe the right to choose their own candidate.

Many people were beaten up, starved and killed for supporting the MDC parliamentarians from both factions but managed to support them well enough to get them into parliament.

Because I have a curious oppression of spirit, I have questions that arise from feelings. To me now, the MDC behaves like a dog chasing a car and, as soon as it catches it, does not know what to do with it.

I am honestly burdened with frank curiosity. Given the current scenario, can Mr Tsvangirai please tell me what the split within your party was all about? May you enlighten me on why you let many Zimbabweans who supported both factions get killed?

Survivors bear physical testimony as to how far people can go to fetch democracy. Now the MDC tells the people it is fine to give Mugabe parliamentary approval to short circuit democracy and to let him choose his own successor.

But the circus is not being staged in only one part of the city. Across town, Emerson Mnangagwa’s supporters must be wondering what is going on.

Mnangagwa, a seemingly stronger choice among the drivel on offer, confuses his own effort and chances. He clearly has a better inter-provincial network than Joice Mujuru, Simba Makoni and all other hopefuls.

Most of Mnangagwa’s supporters have always believed and were geared up to campaign and win a presidential election for him. He has strong, passionate and deceptively quiet supporters.

But alas, Mnangagwa is, once again, prepared to retreat into a corner until Mugabe finishes gnawing at the weather-beaten bone that is Zimbabwe.

As Mnangagwa was stepping aside to let Mugabe continue with his murderous rule, Tsvangirai was telling supporters that he had just given Mugabe a parliamentary OK to choose a successor of his own choice, thus effectively robbing Zimbabweans of the right to choose.

Take a little time and think, Mr Tsvangirai; you are about to become guiltier than sin. But meanwhile, as these ringmasters monkey around the circus-ring, the ‘owner’ of the circus is doing his funny bit too.

Mugabe is reported to have demanded, from, of all idiotic quarters, SADC, immunity from prosecution, should he choose to retire. Not only that, he wants a guarantee that the monetary wealth and personal assets that he accumulated not be taken away.

ZANU-PF took over and ruined the country by stealing from the people but now Mugabe says, in order for him to leave, he wants more perks from the very same people he has been stealing from.

From economic and political survivors, Mugabe wants immunity from prosecution for crimes committed but whose responsibility he does not acknowledge. It is very easy to give Mugabe what he is asking for.

All we need to do is calculate how much he earned during his entire term as head of state. Then we look at how much cash he has on hand, and how many farms and houses he has.

Should the value of the farms, houses and cash-on-hand exceed the earlier calculation, of course, we will obviously want to know where the money came from. That spells big trouble in any language!

In other words, no chance of such guarantees. Anyone who says ‘yes’ they can guarantee him this, even if it is his own hand-picked successor, will be lying, unless, of course, Mugabe chooses Mbeki to succeed him!

And immunity from prosecution is not possible either. Who is in a position to offer Mugabe a guarantee of immunity from prosecution? Only the people who were wronged. Not Gordon Brown. Not the EU. Not Mbeki. Not even the MDC.

It is only the Zimbabwean people. Mugabe, Tsvangirai and company. The future is in clay since it can be molded to our intentions.

The past, our history, is cast in iron and that is why Mugabe is having trouble with the phony ‘history’ he has been trying to feed to our school children.

As for Mr Tsvangirai, misunderstanding breeds distrust; you owe people an explanation and pronto.

As a leader, you are accountable to the people.

*Tanonoka Joseph Whande is a Botswana-based Zimbabwean writer.

"SOKWANELE" REPORTS OF SERIOUS IRREGULARITIES>>( ELECTION PREPARATION!)

2007-09-12T16:08:00.001+02:00

Sokwanele - Enough is Enough - Zimbabwe
PROMOTING NON-VIOLENT PRINCIPLES TO ACHIEVE DEMOCRACY

Zimbabwe Election Watch
Issue 6: 12 September 2007

Executive Summary

Analysts confirmed last week that Zimbabwe cannot have free and fair polls next year if there are no radical political and electoral reforms in line with Southern African Development Community (SADC) election guidelines.

In their view, South African President Thabo Mbeki's pronouncement on 30 August that Zimbabwe will have free and fair polls (in 2008) ignores the political situation on the ground where the ruling Zanu PF has an upper hand against the opposition.

The analysts note that Zanu PF has "unfettered access to state resources , while the majority of the opposition survives on shoe-string budgets."

To illustrate this, we include an article from the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper which reports that Zanu PF is mobilising resources, including a staggering Z$600 billion, for its election campaign "since Mugabe has vowed to win at all costs".

David Chimhini, executive director of the Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust, says Zimbabwe cannot have free and fair elections "when we have failed to adopt the SADC election guidelines of which we are a signatory." He also stresses the need to level the playing field, which is currently tilted in favour of Zanu PF.

In a surprising turn of events, our lead story reports that the Registrar-General, Tobaiwa Mudede, has for the first time complained of pressure from politicians to register "certain groups of people". It transpires he has unlawfully used an interpretation of the Citizenship Act to deprive millions of potential Zimbabwean voters, mainly farm workers, of the right to vote.

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has urged Mudede to re-launch mobile voter registration, saying that insufficient publicity led to the poor turnout. The ZESN notes that the operation has also been undermined by insufficient funding, unqualified personnel and corruption among traditional leaders.

An article from SW Radio Africa, which is barred from operating in Zimbabwe, says Zanu PF has demonstrated its priorities by allocating Z$12,662 trillion or 33 percent of the supplementary budget to defence and security organisations while the National Water Authority is struggling for resources to provide adequate water for the people.

Once again Mugabe is buying the support of senior members of the army and police, as well as the Central Intelligence Organisation, by spending thousands of US dollars on luxury vehicles while the country has no foreign currency for essentials like drugs.

It transpires there may have been an ulterior motive to the recent war veteran march in support of Mugabe. Just days afterwards, they requested the government hike their monthly allowance five times: From Z$2 million to Z$10 million per month.

Violence continues to be a hallmark of Zanu PF's modus operandi. A member of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change party in the Marondera area has been stabbed to death while his friend has been paralysed. Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights is looking into this latest incident as a case of political violence.

Registrar-General complains of pressure from politicians to register 'certain groups of people' for next year's elections
Source Date: 06-09-2007

Registrar General (R-G) Tobaiwa Mudede has for the first time complained of pressure from politicians with regard to the voter registration exercise, which the opposition claims has been used to disenfranchise its support base.

A report by the Defence and Home Affairs Parliamentary committee also disputes the R-G's view that the Citizenship Act requires that people born locally to parents of foreign descent must first renounce their "potential foreign citizenship" before they can be recognised as Zimbabwean citizens.

Failure to renounce their foreign title, according to the Registrar General, results in forfeiture of Zimbabwean citizenship.

Mudede has used this interpretation of the law to deprive millions of Zimbabweans of the right to vote.

But quoting the Government Gazette General Notice 584 of 2002, under the subheading Renunciation of foreign Citizenship, the committee said a person who is a citizen by birth cannot be deprived of his or her citizenship, and cannot be asked to renounce foreign citizenship he or she never acquired...

The committee undertook the probe on citizenship after the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights told Members of Parliament that Mudede was unlawfully withdrawing citizenship from people with rightful title to citizenship, resulting in a flood of lawsuits that his department was losing.

The report shows that in his evidence before the committee Mudede claimed he was under pressure from politicians to register certain groups of people to vote in next year's elections.

... Zanu PF summoned Mudede in May to appear before its caucus for a hearing for which the sole item on the agenda was "Citizenship problems."

Sources who attended that meeting ..., told The Financial Gazette at the time that ruling party legislators had pointed out to Mudede that they risked losing the support of millions of potential voters, mainly farm workers, who were affected by laws compelling them to renounce foreign citizenship.

The Parliamentary report says: "The R-G gave the following evidence: due to forthcoming elections, some politicians are campaigning to increase their support base using services provided for by the Government. The resistance to dual citizenship has been an ongoing battle fought in various fora."

Contributing to the report, Zanu PF Senator for Highfield-Glen Norah-Glen View, Charles Tawengwa, said based on the cases that the R-G had lost in the courts it appeared that the Government was victimising its citizens.

Source: Financial Gazette, The (ZW)
Link to source: http://www.fingaz.co.zw/story.aspx?stid=1162

SADC standards breached

2.1.1: Full participation of the citizens in the political process;
2.1.2: Freedom of association;
2.1.3: Political tolerance;
2.1.6: Equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be voted for
2.1.7: Independence of the Judiciary and impartiality of the electoral institutions
4.1.1: Constitutional and legal guarantees of freedom and rights of citizens
4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections
4.1.3: Non-discrimination in the voters' registration;
7.3: [The member state holding elections shall] Establish impartial, all-inclusive, competent and accountable national electoral bodies staffed by qualified personnel
7.4: [The member state holding elections shall] Safeguard the human and civil liberties of all citizens
7.5: [The member state holding elections shall] Take all necessary measures and precautions to prevent the perpetration of fraud, rigging
7.8: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the transparency and integrity of the entire electoral process

Election monitor urges relaunch of voter registration exercise
Source Date: 03-09-2007

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has urged the Registrar-General to re-launch mobile voter registration

ZESN reported there was insufficient publicity for the mobile registration, leading to poor turnout.

According to the report the operation's success was further undermined by insufficient funding, unqualified personnel and corruption among traditional leaders.

The election monitoring group said only 80,000 people were registered, adding that a large number of people displaced by the government's 2005 slum clearance campaign known as Operation Murambatsvina were not served by the mobile registrars.

The report commented adversely on the involvement of members of the police, the Central Intelligence Organisation and the prison service in the registration process.

ZESN Officer Denford Beremauro commented that the country is poorly prepared to hold proper and professional elections in early 2008 as planned.

Source: VOANews (USA)
Link to source: http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2007-09-03-voa54.cfm

SADC standards breached

2.1.1: Full participation of the citizens in the political process;
2.1.6: Equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be voted for
2.1.7: Independence of the Judiciary and impartiality of the electoral institutions
2.1.8: Voter education.
4.1.1: Constitutional and legal guarantees of freedom and rights of citizens
4.1.3: Non-discrimination in the voters' registration;
4.1.4: Existence of updated and accessible voters roll;
7.3: [The member state holding elections shall] Establish impartial, all-inclusive, competent and accountable national electoral bodies staffed by qualified personnel
7.5: [The member state holding elections shall] Take all necessary measures and precautions to prevent the perpetration of fraud, rigging
7.6: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the availability of adequate logistics and resources for carrying out democratic elections;
7.8: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the transparency and integrity of the entire electoral process

Sceptical of outcome, Zimbabwe public weighs in on amendment
Source Date: 07-09-2007

Public hearings in Harare and Bulawayo on the Zimbabwean government's proposal to amend the national constitution in ways that would significantly change the electoral landscape are primarily turning up opposition to the measure

Though parliament was registering public opinion on the proposed amendment, some who attended the hearings said they doubted whether the public input would have an impact on the final shape of the legislation to be tabled in parliament.

Experts noted that as a constitutional amendment, the law does not have to be vetted by a parliamentary committee but can go straight to the floor for debate after which the ruling Zanu PF party, armed with the two-thirds majority it claimed in the 2005 general election, could easily pass it for signature by President Robert Mugabe.

Another issue of concern is timing - presidential and general elections are just seven months off, and many of the constitutional changes that are envisioned in the draft of the legislation would tip the scales in favour of Mugabe's ruling party.

For instance, the amendment will create 60 new house seats, for a total of 2010, giving the ruling party an opportunity to gerrymander ruling party-safe districts.

Source: VOANews (USA)
Link to source: http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/Zimbabwe/2007-09-07-voa57.cfm

SADC standards breached

4.1.1: Constitutional and legal guarantees of freedom and rights of citizens
4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections
7.4: [The member state holding elections shall] Safeguard the human and civil liberties of all citizens
7.5: [The member state holding elections shall] Take all necessary measures and precautions to prevent the perpetration of fraud, rigging

Zanu PF seeks $600 billion for polls
Source Date: 31-08-2007

The ruling Zanu PF is mobilising resources, including a staggering $600 billion budget, for its election campaign ahead of the 2008 poll that President Robert Mugabe has vowed to win at all costs.

Documents obtained from Zanu PF show the ruling party is pulling out all the stops to mobilise vast resources to fund its ambitious campaign for the joint parliamentary and presidential elections in March.

Zanu PF has huge state resources -- including the state security agencies, money and vehicles -- at its command and will be using them during its campaigns. By contrast, the opposition parties have limited resources... Foreign donations are prohibited.

Source: Zimbabwe Independent, The (ZW)
Link to source: http://www.thezimbabweindependent.com/viewinfo.cfm?linkid=11&id=11308&siteID=1

SADC standards breached

2.1.3: Political tolerance;
2.1.6: Equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be voted for
4.1.6: Funding of political parties must be transparent and based on agreed threshold.

Security and defence gobble up half the budget as elections approach
Source Date: 07-09-2007

Defence and security institutions have gobbled up almost half of a (supplementary) budget whose revenue was never disclosed. The budget was presented by Zimbabwe's Finance Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi

With the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) struggling for resources to provide adequate water for people, the President's Office, under which the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) falls, and the Ministry of Defence and Home Affairs, got a staggering Z$12,662 trillion, 33 percent of the supplementary budget.

MDC secretary general Tendai Biti says if slush funds allocated to the same security institutions are added up, then 43 percent of the budget is going towards financing the security aparatus...

Source: SW Radio Africa (ZW)
Link to source: http://www.swradioafrica.com/news070907/budget070907.htm

SADC standards breached

2.1.3: Political tolerance;
4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections

New wheels for Mugabe's army, police bosses
Source Date: 29-08-2007

Critics say President Robert Mugabe's regime is splashing resources on the security agents to appease them in view of the economic crisis and rising political tensions ahead of next year's polls.

Zimbabwe has spent thousands of US dollars acquiring luxury vehicles for army and police chiefs, at a time when the country has no foreign currency for essentials such as drugs, it has emerged

The army chefs have Toyota Prados and Mercedes Benz, depending on their ranks, while hundreds of Toyota Yaris (have been acquired) for the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).

The army remains President Mugabe's centre of power.

Source: NewZimbabwe.com (ZW)
Link to source: http://newzimbabwe.com/pages/army31.16852.html

SADC standards breached

4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections
7.3: [The member state holding elections shall] Establish impartial, all-inclusive, competent and accountable national electoral bodies staffed by qualified personnel
7.5: [The member state holding elections shall] Take all necessary measures and precautions to prevent the perpetration of fraud, rigging
7.7: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure that adequate security is provided to all parties participating in elections

Panic in Harare as war vets demonstrate in support of Mugabe
Source Date: 29-08-2007

An unruly mob of about 5,000 war veterans, escorted by three police vehicles, demonstrated noisily through the city of Harare on 29 August, waving placards and chanting revolutionary songs in praise of President Mugabe

War veterans' leader Jabulani Sibanda told journalists thatthe war veterans were rallying behind Mugabe and would not accept any other candidate to stand on a ruling party ticket in next year's presidential ballot.

Observers say the march is a prelude to Zanu PF's violent offensive now gathering momentum before presidential elections next year.

Opposition spokesman Nelson Chamisa said it was shocking that the war veterans (many of whom were "fake" individuals too young to have fought in the liberation struggle) were literally escorted by excited policemen during their march

(In a separate interview with SW Radio Africa, Chamisa said the police had refused to grant their party permission to hold rallies around the country at least 113 times during August alone).

Source: Zimbabwean, The (ZW)
Link to source: http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/viewinfo.cfm?id=5804&linkid=35&linkcategoryid=27&siteid=1

SADC standards breached

2.1.2: Freedom of association;
2.1.3: Political tolerance;
2.1.6: Equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be voted for
4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections

War veterans want Mugabe to hike perks five times
Source Date: 07-09-2007

Two weeks after pledging undying loyalty to President Robert Mugabe and declaring him the only one fit to rule the country, veterans of Zimbabwe's liberation war have asked the government to hike their monthly allowances five times.

The veterans wield immense influence in the governing Zanu PF party after waging violence and terror against the opposition at every election to ensure victory for the ruling party.

In a letter to Social Welfare Minister Nicholas Goche, dated 3 September 2007, the ex-combatants said they want their allowances hiked from $2 million to $10 million per month(school-teachers earn about $3 million per month)

They appear to have timed their request for more money well, a few months ahead of key presidential and parliamentary elections next year when the government needs the veterans the most to intimidate the opposition and to mobilise votes for Zanu PF.

Source: Zim Online (ZW)
Link to source: http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=1975

SADC standards breached

2.1.1: Full participation of the citizens in the political process;
2.1.2: Freedom of association;
2.1.3: Political tolerance;
4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections
7.4: [The member state holding elections shall] Safeguard the human and civil liberties of all citizens

Zimbabwe opposition candidate in Marondera reported stabbed to death
Source Date: 04-09-2007

Officials of Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change said an activist in rural Marondera had been stabbed to death late Friday while another member of the party who was stabbed in the same incident was paralysed as a result.

Sources in the MDC faction of Morgan Tsvangirai said Jabulani Chiwoka, a candidate in rural district elections to be held in January, was killed by suspected members of the ruling Zanu PF party while Tafiranyika Nyandoro was hospitalised and immobile.

The alleged incident of political violence in the approach to national elections in early 2008 was said to have occurred in Marondera, Mashonaland East, a stronghold of the ruling Zanu PF party that has at times been a "no-go zone" for the opposition...

In a recent report, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum said that seven months into 2007, the year has broken previous records for reported political violence, citing the approach of local, general and presidential elections in early 2008...

Attorney Tafadzwa Mugabe of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (said) his group had received a report of the incident and was looking into it as a case of political violence.

Source: VOANews (USA)
Link to source: http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/Zimbabwe/2007-09-04-voa99.cfm

SADC standards breached

2.1.2: Freedom of association;
2.1.3: Political tolerance;
4.1.1: Constitutional and legal guarantees of freedom and rights of citizens
4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections
7.4: [The member state holding elections shall] Safeguard the human and civil liberties of all citizens
7.5: [The member state holding elections shall] Take all necessary measures and precautions to prevent the perpetration of fraud, rigging
7.7: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure that adequate security is provided to all parties participating in elections;

Mugabe donates Z$300 million to Catholic women
Source Date: 29-08-2007

A top ally of President Robert Mugabe last weekend handed $300 million to Roman Catholic Church women.

Oppah Muchinguri, head of the women's wing in his ruling Zanu PF party, said (the money) was donated by the Zimbabwean leader to help the women start income generating projects.

Sources said Muchinguri told the women that the donated money - which has raised eyebrows coming as the country heads for crucial presidential and parliamentary elections next year - was meant to help them start farming projects

Mugabe regularly distributes freebies to voters ahead of major polls in what critics view as an attempt to curry favour with the electorate.

