Residents in Harare of the Anglican denomination are on Sunday December the 16th gathering at Africa Unity Square to commemorate their court victory over the controversial Bishop Nolbert Kunonga who was wrestling control of the Diocese from the legitimate leaders.
Kunonga who was Monday ordered by the Supreme Court to surrender all properties, had caused havoc for over six years as he siezed several properties using the help of the police.
Announcing the special meeting, churchman who is also Harare Residents’ Trust leader, Precious Shumba said the event will mark the beginning of a new phase in the diocese.
“‎16 December 2012- All Anglicans are to gather at the Africa Unity Square from 9 a.m to mark our victory over evil, and mark the beginning of the phase of rebuilding the Anglican Diocese of Harare,” Shumba said.

Hundreds of worshippers are expected to throng the tiny island of the Unity Square which is just a few hundred metres from the former battleground – the Harare Supreme Court building.
The head of the Anglican church in Zimbabwe Monday urged local parishioners to renovate dozens of churches they had been chased from by a breakaway bishop loyal to president Robert Mugabe – after the supreme court ruled the rogue cleric and his followers had no right to use them.
Bishop Kunonga who is accused of preaching and practicing violence, was on the 19th November in a Supreme Court ruling, ordered to surrender all church properties he had seized from the leaders. Bishop Chad Gandiya the legitimate clergyman over the powerful diocese is now head of the church in the area.
 
Commentary by Rev Derrick Chisungo
The court victory of the Anglican Church against Nolbert Kunonga was welcome by many across the world as a victory against demonic powers that want to derail the Christian agenda. This was because Kunonga had terrorized the church, confiscating assets and spearheading a divisive agenda within the congregants and causing undue stress, suffering and anxiety especially among the church leadership and fellow congregants. Many watched from the terraces and wished God had timely intervened. Using political connections and other heavy-muscle selfish politicians, Kunonga had become a menace to the Christian society in Zimbabwe as he soiled religion by mixing it with politics. Such an independent judgment by the Supreme Court helped re-assure Zimbabweans that there was still rule of law in Zimbabwe. Many had remained pessimistic as they assumed that most likely Kunonga would influence the judiciary using his political connections, but nothing of the sort happened! To the pleasure of many, the judiciary acted professionally and served justice to the troubled congregants thereby marking the beginning of a new era in the depressed Anglican Church. The judgment dealt a big blow to a man who had come to play God, through evicting other church members from properties while using thugs and a surreal reign of terror that had no consequences before the eyes of the police. For once God was watching and his long hand intervened as judgment came from the ultimate court on the land. Without any recourse to any other appeal avenue, this landmark ruling has pruned and trimmed Kunonga’s blooming feathers. Now his options are closed before the courts of the land. Mr. Kunonga, this is a great lesson to you and your apologists (disciples), get down the high horse and live like a civilized man who once knew God. Do not be like Saul and never mess with the will of God. Persecuting Christians will never be tolerated by any progressive society that is God-fearing and any such conduct has regrettable consequences from the Almighty. Even in our culture, there is karma.  You have learnt your lessons Mr. Kunonga, time to repent and seek forgiveness! If you defy this court ruling and choose to take the law into your own hands then you are inviting more karma to follow you.

(Pretoria)South Africa’s ruling ANC party met today to vote on the proposed removal of President Jacob Zuma from Office.
The Caucus of the African National Congress in Parliament, which consists of 299 Members of Parliament from both Houses of Parliament met today and vigorously discussed the controversial motion which has been proposed by renegade expelled Youth League leader Julius Malema and a few other disgruntled ANC leaders.
There was however a unanimous agreement that this is a frivolous motion, which has nothing to do with Section 102 and Section 89 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which deals with the removal of the President from Office, an ANC press statement revealed.
The statement reads in part:
The Motion of the Opposition about the alleged violation of the Constitution by President JG Zuma is without foundation and cannot be supported by fact.

