Friday, January 30, 2009

Statement by President Tsvangirai on the Resolutions made by the National Council

30 January 2009

Statement by the Leader of The Movement for Democratic Change,
President Morgan Tsvangirai, on the Resolutions of the Party's
National Council Meeting at Harvest House, Harare

Today, the MDC's National Council met as we once again find ourselves
at an historic crossroads in our decade-long struggle for democracy.
Throughout this struggle, the MDC has been guided by the principles of
democracy and by the will of the people. This campaign is neither easy
nor straightforward and often we have had to change the fronts on
which we wage the struggle in response to changing circumstances and
conditions.

The MDC was established to bring about change through the ballot box.
This we achieved despite overwhelming odds, culminating in our
historic victories in the March 29th Parliamentary, Presidential and
local government elections.

Then, the brutal campaign of violence unleashed against our supporters
by Zanu PF, forced us to withdraw from the June 27th event. Thus it
became obvious that we could no longer wage our struggle via the
polling booth.

We looked to the region to support our position and the will of the
people by acknowledging the results of March 29th as the basis on
which a new government should be formed. Subsequently, we succeeded in
forcing Zanu PF to the negotiating table which became the new
frontline in our quest for a democratic Zimbabwe. It was for this
reason that we signed the Global Political Agreement on September
15th, 2008.

I know that you are very familiar with the events from that date. We
in the MDC have abided by the letter and spirit of both the Memorandum
of Understanding and the GPA. Sadly, Zanu PF was not the type of
constructive and positive partner that we envisaged when we signed the
GPA and therefore, the consummation of the agreement has been subject
to unnecessary delays.

Nonetheless, we have consistently tabled our outstanding issues to
SADC and we have remained committed to finding a negotiated settlement
to the political crisis in Zimbabwe.
This process culminated in the SADC summit on Monday 26th January,
where the Southern African leaders made the following resolutions:

I. The parties shall endeavour to cause Parliament to pass the
Constitutional Amendment 19 by 5 February 2009.
II. The Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Ministers shall be sworn
in by 11 February 2009:
III. The Ministers and Deputy Ministers shall be sworn in on 13
February 2009, which will conclude the process of the formation of the
inclusive government.
IV. The Joint-Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC),
provided for in the Global Political Agreement, shall be activated
immediately. The first meeting of JOMIC shall be convened by the
facilitator on 30 January 2009 and shall, among other things, elect
the chairpersons;
V. The allocation of ministerial portfolios endorsed by the SADC
Extraordinary Summit held on 9 November 2008 shall be reviewed six (6)
months after the inauguration of the inclusive government.
VI. The appointments of the Reserve Bank Governor and the Attorney
General will be dealt with by the inclusive government after its
formation
VII. The negotiators of the parties shall meet immediately to consider
the National Security Bill submitted by the MDC-T as well as the
formula for the distribution of governors:
While we felt that these resolutions do not represent an
acknowledgement of all our issues, they do represent significant
concessions on the part of Zanu PF and a recognition by SADC that our
demands are justified as a first step towards a sustainable solution
to the Zimbabwe crisis.

Our National Council's meeting today was therefore convened to
evaluate the party's position in relation to the inclusive government.
The concessions made by Zanu PF incorporate four out of the five
outstanding issues. These four issues are the allocation of Provincial
Governors, the National Security Legislation, Constitutional Amendment
19 and the breaches to the Global Political Agreement.

Thus, the parties have agreed on the sharing of Provincial Governors
portfolios and have already met to begin negotiations on the
allocation formula.
Similarly, with regard to the National Security Legislation, the
negotiators have met to discuss the draft bill submitted by the MDC.

It is clear therefore that these two issues are subject to negotiation
and therefore constitute work in progress. It is hoped that the work
in progress will be concluded to the satisfaction of all the parties
as soon as possible.

The third issue relates to Constitutional Amendment 19. The MDC has
insisted that Constitutional Amendment 19 is enacted by parliament and
signed into law prior to the swearing in of the Prime Minister and
this has been agreed to by the parties as reflected in the SADC
communiqué.
On the issue of the equitable allocation of ministerial portfolios,
SADC reiterated its position from November 9th, 2008 and expanded its
commitment to review the allocation of all ministries, not only Home
Affairs, within six months of an inclusive government being formed.

On the breaches to the GPA and the MOU, SADC resolved that the
Joint-Monitoring Implementation Committee (JOMIC), is established to
review and reverse these breaches. This committee comprises four
members from MDC-T, four members from MDC-M and four members from Zanu
PF.

However, the MDC is concerned that the issue of the unwarranted and
illegal abductions and detentions of MDC members and other democratic
activists needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency and to this
effect, the MDC will ensure an end to the persecution of all
Zimbabweans.

In light of these resolutions, todays's debate centred around two issues:
Firstly, what will allow us the best opportunity to continue to pursue
our goal of achieving a free, democratic Zimbabwe in line with the
roadmap from our Congress of March 2006?
and;
Secondly, what is the best way of alleviating the suffering of the
Zimbabwean people, stabilising the economy and restoring and retaining
some semblance of a normal society?
Let us make no mistake, by joining an inclusive government, we are not
saying that this is a solution to the Zimbabwe crisis, instead our
participation signifies that we have chosen to continue the struggle
for a democratic Zimbabwe in a new arena. This agreement is a
significant milestone on our journey to democracy but it does not
signify that we have arrived at our destination – we are committed to
establishing a democratic Zimbabwe regardless of how long that
struggle takes us.
We have the majority in parliament, we control all the main urban
councils and many rural councils, we will have control of 13
ministries and a presence in the key decision-making bodies of the
executive.

Throughout the course of our deliberations today we referred to, and
were guided by, the road map that we established for ourselves in
March 2006, namely - negotiations, a transitional authority, a people
driven constitution and fresh, free and fair elections.

In this respect, the National Council resolved that through joining an
inclusive government in line with the GPA and the SADC resolutions the
party will be able to achieve the following:
• To move towards a new, democratic Zimbabwe by ensuring that a
people-driven constitution is crafted and adopted.
• That this inclusive government will serve as a transitional
authority leading to free and fair elections.
• The restoration of the people's freedoms through creating democratic
space, restoring the rule of law and basic human rights.
• The stabilisation and rebuilding of the economy and the provision of
all essential services, in particular health care and education.
• To maintain the principles of the working people's convention
established in 1999.
• To ensure that we begin a process of national healing and integration.
Therefore, in accordance with the party's constitution, the political
agreement we signed on September 15th 2008, and in the best interests
of the welfare of all Zimbabweans the MDC has resolved to form an
inclusive government with Zanu PF and MDC-M.
The success of this inclusive government is dependent on many factors
including the goodwill of the parties involved, the support of the
people of Zimbabwe and the continued engagement and vigilance of SADC,
AU and the broader international community in ensurinhg that all
parties are bound by the letter and spirit of the GPA and the
commitments made at the last SADC summit. In this respect, the party
shall continue to monitor the implementation of the agreement, in
particular in shall assess and review its position in the inclusive
government after 6 months in line with the SADC resolutions.

Now is the time for us to put aside our political differences , to
prioritise the welfare of the people in both our policies and our
actions and to focus on stabilisation, development, progress and
democratization. In this I know that we have the support of the vast
majority of Zimbabweans, both in Zanu PF and the MDC, in the civil
service,the workers and the business community and we look forward to
working with you to rebuild our great nation.

