Messages From Zimbabwe

The recent hullabaloo over the loss of a cell phone by a ZANU PF politician purportedly to an MDC politician would make good comedy. Instead it makes worrying reading that politicians can engage in such a frivolous spat, over a mere cell phone, when they are supposed to be applying their minds to the important issues of drafting Zimbabwe’s constitution.

The spat also highlights a number of facts about Zimbabwe’s political situation. Fact number one is that ZANU PF is still in control. This should be clear from the continued detentions of MDC activists, continued inability to bring ZANU PF perpetrators of violence to book, that the MDC are nothing but window dressers. They are the beautiful curtains hiding the ugly fact of continued ZANU PF dominance in Zimbabwean politics.

Mahlangu’s plight also disturbingly illustrates the continued selective application of justice. Hundreds of militants, who pummelled, thrashed and pounded MDC activists to pulp, are walking scot-free in Zimbabwe. The police seem paralysed, unable to take even any rudimentary action such as laying charges against some who are quite well known and can easily be identified by their victims.

Zimbabwe police are known to be ruthlessly efficient. For example they quickly traced and fished out escaped convict Masendeke from Mozambique about a decade ago. The same ruthless efficiency was demonstrated in the way they quickly tracked down the whereabouts of Chinotimba’s SIM card. One is left wondering what happens to this effectiveness when they are called upon to deal with cases involving political violence.

MDC officials should by now be aware that ZANU PF is like a crocodile. The party can lie patiently and quietly waiting for a victim to make the wrong move. When the victim slips up they pounce with unbelievable ferocity and ruthless efficiency.

MDC officials should thus know that it is incumbent upon them to be extra careful in their dealings. These dealings should also be based on principle not the kind of mendacious opportunism that landed Mahlangu in trouble.

In the past I have often lamented the lack of solid principled ground upon which the MDC stands. I have complained that they are a bunch of opportunists hunting for personal gain more than they are hunting for freedom for ordinary Zimbabweans. Mahlangu’s actions are clearly the actions of an opportunist.

That the MDC being opportunists does not mean that ZANU PF is free of opportunism either. The actions of Chinotimba also reek of opportunism, albeit impractical opportunism. Chinotimba is claiming US$19 million for loss of business. That amount is enough to pay the salaries of all of Zimbabwe’s teachers for six months. One wonders why Zimbabwe is struggling with poverty and sending officials all over the world begging for money if Chinotimba can make enough money to pay the entire civil service in a few fortnights.

Instead of travelling all over the world to beg for money, the Prime Minister should just pop over to Chinotimba’s home.

Humour aside, it is clear that Chinotimba’s claim lacks any practical and logical basis. It epitomizes the shallowness and lack of analytical power that plagues most Zimbabwean politicians. They are shy to apply their minds to situations and are very quick to make outrageous and poorly thought out demands.

Neither Mahlangu nor Chinotimba emerges from this saga with flying colours. Unfortunately, the Zimbabwean political establishment is littered with people of Mahlangu and Chinotimba’s calibre.

(Source)

The ZANU PF Manicaland executive has affirmed its backing of President Mugabe to stay at the helm of the party and also endorsed Politburo member, Cde Oppah Muchinguri, as their candidate for the position of secretary for women’s affairs at the national people’s congress to be held in December.

The party leadership hailed President Mugabe as a resolute and steadfast leader, despite his persecution and vilification by the former colonial power, Britain and her allies.

It was agreed during the Provincial Co-ordination Committee meeting held in Nyanga last Saturday that ZANU PF required President Mugabe’s steadfast, tried and tested leadership to steer the country out of the turbulent environment.

The party also ordered the youth wing - through the stewardship of their respective DCC to elect cadres to represent them in the national youth executive and also resolved that any mining company that wins the contract to explore diamonds at Chiadzwa should involve the people of Manicaland at all levels because the resource should benefit locals.

The provincial youth and women leagues; the provincial executive, DCCs, Central Committee, Politburo and National Consultative Assembly members, ex-detainees, war collaborators and war veterans - who make up the Provincial Co-ordination Committee - attended the Nyanga meeting that endorsed the four resolutions.

In an interview on Wednesday, the ZANU PF secretary for information and publicity, Cde Kenneth Saruchera, said although the party had not taken a position on the other three members of the Presidium, it had endorsed President Mugabe as the first secretary and leader of the party.