For example, the Supreme Court of Appeal of the Republic of South Africa did not issue an order against the President or the President’s Office for the handing over of tapes, as it was claimed. In terms of the judgement of the Supreme Court of Appeals in the DA vs. the National Director of Public Prosecutions case, the judicial order was directed at the “first respondent” – which is the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
If the people of South Africa, the majority of whom overwhelmingly mandate this President and the African National Congress to lead this country, were to learn that this august institution has entertained a Motion of no Confidence in the President on the basis of such frivolous allegations, their trust in the ANC and this Parliament would have been violated.
It is not the first time that the Opposition has tabled such a frivolous motion.
Problematic and frivolous as the 2010 Motion of No Confidence was, we agreed to it to prove and make a point to the skeptical detractors that we are committed to parliamentary democracy and that this movement never shies away from a debate. Indeed we emerged with flying colours from that debate and Parliament reaffirmed its confidence in the President.
However, it is a cause for grave concern that this institution should be abused with a flurry of frivolous motions which are motivated by nothing other than a desire for cheap publicity. It would be a complete travesty and an unsustainable precedent if we were to allow a frivolous motion, which is based solely on spurious allegations rather than facts, to be afforded the dignity of consideration and debate by Parliament.
The motion by these opposition parties, which they know as anyone else its chances of success are zero, seeks to try the President in a court of public opinion and tarnish his image and that of the ANC in the media.
If these opposition parties want a President of their choice, they should wait for the elections in 2014, we will be ready to contest them.
What we cannot allow though is turning this legislature into the only institution in the world in which a matter as serious as a Motion of No Confidence in the President is turned into a political football – in which desperate opposition parties tables such a motion at the slightest provocation. The electoral wishes of the people cannot be undermined and usurped at will.
Caucus has therefore unanimously decided to oppose the programming of this motion on the Order Paper of the National Assembly.

A drunken Zimbabwean male driver who drove the wrong way along a motorway has been jailed for killing a passenger in a car that he smashed into.
Wilfred Museka (31), of Powell Street, Clayton, admitted causing death by dangerous driving, fraud by false representation, driving without insurance and driving other than in accordance with a driving licence.
At Minshull Street Crown Court he was sentenced to eight years in prison.
On Sunday 16 September 2012, Museka, who was driving a black Renault Megane, joined the M62 by driving the wrong way along the exit slip road.

He continued to drive the wrong way along the eastbound carriageway for about half a mile.
Shortly before 3am he ploughed into a Chevrolet Matiz, killing 20-year-old passenger Rebecca Caine instantly.
Following his arrest for causing death by dangerous driving Museka failed a breath test. A blood test later revealed he was more than twice the drink drive limit.
Museka, who has a previous conviction for drink driving and other motoring offences, was also found not to have a full valid UK driving licence and in fact only had a provisional licence. He also obtained insurance for the vehicle he was driving fraudulently.
Senior Investigating Officer, Sergeant Lee Westhead, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “I would like to thank the Caine family for the dignity and patience they have shown during this terrible time.
“Their daughter was taken from them in a senseless and totally avoidable act by a selfish individual with no respect for other road users.
“Wilfred Museka thought nothing of consuming so much alcohol that he was over twice the legal limit and then went on to drive the wrong way down a motorway.
“It is clear to the investigation team that Rebecca was a wonderful individual who was loved by her family and had so much to offer the world.

“I hope today’s sentence goes some way to repairing the damage done by Wilfred Museka and offers some closure to the family. My thoughts are also with the three survivors from the vehicle Rebecca was travelling in. Their lives were put at risk and they are now coming to terms with the loss of their friend.
“Drivers should treat the people who share the roads with them with respect and any driver who fails to meet the required standards can expect to be investigated tirelessly and thoroughly.”

