The ZIMBABWE Situation

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New group begins campaign of terror in KweKwe

http://www.swradioafrica.com By Tichaona Sibanda

18 September 2012 A new militant group has emerged in KweKwe and has been forcibly evicting shop owners in Mbizo from their business premises, taking them over under the guise of youth empowerment. Calling itself the Alshabab, after the notoriously bloodthirsty Somalian based Islamic terror group, the new outfit claims to promote ZANU PF’s controversial indigenization drive. Al-Shabab in East Africa is the Somalia-based cell of the militant Islamist group al-Qaeda. In its latest monthly report, Crisis in Zimbabwe said the terror group is also targeting industrial sites in the high density suburbs of Mbizo and Amaveni in the town. According to the report that was released on Monday, ‘Alshabab’ (the boys or youth in Arabic) is going around inscribing graffiti with the words ‘Alshabab youth power – return back our land.’ The KweKwe based ‘Alshabab’ is commanded by Tapiwa Muto, a ZANU PF youth officer in Mbizo. Last week the group invaded Black Wadada, Pamusimbe, Mbizo 4 and 11 shopping centres, claiming that the market stands in the area were allocated to them by the ZANU PF top leadership. They also claimed their invasion had been authorized by the Kwekwe City Council. The Crisis report quotes the MDC-T MP for Mbizvo, Settlement Chikwinya, confirming that one of his constituents, Sekai Mangwiro, was also evicted from her hardware shop in and had reported the matter to the police. This led to the arrest of four members of the terror group, but they were released without charge under the directive of the ZANU PF Midlands youth chairman, Owen Ncube. Constain Muguti, the MDC-T provincial chairman, told SW Radio Africa that in the last few weeks they’ve been receiving a number of reports of attacks on against their members by known ZANU PF figures. ‘We know ZANU PF is waging a campaign of psychological and terror attacks against our members, from the differences that have emerged from the COPAC stalemate. I can confirm there is tension in the province and as I speak with you now, I’m on my way to visit a critical ill cadre in hospital who was seriously assaulted by ZANU PF activists,’ Muguti said.

Zanu PF terror groups revived around Zimbabwe

http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/8089 According to the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, Zanu PF has revived terror groups around the country. The militia groups go by the names of ‘Chipangano’ in Harare

‘Top Six’ in Chinhoyi

‘Jochomondo’ in Hurungwe

‘Jambanja’ in Marambapfungwe

‘Alshabab’ in Kwekwe The Crisis group write : Zanu PF is reportedly to have revived its terror campaign groups countrywide ahead of general elections which the party leader President Robert Mugabe wants held this year. Some of the party’s infamous militia groups include “Chipangano” in Harare, “Top Six” in Chinhoyi, ‘Jochomondo’ in Hurungwe, ‘Jambanja’ in Marambapfungwe and the recent ‘Alshabab’ in Kwekwe. In an interview with the Crisis Report Team, Sechmore Muringani a local based in Kwekwe confirmed that the group ‘Alshabab’ under the command of Tapiwa Muto (Zanu PF Youth Officer in Mbizo, Kwekwe) has been evicting shop owners in Mbizo from their business premises and taking them over under the guise of youth empowerment. The informant reiterated that the terror group is also targeting Home Industrial sites in the high density suburbs of Kwekwe which include Mbizo and Amaveni. It is alleged that ‘Alshabab’ group is going around inscribing graffiti with the inscription, ‘ALSHABAB YOUTH POWER- RETURN BACK OUR LAND’. Muringani reported that on the 7th of September Alshabab invaded Black Wadada, Pamusimbe, Mbizo 4 and 11 shopping centres, claiming that the market stands in the area were allocated to them by Zanu PF top leadership and authorised by Kwekwe City Council. Honorable Settlement Chikwinya (MDC Member of Parliament for Mbizvo) also confirmed the incident citing that a local, Mrs Sekai Mangwiro was also evicted from her hardware shop in Mbizo 11 and reported the matter to the police which led to the arrest of four members of ‘Alshabab’. However there were later released without any charges under the directive of Owen Ncube (Zanu PF Midlands Youth Chairperson). Fears are that the same people are continuing to benefit from the schemes, and continuation with such schemes will not only disadvantage other Zimbabweans but would probably lead to de-industrialisation and wastage of resources. This entry was posted by Sokwanele on Tuesday, September 18th, 2012 at 9:24 am

WOZA slams police intimidation as another member arrested

http://www.swradioafrica.com



By Alex Bell

18 September 2012



Pressure group Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) has slammed what it calls a

“disturbing trend” of police intimidation in Bulawayo, after the arrest of

another member on Tuesday.



Tuesday morning saw a group of more than fifty WOZA members march together

to the Bulawayo offices of the Joint Operating and Monitoring Committee

(JOMIC) to deliver letters of complaint about their treatment at the hands

of the police. This followed the indiscriminate arrest of WOZA’s leaders,

Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu last week.



The pair was arrested after riot police were called in to disrupt a peaceful

protest. They were detained at the Bulawayo Central Police Station for the

afternoon before being released without charge. Their letter of complaint

now threatens to make a ‘citizen’s arrest’ of any riot police officers who

violate their commitments by disrupting peaceful protests.



Williams and Mahlangu had attempted to deliver this letter to the Police

General Headquarters in Southampton House on Tuesday morning, but officials

there refused to accept it. They were then joined by their members to march

to JOMIC, who advised them to deliver their letter to the Ross Camp police

station.



Mahlangu told SW Radio Africa that when they arrived there, only she and her

co-leader Williams were allowed into the building. Once again their attempt

to lodge an official complaint was in vain when an official referred the

activists back to Southampton House.



It was when they were leaving that WOZA member Christine Ndlovu was arrested

by the police officer manning the gate, on allegations that she had

trespassed. By Tuesday evening, Ndlovu remained in police custody.



“Her arrest was facilitated by notorious Law and Order Detective Sergeant

George Levison Ngwenya, who has been responsible for the torture and

harassment of our members. This is why we are saying this is intimidation

and harassment and it is a disturbing trend in Bulawayo,” Mahlangu said.



She added that she believes this is a “tribal issue,” because this worsening

situation is only happening in Bulawayo and not in Harare. She added that

the police in Bulawayo are becoming increasingly aggressive and have

threatened to beat and kill the WOZA members.



Brother of slain Glen View cop accuses ZANU PF of murder

http://www.swradioafrica.com



By Tererai Karimakwenda

18 September 2012



The brother of a Glen View cop, alleged to have been killed by MDC-T

activists last year, has instead blamed ZANU PF and the police for the

murder, saying they used his brother’s death to campaign against the MDC-T.



Tichaona Mutedza told a shocked court room on Monday that he was the MDC-T

ward 2 chairperson for Mt Darwin, and there had been threats made to him by

ZANU PF elements who talked of killing policeman Petros Mutedza as a way to

“fix him”.



Mutedza was testifying at the High Court in a bail application hearing for

29 MDC-T activists accused of killing his brother, police officer Petros

Mutedza, at local pub in Glen View last year. Some of the accused have been

in police custody for over a year, having been denied bail several times as

‘flight risks’.



Mutedza’s testimony is new evidence that has been submitted by defence

lawyers to justify a fresh bail hearing by Justice Chinembiri Bhunu.



Mutedza told the court: “Yes, I said ZANU PF killed him and was using my

brother’s body for campaigning and gaining support even in countries like

South Africa where they claimed that MDC activists killed a police officer.”



Mutedza said a source named only as Gombiro told him back in 2003 that the

officer-in-charge at Mukumbura police station, identified as Scot, and a

secret agent named Victor Jaravaza, had plotted the murder nine years ago.

Their motive was to get a tractor and a motor vehicle respectively.



“On the day in question, ZANU PF activists dressed themselves in MDC

T-shirts in a well-orchestrated move and my brother was killed because he

was supporting me every time I was under attack by ZANU PF supporters,”

Tichaona is quoted as saying. He added that Jaravaza told him they would

also deal with Lovemore Madhuku and MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai.



The new evidence has also focused on the condition of the slain cop’s body

when he was buried. Tichaona claims his brother was mutilated and his

genitals were missing, which is contrary to what the state claims.

Tichaona urged the court to release the 29 activists from custody, insisting

they played no part in his brother’s murder. Among the accused are several

MDC-T top officials, including the chairman of the National Youth Assembly,

Solomon Madzore.



The bail hearing continued on Tuesday.



AG wants tough action against white farmers

http://www.dailynews.co.zw



Tuesday, 18 September 2012 12:25

HARARE - Zimbabwe's Attorney General Johannes Tomana has urged tough action

against white commercial farmers defying orders to stop working their

fields, and warned provincial courts against referring the evicted farmers’

appeals to the Supreme Court.



The government’s top lawyer said Zimbabwe’s highest court was clogged with

“frivolous appeals” by defiant white farmers, and warned that he will be

taking swift action to ensure noone continues to break the law.



About 300 evicted white farmers remain on their properties, resisting

eviction orders and intimidation by armed militants occupying their land,

awaiting the appeal process.



Mugabe has earmarked 95 percent of white-owned farms for redistribution to

landless blacks.



“If you do not have an offer letter coming from that ministry which is

government’s arm for authorising occupation, you will be committing an

offence in terms of Section 3 of the Gazetted Land Consequential Provisions

Act which makes it an offence and attracts a penalty that is up to two

years.



But quite strangely we have had land acquired for quite a long time now and

continue to have people, white commercial farmers who lost those farms,

continuing to occupy against that provision,” Tomana told state television.



