Messages From Zimbabwe

John Nyamande, the MDC-T legislator for Makoni Central has died in a mysterious accident that has left the entire MDC leadership shocked and devastated. He was 57.

Nyamande, a former MDC-UK interim chairman died in the early hours of today when his official twin cab he was driving hit an unidentified truck stationary in the middle of the highway along Rusape-Harare road in Ruwa, a family member has told The Zim Diaspora in the United Kingdom.

He died on the spot and was driving alone. The accident happened near Thorncroft school in Ruwa, it was reported.

Mrs Irene Sanyauke a close relative who is now comforting Mr Nyamande’s widow in Britain, said the family was devastated by the news of Nyamande’s mysterious death.

“As for now we only know that he hit a car which was stationary on the middle of the highway. He was coming from Rusape and the accident happened in Ruwa early today,” said Mrs Sanyauke.

Current MDC-UK chairman Jonathan Chawora, said: “Its very sad, honourable Nyamande died in the early hours of this morning in Ruwa. We are yet to get details, so far thats the only information we have”.

Nyamade will always be remembered for a bold decision he took in returning home at the height of political violence during the June election. When back home, he made a heroic decision to campaign for a parliamentary seat under the MDC-T ticket in which he stood against Mugabe’s most trusted ally Patrick Chinamasa.

This was at a time when Zimbabwe was regarded as one of the  most unstable and dangerous countries in the world.

During the violent campaign he beat-up Mugabe’s foul mouthed Chinamasa who also happens to be his cousin.

There was violence when he arrived in Makoni to campaign and for so many occasions Nyamande was target of assasination. At one stage, during the height of ZANU-PF perpetrated violence, Nyamande escaped an assassination attempt.

Nyamande who has been based in the United Kingdom knew the risks of going back home and challenge Robert Mugabe.

After his stunning election as MP, Mr Nyamande returned to the UK where his family live and delivered talks about his experiences during election.

He spoke about the horrors of his election, the election of the Speaker of Parliament, the Power Sharing talks and the MDC vision.

It is sad day for Zimbabwean politics for having lost such a formidable politician of his calibre.

(Source)

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has called off his party’s boycott of the unity government with President Robert Mugabe.

Mr Tsvangirai said he was giving Mr Mugabe 30 days to implement the power-sharing agreement on “the pertinent issues we are concerned about”.

The prime minister was speaking after regional crisis talks in Mozambique.

The MDC accuses Mr Mugabe’s ZANU PF of continuing to harass its activists and acting in “bad faith”.

The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), which is the guarantor of last year’s power-sharing agreement, urged all parties to respect the deal and said they had 15-30 days to “engage in dialogue”.

Mr Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change says outstanding issues should be agreed within 15 days and then implemented within 30 days.

Mr Mugabe did not speak to the media after the summit.

Mozambican President Armando Guebuza said he thought the situation would change within 30 days.

Sadc head Tomaz Salomao said South Africa‘s President Jacob Zuma would soon visit Zimbabwe to evaluate progress.

The next Zimbabwe cabinet meeting is on Tuesday, and MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said his party’s ministers would attend.

Mr Tsvangirai walked out of the coalition government on 16 October in protest at the detention of a senior MDC official on terrorism charges and over Mr Mugabe’s failure to implement political agreements.

The official, Roy Bennett, was later released on bail and is due to go on trial on Monday on charges of terrorism, insurgency, sabotage and banditry.

He was arrested in February, as he was due to be sworn in as deputy agriculture minister.

The MDC also said there had been “increased violent” attacks on party members by militants from President Mugabe’s ZANU PF, as well as renewed invasions of white-owned farms.

Last week, ZANU PF described the allegations as “cheap propaganda”.

Mr Tsvangirai’s allies also accuse Mr Mugabe of making key appointments, such as the attorney general, the central bank governor, provincial governors and diplomats, without consulting them.

ZANU PF says the MDC has not done enough to attract foreign aid and investment since it joined the government to end the impasse following last year’s disputed elections.

The unity government has managed to halt Zimbabwe‘s economic collapse but donors remain wary of resuming funding.

(Source)

Dozens of high mileage cars had their mileometer clocks turned back, and then sold to unsuspecting buyers in a sophisticated scam, British police said.

Three Zimbabweans – two men and a woman – were seized at addresses in Leeds, England, on Wednesday in what West Yorkshire detectives say is a £1 million money laundering syndicate.