POLICE in Bulawayo on Monday arrested 79 women from the Women of Zimbabwe Arise who were demonstrating against the water shortages that have gripped the city over the last few months.
The women most of whom were holding placards denouncing the council were rounded off at the city council offices and detained at the Bulawayo Central Police.
Although police could not be readily comment on the event which was witnessed by ZimEye, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said it has already dispatched a team of lawyers to help the women.
“Police in Bulawayo have detained 79 Women of Zimbabwe Arise members, who were rounded up while staging a demonstration against water shortages at the Bulawayo City Council offices. ZLHR lawyers have been deployed to attend at Bulawayo Central Police Station where they are detained,” the association said.
Bulawayo is facing serious water shortages that have seen suburbs going for more 96 hours per week without water.
In some areas, residents have resorted to fetch water from unprotected sources such as streams and wells.
The city has decommissioned some of the supply dams due to dwindling water levels. Efforts to boost water supply to the city have been dragging as funding has been erratic to connect the city to Mtshabezi Dam which is seen as a temporary measure to alleviate the shortages.

ZIMBABWE’s Deputy Minister for Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development and MP for Harare West, Jessie Majome, has expressed concern at some of the modeling industry practices. This follows police investigations on a 25-year-old beauty queen, Gamuchirai Maziva, once described by a judge as a “woman of substance”, but now placed on a hanging career as she faces a criminal charge. The allegations before the court are that she allegedly aborted her child and burnt the foetus. If found guilty by the courts, such a crime could potentially attract an 18th month jail term.
Minister Majome’s comments emerged after the internet became blazed with the beauty queen news just as prosecutors hinted that she could be jailed way before the upcoming finals of the Face of Zimbabwe. On the same prong, organisers of the function have also reported the resignation of Maziva from the contest. Together with her boyfriend, an alleged accomplice, they have both been granted $100 bail as witnesses prepare their evidence linked to the pending court case.
As social networks were awash over the weekend on the matter, Minister Majome took a side to blast the ethics of the beauty and modelling industry:

“It spoils the sexuality of women, and puts women under pressure to look in a particular way, and act in a particular way, so that it’s actually saying to young women, that you know what, because of economic desperation…the most important asset to you is your body and how you look, you must look attractive to me. So you will find young women like her are under tremendous pressure because that’s the only thing that she can actually trade in order to survive….so that’s a problem in itself. Young women should not have to sell their bodies in order [to survive]…
“And then secondly our abortion laws, the Termination of pregnancy Act in Zimbabwe provides that it is lawful to terminate a pregnancy only in two circumstances, one if the pregnancy has been conceived as a result of unlawful sexual intercourse such as incest or rape, you can obtain a certificate from a magistrate, but the reality is different sometimes even from my experience as a lawyer I remember I was involved in two cases where I had to really fight tooth and nail to get a rape survivor to get an abortion … there are attitudes that are very anti abortion sometimes.
“And then secondly you can also get a lawful abortion if your pregnancy exposes you to risk, physical health risk, and there are no other grounds, and the reality is sadly a lot of women are caught outside that; women who conceive but they conceive in manners where they are incapable for one reason or the other because of their lifestyle they are unable to carry through the pregnancy and bear children, and they end up having very unsafe abortions,” Minister Majome said.
Minister Majome was speaking on the sidelines of a London meeting of the student alumni of Ellis Robins, Mabelreign Girls High school as she sought to engage former students and other interested stakeholders to spearhead practical means and ways to rescue the deteriorating conditions at the said schools.
Commentary: Zimbabwe has one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates in the world. More women die due to pregnancy complications and related issues. In that shocking mortality rate, abortions claim the biggest toll. With inhibiting conditions like being denied the capacity to pursue further studies if one gets pregnant, inability to contest in beauty pageants or fear of obtaining maternal leave soon after getting powerful jobs, women are treated as second citizens in their country of birth. It is also disturbing that once a woman becomes pregnant, society tends to disown them if there was no wedding or marital formalities and she is left out in the quay to sort out her mess. Many take women’s issues for granted but what the feminine gender goes through is a painful and humiliating solitary experience. It’s about time the legislature took a second look at the plight of women in their daily functions and efforts to survive and match the performance of men in business and social life categories, minister Majome argues. Be that as it may, the efforts made to date to curtail domestic violence is sincerely applauded – Editors