“We could actually accept that it is strange that people continue to violate

and break the law in open day and nothing is done. But of course that is the

point where it becomes clear that we have a problem with the Land Reform

Act.”



The Land Acquisition Act gives government the power to take any land it

chooses without compensation.



Tomana said there seemed to be reluctance to enforce the law.



“So it means there is no clear or rather lack of will power to roll it out

where it should because the issue should be straight forward. Prosecution

should have been the easiest route to deal with the issue,” he said.



The land seizures have decimated the nation’s commercial farming industry

and the latest evictions come amid a potentially devastating food crisis in

Zimbabwe.



The World Food Program estimates that nearly a fifth of the 12,5 million

Zimbabweans are at risk of starvation in the coming year.



Despite promises to redistribute the confiscated land to have-nots, many of

the farms have been given to confidantes of President Robert Mugabe and Zanu

PF leaders.



Mugabe has already warned his party leaders, some of whom are leasing the

expropriated farms to previous white owners, to stop colluding with white

farmers, an action he says is tantamount to reversing the land reform.



Mugabe accuses the white farmers of attempting to perpetuate a racist and

fascist approach of wanting to continue white dominance in the country.



Tomana said the provincial courts were precipitating chaos.



“You find that even frivolous applications that challenge even that which is

not challeangable if you look at the Constitution it says the acquisition

itself is not a justifiable issue so you cannot challenge the acquisition of

land. But if you go to all our courts in the provinces most of them are

culpable for having referred these matters to the Supreme Court on a

challenge that is clearly excluded by the constitution,” Tomana said.



A constitutional amendment, passed in 2005, removed the right of the courts

to adjudicate in land acquisition matters.



Tomana said: “In short those that are in the line of enforcing the law

around the acquisition of land are not effectively upholding that law. The

arm of government which is responsible for acquiring land and resettling

people is the ministry of Lands, it has the authority.”



Mugabe’s critics have accused him of trying to stir up racial tensions ahead

of elections. With thousands of other farms already seized — more than 4 000

of the nation’s 4 500 white farmers have been pushed out of business — the

latest expropriation push will effectively leave Zimbabwe with no white

farmers. - Gift Phiri



Zanu PF Mobilizes Party Base For Constitution Indaba

http://www.voazimbabwe.com/



Jonga Kandemiiri, Ntungamili Nkomo

17.09.2012



Zanu PF political commissar Webster Shamu over the weekend summoned party

district political commissars, youth and women leaders to a workshop where

he ordered them to start mobilizing people for endorsing the party’s

position at the crucial second all-stakeholders conference expected soon.



Some analysts said Zanu PF is preparing for the worst at the conference in

the event that its demands are rejected by delegates.



The party has strongly opposed Zimbabwe’s draft constitution compiled by the

parliamentary constitution committee (COPAC) and signed recently by the

three parties in the unity government.



The committee was expected to meet this week to agree on the dates of the

second all-stakeholders conference.



The two formations of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have endorsed

the draft which dilutes the powers of the president and embraces devolution,

among other issues.



President Robert Mugabe’s party has rejected some of these provisions and

compiled its own document which trashes most contents of the draft charter.



The two MDC formations have rejected these proposals saying the draft

constitution adopted by the parties is no longer negotiable.



Zanu PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo said his party is preparing for the

conference "so that we will speak with one voice".



Meanwhile, the Christian Alliance of Zimbabwe (CAZ) has distanced itself

from some church groups linked with Zanu PF that are campaigning against the

Copac draft.



Expelled Anglican Archbishop Nolbert Kunonga, who heads a faction of the

church in Mabvuku and the church group with Zanu PF links, said they do not

accept the current draft charter, arguing that it embraces non-Christian

beliefs such as homosexuality.



But CAZ director Useni Sibanda said charges by Kunonga and his associates

are not true.



Corrupt party leaders face probe

http://www.herald.co.zw



Tuesday, 18 September 2012 00:00



Herald Reporter

Zanu-PF’S Mashonaland East provincial leadership has resolved to investigate

members engaging in corrupt activities. Those found on the wrong side of the

law would be brought to book. This follows allegations that some party

officials were extorting donations from white commercial farmers in the

province saying they would be forwarded to Zanu-PF.

The party’s provincial co-ordinating committee met on Saturday and

instructed the police Officer Commanding Mashonaland East Province to

investigate the allegations.

Mashonaland East provincial chairman Cde Ray Kaukonde yesterday said the

provincial leadership did not condone corruption in its rank and file.

“No one is going to be spared because we don’t want people who bring the

name of the party into disrepute,” said Mr Kaukonde.

“Mashonaland East is going to take the lead in fighting corruption in our

structures.

“We are going to discipline people who do bad things in the name of the

party regardless of their position in the party.

“We cannot sacrifice the party for individuals. We resolved that those who

have been going to the white farmers soliciting for donations in the name of

the party will have to be disciplined.

“We agreed that no one should go to those white farmers asking them to

donate to the party.

“We are saying let us as black farmers finance our party.”

Zanu-PF and President Mugabe in particular, he said, proved that they did

not condone corruption as evidenced by the creation of the Sandura

Commission.

He said whoever engaged in corrupt activities should be disciplined.

“ANC recalls its people if they are corrupt, why not us? As the provincial

leadership, we have agreed that we will fight corruption at whatever level.

“There is too much talk about Zanu-PF not dealing decisively with the

corruption but we are saying if there is evidence, people should bring it

forward so that they can be dealt with.

“We are heading for elections so we want to clean the party. Those who are

corrupt, the day of reckoning will come.

“Even those in the top echelons of the party will be dealt with.

“We have already proved that we don’t condone corruption. If one looks at

the Sandura Commission, the President acted and those people were dealt

with.

“We had the likes of Enos Nkala and Maurice Nyagumbo, among others, who were

implicated and they were dealt with,” said Cde Kaukonde.

He said the provincial leadership also backed Zanu-PF’s position on the

constitution-making process.

“We agreed that what Copac produced was just a Draft and honestly no one in

their right senses would call a draft a final draft.

“The leadership also raised concerns with the way our industries are

closing, which makes people believe that this inclusive Government has

failed,” Cde Kaukonde said.



Chinese firm plans $3.5 bln Zimbabwe power plant -report

http://www.reuters.com



Tue Sep 18, 2012 4:24am EDT

* Zimbabwe power sector draws Chinese interest



* Southern African country battling acute shortages



(Reuters) - China's Guangdong Bureau of Coal Geology plans to invest $3.5

billion to build a 1,200 megawatt thermal power plant in Zimbabwe, local

media reported on Tuesday.



The southern African country currently generates about 1,000 MW of

electricity, half of its peak demand, and is battling frequent power cuts

which have affected industry and mines.



A delegation from the Chinese company is currently visiting Zimbabwe to

explore opportunities in the power sector, the state-controlled Herald

newspaper reported.



"We came here to observe and study the possibility of building a thermal

power plant," Mu Yong, a director at the Chinese firm, was quoted as saying.

"Our proposed budget is about $3.5 billion for a 120 million watts plant."



In July, Energy Minister Elton Mangoma told parliament that China Railway

International, a subsidiary of China Railway Group and Zimbabwe's state

power utility ZESA were planning to jointly run a coal mine that would

supply a proposed 1,000 MW thermal power station.



Finance Minister Tendai Biti has said Harare was negotiating with Beijing

for a $350 million loan to expand its Kariba South power station to provide

an additional 300 MW of power to the current 750 MW, as Chinese interest in

Zimbabwe's power sector grows.



China's Sino Hydro is the sole bidder for the Kariba South project.



Teachers forced to join ZANU PF structures in Mutasa South

http://www.swradioafrica.com



By Tichaona Sibanda

18 September 2012



Teachers from three schools in Mutasa South are being forced against their

will to take positions within ZANU PF structures in the area, SW Radio

Africa learned on Tuesday.



On Friday, a war vet identified as Masikati and accompanied by the ZANU PF

ward 25 chairman JB Bonde, summoned about 45 teachers from schools that

surround Purplow farm (there is one secondary and two primary schools in the

area).



The constituency is held by the MDC-T’s former Mutare Mayor, Misheck

Kagurabadza and the party’s provincial spokesman Pishai Mucharaya confirmed

the incident, and deplored the action by the war vets to force teachers to

join ZANU PF.



‘A number of the teachers visited our provincial offices in Mutare and told

us what happened in Mutasa South. After they were force-marched to a ZANU PF

meeting, they were literally being forced to become branch and cell

secretaries and chairmen.



‘As the MDC-T we believe in freedom of association, freedom of assembly and

deplore in the strongest of terms such barbaric acts by war vets in Mutasa

South to arm twist the teachers to join their party,’ Muchauraya said.



The Makoni South MP said some of teachers told them they declined to accept

the positions.



‘They told us they now live in fear and only take comfort in the fact that

they don’t reside in the area. Most of them live in Mutare and commute to

work every day,’ Muchauraya added.



‘Hurt’ Locardia pursues Tsvangirai

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/



18/09/2012 00:00:00

by Staff Reporter



LOCARDIA Karimatsenga has insisted she will not divorce Prime Minister

Morgan Tsvangirai despite his customary marriage to a new flame last weekend

while her lawyers said they would seek to have the MDC-T leader arrested for

possible perjury.



Karimatsenga – who says she is still legally married to Tsvangirai -

successfully challenged, in the courts, his bid to marry new love, Elizabeth

Macheka, forcing the MDC-T leader to stage the lavish ceremony under the

country’s customary law which allows a man to have multiple wives.