Identified perpetrators: Oppah Muchinguri, head of the women's wing in Mugabe's ruling Zanu PF party

Source: Zim Online (ZW)
Link to source: http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=1925

SADC standards breached

7.5: [The member state holding elections shall] Take all necessary measures and precautions to prevent the perpetration of fraud, rigging

Service providers setting up spy equipment
Source Date: 29-08-2007

Mobile and Internet service providers (ISPs) have begun installing surveillance equipment, in compliance with the controversial Interception of Communications Act, the Zimbabwe Internet Access Providers (ZIAP) confirmed this week

Industry sources say mobile phone companies have also begun importing the equipment necessary to give government access to data, calls and other information

Heads of service providers who do not comply with the new law face imprisonment of up to three years

Source: Financial Gazette, The (ZW)
Link to source: http://www.fingaz.co.zw/story.aspx?stid=1131

SADC standards breached

2.1.2: Freedom of association;
2.1.3: Political tolerance;
2.1.6: Equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be voted for
4.1.1: Constitutional and legal guarantees of freedom and rights of citizens
4.1.2: Conducive environment for free, fair and peaceful elections
7.4: [The member state holding elections shall] Safeguard the human and civil liberties of all citizens
7.5: [The member state holding elections shall] Take all necessary measures and precautions to prevent the perpetration of fraud, rigging
7.8: [The member state holding elections shall] Ensure the transparency and integrity of the entire electoral process

Further comments in relation to Zimbabwean legislation:
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ZIMBABWE'S PROBLEMS EXAGGERATED????? by MUTUMWA MAWERE!

2007-08-22T07:04:00.001+02:00

LINK!!!!!!!!

Zimbabwe problems exaggerated

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 00:05:00

Mutumwa Mawere

The SADC Chairman, Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, summed up the position of the regional grouping's political leadership on Zimbabwe at last week's summit by saying: "We also feel that the problems in Zimbabwe have been exaggerated. We feel they will solve their economic problems."

The summit provided a unique forum for leaders of SADC and their social partners to explore some of the most pressing issues of the day and

Zimbabwe

was one such issue. The position taken at the summit on

Zimbabwe

is reflection of a widely held view that the root cause of the political and economic crisis in

Zimbabwe

is the unresolved colonially generated asset ownership structure.

It is evident that there is consensus among many African leaders that issues related to economic democracy in the continent necessarily attracts a negative response from the former colonial masters and their alleged puppets.

To this end, if one accepts that the root cause of the Zimbabwean crisis is the position taken by Mugabe to democratise land ownership, then the Zimbabwean crisis with attendant targeted sanctions is seen as a necessary price to pay for the complete emancipation of the country.

Mugabe's views are shared by many in Africa and the developing world for different reasons. They argue that anyone who takes a fight against Anglo American hegemony can never be wrong and, if anything, he deserves support.

People, who believe in pan-Africanism, see in Mugabe the fighting spirit that is missing in many post-colonial states that still face the challenge of eradicating the enduring economic legacies of colonialism.

The standing ovation Mugabe received in Lusaka is no different from the treatment he has enjoyed at many conferences. In fact, the only thing that seems to unite Mwanawasa and his political nemesis, Michael Sata, is their common and shared position on the origins of the Zimbabwean crisis.

The success of the Lusaka summit in the eyes of Harare demonstrates that the message from

Zimbabwe

's opposition has failed to resonate with Africa's critical players.

This raises the following questions: "Is the Zimbabwean opposition misinformed or misdirected? To the extent that the opposition believes that Mugabe is the problem, why is it that they seem to fail to communicate this? If

Zimbabwe

faces a leadership crisis, does SADC have any locus to intervene let alone pronounce an opinion?

If there is a common theme that characterises the Zimbabwean crisis, it is leadership: what constitutes good leadership, how (and, indeed, whether) the lack of it is responsible for the Zimbabwean crisis, what criteria should be applied when assessing it in the context of a post-colonial state.

What should be the role of the opposition and how should citizens weigh the various indicators from maximising national wealth (poverty eradication) to brand-building and longer term considerations such as nation building?

And given the emergence of

China

India

, UAE and other nations as global players and the pace of globalisation, can one expect to apply one set of criteria to what makes for good leadership in very different cultural contexts?

Anglo-Saxon models have dominated the theory and practice of leadership for so long that it may be difficult to accept that other models may be relevant and appropriate.

When there remains immense differences of perceived leadership qualities between Africans and Anglo Americans, how much do we as Africans have to start investing in understanding this important variable in nation building? Does Africa need democracy to progress? If so, what kind of leadership should it have? What interests ought to inform it?

It is more than 27 years since

Zimbabwe

became an independent and sovereign state. It is salutary, looking back, to remember the illusions which were commonplace at the time.

Some Zimbabweans believed that independence accompanied by eloquent speeches about how Europe underdeveloped Africa would quickly solve the country's problems.

In the West, the grant of an Anglo Saxon type of constitution was considered as a necessary and sufficient condition by itself to institutionalise a functioning constitutional democracy underpinned by a scrupulous respect of the Rule of Law, human rights, accountability and transparency.

The euphoria that characterised the independence atmosphere in

Zimbabwe

was well founded in Mugabe's reconciliatory speeches and approach to nation building.

Many were convinced that a new dawn had visited

Zimbabwe

and the country had the leadership it deserved to rid itself of the negative vestiges of colonialism. That was then and now the illusions have largely evaporated.

Zimbabwe

under Mugabe has lived through some challenges from the construction of a post-colonial dispensation in which all citizens were allowed to assert their sovereign right to makes laws and regulate their lives as they wish to the well acknowledged investment in the social and physical infrastructure of the country using a small tax base inherited from the colonial state.

Regrettably the post colonial state did not address issues related to the democratisation of the economy resulting in the current state of affairs where the population has grown accompanied by a decaying national economy.

The financing of the post-colonial state investments was largely done from borrowed sources and not from taxes. Any rational leader would have known that the relationship between the state, the protector of collective interests and the market, the protector of individual interests, is critical for economic growth. In assessing whether Mugabe has been a good leader for

Zimbabwe

, one has to look at how his administration has balanced the interests of the market with that of the state.

The failure of the post-colonial economic model was already evident in the late 1980s to the extent that the IMF, ordinarily a fire brigade, was invited by none other than Mugabe to intervene with balance of payments support.

The Economic Structural Adjustment Program (ESAP) or euphemistically referred to as The Extended Suffering of African People was adopted and implemented not by the opposition but by a ZANU-PF government. The program was abandoned by the government of

Zimbabwe

because the hard policy choices that needed to be made could not find leaders with the courage to make them.

While the SADC leaders have accepted that targeted economic sanctions have a causal link with the Zimbabwean crisis, they surely must be aware that the economic objectives of growth for any nation must be harmonised with the objectives associated with the political order.

The designing of growth strategies must necessarily include the promotion of factors that support the democratisation of society, the defence of sovereignty and the self determination of citizens.

What is evident is that no growth strategy will succeed if it is underpinned by an ideology that is premised on the state as the referee and player.

Yes, SADC may have endorsed the Zimbabwean rescue plan like the multilateral institutions have done in the past but the success of such plans have to deal with the leadership question without any equivocation.

Anyone who thinks seriously about Africa and indeed

Zimbabwe

's future will value a conversation on the leadership question. Can Mugabe reinvent himself and make the choices that he has failed to make over the last 27 years? Is Mugabe's world view on issues of governance, rule of law, and leadership consistent with a view that is required for a progressive nation?

Some have argued that when the Emperor is naked it is difficult for friends and foes to inform him. Could any rational person have expected SADC leaders to tell Mugabe where the root cause of the Zimbabwean crisis is? Does SADC have such a mandate anyway?

What is evident to many and I am sure to Africa's leaders is that the course of nation building in

Zimbabwe

has encountered serious set backs. Zimbabweans' hope for a free democratic existence as the background for stable national development has been dashed.

Over and over as in many numerous other African states, civilian and military dictatorships accompanied by rampant abuse of human rights and the undermining of the Rule of Law leading to political chaos, have ushered in the darkest period in Zimbabwe's history. Huge treasuries of material resources and opportunities for development have been dissipated. And more worrying is that the current leadership does not seem to have what it takes to motivate citizens to recover sufficient strength to resume the fight to build a future for themselves (rather than worrying about daily existence) and their families.

Morale is at its lowest in

Zimbabwe

for justifiable reasons. A rescue package from SADC will not rescue the injury to the psyche of citizens who legitimately had a right to expect better from their leaders. Will Mugabe's re-election next year change the climate of hopelessness that is evident in

Zimbabwe

? Even if sanctions were lifted today, how would that address the leadership credibility issue?

The 2008 elections have been dubbed the economic emancipation elections. President Mugabe is convinced that a fresh mandate will allow him to use the state to empower the majority economically. While this may be exciting news to the naïve, how is this going to be done against a background of a bankrupt state and economically vulnerable citizens? Even if all the economic assets were transferred to the state/selected individuals, would that promote growth and prosperity?

Someone said a long time ago you cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. No government in the world has managed to come up with an instrument where the fear of being arrested induced favourable supply response.

While the government of

Zimbabwe

may believe that arresting businesspersons will arrest inflation and restore economic order, I am not sure whether SADC leaders (who incidentally are not pursuing such policies in their own countries) seriously believe that

Zimbabwe

is a candidate for economic surgery.

When Margaret Thatcher became big headed and a stumbling block to progress, the Conservative Party managed to remove her. Equally, Tony Blair got the same medicine. In

Zimbabwe

it appears that some people believe that only one man can solve the colonial injury however defined and that person has no obligation to explain how he will be able to implement the new ideas of empowerment when he has failed to do the same for agriculture.

I believe that Mwanawasa may be cynically encouraging Mugabe to hang in there so that he can benefit from the contribution of Zimbabwean settler farmers. If Mugabe goes, I have no doubt what is in Mwanawasa's mind about the sustainability of the agrarian revolution that is underpinned by Zimbabwean skills in his country. Would the farmers elect to remain in

Zambia

or return to

Zimbabwe

Leadership plays a central role in managing perceptions. Today

Zimbabwe

is less confident that it was 27 years ago. It is now a confident member of the class of nations that can be classified as failed states. The frightening economic indicators have escaped the attention of the SADC leaders.

Apart from the expected anti-imperialist rhetoric, the current political and economic crisis in

Zimbabwe

is testament to wrong, irresponsible and backward looking policies and weak core values of democracy, freedom and the Rule of Law.

Many democratic nations would find it difficult to trust a leader that has been at the helm of a crumbling state to continue experimenting with the nation building project.

While the world waits for signals that Zimbabweans will take ownership of their problems, the tragedy is that Zimbabweans expect change to come from without. The message from the SADC summit is that only Zimbabwean leaders can lead and shape

Zimbabwe

A committed and accountable leadership that is forward looking can find the world and indeed SADC a reliable partner in delivering a better future for

Zimbabwe

and its people.

The world is anxiously waiting for Zimbabweans in general to have an opportunity to genuinely express their choice about who should govern them notwithstanding the privatisation of the state and implications thereof on freedom of choice. The illusions of independence have been sufficiently exposed to allow Zimbabwean citizens to use the ballot as the instrument for change.

In the final analysis the responsibility must lie with those who have dedicated their lives to the change agenda to demonstrate that bad leadership has a lot to do with the Zimbabwean crisis.

Zimbabwe

needs a smart system and not necessarily a smart leader. History has shown that the risk of intelligent leaders taking their principals i.e. sovereign citizens for granted is higher if citizens fail to invest materially and otherwise in the change they want to see.

Many who are critical of the opposition in

Zimbabwe

and its lack of leadership depth are the same people who are not willing to make a sacrifice to make

Zimbabwe

the country that it deserves to be.

It is important to point out that while President Mwanawasa believes that the problems of

Zimbabwe

are exaggerated, President Mugabe has accepted that the titanic has sunk and it needs a rescue plan.

Even the captain of the titanic has recognized that the status quo ante is no longer acceptable save for the fact that he wants to remain at the helm without a destination in mind.

For any new captain to be credible he must demonstrate that he knows where compass is and at least it will not take another 27 years to discover that Zimbabwe was going nowhere slowly. Finally they say that if you do not know where you are going any road takes you there.

4.5 / 5 (6 Votes)

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Takuda ways of how to take zim out of its crisis

Varume vanyore timavo muzimbabwe but what we are lacking as a nation is people who can give us the direction on how to steer zim from its crisis. I call upon opposition to have unity of purpose and lets all dig deep to resolve our crisis. Those who were hoping on Sadc or Mbeki to help its clear that NO useful help will come from there. Hatibatanei every zimbo who wants a better future lets put aside all our differences and come up with ways to stop this excessive bleeding of our economy. Mawere in your next article give us suggestions on what we should do because everyone knows nyika yarohwa netsunami so we need all writers to put us on the right track to start discussing ways out of this fix.

Posted By akl , : Aug 20 2007 01:04 AM

We need new age freedom fighters

Guys what we need is new age freedom fighters. Mugabe and his gang when they were under supression they went to war. I call upon all zimbos to start strong movements to topple this ruthless and cruel regime. People in the diaspora now its our timw to regang and lets chat the way forward. Its clear that opposition in zim have no capacity because the ruthless secret agency are disabling their movements. Those in SA, UK, USA lets form movement gangs and seriously think what we should do next. At this rate i can bet you that Zanu is rigging next year's elections and they are not going out of office. Musha urikutsva time yekuswera tukana pano pamaforumn with no real substance being discussed is long gone. We need to meet outside these online forumns because we can not discuss any detail because we will just let the secret agents aware. Dont we have people who work in those governments offices who are MDC or opposition. We need to start talking with them to make the process to be transparent and make things work for the opposition's favour. Come on MT and AGO pull some strings on those government officials to make sure you get the best chance to topple Mugabe. Lets not just wait for Zanu to penetrate in opposition be on the offensive and start building relationships with election officials. You know most of these people who work right on the ground are suffering too and they want chnge as well so MDC's star to get those to work for you. Ndapedza

Posted By uae , : Aug 20 2007 01:17 AM

we have new age fighters

M mawere is one of these.I want him now to translate what he says into a movement. the man talks sense

Posted By mike pashata , oz : Aug 20 2007 03:44 AM

Shut up

Mutumwa just shut up and you who is talking about forming movement in uk,USA and SA you need to go back home stop kuwawata kwauri kuita the are lots of movements in zimbabwe

Posted By , : Aug 20 2007 03:54 AM

Mawere wabaya dede nemukanwa

Mawere pointedly identified our Zim problem.Armchair critics who attack MDC and yet expect ZANU to gift us our freedom.Do not expect SADC to fight for us.They do not have the mandate to critisise Mugabe.We Zimbos must take the next and only viable option :that is take up arms and fifgt Mugabe

Posted By Mbozha , Calgary,Canada : Aug 20 2007 03:55 AM

GONO

Yes tonobvumirana newe though uchiti Mutambara is out of the issue nokuti akadzidza but l think you are repeating what Mutambara had been saying kubva paaka pinda mupolitics achiti iye Mbeki is bonus to our crisis the solution iri matiri ma zimbos.I respect your opinion of smart leaders can you tell us how smart are those vasina kudzidza vacho nokuti kuzoitika kwatika problem iri ku oposition kune vamwe vaiti so and so they are not smart saka if you no some one who is smart tell us and we will rally behind smart people.I remember sometime ago FORMER UK PM JOHN MAJOR vakamboti kudzidza hakuna basa chatinoda kukurumidza kufunga chete asi hazvina kuvatorera kunga kuti vabviswe.Iwewe you are able to do that analysis nokuti wakadzidza so l dont belieave kuti kudzidza hakuna basa . A nd l think that is the reason why opposition yedu ichitora nguva kubvisa mugabe when he is commiting political suicide everyday and gettting away with it.

Posted By fio , fio zim : Aug 20 2007 05:46 AM

Mawere and all writers

For the sake of the many misinformed people out there,in one of your articles may you draw a graph with time(years) on the x-axis and inflation on the y-axis.Highlight on that graph the introduction of ESAP,DRC war,war vets $50 000 rewards,land reform,targeted sanctions,POSA/AIPPA,Gideon Gono etc.That will go a long way in educating people how Mugabe has failed

Posted By BetterZim , : Aug 20 2007 06:18 AM

mawere cannot go back to zimbabwe

mawere cannot go back to zimbabwe - he carries a south african passport & so cannot live in zimbabwe - he would have to complete a tax return if he went back to zimbabwe & pay some tax which he appears reluctant to do - or talk about and finally gideon (triple zero tea man)gono would like to talk to him about a few alleged exchange control matters - like not remitting export proceeds back to him (gideon ) in time !! ??

Posted By tommy taxman , harare zimbabwe : Aug 20 2007 06:41 AM

MAWERE

VERY GOOD ANALYSIS OF ZIMBABWE'S SITUATION FROM MAWERE. SUCH ARE THE ANALITICAL BRAINS WE WANT IN ZIMBABWE. NOT THE MIOPIC MANHERU'S AND THE CREW.

Posted By NESHITO NESHITO , HARARE ZIMBABWE : Aug 20 2007 07:23 AM

zimbabwe's problems and sadc

honest if anyone has been to zambia what do you expect them to think of zimbabwe?zambia with decades of independence before zimbabwe has refused to develop beyond what kaunda inherited.apa ndiri kutaura development capital development kwete zvokunzi panga pana buyatinapangana stores pava nashoprite.there is nothing happening in zambia and their literacy rate is 83% compared to zimbabwe's 91%.other economic indicators besides inflation are just as comparable. the same applies tunyika twaakaita sana malawi mocambique and the namibias.they have practically an illiterate citizenry copared to zim.schools in most of those countries are more miles away from the pupils than zimbabwe.zambia still has just the university of zambia and the university of copperbelt.compare that with zimbabwe's unis.the zambian infrastructure is so run down you would aptly call it the zambian ruins. south africa the giant of southern africa has an infrastracture deficience itself.some of the houses people live in are nothing compared to zim.true me and you as zimbabweans certainly understand the extent of our suffering.this is because we have never experienced any worse.our neighbours on the other hand have always known deep rooted suffering.while i would wish to work in botswana or south africa and earn their strong currences and advance myself maybe, but on the other hand i am not surprised by their view that zimbabwe is ok.in malawi some towns water is available from an individual supplier with his own borehole for a fee.whats that?this century a nation is failing to put water into its people's taps.talking of rights is another area these rogue africans would rather they dont say a thing.in this era batswana still believe in whipping criminals at a kangaroo court.many other countries like namibia south africa mocambique tanzania congo angola swaziland have unimagineable rights abuses.the girl child issues in swaziland are a can of worms .the township justice of south africa is shamefully evil.the criminal delivery system of tanzania and namibia is grossly non compliant with human rights laws.angola and drc can as well have no legal system.mocambique abuses prisoners.saka vangati chii chaizvo kana vakatarisa zimbabwe.its like being asked to accuse the face you see evrytime you look into the mirror.