“We do not need any other person other than Mai Mujuru”
The ZANU PF Secretary for Administration, Didymus Mutasa has spoken out on speculative reports that claimed he unilaterally endorsed and declared that Joice Mujuru will succeed President Robert Mugabe.
A journalist, one Jeffrey Moyo had claimed that Mutasa had revealed that Mujuru will succeed Mugabe.
Mutasa is said to have made the revelation while responding to mounting reports that Simba Makoni, leader of Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn, was set to bounce back in Zanu (PF) as a possible replacement for Mugabe.
But Mr Mutasa on Thursday night told ZimEye  he has no authority to endorse or declare Mugabe’s successor as alluded, adding that there is no need for speculation or consultation since at present moment Joice Mujuru stands as the obvious successor to the President.
“Well, the young man who I was talking to had asked me a question which required that answer; Because I was simply telling him that we are not ourselves thinking about  who succeeds Comrade Mugabe and should that become necessary, we have our own Vice President Mai Mujuru and we do not need any other person,” he said.

When asked  by our reporter for further clarity on declaring  that Joice Mujuru should succeed President Mugabe Mr Mutasa replied:
“No I haven’t got that authority. I was simply stating that at the present moment, any thinking person should  not ask us who should succeed Cde Mugabe because the obvious answer is its Mai Mujuru because she is the Vice President,” he said.
 
According to an August 2011 Wikileaks item, Dumiso Dabengwa, a former senior Zanu (PF) member who now leads a revived Zapu party after briefly working with Makoni in MKD, indicated to the US Embassy in Harare that it was likely that the former Finance Minister would return to Zanu (PF).
But Mutasa dismissed the speculative reports, saying: “Leaders of Zanu (PF) are appointed by Zanu (PF) and Dabengwa is not a member of Zanu (PF).
“It is a figment of his imagination that Makoni would be invited to succeed Mugabe,” said Mutasa.
Unverified reports claim that President Robert Mugabe has indicated intentions to step down soon after next year’s elections which the party believes he will win, shortly before handing down power to a chosen future leader now believed to be Mujuru.
But there are other claims that Mugabe’s long time blue eyed boy Emmerson Mnangagwa who is currently Defence minister, is also leading a strong underground faction which stands to threaten Joice Mujuru’s chances to sit at the horns of power.
Both Didymus Mutasa and spokesman Rugare Gumbo have however in the past voiced that Mujuru was better positioned than Mnangagwa to succeed Mugabe because of hierarchy. The country’s current constitution stipulates that in the event that Mugabe dies in office or is incapacitated, Mujuru as the first Vice-President, assumes power for 90 days before elections are held.

Ex Ellis Robins Boys and Mabelreign Girls High school students are set for a special meeting with the legislator for Harare West, Jessie Majome in London’s borough of Barking on Saturday.
Jessie Majome who is visiting the UK this week, told ZimEye that she hopes to engage former students from the two schools in a way that could assist the improvement of service and educational conditions.
The meeting is set for The Thatched House pub in Ripple Road, IG11 9PG next to A13 in Barking at 1PM.
MP Majome’s visit comes amid concerns  raised on the condition of Harare’s Ellis Robins and Mabelreign Girls High schools with Ellis Robins once known as one Harare’s most prestigious government schools in particular being noted for poor educational facilities, dirty toilets, a school that has been reduced to a virtual grassland. (Photos below).
On the other hand Mabelreign Girls High has been noted for a number of issues including random dismissals of school children on petty charges.
-Photos by Ulanda Nkonjera-