In conclusion, I would like to note that in this struggle we have not
been alone. I wish to acknowledge the commitment and perseverance of
SADC to finding a negotiated solution to the political crisis. In
particular, we have had the unwavering support of our regional allies
who have stood by us and our democratic ideals throughout this process
and we are grateful for their solidarity.

We would like to acknowledge the support and solidarity that we have
had from trade unions, civil society and democratic peoples' and
governments all over the world. We appreciate this support and know
that we could not have come this far without them.

Most importantly of all, we have had the support of the people. A
people who have stood by their right to live in freedom, with access
to jobs, health care, education and prosperity in such a principled
and peaceful manner.

I would like to appeal to all these forces to continue to support us
in whatever decision we take because the struggle is not over, our
commitment is not lessened, our vision is not dulled and our resolve
has not been weakened.

We will deliver a New Zimbabwe to the people.
The struggle continues.

For more information please call MDC (Zimbabwe) Hon. Mr. Nelson
Chamisa 0912940489 National Spokesperson or Mr. Luke Tamborinyoka
0912850556 or mhoful@yahoo.co.uk or (South Africa) Nqobizitha Mlilo
0835274650 or 0789484602 or nmlilo@gmail.com or
mlilo@mdcregional.co.za or President Morgan Tsvangirai Spokesperson
Mr. George Sibotshiwe 0766330314

"The mistake that Zanu-PF is making is to imagine that we are
desperate to be in the government. We are not in a hurry to be
chauffeur-driven. We are a people-driven party." ~ Hon Mr. Nelson
Chamisa National Spokesperson

Top MDC official says Tsvangirai will go into government 'next week'



KEY DECISION: Tsvangirai poised to join President Robert Mugabe in a power sharing government as Prime Minister


Posted to the web: 28/01/2009 03:34:11
A TOP official from Zimbabwe’s main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has said he expects the party’s national council to give the green light to Morgan Tsvangirai to join President Robert Mugabe in a unity government when it meets on Friday.

After a day of confusion on Tuesday which highlighted divisions within the MDC in the wake of a time table set by regional leaders for the formation of a power sharing government, the MDC’s Policy Coordinator General Eddie Cross said concessions given by Mugabe at a SADC summit in Pretoria went “a long way to meeting our requests”.

Answering a question from a Zimbabwean on online discussion group, Cross said: “I have had a look at the agreement and think it goes a long way to meeting our requests. I think MDC will accept this deal and that MT (Morgan Tsvangirai) will go into government next week.”

Confusion reigned on Tuesday when the MDC issued a statement which appeared to reject a SADC communiqué released at the end of an extraordinary summit of the regional grouping, despite Tsvangirai’s approval of the document after marathon meetings.

In briefings to journalists, MDC officials told of a major rift between secretary general Tendai Biti and Tsvangirai. Biti, the officials said, is rabidly opposed to any power sharing with Mugabe while Tsvangirai sees strategic long term benefits in going into government.

The infighting in the MDC has created two groups, one loyal to Biti and the other to Tsvangirai. Ultimately, Tsvangirai’s popular appeal is expected to carry the day at Friday’s national council meeting, and a decision to join government should be made shortly after, MDC strategists say.

Mugabe was pushed by SADC leaders into making a series of concessions, including the reversal of all executive appointments he has made since a September 15 power sharing deal with opposition rivals Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, who leads a smaller faction of the MDC.

The SADC communiqué sets a time-table for the formation of an inclusive government, beginning with the passage of a Constitutional Amendment Bill by February 5; the swearing in of the Prime Minister and his two Deputy Prime Ministers by February 11; and the swearing in of Ministers and Deputy Ministers on February 13 “which will conclude the process of the formation of the inclusive government”.

The power sharing deal will see Mugabe remain President while Tsvangirai assumes the position of Prime Minister, with Mutambara coming in as one of his two deputies.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

MDC unhappy with SADC meeting outcome

by Jameson Mombe Tuesday 27 January 2009




MORGAN TSVANGIRAI . . . main opposition MDC leader


PRETORIA – Zimbabwe’s opposition said a regional summit had failed to address its grievances over a power-sharing deal with President Robert Mugabe, raising fears it could refuse to join a unity government seen as the best way to end the country’s crisis.

Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders resolved after a marathon summit that Mugabe’s ruling ZANU PF party and the opposition should form a government of national unity outlined under a September power-sharing agreement.

SADC chairman, South African President Kgalema Motlanthe said the summit agreed that opposition MDC party leader Morgan Tsvangirai and the head of a breakaway faction of the opposition Arthur Mutambara be sworn in as prime minister and deputy prime minister by February 11.

Motlanthe said the Zimbabwean parties had agreed that ZANU PF and the MDC should share control of the home affairs ministry that oversees the police and whose control had been a major obstacle to formation of a unity government.

The arrangement to share control of home affairs as well as allocation of all the other ministries would be reviewed six months after the inauguration of the unity government, the SADC said in a communiqué.

"All the parties expressed confidence in the process and committed to implementing the agreement," Motlanthe, told a press briefing after the summit.

But the MDC in a statement released shortly after Motlanthe spoke just fell short of totally rejecting the outcome of the SADC meeting.

“Quite clearly the conclusions reached as reflected in the communiqué fall far short of our expectations,” the MDC said, adding its decision-making national executive council would meet next Friday to take a final position on the stalled power-sharing agreement with Mugabe.

Insiders expect the council to reject the resolutions of the SADC summit especially because a list of demands the council had wanted resolved before the MDC could sign up to joining the unity government were not addressed.

The MDC said it had hoped the SADC summit would push for equitable allocation of ministries, provincial governorships and other top public posts between the opposition and ZANU PF.

The opposition wanted the summit to push for the enactment of constitutional changes that would give legal effect to the power-sharing agreement while setting out the powers of the president and prime minister in a government of national unity.

The MDC wanted SADC to condemn the arrest and torture of its members in breach of the power-sharing agreement, all issues the regional leaders appear to have skirted during their discussions.

The Zimbabwean opposition also decried the fact that regional leaders had allowed Mugabe to sit in during the closed sessions of the summit that made decisions on the power-sharing dispute, an arrangement it said “unfairly allowed (Mugabe) to be a judge in his own cause.”

Zimbabweans had hoped a power-sharing government would help ease the political situation and allow the country to focus on ending an economic and humanitarian crisis that is seen in acute food shortages, hyperinflation and deepening poverty, amid a cholera epidemic that has killed close to 3 000 people since last August. – ZimOnline

Sunday, January 25, 2009

A Diplomatic Row Heats up Between Botswana and Zimbabwe Ahead of Monday's SADC Meeting

http://www.voanews.com

By Peter Clottey
Washington, D.C
26 January 2009

The diplomatic spat between Zimbabwe and Botswana took another twist after
Gaborone demanded a thorough investigation into the core issues surrounding
the political crisis in Zimbabwe ahead of the Southern African Development
community (SADC) meeting Monday. The SADC meeting is expected to be a
last-ditch attempt by leaders in the Southern African region to salvage the
stalled power sharing agreement between Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party and
the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change. Gaborone Sunday called
for Monday's crisis summit to go to the core of the issues that have
prevented the formation of a unity government in Zimbabwe and resolve
Harare's economic meltdown. Diplomatic relations between Harare and Gaborone
have been frosty after Zimbabwe accused Botswana of interfering in its
internal affairs. Political analyst George Mkwananzi told VOA Gaborone seems
to be the only voice of reason in the sub-region.

