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‘Zanu PF to retire bigwigs’

http://www.thestandard.co.zw



October 7, 2012 in Politics



ZANU PF has started preparing for its primary elections amid reports that

several party bigwigs, among them cabinet ministers, will be forced to

retire ahead of polls that may be held in March next year.



Report by Patrice Makova



Sources said the party was planning to hold primary elections soon after the

referendum on a new constitution scheduled for November after this month’s

Copac Second All-Stakeholders’ Conference.



A Politburo member said while Zanu PF had endorsed 88-year-old Mugabe as its

presidential candidate, a proposal had been made, which could see many of

the old and those who are sick being retired. This would make way for new

and energetic candidates to contest the elections, said the official.



“The party strategists have already put forward the proposal and it is now

entirely up to the President (Mugabe) to endorse this idea,” said the senior

Zanu PF official.



The strategists include the securocrats seconded to the party to spearhead

its election campaign and re-organisation. A few months ago, the securocrats

succeeded in having the divisive District Coordinating Committees (DCCs)

dissolved in the wake of serious internal squabbles.



The source said, under the proposal, most of the old and ailing party

members would not be allowed to contest the party primary elections, as

there was a view that this could prove costly to Zanu PF, come national

polls.



“The retired party gurus will be given new responsibilities within the

party, not only as a way to appease them, but to also ensure that they will

not starve, as they will continue earning some income,” said the senior

party official.



However, the official said Vice-President John Nkomo, who is not well would

not be affected if the decision to retire the old party bigwigs was adopted.



But the likes of Lands and Rural Resettlement minister, Hebert Murerwa, who

has been in and out of hospital for the past two years, were unlikely to be

spared. The late Higher and Tertiary Education minister, Stan Mudenge, who

collapsed and died last week, was also tipped for “retirement”.



Another official said although the older members of the party could be swept

aside, it would not be a “walk over” for the party’s “Young Turks”, as some

of them were suspected to be working with fellow “Young Turks” from the

MDC-T.



“There are fears that our rivals are going to sponsor some of our ‘young

Turks’ so that they win the party primary elections, but go on to lose

parliamentary elections,” said the official. “They are being watched and

some of them may also fall by the wayside.”



Another senior Zanu PF and government official said when Mugabe returned

from the recently held United Nations General Assembly in New York, he was

widely expected to make a mini-cabinet reshuffle.



“Zanu PF is weighing everything possible to strengthen the party ahead of

elections and that includes filling vacant posts,” said the official.



He said former information and publicity minister, Jonathan Moyo, had been

tipped to take over his previous position. The current holder, Webster

Shamu, who is Zanu PF’s national commissar, was expected to have been moved

to the Organ on National Healing and Reconciliation to enable him to have

more time to re-organise and campaign for the party ahead of elections.



Another vacancy has since fallen since the death of Mudenge.



Zanu PF spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo refused to comment saying the party was

currently in mourning following the death of Mudenge.



The High Court last week agreed to Mugabe’s application seeking a

postponement of three House of Assembly by-elections in Matabeleland. He

argued that harmonised polls would be held the last week of March 2013.





Chipangano bars rights activist from buying bananas

http://www.thestandard.co.zw



October 7, 2012 in Community News



RESTORATION of Human Rights vice-president, Sten Zvorwadza was involved in a

tiff with some members of Chipangano last week.

By Tawanda Marwizi and Joseph Murambiwa

Zvorwadza, who has in the past clashed with members of the terror group

which has since been disowned by Zanu PF, was barred from buying fruits at

Mbare market.



“I was told by the youths to go and buy bananas from Prime Minister Morgan

Tsvangirai’s office,” said Zvorwadza.



“I told them that I would buy them here (at the market).”



The youths then beat up the defiant Zvorwadza, who made a report at Matapi

Police Station.



The youths followed Zvorwadza to the station where a senior police officer

intervened and told the two parties to settle their differences.



“Look, we are living in a world of peace where the prime minister and the

president are preaching peace, so there is no need to fight, its

old-fashioned,” he told the group.



The Chipangano youths, however, reiterated that they needed to be informed

first before Zvorwadza could buy anything from the banana vendors who come

from different parts of Manicaland.



“He was supposed to come and tell us first because we never knew that he is

a human rights activist. He started asking some questions to the people and

we thought he was preaching MDC-T politics to them,” one of them shouted.



Later, the youths started begging for assistance from Zvorwadza.



“We are sorry about that (beating) but can you give us money so that we can

start our projects,” begged one of the youths.



“As you can see, things are not going well for us and if you get funds out

there please remember us.”



Chipangano’s fortunes are now on the wane after senior Zanu PF officials

denounced the group’s activities in the suburb.