“We need to safeguard Zimbabwe’s sovereignty; otherwise everything we fought for will be in vain.

“The various organs that make up the PCC solidly threw their weight behind the leadership of President Mugabe.

“It was in view of such, the whole house anonymously and equivocally passed this resolution endorsing President Mugabe as the candidate for the party’s first secretary and President position.

“It was noted with appreciation that President Mugabe is a totally committed and unwavering revolutionary whose excellent leadership qualities have united the party and the nation. At this juncture in our own history and revolution, any challenge to his leadership will be divisive and therefore will not be tolerated,” said Cde Saruchera.

“We have not taken a position on the other members of the Presidium. There is a due process where provinces will submit nominations for the two vice-presidents and national chairman positions. The position for now is only for the President and first secretary of the party. This is very critical in view of the current situation - where the country is going through serious challenges,” he said.

Cde Saruchera added that the PCC endorsed the proposal by the women’s league for Cde Muchinguri to continue leading the wing, considering the tremendous and tangible achievements in the advancement of women and gender equality.

“We highly commended the current income generation projects being organised for women under her tutelage. We will continue supporting the GNU, but will continue to monitor it to ensure that national objectives are not compromised,” said Cde Saruchera.

The PCC, Cde Saruchera said, reaffirmed Manicaland’s support for the three principals to the Global Political Agreement for leading the country in observing peace, unity and for promoting the ideals of national healing, reconciliation and integration.

He urged supporters of all political parties and their leadership to support the peace and reconciliation initiative.

(Source)

INGWERATI FARM - HIGH COURT ORDER 5075/08 24/08/2008

15/7/2009 Charles Nyachowe, ID 70/067/169Q, of 29 Manyonga Drive, Glen Lorne (011-402 150) arrived with three people. Lands Officer Tigere, Ministry of Lands, Chinhoyi. Told Moses, our Farm Manager that they were going to come back with Offer letter.

18/07/2009 Charles Nyachowe plus five people parked outside near ramp, crept through fence, walked around houses.

19/07/2009 Charles Nyachowa plus two people parked outside near ramp, crept through fence, walked around. High Court Order says he is forbidden on Ingwerati Farm, Case Number HC 5075/08 24/08/2008.

20/07/2009 Phoned Sheriff Gate (0912-295 144) who evicted Charles Nyachowa on 12/9/2008. He took me to ZRP Norton. We saw Insp Ndebele 0912-735 980 and Sgt Tarangarawa who was at eviction. He advised me to come the next day and report to the Member In Charge, Mhandy (0912-749 427), who I had SMSsed and told that Nyachowe was on the Farm.

21/07/2009 9am Chief Insp Mhandy called Sgt Chirinda (0912-918 546) who went through all CR and phoned Lands Officer Chinhoyi, Tigere Ministry of Lands Chinhoyi 067-21763 (0912-585 660).

29/08/2008 Gazetted Ingwerati Spitzop 12+14 108B-2008 Hec 348-68 Hec. Last offer letter 28/08/2008. Whole Ingwerati 351.00 hec. He said he had not left offer letter, only spoken to Manager Moses. He said we are to vacate by 31/08/2009.

21/07/2009 Sgt Chirinda and Chief Insp Mhandy advised me to go to the DA in Murombedzi. DA L M Bakare Room 41. He phoned Lands Officer Tigere. He spoke to Lands Officer Chikomba. We went to Chinhoyi as advised but he had a meeting with Governor Chidarikire at 3pm and wanted us to wait until 4.30 to see him which we could not do as that was too late for the two hour drive home. Sent him an SMS (0912-585 660) to cancel and phoned his Secretary, Daphne 067-21763.

22/07/2009 Reported back to Sheriff Gate. He took me to Public Prosecutor Munyoro 062-2579 (0912-911 134) to find out the verdict of the court cases. CR18/10/08 This case was CR37/08/08. Gilbert Pengo Charles Nyachowe threatened to kill him with a gun at his head if he stopped him from breaking into my house with a locksmith which he did on 04/08/2008 and stayed in the house until 12/09/2008 with ten guards. Court date 25/03/2009. CR128/08/08 Breaking and entering and abuse of my personal household possessions, theft to the value of $1850. Court cases 12/12/2008, 16/02/2008, 24/03/2009 and 17/04/2009. CR145/8/08 Assault of Kennith Vaughan Sherriffs. Charles Nyachowe paid Admission of Guilt fine at ZRP Norton.