"It is quite refreshing that this time around we are going to have the
presence of the government of Botswana, which has been acting as a voice of
reason in this whole matter where the majority of the SADC leaders have been
sort of afraid to confront Mugabe and tell him the truth about the core of
the Zimbabwe crisis," Mkwananzi noted.

He said it was unfortunate for President Mugabe to be accusing Gaborone of
political interference when Botswana has been siding with the ordinary
Zimbabwean.

"I think it would be hypocritical of the government of Mugabe to start
pointing fingers at Botswana and complaining about political interference
because that is the hallmark of being in communities such as SADC where
members have the right to intervene where they think that the rights of a
member state, particularly, the citizens of such a member state are being
violated. So, it is really being hypocritical on the part of the ZANU-PF to
complain about Botswana's stance," he said.

Mkwananzi said he supports Botswana's call for Harare to be prevented from
participating in any SADC meetings concerning the Southern African region.

"I think the call for the prevention of Zimbabwe to sit in the SADC summit
by Botswana then was in the context of giving one of the belligerents in the
crisis of Zimbabwe that is ZANU-PF an undue advantage over the rivals in
this case the MDC formation. I think this time around, if Robert Mugabe is
going to be there then it is perhaps because Botswana or the head of
government of Botswana realizes the fact that it would be necessary to let
Mugabe get it loud and clear from member states that certain things that
have delayed and caused this impasse have to be communicated directly to him
(Mugabe), and he must get this message without any equivocation," Mkwananzi
pointed out.

He described as baseless Harare's accusation that Gaborone is harboring MDC
militants who seek to overthrow Mugabe's administration through military
means.

"To start with, it is important that up to this point in time, Zimbabwe has
been unable to corroborate these allegations and prove that indeed such a
scheme is in existence. And also the fact that the head of SADC at the
moment who is the president of South Africa, President Kgalema Motlanthe
dismissed these things as false it also means that Zimbabwe cannot continue
to pander to that kind of allegation with credibility. So, they won't be
able to win any Botswana has often accused President Mugabe's government of
abdicating its responsibilities to the detriment of the ordinary Zimbabwean
who it said has been saddled with shortage of food and diseases.

Gaborone also accused Mugabe of fraudulently clinging to power after a
controversial second round of voting after both the ruling ZANU-PF and the
opposition Movement for Democratic Change failed to garner the needed votes
to with the first round of voting.

Zimbabwe also accused Botswana of harboring militants who Harare claims have
been plotting to overthrow Mugabe's administration.

Meanwhile, the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has
accused President Robert Mugabe's administration of failing to fully
implement the power-sharing agreement.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

MDC New Zealand salutes the MDC leadership for its stand on inclusive government



MDC Leader - Morgan Tsvangirai

By MDC NEW ZEALAND
Published : Thursday, January 22, 2009

The MDC in New Zealand wishes to lend its support to the principled stand taken by the MDC leadership and particularly by President Morgan Tsvangirayi and the negotiating team during what has been described as the darkest day in our history.

We are very saddened by Mutambara who epitomised the darkness of the day by blaming Morgan and declaring that Zimbabwe needs a new leadership.

This was a stab in the back, cruel and very selfish of him. It puts him in the same train with these blind leaders.

He appears all interested in power than solving the problems.

We are more than persuaded that history will indeed remember an old frail man who would rather sacrifice his entire nation to cholera, starvation, poverty and state brutality than give up power.

History will also remember men and women who chose to stand on the wrong side of history and feed on the blood and misery of women and children nation than to stand with the democratic forces of the world.

History will not cease to wonder how things could so fall apart that state security and even the judiciary, in its moment of weakness, have become accomplices to state repression for plasma TV sets and luxury vehicles.

We would like to assure Mr Tsvangirayi, MDC and the people of Zimbabwe that it is now time to unite and demand our freedom.

We find it mind boggling that heads of state could be that blind and uncaring to choose not to see the human rights violations in Zimbabwe.

A quick review of their position paper leaves anyone asking what the mediation they are doing when they are simply saying “sign the document and solve your problems later”.

It is clear that they are not interested in solving the problems but rather to push them aside and spend their time winning and dining. All they see and care for is Mugabe and Mugabe and Mugabe.

They are blind to the abductions, the murderous adventures Mugabe call campaigning and even the forged document they all gathered and witnesses on 15 September 2008. They have not even whispered a complaint.

We shall not be free because Mugabe or some politicians will have made us free but because we have declared ourselves a free nation. Let’s all stand together and declare ourselves free.

Once we believe we are created equal and that we are fully human then we can demand that freedom is not just for Americans but for all, that the same God who created Americans created us all in his image. We should whisper to one another and say “My friend, we are free and should be”.

We should hold each other give what it takes to be free in Zimbabwe. If we fear death then we shall starve to death of disease, tyranny and poverty. Let’s all rise and make a stand.

We have no admiration of SADC, and they should know that we shall be free one day. To the military junta in Zimbabwe we say we shall be free with or without you.

To the youth we say gird up your loins and, like the youth of the seventies who confronted and defeated racism, defend your motherland.

It’s no longer time to mourn and complain but to present ourselves for national duty.

To the Diaspora we challenge and question weather our conscience will ever be clear if we have our daily barbeques whilst our people are perishing. If we can’t stand in the trenches we can at least, monthly, skip a lunch for democracy.

Ladies and gentlemen, we stand charged by the future and history for doing nothing. Aluta continua, the struggle continues. Not a fist of oppression but an open hand of friendship.

AU has failed Zimbabwe: rights group

http://www.africasia.com

ADDIS ABABA, Jan 22 (AFP)

The African Union (AU) has failed the people of Zimbabwe by turning a blind
eye towards human rights abuses, a Zimbabwean rights group said Thursday.

Representatives of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum met in Addis Ababa a week
before the start of the AU's annual summit and urged the pan-African body to
take over "failed" mediation efforts to solve Zimbabwe's political crisis.



Gabriel Shumba(human Rights Lawyer)

"We are not happy that the AU has not outrightly condemned the crimes
against humanity that are happening in Zimbabwe," Gabriel Shumba, head of
the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum, told AFP.

"It has generally failed the people of Zimbabwe as an institution by not
being able to stop the human rights violations going on in the country."

The rights forum also said in a resolution that efforts to solve the crisis
in Zimbabwe should be placed under the direct authority of the AU.

Humanitarian groups have sounded alarm bells over the deteriorating
situation in Zimbabwe, where a large proportion of the population is in need
of food aid and where a cholera outbreak has claimed more than 2,700 lives.

Zimbabwe's economy has been in freefall for years but a humanitarian crisis
has exploded since disputed elections last March, when opposition leader
Morgan Tsvangirai defeated President Robert Mugabe in a first round
presidential vote.

Political violence blamed on Mugabe's ruling party then erupted, leading to
a stalemate which mediation efforts by nieghbouring countries have failed to
break.

In a report released Thursday, New York-based Human Rights Watch said that
the African Union should suspend Zimbabwe from the 53-nation group if
Mugabe's government failed to end the political violence and other rights
abuses.