Posted By jongwe remhashu , masvingo : Aug 20 2007 07:36 AM

In the words of Mahatma Ghandi

In the words of Mahatma Ghandi, "the roots of violence and underdevelopment are a result of wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice and politics without principles"

Posted By Taneta , RSA : Aug 20 2007 08:01 AM

REALISTIC GUSHUNGO

"I believe that Mwanawasa may be cynically encouraging Mugabe to hang in there so that he can benefit from the contribution of Zimbabwean settler farmers". Not only Zambia is benefiting from the Zim crisis. South Africa is the major benefactor of the Zim crisis in terms of human capital, industry

Posted By Ruth , Mutare Zimbabwe : Aug 20 2007 09:09 AM

Mutumwa

Mutumwa must stop bleating. He is not a Zimbabwean Citizen. He belongs to South Africa and thus is not privy to the suffering people in Zimbabwe. He has had a good run of complaining and has even sued the Zimbabwean Government in South Africa. I find his contributions a potpourri of confused messages. He is a businessman and should restrict his interests there. I see from his contributions that he is bitter about his lost businesses. He is justified. Leave politics to the politicians MUTUMWA!

Posted By Stargazer , Melbourne, Australia : Aug 20 2007 09:13 AM

ZImbabwe Yaora

Thanks Mawere, but I have a few comments to make. The majority of people in ZANU PF know that their leadership has destroyed the country.They still support it for fear, gain or some other reason. I belong to this party, if one becomes to open,or a catalyst for change, one is eliminated/ left in the cold.For example children for most ZANU PF wigs are not attending university in Zimbabwe beacuse they know that the education system has been destroyed, the same is similar to the health system. Secondly I do not believe the opposition has been too weak as alleged, look this regime beats, detains, kills, arrests innocent people with a different political agenda. It does not want challenge.It is a brutal regime, look what they did to Joshua Nkomo, humiliate him, attempts on his life, this is despite his massive contribution. Where on earth do you hear a President of a country congratulating the police for brutalising the opposition.The life of the opposition is a hard one in Zimbabwe. For example, you Mawere lost your investment due to the lack of rule of law. Some people may say Mawere was connected to ZANU PF, but thats not the question, the issue is that you were robbed of your investment and in the current scenario there is no re-dress.What I fail to understand is that these SADC presidents are they not aware of what is happening on the ground, or they cannot take firm action since their regimes are also repressive. I remember one minister telling me that at times they agree in their circles to stand up in parliament and tell Mugabe to go, but the moment they arrive there fear grips them.The other point is that many of the war veterans who were vocal, reasonable people were sidelined and the mafikeizolo are the ones supporting a sinking regime since they are gaining. Its a matter of maintaining power at whatever cost. The good part is that Mugabe is old and will not rule for another 27 years.He committed a lot of crimes and would prefer to die in power unless something drastic happens. Forget about elections, countries like South Africa will quickly declare them free and fair to legitimise Mugabe"s stay.The opposition must explore other ideas beside elections. The CIO has managed to use money as a carrot to devide the opposition.

Posted By Harawa , Harare Zimbabwe. : Aug 20 2007 09:29 AM

well said harawa

very incisive harawa. what to do now is the problem. declare a jihad and have people collet their 72 virgins in the next world. are we too cowardly for even that

Posted By mike pashata , oz : Aug 20 2007 09:50 AM

Zimbabwe yowe!!

Mawere comes with some good standings about Zim. Jus hoping this chameleon chooses one colour, for the bitch he is, i will fuck him op. Now there are so many who says MT this MT that, why yu lousy maggots not start yo own party? Yunno some, most Zim are stupid outrightly!! Very good commentators yet gat nothing to hsow for yoselves! MT said lets go for final push and yu maggots boiled a cup of tea n wanted to see the outcome on TV. Who da fuck is gonna push Matibili out when yu saying let MT do it!!! By hisself?? Yu outa ya minds!!! Now this knobkerrie-nosed asshole AGO comes and invades MDC nad wana be president!!! Go hang wit robots punk. AGO shuld rejoin MDC not unite, why do we need to unite with a group of wished-activists whose patron Welshemen is a Zanoid himself. In MDC we dont need maggots for they will rot all other apples so if AGO can do it go ahead monkey stick to yo tree!!! MT is the man and will forever salute him. He stood and stands his time, only if he had real backers who will stand by him the dude can do it. Munongowawata hee MT this ko imi murikuiteiko? Unonzwa aha MT asungwa aha aifunga kuti angazvigona!!! Isu takasiyana nazvo!1 hoo makasiyana nazvo saka let Matibili fucks yu op and still bear wit it.MT go ahead we are with you my man No doubt!!!

Posted By Man All , Hre. Zim : Aug 20 2007 09:54 AM

Mawere ditches Mathuthu's New Zimbabwe

Did anyone notice that Mawere's last week piece on leadership was not published on New Zimbabwe or if it was there, it was quickly removed. We all know that Mawere is a regular columnist of New Zimbabwe. What it basically means is that he failed to tow the line of Mathuthu's editorial policy of propping up his favoured Ncube-Coltart faction with a Mutambara newspaper face. What AGO does not see is that it's not only members of his National Council who are defecting, but a massed crowd of grassroots supporters also. Time is running out for this AGO faction to do something before the MArch election. Ticky-tocko, ticky-tocko, time ticking away.................Icho!!!!

Posted By KTM , Mzanzi : Aug 20 2007 11:03 AM

you are easily seduced

Man All vakarasika shamwari ndosaka uchirambira vakatsamira Morgan. Morgiza hapana kwaachatisvitsa shasha. Nyaya yedu inoda kuti titange mutambo mutsva. Vana vevhu get ready for the day is coming. The message shall not be send via Morgan. Jog in the morning , be prepared physically. Isu veZimbabwe Socialists Organisation tinoti zvibatsirei.We stand for mwana vevhu shasha. Come to our side. We dont think pussy footing nevabvakure will bring forth nyika. we welcome all stakeholders as long as they believe in our way of doing things. Pamberi nemwana vevhu!!!

Posted By vekumapako,muzukuru vaDhiriri , birmingham,uk : Aug 20 2007 11:10 AM

Mutumwa Mawere Response

I read with interest the comment that someone made that I cannot go to Zimbabwe. An allegation is then made that because I hold a South African passport I cannot live in Zimbabwe. It is also alleged that if I were to live in Zimbabwe I would have to complete a tax return. I am then accused of not completing a tax return in Zimbabwe or even discuss this matter. The writer then makes the allegation that Gono is looking for me to talk about a few alleged exchange control matters i.e. like not remitting export proceeds back to him in time

The first point relates to the issue of residency and citizenship. It is important to note that not all the people who reside in Zimbabwe are citizens in as much as Zimbabweans in the diaspora do not need to acquire citizenship to reside in the countries they choose to live in. It is, therefore, nonsensical to suggest that a South African cannot live in Zimbabwe. There are many South African nationals that reside in Zimbabwe and there is no requirement that they should change their citizenship.

I also do not believe that South Africans who reside in Zimbabwe are barred from expressing their opinion about the situation in the country. Equally, non-Zimbabweans are entitled to express their opinion about the situation in Zimbabwe. There are many non-Zimbabweans who have interests in the country and, therefore, are entitled to express their opinion about the situation. Zimbabwe is a member of the UN, AU and other bodies making it part of the global family. Once a country has accepted to be a member of the global family, it behooves on it to subject itself to international standards. Bush and Brown are not Zimbabwean and yet they have a view on what should happen in the country in as much as SADC has a view on Zimbabwe. In this respect, I do not see in what context, I should be excluded from expressing my opinion. I have substantial interests in the country and believe in the country's potential that is being wasted through misguided policies and programs. This conversation should go beyond the narrow confines of citizenship as the developments in Zimbabwe have consequences to non-citizens and citizens alike. Bad policies do not only affect Zimbabweans.

There is some misunderstanding on the tax issue. Any country has jurisdiction to tax its residents. It is common cause that Zimbabweans in the diaspora or who have emigrated are only taxed in the countries they reside in. Equally, foreign nationals are taxed in Zimbabwe as long as they are resident in the country. A foreign national who is not a resident of Zimbabwe is not subject to Zimbabwean taxes. Accordingly, it does not make sense for a person in my position to be subject to Zimbabwean law and taxes. This is an important issue because there appears to be a misunderstanding about taxes, citizenship and residency. The government of Zimbabweâs propaganda has invested in making people believe that I am a fugitive. Under this construction, I am frequently asked when I will go back home. I do not know how often I have to repeat that I did not acquire South African citizenship because I was running away from anything. I have been a resident and citizens of South Africa for the last 12 years. While in South Africa, I chose to build a formidable asset base in Zimbabwe as a demonstration of my commitment to the country. My choice to live outside the country was a demonstration that you do not have to live in a country to believe in it. Like many Zimbabweans in the diaspora, they are free to make investments in Zimbabwe without having to be asked when they want to return. We are the first class of Zimbabwean born blacks who chose to invest in the country and be relevant as businesspersons and yet did not choose to live in the country. I had confidence and still do that Zimbabweans can rise up to the challenge and compete on a world scale. If I did not believe that Zimbabweans have the capacity to manage enterprises, then I would have relocated to the country to manage personally my enterprises. This I did not do and made a choice to let other people manage my enterprises. This is as it should be. Even if I die, my enterprises can have a life of their own.

The government of Zimbabwe decided through expropriation decrees to alienate me from my Zimbabwean companies. While this is unacceptable, what is encouraging is that my enterprises are still running even though the control has been divested from me using unconstitutional laws. To the extent that the enterprises can continue to function without me it confirms my belief that it is possible to make an impact without being personally at the coal face. I have done my bit in 10 years to demonstrate even to President Mugabe that hard work can produce results. President Mugabe has been at the helm for 27 years and yet has failed to produce any positive outcome for the country. My assets were attractive enough for the government to want them and I am not sure whether the finances of Zimbabwe are in a shape that will make them attractive for any successor to Mugabe.

The alleged exchange control violations require some explanation. Any exchange control regulations apply to residents. Zimbabwean companies are the ones that are subject to Zimbabwean laws. If they export, they should be accountable to the Zimbabwean authorities in their own right. Chaos will prevail if owners of Zimbabwean companies wherever they are situated become subject to Zimbabwean laws. Penalties can be imposed on the companies in question if they violate any laws. To date none of my companies have been subjected to any penalties in respect of the alleged exchange control violations. I am not sure in what context Gono would want to talk to me. He can talk to the Zimbabwean companies if there is anything that he wants. Only in Zimbabwe does the foreign currency of exporters belong to the Governor. I can only quote the words of the Governor of the Bank of England who recently said: A successful monetary policy should be boring, and, successful central bankers should be seen as neither heroes nor villains. Imagine if UK exporters had to talk to the Governor in respect of export proceeds, what chaos would obtain. One would expect the Governor of the Central Bank to provide leadership on monetary issues rather than become a policeman.

If you want evidence of a failed state, you will not need to look further than at a Governor would thinks that he owns the sweat of exporters. Exporters are sovereign people and all they need is an environment that is conducive. There are many Zimbabweans who naively think that the role of a government is to be a referee and player at the same time. You have heard many Zimbabwean leaders express the view that any output from a productive process belongs to the nation and, therefore, the state can dictate how much should be produced and the cost thereof. I have yet to see a progressive nation in which the state thinks for citizens and instills fear in them as a national salvation strategy. The experience of the former Soviet Union and related countries has shown that an ideology premised on fear and intimidation is not sustainable.

In response to the question of when I will return to Zimbabwe, I can only say that I will visit Zimbabwe when sanity prevails. I was one of the first victims of the senseless policies to nationalize private companies as a mechanism of maximizing national wealth. To access my rights without due process, the government had no choice but to target me personally because I was the holder of the property rights they sought to expropriate. To give the exercise some sense of legitimacy, a scenario had to be created to demonize me on allegations of externalization fully aware that I was already a foreign resident. My former friends were recruited in this project i.e. lawyers and accountants that were beneficiaries of my initiatives. Today such professionals (and not Mugabe) has sold their souls to the devil for commercial expediency and would like the unsuspecting public to believe that I am a fugitive.

My characterization as a fugitive is no different from the attempted characterization of the Zimbabwean crisis as a consequence of sanctions. Many have bought the story in as much as intelligent Zimbabweans have accepted that the Zimbabwean government was justified in nationalizing my assets. If a lie is told many times it acquires its own momentum of legitimacy and my case is one such tragic story. Here you have a Zimbabwean born national residing outside the country being accused of externalization and yet the assets seized by the government are situated in Zimbabwe and not offshore. If I was guilty of the offence, the government would not have had anything to nationalize. By now we would have heard of the consequences of the alleged externalization in terms of asset stripping. In any revolution, it is important that the truth be the custodian of change and if revolutionaries become the instruments of confusion then only God can help Zimbabwe. My case is in the courts and there can be no excuse for people to speculate about the facts and the legal issues. I can only urge people to take the time to study what is already available in the public domain.

Mugabe has successfully made the argument that he is entitled to victimize any white investor in the interests of justice. This position is shared by many of his colleagues in Africa. However, I am not sure that many people are fully informed of our cases where blacks have also been victimized and unfortunately we do not have an Anglo Saxon heritage to attract the outrage of Washington DC and London. Even our own people believe that Mugabe is justified to use the state to victimize private individuals. If such individuals are in some way contaminated with ZANU-PF, then their rights are supposed to perish. It appears that there is now a new sense of justice that says the state can undermine the rights enshrined in the constitution without any accountability.

Even on the question of race, it is tragic that investors who believed in Zimbabwe after independence and invested their funds are now at risk of losing 51% of their shareholding to unspecified beneficiaries even though such investors may not have had anything to do with colonialism. No list has been developed distinguishing between post and pre-Rhodesian investments. A blanket case has been made that blacks are poor because of greedy investors and therefore poverty can be eradicated by taking away the rights of the investors. I am not even sure whether eliminating all the rich will solve the country's problems in as much as nationalizing my companies did not solve the foreign currency problems of Zimbabwe.

Posted By Mutumwa Mawere , Rivonia, South Africa : Aug 20 2007 11:59 AM

Mukoma Mutumwa Mawere

the best thing for you Mutumwa will be to limit your contributions to national issues.that way, you will not raise the need to repond to peoples comments, your last two artcles were a good attempt.the moment you want to tell us,then we will want you to tell us everything.Munhu ndeanoudzwa achinzwa mukoma.

Posted By Shabhuku Jibha , Abyssinia,HOA : Aug 20 2007 12:21 PM

mawere

wiba pamwe neZanu Iwe mawere. Zvakzokushandukira ndosaka wovavenga. Tibvirepo

Posted By hukuimwe , sa : Aug 20 2007 12:28 PM

WATCHING FROM TERRACES

the problem with Zimbabweans in the whole region if not Africa is kuzviita vanhu vakafunda kudarika vamwe vese vedzimwe nyika.There is no doubt about that,but through fixed education you cant see those you rate second below you kuti,they are capitalising.Mwanawasa,3 months ago criticised ZANU PF and was quickly silenced ne vanhu vake.Why,because akamanya.The method show as if you are supporting Zimbabwe..so that investmnet can come to them.See how much they are benefiting ne maShopping Spree evanhu vekuZimbabwe,theFarmers now there etc.South Africa used the same tactic.Silent diplomacy.There isnt anything like that.Mbeki,knew that a peaceful Zimbabwe is dangerous because all investment would go there and when South Africans slide into poverty they will compare themselves with Zimbabweans then revolt.So the tactic was simply,support Mugabe to ruin his country and divert Investors and Capital Cash into his country.It worked,bug companies once backborne of Zimbabwean economy are now all in South Africa..thus Mbeki 's diplomacy. Then MaZimbabweans nema degree avo,would stand on pondiums and say you see all countries in the region like us.Really.

Posted By MC , UK : Aug 20 2007 12:37 PM

mawere

You are a South African .Please concentrate on issues for instance Mbeki's quest for a third term .

Posted By chawurura , Kabul Afghanistan : Aug 20 2007 01:23 PM

interesting report-from the BBC website.

While many South Africans will rejoice that justice is now, at last, being done to former Police Minister Adriaan Vlok and four other former "securocrats" - as they were called during the apartheid era - there is a real danger of reopening old wounds. Under a plea bargain, all five have received suspended sentences for admitting to attempting to kill prominent black activist Frank Chikane in 1989 by lacing his underwear with a nerve toxin. But the prosecution could undermine the stability of the country's post-apartheid settlement. This settlement was, in reality, a compromise. Vlok was in charge of security in South Africa during the late 1980s White rule in South Africa, Namibia or even Zimbabwe was never defeated on the battlefield. The fighters of South Africa's African National Congress (ANC), Namibia's Swapo and Zimbabwe's Zanu or Zapu did not win the long-predicted and much hoped for military victory. Their leaders, including Nelson Mandela, Sam Nujoma and Robert Mugabe respectively, agreed on a simple but unspoken compromise: political power would pass into the hands of the majority black population, but whites would be allowed to retain most of their wealth. And all sides would put the atrocities of the past behind them. In this they learnt from Angola and Mozambique, where the Portuguese left taking everything they could carry - including any light bulbs that could be unscrewed. Confessions In South Africa, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was established to try to ease the pain. Past wrongs could be confessed to and forgiven. Some want to see justice before reconciliation Many refused to attend, including the last white President FW de Klerk. But he was not alone. Mangosuthu Buthelezi's Zulu-based Inkatha Freedom Party refused to testify before the TRC, which concluded its work in 2003. So did the ANC and Pan Africanist Congress, which did not discuss the killings they ordered inside South Africa, or the murder of their own members while in exile. With Vlok having faced the courts, others are calling for the prosecution of ANC leaders who ordered killings inside and outside South Africa. Afriforum, a right-wing human rights organisation, is supporting Dirk Van Eck, who has asked for the prosecution of those who ordered the laying of a landmine that killed his wife, Kobie, and their two children during a game drive near the border with Zimbabwe in 1985. Zimbabwe alternative In Namibia, the policy of national reconciliation is also under threat, with the National Society for Human Rights attempting to take former President Sam Nujoma and three other Swapo leaders to the International Criminal Court for the killings they are alleged to have ordered during the wars of liberation. So far both Namibia and South Africa have benefited from not raking up the past and accepting that whites have a legitimate, if economically privileged, role in their societies. Their economies have flourished and there is peace. Land is gradually being redistributed, even if some argue the process is too slow. The alternative can be seen in Zimbabwe. President Robert Mugabe's decision to seize white farms in 2000 has driven the country into an economic and political crisis. It would not be impossible for either South Africa or Namibia to go down the same road, with terrible consequences for all of their peoples, black and white.

Posted By Kwame Buthelezi , KwaZulu, South Africa : Aug 20 2007 01:33 PM

ZIMDAILY be warned

To show the hypocrisy of new zimbabwe.com they edited the same article by Mawere to suit Mutambara's agenda.Is this the new Zimbabwe we want?Zimdaily i warn you not to fall in this kind of trap where you rig and manipulate the wishes of the people.Its the people who make Zimdaily great

Posted By BetterZim , : Aug 20 2007 02:04 PM

ZIMDAILY be warned

Posted By BetterZim , : Aug 20 2007 02:06 PM

01:23

do not blackmail me.

Posted By OriginaL CDE Chawurura , Tehran,Iran : Aug 20 2007 02:13 PM

Mawere

Mawere how can we listen to what you say now when you used to sleep with the enemy, you now analyse and sucritinise Zanu when you used to be buddies, wakasungisa Strive kangani iwewe?????????, you are just like Jonathan makaraswa ne Zanu mavakuda kudzoka kuvanhu muchida kuti bhaiza kuti muri ma analysts when you were pa fore front yekuuraya nyika neZanu, please spare us ana Mawere!