22/07/2009 Public Prosecutor Munyoro and Deputy Sheriff came and looked at abuse to stove and microwave. The staff, who have the beds and mattresses, said that were disgusting and they washed and cleaned them and are using. I was told to go and see Insp Ndebele with the list of malicious damage to my property after the Public Prosecutor phoned him.

US$4200. CR39/9/08 Paul Nyachowe, brother of Charles, whom he works for and was in my house with the guards, drove into our truck twice, hitting it with Charles Nyachowe’s green tractor twice, which has not been repaired. This case has now been transferred from ZRP Norton to Marimba 08/09/2008, reference number 219/10/08. Quote US $1,575. 2/12/2008 Inv 6884.

23/07/2009 4:30pm Charles Nyachowe and two vehicles with 8 men took hacksaws and cut the lock to the main gate. This is the fifth lock he has cut to enter the Farm (Ingwerati). At the main house, has broken into the security gates at the front of the main house. Phoned ZRP Norton, Sgt Chirinda 0912-918 546, Insp Ndebele 0912-735 980, Sgt Tarangarawa 023-265 208 and Sheriff Gate 0912-295 144. The Guard Rhamosi was told by Charles Nyachowe that he will kill him if he closes the gate.

23/07/2009 Charles Nyachowe stole ½ tonne of gum wood from the Manager’s house and took it to the main house. His vehicle number, a green Nissan AAO 1706.

24/07/2009 We went with the Sheriff and Officers Nzombo and Chirinda to Ingwerati. Nyachowe and his brother Paul were looking at the borehole opposite the manager’s house. The Sheriff advised him that he was going to issue him with CIV29A Notice of Removal. Nyachowe went berserk and said that all high court orders only last 90 days and that the State owns the land and he has been given Ingwerati. The Sheriff said the High Court ruling was valid until it is revoked by the High Court with a new offer letter. The offer letter dated 2/08/2008 that Nyachowe gave the two policemen, the Sheriff said was the same one that was thrown out in the High Court as false. The policemen said that they thought the Sheriff was wrong and Nyachowe’s letter was valid. Charles Nyachowe shouted and screamed and said that he is going to get Bob and he is going to get 20% of Boheke and threatened the Sheriff. He pointed at myself and said he knew where I lived at Northfields.

The Dispol, Chief Superindent Makunike said the policeman had made a mistake and the Sheriff was correct. We then obtained a Bond of Indemnity (CIV41A) from Coghlan Welsh & Guest to allow the Messenger of the Court to act on our behalf.

At 4.30, the Sheriff went back to Ingwerati with the CIV29A Notice of Removal and issued it to Nyachowe who said there would be war and he would be killed if he came on Monday. The Sheriff had three people as witnesses who heard these threats.

25/07/2009 Charles Nyachowe took another ½ tonne of gum wood from the Manager’s house which he was seen leaving the farm with.

25/07/2009 Charles Nyachowe cut the electric boundary fence with the assistance of three of his men to make a new entrance to the main house to avoid going past the guards.

26/07/2009 Charles Nyachowe maintained his presence on the farm with other visitors on and off throughout the day.

27/07/2009 The Sheriff sent me to the Norton Police to pick up five details to go with him for protection during the eviction. The Member In Charge, Mhandy 0912-749 427, called Nzombo and Chirinda, and they agreed that they would not give the Sheriff back-up. The ZRP told me that Mr Nyachowa had gone to see the Secretary of Justice, Mr Mangota.

The Dispol, Inspector Makunike 0912-840 653 and 0913-426 074, told them that this was not correct but could not get them to comply with their duties.

The Sheriff came to town and went to the Police Headquarters and they assured him that he would get back-up, however, when he returned the backup was not forthcoming. The Sheriff has his truck with ten officials to help him with the eviction. He then proceeded in his car to Ingwerati and told Paul Nyachowe, who was in the main house, that he would be back on Tuesday to evict him.

27/07/09 I wanted a report made at Norton Police Station of the lock being cut (this is the 5th lock he has cut) the wood stolen, and the boundary electric fence he and 3 other men cut, making a new entrance to the main house. The police refused to write up this on a wait and see basis.

28/07/2009 The Sheriff returned to Mhandy, ZRP Norton and was refused the police details to back him as they said they have a docket for us for over staying at the farm. The Sheriff was waiting for the Master of the High Court to issue a directive to the police to assist.