Mandela's wife says Mugabe government illegitimate

http://af.reuters.com

Wed Jan 21, 2009 4:17pm GMT

By Paul Simao



JOHANNESBURG, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Graca Machel, the wife of Nelson Mandela,
on Wednesday described Zimbabwe's government as illegitimate and said
regional leaders had allowed hundreds of thousands of people to die
needlessly in the African nation.

Zimbabwe is facing a humanitarian catastrophe as President Robert Mugabe and
the opposition bicker over a stalled power-sharing deal. Rights groups say
scores of opposition activists have been murdered, tortured and beaten.

"Any government that goes out and assaults its people, its citizens, it has
lost completely any kind of legitimacy," Machel said at a news conference
where Zimbabwean activists launched a hunger strike to pressure Mugabe and
the SADC regional body.

Asked if the veteran Zimbabwean ruler, in power since independence in 1980,
should step down, Machel said: "The people of Zimbabwe have already said so
... the ballot has spoken."

The Mozambican-born Machel joined a growing list of prominent Africans who
in the past year have criticised Mugabe's authoritarian rule or called for
the removal of his government.

Mugabe lost the first round of a presidential election last year to MDC
leader Morgan Tsvangirai, but he won the second round overwhelmingly after
Tsvangirai pulled out of the race, citing violence against his supporters.

For almost a decade South Africa and other nations in SADC (Southern African
Development Community) have used quiet diplomacy to try to nudge Mugabe
toward democratic reforms and halt Zimbabwe's meltdown.

An apparent breakthrough was reached last September when Mugabe and
Tsvangirai agreed to form a unity government, but the deal has unravelled
over control of key ministries and many doubt it can be salvaged.

In the meantime, food shortages have worsened and the healthcare system has
all but collapsed, exposing the population to diseases such as HIV/AIDS and
cholera, which has killed more than 2,100 people in recent months.

Machel, who was barred from entering Zimbabwe on a humanitarian visit late
last year, said hundreds of thousands of lives could have been saved had the
leaders of SADC taken stronger action to end the crisis.

"We trusted too long. It's time to tell our leaders we lay the lives of all
those who passed on ... in the hands of the SADC leaders because they took
responsibility to stop the mess there," she said.

Machel, however, said she would not join the hunger strike and rotating
fasts, which are due to last for three months.

A total of 55 activists have joined the protest, according to Kumi Naidoo,
one of the hunger strikers. Anti-apartheid icon and Nobel laureate Desmond
Tutu is among the clerics who abstaining from food.

Tutu told South Africa's Talk Radio 702 last week that he was fasting one
day a week in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe and he called on all
South Africans to join him.

The protesters are demanding, among other things, that SADC recognise that
Mugabe's government is illegitimate and a transitional authority be set up
to implement the power-sharing deal if the deadlock continued past the end
of February. (Editing by Alison Williams)

SA church leaders urge Mbeki to give up Zim role

http://www.zimonline.co.za/

by Cuthbert Nzou Thursday 22 January 2009



HARARE - South African church leaders have urged former president Thabo
Mbeki to step down as mediator in power-sharing negotiations in neighbouring
Zimbabwe.

The religious leaders also blamed the regional SADC grouping of failing the
people of Zimbabwe by not pressing President Robert Mugabe to agree to
genuinely share power with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

A power-sharing government is seen as the best way to pluck Zimbabwe out of
crisis but Mugabe and Tsvangirai failed to agree on a new government on
Monday because of dispute over control of ministerial and other top
government posts.

In a statement released this week, the South African National Church Leaders
Consultation said Zimbabwe had collapsed and Mbeki "is compromised and no
longer suitable for the mediation process".

Tsvangirai has on several occasions asked the Southern African Development
Community (SADC) to remove Mbeki as facilitator claiming that he was biased
in favour of Mugabe, but the regional bloc has kept faith in the former
South African leader.

On Monday, Mbeki was part of the SADC team that was in Harare to try and
break the deadlock between Mugabe and Tsvangirai on the power-sharing deal
signed last September.

The team was headed by SADC chairperson and South African President Kgalema
Motlanthe and included Mozambique President Amando Guebeza.

The SADC delegation failed to break the deadlock and an extraordinary summit
of the regional bloc would be held in either Botswana or South Africa on
Monday, January 26 in what appears to be a last minute chance to salvage the
deal.

Accusing SADC of failing to take a tougher stance against Mugabe, church
leaders called for the African Union to intervene in Zimbabwe and said that
a new facilitator should be appointed.

The church group includes Catholic, Methodist, Anglican, Dutch Reformed,
Lutheran and Rhema leaders.

"We believe that Robert Mugabe is holding to illegitimate power. The people
of Zimbabwe spoke on March 29 2008 by electing a new leadership; we
therefore call upon Robert Mugabe to resign in order to give democracy a new
chance," the National Church Leaders said.

"We also call on churches, civil society groups and political leaders in
southern Africa to urgently address the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe."

The leaders said they would "seek and facilitate the unity of the church in
Zimbabwe", assist in providing food aid through church structures and
"actively work for the downfall of unjust rule in Zimbabwe". - ZimOnline

Monday, January 19, 2009

Grace Mugabe in fist fight with a journalist

Sunday, 18 January 2009 18:42 - News


The frail Grace Matibili Mugabe pictured here coming from
a Hong Kong Hotel

Grace with Mugabe back June, 2008
A British photographer said Sunday he had been beaten up and punched repeatedly by the wife of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe as he was trying to snap photos of her in Hong Kong.

Grace Mugabe, 43, flew into a rage when she saw photographer Richard Jones waiting outside as she left the five-star Kowloon Shangri-la Hotel with a female friend and a bodyguard in the southern Chinese city on Thursday.

Jones was about 20 feet (six metres) away from Mugabe when she told her bodyguard to attack him, said Michael Sheridan, The Sunday Times correspondent who joined the photographer seconds after the assault.

"The bodyguard grabbed Mr Jones, wrestled with him, attempted to take his camera. He then held him while Mrs Mugabe struck him in the face repeatedly," Sheridan said.

"She was completely deranged, absolutely raging with anger," Jones, chief photographer of Hong Kong-based Sinopix photo agency, told AFP.

Jones said he went to see a doctor afterwards and was diagnosed as suffering from numerous bruises, cuts, and abrasions to his head and face.

"The cuts and bruises allegedly caused by the First Lady... were due to the diamond rings on her fingers," he said.

Three or four large African bodyguards appeared from the hotel and tried to approach Jones following the assault. But they were stopped by security officers at Tsim Sha Tsui Centre near the hotel, Sheridan said.

Police were later called to the scene and took a statement from Jones.

Sheridan said he understood that the police would study CCTV footage taken by the Centre, which is believed to have captured the entire assault.

He said they had planned to cover Mugabe's stay in Hong Kong to show the "obvious contrast between her extravagant lifestyle and the plight of people in Zimbabwe".

Sheridan said he had approached Mugabe in the hotel lobby shortly before the assault took place.

"I asked whether she's enjoying her stay. She looked stunned to be approached by a British journalist. Her lady friend denied she's Mrs Mugabe."

The Sunday Times said Mugabe's trip to Hong Kong was part of a Far East holiday with her family. She had been in Singapore with her husband before flying to Hong Kong on January 9, the report said.