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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(Harare)The long-awaited report from a police investigation on allegations of the murder of Munashe Banda, a 13 year old boy at Prince Edward High school, has been completed and is now under the scrutiny of Minister David Coltart and other senior officials.
13 year old Munashe Banda was found dead with his body floating in a swimming pool at Prince Edward School, one of Zimbabwe’s most prestigious government schools.
A senior staff member in Coltart’s office confirmed to ZimEye about the completion of the report adding that it would only be made avaliable to the public after the official review of the facts and police conclusions on what exactly transpired. In any case family members would have that option either to have the information shared with the nation or request a respect for their privacy.
According to Minister Coltart’s office, the Education ministry has to date received a number of complaints about Prince Edward School. “Some of these came through the radio,” the official said..
A separate investigation was at the time of writing being conducted by the police.
In brief, unconfirmed commentaries on this issue have pointed to bullying as the probable cause of the Munashe’s death. This assertion has however been dismissed by the School Headmaster, Mr. Agrippa Sora, see:  Headmaster dismisses murder rumours at Prince Edward High School. ZimEye will update readers when the report is finally released to the public.

A journalist and photographer working for the Daily News paper, who is known for photographing self-styled war veterans leader Joseph Chinotimba while in fluid dance moves, was arrested yesterday while covering a story on Monday.
Watson Ufumeli, was taken by the police law and order section while covering a raid by members of the police force on the offices of the Counselling Services Unit (CSU) in Harare.
Police officers had swooped into the officies of the CSU and arrested the workers.
The officers raided the offices in search of what they said was offensive and subversive material.
His arrest has been condemned by leading lawyers.
Prominent media lawyer, Alec Muchedehama, castigated Ufumeli’s arrest stating that “the laws in Zimbabwe are not friendly to the practice of journalism or the free flow of information.”
Ofumeli was taken to Harare Central Police station where he was briefly detained and only released after being forced to delete the pictures that he had taken. He was arrested together with five CSU members of staff, the media institute of Southern African, MISA said in a statement
Daily News group editor, Stanely Gama described Ofumeli’s arrest  as an assault on press freedom.

(Harare)Harare residents took to the streets today in protest at the Council’s ‘heavy hand’ as they petitioned a change of policies in which they demand an end to sewer bursts, no-refuse collection and other ills committed by the Harare city council.
This also comes after City Council recently began issuing final demands and eviction orders to residents in the face of dirty sewage contaminated drinking water together other abnormalities which have continued for years in Zimbabwe’s capital.
The demonstration which saw the handing over of a petition signed by 3 000 residents on these demands, began Tuesday morning at 9am as the Hararians demanded that “water should be made available to every citizen, not the current situation where most suburbs do not have any running water.”

Contrary to reports in the media at the weekend which claimed Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is on honeymoon in the United Kingdom, the PM has not been on any private visit to Europe as claimed, ZimEye has been told.
Last week senior aides told ZimEye early on Thursday the PM was travelling to the UK and Brussels for an official visit.
When contacted again Sunday one official who declined being identified asked, “Who on earth would go to a cold rough country for a honeymoon? There was no need for that to be raised and the journalist even reported that they were unverified rumours.”

Speculation against Tsvangirai reached another peak at the weekend because of the rumours as news readers accused Tsvangirai of insensitivity based on the news reports. This was following an accident in which Tsvangirai‘s spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka was involved in a near-fatal accident as he visited his rural home in Domboshawa. More

Exiled writer Tendai Frank Tagarira has won European recognition for his recent film “A Can Of Worms” which makes fun of President Robert Mugabe’s leadership.
Tagarira (pictured on stage-right) won a special jury prize award at the the prestigious French Nice Film Festival. for his anti-Mugabe animation clip A Can of Worms which as he states, “narrates a story of a boy resistance against an iron fist dictatorship and a delusional dictator, who seeks to suppress an imaginary rebellion by a bumble bee.”
At a ceremony in France attended largely by Europeans, Tagarira who had travelled from his home in Denmark, was surprised as his award was being announced to be greeted with a special birthday welcome as delegates suddenly began singing: “happy birthday happy birthday happy birthday”. He gave a short speech shortly after and then received a 1600Euros award.
He narrates his account:
“Suddenly, as I was walking up to the stage, the crowd began to sing ‘happy birthday’ for me. I was speechless. I had spoken to some French journalists earlier about the film and mentioned that it was actually my birthday on award night. The jury were not aware of this, but they also joined the crowd in wishing me happy birthday.