But despite conceding she was hurt by the development, Karimatsenga said she

would not divorce the MDC-T leader and was comfortable with being in a

polygamous marriage since she is the first wife.



“She (Karimatsenga) is nowhere near divorcing the PM or giving him gupuro

because of his marriage to Macheka. It is his problem and he has to sort it

out himself,” Karimatsenga’s lawyer Jonathan Samukanga told state media

Tuesday.



“(But) we are not yet done with him until he has done the right thing. We

have our custom, tradition and the rule of law, which the PM was sworn to

safeguard jealously. The rule of law requires that he obeys it as enunciated

by the legislature.”



Samukange also said they would approach the Attorney General to have

Tsvangirai charged with perjury after he alleged misled the courts about his

relationship to Karimatsenga.



The MDC-T leader denies Karimatsenga’s claims that he paid bride price for

her last November, claiming he only paid damages for making her pregnant.



But Samukange said: “He (Tsvangirai) made an affidavit in which he lied that

he only paid damages. The same affidavit was used by the judge to dismiss

our application.



“We spent three days going to the court striving to convince the court of

the existence of a customary marriage when he knew he had paid lobola.”



Samukanga also dismissed as “rubbish” claims by the MDC-T that the saga had

been planned Zanu PF and state security agents keen to embarrass the

Premier.



“This is utter rubbish. It is nonsensical. All those organisations (CIO and

Zanu PF) are not involved in the cases,” Samukange said



“We had no intention to wash this matter in the public. Locardia is

personally hurt. He impregnated her, marries and just dumps her.



“Worse still, the same person goes to the next village and marries another

one.”



Tsvangirai to contest cancellation of marriage license

http://www.swradioafrica.com



By Tererai Karimakwenda

18 September 2012



Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his new wife Elizabeth Macheka are

preparing to challenge the cancellation of their marriage licence by a

Harare magistrate last Friday, as the saga over his previous relationships

continues.



Through their lawyer, Innocent Chagonda, the couple will also appeal against

a High Court decision to dismiss their urgent chamber application, which

sought to suspend the magistrate’s ruling and allow the wedding to proceed.



Tsvangirai married his fiancée on Saturday, despite the cancellation of the

license on August 27th by Harare provincial magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi,

who had issued the document in the first place.



The license was revoked following an application by Tsvangirai’s former

girlfriend, Locadia Karimatsenga, who claimed the two were already in a

customary marriage. The Prime Minister has denied marrying her, saying he

only paid damages.



Tsvangirai still has 15 days to file the appeal and his lawyer said the

paperwork is being finalized. According to the state controlled Herald

newspaper, the defense will cite “gross irregularity” in both the

proceedings and the ruling, as well as “bias and malice” on the part of the

magistrate.



We were unable to contact Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka for

comment but Locadia’s lawyer, Everson Samkange, told SW Radio Africa that

Zimbabwe has a dual legal system which recognizes both customary law and

general law.



Samkange insisted there is plenty of evidence, including a DVD, showing that

Tsvangirai paid “roora” and “rusambo” (bride price) to the Karimatsenga

family. He said there is also a list of the payment that was paid by his

emissary.



“In fact in terms of the Criminal Law and Codification Act of Zimbabwe, it

has actually been made a criminal offence for a person who is married under

customary law to proceed to consummate a marriage under general law,”

Samkange explained.



The lawyer dismissed allegations by the MDC-T that the whole affair is a

ZANU PF campaign to tarnish the image of the Prime Minister. “That is poorly

thought-out. We don’t get our instructions from ZANU PF or the MDC. We get

instructions from our clients,” Samkange said.



The Herald also reported that lawyers for Locadia had written a letter to

Attorney-General Johannes Tomana last week urging him to arrest the Prime

Minister. The lawyers now intend to meet Tomana to push for Tsvangirai’s

arrest.



Samkange admitted the letter seeking Tsvangirai’s arrest had already been

sent, saying this was because Tsvangirai committed a crime when he testified

under oath that he had not married Locadia, and had therefore committed

perjury.



There has been no response yet from the Attorney General.



Zim Offers Reward For Rwanda Genocide Fugitive

http://www.radiovop.com



Harare, September 18, 2012 - After years of denial, the Zimbabwe government

is finally convinced that the long-time Rwanda genocide fugitive, Prorais

Mpiranya, could be hiding in the country and has offered a $5 million reward

for information that may lead to his arrest.

Mpiranya, a former Commander of the Rwanda Presidential Guard, is wanted by

the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in connection with the 1994

genocide.



The Zimbabwe Republic Police Officer Commanding CID Homicide, Chief

Superintendent Peter Magwenzi, on Monday said Mpiranya was believed to be

using various names that include Theophase Mahuku and James Kakule to evade

arrest.



Mpiranya is alleged to have participated in the mass killings of 600 000

civilians in Rwanda in 1994 during the time of former President, Juvenal

Habyarimana.



Last year the tribunal trying suspects of the 1994 Rwandan genocide

complained to the United Nations (UN) Security Council that it was

encountering difficulties in tracking a top fugitive believed to be holed up

in Zimbabwe.



Justice Hassan Jallow, prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for

Rwanda (ICTR), wrote to the UN Security Council last week saying there were

difficulties in apprehending Protais Mpiranya, a former commander of the

presidential guard during the genocide.



Jallow said Zimbabwe should prevent the genocide fugitive from evading

justice.



The prosecutor said they had requested for cooperation and assistance from

the Zimbabwean government in bringing Mpiranya to justice.



Zimbabwe has distanced itself from claims of harbouring Mpiranya.



Zimbabwe’s Immigration Principal Director Clemence Masango earlier this year

told the Parliamentary portfolio committee for Defence and Home Affairs:

“Yes this has been topical in the local and international media. All efforts

have been made to check on this allegation. We have no record within our

systems of this person whether on a permit or refugee. The only refugee camp

we have is Tongogara and everyone there is documented."



"Interpol has written to us and enquired officially through local police

structures. Investigations have been carried out and this person has not

been found and police are on record saying they have not been able to find

that person in Zimbabwe but their investigations are still underway. That is

what I can say on that.”



Mpiranya is being accused of genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide,

complicity in genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Mpiranya

remains at large and is one of the most wanted men by the Tribunal.



During the genocide in 1994, he was Commander of the Presidential Guard

Battalion within the Rwandan Army and exercised authority over various units

of this Battalion.



Forces under his command are alleged to have been responsible for the sexual

assault and murder of Agathe Uwilingiyimana, former Rwandan Prime Minister,

as well as the brutal murder of 10 Belgian UNAMIR soldiers.



Alongside powerful figures such as convicted génocidaire, Theoneste

Bagosora, Mpiranya is accused of participating in the planning, preparation

and execution of a plan to exterminate the Tutsi population of Rwanda. He is

charged by way of his personal and superior responsibility for the crimes

alleged.



UN urged to close the door on ‘illegitimate’ Mugabe

http://www.swradioafrica.com



By Alex Bell

18 September 2012



The United Nations headquarters will this weekend be the site of a mass

protest by Zimbabweans in the US, who are urging the world body to take a

tough stance with Robert Mugabe.



Mugabe is set to attend the UN General Assembly in New York, an event which

allows him to travel to the US despite international targeted sanctions

against him and his regime.



Zimbabweans in the US are now being urged to join the planned protest at the

UN headquarters in New York on Saturday, to “demonstrate to the world that

Robert Mugabe is now an illegitimate leader who should not be welcomed by

the United Nations for the General Assembly.”



The protest, dubbed ‘Operation Take Back Zimbabwe,’ forms part of the

monthly 21st Movement global protests that have been taking place across the

world every month. The coordinator of the protests, Den Moyo, told SW Radio

Africa that Mugabe is an “illegitimate leader and his views are not

representative of Zimbabweans.”



“His legitimacy has now expired since he was only President because of the

SADC-sponsored Global Political Agreement (GPA) which he has not honoured,”

Moyo said.



He added: “Mugabe is not wanted at the UN, who we believe has a role to play

in Zimbabwe’s future. We would like to see the UN not wait until a bloodbath

like we saw in 2008. We want them to act now and provide monitors and

peacekeepers before and during elections.”



More protests have been planned to take place on the day, including

demonstrations in London and South Africa. Details of the protests can be

found on the Facebook page for the 21st Movement:

https://www.facebook.com/events/142435845900283/



Moyo meanwhile said that the US movement plans to “hound” Mugabe during his

stay in the US “to let him know that the people of Zimbabwe are sick and

tired of his tyrannical rule and we want freedom now.”



Ncube gives BBC reporter a HARDtime

http://www.newzimbabwe.com



18/09/2012 00:00:00

by Mthulisi Mathuthu



ONE reason why an African leader is much more likely going to give an

interview to Western journalists than to local ones is that the former will

always play into the leader’s hands by asking precisely the questions which

suspiciously come out as though they were crafted by some mandarin or a

chief government spook with the central aim of getting information that

would help them shape government foreign policy.



Given that Western foreign policy is inherently incapable of moral

uprightness, meaning that the journalist’s questions will naturally be

prejudiced, that always comes in handy for the African leaders.



Perhaps nowhere is this apparent than in the September 18 BBC HARDtalk

programme where Zeinabi Badawi’s questions to the MDC leader Welshman Ncube

were so partisan that they brazenly exhibited the prejudices and fantasies

of the Western mandarins on behalf of Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the

other MDC faction.