Nearly half the population of Zimbabwe is dependent on food aid and a cholera epidemic has claimed more than 2,000 lives.

www.hararetribune.com

Friday, January 16, 2009

Sadc Must Act on Rights Crimes — IBA

Friday, 16 January 2009 10:58



THE International Bar Association (IBA) has accused the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) of blocking outside initiatives to hold President Robert Mugabe’s government accountable for human rights abuses under international law.


IBA, the world’s leading organisation of international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies, this week implored Sadc leaders to act to ensure that detained opposition parties and civic society activists in Zimbabwe were released.


“Sadc has an obligation to act on the crimes of Robert Mugabe’s government,” said IBA executive director Mark Ellis in a statement. “To date Sadc has blocked outside initiatives to hold Mugabe’s regime accountable for its abuses and has been silent while international law is violated with impunity.”


At least 40 people, including a two-year old boy and human rights group leader, Jestina Mukoko, were in detention in Zimbabwe in what the Morgan Tsvangirai-led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said was a fresh campaign of persecution by Mugabe’s regime.


The detainees, many of whom are members of the MDC, were abducted in November and December from various locations and held incommunicado for weeks.


“The IBA deplores the inaction of Sadc leaders on the unlawful actions of the Zimbabwean government,” IBA’s Human Rights Institute co-chair Justice Goldstone said in the same statement. “Regional leaders cannot stand by while these unlawful detentions continue in Zimbabwe and still ask the rest of the international community to wait on them to solve the crisis. A key term of the power-sharing deal was that rights violations would stop.”


Mugabe, Tsvangirai and the leader of the smaller formation of the MDC, Arthur Mutambara, signed a unity government deal last September aimed at ending the country’s decade-long political crisis.


However, the pact is on the verge of collapse with Mugabe and Tsvangirai haggling over ministerial portfolio allocations, appointment of governors and senior government officials, and the constitutive nature of the National Security Council to be chaired by the 84-year-old leader.


“The Mugabe regime is clearly failing to protect the fundamental rights of the citizens of Zimbabwe. This places a responsibility on other governments, and especially those of Sadc, to intervene,” Goldstone said.


Zimbabwe’s Minister of State for National Security Didymus Mutasa — who is responsible for intelligence operations — admitted in the High Court a fortnight ago that state security agents seized and detained a wide array of activists on his orders.


While nine of the activists were now known to be in police custody and have appeared in court, many were still missing and unaccounted for. A doctor who examined some of the detainees testified in court that they have been tortured and needed medical treatment.


A High Court judge ruled that their detention was unlawful and ordered that they be taken to a hospital for medical treatment, but government lawyers are challenging his ruling and police have refused to obey the court order. — Staff Writer.

Government Fails to Pay Disgruntled Soldiers on Time

Friday, 16 January 2009 11:18


Zimbabwean soldiers on the rampage

THE cash-strapped government this week failed to pay soldiers their January salaries on time amid reports that it has also ruled out paying them in foreign currency in the near future — a move that has resulted in morale in the army hitting rock bottom.


Reliable sources told the Zimbabwe Independent that soldiers were due to be paid yesterday, but were advised by officers at army barracks throughout the country that government was unable to pay them this week.


The sources said a senior army officer, Colonel Mbonisi Gatsheni, former defence forces spokesperson, on Wednesday told soldiers at KGVI barracks that they would not receive their salaries on time, but did not disclose the reasons for the delay.


“We were initially supposed to get our salaries on Tuesday, but the payday was moved to Thursday. During the course of this week we were informed that the salaries were not deposited in our accounts,” a source said. “Gatsheni told us that our salaries will be in local currency and this incensed us.”


The soldiers, the sources said, were now expected to get their salaries in local currency next week. The sources said during a commander’s parade on Monday, Brigadier-General Douglas Nyikayaramba told soldiers not to expect salaries in foreign currency because the government did not have adequate hard cash.


Nyikayaramba, the sources added, said the government was working on paying allowances in hard currency in the interim.


“He said the government didn’t have enough foreign currency to pay soldiers, but was considering paying our allowances in hard currency,” one soldier said. “Nyikayaramba didn’t specify when we will start receiving the allowances in foreign currency.”


The sources said junior soldiers were bitter that the government had refused to pay them in hard currency when senior army officers from the rank of colonel had for months been partly paid in foreign currency.


“We are angry. The economy has been dollarised and how are we going to buy goods and services with the Zimbabwe dollar?” a soldier from Llewellyn Barracks in Bulawayo asked yesterday. “What makes us more bitter is that some of our chefs (high ranking army personnel) have for months been paid in foreign currency.”


Efforts to get a comment from Defence minister Sydney Sekeremayi and defence forces spokesperson Ben Ncube were in vain yesterday.


Sekeremayi was unreachable on his mobile phone, while Ncube’s office telephone was not being answered.


Zimbabwe’s army has since last year been saddled by many problems after exhausting its budgetary allocation, among them shortages of food to feed soldiers in barracks.


Last week, the Independent reported that the government had resorted to slaughtering elephants to feed soldiers.


The army has, in addition to shortages of food, also struggled for basics such as boots and uniforms for troops while the bulk of military equipment and hardware is said to be old and in need of replacement.


Secretary for Defence Trust Maphosa last year told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs that the government was fortunate that it was not being sued by soldiers for failing to provide adequate and nutritious food to the army as is required by law.


In an unprecedented show of discontent, some soldiers last year rioted in Harare, assaulting civilians, stealing cash from street currency traders and looting shops.

BY CONSTANTINE CHIMAKURE

Zimbabwe Independent

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Group calls Mugabe's actions genocide

http://www.metimes.com

Published: January 12, 2009
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- An international group of experts on genocide
has used the term for the first time about the activities of strongman
Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe.
In a statement posted on its Web site, the International Association of
Genocide Scholars called for the U.N. Security Council to refer Mugabe to
the International Criminal Court for prosecution, ISG reported.

"Mugabe is now committing genocide by attrition," write the scholars, which
they say falls under the provision of the U.N. Genocide Convention outlawing
acts that "deliberately inflict on the group conditions of life calculated
to bring about its physical destruction, in whole or in part. Mugabe's
apparent intention is to destroy his political and ethnic enemies in
Zimbabwe," says the statement.

Founded in 1994, ISG is an international interdisciplinary scholarly
organization that seeks to further research and teaching about the nature,
causes and consequences of genocide -- and to advance studies on how to
prevent it.

Mugabe is facing growing criticism from the international community after
months of an ongoing political crisis over a power-sharing agreement signed
in September with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Zimbabwe is also facing an escalating humanitarian and economic crisis. A
cholera epidemic has claimed as many as 2,000 lives since August.

Court sequel to 'foreigner' killings

The Mercury


January 13, 2009 Edition 1

Kamini Padayachee

A man alleged to have been involved in the murder of two foreign
nationals in Durban appeared in the Durban Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Sean Thabo Jacobs, 24, of North West province, was arrested on Saturday
night and charged with two counts of murder and one of attempted murder
following the attack on foreign nationals at a building in Maude Mfusi
(St George's) Street on January 5.

Police spokesman Supt Muzi Mngomezulu said at the time a mob of armed
people had marched to a building where foreign nationals stayed.

"Twenty people, who we presume to be South Africans, were seen wielding
bushknives and other weapons and entering a building called Africa
House. There they forced three foreign nationals to jump from the windows."

One of the foreigners, Zimbabwean Victor Zowa, 24, died on impact. The
second victim, Tanzanian national Said Omar, 22, died in hospital. The
third man, Zimbabwean Eugene Madondo, 25, is recovering in hospital.

