Messages From Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai described the conditions under which exiled Zimbabweans were living in the Johannesburg Central Methodist Church as a “sorry sight” on Saturday, but could not commit himself to any assistance.

During a rally to mark the 10th anniversary of the launch of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) at the University of the Witwatersrand, Tsvangirai said that on a previous visit to the church he had seen people sleeping all around it.

He was responding to a request for assistance from a tearful woman living in the church. She complained of a tough life in SA, beginning with rape at the hands of criminals at the border and ending up on the cold streets of Johannesburg.

But Tsvangirai said that besides exiled Zimbabweans there were millions of citizens in the country suffering due to the absence of economic activity. “The only way we can restore our dignity is when we are no longer refugees,” he said.

About 3000 people, mainly Zimbabweans, are living in squalid conditions in the Methodist Church. City authorities are planning to move a first group of 280 to the old Moth Hall in Noord Street.

Tsvangirai is in SA to lobby President Jacob Zuma ahead of the annual summit of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Zuma is due to pass on the rotational Sadc chairmanship to Congolese President Joseph Kabila at the September 7-8 meeting. Tsvangirai and Zuma are expected to meet today.

Another woman asked Tsvangirai how she could safely return to Zimbabwe when the MDC leader could not even protect his own parliamentarians.

Tsvangirai urged Zimbabweans to keep abreast of developments in the country and decide for themselves when to return. He said a programme was in place to protect MDC parliamentarians. Since last year’s elections, several MDC MPs have been arrested over what are seen as trumped-up charges meant to erode the party’s majority in the legislature.

This month, Zimbabwe’s delicate unity government enters its six month, amid what is seen as a rush to resolve outstanding aspects of the agreement ahead of a progress review by SADC. The regional body guaranteed the power-sharing deal, signed in September last year.

Tsvangirai, with the leader of the other MDC faction, Arthur Mutambara, appealed to the SADC for help on sticking points such as the continued grip on office of reserve bank governor Gideon Gono and attorney-general Johannes Tomana.

(Source)

At least 33 people were killed and several others injured when a bus overturned after colliding with a lorry south of the capital on Sunday, state radio reported.

Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation quoted police spokesman Andrew Phiri as saying “a passenger in the lorry died on the spot while the other 32 died after the bus overturned.”

He said the bus, which was travelling from Harare to the southern town of Masvingo when the accident occured as the bus driver tried to overtake a vehicle in front of an oncoming lorry resulting in the collision, 88 kilometres south of the capital.

The injured were taken to hospitals in Harare and Chivhu, according to the radio report.

Road accidents are among the major killers in Zimbabwe where roads are in a state of disrepair, including huge potholes, after years of neglect.

Abuse of regulations has seen some unroadworth vehicles carrying passengers.

On March 6, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s wife died while Tsvangirai himself suffered head and facial injuries in an accident on the same road as the latest accident.

 (Source)

Zimbabwe‘s Robert Mugabe is making concessions to allow the implementation of a number of points in the political accord that led to the inclusive government, ahead of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) summit next month.

Mugabe’s move to unblock progress on a number of issues is designed to stem any censure by Sadc of his leadership for failing to implement points agreed upon during the formation of the unity government.

South African President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday measures would be taken within Sadc to ensure the inclusive government succeeded.

This week saw a raft of reforms in Zimbabwe, which is still trying to recover from years of repression and economic ruin.

The range of reforms allowed by Mugabe includes lifting bans on public demonstrations, the licensing of newspapers, allowing international broadcasters such as CNN and BBC back into Zimbabwe, and implementation of the provisions of the political agreement on co-operation in the appointment of ambassadors and provincial governors, and representation on the National Security Council.

But MPs from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Mugabe’s rivals, still face a crackdown led by Mugabe’s allies. Six MPs have been jailed and others face arrest for alleged crimes ranging from abduction , violence, corruption and rape.

The National Security Council met for the first time yesterday. The council replaced the Joint Operations Command (JOC), a pillar of Mugabe’s previous regime which brought together the army, police and intelligence chiefs.

Mugabe effectively ran the country through JOC structures, undermining civilian governance. The JOC was notorious for authorising crackdowns on political rivals in the MDC and harshly silencing dissent.

For the first time, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, now prime minister in the coalition government, formally came face to face with military and police commanders who had repeatedly vowed not to salute him even if he won elections. They also previously made veiled threats to overthrow him in a military coup.

The National Security Council meeting, chaired by Mugabe, was also attended by the vice-presidents, two deputy prime ministers, and ministers of finance, defence and home affairs. The three parties in government also each nominated a minister to attend.

Also there were the state security minister, chief secretary to the president and cabinet, secretary to the prime minister, defence forces commanders and the director-general of the Central Intelligence Organisation.

The council’s main function is to review policies on security, defence and law and order.

State Security Minister Sydney Sekeramayi said the meeting was “warm and cordial”.

The government lifted the ban on the privately owned Daily News, which was shut down in 2003. Letters to Daily News lawyers confirmed the newspaper’s licence had been restored.

(Source)