Apart from Zvorwadza, the group barred businessman Alex Mashamhanda from

constructing a US$1,2 million service station near Matapi. It has also been

extorting money from traders at the market and demanding protection fees

from businesses.



Residents’ groups to back draft constitution

http://www.thestandard.co.zw



October 7, 2012 in Local



BULAWAYO — Local residents’ associations have resolved to support the Copac

draft constitution during the Second all-stakeholders’ conference set for

October 21 to 23.



Report by Nqabani Ndlovu



The associations last week formed an 11-member taskforce that would push for

the inclusion of complete devolution of power, among other demands, during

the conference. This came out at a one-day national residents’ association

conference held in Bulawayo last week.



The conference, attended by 30 residents associations from across the

country, was organised by the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA),

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) and the Zimbabwe Institute

(ZI).



“The conference resolved to adopt and defend the Copac draft, but called on

the select committee to address the identified content gaps within the draft

constitution,” reads part one of the resolutions adopted by the residents‘

associations after their conference.



“The conference elected a national taskforce composed of 11 members selected

from the 10 provinces. The conference tasked the residents’ national

taskforce to present the identified gaps to the all-stakeholders’

conference.”



Copac has said the purpose of the conference was to allow delegates to make

comments and recommendations on the draft. Their input would be recorded and

considered by the select committee, who would then make appropriate

adjustments to the draft.



The residents associations said the taskforce would push for the total

inclusion of devolution of power, creation of a local government commission,

recognition of residents’ associations.



“The role of the national taskforce will be to defend the residents’

interests at the second All-Stakeholders Conference and to popularise the

position of residents’ associations on the constitution.”



The two MDC’s have already said they supported the Copac draft constitution.

Zanu PF is however, against the Copac draft and is pushing for its

amendment, among them, the removal of clauses that limit the powers of the

President.



Zanu PF youths up in arms with Kasukuwere over loans

http://www.thestandard.co.zw



October 7, 2012 in Politics



Zanu PF youths around the country are up in arms with the Ministry of Youth

Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment.



Report by Nunurai Jena



They are accusing the ministry of favouritism and lack of transparency in

dishing out loans meant for youth empowerment.



The youths said they were scheduled to meet President Robert Mugabe this

week to voice their concerns after other senior party officials allegedly

ignored their complaints.



The youth leaders last week wrote to Zanu PF youth chairperson, Absolom

Sikhosana threatening to besiege Youth Empowerment minister Saviour

Kasukuwere’s office demanding transparency in the manner in which loans were

being disbursed.



One youth leader from Mashonaland West province said the empowerment

programmes were mainly benefiting youths that hailed from the minister’s

province.



Kasukuwere comes from Ma-shonaland Central province.



Reached for a comment, Sikhosana first professed ignorance about the

complaints but later lashed at Zanu PF youths who leaked party issues to the

press.



“You can get more information from those youths who leak such information to

newspapers like The Standard who always lie about me,” fumed Sikhosana.



Kasukuwere dismissed the allegations saying he would not be deterred in his

fight to empower the youths in the country.



“I don’t care whom they see and what they do,” he said. “I won’t be

blackmailed by a few misguided party youths. This is a national programme

that is meant to benefit the youth from across the country, not from Zanu PF

only. The resources are few and we cannot satisfy everyone.”



Kasukuwere added that like any programme of such magnitude, the empowerment

drive had some challenges.



Maunganidze trivialised UNWTO: Mzembi

http://www.thestandard.co.zw



October 7, 2012 in Local



Gweru – Former tourism permanent secretary, Sylvester Maunganidze was

redeployed for trivialising the United Nations World Tourism Organization

(UNWTO) after making comments that reduced it to a “sex expo”, a Cabinet

minister has said.



Report by Blessed Mhlanga &Rutendo Mawere



Tourism and Hospitality Industry minister, Walter Mzembi said Maunganidze’s

remarks that delegates to the UNWTO would be angered if they came to

Zimbabwe and failed to find licensed prostitutes was an insult to the event

and women.



“Maunganidze insulted world leaders by trivialising the UNWTO, seeing it as

a platform for them to go around shopping for prostitutes,” he said.



“Even my wife was taken aback and asked me if we were given prostitutes at

every other world leaders’ meeting we attended … he even insulted ladies by

saying all they could offer was prostitution, but surprisingly, women’s

organisations have remained silent. Instead of seeing the bigger picture,

Maunganidze saw the need to license prostitutes. He had simply lost vision

and that is why we redeployed him.”



Mzembi dismissed allegations that Maunganidze was targeted for exposing the

ministry’s lack of capacity and preparedness to host the UNWTO.



“The things that Maunganidze spoke about are not even part of the bid but as

a leadership we have a vision of surprising our guests with infrastructure

that will last generations, like the Rainbow Towers,” he said.