Posted By Tongiman , JHB, SA : Aug 20 2007 02:33 PM

MUTUMWA'S SOUR GRAPES

It is abundantly evident that Mawere is a bitter man from the tone of his contributions. It is normal to be bitter coz he lost a fortune to his former buddies. He supped with the devil and now he is turning around and pointing at the hand that fed him. Where did he get the money to buy his so-called companies? If it was not for ZANU's corrupt tendencies where where they guranteed his loan will he be having those companies? Who else was backed by ZANU in the same manner that Mawere was? Zvarwadza nhasi nokuti wakatorerwa nemhaka yekukara. You refused to give other ZANU chefs some shares thats why vakakutorera. If you were genuine in fighting injustice why did you not start your crusade soon after Matibili started his madness in the year 2000? Its a fact that if it was not for the sake of your exproprited companies we would not be seeing these articles of yours. You are a bitter man. That being said and done, Matibili and his cronies have messed big time

Posted By Wezhara Wezhira , Zimbabwe : Aug 20 2007 02:45 PM

mugabe

We have a democracy like any other democracy in this world ... I cannot see how a system can be any fairer or more transparent (than it is in Zimbabwe),"

Posted By munhukadzi , : Aug 20 2007 02:45 PM

Iwe Mawere usatinyaudze mhani

Ko nhayi Zimdaily ndoochiiko chamavekuita futi? Ko nyaya dzapera here mavekutikuvadza kuverenga mawawato avanaMawere ava, heee?

Iwe Mawere tibvire mhani apo. On one of your articles, one forumite challenged you to explain your dealings with Zanu PF, we never heard any of your responses, but still you always want to come clean. Sometimes you say Mugabe is wrong, now you are saying he is perfect!! Iwe shamwari, I think you should know something before you say anything about Zimbabwe problems, which is:

Few pple give a damn care to the damn political imbalances which were created hundreds of yrs ago, BUT certainly, they care about food in their plates. This you really know. Thus, do not talk to us about Mugabe trying to create a balance of that, at the expense of our welbeing.
SADC, with the exception of South Africa (which is following suite), are very poor countries who have done nothing to improve their countries, ever they took it from the colonosers. Thus, there's nothing that you can admire and implement as a case study of a successful neighbour. This implies that there's nothing you can really take home from the filthy brains of Mwanawasa and his heap of brutal and ruthless partners, who seem to be enjoying greatly to see innocent pple suffer to the extent of Zimbabweans today.
Last, I challenge you again to a contribution by one BetterZim above. Read it and you will not need to trouble you poor mnind and save yourself the energy to try polute more other brains through your silly articles.

Once a Zanu PF will always be a Zanu PF, furu sitopo. Tinyararire apo, we told you a long time ago, haunzwe!!

Posted By Bhonimbi Chikwekwete , kwaRimbi, kanyi kuChipinge : Aug 20 2007 02:50 PM

People...

Mawere, in a way, maybe I understand when you say people should use real names on forums etc etc, but in your case I think using your real name is causing a problem because its diverting focus from debating ideas to debating Mawere. Maybe you have your agenda e.g. to clear your name but while were are here, its best we discuss ideas. I know its been argued that having loads of cash kinda gives you a platform to be listened to when you speak, I personally doubt the wisdom in that kind of thinking, .Or you enjoy discussing Mawere? I say that because you could have been called Joe Gumede it wouldn't make a difference to me because I first heard of you when I read one of your articles online about a year ago and I generally enjoy reading them than reading about you defending yourself (actually I don't read those I just scan a few lines then stop) or discussing your businesses etc etc. What's your take on that suggestion big guy?

Posted By Kwame Buthelezi , KwaZulu, South Africa : Aug 20 2007 03:05 PM

You are easily seduced

When Cde Mawere had slots on the national TV channel I dont remember him championong the cause of the man on the street. Rule of law,protection of investmets etc becomes all important now because he was had(screwed,cheated,hustled) by his mates. Fair enough a man deserves recourse to justice that is why the court action in London and other cities ironically the chap/lawyer lined up against him used to be a buddy(he told us so and we know so anyway--yes the one who was poor until he started working for Mawere). Gosh these people..the Zimbabwe Socialists Organisation says we will not let such silliness derail us from the inevitable march

Posted By vekumapako,muzukuru vaDhiriri , birmingham,uk : Aug 20 2007 03:20 PM

Kwame

If I understand correctly you are South African neh? If you are please let us deal with Mawere, we know what he represents, we know his past. You just remain a guest, ok.

Posted By Tongiman , JHB, SA : Aug 20 2007 03:23 PM

no title

Kwame,i personally agree with you,Maewre has ideas but the platform he has chosen to lay the ideas is jusy wrong,i think he needs to find a new audience.i have a feeling people here dont wanna know as long as the message comes in his name then all people think of is anger,u cant blame people...i think the guy should try using a nickname wen he posts good artcles and then he should jugje form the responses that he gets afterwards inorder to make an informed decision as to whether its a good cause to keep on using his name wen he has a contribution to make.im not sure he cares?do u

Posted By matra munhukadzi , : Aug 20 2007 03:33 PM

Zim and SA

Iwe Tongiman, Kwame said that He is a Zimbabwean Ndebele. Are kodzero dzakewo dzokutaura zveZimbabwwe sewewo. Kwame Buthelezi, you brought an interesting piece there. You see I think SA is doing wrong by trying some of these apartheid chefs. Yes they did wrong but they should not be tried, that's what reconciliation is all about. They should do like what Zim did during the early years, i.e. Forgive them completely and move on. The issue of the economy though is a big deal, Whites still own the economy is SA. Uts not a matter of just taking over their businesses, but they should instead take time to educate their blacks on how to do business, etc. Zizwe zeZim neSA ziyafana. Izikinga zethu same fanana ngempela

Posted By KTM , Mzanzi : Aug 20 2007 03:35 PM

above

damn i cant even spell the name rite Mawere, there i got it

Posted By matra munhukadzi , : Aug 20 2007 03:36 PM

Mutumwa Mawere

Pamhata pako iwe mutumwa. Waiba pamwe ne ZanuPF . Nhasi yakupandukira. No more of your long articles on Zimdaily. We have no time to read such long boring articles. Hausati watsvukira. Uchamama chete.

Posted By Mamiso , Rivonia S.A : Aug 20 2007 03:38 PM

Kwame Buthelezi

Tongiman, I am actually a very proud Afrikan , born and bred in Zimbabwe(Ask KTM, Mzanzi). I completely agree that if the man committed an offence he must pay his dept to society, but my worry is that people just seem to be laying "accusations" and he says they aint truethere is noone presenting any solid evidence that the man is guilty( and he posts "evidence" that he is innocent) and I have a feeling people already have got their minds made and it really doesn't matter what he's going to say. .There are a lot of interesting ideas we should be juggling to find a solution to our nation and finding Mawere guilty is definitely not one of them. Maybe Mawere you should heed Matra Munhukadzi's advice above.

Posted By Kwame Buthelezi , KwaZulu, South Africa : Aug 20 2007 04:10 PM

no title

From the viewpoint of us simple minded types who are not clever enough to use 10 paragraphs where a simple sentence will do - Mawere came a cropper when he refused to pay his pint of blood to ZANU PF by standing for the chairmanship for Masvingo. People generally judge you least by what you say - ask a psychologist about non - verbal cues. People are refusing to judge the Moyos, Mutambara and yes, Maweres by what clever things they say but rather by their track records and their perceived motives. As for this piece, reading it I felt like I was watching a man scratching his crotch. I had to stop after a while....

Posted By Munya Chitsanga , Harare, Zimbabwe : Aug 20 2007 04:24 PM

Zimbabwe is finished

The SADC meeting just proves one thing and that is that SADC is right behind Mugabe and therefore supports the implosion of Zimbabwe to allow conditions for Mugabe to remain in power. The diaspora will remain in the diaspora because Zimbabweans living out outside Zimbabwe are doing absolutely nothing to help. Zimbabweans in the diaspora are pathetic and should really change their nationality to the countries in which they live. They deserve Mugabe and they deserve to be in the diaspora simply because they are doing NOTHING about saving their country.

Posted By A very dissappointed , Zimbabwean in Harare : Aug 20 2007 04:41 PM

Kangwanai zveSADC

Forget about SADC and the AU - what the hell have they done for us up to now besides shield Mugabe. It will take (as before in 1979-1980) the US (after Bush) and the EU and the UK with Brown to put pressure on SA (after Mbeki) before anything substantive happens. Thats 2009-2010 at the earliest. Unless in the army someone puts him to sleep before then...

Posted By Munya Chitsanga , Harare, Zimbabwe : Aug 20 2007 05:16 PM

zimbabwe is finished

Iwe chiterera zvandakukutaurira. Ini kuDiaspora magetsi ariko,Tesco ariko, matrain ariko, mabhazi ariko, petrol iriko. Tesco is so cheap that the unemloyed can shop there and fill baskets and trolleys. And guess what the society is structured so that the middle class(teachers,engineers,managers,doctors etc) and the working class vanokweshana muTesco imomo meaning no-one feels lesser of a person.Tinochemera hama kumusha day in day out because you deserva better. Imi kumba ndimi murikunetsa leave this man uyu Morgiza, tirove road takananga state house. Morgiza has delayed zvinhu baba. It is obvious what needs doing. Zvino munonyengerwa mukanzwa achiti takano vataurira Britain, America moti pane zvakabatwa. BBc nsCNN shamwari dzake hadzivote munyika medu..ngwarayi baba..ngwarayi

Posted By vekumapako, muzukuru vaDhiriri , Birmingham,UK : Aug 20 2007 05:25 PM

MAWERE NDIZVO

mawere ndizvo

Posted By , : Aug 20 2007 05:32 PM

Zim Crisis

I have taken note of the comments made and I think that it is not beneficial for anyone to engage in debates that add no value. I have tried to debate issues and where appropriate use my personal experiences as an empirical basis to begin a conversation that seeks to identify what has gone wrong in Zimbabwe and what needs to happen for progress to take place. It is futile to attempt to focus on victims rather than focus on the people with the means to change the course of events in Zimbabwe. Progress will only emerge when maturity informs the process otherwise the real problem confronting Zimbabwe may be located in the minds of those obsessed with hate. Issues need to be discussed rationally and there are always two sides to a coin. If the logic is that only Zimbabweans are entitled to discuss Zimbabwean issues then I rest my case. I do not believe that I should hide my identity to ventilate my views. People are entitled to criticise me and it is important that they give their own views without fear or prejudice. This is not a court of law but a public discourse platform. I would like to believe that the views expressed are a genuine expression of what people feel. If my silence helps advance the cause of change then so be it.

Posted By Mutumwa, Mawere , Rivonia, South Africa : Aug 20 2007 06:59 PM

Mawere

TIBVIRE APA,YOU ARE FULL OF SOUR GRAPES.WERE YOUR EYES CLOSED WHEN YOU SLEPT WITH THE DEVIL WHILST IN ZIMBABWE.YOU NEVER MENTIONED ANYTHING TO UPGRADE PEOPLES'S SUFFERING OR BRING CHANGE BUT ENJOYED THE STATUS QOU.YOU AND THE PROFESSOR(MOYO) ARE IN THE SAME BOAT.PLEASE GIVE IT UP,WE ARE TRIED OF YOUR TANTRUMS!!!

Posted By NewKing Maker , Newbury : Aug 20 2007 07:17 PM

Mawere,yu are on track

Mawere usanetseka nemadofo who fail to separate issues here. We are not looking for a saint neither shd we look into each other's past.I agree nevarikuti Mawere shd point the way forward. Ko ivo varikuti urumuSouth African handiti they too were expecting something from Mbeki. Is he Zimbabwean? Moreover, kana maZimbabweans acho tiri kutadza kubuda ne winning formula tipe regardless kuti yu carry a South African Passport.Mazano anobva from all corners ,even from neighbours. If yu are South African , the better, uri sahwira wevanhu veZimbabwe,kwete Mbeki anoda kuzviita sahwira wemutungamiri weZimbabwe achisiya Zimbabwe yacho. On the jihad issue,vakomana musatye nyanga dzezizi.ZANU PF is just using fear to keep us from uprising. The army itself no longer wants Mugabe and all they need is just someone to trigger this.Musatyiswe nanaCIO and other idiots who cant see ten years from now into the future. Ivi anMugabe pavakaenda kuhondo handiti they had no experience.Ma WarVets eZANU vanofunga kuti ndivo chete vanogona kudzidzira kushandisapfuti, we too can learn and do it beter. Moreover, vazhinji vacho vachembera, dzangova shungu chete.No one can claim monopoly of ability to use a gun, we too can do what they did or better. My suggestion is that we start looking for countries that are friendly to the people of Zimbabwe and not the ruling party. These countries do not need to be in the region, remember, people went far afield as China to learn war tactics.Imi vaMawere batanai naTsvangirai and give us direction.Zimbabwe needs yu now more than before.Whatever yu did or didnt do is immaterial at the moment, the critical issue is to stop the country from spontaneous uprising bcoz if it an uprising isina munhu anoimaneja( to manage )we will end up in a cycle of violence that will take up to 40years but if it is managed, we know kuti we will be flowing in one direction. Zvekuti CIO irikuverenga our messages on this forume hazvina basa, we cant do anything about it, ngavazive ende zvichaita kuti vanokwanisa ku resigna from CIO vatobuda now while they can because whether they admit or not, ONE DAY MUNHU WEMUZIMBABWE ACHAJAMUKA CHETE, hapana zuva risinga sviki. Mawere, ZIMBABWE NEEDS YOU.

Posted By Mapamba , Harare,Zimbabwe : Aug 20 2007 07:37 PM

Mutumwa Mawere

Mawere is a true new age freedom fighter. This man regardless of his past connection has got a vision and knows where we are going. People learn from their mistakes and Mawere is one of them, now he is taking his past mistakes to inform the future. The article above is one of his well said postings.

Posted By Majaira Jairosi , Bujumbura University : Aug 20 2007 07:56 PM

Mawere

...well, its your call big guy....enjoy.

Posted By Kwame Buthelezi , KwaZulu, South Afrika : Aug 20 2007 08:02 PM

One Day Cross

I don't think anybody here is saying that Zimbabwe's problems should be discussed by Zimbabweans exclusively. What many people don't understand is why a South African should devote all his daylight hours and most of the night to solving a foreign country's problems. Why does Mawere not use his intelligence and vision for the benefit of his own country. Some of us cannot forget that during his stay in our country he helped our oppressors to entrench themselves and rob our nation. They shared with him. Some of us have been close to Mawere and know his true colours. If he had not changed citizenship we would expose and embarass him big time. Some of us suffered great prejudice and financial loss because of Mawere. That is why he tries everyday to present himself as a good man, especially to those who do not really know this conman, mostly the youngsters he pays to support him on this forum. Mutumwa you are rotten to the core. We will catch up with you. Hiding in Johannesburg is temporary. I know you want to come back home once ZANU(PF) fall. You will find me/us waiting. You can write as much as you want but that does not change anything. What's written cannot be unwritten.

Posted By E. Mayikani , Harare, Zimbabwe : Aug 20 2007 08:30 PM

mugabe takes blame

I don't entirely agree with you the roots of the current crisis. Are you saying with a different leadership we would have got the same results? The roots of our problems are in Mugabe's evil heart and brain. The other problems are rooted in Zimbabweans' faint hearts, their love for vanity, greed and taking national issues for granted. Some are rooted in our African culture (resistant to change). Can you prove or point to a country which inherited the same colonial system and found itself in a crisis we now have. That is not to say colonialism did not contribute to our problems but lets not absolve ourselves and jump to blame colonialism. Can someone clarify why it's said our problems are rooted in colonialism. Of course we were supposed to get our land back but it was Mugabe anyway who stopped the fight for land because he had exchanged it for political office.

Posted By njokweni , : Aug 20 2007 08:32 PM

Its the mawere name

Mawere- a guy above had a point. Imagine the article above without the Mawere name on it . Imagine any article you write apart from those involving your properties without your name penned to it.what kind of response will it get.In your case its the singer not the song. People like the song so much but have mixed emotions about the singer.They then throw away the song with the singer. Try it one day. If your aim is to spread the gospel and not the name mawere then that is the best ide. I personally like your mesage dont care if it involves your properties or not. Some are not so forgiving. Get your message through dont force yourself down peoples thorats.

Posted By mike pashata , oz : Aug 20 2007 09:01 PM

Let us showcase our culture on this site

The opinion in this article is in my view was Mwanawasa and his coterie of Sadc Presidents in arriving at the decision that the Zimbabwean crisis was exaggerated or not? This is a cardinal question that can be asked by anyone anywhere in the world with or without interest in Zimbabwe. My view is that in his last article and the current ones Mawere has tried very much to speak with eloquence on issues of what informs Leadership decisions not necessarily in Zimbabwe but in the entire Sadc region and in the process has unveiled some pertinent misconceptions that need addressing. The myth that the Zim crisis is exaggerated is one I personally do not share with the entire SADC leadership so wherever it came from must be addressed. The second issue is that leadership must be directed by the needs desires and aspirations of the people who will be affected by the leadership decisions and to me that is how it should be. Mawere may or may not be tarnished by his past association with Zanu PF but that certainly must not preclude him from observing and debating issues of Zanu PF mis-governance even if it is to further his personal fight with the government. To me the more victims of Zanu Association we have coming to expose their experiences positive or otherwise the more informed we become to counter and topple Zanu PF. For this reason alone I find it weird that a person of Mawere's resolve would be put off course by well meant criticism of his past association with Zanu perceived or otherwise to a point where he accepts to be silenced and I doubt he will be silenced that easily. Mawere has emerged that from the SADC leadership opinion announced after the Lusaka meeting it appears we have somehow failed to convince the SADC leadership on the gravity of the Zimbabwe crisis and proposes areas he feels may have been overlooked. I personally feel his isolation of the reasons he feels Sadc leaders may be underestimating the extent of the Zim crisis add value to our fight against Zanu PF and Matibili. For example I agree that some Sadc states are benefiting immensely from displaced Zimbabwean expertise and this must forebode our minds when we entrust them to address our plight. I also subscribe to his postulation that Sadc leaders will prefer to sponsor a reformed Zanu PF leadership and as aspiring government we must always bear in mind how this can influence the outcome of elections in our country if they are held under Sadc supervision with this stance. Finally I want to appeal to all of us to focus on the coming elections and discuss issues rather than personalities in a mature way. This is not to say that we must not point out our perceptions of other contributors' past and future inclination factually or speculatively but merely to emphasise that when we do so we avoid bad mouthing, vulgar language, and obscene language, racial and tribal bigotry. I think if we adhere to editorial policy our views will carry more favour and weight with the mature politicians we intent to counsel. That people like Prof Mutambara, Morgan Tsvangirai, Robert Mugabe and many other political luminaries in our country visit our forum daily is not speculation but what they get out of the immature insults and other obscenities may be playing against our noble intentions to persuade leadership opinions in our favour. Imagine a mature visitor on our site being confronted by Chawurura's sexual obscenities about MDC girls. Many of us are no different from this Zanu PF uncivilised zealot whose manners and vulgar language have no place in our customs. Let's showcase our hunhu, ubantu on this site and never write words we would speak in public and more so to our elders be they family, friends, relatives, neighbours or foes. Let us not be regulated by editorial policy but by our family values and cultural norms to make this site truly Zimbabwean. I thank you, Ndatenda Ngiyabonga Satotela Sana.