Listening through the interview, one can’t help feeling that the central aim

of the questioning was to project Ncube as the main problem and cause of the

opposition’s failure to wrest power from Robert Mugabe. Indeed, the

interviewee said she was aware of the details of the 2005 split but was,

interestingly, not going to go into details about that. In the end it was as

if the MDC split not because of Tsvangirai’s refusal to accede to internal

‘democratic outcomes’ but because Welshman Ncube was himself a problem.



Badawi asks Ncube to justify his opinion about MDC-T not being as democratic

as it claims to be. In an attempt to load the dice against Ncube, Badawi

rests her line of questioning on the opinions of people who she calls

‘various international figures’ whom she collectively refers to as the

‘international community’; and whose views should, therefore, translate to

‘international opinion’.



These people are US diplomat and former Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Christopher

Dell, who, according to the WikiLeaks, said Ncube was a ‘divisive’ figure

who should be removed from the political stage; and Australian Prime

Minister, Julia Gillard, who likened Tsvangirai to Nelson Mandela and Aung

San Suu Kyi – both Nobel Peace Prize winners. Dell, the interviewee says,

can be relied on more because he spent ‘many years’ in Zimbabwe.



In reminding Ncube of Dell’s opinion, Badawi’s body language betrays her as

she comes out as an excited junior detective putting her killer question to

a suspect. In bringing in all these things together, the idea is to present

Ncube as indeed a ‘divisive’ person going against the supposedly credible

people of international stature like Mandela.



To a viewer who is not familiar with the goings on in Zimbabwe, anybody

whose view is against that of a Mandela equivalent must surely be crazy and

worth ‘removing’ from the political stage.



The same applies with citing of the French Knighthood as an indicator to

Tsvangirai’s moral uprightness and credibility – when we know all too well

that that award has previously been awarded to savages.



Moreover, Dell cannot be one to rely on because his confident predictions

have been previously disastrous. For example, prior to his departure he

predicted a total economic implosion within a space of a few months in

Zimbabwe, and that never came to pass.



At the end of the day, the HARDtalk interview comes out as one which was

designed to lead Ncube into giving answers that would in turn confirm him as

a Zanu PF agent. One such question was the last one where he is asked if he

would contest against Mugabe in the event of Tsvangirai staging another

boycott. If he had said yes, that would have, at least in the scheme of the

people who planned the interview, confirmed him as a Zanu PF lackey. Ncube,

as before, saw through the trick and survived.



One can’t help thinking that there is indeed fear that Ncube’s whirlwind

campaign trail across the country is paying dividends and in a way that

stands to reverse the fortunes of both the MDC-T and Zanu PF considerably.

Spanners must, therefore, be thrown in his works. The idea, so it seems, is

to indeed ‘remove Ncube from the political stage’ by all means necessary.



Strangely Dell, Zedawi and others like them seem to be oblivious to one

vivid question: why is it that Tsvangirai, whom Mugabe so much resents to

the extent that he has even tried to assassinate him, is vocally in

disagreement with Mugabe in almost everything but is silently but willingly

in agreement with him on Welshman Ncube’s isolation? What is it which Ncube

represents that makes these two enemies forget their differences?



It will be helpful if Dell and his think-a-likes were to keep one thing in

mind: it is easy for diplomats from powerful nations to activate the ancient

habit of perpetuating prejudices of a particular section of a country they

operate in knowing that they can always blame the victims of their actions.

And yet it is true that policies grounded on narrow interests will often

yield the opposite of what they are meant to achieve. Mugabe’s 32 year rule

provides a clear and ongoing example.



Last but not least it would be helpful if journalists like Zedawi try and

keep away from the habit of taking questions from mandarins because by so

doing a journalist runs the risk of not just sounding shallow but of

shunning basic research to the extent of getting many things wrong and

thereby giving themselves a hard time such as happened in her interview with

Ncube. One example in this case is the fact that Ncube is presented as the

secretary general of the MDC, when he is actually the President.



Mthulisi Mathuthu is a New Zimbabwe.com blogger. E-mail him:

thuthuma@yahoo.com



Census payments doubtful, says finance ministry

http://www.herald.co.zw



Tuesday, 18 September

2012 00:00



Felex Share Herald Reporter

THE payment of full allowances for 2012 census enumerators is now in doubt

as Government is concentrating on raising salaries for civil servants.

Finance Ministry principal director Mr Pfungwa Kunaka said Treasury was

trying to strike a balance between raising money for salaries and paying the

enumerators.



He described the delay in paying enumerators as a “cash-flow management

issue”.

“We also have salaries to pay and this means we have to strike a balance

between paying the salaries and paying their allowances. We are looking for

the money to pay them.”



Mr Kunaka however, said the enumerators were likely to be paid “something”

this month.

“We gave them the first payment through the US$8 million we released to

Zimstats and we will make another payment this month once we strike the

balance.”



Government released US$8 million soon after the 10-day exercise, with the

enumerators being paid US$150 each. They were reportedly promised US$500

each.



About US$10 million is needed to pay the 31 000 enumerators and 10 450

supervisors.

The enumerators have since raised complaints over delays in the payments.

They claim that they used their own money for transport and other expenses

thinking Government would pay them on time.

Most enumerators were drawn from the education sector.



Population Census director Mr Washington Mapeta yesterday said Zimstats was

still receiving material from various centres.

“We are still getting the papers from the field and once we finalise that we

will move to the next stage,” he said.



The United Nations Population Fund released US$12 million for administration

of the census.

The census was riddled with problems from the start.



The exercise, which was scheduled to start on August 17, only got underway

the following day in some areas due to logistical challenges.

The process was also affected by late disbursement of materials, while

transport shortages had a bearing on the deployment of officers in remote

areas.



The population census will provide data on the demographic and related

socio-economic characteristics of the population at national and

sub-national levels.



It is also used for planning and implementing development programmes such as

housing, provision of water and sanitation.

Zimbabwe holds a census after every 10 years and the first census was held

in 1982.





Zanu PF ‘funder’ in trouble over Mugabe slur

http://www.dailynews.co.zw



Tuesday, 18 September 2012 12:18

HARARE - Harare businessman and self-styled Zanu PF financier Hanif Allana

could be in hot soup after taking a jibe at President Robert Mugabe, and his

leadership qualities.



The Indian merchant, who owns Elite Car Hire and other businesses, has also

been in the news for orchestrating the eviction of his 37-year-old ex-lover

Audrey James from her Avondale house and is equally entangled in another

legal scrap with a group of Harare families facing eviction from their

downtown properties.



Although Allana has flatly refused to comment on the issues — threatening

this newspaper “be careful what you write” — his legal troubles emanate from

two reports made by Belvedere resident and community leader Abraham

Samushonga.



The two had clashed over the former’s takeover and domination of ventilation

gaps in several western suburbs, including Milton Park and Monavale, thus

resulting in the two cases at the Harare Central Police Station.



In his complaints against the controversial businessman, Samushonga says

Allana hurled insults at Mugabe and his party after he had sought to enquire

about how some youths in his area could also access, and use some of the

open spaces owned by council.



“Allana has a big problem and (this maybe coming from a view that) he is

also well-connected. He is everywhere and after he had called me to his

offices one day... he exploded and hurled insults at the President (Mugabe)

and also locked me in his office,” he said.



“He said the President should have left power 15 years ago, he does not

think and is out of sync with reality,” Samushonga said, adding the

octogenarian leader was also in a quandary about who could succeed him now

when he could have solved it decades ago.



With the first case of undermining Mugabe’s authority registered under CR

37/08/12 and the other one on threats of violence under CR 1035/08/12, the

complainant has followed up his reports with a dispatch to several top Zanu

PF and government officials, including Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa,

State Security minister Sydney Sekeramayi, Information and Publicity chief

Webster Shamu and other key state functionaries.



Police provincial spokesperson James Sabau could neither deny not confirm

the cases.



Apart from insulting Mugabe, Allana — whose son Musa is a special interest

councillor in the capital and appointed by Local Government minister

Ignatius Chombo — also stands accused of being the hand behind the eviction

of a group of Zanu PF supporters from their Kaguvi Street properties.



The case — at 76 Kaguvi Street and owned by Kopje Properties (Kopje) — has

been raging at the Harare Magistrates’ Court for years, with six of the

alleged victims arguing that a local estate agency Amazon Real Estate

(Amazon) has no right to chuck them out.



“The plaintiff (Amazon) brought an action against the defendants for

eviction and ejectment.



“The defendant(s) defended the action stating the applicant had no mandate

to deal with the property on behalf of property owners,” the group said.



However, the High Court in August granted an interim relief and judgment in

favour of Amazon.



Allana is alleged to be the mastermind behind the eviction plan after buying

Kopje — a charge he vehemently denies.



So powerful and influential is the Harare businessman that Samushonga’s

cases almost collapsed — like the proverbial deck of cards — even before

they took off after the latter was threatened by some senior police officers

(names supplied) for taking on the controversial figure.



“I was intimidated by some senior police officers, who said l must withdraw

the charges. However, l would like to prove that not everyone who shouts

Zanu PF is Zanu PF. Some of these people associate with the party… only for

protection. He claims he is Zanu PF, but from my point of view he is not,”

the complainant said.



In recent years, the Indian tycoon’s car hire business has also been subject

to a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority probe or enquiry after he imported a fleet

of 200 luxury cars allegedly for the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.



Although it is yet unknown how the case ended, sources said some of those

cars — including Mercedes Benzes and Toyota Prados — have been hired out to

various government departments, including the RBZ and defence headquarters.