“Maunganidze had lost vision; that is why he was redeployed and we are now

in the process of rehabilitating him because we love him.”



Maunganidze told Parliament that Zimbabwe and Zambia were not ready to

jointly host the event and that the two countries had lied to win the bid to

host the event in August next year.



He could not be reached for comment.



Parastatal bosses at war with govt over pay cuts

http://www.thestandard.co.zw



October 7, 2012 in Local



Some parastatal bosses are reportedly contemplating suing the government

over a Ministry of State Enterprises and Parastatals directive that salaries

be cut by up to 75%.



Report by Nqaba Matshazi

There are reports that some parastatal bosses were reportedly paying

themselves up to US$20 000, but they have been ordered to cut that down to

US$5 000, triggering the threats of lawsuits.



State Enterprises minister, Gorden Moyo, said he had heard of the threats,

but maintained that most of the lawsuits had little chance of success, as

most parastatal bosses had awarded themselves illegal increments.



“There can be no litigation in this case,” he said.



“The initial salaries were illegal and there is no way the government should

be dragged down by companies that are not performing.”



Moyo said parastatals were initially supposed to present proposals for their

salaries and allowances to their respective boards, then ultimately to the

minister who made the approval.



He said, with the directive to cut salaries, the government was looking at

the enterprises on a case-by-case basis and did not have a one-size-fits-all

policy.



Moyo said the government had come up with a template to determine allowances

and salaries of parastatal bosses, with revelations that most were overpaid

and were bleeding the fiscus.



This comes as the comptroller and auditor-General is scouring through

financial statements of most parastatals, a process expected to reveal the

extent of bloated salaries state enterprise bosses were awarding themselves,

at the expense of loss-making firms.



“We have studied the salaries of the private sector, local authorities and

the informal sector,” Moyo explained.



“From there, we compared them with parastatals in the region and we came up

with this formula.”



He said, in crafting the policy, they had also looked at the state of the

economy and it did not make sense that people were awarding themselves huge

salaries, while the country and the rest of the citizens struggled to get

by.



Moyo said there had been a review of the revenue generated by each state

enterprise and that this would determine the salaries of the top bosses. “We

compared the salaries and there was an issue of sustainability and

reasonability, given our economic situation,” he said.



Dying in office: Is it the Zanu PF way?

http://www.thestandard.co.zw



October 7, 2012 in Local



THE death of Higher and Tertiary Education minister, Stan Mudenge has

reignited debate on why Zanu PF officials cling onto power until their

death, instead of retiring when they are ill.



Report by Nqaba Matshazi



Mudenge had been ill for some time and at one stage was walking with the aid

of a cane, yet President Robert Mugabe kept him at the helm of the ministry

until his last breath.



He died in his room at a Masvingo hotel where he was due to deliver a

speech.



Mudenge joins a long list of Zanu PF officials, who despite ill health have

held onto power until their eventual death.



Zanu PF member and former Mavambo front man, retired Major Kudzai Mbudzi

said the death of Mudenge in office was an indictment on the Zanu PF leaders

who continued to cling onto power even though age or ill health had taken

their toll.



“Mudenge has died without handing over the revolutionary baton to his

revolutionary colleagues despite having had ample time to do so,” he said.



“Now in his death, we have to start the journey and process of trying to

discover what exactly was the revolutionary strategy, which in the past 32

years, he had been trying to execute.”



Mbudzi said despite Mudenge being declared a national hero, this status was

somewhat diluted by the failure to hand over the reins both in government

and Zanu PF to a younger generation, who would then continue with the

revolutionary ethos.



“Even if we have some questions that require his critical reflection, he can

no longer respond to them,” he said.



Mbudzi said Zanu PF should not only seek to regenerate and look for a

younger crop of leaders, but rather succession should a well-controlled,

managed and deliberate process, acted out in ample time.

“My colleagues in Zanu PF must also acknowledge the fact that people do not

only rest-in-peace in death, but can in serenity also do so in ill health or

old age,” he added.



This view was shared by academic Ibbo Mandaza, who together with Mudenge,

were the first crop of senior civil servants at independence in 1980.



“He should have retired long ago and not die in office,” Mandaza opined.



Mandaza said Mudenge’s continued stay in power was a reflection of Mugabe’s

style of management in government, where ministers stayed in power until

they died.



Mugabe, who turns 89 next year, is reported to be ill but he has resisted

calls to retire.



Some of the senior government officials who died after lengthy illnesses

include Vice-Presidents Joshua Nkomo, Simon Muzenda and Joseph Msika. They

all died in office.



Some of Mugabe’s ministers are reportedly ill, with some of them having

spent months on sick beds in various hospitals.