In court yesterday, slightly built Jacobs, dressed in a cream and white
T-shirt and blue trousers, appeared anxious. He kept his head down
throughout the proceedings and made furtive glances towards the public
gallery.

Jacobs told the court he intended to apply for bail.

Prosecutor S Majola told the court the case had been extensively reported.

"The state is opposed to bail. His release could jeopardise the
administration of justice. This case has been extensively reported in
the media as it is a xenophobic-related incident."

Magistrate Thobeka Nom-vungu adjourned the case to February 2 for a
formal bail application. Jacobs was re- manded to the Durban central
police cells

Exiled Zimbabweans in Botswana held a successful meeting this weekend

Free Image Hosting
Concerned Zimbabweans in Botswana demonstrating


On January 10th 2009 Exiled Zimbabweans Platform(EPZ) was launched during a meeting held in the Botswana Capital, Gaborone. The people who attended were mainly Zimbabwean exiles and refugees in Botswana. It was a true success as activists travelled from around Botswana for the meeting. Elections were held to select the leadership of this organization and the following are the executive council members :

Chairman Simbarashe Chirimubwe
Vice Chairperson Patience Takaona(Fearless)
Secretary General Ndabazezwe Vicki
Vice Secretary Hapson H Mabika(reckless)
Treasurer Fisher Murambatsvina
Publicity Secretary M Nyathi
Assistants Kimberely Nyatsanga
John Mutsengi
Organizing Secretary Bronie Nhokwara
Assistant Alice Warasi(Cordless)
Security Bambanani Ndlovu

The organization's mandate shall be to lead and organise concerned Zimbabweans in Botswana to help build a new socio-economic and political dispensation in Zimbabwe. This shall be achieved through teamwork with other progressive organizations. All concerned Zimbabweans in Botswana have expressed grave concern with the implementation of the GPA signed on the 15th of September 2008 between political parties in Zimbabwe and feel that the results of the 29th March 2008 should be respected and hence become the basis for decision making.

There was unanimous agreement amongst the activists that South Africans have betrayed the ordinary Zimbabweans who from the early eighties have stood tirelessly with them until their independence, sharing the meagre resources that we had as ordinary Zimbabweans .
Today they are leading in the SADC region in xenophobic attacks against Zimbabweans, deportations and even sabotaging of the Zimbabwe talks by their government. They should cease to hide behind SADC and claim responsibility of the Zimbabwean plight.The new chairman of EZP was quoted as saying "South Africa is the cause of all the woes in SADC pertaining to Zimbabwe because they want to be a mediator and player at the same time. They have tried to do something but compared to their capability and capacity history will reckon that they have done nothing .Please South Africa remember that we are your brothers and sisters, history might judge you harshly in the future." The activists intend to petition the South African Embassy in Botswana very soon .

According to the activists Mugabe should be nabbed to the Hague if ever an opportunity arises, because there is a new leadership in Zimbabwe which can restore order and peace . Mugabe is the other stumbling block to a new Zimbabwe for all Zimbabweans in the political divide and hence the international community should do something promptly to save Zimbabwe from this dictatorship.



Exiled Zimbabweans Platform (EZP)
exiledzimbabweans@gmail.com
Contact +267- 71910712/+267-72966263

Monday, January 12, 2009

Zanu PF running out of steam

http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com

12th Jan 2009 00:45 GMT

By Joyce Museka



Zanu PF is living on the strength of its record of violence, aleged mass
murder and intimidation as Zimbabwe descends into total economic, social and
political catastrophe.

Since the 29th of March 2008 Zimbabwe is living on the grace of God without
a government and in total paralysis exacerbated by rampant corruption of
president Mugabe's criminal cabal.

Robert Mugabe who clearly lost the ballot to MDC's Morgan Tsvangirai but
grabbed it by force has failed to form a government in the last nine months.

He clearly knows that the only man with the mandate of the people to put up
a government is Morgan Tsvangirai, but he has failed to, save for his his
barbaric rants of hate for the opposition.

Many people would wonder why Robert Mugabe has no mercy for the suffering
masses of Zimbabwe, this is not the first time that Mugabe's government has
shown no care for the common people.

During the liberation struggle many Zimbabweans were allegedly killed by
Mugabe's forces on false accusations of selling out and witchcraft.

For those of us who were old enough to recall the activities at "pungwe"
gatherings can bare testimonies to the bullying, maiming and raping that
went on.

The early years of independence witnessed one of the most brutal times
experienced by our people with the extermination of more than twenty
thousand people in Matebeleland and Midlands.

Mugabe's lies seems to have now hit a brick wall with many common
Zimbabweans realising that they have been taken for a ride. Today the
present political impasse in Zimbabwe is a result of pure insincerity on the
part of Zanu PF.

They lost the election but they still want to control the reigns of power.
The use of violence will not bring the food on the people's tables. There
are those who believe that the MDC should falter and allow Zanu PF to rule
the country by default, this is unfortunate, as this will be tantamount to
leaving the devil running away with the gospel in the eyes of the believers.

The MDC should stand firm and unequivocally demand its right to lead the
Zimbabweans as mandated by the people in the March 2008 ballot.

The scenario that we have today is that of a greedy political party that has
run out of options. It is sad to hear that Mugabe goes around blaming
cholera on Gordon Brown, the British Prime minister.

This is a sign of madness replica of the post liberation war uncontrolled
euphoria that brought us in to this predicament. All sane Zimbabweans know
that no one else but Mugabe is to blame for the present state of affairs.

There was need to put checks and balances on Zanu PF on the eve of
independence to prevent them from trampling on the people's liberties.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Shame on you South Africans



An international coalition of civic groups, Civicus, on Thursday denounced South Africa's silence on the crisis in Zimbabwe and urged authorities to pile pressure on President Robert Mugabe.

"I feel a deep sense of shame" about South Africa's refusal to condemn Mugabe, said the group's honorary president Kumi Naidoo.

"Zimbabweans asked us how can you let us down... after years of solidarity during the struggle" against apartheid.

During a week-long mission to Zimbabwe last month, a Civicus team produced a video with the aim of showing that the country's reality is "much more tragic" than what is reported by the media.

Zimbabweans interviewed in the video expressed their disappointment with the African Union, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the South African government

"South Africa, SADC, and the African Union have failed the Zimbabwean people," Naidoo said.

"We want SADC and the AU to send a clear message that they will not continue to accept abductions and torture. We want them to find a way to ensure that humanitarian aid goes to the people" and to stop recognising Mugabe as president, he said.

The organisation, which gathers civic groups from 109 countries, also called for former South African president Thabo Mbeki to step down as mediator in Zimbabwe's crisis.

Civicus plans to launch an awareness campaign, with activities from rock concerts to hunger strikes, "to put more pressure on the South African gouvernent to significantly change its policy and posture towards Mugabe," Naidoo said.

Millions of Zimbabweans have fled their country's political, economic and humanitarian crisis, with many coming to neighbouring South Africa, the continent's economic powerhouse.

Bishop Paul Verryn, whose Methodist church provides refuge for hundreds of Zimbabwean migrants in Johannesburg, said most of the people seeking his care say they fled threats or political persecution, while a minority say they came for economic reasons.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

No challenge to Tsvangirai's leadership' - party

By Lebo Nkatazo

Posted to the web: 09/01/2009 00:18:31



MORGAN Tsvangirai will not face a challenge from within his own party at its annual conference due to be held in March as such a contest would be “illegal”, a spokesman said on Thursday.