This morning, our Dairy Manager, Moses, contacted us to say that Charles Nyachowe had gone into the Dairy and told him he was to stop milking and move the cows on Wednesday and also that he was going to be welding the gate so that we would not have entry and that his men would be running the farm. There are 89 Holstein highly pedigree herd on this farm.

(Source: via email)

The widow of the late former Army Commander General Vitalis Zvinavashe is locked in a bitter inheritance wrangle with the late general’s first son.

Zvinavashe, a 1970’s liberation war hero and former Gutu MP (ZANU PF), died in March. He was 66 years old.

Four months later, a dog fight has erupted between Zvinavashe’s young surviving widow, Margaret Zvinavashe (nee Mutamba), and the five-star general’s eldest son, Richard Musungwa Zvinavashe, who was appointed by his father executor of his estate before he died. She is the sister of Monica Chinamasa, the spouse of Patrick Chinamasa, the Minister of Justice.

Zvinavashe sired a total of 12 children with three different mothers. The disputed estate includes three commercial farms.

Zvinavashe was one of dozens of top ZANU PF officials who lost their seats in the March 29, 2008 general elections as the opposition MDC won a parliamentary majority.

Following his defeat, the wealthy former army commander concentrated on running his sprawling businesses empire. He owned a transport company, ran a number of private schools and owned several farms including the controversial Cold Comfort Farm in Harare, Lemonfonte Farm in Masvingo and Knockmalloch Estate in Norton. The later two are now the subject of fierce contention in the ongoing inheritance dispute between his wife and his eldest son.

The former army commander’s transport company made rich pickings while ferrying supplies from Harare to the military during the controversial deployment of the Zimbabwe National Army to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Zvinavashe’s son, who lived in the Diaspora for 20 years, only returned home after his father’s death.

His step-mother has taken great exception to his valuation of his deceased father’s estate without consulting her as the surviving spouse. The Zimbabwe Times was informed that efforts to resolve the dispute out of the courts have failed.

The surviving spouse contends that her stepson has also evaluated assets that belonged to her.

The dispute has now spilled into the courts, where Mrs Zvinavashe has asked the court to make a determination on the properties that are in dispute and on whether the evaluation by her stepson was valid at law.

“Given that the executor was abroad for the past 20 years or so, I begin to wonder how he knew what items belonged to the deceased’s estate and which belonged to the surviving spouse,” she said in an affidavit lodged in the High Court.

In her court papers Mrs Zvinavashe further accuses her stepson of stripping the Vitalis Musungwa Gava Zvinavashe (VMGV) Trust, which runs two private schools in Westlea including Tynwald Primary School, which produced the best Grade 7 exam results in Zimbabwe recently.

The Zimbabwe Times understands that also in dispute are two farms, Lemonfonte Farm in Masvingo and Knockmalloch Estate in Norton, where she says she solely furnished both farm houses and so had clear legal title to her property.

She says in her court papers that only farm equipment and the farm houses belonged to her late husband.

In a clear reflection of the deep-seated acrimony over the estate, Mrs Zvinavashe proposed in her court papers that the government should repossess the farms as they are “State property”. This is an apparent bid to deny her stepson access to his wealthy father’s assets.

Mrs Zvinavashe also wants the High Court to declare the valuation of the late general’s estate defective and therefore null and void at law.

Richard Zvinavashe has not yet lodged opposing papers, with his lawyer Shingi Mutumbwa reported to be working on the opposing affidavits.

(Source)

Robert Mugabe is trying to regain the parliamentary majority he lost in the March 2008 elections by convicting and sentencing MPs of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) so they are thrown out of Parliament.

This is the view of MDC-T and many observers.

Two MDC-T MPs were expelled in the past week.

Another has been convicted and sentenced to more than six months in jail, allowing the Zanu-PF-aligned Clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma to expel him when Parliament sits again next month.

And MDC-T’s Kwekwe MP is facing rape charges and can expect to be convicted and sentenced to more than six months in prison.

Other MPs of the party are also believed to be in the firing line.

All the sentenced MPs either have or will appeal to higher courts, but the Zanu-PF justice department and almost most wigs on the Bench are party apparatchiks, so that will probably not help, and appeals can take years anyway.

In the meantime, they will remain suspended from Parliament, unable to vote.

After the March 2008 elections, MDC-T had 100 seats, Zanu-PF 99 and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara’s MDC (MDC-M) 10.