However, both Mbudzi and Mandaza said they had had a cordial relationship

with the late minister, whom they spoke glowingly of.

Mudenge’s body was taken to his rural Zimuto home, where it lay in state

last night. Today it will be taken to his Borrowdale home, ahead of burial

at the National Heroes’ Acre tomorrow morning.



Pupils fall sick after bilharzia treatment

http://www.thestandard.co.zw



October 7, 2012 in Community News



SEVERAL schoolchildren fell ill in Chiredzi last week after they were

administered with some tablets during the on-going national treatment

against bilharzia and intestinal worms programme in the district.



REPORT BY PATRICK CHITONGO

The programme was targeting children from one to 15 years for intestinal

worms control and three to 15-year-olds for bilharzia.



Health officials at Chiredzi General Hospital told Standardcommunity that

the programme was conducted after a recent research showed that there was

high prevalence of bilharzia causing parasites and intestinal worms in

Chiredzi and Gutu districts.



The research was conducted by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare in

conjunction with the University of Zimbabwe.



But several parents complained that their children experienced some ailments

ranging from stomach ache, vomiting, nausea and headaches soon after taking

the tablets.



One of the parents, Farisai Mautama, who has children at Chiredzi Primary

and Hippo Valley Secondary schools, said her children came home from their

respective schools complaining of a fever- like disease.



They had running stomach and were also vomiting.



She said the children told her that they had started feeling the discomfort

after taking the tablets.



“My children are part of several pupils who were affected by these tablets

which they were given at school,” she said. “I heard that several pupils

were picked up along the way from school after failing to walk to their

homes. I feel the school authorities should have told us of the impending

medical exercise so that at least we are not caught unawares as is the

case.”



Another woman, Joice Mugiviza also said her child a pupil at Tshovani

primary school came home complaining of chest pains, head ache and was also

vomiting.

A senior teacher at Shingai Primary school confirmed that one of their

pupils experienced difficulties soon after taking the treatment.



“We are not allowed to talk to the media but I can confirm that a boy at

this school had some difficulties walking home after taking the tablets,”

said the teacher. “We referred the boy to the hospital for medical

attention.”



Efforts to get a comment from Chiredzi General Hospital medical

superintendent Doctor Paul Ngere where fruitless as he was said to be in a

marathon meeting last week.



However, a senior Pharmacist at Olives Pharmacy in Chiredzi urged parents

not to panic because the drugs that were used in the exercise were not

harmful.

He said Abendazole, which was administered against intestinal worms, had

very minimal if side effects, if any.



The pharmacist also said Praziquantel, which was also used for the

prevention of bilharzia, had an unpleasant smell that upsets the nostrils

leading to vomiting.



He said the drug must be given to patients at bed-time to avoid vomiting,

suggesting that it could be the reason several pupils reacted because it was

administered at the wrong time.



“Praziquantel is very safe drug just like Abandazole but that drug must be

given to patients when they are going to bed because of its unpleasant

smell,” he said.

Efforts to get a comment from the Minister of Health and Child Welfare,

Henry Madzorera were fruitless last week.



NSSA records huge rise in expenses

http://www.thestandard.co.zw



October 7, 2012 in Business



THE National Social Security Authority (NSSA) last year wrote off US$18,1

million after operating expenses shot up by 43% to US$43,5 million,

following actuarial advice given to the institution.

REPORT BY KUDZAI CHIMHANGWA

NSSA general manager, James Matiza, attributed the huge rise in expenses to

once-off activities.



These include the computerisation project costs write-off of US$759 000,

contractual damages following an arbitration award on the computerisation

project amounting to US$1,285 million and debtors provision on money market

investments totalling US$16,1 million.



“The total write-off of US$18,153 million impacted negatively on the bottom

line, coupled with the low performance on contributions and premiums,” he

said.

“However, it has to be noted that the US$16,1 million debtors provision on

money market investments can still be recovered in full, as there is

security to this effect.”



Matiza said although the money had been written off for accounting purposes,

the majority of it would come back to the institution.



Pursuant to its investment drive, NSSA had US$15 million deposited with

Interfin, which went under curatorship for abuse of depositors’ funds and an

additional US$800 000 with Genesis Bank, which also surrendered its licence

earlier this year.



The bank had failed to raise the central bank’s minimum capital requirement

of US$12,5 million.



“We agreed to write-off exposure to these banks, thereby making a provision

of US$16,1 million. However, we had security against those deposits and

there is a high likelihood of us recovering the money,” said Matiza.



The authority already holds US$3 million worth of Interfin’s bonds.



NSSA also holds investment in AICO at 22%, 26,4% in FBC Holdings, 40% in FBC

Building Society, 28% in hospitality concern RTG, 24,1% in StarAfrica and

37,9% in ZB Bank.