According to other independent sources, Allana has also been a key

government and Zanu PF supplier since the 1980s.



Amid claims that he even brought or introduced the Steyr trucks and brand to

the army, the swaggering businessman has also made donations to several Zanu

PF officials and constituencies, and is on the cusp of a major technological

project owing to his close party associates. — Weekend Post



WFP: Food Crisis Deteriorating in Zimbabwe

http://www.voazimbabwe.com



Tatenda Gumbo

17.09.2012



The United Nations World Food Program says it is closely monitoring the

crippling drought situation in Zimbabwe and lobbying stakeholders for the

provision of food and other resources to the affected families.



Officials said Zimbabwe has pledged 35,000 tonnes of maize and the WFP is

working with other organizations to secure additional aid.



Close to 1.6 million people will need food aid by March next year.



The food aid ogranization reported the dire situation in late July saying

the drought was and will continue to cripple the most vulnerable.



The assessment indicated that the number of people in need of food aid is 60

percent higher than the one million that needed assistance during the last

lean season.



WFP pinpointed erratic rainfall and dry spells, limited access to

agricultural inputs like seeds and fertilizer, a reduction in the planted

hectarage, poor farming practices and inadequate crop diversification as key

reasons hunger would peak this season.



The worst affected regions are Matabeleland, Midlands, Masvingo and

Manicaland.



United Nations WFP Zimbabwe country director Felix Bamezon told VOA the

food situation is deteriorating.



UZ’s 14-year old wonder kid ‘enjoying it’

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

Support ... Maud gets cheque from ZIMRA boss Geshem Pasi 18/09/2012 00:00:00 by CNN Making history ... Maud Chifamba RELATED STORIES Girl, 14, is UZ's youngest student ever SHE grew up in grinding poverty, losing both her parents at a tender age but 14-year-old whizz-kid Maud Chifamba has defied adversity and hardship to break academic records. Against all odds, the extremely bright teenager has written history as last week she became the youngest ever university student in Zimbabwe -- as well as the whole of southern Africa, according to education officials. Maud, who was born on November 19, 1997, has just started her studies toward a Bachelor of Accountancy Honors Degree at the University of Zimbabwe, the country's oldest and most esteemed educational institution. Her intellectual prowess and hard work have earned her a four-year scholarship of nearly $10,000 after she excelled at last year's Advanced Level exams. Now, one week into her new life at the university, softly-spoken Maud already feels settled. "I'm really enjoying it," she says with striking modesty. "It's better than what I expected. I'm just enjoying all the lectures." It really motivated me to work harder because there was no one to take care of me except myself. But before deservedly claiming a spot inside the university's vast lecture halls, finding herself amongst much older students, Zimbabwe's wunderkind had to overcome tremendous financial and social challenges. Social challenges Born to a poor family in the Hunters resettlement community in Chegutu, central Zimbabwe, Maud lost her father when she was just five years old. Her mother also passed away last year. Her two brothers, who are general workers at a farm, were unable to pay the fees required to keep her at formal school so Maud started studying vigorously at home all by herself. Armed with determination, Maud put all her efforts into studying, embarking on a disciplined reading routine that lasted for several hours each day. "I studied very hard," she remembers. "For the biggest part of the day and even into the night," adds Maud. Maud says the death of her parents made her realize that she would have to take her destiny into her own hands. "It really motivated me to work harder because there was no one to take care of me except myself in the future," says Maud. "That was ... a motivator for me to have something to do with my life." Gifted with natural intelligence, Maud's promising future was apparent from an early age. Her remarkable aptitude impressed her primary school teachers who decided to move her up from Grade 3 to Grade 6. Aged nine, she took her final primary school examinations, where she obtained top marks for all of her subjects. Lacking financial support to undertake her high school education, Maud studied on her own and completed her Ordinary Level in just two years after skipping two forms. Her hard work paid off last December when she scored 12 points at her A-Level exams, an astonishing feat that earned the 14-year-old girl a place at the Harare-based University of Zimbabwe. "It's phenomenal, especially if you consider that for her A-Levels she was not in formal school," says Gershem Pasi, the commissioner general of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), the body that's now sponsoring Maud's university education. "She was just reading by herself at home and her brothers only managed to pay the examination fee." Hard work Munyaradzi Madambi, dean of students at the University of Zimbabwe, describes Maud as a "very warm and polite young woman," whose intelligence and maturity shines through. "(She is) confident, efficacious and unique in the sense that you don't normally expect this position among kids from underprivileged backgrounds," he says. Madambi says the university is committed to helping its wonder student develop into a balanced individual while fulfilling her dreams. Maud is an exceptional case in terms of intellectual prowess. Munyaradzi Madambi, dean of students at the University of Zimbabwe "We are making sure that she grows up to be a well-moulded, mature adult but of course without really suffocating her or putting her under any pressure," he says. Zimbabwe has an adult literacy rate of 92%, which is one of the highest in Africa, according to UNICEF. Madambi says people in the country have an "incredible and insatiable appetite for education." "Normally those that come from underprivileged backgrounds, their desire is really to work hard and excel and of course Maud is an exceptional case in terms of intellectual prowess," he says. Maud is now on course to conquer even greater heights, becoming Zimbabwe's youngest ever accountant when she graduates in four years time. "My dream job is to become an accountant," she says.

African Commissioners and UN Special Rapporteur defend right to protest

http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/8086



September 18th, 2012

WOZA Press Release: On 6 to 8th June 2012, Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)

national coordinator Jenni Williams attended international human rights

experts meeting is Oslo, Norway hosted by the Norwegian Foreign Ministry.

Williams presented the story of WOZA and its mandate of peaceful protest and

the brutality of the state in trampling upon the right to peaceful protest.



Amongst those attending were Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders of

the Africa commission on human and people rights, Reine Alapini-Gansou; the

United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of assembly and association,

Maina Kai; on freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue; and on human

rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya.



The African Commission Special Rapporteur Reine Alapini-Gansou and the two

United Nations Special Rapporteurs have since released statements as a

result of the meeting.



The statement reads in part “everyone without discrimination should be free

to participate in peaceful protests and no one should be subjected to

threats or acts of violence for addressing human rights issues through

peaceful protest.”



This entry was posted by Sokwanele on Tuesday, September 18th, 2012 at 8:57

am



Hospital, cluster homes for Mall of Zim project

http://www.dailynews.co.zw



By Taurai Mangudhla, Business Writer

Tuesday, 18 September 2012 13:13

HARARE - The multi-million dollar property development by West Properties,

initially supposed to be a shopping mall, will also include a hospital,

office park and cluster homes, businessdaily can reveal.



Despite environmental concerns and resistance from surrounding residential

areas and city fathers, Ken Sharpe’s West Properties says it’s going ahead

with building its $100 million Mall of Zimbabwe on the wetlands situated

between Dandaro and Borrowdale West.



“We have a lot of new developments in the pipeline; just on the property

side alone we obviously have our current projects plus a 13-hectare office

site and 37 hectares of high-end residential properties adjacent to the Mall

of Zimbabwe.



“We have also been working on another office site close by and a

middle-to-high income residential development, as well as several other

exciting projects,” West Properties chief executive Mike van Blerk said in a

statement on its website.



He said construction of Zimbabwe’s biggest shopping mall and the largest in

Africa, outside South Africa, is set to take off soon after completion of

planning and architectural work.



“We are still to break ground in terms of construction, but we’ve completed

a great deal of the planning and architectural designs behind it, which is

almost always equal in timescale to the actual building,” van Blerk said.



He said the 68 000sqm closed mall set to be completed by 2014, already had a

complement of 172 tenants.

According to Sharpe, the company had secured the land through a PPP (Private

Public Partnership) with the City of Harare.



Essentially the partnership entailed the City putting in the land for

development and West Group, the holding company for West Properties, West

Bev and West Star, contributing the working capital, management and skills

to develop the raw land.



The partnership was finalised in 2007 and encompassed three key project

development areas, the Warren Hills residential suburb, part of an existing

golf course, the Mukuvisi commercial and industrial area and Tariro Park, a

10 000sqm cash and carry warehousing structure, service station, bus

terminal and people’s market currently under development.



“In 2008 we were approached by the City to construct a new highway project,

linking the main central business district with Harare International

Airport.



Originally only a $5 million extension of the existing road, we agreed to

take it on in return for being paid with ring-fenced land which we would

later develop,” Sharpe said.



Van Blerk said the final land barter agreement will be worth almost $68

million before taxes and the four-lane, double-highway will feature seven

elevated bridge structures, one of which spans 450m and covers a railway

marshalling yard.



Zimbabwe thrashed by Sri Lanka in Hambantota

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz



By: Matt Brown | Latest Cricket News | Wednesday September 19 2012 6:47



Hosts Sri Lanka has thrashed Zimbabwe by 82 runs in the opening match of the

World Twenty20 in Hambantota.



Spinner Ajantha Mendis recorded the best ever international Twenty20 figures

of 6-8 from his four overs as Zimbabwe were shot out for 100 chasing 183 to

win.



Sri Lanka had posted a formidable 182 for 4.



Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor's lamenting a 13th straight Twenty/20 loss.



"A tough pill to swallow today, we're a far better side than the way we

performed today. It's tough, credit goes to Sri Lanka, they've showed why

they're probably a team that's favourite to win the World Cup."



Australia play Ireland and Afghanistan meet India tonight.