Posted By Hatirebwi Nathan Masikati , : Aug 20 2007 09:05 PM

What does this article mean . .

The most dangerous man is the one who doesn't know where he is. . . . and succeeds in convincing other to join him. The title suggests that the author agrees with Mwanawasa. Is this the case? Maybe I am confused. Maybe he is just being open-minded and playing both sides of the field. The forays into the distant and recent past are important but not RELEVANT. Right now Zimbabwe is in need of change. It matters not who forgot to conclude an agreement or what the West did wrong. What matters now is where we are. It's not whether we think it is good or bad, worse or better, the fact is we have an issue to deal with, so whether you call an animal a bufalo or a bull makes no difference you still have to deal with the animal. It's not about the leaders we need its about them having an opportunity to lead. It's not just about what type of plan we need its firstly about having the opportunity to execute the plan and secondly the collective will. That the whites underdeveloped Africa is a stupid argument. Why would anyone want to underdevelop a place they call home? Apart from the slavery, the theft, the humiliation, the suffering we owe white people some thanks for the development of this continent which we won back, and for awakening in the black man the spirit to fight for himself. We have taken a fledgling economy raised it and then put it on the braai. The Titanic is now a submarine. Mutumwa, FIRST focus on how we ensure the elections are fair, SECOND focus on how we can ensure voter education can be achieved, THIRD take a position. This type of speculation and reminiscence will have us at this website in 3 elections time. I don't believe in violence at this time but I see the point of those advocating ACTION. Because right now thoughts of action are better than than thoughts of trying to win a battle with . . . . essays. Last comment on this issue. The economic aspect of our nation's dilemma is just one facet. What about the other problems. It seems that just anyone can have an article posted. Am now waiting for Chinamasa to put across his $0.02. Bad joke. Can someone put an ad in the Classified: "Wanted a psychiatrist or motivational speaker to awaken the sleeping giant in a once proud but now humbled people. No chancers." Zim Freedom

Posted By Zim Freedom , ZIMBABWE : Aug 20 2007 09:42 PM

Radio Mawere

It doesn't matter whether you like the singer or not it's the song that counts. Right now I'll listen to anyone who makes consistent and total sense. You may find a dollar dropped in mud, so keep searching for truths you can believe and follow. Even your enemy may say something to your advantage.

Posted By Zim Freedom , ZIMBABWE : Aug 20 2007 09:56 PM

No smoke without fire . . .

SADC's opinion is only that an opinion and since it is based on the testimony of only one party ie the govt iot is obviously flawed. Everyone with a legal mind knows the principle of audi alteram partem. So let's not be frustrated by an irrelevant opinion. The truth will come out one day. The Mbeki mediation event in my opinion is just a smokescreen. NOTHING is going to come of it. It gives us the convenient hope that something is being done. It takes the matter out of our hands. At the end of the day any agreement is not binding on the nation, not even between two parties. It's a useful distraction from the daily grind. OUR HANDS hold our destiny, not 2 political parties, not even 3. We need to get our heads out of the sand and start crafting strategies. For instance, how do we advertyise the need for people to think critically, without indoctrinating them. How do we mobilize the most effective politicians to go on one-on-one personal campaigns promoting ideals and values not people? How do we keep hope alive and get people to realize they are worth more than they are given and deserve more? Liberation from our liberators has to be the last chimurenga and it doesn't need guns or blood, just enaction of will and spirit. In any case Einstein said "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them". so no violence please. Zim Freedom

Posted By ZimFreedom , ZIMBABWE : Aug 20 2007 10:06 PM

SUGGESTION 1: Become an effective politician . . . ?

The point about the most effective politicians relates to YOU and every other Zimbabwean. One definition of the term politician is "a leader engaged in civil administration". If this is a democracy then the politicians are our servants and the MPs are our representatives so we are in fact the leaders. So we should not be afraid to engage people One-on-One on matters relating to civil administration eg what we deserve and what we don't deserve. Your ZANU-PF indoctrinated family members are more likely to listen to you than Tsvangirai or Arthur Mutambara. So you can be more effective than Tsvangirai in some instances. Don't be afraid. Zim Freedom

Posted By ZimFreedom , ZIMBABWE : Aug 20 2007 10:16 PM

mawere shut up

mawere should shut up waidya nezanu pf you were give most of the companies in zimbabwe with a zunu pf support do try kuda kunatsa you have cheat people you yu are the people who contribute to destroy zimbabwe we are now in diasprora because of you and company try to stop writing your acticles uri mhata yemunhu iwe na mugabe you were eating in the same plate saka whats wrong naye uri mwana wehure thats why you keep changing your natoinality stop writing matuzvi ako kwatiri

Posted By tazo mudiwa , slough uk : Aug 20 2007 10:30 PM

tazo mudiwa

Here is your message without the vulgar language you used.Mawere shut up. waidya nezanu pf you were given most of the companies in zimbabwe with zanu pf support. dont try kuda kunatsa. you have cheated many people before. you are the people who contributed to destroy zimbabwe we are now in diaspora because oof you and company try to stop writing your articles.you are very stupid like your associate mugabeyou were eating from the same platesaka whats naye uri benzi chairo risina gwara thats why you keep keep changing your nationality like a prostitute stop writing your silly and directionless articles to seek our sympathy. whenn you were enjoying with mugabe you never thought of us what has reminded you that we are relevant to you if not that your friends in zanu have turned against you. leave us in peace and fight your wn wars without us. Bad mouthing does not replace facts

Posted By Hatirebwi nathan Masikati , : Aug 20 2007 11:18 PM

black market

official or legal rate - 1 USD = ZW$ 250 and black market rate - 1 USD = ZW$ 240 000 - now how can an economy run when these two prices of the USD are so far out of line - this 2 tier system cheats both importers & exporters. A few chosen people ( all zanu pf & families ) are able to access the cheap USD's & become millionaires overnight - Gideon Gono & Chihuri are of course able to access these cheap USD dollars to send their kids to expensive schools in Australia & other first world universities - the Univ of Zimbabwe is not good enough for these big zanu pf chefs - think about it Zimbabweans !

Posted By jackson wallylegover , kingston jamaica : Aug 20 2007 11:28 PM

Opposition Must Know That...

The best defense is in attacking; they have to take the offensive role otherwise ZANU will always kill like they did during Gukurahundi. See videos on this link maybe you will get what I'm talking about. http://www.thenewrbc.com/pages/rtv.html

Posted By plantif , Harare : Aug 20 2007 11:56 PM

Mawere talks sense

Whether you like it or not, Mawere has written a very inciteful article. Someone mentioned earlier that Zambia, Moza, Bots, Tanz etc have not done much to improve their status quo so Zim is a step ahead in many ways. This is true, I do not doubt. Also, they are benefiting a great deal from us. To expect them to do anything for us is absolute bullocks. This is our fight, this is our war. Regarding the Zanoids, they no longer want the old man, I have this on good resource, but they are not gutsy enough to take him out. Freedom fighters my foot. Things are bad, and they are affecting everyone, including every single minister in the cabinet. They have extended families after all. To the woman who said "I dont see how democracy could be more than it is in Zimbabwe"- get out of Harare idiot, or pass your O-levels, whichever one applies.

Posted By Political Engineer , Michigan, USA : Aug 21 2007 03:05 AM

No more time for these discussions

It is time now to organise into fighting units rather panel discussions. Look at SADC, WHAT DID THEY DO ? DISCUSS. Whats happening in Zim right now! SUFFERING!!! It is time to start looking for ways to organise to fight the black imperialist. Lets think of friendly countries that can provide both training and weapons to fight this corrupt regime. We need to fight our own wars not leaving it the likes of Mbeki or whoever thinks Zim is no experiencing problems to talk about.Come to the table with your good ideas on mobilising rather spend time just chatting or posting articles. Lets be real people and confront the demon. Zizi HARINA NYANGA. How many soldiers have left the Zanu govt and how many more are willing? Can they fight against the will of the people and in deed their own will.

Posted By , : Aug 21 2007 05:21 AM

Pamberi nehondo varume

YES, I also agree and have a very strong feeling and a great urge to start organising some fighting units to clear this regime once and for all. I personally feel this is the right time. Not necessarily with guns only, but the war has to start from everywhere - schools, churches, workplaces, towns, cities nepamisika. HOW?
Well, whenever you see a soldier, CIO, policement or any other branch of JOC, call a few friends, buy him beer and kick the ass like donkey, then run away. Also, kick ass for Zanu PF thugs' chidren whenever you find them. Myself, I am starting from Mozambique, will not disclose the base coz these Matibili thugs will disturb us. Have already unerthed 10 AK47s and grenades left by my uncle who was a RENAMO .....;.hokoyo Mawere and your former friends. You are on the hit list bud!!

Posted By Chaporonga , Chaporonga Farm, Chinhoyi : Aug 21 2007 11:15 AM

Yahoo! Answers - Get better answers from someone who knows. Try it now.

SONG ABOUT "THE PRESIDENT" (DOUBLE-CLICK ON VIDEO!!!)

2007-08-15T12:38:00.001+02:00

Mugabe cannot retire, even if he wants to!

2007-08-07T11:07:00.000+02:00

Mugabe cannot retire, even if he wants to!

By Tanonoka Joseph Whande

HARARE - Although I am very hopeful and optimistic about SADC’s lame efforts to bring a solution to the Zimbabwean problem, any casual observer can see there is no way there is going to be a ‘negotiated settlement’ to the Zimbabwean question.

Too many factors militate against it. Not that the principals are incapable but because the man at the centre of the putrid state of affairs is not going to let a solution be found.

It is clear that President Robert Mugabe is safer without a solution to the problem. Mugabe is not going to retire or leave office. He is going to die in office to save himself from humiliation and prosecution.

Everyone knows and can see that so why Mbeki and SADC want to fool the world into believing that something might come out of his efforts is a mystery.

Already, Mugabe is setting preconditions for the talks and attendance by his proxies at the talks is getting erratic. But Mbeki is not a fool either. Mugabe needs the Zimbabwean presidency for his own personal security.

Vacating that position leaves him open to arrest or, God forbid, even assassination.

Mugabe has caused the deaths of too many people; he has abused many more and is responsible for atrocities that are well-documented even by his own commissions of enquiry.

He cannot retire and live in Zimbabwe simply because there is absolutely no way he can be safe there and no amount of guarantees will change that.

Besides, he would be a serious liability to any person who takes over from him. There is no doubt as to the amount of pressure that would be brought to bear on the sitting president to “do something about Mugabe.”

That president would have the most difficult of times with the Zimbabwean people pressurising him and crying for justice. It would also be difficult for anyone to be seen protecting him from the people’s demand for justice.

There are also enemies outside Zimbabwe, and he knows it, which is why he avoids certain countries even without the travel ban on him.

What happened to the late dictator Augusto Pinochet is still fresh in Mugabe’s memory.

And guarantees of no arrest should never be taken seriously because other countries have what is called ‘the rule of law’ where such flimsy assurances do not stand a chance in court.

Wherever he goes, the laws of that country would get him faster than vengeful Zimbabwean citizens. No one should waste time discussing Mugabe’s immunity from prosecution.

There is no immunity.

Period.

The so-called Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) worked for South Africa and it will not work for Mugabe under any circumstances. South Africans were polarised and there were racial overtones.

Much as we may deny it, the fight in South Africa was a racial fight, although politicians are fond of saying they were fighting against a system not a race. A TRC will not work for Mugabe because his malevolence is deliberate.

Who is he fighting in Zimbabwe?

It’s just Mugabe versus the people. Like a cow in a maize field, he has been munching away at the citizens for no other reason than that they hold a different opinion from his own.

Is he not fighting Zimbabweans, his own masters? Is he not abusing and killing the very custodians of independence and freedom; the owners of the land?

Is he not maiming people because the people are telling him they don’t want him anymore? How will he explain his starving of old men, women and children because he suspects them of belonging to the opposition party?

And if they do belong to the opposition party, so what? And there are plenty of other things we don’t know about yet. They will become known the minute he folds his presidential sash and leaves State House.

His ministers will talk; no problem there.

Then there are issues and incidences from the liberation struggle that will throttle him the minute he relinquishes power.

He has a lot of explaining to do and many a grave will be dug up in and outside Zimbabwe.

The man has no chance, for goodness sake. It’s just payback time and that cannot be avoided. Going into exile leaves him wide open to arrest. Exile is not a guarantee because ‘if they want you, they will get you.’

It is as easy as that. It would be just a matter of time as Nicaraguan dictator, Anastasio ("Tachito") Somoza Debayle, found out.

He was assassinated in Asunción, Paraguay, at the age of 54, by a commando team led by the Argentinean Enrique Gorriarán Merlo.

He was blown up and it is doubtful if they recovered every piece of him after that attack.

And, in spite of providing heavy security, how many times has Mugabe himself apprehended Ethiopian would-be-assassins near the secluded Gunhill premises of Mengistu Haile Mariam and wondered how they got so close with arms?

In short, there is no safe place for Mugabe; once he leaves the presidency he is a dead man.

Because, unfortunately, too many people want to see him dead while more want to see him pay for his crimes. There is no such thing as a “former dictator”, only dead dictators and Mugabe is no fool.

Mugabe is also aware that no one can rule Zimbabwe with him alive and that is why he is going to die in office, unless his army removes him, which is unlikely, given the caliber of his generals and military leaders.

Mugabe is aware that no one can guarantee his safety and that nobody can really guarantee him immunity from prosecution in or outside Zimbabwe. If they do, they’d be lying, just to get him aside till they grab him.

Not only Zimbabweans but many people around the world would like to see Mugabe in the dock. His arrogance has guaranteed very few friends and the country of exile might cause to be a problem.

In Africa, South Africa appears to be the safest, in spite of its proximity to Zimbabwe. But would South Africans accept Mugabe to live in their country?

It is not going to be an easy decision to arrive at and Mbeki is aware of that. Mugabe is not Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Exile is running away from your own people, isn’t it? And does Mugabe himself want exile?

Is he naïve enough to believe he can actually be safe away from Zimbabwe State House? The answer is ‘no’ and I dare Mbeki to prove me wrong. In the meantime, Mbeki is having it both ways.

Why should he hurry to solve the Zimbabwean crisis? Even without outside help, the Zimbabwean situation is reaching ‘saturation point’ and will inevitably straighten itself out.

But the vultures are circling. Many big companies in Zimbabwe closed down and relocated to South Africa and other countries in the region. Supermarkets are closing down because there are no suppliers.

There is no food in the country. There is no fuel or spares. Zimbabwe does not even have money; it uses paper money and has no coins. There are no chemicals for water reticulation.

Hospital beds, like supermarket shelves, are empty because there are no medicines in the hospitals. Patients are asked to bring their own food which they can no longer find in the empty shops.

And South African business is watching, don’t you see? Mugabe is going to go, one way or the other. He is about to expire, both physically and politically, and South African business is best poised to rush in and set up shop.

They have the money; they have the means and they are nearest. So Mbeki is not losing sleep over Zimbabwe. Either way it goes, he and his country come out winners.

We hear so much about the SADC initiative, spearheaded by Mbeki. Hogwash. SADC, with its united inadequacy, is too cowardly and unwilling to solve problems that directly affect it.

There is nothing to negotiate in or about Zimbabwe. Robert Mugabe is the redundant culprit. If SADC is serious about solving this problem, they should just impose sanctions on him, just like the US and the EU did.

Yes, people will suffer because of such sanctions but people have been suffering for a long time and there is no end in sight.

Suffer we will because of the sanctions but the pain I feel while a troublesome aching tooth is being removed is much more welcome than the prolonged, drawn out torture of the decayed tooth.

SADC must do something to show a collective serious resolve in protecting and promoting the region.

LINK!!!

*Tanonoka Joseph Whande is a Botswana-based Zimbabwean writer.

Happy Birthday MDC!

2006-10-11T14:28:00.000+02:00

Lets celebrate the seven years of the existence of the Movement for Democratic Change (the MDC) by remembering those that suffered and died to have a new Democratic Dispensation in Zimbabwe.

Rev M S Hove.
mufarostig@yahoo.co.uk
cell (in RSA) 0027791463039.

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MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE ZIMBABWEPOLITICAL VIOLENCE REPORT 2004

A report by the MDC Information and Publicity DepartmentThis document details human rights abuses perpetrated against MDC supporters and officials since the beginning of 2004 by ZANU PF supporters, the youth militia, state agents and war veterans. The incidents are arranged in chronological order.