The authority, which is mandated by government to administer social security

schemes in Zimbabwe, has over the years been criticised over apparent lack

of due diligence in risk and protection measures, following the inception of

the multiple currency regime in 2009.



The institution is presently exposed to the tune of US$140 million to

indigenous-owned banks spread according to the size of individual banks’

balance sheets.



Matiza said the idea behind injecting money in local banks was to assist

them to lend money out to the productive sectors, while the institution gets

a reasonable return on investment.



NSSA pursues investments with public interest: Chagonda



NSSA board chairman, Innocent Chagonda, said the authority would pursue

investments that were in the interests of the public.



“We had to liaise with the RBZ (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe) to find out which

banks were sufficiently capitalised before depositing money. Those are the

banks we would deal with. We would also rely on audits done by auditors for

these financial institutions,” he said.



“The StarAfrica deal came through to us. It was a decision (to invest in

StarAfrica) made by the previous board. Although the share price went down,

we want to ensure that it comes up again. our investment is long-term and we

will make money out of it,” he said.



The authority has significant exposure to the money market and shareholding

in various investment vehicles on the market.



In its financials for the year 2011, investments income went up 21% from

US$19,7 million in 2010 to US$23,2 million in 2011.



The income was mainly made up of money market interest and rental income, as

equities remained subdued.



Tourists need up-to-date information

http://www.thestandard.co.zw



October 7, 2012 in Opinion



Very soon the Christmas holiday will be upon us and apart from worrying

about what presents to buy your nearest and dearest, a big worry for some is

how and where to spend the holiday.



Report by Grace Mutandwa

I get tired of the usual domestic, regional or international tourism

destinations. It is always more fulfilling to stumble on a new and exotic

place.



A random Google search on local tourist destinations led me to the Zimbabwe

embassy’s website in Stockholm, Sweden. It gives an interesting account of

our history, the news page still has two stories from 2009 and the financial

services page needs updating. According to the financial page, foreign

investors can have anything from 70% to 100% ownership in mining,

manufacturing, agriculture and tourism!



It also says that there are sectors of the economy reserved for locals and

in these sectors foreigners can have a maximum 35% shareholding. These

reserved sectors are primary agricultural production, livestock breeding and

transport.



While some tourists just pack bags and try their luck on some countries,

some people do try to establish more about the country they are about to

visit. Now if you are a tourist and you read newspapers and watch television

news, you might end up struggling with what the news says and what a

particular website claims. People live in an era where they want to make

informed decisions.



The embassy’s website lists the usual Zimbabwean tourist destinations and

this is not entirely their fault. There is a ministry charged with the

promotion of tourism that should be keeping Zimbabwe’s embassies throughout

the world with all the destinations — old and new.



We have a lazy way of looking at tourism — Victoria Falls, Kariba, Nyanga,

Matopos, Great Zimbabwe and Gonarezhou. Next year we have tied ourselves to

hosting the biggest world tourism shindig and yet we are not even making an

effort to ensure that it will truly benefit Zimbabwe’s tourism industry.



Why don’t we have tourism scouts and writers who can go out there and

sample, photograph and document some of those places we know exist but are

rarely featured in our tourism promotion.



Not every tourist is content with just game watching or bungee jumping. Some

also want to take geographical and geological tours.



Let’s market Chilojo cliffs

I would really like to see the Chilojo cliffs featured as a selling point on

its own or as part of an attractive package tour. Rising 558 feet from the

south bank of Runde River, the Chilojo cliffs are one of the most

spectacular features of the Gonarezhou National Park. There are stunning

colour variations along the cliff faces which make for very good

photography. The cliffs look even more amazing just as the sun sets and are

enchanting in a full moon.



The cliffs are also close to the famous Chipinda Pools. You have the chance

to visit the Chipinda Pools or Gonarezhou and also take in the cliffs. So

many things have happened in the country so I don’t know if the walking

trails still exist and I am also not so sure about the game variety and

population.



Gonarezhou should be more aggressively marketed than it is currently. I had

tried to convince a friend from overseas to visit Gonarezhou without success

until I emailed her a picture of the Chilojo cliffs. Gonarezhou has so much

more to offer than just game viewing or bird watching. Everything around and

within it should be fully exploited to lure tourists.



Tourists need to be assured of safety

We need to get our politics right and make it safe and secure for

international tourists to want to visit. News of conservancies being

parcelled out and game butchered at will does not make Zimbabwe a tourism

destination of choice.



Tourism minister Walter Mzembi is right to point out that the current

lawlessness at the Save Valley Conservancy smacks of: “A psychology-driven

by the ‘last harvest’ mentality before a drought.”



Mzembi, who seems to be fighting a lone battle, is correct when he says the

Save saga has a deeper political meaning.