Since then, deaths, movements through appointments to the unity government and the suspending of MPs have brought MDC-T’s total seats in the National Assembly down to 98, Zanu-PF’s to 95 and MDC-M’s to eight.

If MDC-M votes with MDC-T, and the one independent MP, Jonathan Moyo, votes with Zanu-PF, as expected, then the combined MDCs will have 106 seats, a majority of 10 over Zanu-PF plus Moyo.

In August, the new provincial governors including, for the first time, some from the MDC, are scheduled to be sworn in. One MDC-T MP has opted to give up her seat and become a governor. And the Kwekwe MP is sure to lose his seat.

That will bring MDC-T’s majority over Zanu-PF plus Moyo to one, and the combined MDC’s majority to eight.

So, in the next few weeks or months, MDC-T expects about nine of its MPs to be arrested and charged: the number it will take for Zanu-PF to regain the majority.

In the senate, Mugabe already has a clear majority, mostly through seats appointed by him as president and the expected loyalty of most of the 18 appointed chiefs.

This senate majority could be decisive on certain issues, though the National Assembly has most say.

The MDC-T MPs who will probably be arrested in the next few months will likely be from rural constituencies.

That’s where Mugabe’s attorney-general, Johannes Tomana, an enthusiastic Zanu-PF supporter and beneficiary of its largess, has been pursuing a programme of the most selective prosecutions seen during Mugabe’s nearly 30 years of abusive prosecutions.

The MPs’ trials have so far taken place a six-hour drive or further from Harare, and so were conveniently not covered by journalists because of the staggering costs of reporting in Zimbabwe.

But it appears that Tomana has a crew of prosecutors working industriously in these outlying areas to prosecute MDC-T MPs.

The prosecutors barely follow court procedures, but that doesn’t matter, because the cases are being heard by partisan magistrates in bush courts who believe all Zanu-PF witnesses and discount anyone testifying for the defence, according to sources.

One of the magistrates, middle-aged Samuel Zuze, his career recently revived and now driving a new double-cab in the eastern town of Chipinge, has already managed to convict and sentence three MPs.

MDC-T officials say it is now becoming clear why Mugabe insisted on reappointing Tomana in 2008, in violation of the unity government agreement which stipulated that this should have been a joint appointment.

And it’s also clear why he would not surrender sole control of the home affairs ministry - which supervises the police - to MDC-T.

Home affairs is being jointly run by Zanu-PF’s Kembo Mohadi and MDC-T’s Giles Mutsekwa, but many critics, even in MDC-T, complain that Mutsekwa has failed to prevent Zanu-PF abusing the police to pursue MDC-T MPs and activists, who continue to be arrested.

Not a single Zanu-PF or senior official has been arrested, despite the party’s obvious leading role in political violence, particularly the campaign that preceded the June 2008 presidential run-off election which persuaded Tsvangirai to withdraw from the poll.

Tsvangirai’s office says he will meet President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria this week to complain about the arrest of opposition MPs and hundreds of Zanu-PF breaches of the political agreement signed last September, which led to the inclusive government.

(Source)

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said on Friday there could not be full healing in Zimbabwe when there is abuse of the rule of law and called for the truth if justice is to be done.

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the National Dedication Programme Towards Healing, Reconcilliation and Intergration, Tsvangirai said:  “As a nation we cannot hope to promote equality, national healing, cohesion and unity while abusing the rule of law, ignoring the right to free political activity, freedom of assembly and association and freedom of expression and communication.”

Tsvangirai urged leaders to ensure that there is no cover-up of past wrongs as they owed it to the many thousands of victims to ensure that the programme of National Healing was effective in addressing past wrongs in order to move towards a future of peace and prosperity. He added that national healing could not occur without justice.

“These three days of dedication must herald the beginning of a genuine, open and frank process that includes and incorporates the concept of transitional justice, truth and accepting responsibility for the hurt and pain inflicted upon so many Zimbabweans. There can be no truth without justice. And no justice without truth,” he said.

He accused the state media of propagating hate speech and political divisions through the publishing of blatant lies and deliberate distortions.

“Will government institutions act with impartiality, openness and accountability and will the police serve to protect the people rather than persecute them?” he asked.

“This will be the ultimate test of whether, today we are embarking on this process in a genuine attempt to address and right the wrongs of the past, or whether we are merely trying to pay lip service to the ideals of National Healing without taking responsibility for our actions,” he said.