JANUARY
4 January, Midland Province: The house of ward 9 councillor, Simon Dick was destroyed in a bomb attack by suspected CIO agents. Councillor Dick and his sister-in-law managed to escape unscathed after a bomb was thrown through the dining room window in the early hours of Sunday 4 January.
A petrol bomb was found in Councillor Dick's car the following morning. Also found was an MDC T-shirt in the yard presumably to mislead the Birthday community into believing that Dick's home was petrol-bombed by MDC activists. Police officers from the forensic department were called to investigate. No arrests have been made to date.
4 January, Mashonaland Central: ZANU PF supporters went on the rampage in Shamva at around 2300 hours moving from door to door looking for, and attacking, MDC supporters. MDC activist, Alexander Chigega (53) was killed during the attacks. The ZANU PF group comprised of leader and area District Chairman Noel Chikanga, Milton Kange, the Youth Chairperson for the same district as well as Edison Dumbu, Tichaona Gwekwe, Harrison Zuze Ogy Minetsi and Edwin.
The ZANU PF group first descended on the home of Enias Mutsaunobaya where they severely beat Enias, his wife and children and left him for dead. They proceeded to Chigega's home where they severely attacked him and his family. Chigega was left unconscious and had to be ferried to the police station where he later died.
The late had been taken to the police station by relatives who hoped to get a letter from the police that would have enabled him to get medical attention at the nearest hospital. (It is law in Zimbabwe that an assault victim must get a police report before seeking medical attention.)
After attacking the Chigega family the ZANU PF group proceeded to Rueben Manyika's home where they severely assaulted him. He was left for dead. The matter was reported to the police but no arrests were made. Rueben Manyika, Enias Mutsaunobaya, his wife Baybite and the wife and daughter of the late Chigega were taken to hospital. Manyika, Mutsaunobaya and his wife were referred to a Harare hospital while Mrs. Chigega and her daughter were briefly admitted to a Bindura hospital
5 January, Midlands: 27 war veterans abducted headman Sikombingo from his Lower Gweru home. Prior to his abduction, Zanu PF officials had threatened Sikombingo with disappearance for sympathizing with MDC. The abduction was reported to both the police and the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Rugare Gumbo, by the local Member of Parliament, Hon Renson Gasela, but no arrests were made.
Two other old men in their 80s, Mzingwane and Genga fled their homes after receiving similar threats from the same ZANU PF officials over their perceived allegiance to the MDC.
5 January, Matabeleland North: Prisca Sibanda, an MDC activist, succumbed to injuries she sustained at the hands of the ZANU PF youth militia in Hwange. At the time of her beating, Prisca was pregnant and went into premature labour. Her ribs were also broken when she was severely beaten by the youth militia during the run-up to the March 2002 Presidential Election. She never recovered from the wounds she sustained and leaves behind a two-year-old infant.
7 January, Manicaland Province: Tawanda Mutomba, a schoolteacher at Vengere High School in Rusape, was abducted by known Central Intelligence Operatives in broad daylight. The CIO operatives, who included a Mr. Tasa who is the Officer In charge of Makoni, his assistant Roy Chitaka, Mattre Kambarami and another only known as Hwende, used a light blue Toyota pick up truck (registration number: 640- 522T.)
The four accused the victim of being responsible for distributing "The Changing Times," an MDC in-house weekly news publication. He escaped from his captors a few days later and fled to Mutare where he sought refuge. He has since left teaching as a result of fear for his life.
12 January, Mashonaland West: Eight MDC supporters attending a district meeting were arrested by the police and charged under POSA. The eight, Fidelis Tiritese, Mind Chambati, Stanley Razaro, Ben Nyamadzawo, Surviyor Dipuka, Stanfred Dipuka and Henry Chigutiro were charged and detained at Magunje police station for holding an illegal meeting.
16 January, Masvingo: The MDC candidate for the February 2- 3 Parliament By- election, Crispa Musoni, survived an ambush on his car by a group of ZANU PF supporters who were moving in three trucks. The incident happened at around 2130 hours when Mr. Musoni had just closed his shop and was on his away home.
The three ZANU PF trucks, inscribed Matabeleland South Province and Bulilamamangwe and carrying about 30 people, blocked Musoni's way and demanded that all the people in Musoni's car disembark. Musoni refused and drove back to his shop from where he telephoned the police. The police responded swiftly and escorted Musoni home.
A smaller ZANU PF group of about 10 people followed Musoni and attempted to attack his family home. They retreated when Musoni threatened to shoot and kill anyone who ventured into his yard.
23 January, Harare: More than 15 members of the Zimbabwe Republican Police descended on the MDC offices at Harvest House in Harare and searched the building for about one and half hours at around 1530hrs. The police claimed they were looking for 'subversive material'. Party policy documents were confiscated as were copies of 'Changing Times' and copies of staff telephone numbers.
The police also raided both the MDC's Regional Office in Bulawayo.
23 January, Matabeleland North: The personal assistant to the Lupane Member of Parliament, Mr. David Nyathi was arrested by police for distributing copies of the weekly news bulletin called Zvakwana. Nyathi was taken to Bulawayo Central Police station and was released on the 27th of January without charge.
24 January, Manicaland: Five army officers led by Jokoja pointed a gun at an MDC supporter and demanded that he should remove the MDC T-shirt he was wearing. Bothwell Musimwa, a worker at Charles wood farm which is owned by the MDC legislator Roy Bennet told the officers that he saw nothing wrong in putting on an MDC T-shirt considering the MDC is lawfully recognized in the country. The army officers forcibly removed his T- shirt and tore it. They warned him against supporting MDC and wearing MDC regalia.
On the same day, the Provincial Governor for Manicaland, Mike Nyambuya, addressed a council meeting which was exclusively for ZANU PF councilors after MDC councilors were barred from attending.
The house of Brighton Muchiwu, a ZANU PF activist in Chimanimani, was petrol bombed by unknown assailants. Police and members of Central Intelligence used this incident as a pretext for searching all houses belonging to MDC members and engaging in an orgy of violence against known MDC activists. Benson Mukwaya, Lovemore Jakachira, Chengetanai Munyepfu, Takesure Sigauke, and Jaspa Gavaza were all severely assaulted.
24 January, Manicaland (Buhera): A group youth militia headed by a CIO operative known as Mhlanga descended on Mrs. Mary Mthetwa at Murambinda Growth Point in Buhera. They demanded to know where her daughter Shemita Madongwe was. They told her that they had heard Shemita speaking on one of the foreign radios about Zimbabwe. They beat up Mrs. Mthetwa who was later taken to a private clinic in Mutare for medical attention.
25 January, Mashonaland West: Hurungwe West: Four MDC members, Bishop Silas, Silas Dhawuda Charles Siyibwa and Mike Bandahwe were dragged out of their homes by a group of about 40 ZANU PF supporters led by a war veteran only known as Garamukanwa and Peter Marandu. One of the ZANU PF supporters, Bernard Jeffreys, confiscated 15 MDC membership cards being sold by one of the captured MDC members. He further destroyed a portrait of the MDC President displayed in Bishop Silas's home.
The four were taken to Wellwin Farm, which has been turned into a ZANU PF torture camp and were severely assaulted and detained for more than 10 hours. They were only released at around 1900 hours. The matter was reported to the police in Karoi and a docket, RRB number 183550 dated 29 January 2004 was opened. No arrests have been made yet.
26 January, Bulawayo: The MDC Bulawayo Regional Administrator, Mr. Joshua Mpofu, was taken in by the police for questioning over allegations that copies of the weekly news bulletin called Zvakwana were found in his office at the time the police carried out a search of the offices on the 23rd of January. He was released the same day without charge.
26 January, Mashonaland East: A group of ZANU PF supporters moving in a white truck written Mashonaland East Province, in the Murehwa district, carried out a witch hunt on MDC supporters in the area. The supporters were captured after their homes were thoroughly searched and they were taken to a ZANU PF base at Duku shopping Centre where they were paraded in public and subject to verbal abuse and physical assault.
Amongst the captives was Andrew Chikoto, a school headmaster, Stuart Chinyoka and Bob George both of whom are MDC activists and Matthew Birimhiri the MDC district chairperson for the area.
The four were told to leave the area and go to stay with their President Morgan Tsvangirai. ZANU PF supporters who had gathered to witness the kangaroo court proceedings were told that they were free to deal with the captors in any way they deemed necessary but they would have to do it in the absence of the ZANU PF officials. Joshua Kafure, Mrs. Hunidzarira and another only known as Dandara led the ZANU PF group.
27 January, Manicaland (Chimanimani): Four MDC activists were kidnapped at gunpoint by members of the CIO operatives at the MDC offices at around 0930 hours in Chimanimani. The four, Pardon Maguta the district coordinator for the area, security personnel Lovemore Mbiri and Cephas Mudhara and Chengetai Munyepfu, a driver, were bundled into a truck at gunpoint by five members of the CIO. Only two of the CIO operatives, Pardington Mpofu and Shingi, were identified. The four were detained for a week during which time they were severely beaten.
FEBRUARY
2 February, Gutu North Constituency: Voting was in progress in the Gutu North Constituency Parliamentary by- election. Suspected ZANU PF agents driving a truck with registration number 779-069 N at Matiza polling station abducted an MDC youth Monica Mambanje.
Chiefs in most parts of the constituency were seen writing the names of the voters as they came in to cast their votes. Teachers in various parts of the constituency, including those at Rufaro Mission, were forced to declare that they were not able to vote on their own and thus needed to be 'assisted'. Mr. Moyo, a teacher at Rufaro, came forward to say that he was forced to declare that he was not able to vote for himself and thus needed 'assistance'.
3 February, Mashonaland East, (Murehwa): A group of ZANU PF district officials in the area led by Siwela carried out a door to door campaign to weed out MDC supporters. Among the victims were Francis Muronzi and his wife Beaty Usaviwevhu who were picked up from their home at around 13.00 hours and were severely beaten for allegedly selling the country to whites by supporting the MDC. They also lost $350 000,00 which had been contributed by the local community to procure fertilizers.
4 February, Manicaland (Chipinge): Several MDC supporters were severely assaulted by ZANU PF supporters who went on a rampage raiding homes belonging to perceived MDC members in Tanganda and Musane village in Chipinge. The raids started at around 2300 hours and continued throughout the night.
Tonderai Manjoko's home in Tanganda was raided at around 2330 hours by a group of about 15 ZANU PF youths who were moving in a white truck, inscribed Zimbabwe Republic Police, and was being driven by a member of the force who was in uniform. They knocked at his door demanding that he should come out. When he refused they forced opened the door and dragged him into the truck and drove off. Among his abductors Tonderai was able to identify Danmore Masthezana who is a well-known ZANU PF youth in the area. Tonderai was severely assaulted and was robbed of $ 65000,00.
In Musame village the ZANU PF group descended on the home of Gordon Mushakavanhu, the former ZUM Member of Parliament for the constituency. Gordon and two others were severely assaulted. The ZANU PF group proceeded to the home of MDC activist James Dhliwayo, but failed to break the security wall.
6 February, Mashonaland East (Murehwa): The ZANU PF district leadership in the area of Murehwa intensified its terror campaign in the area against perceived MDC supporters. The ZANU PF leadership led by Siwela moved from house to house hunting for MDC supporters and severely assaulted anyone perceived to be an MDC sympathizer
J. Makombe, Beauty Musekiwa and E. Maronza were among some of the people terrorized by this ZANU PF group. The fruits and vegetables they were selling to sustain themselves were confiscated and they were severely assaulted. They were later told to leave the area immediately and go to live with their President Morgan Tsvangirai. They have all fled to Harare to seek refugee.
6 February, Manicaland (Chimanimani): Three MDC women were abducted and subsequently raped by ZANU PF supported war veterans at Charleswood Farm in Chimanimani. The three women, Viola Ngwenya (18), Spiwe Chivhuro (15) and Melody were taken by war veterans to their base in the area.
Viola is alleged to have been raped twice by Muusha over the night while the other two women are said to have been sexually abused by Nasho, Kareyi and Mabumba who took turns to fondle their breasts and private parts.
8 February, Manicaland (Chimanimani): Shemi Chimbarara, an MDC activist was murdered by members of the Zimbabwe national army at Charleswood Farm.
A group of about 20 ZANU PF supporters led by Muusha Chamunorwa, Charles Chigamba, Nasho and a Makamanzi descended on the home of Amos Makaza, a security guard at the farm, at around 19.00 hrs. They attacked the house destroying windowpanes but retreated when farm workers from the compound come to assist Makaza. They came back later with the backing of the army and fired some shots at Makaza's home.
The ZANU PF group and the army followed the farm workers to their compound and fired more shots. Shemi was shot and killed on the spot while John Kaitano was shot in the leg. Kaitano was taken to a hospital in Mutare.
8 February, Manicaland (Chipinge): The MP for Chipinge North, Methias Matewu, survived an assassination attempt by the ZANU PF sponsored militia at Bingwa Business Center in Chipinge. The incident occurred when Matewu was addressing a rally at Bingwa Business Centre, a rally which had been cleared by police. Hundreds of ZANU PF militia were dropped off at the venue by ZESA, DDF and ARDA vehicles and started beating up MDC supporters as soon as they departed the rally. These attacks happened in front of police officers who stood by and watched.
28 February, Mashonaland Central (Shamva): Four MDC activists in the Shamva area of Mashonaland Central were arrested. The four, Forget Daniso (Youth Organising Secretary), Bernard Gandanzara (Ward 7 Chairperson), Gonore Humba and Levis Munave, all of Shamva district were arrested, and taken to Mt Darwin Police station on spurious allegations of pouring blood and dumping some corpse stretchers on the door steps of some ZANU PF activists in the area. Members of the CID searched their homes but nothing incriminating was found.
The four were then taken to the home of ZANU PF District Chairperson, and later released. They were picked up again the following day by Bindura police, and handed over to the CIO operatives in Bindura. They were detained, tortured and released from Bindura Police Station three days later. They are still under medical supervision.
MARCH
3 March, Chitungwiza (Zengeza Constituency): A group of about 20 ZANU PF sponsored youth militia attacked Mrs. Apolonia Tarupiwa (nee Choruwa) at her home in Zengeza at around 2330 hours. The militia group demanded that Mrs. Tarupiwa hand over all the MDC material she had in her possession. They also attacked Daniel Mapuranga who is a tenant at Mrs. Tarupiwa's house.
4 March, Chitungwiza (Zengeza): A group of ZANU PF supporters attacked MDC members in Zengeza at around 1500 hours. Lazarus Mbodza and Trust Chimbidzikai were abducted and taken to a ZANU PF base in Unit H where they were severely assaulted. Another MDC member, Lancelot Masaraure, was brutally attacked with sticks and logs and left unconscious.
7 March, Chitungwiza (Zengeza): Zanu PF militia invaded the venue of a planned MDC rally in Zengeza. The rally was set to launch the MDC's campaign for the by-election to be held in the Zengeza constituency on 27 and 28 March.
At around 10.00 am a group of about 200 ZANU PF sponsored militia descended on the venue of the MDC rally and attacked MDC supporters who were preparing for the event. The MDC group, numbering about 20 youths, were all severely assaulted. The police who were present did nothing to protect the MDC supporters or restrain the militia. The police contingent included the Officer-in-Charge of Chitungwza and his assistant, a superintendent Mutemaringa.
At around 11.30 am as the MDC campaign team was driving to the venue of the rally it was attacked by ZANU PF militia armed with knobkerries, stones and sticks.
Members of the riot police stood by as the ZANU PF youths went on the rampage destroying vehicles and beating up people. No arrests have been made despite the fact that all this happened in their presence.
7 March, Mashonaland Central (Shamva): Elijah Mutanhaurwa the MDC vice chairperson for ward 4 in Shamva, his wife and son Washington and Mrs Alice Matanda were abducted and frog marched to a ZANU PF meeting which was being addressed by Milton Kange, the ZANU PF youth chairperson for the area. The meeting was held at Kaziro School. The four were asked to renounce their MDC membership. When they refused to do so, they were forced to lie down on their bellies and were severely assaulted on their buttocks with sticks.
After being assaulted, they were again frog marched to their respective homes where searches were carried out for any MDC material. They found an MDC t-shirt at Elijah's house, which they took. They did not find anything at Matanda's house.
The four were threatened against reporting the matter to the police.
9 March, Chitungwiza (Zengeza): Three MDC supporters were attacked by ZANU PF youth militia in Zengeza constituency. The three opposition supporters were part of a group that was distributing MDC campaign material in the constituency. The victims were Charles Marapinyu, Mrs Karina Benhura (48) and Farai Tarupiwa. Another MDC supporter, Jabu Mtunzi, had the windows and asbestos sheets of his house in Unit D shattered in the attack by the ZANU PF group. The three who were attacked sustained serious injuries. Benhura had injuries to her face, and all over her body. She was taken to hospital in Harare. The other two received cuts on their backs as a result of beatings with sjamboks.
The district chairman for the area, Abel Suwani, led the ZANU PF group. After trailing the MDC group the ZANU PF youths attacked them forcing them to run in all directions. They pursued them and brutally assaulted them with an assortment of weapons, which included chains, sticks and stones.
10 March, Chitungwiza (Zengeza): More than 100 ZANU PF youth militia stoned three houses belonging to members of the opposition including that of James Makore, the MDC candidate for the Zengeza by-election.
The ZANU PF mob, which was moving in trucks, arrived at around 1430 hours and invaded the three houses. They beat up anybody who was found anywhere near the candidate's house. They also destroyed property valued at millions of dollars.
The ZANU PF mob also abducted an MDC youth, Enock Mukudu, who had to give them $30 000,00 to secure his release but not before he was stabbed in his left arm by one of his abductors. He also sustained a cut above his right eye.
No arrests were made. The injured were taken to hospital.
11 March, Chitungwiza (Zengeza): Madeira, an MDC activist in the Zengeza constituency, was arrested on allegations that his house was being used as a safe house by MDC youths. Madeira's house was stoned by a group of ZANU PF youths on 10 March and goods worth millions of dollars were destroyed.
Some police officers went to his house and accused him of providing safe houses to MDC youths and subsequently arrested him. He was taken to Harare Central police station where he was detained.
12 March, Chitungwiza (Zengeza): ZANU PF youths tried to raid the home of the MDC candidate for Zengeza.
13 March, Midlands North (Redcliff): Isaac Muzimba the MDC Midlands North Provincial Chairperson was arrested by Redcliff police on allegations that he had made a statement that was likely to incite public violence.
Muzimba was addressing an MDC gathering that had come for the launch of the MDC campaign for the ward 3 council by-election that was due to be held on 27 and 28 March 2004. Also present at the mini rally were Hon. Blessing Chebundo the Member of Parliament for Kwekwe Central, Hon A Malinga the Member of Parliament for Silobela and the Mayor of Redcliff, Rogers Chisi.
20 March, Chitungwiza (Zengeza): Samantha Chabayanzara, an MDC activist, was brutally assaulted by six ZANU PF youths at her home in Zengeza. Samantha 19 was in bed at the time the six ZANU PF youths raided her home. They demanded that she should hand over to them traditional drums that belong to her family which are normally used at MDC rallies to provide entertainment.
She was hit with over the head by an empty bottle and suffered severe cuts.
Among her assailants, she was able to identify Douglas Chipuya, a known ZANU PF youth in the area. The group ran away as soon as they had inflicted harm on her.
Samantha was taken to a hospital in Harare where she received treatment.
In the same Zengeza constituency, 10 MDC youths were arrested and were taken to Makoni police station.
22 March, Chitungwiza, (Zengeza): Goodrich Chimbaira, the MDC councillor for ward 20 in Chitungwiza, was arrested together with Misheck Chimusipa, an MDC activist. The two were accused of having forced a ZANU PF supporter in Unit D to buy an MDC party card.