The love scandals that rocked Zanu PF: Part 5

http://nehandaradio.com Headlines , Lest We Forget , News , Relationships , Scandal — By admin on September 17, 2012 5:19 am

By Lance Guma Apologies for the delay in completing Part 5 of this series, which was due last Friday, but certain sections had to be researched further for accuracy. In this series I have deliberately focused on the love scandals within Zanu PF to provide context and expose the hypocrisy of them ‘casting the first stones’. Drama fell over the past weekend like confetti at, or is it from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s wedding to fiancée Locardia Karimatsenga Tembo. The PM says he found the woman he loves after three years of searching. This involved breaking up with about three women along the way. His critics among them Zanu PF MP and ‘strategist’ Jonathan Moyo seized on those relationships to claim Tsvangirai had an “open zip and shut mind”. Wife bashing and prostitute loving black belt holder George Charamba who writes as Nathaniel Manheru also joined the criticism of Tsvangirai as a womanizer. Jonathan Moyo (Tsholotsho North MP) Several reports including one January 2010 article by veteran journalist and editor of The Zimbabwean newspaper Wilf Mbanga state that “Moyo is a man whose wife has taken him to court for beating her. He kidnapped his children and took them to Kenya in defiance of a High Court order.” In January of 2003, Beatrice Moyo, (Jonathan’s wife) instructed her lawyers to sue The Daily News for Z$10 million (US$182 000) for damages allegedly caused by an article republished by the paper in Zimbabwe but which had initially been written by the Sunday Times newspaper of South Africa. The article claimed Moyo beat up his wife while they were on holiday in South Africa. The paper also said that Moyo went on a shopping spree while in South Africa while millions of his countrymen faced starvation in Zimbabwe. Mrs. Moyo however claimed that the story was not true. Mrs Moyo claimed there were disturbances among some guests who were in their hotel room on that new year’s eve, but denied that she called for the police to intervene nor that her husband beat her up. Sources close to the case claim the two had reconciled and the law suit was part of a damage control exercise. Meanwhile the article by Mbanga says Moyo “has been accused of fraud not once but twice by the Ford Foundation in Kenya and at Wits University in South Africa. He left both reputable institutions under a cloud that has never been dispersed.” Mbanga also reminds us that: “In the 1970s the cowardly Moyo fled from a Zanla training camp in Tanzania and sought refuge in the USA – a country he now purports to hate. He is nothing but a political prostitute who made his name as an arch critic of Robert Mugabe in the 1990s, and morphed into a craven acolyte of the aging dictator.” Moyo was also sucked into a huge scandal involving the former Director General of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), Alum Mpofu. Moyo recruited Mpofu into the position but the ZBC boss left in a huff after it was alleged he was having an affair with Moyo. The resignation, citing ‘personal reasons’, was submitted to stop an inquiry after Mpofu was caught in a homosexual act in a Harare night club owned by a Zanu PF MP. Moyo’s alleged affair with Mpofu is said to have started in 1999 when the propaganda chief was at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa. Several male journalists who worked for the state media during Moyo’s reign also alleged that they had to resist his sexual advances. Responding to the allegations of an affair with Mpofu, Moyo used his participation on the New Zimbabwe.com forums several years ago to give this reaction: “As a probable pervert,” Moyo snapped back, “you wish I had a sexual relationship with him. No, I did not and could not because I am not a homosexual like he allegedly is, never have been, never will be….I have made it clear I don’t wish to be a bedroom policeman.” Simon Khaya Moyo (Zanu PF national chairman) Still sticking with the Moyo’s, former ambassador to South Africa and now Zanu PF chairman Simon Khaya Moyo filed for divorce from his wife of 30 years, Sibonokuhle Getrude Moyo (nee Ngwenya). On the 23rd of August this year, Moyo filed divorce summons at the High Court claiming there was no ‘love and affection’ and the marriage had irretrievably broken down and there were “no conjugal rights enjoyed between the parties.” It was left to the Daily News newspaper who managed to get hold of the affidavit to report that Moyo’s wife was bedding another man and the marriage is broken beyond repair because of this “infidelity” among other reasons. “The defendant (Gertrude) has committed infidelity with another man,” Khaya Moyo reveals in the court papers. Although the other man in the love triangle is not mentioned, sources familiar with the case say he is a farmer known as Machemedze. Khaya Moyo, married Getrude at independence in 1980 and they have two adult children, Khanyisa Khaya Mduduzi Moyo (born on 7 July1982) and Langa Mandlenkosi Khaya Moyo (born 4 April 1986). Khaya Moyo says he cannot pay maintenance to Getrude since their two sons are now adults. Grace Mugabe and Gideon Gono In October of 2010 the South African Sunday Times newspaper ran a story claiming Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono was bedding Robert Mugabe’s wife, the First Lady Grace Mugabe over a 5 year period. The two allegedly met as often as three times a month at Grace’s Gushungo Dairy Estate, at expensive hotels in South Africa and on foreign trips to Asia. It was claimed Sabina Mugabe, 75, warned her brother before she died that he was being betrayed by two important people in his personal and political life. The story claimed Mugabe’s 36 year old bodyguard Cain Chademana was poisoned because he admitted to the Zanu PF leader upon questioning that he knew about the affair but had decided to keep quiet about it. The newspaper claims officials had hoped the secret affair would be buried with Chademana. However Chademana’s death certificate, swiftly leaked to online media along with an accompanying letter from a hospital where he was treated , said he suffered cardiorespiratory arrest, disseminated tuberculosis, pneumonia and ‘retroviral infection’ — a medical euphemism for HIV. Both Grace and Gono denied the affair and claimed they are partners in a number of business enterprises and this explained their close working relationship. The fact that Gono managed to retain his job as central bank chief suggests to many that Mugabe believed his side of the story.