“The Organ for National Healing has been charged with undertaking a process of grassroots consultation, together with civil society, to define the form and content of our restorative programme. It must be the people that define the period of time to be reviewed in our National Healing programme.

“Zimbabwe has suffered so many phases of trauma, upheaval and conflict that there must be agreement on defining the scope of the healing process. We cannot attempt to address one period of conflict to the exclusion of others. If this process is going to lead towards genuinely healing our nation, we must be inclusive in the scope of the programme,” he said.

He urged fellow leaders to make an unequivocal call to all people and all supporters for an immediate cessation of violence, persecution and lawlessness iIf the days of National Dedication are to herald the start of a genuine process of National Healing.

“As I stand here today, a young woman lies in hospital in Harare after having been brutally assaulted merely for being a member of a political party. Sadly, this is not an isolated case. We cannot begin a healing process while simultaneously allowing the perpetuation of injustice and a culture of persecution and impunity,” he said.

The three leaders of the Global Political Agreement, namely Tsvangirai, President Robert Mugabe and deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara appointed three ministers representing each party to spearhead the national healing process in the country. These are Sekai Holland from Tsvangirai’s MDC, John Nkomo of Zanu PF and Gibson Sibanda of the Mutambara’s MDC.

Nkomo said earlier this week the programme from Friday to Sunday would focus on prayer, ahead of a more extensive reconciliation scheme still being developed. Holland said the programme was kicking off with incidents of violence still taking place.

(Source)

President Robert Mugabe and his business associates have effectively taken over the Nuanetsi Ranch in Zimbabwe’s Lowveld, a sprawling property which was the first investment venture of a trust set up by his former political nemesis, the late Dr Joshua Nkomo, leader of PF-Zapu.

Zimbabwe Bio-Energy (Pvt) Ltd, a private company whose major shareholders are President Robert Mugabe and Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, has gone into partnership with the Development Trust of Zimbabwe (DTZ) an organisation wholly owned by the now defunct PF-Zapu political party.

The two organisations plan to grow sugar cane on 100 000 hectares of land in the Nuanetsi Ranch for ethanol production. Other ventures in the pipeline include a giant crocodile-breeding project and cattle ranching.

The $1 billion investment project will displace over 1 000 families already settled in the Nuanetsi Ranch.

DTZ, which served as the investment vehicle for PF-Zapu, is currently chaired by Vice President Joseph Msika, who was Nkomo’s deputy.

Formed by Nkomo in the early 1980s, DTZ invested in Nuanetsi Ranch as its pioneer venture.

In a development that has sparked controversy the joint venture between Zimbabwe Bio-Energy and DTZ will embark on several other projects in the 300 000 hectare Nuanetsi Ranch. Details of the exact nature of the joint venture between Zimbabwe Bio-Energy and DTZ, the owners of Nuanetsi Ranch, or what the President’s company paid in return for its acquisition of his former political rival’s venture, are not clear.

Commenting on the joint venture outgoing Masvingo governor Titus Maluleke said only 100 000 hectares should be developed, not the entire ranch, since this was bound to generate controversy.

“We are saying the joint venture should only be confined to the 100 000 hectares and not the whole of Nuanetsi because we also want other investors to come on board”, said Maluleke.

“If the project is allowed to take over the whole ranch then there is need for people to question the logic because we are talking of a huge piece of land which should not be used by only two companies”, he added.

However vice chairman of DTZ Liberty Mhlanga has already confirmed that the joint venture will take over the whole ranch.

“We are going to have one of the biggest investments in which we would want to grow sugar cane for ethanol production “, said Mhlanga.

“In addition we will have one of the biggest crocodile projects in the country and a cattle ranching business.

“We will also build lodges in the ranch in order to attract tourists during the world cup in South Africa in 2010.”

The two companies have already cleared about 60 000 hectares of land since the project was given a nod in June last year. There are 5 000 herd of cattle on the property.

Early this year the yet to be displaced 1 000 families vowed to resist eviction. They claim that they were not consulted when the project was established.

Zimbabwe Bio-Energy is a subsidiary of Sabot Holdings, a company in which President Mugabe and Mnangagwa are major share holders, along with business tycoon Billy Rautenbach.

The controversial Rautenbach has been linked to the Zanu-PF leadership, Mnangagwa in particular, in mining ventures in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

(Source)

Tony Blair believes that Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe should be overthrown, a German magazine quoted the former British prime minister as saying in an interview published on Wednesday.