24 March, Chitungwiza, (Zengeza): The MDC candidate for Zengeza, James Makore, was saved by the police from imminent attack by a mob of about 300 ZANU PF supporters at Chikwanha shopping centre in the constituency. The incident took place at around 1500 hours. Makore had gone to Chikwanha shopping centre where he intended to buy some groceries for his family. At the shopping centre, he found himself surrounded by the ZANU PF mob and for more than 20 minutes, he could not move as his vehicle was blocked by the mob.
Maud Yotamu, the MDC ward 11 chairperson, was abducted from her home at around 22.00 hours and taken to a ZANU PF base at the district offices. Mrs Yotamu was already in bed when her captors knocked at her door purporting to be members of the police force who wanted to talk to her. When she opened the door, she was dragged out and taken to the base. She was tortured for more than two hours before being released. They told her to report back the following morning.
24 March, Chitungwiza (Zengeza): The 10 MDC youths who were arrested on 22 March were released on $50 000 bail each.
25 March, Chitungwiza (Zengeza): Misheck Chimusipa and councilor Goodrich Chimbaira released on $ 50 000 bail each.
25 March, Chitungwiza (Zengeza): Mrs Lilian Mashumba (nee Chinyerere) the wife of the district chairperson for Zengeza, Stanford Mashumba, was attacked by seven suspected ZANU PF supporters at her home in Zengeza. Mrs Mashumba was doing some cleaning when the seven men arrived and demanded to see her husband.
The men covered their faces to disguise their identity. When they were told that Mr Mashumba had gone to Mr Makore the MDC candidate for Zengeza's house they demanded that she should hand-over all the MDC material that her husband is keeping at home. They proceeded to attack her with sticks and kicked her several times in the head.
25 March, Chitungwiza (Zengeza): Tendai Musaki, an MDC activist, was abducted by seven ZANU PF youths at his flee market shop in Zengeza 3. He was abducted at around 1600 hours. His abductors handcuffed him before dragging him for a distance of more than 500 metres to a ZANU PF base in the area after they had alleged that he had stolen something and they claimed that they wanted to take him to the police.
At the ZANU PF base he was subjected to severe assaults with sjamboks, sticks and iron bars as the ZANU PF group at the base took turns to assault him. He was only released 24 hours later. He suffered cuts all over his body. The matter was reported to the police but no arrests were made. Tendai was taken to a hospital in Harare for treatment.
26 March, Chitungwiza (Zengeza): A group of about 100 Zanu PF militia, armed with stones and metal objects, descended on the home of James Makore, the MDC candidate in the Zengeza constituency parliamentary by-election and attacked all the people who were at the home at about 1600 hours. Ten MDC youths were injured and were rushed to hospital in Harare. The injured are Memory Mazowe, Tendai Phillip, Tendai Chinyanga, Clever Mhonda, Mathew Bosha, Dick Maneka, Jabulani Mtunzi, Silvanos Chinorwirwa, Abel Maveza, Chamunorwa Maringaziva and Councillor Mangoma.
27 March, Chitungwiza (Zengeza):
First Day of Voting in Zengeza By-Election
0645 hours: Three MDC youths were arrested on their way to a polling station.
1023 hours: Mrs Makadii, a known MDC activist in the Zengeza constituency, was abducted and taken to a ZANU PF base by a group of ZANU PF youths. Mrs Makadii was on her way to the polling station to cast her vote.
1100 hours: The police arrested three MDC officials who were monitoring the election. Those arrested were Tariro Shumba, the provincial information officer for Chitungwiza, Donald Chirunga, the election's directorate officer, and Spencer Ndemera, a security officer. Ndemera was falsely accused of being in possession of a firearm. His vehicle was searched but nothing was found. The three had gone to the police to report some irregularities that were being perpetrated by some ZANU PF supporters.
1115 hours: the police close down The MDC command centre, which was at the candidate's house. The party officials who were working from the centre were chased out.
15.00 hours: ZANU PF officials, headed by Minister Elliot Manyika and Joseph Chinotima, arrived at the Tent polling station and demanded that Good rich Chimbaira, who is an MDC councillor for the area and who was also a polling agent in the by-election, be removed. They allege that his presence at the polling station was likely to influence the voters. Voting was stopped for more than half an hour as the two parties argued over the issue. The MDC officials later compromised and decided to remove Chimbaira. Later ZANU PF changed their mind and demanded that Misheck another MDC polling agent should also be removed. All this happened in the presence of the provincial registrar, Mr Tsuro.
17.00 hours: Two MDC supporters, Matope and Musekiwa, were tracked down by ZANU PF youths soon after they had cast their votes. The two were assaulted but one of the assailants was captured and handed over to the police.
18.30 hours: Four MDC vehicles were stoned by a group of ZANU PF supporters. This happened in the presence of the police in Unit H, at the Tent polling station.
More than 200 voters who were in a voting queue were also attacked and chased away by a group of Zanu PF youth militia. No arrests were made despite the fact that the perpetrators committed the crime right in front of members of the police.
19.15 hours: A group of about 20 ZANU PF youths at Zengeza 3 polling station blocked anybody perceived to be an MDC supporter from casting their votes.
21.35 hours: A gang of the notorious " Chipangano" (Zanu terror gang) carried out a door to door campaign looking for MDC supporters and assaulting them.
24.00 hours: Two houses belonging to well-known MDC activist, Mrs Ndakadii and Mr Munyoro, were attacked by suspected ZANU PF supporters. All windows were smashed on Mrs Ndakadii's house while Mr Munyoro's house had its doors broken.
Second day of voting:
07.30 hours: Hundreds of ZANU PF supporters attempted to block suspected MDC supporters from going to polling stations. Scores of MDC activists were assaulted.
08.00 hours: Francis Chinozvina, an MDC youth, was shot in the chest at the home of the MDC candidate James Makore when Zanu PF supporters opened fire. He was pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital in Harare. Another MDC youth, Arthur Gunzvenzve, was shot in the leg. Ten other MDC youths Leonard, Dendera, Esnath Mawire, Peter Katerere, Tawanda Mutemeri, Douglas Marowa, Peter Kembo, Gift Katsa, Linda Siriya, Wilbert Chimbwedza, Tendai Karimazondo, Patience Girizha, Jameson Mombe and Tinashe Gahodza were seriously injured in the raid.
11.00 hours: All polling stations were sealed off by ZANU PF youths and voters were turned away. Hundreds of voters who attempted to go and cast their votes were assaulted.
21.30 hours: Hon. Tumbare Mutasa was arrested on allegations that he had fired a gun at ZANU PF supporters at around 10.00 hours in unit D. Chitungwiza.
29 March: Hundreds of ZANU PF supporters moved around the residential area of Chitungwiza beating up perceived MDC supporters.
APRIL
1 April, Mashonaland Central (Mount Darwin North): Force Chapfuruka, the district chairperson for Mount Darwin North constituency, was abducted from his home by three CIO agents. The three agents (Gombiro, Rwizi and a third whose name has not been established) are known in the area for victimizing MDC supporters and for supporting ZANU PF. Tichaona Mutedza, one of the MDC activists who survived the abduction, alleges that when the agents failed to get him, they abducted his wife, Maidei Antonio. Maidei is said to have been taken to Mukumbura police station where she was detained after she had been severely assaulted by the CIO agents. She was release the following day. Chapfuruka was released after a week.
8 April, Matebeleland North (Lupane): Gerald Khumalo (33) an MDC activist was attacked by a group of about 20 war veterans at Lupane Business Centre on 7 April at around 21.30 hours.
Gerald was relaxing in Wise Waters cocktail bar when a group of about 20 war veterans, among them Timon Mlilo and Obert Dube, approached him, grabbed him by the collar, handcuffed him and dragged him out of the bar, punching him in the face in the process. They took him to the CIO office at the business centre, but found it closed. While waiting to get the keys to the CIO office, the war veterans told Khumalo that Njabuliso Mguni, the MDC candidate in the by-election, was a sell out because he once worked for the Government, but has crossed the floor to the opposition.
Khumalo was rescued by other MDC youths who followed the abductors to the CIO office and forced them to release Gerald.
War veterans and Zanu PF militia set up bases in Lupane ahead of the parliamentary by-election to be held on 15 - 16 May 2004. One such base is Kusile District Council pre-school situated at Lupane business centre.
16 April, Matebeleland North (Lupane): ZANU PF continues to set up militia bases in the Lupane constituency in preparation for the by-election. Hundreds of youth are being moved into these bases to take up positions.
19 April, Harare (Mabvuku): MDC MP for Mutasa, Evelyn Masaiti, was arrested in Mabvuku on her way from Mutare.
Hon Masaiti was arrested together with four other people who were travelling in her vehicle. The other five were Stanford Bote, Henry Chimbiri, Zvamaida Nyaruwata and Takesure Mashavire. The five were coming from Mutasa constituency where the Hon member had gone to attend a memorial service in respect of a member of her constituency who had passed away.
Oscar Pemhiwa the ward 19 councillor for Mabvuku was arrested while relaxing with friends at Matongo Shopping centre in Mabvuku.
20 April, Manicaland (Mutare): More that 250 Zanu PF women and youths besieged the Mayor of Mutare's offices at the Civic Centre in Mutare. The Zanu PF mob, which was transported to the Civic Centre in government vehicles, carried coffins inscribed "MDC rest in peace". The mob was supplied with food from TNT food outlet, which belongs to Shadreck Beta, a Zanu PF Central Committee member.
21 April, Harare: Hon Evelyn Masaiti and four others were released on a bail of $100 000,00 each while Councilor Oscar Pemhiwa was released on $50 000,00 bail out.
22 April, Manicaland (Mutasa): Clifford Regede, the deputy organising secretary for Mutasa constituency was visited by suspected CIO agents at his home in Mutasa at around 20.00 hours on 21 April 2004. They demanded to know why he supported the MDC. He responded by telling them that MDC offered a brighter future for him. They offered to give him $3 million for a job, the details of which they would disclose the following Friday when they turned up to finalise the deal. Regede refused and asked the agents to leave.
24 April, Matabeleland North (Lupane): ZANU PF supporters moved from door to door in Gomoza ward of Lupane hunting down MDC supporters and assaulting them.
Job Tshuma and his wife Sicingeni Tshuma were dragged out of their home into the bush where they were brutally assaulted. Apparently the ZANU PF group were looking for Robert Tshuma, the MDC ward chairman , and when they failed to get him they went for Job and his wife. The couple was taken to St Luke's Hospital in Lupane where they received treatment.
25 April, Matebeleland North (Lupane): More than 500 MDC supporters had gathered at the Gormoza shopping centre and were being addressed by the MDC leadership, which included MPs Moses Mzila Ndlovu and Abednigo Bhebhe, when four ZANU PF trucks arrived. The occupants of the four trucks were shouting, "overrun them." For some minutes the ZANU PF trucks continued to try and intimidate the crowd but the MDC supporters stood firm and refused to dispurse. The incident took place in front of the police.
26 April, Manicaland (Mutare): More than 500 ZANU PF supporters besieged the council offices for the second week running. They were singing and shouting ZANU PF slogans demanding the resignation of Misheck Kagurabadza the MDC Mayor for the city and demanding that a commission be set up to run council business. 7 April, Manicaland (Mutare): More than 100 ZANU PF supporters blocked the offices of the Mutare mayor. The crowd tied the door to the mayor's office with wire and beat up any suspected MDC supporters that were seen near the council building. Huggins Kashiri and Nyasha Katsidzira, two MDC activists, were severely assaulted.
MAY
2 May, Manicaland (Makoni North): More than five families that were suspected of having attended an MDC rally held at Chiendambuya Growth Point were forced to flee their homes. The ZANU PF supporters carried a door to door campaign abducting the MDC supporters who were suspected of having attended the rally. Douglas Chapinduka and his wife Joyce Katunga, Tsitsi Razaro, Barbra Munyaradzi, Judith Chikadure and Marshall Muchipi were some of the victims who were abducted in the night and taken to Makombe Busines Centre where they were severely assaulted throughout the night. Among their kidnappers were known ZANU PF activists namely Khumalo the youth chairperson for the area and another member only known as Sithole.
The displaced families were accused of selling the country to the whites by attending an MDC rally. Those who were seriously injured were taken to a hospital in Harare.
11 May 2004, Matebeleland North (Lupane): Morgan Komichi, the MDC Matebeleland North Provincial chairperson, and 18 MDC youths, were arrested at Lupane business shopping centre at around 10 00 hours after they had clashed with members of the youth militia.
The incident, which occurred at around 0700 hours, was triggered off by the militias who attacked the MDC youths who were putting up posters and distributing campaign material in preparation for a rally which was to be addressed by the MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai the following day.
The militias were repulsed and soon after heavily armed police descended on the MDC offices and arrested the youths. No one on the ZANU PF side was arrested. Those arrested were detained at Lupane police station and they include Morgan Komichi the Matebeleland North Provincial Chairperson.
11 May, Matebeleland North (Jotsholo): 44 MDC supporters were arrested at around 1030 am on their way to Lupane for an MDC rally which was due to be held at Lupane shopping centre on 12 May 2004.
13 May, Matebeleland North (Lupane): Morgan Komichi and 18 others released on bail. The 18 others who were arrested with Komichi were: Sibangilizwe Nyoni, Shephard Moyo, Sindiso Ndlovu, Elton Sibanda, Bekhimpilo Nyathi, Sibungu Moyo, Caspin Godhlo, Vicent Nyathi, Cosmas Sebele, Mehluli Mhlanga,Mfakazi Ngwenya,Fundani Mpofu,Nkululeko Sibanda, Maphuma Ncube, Mgwa Masuku, Themba Moyo,Patrick Moyo,Future Tshuma
15 May, Lupane: The Lupane by-election started at 07.00 hours. At Kusile district council polling station a group of ZANU PF supporters wrote down the names of people who arrived to cast their ballots. At the same polling station the presiding officer denied the polling agents the right to keep a record of the electorate as they came in to cast their votes. He argued that the recordings should be done at the end of the day. Still at the same polling station a police officer is conducted the voter checking process using indelible ink which is a breach of the electoral act.
13 May, Lupane: Two MDC activists, Demadema Ntini Ncube and Look Sibanda, were abducted by a group of ZANU F supporters at Siphuzile polling station and were taken to Morgan Mtunzi the area headman. The headman in turn handed the two over to war vets and ZANU PF supporters who were camped at Matambo School. The two were severely tortured the whole night and were only released on the Friday evening. Upon their release they approached the MDC chairman for the area, Rodger Mhlope, who took them to the police so that they could get police reports to enable them get treatment. At the police station, the victims were instead arrested on allegations that ZANU PF had made a report saying that the two had been involved in acts of violence against their supporters.
15 May, Lupane: At a polling station situated at the offices of Ekusile Rural District Council, village heads affiliated to Zanu PF sold maize at heavily discounted prices to people as they arrived to cast their votes.
At Manasa mobile 9, 3 village heads, Luckson Msipa, Gift Ncube and Ncube were writing down the names of people as they came in to vote.
At Malunku polling station, war veterans camped outside threatening people who came to vote.
16 May, Lupane: In at least 50% of the polling stations, which included Guga Primary School, BH 42 Primary School, Ntuthuko Primary School, Sibombo School, Jibajiba School, Mkombo School and Mzola 27, village heads were seated outside the polling stations compiling the names of people who arrived to vote.
At the polling stations at Mpahlwa and Mathambo schools, war veterans loyal to Zanu PF were camped inside the school premises in total violation of the Electoral Act. Some of them were openly campaigning for Zanu PF and threatening voters within the 100 metre radius of the polling stations.
At Tshongogwani School polling station, seven village heads were only removed from their positions by the police with the assistance of Electoral Supervisory Commission officials following the intervention of MDC parliamentarians Thokozani Khupe, Abedinico Bhebhe and Rensen Gasela. The village heads, who could only be identified by their second names, included Lupane, Mhlanga, Gumbo, Ncube and Ndlovu.
There were also seriously disturbing reports at Mobile 9 at Manasa where 19 people attempted to vote for the second time and were turned away, but were not arrested. Similarly, at Malunku mobile 9, 24 people attempted to vote for the second time after having been transported from other polling stations in Zanu PF vehicles.
16 May, Manicaland (Chipinge): A mob of about 150 ZANU PF supporters were transported in government vehicles to the venue of an MDC rally whereupon they proceeded to brutally attack MDC supporters.
16 May, Harare (Mbare): The MDC MP for Mbare, Tichaona Munyanyi, was arrested in Mbare when he tried to address a rally that had been authorised by the police. At the same time a mob of ZANU PF supporters, led by the notorious gang known as Chipangano, disrupted the MDC rally when they started attacking people who had gathered at the venue. Five more MDC youths, Antony Phiri, Chipinge Maturure, Goodfriday Mandizera, Tendai Zairo and another 17-year-old youth were arrested after a clash with the ZANU PF sponsored Chipangano members in Mbare.
18 May, Harare: Hon Tichaona Munyanyi and five other were released on a bail of $50 000,00 each.
19 May, Manicaland (Mutare): Hundreds of ZANU PF supporters went on the rampage beating people and forcing the closure of all the white-owned shops as they demonstrated against the alleged assault of ZANU PF ministers Patrick Chinamasa and Didymus Mutasa by Roy Bennett. The ZANU PF supporters were addressed by senior members of the party, including Provincial Zanu PF chairman, Mike Madiro.
20 May, Harare: A mob of about 200 ZANU PF supporters singing and chanting anti-opposition songs besieged MDC offices at Harvest House in central Harare for more than 3 hours. They carried banners denouncing the MDC Member of Parliament for Chimanimani Roy Bennett who they said should be expelled from parliament. The same ZANU PF mob had earlier blocked MDC members of parliament from entering the parliament building. The mob ripped off the burglar bars at the front of the Harvest House, damaging the front of the building, as they tried to break into the building. They were however stopped by 20 brave MDC youths who defended the building from inside.
The police, who had escorted the mob from parliament, proceeded to enter the building and arrested 7 MDC youth. They claimed that they had been told by ZANU PF supporters that MDC youth had abducted somebody.
20 May, Mashonaland West (Kariba): More than 50 ZANU PF supporters demonstrated against the Kariba municipality over hikes in rates and they demanded to be addressed by the mayor John Houghton. The mayor was however not able to meet them.
21 May, Manicaland (Chimanimani): A group of ZANU PF supporters attacked and set the MDC offices on fire using petrol bombs. The incident happened at around 20.00 hours. The ZANU PF group was led by Lazarus Shawe, Tendai Chiridza and Chamunorwa Muusha. The offices were extensively damaged. When the residents of Chimanimani tried to put out the fire they were stoned by the same ZANU PF group. The ZANU PF group also tried to burn down the old MDC offices in the same area.
21 May, Manicaland (Chipinge): More than 30 people were displaced from their homes in the Tanganda area of Chipinge, after ZANU PF supporters and youth militia went on the rampage beating up people who were suspected of being MDC supporters.
28 May: Manicaland, (Chimanimani): More than 200 ZANU PF supporters staged violent demonstrations in Chimanimani, severely beating up suspected MDC supporters and also damaging MDC offices. Mrs Birgit Kidd, a Finish citizen, was assaulted after she had been abducted by the ZANU PF mob. She was abducted from her Chimanimani home and taken to the MDC offices that had been destroyed earlier by the ZANU PF supporters and she was forced to clean the offices. She had earlier been forced to march carrying the ZANU PF flag while the ZANU PF mob sang revolutionary songs. This was not withstanding the fact that she had sought the help of the police whose offices are less than 100 meters away from her house.
David Munengu, the MDC councillor for ward 15, who is also the MDC District chairperson for Chimanimani, was another victim of ZANU PF thuggery and brutality. He was collected from his home at around 1400 hours by ZANU PF supporters led by Lazarus Maposa, who was carrying a plough chain. David was force-marched to the MDC offices where he and Mrs Kidd were kept as hostages for more than three hours and were subjected to endless interrogations. David was severely assaulted and was only rescued when some ZANU PF senior officials namely Shadreck Beta, Tinacho Mtezo directed that he be freed because he had endured enough punishment. All the incidents took place in the presence of the police who did not do anything to stop the ZANU PF hooligans from attacking people and destroying property.