While those who think they must have a finger in every pie feel they are

entitled, they must also realise that their decisions will decide whether or

not Zimbabwe will be able to lure tourists and strengthen that sector of the

economy that relies on tourism.



Good business sense should trump selfish greed but it takes real leaders to

accept that impunity has consequences. We have become a country that excels

at sending mixed messages to the world. We want the benefit of harvesting

from tourism but we also have some among us who cannot resist destroying the

very resources the current and future generations of this country should

hope to benefit from.



Those who rule must know that to get good press, the media needs to have

something good to write about. We have a major tourism event coming up next

year and this is right after the proposed general elections. Judging from

past experience, before and the aftermath of elections in Zimbabwe is marred

by violence. We have no reason to expect a violent-free election. Depending

on just how much blood-letting the next election is going to be, it will be

very hard for any normal journalist to ignore the story and the result of

any bad publicity is that tourists and investors from democratic and sane

countries will give Zimbabwe a wide berth.



Mudiwa2002@yahoo.com/GraceMutandwa1@twitter



KP needs to keep pace with world’s challenges

http://www.thestandard.co.zw



October 7, 2012 in Opinion



Almost a decade ago, the consensus-based Kimberley Process (KP)

certification scheme established minimum requirements for global rough

diamond production and trade.



Report by Ambassador Gillian Milovanovic



Today, to keep pace with a changing world, the KP’s 77 participant

countries, observers from industry and civil society, must ensure the KP

evolves with the global marketplace.



The KP’s founders agreed unanimously that diamonds must stop funding rebel

movements’ violence. Recognising that millions of people depend on diamonds

for their livelihood, they also sought to keep demand for legitimate

diamonds strong by preserving the gems’ reputation.



The KP set a benchmark — and a level playing field —for the diamond trade

worldwide. No matter where rough diamonds are produced or traded, the KP

certificate assures consumers they have not funded rebel groups’ abuses.



Though the KP has much to be proud of, a critical touchstone, its definition

of a “conflict diamond”, no longer meets today’s challenges. It does not

adequately address rough diamonds linked to other types of conflicts.



Diamonds’ attractiveness depends on their association with purity.



Other industries have suffered due to the loss of consumer confidence. There

is concern that the association of some diamonds with violence risks

infecting the entire diamond market with a negative image.



Consumers want the assurance that their diamond is untainted by any kind of

violence.



Now is the time for action.



Consensus on a KP definition that addresses these concerns, preserves

confidence, and forestalls the erosion of sales is the ideal outcome for all

from producers through to consumers. Failing KP action, some countries or

some elements of the diamond industry may move to independently address

evolving consumer expectations.Consultations with government, industry and

civil society suggest KP reform should focus on these key elements:



KP certificates must continue to ensure freedom from conflict; certification

need not address human rights, financial transparency and development, which

are better advanced through the exchange of best practices;

KP certification should apply only to conflict/violence that is demonstrably

related to rough diamonds and independently verified and not to isolated,

individual incidents;

KP safeguards should be implemented site-by-site, consistent with systems

for other conflict minerals such as the International Conference of the

Great Lakes Region certification system.

The governments of the Kimberley Process, encouraged and supported by

industry and civil society, have the capacity to manage these risks and take

the evolutionary steps required to ensure a solid future for diamonds. They

must now develop the will to reach consensus on what defines a conflict

diamond. Failure to do so is a losing proposition as reform is an issue

that will not go away.



The loss of consumer confidence in diamonds could severely impact nations

whose citizens are most dependent on the diamonds in their soil or on the

millions of jobs created by the diamond value chain.

In the long run, the true cost of failing to tackle this challenge will be

far greater than the effort required to forge a consensus on an updated

definition for the Kimberley Process conflict diamond.



Gillian Milovanovic is Chair of the Kimberley Process (KP)



Polls: Doing the right thing, the right way

http://www.thestandard.co.zw



October 7, 2012 in Opinion



Between the last week of September and October 1 2012, dominating media

head-lines pointed to the effect that general elections have been set for

March 31 2013.



On closer reading, it turned out that the “declaration of an election date”

had been the statement of “a wish” by President Robert Mugabe, as part of

his court submissions to postpone the holding of by-elections for three

vacant parliamentary seats in Matabeleland. The wish was granted by the High

Court, which ordered that “the period within which to comply with the order

(to hold by-elections) be and is hereby further extended to the 31st of

March 2013”.



In my humble opinion, Mugabe’s “wish” is setting us on a good path. We need

to know as an electorate and as citizens when we will be able to vote for a

national leadership of our choice. We need to know when key political

processes that are significant markers towards our democratic transformation

will take place. The voting public must be kept in the loop.