All three suspects detained on suspicion of fraud and money laundering were bailed to appear at a later date.

Detectives say large quantities of cash from the selling of “clocked” high mileage upmarket cars is already believed to have been spirited away to Zimbabwe.

The fraud involves buying high mileage upmarket cars at auction and turning back the mileometer clocks before reselling them at inflated prices. It is thought some of the vehicles have been sold through trade publications and car dealers.

Officers raided five domestic and commercial premises across Leeds as part of the investigation.

They swooped simultaneously looking for named suspects, cars with incorrect mileometer readings and items believed to be connected with fraud and other offences.

At an address on Old Lane, Beeston, a 31-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman were arrested.

In front of the house was a blue 07 registered Audi S4 estate, a black VW 4×4 estate car. In the driveway was a black Jaguar XK 4.2litre and parked on the road outside was a silver Audi A8 estate car.

In another swoop on a terrace house in Kirkstall Mount, Kirkstall, a 32-year-old man was also detained.

During the raid on a car sales premises in Wortley, police forced their way into the office. On display in the open compound were numerous Mercedes, BMWs including a convertible, a Range Rover and other upmarket models. Police photographed the cars and took details for checks on their history.

A large amount of vehicle documentation was seized along with a quantity of cash. Also recovered was paperwork relating to bank accounts.

Other addresses in Armley Road, Armley, and Roseville Road, Sheepscar, were also raided.

Police say the investigation was partly sparked by the introduction of a new police policy where people arrested in connection with “acquisitive crime” are subjected to further checks. If they get positive results, investigations under the Proceeds of Crime Act are triggered. 

As part of their “Why Should They ” campaign, West Yorkshire Police are encouraging people to report those they suspect of living beyond their legal means.

(Source)

President Mugabe held critical talks with DRC counterpart Joseph Kabila on the country’s latest political impasse. According to AllAfrica, Kabila, who is described as an ally of Mugabe, said that the power-sharing government remained Zimbabwe’s only option. Mugabe met Kabila ahead of a SADC summit on Zimbabwe in Maputo on Thursday. Swaziland’s King Mswati, Mozambican President Armando Guebuza and Zambian President Rupiah Banda, are scheduled to meet, hoping to help narrow differences between Mugabe and PM Tsvangirai.

(Source)

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe said on Saturday he was working to resolve a political dispute threatening his power-sharing government with rival Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC party.

Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said a fortnight ago it was “disengaging” from cabinet until Mugabe agreed to fully implement the fragile coalition’s power-sharing deal, including swearing in several MDC officials.

Speaking at the burial of a senior member of his ZANU-PF party on Saturday, Mugabe again condemned the MDC’s partial boycott of the government as “baffling and illogical,” but said the issue had to be addressed as a domestic issue.

“We are glad that we are talking about it. We are treating it as a domestic political problem, and our attitude is that ultimately it is up to us as Zimbabweans to sort out our problems,” he said in a mixture of English and the local Shona language.

Mugabe gave no further details or made reference to the mediation efforts of the 15-nation Southern African Development Community which had a ministerial team in Harare on Friday.

Tsvangirai and his officials did not attend the funeral at Harare Heroes’ Acre, a national shrine where Mugabe’s ZANU-PF movement has been burying mostly veterans of Zimbabwe‘s 1970s liberation war since it won power at independence in 1980.

Mugabe accused Western powers of “endlessly and shamelessly” interfering in Zimbabwe‘s domestic affairs and said the national economy had suffered under sanctions imposed in a drive to oust his party.

“They are trying to direct the way our politics should go. They are not ashamed. They want us to go down on our knees.”

Mugabe – who was speaking a day after regional officials announced that Southern African states would soon hold a summit on the Zimbabwe crisis — said even in cases where Zimbabweans seek outside help, they have the ultimate responsibility to resolve domestic disputes.

The veteran 85-year-old president sounded slightly conciliatory to the MDC on Saturday, saying he only wonders about his rivals’ political strategy of “one leg in and one leg out of the power-sharing government.”

Besides refusing to swear in some of its members into government, the MDC accuses ZANU-PF – which it calls an “arrogant and unreliable partner” of persecuting its officials and delaying media and constitutional reforms that will be key to holding free and fair elections in about two years.

Mugabe says he has met obligations under the power-sharing deal and maintains the MDC needs to campaign for the lifting of Western sanctions against his ZANU-PF, including travel restrictions and a freeze on general financial aid to Zimbabwe.

(Source)