28 May, Midlands (Gweru): More than 300 ZANU PF supporters were ferried from resettlement areas out side Gweru to demonstrate against MDC MP Roy Bennett. They went on the rampage and destroyed war veterans' offices after they had failed to get the food they had been promised by senior ZANU PF officials.
JUNE
1 June, Harare: Zimbabwe police manhandled Christopher Mushonga the newly elected deputy mayor and dragged him out of the mayor's office. They beat up several councillors and forced them to flee for their lives before arresting Linus Mushonga, one of the councillors.
2 June, Harare: 13 MDC councillors in Harare were suspended by Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo on allegations of defying his order not to proceed and choose a new deputy mayor. The 13 councillors were Christopher Tapfumanei Mushonga, Peter Chikwati, Tapfumaneyi Bangajena, Shingirayi Kondo, Last Maengahama, Betty Suka, Peter Karimakwenda, Wendy Dehwa, Elijah Manjeya, Tichanzii Gandanga, Wellington Madzivanyika, Linus Paul Mushonga and Oswell Badza.
2 June, Manicaland (Chipinge): More than 30 people were displaced in the Chipinge North Constituency as a result of ZANU PF violence directed at suspected MDC members.
2 June, Mashonaland West (Chegutu): The Executive Mayor of Chegutu, Francis Dhlakama, was suspended by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works and National Housing, Ignatiuos Chombo. Chombo appointed a committee headed by a new town clerk to run the affairs of Chegutu town.
3 June, Mashonaland West (Norton): Two MDC councillors for Norton town were blocked from entering the council chamber for their council business by a group of about 100 ZANU PF supporters who were singing and chanting ZANU PF slogans. The two councillors, Voice Chinake of ward 9 and Sipho C Gumede of ward 8 tried to seek help from the police but to no avail. Despite phoning the police on more than three occasions seeking protection, the police did not come.
10 June, Mashonaland (West Norton): Two MDC councillors were again blocked from attending council business by a mob of ZANU PF supporters in Norton. The two Councillors, Voice Chinake and Sipho Gumede, sought protection from the police but the police refused to help.
11 June, Harare (Mabvuku): A handful of MDC supporters were arrested in Mabvuku at a house belonging to Sunny Savieri, the MDC chairperson for ward 21. The MDC had just concluded their meeting when the police arrived and started firing in the air in an effort to arrest the MDC supporters who were already running in all directions. Some of those arrested are Mrs Judith Gatsi, Loveness Makwetsi, Reginald Gatsi.
14 June, Manicaland (Chimanimani): Mrs Birgit Kidd a Finish citizen, her husband Shame Kidd and a number of MDC supporters were brutally assaulted by a gang of ZANU PF supporters using sticks, pick handles, axes and iron bars to harm them.
The Kidds and MDC supporters were at the MDC offices when they were confronted by this which is suspected to have been composed of soldiers in civilian uniforms and who started attacking the MDC supporters. Mrs Kidd and her husband were severely assaulted and had to be rushed to Chipinge hospital where they were admitted.
The police at Chimanimani refused to assist saying that their hands were tied and as such could not help. No one was arrested over the matter.
JULY
2 July, Mashonaland Central (Mvurwi): President Morgan Tsvangirai survived an attempted attack by Zanu PF youth militia. The MDC President had just finished addressing a rally when the youths tried to attack him. The Zanu PF youth had been driven to the rally in government sponsored trucks and were armed with knobkerries, axes, sticks and stones.
Several people were injured as they tried to escape the attackers. Some MDC youths who were present bravely managed to push the ZANU PF sponsored militias out of the area and enabled the President to escape unscathed.
15 July, Harare: MDC MP for Glen Noah, Priscilla Misihairambi- Mushonga, was arrested and detained at Harare Central police station for more than ten hours before being released. She was charged with allegedly threatening someone with a gun.
24 July, Harare: Bennie Tumbare Mutasa the MDC MP for Seke Rural died in the early hours at St Anne's Hospital in Harare.
Mutasa died of suspected internal injuries caused by brutal beatings and torture at the hands of the police during the time he was arrested.
The late Mutasa was arrested during the run-up to the Kuwadzana by-election after his truck was shot at by members of the Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) and over turned. He was tortured and assaulted by the police and was detained at Harare Central for several days. He was arrested again this year during the Zengeza by-election and was severely assaulted by the police before being detained at Harare Central.
24 July, Mashonaland East (Wedza): A group of about 50 ZANU PF youths abducted Bob Makone, elder brother of Ian Makone, and took him to a base where he was tortured the whole night. The incident happened soon after the Minister of Education and Culture Aeneas Chigwedere had finished addressing a ZANU PF rally at Musawadye School. The ZANU PF youths who abducted Mr Makone came to the Makone Homestead at around 16.00 hours singing anti-MDC songs against Mrs Theresah Makone who is the MDC prospective candidate for Wedza in the 2005 general election. Bob Makone was released the following day after he had been severely assaulted.
31 July, Harare: Police from Harare's law and order section carried out a search for so-called 'weapons of war' at the home of the MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai.
31 July, Mashonaland Central (Musana): Cladious Marimo, the MDC National Executive Member, lost more than $4 million in cash to ZANU PF youths who raided and looted his shop before ordering the workers to close the business. The ZANU PF youth, numbering about 30 and led by Terence Jawaira, Mind Jawaira, Sylivester Munemo and Israel Munemo, first ordered the closure of Marimo's grinding mill and proceeded to also close the general dealer shop and the bottle store. They disclosed that they had been instructed by governor Masawi to ensure that all businesses belonging to MDC members do not operate in the area.
AUGUST
7 August, Manicaland (Chipinge): 14 MDC supporters, including 4 juveniles, were arrested by the police for allegedly attending an illegal meeting. A group of war vets in the area had forced the closure of Musami Primary School and had taken the school keys from the headmaster, Mr Chinheya, who was accused of being sympathetic to the MDC.
Those arrested were Mike Zvidzai, Chipatiso Kuyumani, Godorn Shakavanhu, Aaron Mabvuu, Simson Mutsagu, Kefas Nyore, Six Simoyi, Pedzanai Marwei, Lovemore Sithole and the four juveniles.
7 August, Midlands (Zhombe): More than 80 ZANU PF youths tried to disrupt an MDC Constituency Assembly meeting that was addressed by MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai at Zhombe growth point. The ZANU PF youths were armed with sticks, machetes and iron bars.
The police however did not arrest them, neither did they attempt to disarm the youth. Later, after the departure of the MDC leadership, an MDC youth, Maqebo Ndebele, was brutally assaulted by Zanu PF youth and needed seven stitches for a head wound.
12 August, Manicaland (Makoni East): Bothwell Kawadza, the MDC district chairperson, and his entire executive, were chased out of Makoni constituency by ZANU PF supporters, headed by Nathaniel Mhiripiri. They were supported by government agents on the orders of Dydmus Mutasa the ZANU PF MP for Makoni North.
12 August, Harare, (Epworth): 7 MDC youths were arrested in Epworth and were detained at Harare Central. The youths were distributing material in preparation for a rally which was due to be held at Solani in Epworth. The MDC youths were attacked by a group of ZANU PF supporters who were carrying sticks stone and machetes and when the MDC youths resisted, they were apprehended by the police and were also accused of distributing MDC material.
20 August, Mashonaland East (Wedza): Tendai Ngwarati, an MDC youth in Wedza, was abducted by a group of ZANU PF supporters. He was released after 24 hours after being brutally assaulted.
22 August, Mashonaland West (Kariba): Michael Siupayi, the District Organising Secretary for Kariba, was abducted by suspected government agents at around 18.00 hours at his home in Kariba.
28 August, Mashonaland Central (Musana): A group of ZANU PF supporters raided the home of the Mangurenje's and brutally assaulted the twin Mangurenje brothers Paul and Peter. The two were accused of being MDC members and they were severely assaulted with sticks, iron bars and stones. Paul sustained head injuries.
SEPTEMBER
1 September: Members of the Zanu PF youth militia attack the home of MDC Secretary for Local Government, Joubert Mudzumwe. His two sons, Silent (17) and Maxwell (16) were brutally attacked. The police made no arrests.
6 September, Bulawayo: About 30 armed police officers raided the MDC Bulawayo Provincial offices and carried out searches for what they alleged to be subversive material. Although they were engaged in the searches for more than two hours, they did not find anything.
After the searches at the Provincial Offices, they proceeded to the Regional Offices where they found the offices locked because the MDC officials had knocked off for the day. They left behind three officers to guard the offices so that they could carry out searches the following day. They indeed carried out the searches but again they did not find anything.
7 September, Harare: NCA National Chairman Dr Lovemore Madhuku was picked by police from his home at around 02.00 hours and he spent the whole day at Central police station where he was being questioned. He was later released at around 17.00 hours.
8 September, Harare: Member of Parliament for Kuwadzana Nelson Chamisa was arrested together with 13 other people at his home in Kuwadzana. Those arrested were Nelson Chamisa, John Jairos, Obey Kufa,Taluka Ncube, Lilian Dandajena, Innocent Mararapwa, Luisa Kadzere, Mallen Sakupwanya, Edmore Dandajena, Bernard Chimombe, Llyd Madovi, Godwin Machihwa, Mandy Musaruriwa, and Majuth.
Chamisa was arrested under POSA for allegedly addressing a gathering without police permission. The 14 were detained at Warren Park police station while others were detained at Marimba police station. Among the 14 arrested was a woman with a baby.
12 September, Harare: Jabusile Shumba (23), MDC activist and Vice-President of the Zimbabwe National Students Union and Brighton Makunike (23), Chairman of the MDC University of Zimbabwe Branch were abducted and assaulted by Zanu PF militia before they were handed over to police who detained and assaulted them at Kuwadzana II police station on Saturday.
The two had visited friends in Kuwadzana after attending the MDC 5th Anniversary rally in Highfield on Saturday. While at Kuwadzana 5 bus terminus at about 8.00 pm, Makunike dropped an MDC bandana as he tried to take money from his pocket. This attracted the attention of the Zanu PF militia who were milling around the township, they approached the two and asked for a private discussion with Makunike.
The Zanu PF militia interrogated Makunike and searched him. They found more bandanas in his pockets and started assaulting him. Some of the militia went to Shumba whom they searched and found a camera and some MDC bandanas. They accused him of taking photographs of the Zanu PF torture base situated at the first floor of a building at Kuwadzana shopping centre as evidence that Zanu PF is not abiding by the SADC protocol on elections. They force-marched the two to a dark spot where they handcuffed them and assaulted them using clinched fists, booted feet, empty bottles, iron bars. They also pulled their private parts. They were tortured for almost eight hours.
At about 3.00 am on Sunday, the two were taken to the Kuwadzana bus terminus, when the police arrived; they took them to Kuwadzana Police Station. Zanu militia handed the bandanas confiscated from the two MDC activists to the police officers.
In the cells at Kuwadzana II Police Station, Shumba and Makunike were assaulted by the police officers, among them Sergeant Phiri, who was angered by the fact that the two were MDC supporters. The police poured cold water into their cell so that Shumba and Makunike could not sleep.
The two were only released at about 11.00 pm on Sunday after a sympathizer loaned them some money to pay an admission of guilty fine.
12 September, Chitungwiza: John Machingura an MDC activist was abducted from his home by suspected members of the youth militia who posed as police officers. They got to his home at around 20.00 hours and alleged that he had committed a crime together with some one they brought with them who was in hand cuffs and who incidentally was one of them. They dragged him out of his home and took him to some bush where they severely assaulted him accusing him of having been distributing MDC material in the area. He received bruises all over his body and could hardly walk. He was taken the hospital the following Day.
15 September, Hwedza: Theresa Makone, aspiring MDC candidate for Hwedza, was arrested and charged for allegedly damaging a government truck at a recent MDC meeting. The charges were eventually dropped.
19 September, Mashonaland East (Domboshawa): Headman Elia Murape of Domboshawa who had been stripped his headmanship by ZANU PF on allegations that he had attended an MDC rally held at Mverechena on 24 July 2004 and had subsequently had his traditional headman's badge taken away was threatened by a group of ZANU PF supporters who tried to carry out demonstrations at his home. They had earlier on written a letter to him threatening to demonstrate at his home. He identified Patrick Rwafa, Webster Bruno, Alifonzi and Robson Kizito Murwira as some the ZANU PF supporters who came to his home to collect his headman's traditional badge.
24 September, Mashonaland Central (Mvurwi): An MDC meeting that nwas scheduled to take place in Mvuwi was disrupted by a group of ZANU PF supporters who invaded the venue of the meeting.
25 September, Mashonland Central (Bindura): A mob of about 200 ZANU PF youths disrupted a police cleared MDC meeting that was scheduled to take place at Mupandira shopping Centre in the Bindura Constituency. The ZANU PF youths invaded the venue for the MDC meeting. The police were confronted by the MDC National Executive member for Mashonaland Central Edwin Dzambara asked a constable Chirarara to explain how the MDC was expected to hold their meeting under such circumstances but he responded by suggesting that the MDC could contunue with their meeting side by side with ZANU PF. A few minutes later the ZANU PF youths started throwing stones at the MDC members and chased them out of the area.
25 September: Police moved door to door during the night and arrested 27 MDC members including the candidate for Kadoma West, Trainer Ruzvidzo. The members were arrested on allegations that they had held an illegal meeting in the constituency.
25 September: 17 MDC supporters were arrested by police from their respective homes during the night. Eight of them, Emmanuel Mudhaniso, Tongai Gapara, Peter Sithole, Peter Mabhuya, Lameck Gatura, Denson Chamazonda, Melford Sithole, and Morgan Gwature were all detained at Enock Porusingazi's offices at Checheche business centre. Enock Porusingazi is the ZANU PF provincial youth chair for the area. They were severely assaulted by ZANU PF supporters who, included Catherine Chirimambowa, Morris Mukwe, and a person identified only as 'Mapfumo'. Dennis Matsheza, one of the MDC supporters, received an axe wound to his right leg.
Those detained at Chisumbanje police station included Dennis Matsheza, James N Simango, Zekius Sithole, Zondai Sithole, Issac Mazungu, Jelous Matsheza, Forget Mashenga Spencer Mlambo, and Powerman Mukwakwami. The eight were fined $25 000,00 each by the police whilst those who were detained at Porusingazi appeared in court and were released on a bail of $30 000,00 each.
26 September, Mashonaland Central (Guruve South): A group of about 100 ZANU PF supporters invaded the venue for an MDC meetings that was scheduled to start at around 10.00 hours at Nyanyavi Business Centre. MDC supporters were chased away and some of them were attacked with stones and sticks.
28 September, Mashonaland Central: Five MDC supporters were chased out of Bindura by ZANU PF youth militia after they were found near the venue where MDC were to have their meeting on Sartuday. The four Laston Maposa,Smile Matota, Leonard Boroma, Collen Mangoshi and Byson Byson were on their way to an MDC meeting when they were intercepted by a group of ZANU PF militia who accused them of supporting the MDC and assaulted them before ordering them to leave Bindura. They have fled to Harare where they have sought asylum.
29 September: Willard Somerai, National Execuitve member for the Youth, was severely assaulted by two police officer (Chiremba and Magwaza) at Sanyati police station. He was bleeding through the mouth as the police continued to beat him. He was released on 14 October 2004 on bail.
OCTOBER
1 October: Several MDC supporters were attacked by Zanu PF youth in Chipinge when they refused to attend a Zanu PF 'restructuring meeting'. Two of the victims, Nyeredzi Simango and Denis Macheka, were hospitalized in Chiredzi after the attack.
7 October: Five MDC members, including the Provincial Treasurer for Mashonaland West Godrey Gumbo, (who is also the prospective candidate for Hurungwe West) were abducted by a group of about 15 ZANU PF sponsored war vets (led by an ex Hurungwe council employee only known as Chitiyo) at Zvipani shopping centre in Hurungwe West. The five were bundled into a blue Toyota Hilux, registration number 556-480, and were severely assaulted with sticks. They were rescued by an armed police officer who forced the ZANU PF group to drop the five out of the truck. A docket was opened by the police but no arrests have been made yet.
8 October: Police dispersed 400 MDC District officials who had assembled at Padare Business Centre in Zaka East on the grounds that the meeting had not been authorised under (POSA).
9 October: An MDC meeting scheduled for Cawdry Park was cancelled by the police on the grounds that the venue was not suitable for a meeting.
12 October: MDC held their meeting in Zaka East Constituency but before the meeting started, 15 MDC activists were arrested and according to the reasons given by the police, it was to protect them from ZANU PF youths who were also having their own meeting at a nearby venue discussing the distribution of seed, fertilizer and food organised by Tinos Rusere the MP for Zaka East. The ZANU PF meeting was not sanctioned by the police.
13 October: Five MDC officials, Tapson Ndou, Enos Chili, Nomathanqa Tshuma, Ronald Ndlovu and Winnie Mtasa, were arrested and detained for holding meetings with supporters without police clearance.
13 October: Two MDC youths, Vusa Butani and Garikai Gomba, who were putting up posters in relation to the treason trial verdict of MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai, were arrested and brutally assaulted by both the police and members of the notorious ZANU PF youth militia before being detained at Harare Central police station. They were released the next day after paying a fine of $25 000,00 each.
Harare after he was abducted and severely beaten and was left for dead by the police and suspected state agents on his way into town from the ZINASU offices.
14 October: Police refused to grant MDC permission to hold demonstrations in Harare before and after the judgment on the MDC President's treason case.
14 October: A youth in Bulawayo, who was wearing an MDC t- shirt, was made to pay a $ 25 000,00 fine by the police.
15 October: Several MDC supporters were beaten and arrested by the police who tried to block them from celebrating the acquittal of the MDC President.
28 October: Zanu PF uses its parliamentary majority to secure parliament's adoption of a recommendation by a parliamentary committee of enquiry that MDC MP Roy Bennett be sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, plus hard labour, for pushing Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa.
NOVEMBER
13 November: Zanu PF thugs descended on a flea market in Harare to stop the sale of Thomas Mapfumo's 'Chaputika' album. A number of people were assaulted and accused of being MDC supporters.
14 November: In the high density Harare suburb of Glen View, the constituency of MDC MP Priscilla Misihairambi- Mushonga, Zanu PF supporters attempted to force MDC supporters to attend a Zanu PF rally.
16 November: an MDC activist was charged under the notorious Public Order and Security Act for accusing Mugabe of being a 'dictator who rules by the sword'. The individual in question was sentenced to 140 hours of community service.
30 November: Four MDC supporters were seriously injured after an attack by a group of ZANU PF sponsored war vets in Mutare West Constituency. Those injured were Abel Mukamba, Tendai Jakachira, Spenser Gwizo and Walter Marange.
DECEMBER
1 December: 15 year old school boy, Coneck Ruzvidzo, a brother of the MDC candidate for Kadoma West, Traner Ruzvidzo, was abducted by four ZANU PF supporters on the orders of a ZANU PF official in the area . He was severely assaulted before being dumped in the bush.
3 December: An MDC rally that had been authorised by the police and was due to be held at Sitezi Business centre in Gwanda North Constituency was cancelled on short notice by police on the spurious grounds of a shortage of manpower due to the Zanu PF Congress. .
6 December: Suspected ZANU PF officials in the Kadoma West Constituency dropped two letters at the home of the Ruzvidzo family, threatening to kill their son, 15 year old Coneck if his brother Traner does not resign from the MDC. Traner is the MDC candidate for Kadoma West.