“So many emotions went through me as I gave a short acceptance speech, before turning over the microphone to my co-director, Vitor. Later the judges told us they rarely nominated animations but that the story and art in our film touched them deeply. They were honored that such an unlikely artistic collaboration and journey was participating in their esteemed festival.”
 
No Financial Assistance
Tagarira said his film was completed with no financial support whatsoever. He said shortly after the ceremony:
“We had no financial support at all to make the film. In both Denmark and Portugal (where the co- director, Vitor Lopes, comes from) we were denied cultural financial support for this film.
“But that did not stop us. Our passion to make the film and tell the story was greater. So we worked for the whole year of 2011 to make the 8 minutes of animation. It’s a difficult story to tell and if this film were screened in Zimbabwe, I would lose my head to those bent on suppressing freedom of speech due to the political satirical nature of the film,” he said.
Rejected in Africa
However Tagarira’s film is yet to enter the African’s TV markets and the Denmark based writer said a board in Zanzibar snubbed it on the grounds of its politically charged contents. Over a 9 month period to date, the film hit a record popularity mark of 1630 hits on the Google’s Youtube video service.

No hair cut until Mugabe is removed
In 2010 Tagarira vowed never to cut his hair until the day of Mugabe’s death and his film is believed to be an expression of his inner convictions.
TRAILER VIDEO:

(Harare)The Headmaster of Prince Edward High school in Harare has dismissed rumours which claim that a form one 13-year-old student Munashe Banda, who was the found drowned in a swimming pool, may have been murdered at the school last week.
His comments come after the police launched a murder investigation following the advice of a post mortem on the child’s body.
Mr Agrippa Sora told our reporter on Monday that he was a witness to the pathologist’s announcement of the findings which according to him do not point to murder but rather to an accident as the body was being dragged out of the pool.
“Yes I was there when the pathologist gave his findings; the relatives were there and the findings were he died of asphyxia caused by drowning,” he said.
About allegations of physical bodily harm on the student, Mr Sora said “It is not true that he (Banda) died of physical attack.”
“That’s not true,” he said.
“The pathologist indicated that there were bruises on the forehead, and on his back. These were bruises not a deep gash, as indicated by the media. These were bruises, and the pathologist just said the police should just investigate and see where the bruises came from. And our understanding is the body as it was being retrieved from the water, that may have caused the bruises. These were bruises not wounds, not gashes.”
A relative of Munashe who attended the funeral was however quoted stating, “We don’t think he drowned, but we suspected from the injuries he had on his body that he was assaulted before being thrown into the pool.”

Headmaster also denies bullying allegations
Mr Sora also rejected allegations that bullying increased at the school in recent months as alleged by an unnamed former student.
The state media at the weekend reported that a “concerned former PE pupil ‘Alex’ ” who reportedly raised his fears saying,”Having been an old boy of the school it pains me when I see things going haywire and disorderly at my school. Now, I had the priviledge of working with Mr Atkinson who is the headmaster and I know he has the school at heart but it is the parents that I am worried about and the children they are bringing.”
Mr Sora however said:
“That’s not true at all. Whatever incident is reported is taken quickly. And all these cases come to the attention of the headmaster. We are building a child friendly school. So there is no room for the bullying you are referring to because we are a child friendly school.”
 