Transcript: Ncube's BBC HARDtalk interview

http://www.newzimbabwe.com 18/09/2012 00:00:00 by New Zimbabwe.com MDC leader and Industry Minister Welshman Ncube was a guest on the BBC’s HARDtalk programme aired on Tuesday [UK residents watch HERE]. This is the full transcript of his interview with HARDtalk host Zeinab Badawi: ZEINAB BADAWI (ZB): Have opposition politicians in Zimbabwe learnt the lessons of the violence and disputed elections of 2008 in which Robert Mugabe and his party Zanu PF outmanoeuvred the Movement for Democratic Change and held on to power? The MDC has since been in an uneasy power sharing government in which its main leader Morgan Tsvangirai is Prime Minister, but a breakaway MDC faction led by the Industry and Commerce Minister Welshman Ncube is splintering the opposition ahead of elections due by next June. My guest today on HARDtalk is Welshman Ncube. Shouldn’t the opposition be united to better oppose Zanu PF? Welshman Ncube welcome to HARDtalk. WELSHMAN NCUBE (WN): Thank you. ZB: It’s a general rule in politics isn’t it not just in Zimbabwe: weaken the opposition by splitting it. That’s what you’ve done. WN: Well, it is of course correct that if the parties that are opposed to Zanu PF it would be that much easier to win the elections than when we are all fighting from our different corners. But there are things which are fundamental and matters of principle, matters of policy that divide us and have made that very, very difficult. ZB: And is that much more important in your view to you than forming a credible opposition to Zanu PF? WN: Well, what is important is that when we oppose Zanu PF and when we seek to remove Zanu PF we must all be clear and united in that the alternative government we want to establish will in fact, not just in deeds, will in fact be different from the Zanu PF government either by reference to corruption, by reference to mismanagement, by reference to non-violence – all of those things. So when the things which divide us make some of us doubt that that government will be different from Zanu PF, that is why it is so important that we must be opposed to Zanu PF in both words and in deeds. There is no point in removing Zanu PF only to replace it with exactly the same entity. ZB: Are you equating Morgan Tsvangirai, the Prime Minister, with President Robert Mugabe who has been in power for 32 years? WN: I’m not equating anyone. I’m simply saying those things that divide us go to the heart of our opposition to Zanu PF. When we say we must be non-violent we must mean it and we must live it. So when our colleagues practise violence against others and also against themselves we say, eh [interrupted]. ZB: So which colleagues are you talking about here because you are being a little bit indirect. Just spell it out for us. Are you accusing the MDC faction led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of waging some kind of campaign against your faction? WN: No. I’m saying the things which divide us, the things which divided us at the time of the split are essentially to do with the things I’m talking about. If we begin to act violently against each other and against ourselves; if we begin to defy collective decisions that we would have made; if during for instance the currency of the inclusive government we have local government structures which act as corruptly as Zanu PF has done over the last 32 years, those are the things which divide us, and they are genuine differences. ZB: Let me just fill people in of course that the MDC split back in 2005 when Morgan Tsvangirai didn’t want to contest the [senate] elections. I’m not going to go into the ins and outs of it but there was a breakaway faction led by Arthur Mutambara but you now lead that breakaway faction. I want to ask you very, very clearly, and I would like a clear answer, should the MDC not just remain united under the Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai who after all is highly acclaimed in international circles. Very simple question, what’s you answer? WN: Well, the answer is simple. The things that divide us now make it impossible for us to work together. ZB: What have you got against Morgan Tsvangirai? WN: Absolutely nothing against the person of Morgan Tsvangirai. Our differences are about our political behaviours and the things we do as politicians. I keep underlining, it is on record that our colleagues in the MDC-T often practise violence; it is on record that Morgan Tsvangirai himself has reversed collectively made decisions and it is also on record that the local government structures that they control have acted as corruptly if not more corruptly than the Zanu PF ones. Those are the things which divide us. ZB: You refer to MDC-T which stands for the faction led by MDC Morgan Tsvangirai. But what you say is clearly at odds with what the international community believes. For example the French government has this summer conferred on Morgan Tsvangirai the Legion of Honour, the highest order it can because it says he upholds universal aspirations, morals and the spirit of progress. The Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has said he is like Nelson Mandela, like Aung San Suu Kyi– a remarkable figure of our times, she has said. The former American ambassador in Zimbabwe Christopher Dell has described Morgan Tsvangirai as brave, committed, by and large a democrat. He is also the only player on the scene right now with real star quality and the ability to rally the masses. I reel off all that, minister, because it is at odds with what you say. WN: Well, I’m a Zimbabwean, I live in Zimbabwe. I worked within the united MDC, I worked outside the united MDC and I can tell you the things on which we differ are fundamental, they go to the very heart of the struggle against Zanu PF. I repeat, we don’t want to replace Zanu PF in name, and not also in terms of the things it does. ZB: You’ve made that point, but just address the fact that there is lavish praise heaped upon Morgan Tsvangirai by various international figures and it doesn’t really... it’s not consistent with the kind of picture you are now portraying of the MDC faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai. So just explain that to us. WN: All I can say is that those who might be somewhere in Australia, those who might be in Paris, in Washington are entitled to have their opinions about any of the leaders in Zimbabwe, just as much as we are entitled as Zimbabweans to have our own opinions about ourselves and our leaders. And respectfully [interrupted]. ZB: Christopher Dell, the former American ambassador, highly regarded, spent many years in Zimbabwe and what I quoted was what he said in WikiLeaks which were revealed in 2010. But you know what he said about you, you know what he said about you? WN: I’ve read about what he said about me, but the point [interrupted]. ZB: Let me remind you, let me remind you, well let me remind you. WN: Go ahead. ZB: He described you, if I may, as highly divisive and says you should be taken off the political stage. WN: Yes, and what’s the question around that? ZB: So what do you answer to that quote ‘highly divisive and should be taken off the political stage’? WN: Well, again that is Dell’s opinion, as democrats we respect it but we disagree with it. I don’t know what it means when an ambassador of one of the biggest democracies in the world speaks of taking leaders off the political stage, I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean. And I think it is unfortunate and it cannot be consistent with the values and principles the United States wants to defend around the world. ZB: When we look at the Global Political Agreement, the GPA, which came into force after those elections in 2008, disputed, and we saw what the French called “cohabitation” whereby the MDC joined the government under President Robert Mugabe. But you are stating quite clearly that that has been a failure, not only because of the difficulties with Robert Mugabe, but within the MDC itself, it’s been a failure. WN: Well, the inclusive government has not been a total failure, but it could have done better. In terms of political reforms clearly, clearly we have failed. We have not done the things that we should have done by now, we should have created the necessary conditions for free and fair elections, that has not happened. There are many parts of the GPA on media reforms, on provincial governors that we have not implemented. However, in terms of where Zimbabwe was in 2008 or beginning of 2009 in economic terms we have made a lot of progress. We have a country which was virtually on the verge of collapse if not completely collapsed, that economy we have managed to resuscitate it, it’s now working. Yes it could do better, and yes people are still poor but you don’t have an economy which is basically on its knees anymore, it’s an economy which its way to recovery. Whether or not it recovers now depends on what happens at the next election. ZB: Alright. I will just [inaudible] economy since you have raised it. You have a $400 million budget deficit, and growth has now been downgraded from more than 9 percent, which was admittedly very high, down to 5.6 percent. Even though progress has been made, and let’s face it that was from a very low base, things are going backwards now. WN: Yes of course some of the gains that we have made over the last three years are threatened now with reversal, in particular as we move towards an election and as we begin to grandstand around election rhetoric. In terms of the economy as minister of industry for instance, industry recovered from capacity utilisation of 10 percent when we came in to 57 percent by the end of last year. It sort of plateaued, it’s not going anywhere now largely because of our failure to stabilise the political environment so as to bring in confidence to have access to lines of credit. That has not happened. So we are beginning to see reversal yes, but we need to move as quickly as we can... to continue with the recovery which we have started. ZB: It’s not just political instability because people don’t know when the elections are going to be happening and so on but it’s also because of the so-called indigenisation policy that came into effect in Zimbabwe in 2011 whereby foreign companies have got to hand over 51 percent of their controlling share to local companies and that has scared a lot of foreign investors, frankly? WN : Well, that’s absolutely true. As minister responsible for trade I spend a lot of my time talking to investors, talking to business leaders in and outside Zimbabwe and there is no doubt that the elephant in the living room is our indigenisation laws. Clearly, clearly a lot of investors are unhappy with them and find it difficult to come and invest in Zimbabwe. Whereas we all agree that we must do some form of empowerment, the manner in which we are doing it and the thresholds that we have set are clearly unrealistic and unreasonable in our circumstances. ZB: So when you talk about some form of empowerment the idea is that you indigenise these interests so that the whole Zimbabwean population can benefit from it. What’s the evidence then that any benefits will trickle down to the ordinary Zimbabwean, because there isn’t plenty of that, is there? Not much evidence of that. WN: I personally don’t like the word indigenisation because I don’t think it has any precise meaning. I prefer the term empowerment. Empowerment is broader and perhaps more accurate in terms of what some of us would want to achieve. If we are talking about empowerment, we should be talking about encouraging investment so that we can create jobs and employment for people, we can create the necessary business environment for indigenous Zimbabweans to form their own businesses to compete with others. Empowerment must not necessarily mean taking over someone else’s business. ZB: But have you achieved that? You are the minister for commerce and industry, trade and so on and you look at Zimbabwe and the state of the people, one and half million people on the verge of starvation according to the United Nations World Food Programme, or will need food assistance rather. WN: Zimbabwe is one of the richest countries in Africa, its mineral wealth is second to none, its climate, weather conditions, its land is also among the best in the world in terms of what we can do to our agriculture. If we can fix our politics, and fix our economic policies we will be able to deliver to our people by actually delivering on a stronger economy, on strong and successful businesses. That is the only way to do it. ZB: Sure, but if you look at the realities the Minister of Finance Tendai Biti said this year that for instance when he looks at the Marange diamond field he was expecting something like US$600 million to go into the state coffers, from the Marange diamond fields he has only received US$19 million. He said there were 230,000 [Editor’s note: Biti’s figure was 75,000 ‘ghost workers’, the figure stated is for entire civil service] fictitious government employees who somehow are drawing salaries and that 10,000 new jobs have been created in the past few weeks or so in government. That’s the reality of Zimbabwe and yet you talk about ‘oh a new business climate’ and that kind of thing, that’s not happening is it? WN: All of what you have just summarised and attributed to the Finance Minister is absolutely correct. If you look at the diamond wealth, the diamonds we are mining, if we were actually administering them and managing them properly we should be getting the sort of money that the Minister of Finance has been mentioning. We are not doing it, that’s why at the beginning we said the inclusive government has not functioned as we expected to do, there is a complete lack of transparency for instance around Marange diamonds. So all of those things cannot be fixed, in my opinion, unless and until we have free and fair elections and we have a government which is properly elected by people. ZB: So you just accepted or you just at least stated that you basically have no power? WN: Well, it is correct that’s why we keep saying there is a parallel government in many respects; that is why the Minister of Finance says there is no authority over Marange and there is no-one who is accountable to him when in fact they are supposed to be accountable to him. ZB: So do you have power? Do you have any power as minister of commerce and industry to do what you would like to do to encourage investment, empowerment and all that kind of thing? Do you have power? WN: Yes and no. We have the power and authority to do those things that are within our power, within our mandate as a ministry where we do not need the cooperation of anyone else; we have the power to do those things. But there are things as the ministry of industry where we would require the cooperation of other arms of government and other ministries and clearly therefore we would not have the power. ZB: OK, you’re talking about those ministries controlled by Zanu PF perhaps. But let me ask you, you talk about the elections, free and fair elections are vital to bring some kind of stability. But these elections, no date, they should be held by June but you’re all squabbling about what should be in the draft constitution. WN: Correct, we should have the elections, or at least parliament will stand automatically dissolved on June 29 next year. The elections must then be held no later than the end of October next year as an outer limit which is permissible under the current constitution. Clearly, we had expected to be able to have done the constitution earlier than now, we have not done so [because] there are new disagreements around the constitution and we hope we can overcome those differences with the assistance of SADC [interrupted]. ZB: OK, just spell those out. You are talking there about the Southern African Development Cooperation who are trying to mediate in all this. But just spell out for us, what are the disagreements? In essence it looks like the MDC are concerned about powers in the constitution for the president being enshrined in the new constitution, and also control over the armed forces and so on. But you’ve also got disagreements about same sex marriage, dual citizenship, that kind of thing. So what are the stumbling blocks? WN: Let me start by saying that firstly, there actually is an agreement. The structures that we had set, what is called the COPAC committee, the constitutional parliamentary committee, has actually agreed on a draft constitution signed by representatives of all the three parties in the inclusive government and formally handed over to the Speaker of Parliament by the co-chairpersons of that parliamentary committee. So there is an agreement, we must underline that. What is now happening is an attempt by Zanu PF to renege from that agreement by rewriting the agreed draft to include all those things that you have mentioned. For instance, they are attempting to turn the Bill of Rights into what you may call a declaration of non-rights when in fact it’s supposed to be a declaration of rights; they are going back to try and recreate an imperial presidency; they are re-introducing certain clauses that will undermine the judiciary and so forth and so on. Altogether, there are over 200 amendments that they have attempted to make to an already agreed draft constitution. ZB: Alright, so there is a deadlock. Is it worth delaying these elections that you yourself says Zimbabwe so badly needs because of disagreements or inability to put the draft constitution to a referendum? WN: Ye sit is worth delaying the elections because there is no point in rushing to an election whose outcome will be disputed and will create another political deadlock which will be with us for a long time. It is better to delay the election whether it’s by five months, six months and then do the elections properly under a constitution which will guarantee our liberties, our freedoms; which will curtail executive power in a manner which protects the citizens. ZB: But you know Lovemore Madhuku who runs an NGO, the National Constitutional Assembly – very broad based there is lots of labour, student, women’s groups, churches, human rights organisations – says even if there were a new constitution agreed, he says there is no basis to support this document because it’s being supported by politicians including you obviously. So where are the people in all this? WN: Well, Lovemore, Dr Madhuku or Professor Madhuku, is entitled to his opinion but some of us respectfully disagree [interrupted]. ZB: Well it’s not just his as I said, he represents quite a wide body of opinion. WN: I think the three political parties in the inclusive government represent a wider body of political opinion in Zimbabwe than any single civil society organisation. But the point I want to make is that the constitution has to have political leadership, there is no constitution anywhere in the world that was ever made by civil society without the political structures, without the elected people participating. I know not, I’m a constitutional lawyer myself. ZB: I want to ask you something very important which is, let’s just assume that elections happen and you overcome these problems. One Major General Trust Mugoba was quoted in May 2012 in AllAfrica magazine saying the army would not allow the MDC to take over power if it wins an election because it doesn’t represent the ideology of liberation struggle. So whatever happens you have opposition from the army clearly, what do you say to that? WN: I think of course it is true that the higher levels, the higher echelons of the military have made the statements which capture what you’ve just said. But it is also true that the rank and file in the military does not necessarily come from that school of thought. But what is important in our case is that both the two formations of the MDC have raised this issue squarely with the facilitator, with SADC, to say there is no point in having an election unless the roadmap to that election includes guarantees and undertakings from the military, and with SADC guarantees as well, that the military will accept the verdict of the people and that they must accept in advance of an election that the sovereignty of Zimbabwe lies in the people and not in the military. ZB: Very quickly, a few seconds, if Morgan Tsvangirai says he will not contest elections if Robert Mugabe was the candidate for Zanu PF would you? In a word? WN: Well, look, we cannot determine for other parties who their candidates are. It is up to Zanu PF to field its candidate, all we ask of that candidate is to be bound by the democratic traditions and to accept the will of the people and to refrain from violence. ZB: Minister Welshman Ncube, thank you very much indeed for coming on HARDtalk. WN: Thank you. [Transcript by New Zimbabwe.com]