“I think if you can get rid of Mugabe, get rid of him. The guy has destroyed his country. There are many people in his country who have died who should not have died, because of what he has done,” Blair told the Stern weekly.

“If you can, you should, but you obviously have to operate in careful limits,” he said.

Blair also rejected criticism that his closeness to the United States and Israel made him unsuitable for his current job as envoy for the Middle East Quartet, mediating between the Jewish state and the Palestinians.

“I can honestly say that not once in all the time that I have been dealing with the Palestinians has the issue of my close relationship with the US or Israel ever been a problem. On the contrary, it is an advantage,” Blair said.

“I remember president (Mahmud) Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, when I had my first conversation with him. I said it might be a disadvantage because of my closeness to America and my strong view on Israel, and he said: ‘That is why you are useful.’”

Blair, who stepped down as British premier in 2007, was former US president George W. Bush’s closest ally in the invasion of Iraq in 2003, and drew criticism for his support of Israel’s bombardment of southern Lebanon in 2006.

The 56-year-old also reiterated that he had no regrets about toppling Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein despite the fact that no weapons of mass destruction — his main argument for the invasion — were found.

“I always say to people the question is very simple in the end: would the region be better off if Saddam was still in power,” he told Stern. “Do I regret having removed him, Saddam Hussein? The answer is frankly, no.”

(Source)

3MG MEDIA has launched Zimbabwe’s first Citizen Journalism programme with immediate effect. The Global trend is that those nations which are democratically challenged like Zimbabwe gain immensely from Citizen Journalism as it provides accurate, unfiltered news.

The initial phase is targeted at Students within Zimbabwe Universities, Polytechnics and Technical Colleges who are expected to file short but accurate stories regularly. Each participating student will get a monthly allowance of US$ 100.

Zimbabwe Telegraph will be the central distribution site. The other 3MG Media community newspaper web sites be part of the distribution channel. These include:

www.ZimDaily.com
www.zimtelegraph.com
www.harareTribune.com
www.zimTribune.com
www.southafrica2day.com
www.afrikalink.com
www.zimNetRadio.com

The idea behind citizen journalism is to encourage people without professional journalism training to use the tools of modern technology (cell phones, laptops, internet etc) and the global distribution of the Internet to create, augment or fact-check media on their own or in collaboration with others. Recently Zimbabwe had a cholera outbreak in which accurate information was hardly available. Citizen Journalists are expected to play a leading role in uncovering such humanitarian tragedies as and when they occur.

Citizen Journalists will be able to provide first hand and real accounts of the reality on the ground. Additionally, readers can fact-check articles from the mainstream media and point out factual errors or bias at www.zimDailyforum.com which are discussion forums. Alternatively a member of the public can witness police brutality and may snap a digital photo and post to Zimdaily for broad casting. Other  newsworthy events happening in local communities such as Mabvuku, Budiriro, Mzilikazi or Dangamvura can be informally recorded and  posted online to tell the real Zimbabwe story .

3MG Media is distributing 5 cameras and cell phones to the first members participating in the initial phase. Other members of the public with own equipment are expected to send in news pieces and pictures which will speak thousands of words.

Citizen journalism, is also called public or participatory journalism or democratic journalism, is the act of non-professionals “playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analysing and disseminating news and information.” This is exciting particularly for a nation in transition like Zimbabwe. It will give Zimbabweans an opportunity to interact and participate in information and events that shape their daily lives.

3MG MEDIA Citizen Journalism programme will be different from serious investigative Journalism. An investigative journalist may spend a considerable period researching and preparing a report, sometimes months or years, whereas a typical daily or weekly news reporter writes items concerning immediately available news.

Citizen journalists are “the people formerly known as the audience,” who “were on the receiving end of a media system that ran one way, in a broadcasting pattern, with high entry fees and a few firms competing to speak very loudly while the rest of the population listened in isolation from one another. 3MG MEDIA Citizen Journalism will change all this, our readers will become an integral part of our news gathering efforts.

Citizen journalists may be activists within the communities they write about. This has drawn some criticism from traditional media institutions such as, which have accused proponents of public journalism of abandoning the traditional goal of ‘objectivity’.

Many traditional journalists view citizen journalism with some scepticism, believing that only trained journalists can understand the exactitude and ethics involved in reporting news. Citizen Journalism seeks to encourage reader participation there it must be encouraged and nurtured.