It is important to do the right thing, but it is best to do the right thing,

the right way. The President and those who support him, are constantly in

the habit of subverting due process and pretending that they are living in a

pre-2008 Zimbabwe.



The reality is that this is 2012, and the three political parties, all have

to weigh in, especially at executive level, on key issues like when the next

elections will be held, share incumbency in government. It doesn’t matter

whether the President likes the Industry and Commerce minister or not

(Welshman Ncube), the reality is that Mugabe has to consult Ncube on these

key issues and both of them have to agree with Morgan Tsvangirai.



All of them have to make an effort to ensure that elections, whenever they

agree to hold them, are not a façade, but a real opportunity for people to

exercise their freedom in choosing who governs them.



Having said that, you will be hard pressed to find any other country where

the citizens are kept in the dark about critical democratic processes where

people decide their destiny and hold their leaders to account.



You would think that a country which spares no blushes in bringing out the

private sex lives of consenting adults would have no qualms with bringing

out critical information of public interest and concern. The people have a

right to know when critical processes that have a bearing on the country’s

political and economic prospects will take place.



The argument has been made that the Zimbabwean transition, is pegged, not in

terms of time but in terms of steps to be taken before an election can take

place. This is good, but the challenge that we have seen in Zimbabwe is that

when politicians are given such a blank cheque, they have no imperative to

perform and or deliver. They will constantly push to see the depth of the

account that they have to draw the blank cheque from.



It is precisely because of this false impression that the inclusive

government seems to exist in perpetuity that has seen little to no progress

taking place in terms of some of the key steps that need to be taken before

an election takes place.



The inclusive government was established on the strength of a Global

Political Agreement (GPA), which was pitched as a high-level solution to the

political malaise that had become the order of the day in Zimbabwe. By its

own admission, as cited in the GPA, the inclusive government was intended

to:

“Create a genuine, viable, permanent, sustainable and nationally acceptable

solution to the Zimbabwe situation.”



Sponsored and guaranteed by the Sadc and the AU as an “African solution to

an African problem”, the inclusive government was meant to be an experiment

in national stability and democratisation, with the GPA providing the theory

of change that propelled and dictated how the government would operate and

what it should have achieved.

In short, the GPA was predicated on the hypothesis that, an inclusive

approach to governing and problem-solving by the three major political

parties represented in parliament, with the GPA as a guide, would result in

the reduction of political instability, arrest of the economic free-fall,

halt the humanitarian crisis and institute democratic reforms — generally

providing an inclusive approach to the resolution of the Zimbabwean crisis.



What the GPA provided for was a clear entry into the inclusive arrangement

and a roadmap on how to navigate in the maze of reform. What it didn’t

clearly spell out, outside providing a map, was how long these parties had

to navigate the maze of reform. The GPA provided an entry, but was very

unclear with regards to an exit.

Our political leaders need to sit down and discuss two critical issues.

Firstly, they should posit what they think is a realistic electoral calendar

for the two critical electoral processes, the Referendum on the Constitution

and general elections.



In other countries that have undergone transitions like ours, the calendar

was always clear and stakeholders had a clock to race. Kenya, which mirrors

the GPA and inclusive government, is a good example.



They had their political disputes on the eve of 2008 and eventually agreed

on a GNU. They had their constitutional reform process concluded in 2010. As

of now, Kenyans know that they have a general election on March 4 2013, and

that if those elections are not conclusive, there will be a run-off election

on April 10 2013.



Secondly, once an agreement has been reached on a clear and dated electoral

calendar, there is need to reiterate the things that need to be done by way

of concrete electoral reforms to facilitate that the two critical processes

are carried out in a free and fair manner.



The actual issues to be dealt with are: keeping the military out of

politics, cleaning up the voters’ role, instituting an impartial arbiter in

elections through a professional elections management body, expressing a

disdain for the use of violence in elections and the need to have these

elections internationally observed and monitored.



These things need to be done within a realistic time frame that is cognisant

of our realities as a country if we are to have an environment conducive to

free political expression, free political activity and subsequently the

holding of free and fair elections.



Decision on maternity fees late

http://www.thestandard.co.zw



October 7, 2012 in Opinion



The current bickering between the Harare City Council and government over

the scrapping of maternity fees is emblematic of how bureaucratic inertia

has become a major threat to the well-being of this country.



Deputy-President Joice Mujuru and Deputy Prime Minister DPM Khupe have been

leading the government charge to have maternity fees scrapped. They have

argued that this is feasible because government has been fundraising for

that.



Harare mayor Muchadeyi Masunda on the other hand is adamant that scrapping

the fees would be fatalistic as council requires money to run maternity

facilities efficiently. He wants council to retain the fees because

government, which is pushing for the plan, owes council US$40 million.