State media speculated that Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was riven by internal divisions and the former trade union leader would likely face a challenge from a group of conspirators led by secretary general Tendai Biti and South Africa-based businessman, Strive Masiyiwa.

The facts, said a party spokesman in a statement, are that Tsvangirai and Biti’s terms, a mandate of which was picked at a March 19, 2006 congress, “expire in 2011”.

The MDC constitution limits the term of the party’s leader to just two terms. The spokesman would not explain if Tsvangirai would be eligible to stand again in 2011 or he would be forced to stand down as he is already in his second term.

The state-run Herald newspaper which printed claims of growing disquiet in the MDC “has climbed laughable heights in alleging non-existent divisions within the leadership of the MDC”, said the statement.

“Zimbabweans know that the only political divisions that exist are in Zanu PF where contrived accidents and succession disputes and factionalism are a reality and not fiction. The Herald has obviously mistaken the MDC for Zanu PF where internecine succession battles have
wrought deep rifts, mistrust and suspicion across the length and breadth of the dying party,” said the statement, sent from the email of party spokesman, Nelson Chamisa.

Tsvangirai is under pressure to join a five-year unity government with President Robert Mugabe and his MDC rival, Arthur Mutambara.

Should Tsvangirai join the government as Prime Minister this year, his MDC term would be over in 2011 which could create complications as he would still have some two years left in the unity government – a condition set down in print in a Constitutional Amendment Bill due before parliament on January 20.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Let it crash and burn!


Eddie Cross
Bulawayo, 4th January 2009

When I hear people talking about putting pressure on the regime in Harare
they often express concern about the impact on the ordinary men and women
living in the country. No such sentiments are in fact heard as grass roots
level - in fact quite the opposite, ordinary people are the most vociferous
in their view that the MDC must not enter into any sort of deal with Zanu PF
as a junior partner.

A good friend in Harare called me just after Christmas and said that in his
conversations with people in the capital, he was hearing the view that we
should let the country crash and burn and then pick up the pieces. People
are very perceptive in what they think and say about sometimes complex and
difficult issues. Take for example the use of street traders of the word
"burn" to describe changing money from hard currency to the local paper. It
aptly describes the otherwise complex process that simply destroys the real
value of the currency once it in local form.

So what is outstanding? We have got a decent draft of the amendments
required for the constitution to give effect to the Global Political
Agreement, now all that remains are four issues - the legal basis for the
National Security Council, which will replace the Joint Operations Command,
the equitable allocation of Ministerial portfolios, the rescinding of the
appointment of the 10 provincial governors and their replacement with 10 new
ones agreed with the MDC as required by the GPA and now a new condition -
the production in safe and sound condition of the 42 people abducted by the
regime in recent weeks.

Mr. Tsvangirai has received his passport - that was finally extracted from
the Registrar Generals hands and taken to Gaborone by the South African
Ambassador and handed to him by the Ambassador on Christmas day. They have
also "found" 30 of the abductees and produced them in Court to be formally
charged. 12 still; to be produced. A number will be in Court on Monday and
we will then learn what the State intends and what case they will try to
make against them.

This leaves the question of the Ministerial portfolios, the governors and
the Security Council. South Africa is still trying to persuade the MDC to go
into the transitional government without these issues being resolved. What
they fail to understand is that we will not get on the bus until the
steering wheel and the accelerator and the gear lever are in our hands. Last
time someone did that they ended up in the bush, dumped on the side of the
road and having to walk back to civilization - they are still walking.

So the stage is set - Parliament will sit on the 20th of January and is
ready to debate and vote on the amendments and the new legislation to set up
the Security Council - but we will not do so if the outstanding issues are
not agreed and in place. It is not grandstanding, because of the way the GPA
was agreed, largely at the behest of the South African mediation team; this
bus is a peculiar one in design.

In the front of the bus - up against the windscreen, is a large sitting area
that will be empty most of the time until we have to decide which direction
to go next. Then the President will get on the bus and meet the driver and
passengers and hear their views and together with the driver, will map out
the next stage in this journey. He will then get off the bus and the driver
and his passengers will move to the divers seat, take charge and actually
drive the bus to its next destination. Clumsy, but workable if there is no
doubt about who the driver is and how he will operate. The Prime Minister
and the Council of Ministers is clearly designed to take this role but the
bus hasn't been built yet.

Since this machine was designed in South Africa we expect them to deliver a
completed vehicle into our care. To do this, the South African President has
to return to the factory and give final instructions to the factory staff on
the completion of the bus. Then, if we are satisfied it's to specification,
we will take delivery and be prepared to drive the bus to its destination.

Spectators underestimate the MDC. In March 2006, when 22 000 delegates and
guests crowded the National Sport Stadium in Harare for the MDC Congress,
the Congress resolved to adopt a road map - first the democratic resistance
campaign, then negotiations, a transitional government, new constitution,
then free and fair elections - and only then, a genuine MDC Government. I do
not recall any commentator saying that this was a brilliant plan or
commenting at the time on the prospects for the MDC achieving its stated
objectives.

Yet two years later, stage one is complete, stage two is about to be
completed and we are shortly to start work on stage three. What people also
need to know is that we have a detailed road map of how to traverse the
ground ahead of us. A road map exists already and is agreed with Zanu PF, as
to how and when we are going to complete a new national, people driven
constitution to guide us into the future. It even has a timetable and the
next elections will be in mid 2011.

We also have a detailed understanding of the territory we must traverse in
the next two years. The shambles in education and health, the collapsed
economy with closed mines and factories, the deserted farms. The absence of
the rule of law, freedom of association and information, the destruction of
our own currency by stupid, myopic bad management. We know what the
obstacles are and how rough the road will be - we think we will have to fuel
for the bus and we certainly know how to steer us back to sanity.

But you cannot drive a bus with two drivers trying to do so at the same
time. The GPA says the MDC is in charge of the bus and MT is the driver. We
just need to make sure, absolutely sure that there are no dual controls in
the front of the bus - they remain where they were designed to be - further
back in the hands of the Prime Minister.

What the people at the bus stop are saying is "we will not get on the bus
until we are satisfied that the driver is our man and not Mugabe". And that
is not negotiable. If Mugabe is anywhere near the wheel, we would rather let
the bus crash and burn.