(Source)

The Professor Arthur Mutambara-led MDC is headed for deep trouble after it emerged that the party’s top executive is ready to dump its leader saying they are tired of being vice-presidents and deputies.

Top party leaders yesterday said they made a mistake when they chose Prof Mutambara and endorsed Mavambo leader Dr Simba Makoni’s presidential candidature during last year’s harmonised elections, adding that it was time for the people of Matabeleland to show their capabilities in leading the country.

In remarks laced with unfortunate and divisive tribal connotations during belated victory celebrations held at Ntabazinduna, just outside Bulawayo yesterday, MDC Vice-President Mr Gibson Sibanda said Ndebele people were as capable as any other tribe in the country and should not always be relegated to playing second fiddle to others in national politics.

“Kanti yena owathi thina savela sazalwa kwathiwa singabo ‘vice’ ngubani? Lathi siyalifuna ithuba lokuthi sibuse njalo siphathe izikhundla zombangazwe,’’ said Sibanda. (Who said we were born to hold positions of deputies and vices? We also deserve an opportunity to lead and hold positions of governance and power?)

Mr Sibanda’s sentiments were echoed by MDC’s treasurer, Mr Fletcher Dulini-Ncube, who felt that people from the region were being marginalised despite the fact that they were at the heart of the formation of the original MDC.

Chronicling the circumstances surrounding the creation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA), Mr Sibanda told the people that the arrangement was a compromise position, urging them to support it as it was designed to bring stability into the country and turn around the nation’s economic woes.

“We saw it fit to unite and turn the fortunes of our country around because the country was on the verge of collapsing. This unity is just a marriage of convenience, come election time we will cause an upset and change the political landscape as we did in the previous elections in March last year,’’ he said.

To resounding applause, Mr Dulini-Ncube reminded the attendants that none of the principals who had signed the GPA were from the region and this had to be rectified in the next elections as they were tired of hoisting other tribes on their shoulders and thrusting them into power.

Party secretary general Professor Welshman Ncube concurred with his colleagues, proffering his apologies to the supporters for the “oversight’’ they (the leadership) made in agreeing to back Dr Makoni’s presidential bid during last year’ harmonised election.

“We have seen the error of our ways and we apologise for letting you down by always backing other people at the expense of ourselves. In the next elections we will endeavor to rectify this,’’ said Prof Ncube.

Speaker after speaker lamented the exclusion of people from the region from key positions in Government and assured the people that “something’’ would be done to ensure that they receive fair and equal representation.

To illustrate marginalisation, Mr Sibanda pointed out that Prof Ncube who had played a key role in negotiating for the GPA settlement, had been left out in the cold when the signing ceremony was being held saying despite all this hard work “basebemvalela phandle uNcube yenalo, umfokaMathonsi”.

Among the chief grievances was the “lowly’’ portfolio given to the Vice-President Sibanda, which was supposedly not consistent with the leading role he played in the formation of the “MDC Original’’ faction.

“Kumele likhumbule ukuthi uSibanda lowo wayengumkhokheli weZCTU and ngabe nguye owabanguPresident hatshi ukuhamba lisiyadinga omunye umuntu ongasowakithi. Manje asisakwazi ukuthi isikepe lesi esikuso ngesiqonda ngaphi, sivotela bani owesintwini?” queried party supporters.

During the question and answer session the leaders came under fire facing accusations of betraying the electorate by “head-hunting’’ for a leader when they themselves were quite capable of accomplishing the task.

Prof Ncube conceded that finding a “candidate for hire” in the mould of Dr Makoni to stand for election in the Presidential race was a monumental error.

He said steps would be taken to ensure a candidate from the region stood for office come the next elections.

Quizzed as to how Professor Mutambara fitted into the mould of this so-called “MDC Originals”’, the hosting Ward 5 Councillor Mr Kimpton Sibanda was at great pains to include the party president in this elite clique insisting that he had merited his position on the strength of his past exploits in student activism.

“He (Mutambara) showed leadership at University (of Zimbabwe), proved his worth during his days of student activism and his being selected to lead us has nothing to do with tribal connotations,” said Mr Sibanda who sung a different tune from the rest.

Despite the half-hearted attempts at being diplomatic, Mr Sibanda’s sentiments were effectively drowned by the barrage of tribally sensitive remarks by those who outrank him in the party.

(Source)