The squabbling over maternity fees has however negated the very good

intentions of offering free medical services to expecting mothers. Women in

Zimbabwe are dying in large numbers during childbirth largely because they

cannot afford maternity fees. There is a shortage of experienced midwives in

medical institutions which are poorly equipped to deal with emergencies.



In 1994, according to the Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey, maternal

mortality was 283 deaths per 100 000 live births and in 2005/6 it was

estimated at 555 deaths per 100 000 live births. In 2010/11, it was

estimated at 960 deaths per 100 000 live births.



Almost 10 women are dying every day in this country due to pregnancy-related

complications. That is an unacceptably high figure which can easily be

reversed with improved awareness and ante-natal care.



Offering free ante-natal services at municipal and state hospitals is a

noble idea which however requires judicious mustering and administration of

financial resources. It requires clearly-defined guidelines on how the

process works to ensure that service is not compromised once it is offered

for free.



The current wrangling between the government on one side and the city of

Harare on the other, is not helpful. Instead of working towards building

consensus on the best way to implement measures that would reverse the

worsening trend in the care of expecting women, bureaucrats have elected to

score political points.



This is misrule writ large.



Do not mix PM’s love life and political career

http://www.thestandard.co.zw



October 7, 2012 in Opinion



I am concerned with social media and Zanu PF supporters who are trying their

best to decampaign the Movement for Democratic Change leader, Morgan Richard

Tsvangirai, on the basis of his troubled love life.



Report by Kizito Mupunga



The Prime Minister’s sexual escapades will not damage his political career

even if Zanu PF supporters engage in a smear campaign through the media.



It is only in the western culture, where if a public figure or leader is

involved in a sex scandal, that leader is expected to automatically step

down since he/she would have violated the western norms and values. In our

African culture, marrying another wife is very African.



The ruling party is against the western countries, accusing them of aiming

to recolonise Zimbabwe, but they are now borrowing values from the western

culture, simply because it is convenient to them now that they want to use

it against Tsvangirai.



What the Prime Minister did is done by almost every man in this country or

Africa. The incumbent president of Zimbabwe’s unflattering love life was

disclosed by the late Edgar Tekere in his book called A Lifetime of Struggle

released on January 14 2007.



The book has intimate details of how Mugabe nearly ditched his popular first

wife Sally. However, none of the social media talked or wrote about him —

they remained quiet and I can’t understand why?

According to the African culture, a man is allowed to have as many wives as

he wants, as long he can fend for them.



I am aware that there are other MDC-T members who are also commenting,

chastising the Prime Minister, but I suspect those members are being

sponsored by certain individuals who are eyeing Tsvangirai’s position. I

doubt they will succeed.



It has been suggested around that it is the work of the state security or

central intelligence organisation who pushed Locardia Karimatsenga to expose

the Prime Minister, just to damage his political career.



How can a lady complain about a man who promised and failed to marry her?

Isn’t it rare that a lady sues a man after she has been turned down? Does

she not also have men that she promised and then let down? Can they also sue

on the same grounds? Many men and ladies have been let down by their lovers

but they have not approached the courts.



Where is Grace Mugabe’s first husband right now? But no one is talking about

it. Why just Tsvangirai? Leave him in peace.

Why not trace the marriage profiles of most political leaders? What the

Prime Minister did is not out of this world and he is not the only public

figure who has been overly involved with women.



Why can’t we talk of Zanu PF politicians’ marriage profiles?

MDC-T fans are happy that the Prime Minister has formalised his marriage and

now we have a mother in the party. Locardia and Zanu PF fans are out to

tarnish Tsvangirai’s image.



Why was Locardia silent all along, only to claim maintenance from Tsvangirai

when he was about to marry someone else?



This clearly shows that the whole thing is a planned smear campaign to try

to damage the Prime Minister’s political career as enemies are aware that

only a few years are left for him to be the President of Zimbabwe.



Let me tell those who are plotting against the PM, that MDC-T fans are

turning a blind eye to his personal life to focus on his leadership

qualities.



Let me list only five major points why Tsvangirai will remain immensely

popular in Zimbabwe despite his private life scandals.



After the GPA, Tsvangirai has succeeded in:



Resuscitating the economy of Zimbabwe.

Removing the Zimbabwean dollar – valueless currency.

Doing away with ghost workers.

Reviving transport sector.

Power load-shedding is now at least better.

Some people who tend to criticise Tsvangirai have some questionable sexual

tendencies.



The more the CIO try to damage and decampaign Tsvangirai, the more he

becomes popular. Most Zimbabweans will sympathise with him and wonder why

other political leaders’ lives are not being scrutinised?

Morgan is more. You can’t be a leader without followers and Morgan has

followers, so he is a leader.



Let’s finish what we started by voting “YES”’ in the forthcoming Second

All-Stakeholders’ Conference.