PRESS STATEMENT BY CONCERNED ZIMBABWEANS IN BOTSWANA

We, concerned Zimbabweans living here in Botswana, would like to thank the Government and people of Botswana for making it possible for us to show support for the ‘Fight Cholera Campaign’ of The Botswana Civil Society Solidarity Coalition for Zimbabwe (BOCISOZ) and to our fellow Zimbabwean citizens by our solidarity walk on Christmas Day 25 December 2008. Our second solidarity walk will be on 1 January 2009, to mark the start of the new year.
We have our solidarity walks to raise awareness about the situation in Zimbabwe and the work which is being done by Botswana organisations to help Zimbabweans.
The cholera epidemic which should be an easily treatable disease is taking the lives of many people. This is caused by the lack of delivery of clean water to the people. Cholera leads to severe diarrhoea. This has increased a lot and cholera exists throughout the country. So far, 8887 cases have been documented and over 1000 deaths reported. Due to the severe economic decline, families can no longer afford to bury their relatives. This means that people are not able to be buried with dignity. They are therefore not able to be buried in accordance with their culture.
Cholera has now been reported in the Harare Central Prison where it is known that at least 7 (seven) people have died from cholera. The prisoners are not given any medical treatment. Their health is already poor because of the lack of food and many now suffer from severe malnutrition. Some prisons have been releasing prisoners due to their inability to provide food for them. There are also credible reports of up to 20 nutrition-related deaths per day.
The health system in Zimbabwe has been under severe strain for the past few years, but in recent weeks, it has collapsed completely. The main referral hospitals across the country, are closed or are barely functioning. They have very few staff and no drugs. The main maternity hospital in Harare closed a month ago, leaving no place for women who need urgent medical attention.
In the period between 27 June 2008 and the signing of The Memorandum of Understanding on 20 July 2008, 123 people have been targeted and assaulted. 192 people have been confirmed to have been murdered after being abducted. Their bodies are found dumped in various places, several weeks after their abductions. There are credible witness reports of 18 bodies being found in a dam in Mashonaland East province as well as in other dams in other provinces in the country.
There are dozens of missing civil society activists, including those of the MDC. In the most recent abductions, 15 key MDC party members and staff members were taken. They are alleged to have received military training in Botswana. These allegations have since been applied to Jestina Mukoko of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, and other civil society activists in their current court case.
We, concerned Zimbabweans in Botswana, urge the United Nations and the African Union, to engage with the SADC Member States to ensure that the current crisis back home in Zimbabwe is resolved peacefully, in accordance with the wishes of the people of Zimbabwe.
We urgently appeal to everyone in Botswana to support The Botswana Civil Society Solidarity Coalition for Zimbabwe (BOCISCOZ) in their ‘Fight Cholera’ Campaign. The Botswana Council of Churches, a member of BOCISOCOZ, is coordinating the funds. Bank Account: The Botswana Council of Churches, 57110063593, First National Bank, Mall Branch, Swift Code: FIRNBWGX711 or contact Donald at (00 267) 71309468. So far, BOCISCOZ has given 30 000 water-purifying sachets to 3000 Zimbabweans returning to Zimbabwe from Botswana for the Christmas holidays. It has also given health advice about cholera.
As we celebrate and enjoy ourselves on the day marking the birth of Jesus Christ and we look forward to a new year, may God The Father smile on Africa, on Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Tanzania and the rest of Africa and declare that we have peace, love and prosperity in 2009.

1 January 2009

Friday, January 2, 2009

There was nothing to celebrate for suffering Zimbabweans on festive season

by Simbarashe Chirimubwe

Christmas and new year was a truly a nightmare to the people of Zimbabwe , I remember that when other nationalities were preparing for the festivities with their families and relatives the Zimbabweans were busy migrating into the diaspora to scavenge for food for their relatives dying from hunger and cholera. The Zimbabweans were busy looking for menial jobs, especially teachers whose monthly income can no longer buy a loaf of bread. The festive season was truly hell for these innocent people as they were struggling to live and not die from hunger, while others are already getting finished from the cholera epidemic. Is there someone who really cares about humanity, something surely must be done pronto because the Zimbabwean people are threatened with extinction.


Zimbabweans suffering from cholera

During Christmas I met an old lady of about seventy five years old looking for copper to sell ,I asked her how much she makes out of it per day and she said around ten pula, but she will have scavenged for the whole day for this copper. I requested her to go to Zimbabwe and let her children and grandchildren come and do these odd jobs. She looked at me with tears flowing freely from her eyes and she explained to me that most her children had died from HIV Aids while some were bed ridden with cholera. She discovered all of a sudden that she was now the bread winner. She started wailing explaining to me that she was a pensioner who had hoped that it was time for her to rest, but life had let her down. I could not take any more of her story ,so I gave her something and let her on her way as they are many Zimbabweans in that situation. It was too much for me to stomach, otherwise I would have ended up at lobatse mental hospital from stress.

If I go back to the memory lane I would honestly confess that life used to be good in Zimbabwe, at least on Christmas day all Zimbabweans could afford bread, jam, rice and chicken. Everyone would be calling you to their house to eat because there is plenty. In the rural areas younger man would buy lemon cream biscuits, half a loaf of bread and two litre coke for a date with a younger lady. We used to take bread with jam and put in small plastic bags and rush for the township where you could hear the Leornard Dembo beat reverberating from a distance. We would go there and dance with dust covering the whole place. It was much better in the towns . Citizens of Africa and rest of the world, please understand ,Ordinary Zimbabweans are not looking for rolls Royce, audi or Mercedes Benz, they are looking for food to survive .There are stared with death from starvation and bad governance which includes abductions, violence, murders. They want to be able to go to work and be able to come back with a tabloid newspaper , like the voice and a loaf of bread to laugh with their families. When the Zimbabweans put their plea of basic needs ,they are labeled agents of regime change, traitors and friends of the west by the ZANU Pf regime. As a result they are dying like flies in the villages where the media cannot access this information. Where is the God of the widows, orphans and the poverty stricken? Let him save these priceless souls from perishing at the hands of this monstrous regime. Their death is like that of any ordinary chicken slaughtered for their plushy congress , no record and noticing. Is there value for life in this regime? I leave that for you to answer. What has gone wrong with our beautiful nation?

In our African custom we know that a father can protect his children with the last drop of his blood, a father toils in the fields for his children. He is ready to work the whole week in the mine pits risking his life for his children, even a she hen calls her cheeks under her wings in the face of danger, preferring to perish herself and save the young ones. My question is what is going on Zimbabwe? Which leadership is Mugabe regime standing for? Is it for the people of Zimbabwe or themselves? If its for the people then they should surrender and call capable leadership from the land. The ZANU PF regime has even failed to implement the GPA with their own blood brother Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC which leaves them with one option, to surrender the leadership.

When a husband fights with his wife it is in our African tradition for neighbours to intervene, even if you paid the bride price alone, so the move by Botswana should be applauded. African History shall not forget the good deeds of Botswana as Africa is transforming to a new breed of leadership. A true neighbour should rush to help and it’s a fact that once there is a crisis it becomes everyone’s problem. If it’s a fire people would come from different directions and put it off with different means they see fit. If the neighbour kept on being bullish and beating his wife in the presence of neighbours claiming that its his home ,all the men in the village would be asked to beat him up and tie him with a rope until he accepts that he is living in a open system where you need to co-exist .

President Tsvangirai was chosen by the Zimbabweans on 29 March 2008 to lead them,he is therefore got the mandate of the people.He should also be applauded for not betraying the mandate of the people. We the people of Zimbabwe made our choice and our choice should be respected .He should not give in to pressure from anyone because the ordinary Zimbabweans are fully behind him. The GPA should be implemented as it was documented and agreed not to be bullied. ZANU PF is now like a bus which has lost brakes and wheel steering is out of control. Its like the driver has given up and left the bus to fate and has resorted to chatting with passengers while anticipating anything as the bus is moving at will .Everyday is a miracle for the passengers in this bus.

2009 has come and surely it should restore our wounded pride and I say to you suffering Zimbabweans do not loose hope, Zimbabwe is coming back, this time better than ever.

Simbarashe Chirimubwe is the leader of Concerned Africans Association(CAA) and Global Zimbabwe Forum(GZF) Coordinator for Africa