Zanu-PF is no longer relevant

http://www.politicsweb.co.za



Vince Musewe

18 September 2012



Vince Musewe says Zimbabwe must make transition from a liberation struggle

psychology to a technocratic one



Understanding Zimbabwe's political economy: Most Zimbabweans know what is

now necessary: they know that ZANU (PF) is no longer relevant as the country

needs a second transition



All is not as it seems on the surface. I have had the opportunity of

engaging several individuals on the political economy of Zimbabwe, and am

beginning to have a deeper understanding on what is the root cause of our

pedestrian movement towards the logical establishment of a new democracy. It

is as if everyone knows what must be done and yet somehow, we remain

backward and living in the past.



My observations are simply that we have a fundamental problem of war

psychology especially within the army the police force and, to limited

extent, within ZANU (PF) leadership. This war psychology is based on the

belief that those who "participated' in the war and are in leadership cannot

be challenged and must have unfettered access to national resources. That,

if challenged by better ideas or smarter Zimbabweans, as is the case now,

they must refer to the past and if necessary, to the AK 47 as that is the

only tool that they have in order to retain their advantageous positions.



This war psychology has remained dormant in the minds of those that wield

power today in Zimbabwe, because they do not know better and more important,

were never counseled after the trauma of the bush war. After all, their life

experience has been from poverty and herding cattle in the rural areas, to

the bush and to power and material accumulation.



In our political leadership today, are opportunists, who have taken full

advantage of their so called war credentials as their right to govern. These

are the individuals who are neither necessarily highly educated nor

articulate. They are not exposed to modern democracy nor do they under stand

economics and can only rely on past violence and threats in order to protect

whatever wealth the may have acquired since our independence. They do not

count many, but have usurped political power and are unfortunately the very

individuals who are arresting progress in Zimbabwe



I have had some fascinating conversations with those who were directly

involved in the liberation struggle, not the technocrats who rule today,

give fiery political speeches but never fired a gun during the liberation

struggle but claim that they liberated us. You see, a significant number of

patriotic Zimbabweans who voluntarily participated in the armed struggle

never anticipated that our country would deteriorate to this level. They are

truly forgotten heroes and heroines who risked everything they had in order

to liberate all Zimbabweans and are today still traumatized by their war

experience.



They would never wish their experience on anyone, nor would they go back to

the bush. These heroes and heroines truly feel that the ZANU (PF) we see

today has lost relevance in what they sought to achieve by going to war. The

tragedy is that, they have been sidelined by street smart opportunist who

really never sacrificed much for this country but came up the ranks of ZANU

(PF) in the post liberation phase. They have no context of the past nor do

they have the genuine interests of the country.



Most Zimbabweans know what is now necessary; they know that ZANU (PF) is no

longer relevant as the country needs a second transition. A transition from

a liberation struggle psychology to a modern economy driven by professionals

and managed using modern ideas and technology.



Unfortunately today we suffer a few fools who cannot see that change is

inevitable. They will stall the inevitable as much as possible; they will

pretend that there is nothing wrong with Zimbabwe and yet deep down they are

driven by fear. Until we can isolate them and expose them, and thereby

weaken their hold on the minds of ZANU (PF) we are bound to have a political

economy full of uncertainty, characterized by the illogical expedient

politics that continue to delay us in modernizing Zimbabwe.



The few terrible men and women holding us back cannot see a successful

dispensation in Zimbabwe without them and would be happy to eradicate all

opportunity and hope, as long as they can hold onto the past and the

material wealth that they have achieved beyond their wildest dreams. In my

opinion, these degenerates are suffering mentally and emotionally and need

professional help.



We must plod on and continue to challenge the status quo simply because we

have no choice, Zimbabweans deserve better.



Vince Musewe is an independent economist and you may contact him on

vtmusewe@gmail.com



Learning from Zimbabwe: the Failure of Liberation Politics

http://www.news24.com/



18 September 2012, 10:42



Thabo Mbeki was inaugurated for a second term as South Africa’s president in

2004. I remember seeing the televised spectacle on my first visit to the

republic after ten years abroad. There were cheering crowds at the Union

Buildings as the dignitaries arrived. The adoring multitudes roared as

Madiba made his entrance, but the most rapturous applause was reserved for

one Robert Gabriel Mugabe and his entourage.

Later on, I asked an acquaintance from Mutare (in Manicaland Province near

the Mozambique border) about the apparent strength of support for Zimbabwe’s

president from South Africa’s youth, despite him being a figure of derision

and contempt in much of the world. He replied that no matter what cruelties

Mugabe visited on his people, he would forever be seen as the champion of

Black Africa. This is central to understanding how the overwhelming majority

of people in Zimbabwe and South Africa think, regardless of their level of

education. Post-colonial politics in both countries does not mean that we

have entered an era of post-racial reconciliation. The ruling parties in

both countries have a vested interest in maintaining a racially polarised

atmosphere, something that they have managed to do quite successfully.

There is a fear among Black South Africans that White people will bring back

some version of apartheid if given half a chance to do so. I do not believe

that this fear is justified. Most South Africans just want an opportunity to

live decent lives and secure the future of their children. However, the

dream of a rainbow nation was short-lived, and as a consequence, there are

many angry and fearful people out there. It thus becomes easy to resort to

stereotypes and finger-pointing on all sides. White people are exasperated

by the continued strong support for the ANC despite its obvious failures. In

feeling so, they are unable to grasp the significance of the party as a

liberation movement for their Black compatriots. Recently there have been a

number of articles by prominent Black commentators lamenting the state of

their communities so many years after liberation. So one can argue that the

issues have nothing to do with race; rather they are the consequence of

those age-old human failings of greed and vanity.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. In order to hold

themselves together, people deny the reality of what is happening. We can

lie to other people and sometimes even get away with it. When we lie to

ourselves, it always leads to disaster. There are many Zimbabweans who today

cling to the mythology of a post-liberation paradise, despite the ugly truth

before them. Likewise, there are many South Africans who desperately grasp

for the threads of a torn and shredded dream. These are the people who

become very angry when reality presents itself, as it must do. They look for

scapegoats, who could be anything from foreigners, farmers, White people,

poor people (mostly Black), artists, Coloured and Indian people, gays and

lesbians, crime victims to innocent women and children. The result is the

normalisation and acceptance of the most appalling acts of violence and

cruelty.

Will South Africa become another Zimbabwe? I doubt it. This tragedy will

have a unique and distinct character all of its own. Moeletsi Mbeki, the

Arch, and columnists Simphiwe Dana and Thabo Seroke, are just a few

prominent people who have spoken out recently. There are many more (Black

and White) who have courageously given voice to what is happening in the

country. However, the louder and more powerful voices belong to the

politicians, and in the end they know how to manipulate a desperate and

angry population. There are no heroes anymore to save South Africa. When

Mandela dies, his dream will die with him.