Any other incidences of drowning in the past?
Asked if any other such incidences of drowing had occurred at the school in recent years, Mr Sora replied saying he only began work in September this year, therefore he would not know anything that transpired before his tenure as school head.

Harare(ZimEye)The dreaded violent Chipangano group leader Jimmy Kunaka is listed on the roll of special guests of Civic Society members at COPAC’s All Stakeholders Conference being held in Harare today, ZimEye can reveal.
ZimEye can reveal that Kunaka is listed delegate number 46 on the COPAC list of CSOs. The list which is not necessarily in numeric order places Kunaka together with another lady on a parallel column also number 46.
Kunaka who has not denied enginering the group has been the subject of several media reports as the ring leader of violent attacks on commuters in Mbare and the rest of Harare.
He travels with a bodyguard who will also require a seat at the special conference.
In a recent interview with the Fingaz, he at first denied links with the group but would before the end of the very same interview accept leading the group.

ZANU PF secretary Didymus Mutasa has been on record openly blasting Kunaka’s group and linking it with the party calling anyone who denied a liar.
“We hear that there are some people who are harassing commuters and  commuter  operators in the name of the party,” Mutasa said, admitting  the group was losing the party support in city. He told one Cde Midzi:
“Cde Midzi if you tell me that you don’t know that group, I will  tell you  that you are lying. Instead, I want to know what is not ending  it,” said Mutasa.
The All Stakeholders Conference begins today Monday and is part of COPAC’s constitution making process.
(ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

Q: For how many months have you been running this program?
Den Moyo: We have been running the campaign since Jan 2012.
Q: The name 21st February Movement, does it not conflict with the historic 21st February Movement which honours President Robert Mugabe’s birthday?
Den Moyo: The name 21st Movement is derived from the fact that we hold our protest demonstrations on the 21st of each month. It is also informed by the fact that we live in the 21st century. As for the name being somewhat similar to Bob’s movement is neither here nor there.
Q: Could this not be an open ridicule of Mugabe and ZANU PF?
Den Moyo: Yes it does, it is intended to highlight the duplicity in Zanu PF as regards to the implementation of the GPA.
Q: Are you not concerned how this movement could offend those MDC supporters(if any) who may still value President Mugabe’s contribution to the creation of the nation?
Den Moyo: Our struggle as I understand it is to bring change, democracy and liberty to Zimbabwe. Mugabe in my opinion is the Chief Propagator of all that’s evil in Zimbabwe. I do not.   ENDS
(ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

There was drama at the Civic Society Leaders’ indaba on the constitution when a prominent ZANU PF businessman, Danny Musukuma, was barred entry and denied registration for the All Stakeholders Conference whose preparations began at the luxurious Pandhari lodge meeting in Harare.
Musukuma who three days ago Wednesday sought an emergency interdict from the High Court to bar the holding of the conference demanding the release of the National Statistical Report, was told:
“haudiwe pano mudhara – you are not needed here,” according to witnesses of the incident at the Pandhari Lodge.
The drama was enhanced as Musukuma arrived strolling confidently just before it was revealed and confirmed that he had been sent by his ZANU PF party.
COPAC chair Paul Mangwana confirmed the turning away of Musukuma and that his party ZANU PF was behind the businessman’s stint.
“Yes I can certainly confirm Mr Musukuma arrived for accreditation after having been forwarded by the Harare province of my party. He felt that since he is suing Copac and fighting against the conference he can have his cake and eat it. I advised him to seek an order from the High Court because Copac could not accredit him to the same process he is fighting.
“The only logical thing was to stop and let him have his day in court. His court case is ill-conceived, mischievous and without merit,” said Mangwana.
“If every Tom, Dick and Harry is allowed to sue Copac, we are allowing Copac to have 13 million suits. We as managers of the process will not be disturbed by such mischief to distract us and we have assigned our lawyers (Dzimba, Jaravaza and Partners) to look into the matter as we move to the conference.”

“The problem we realised in the 1st ASC is that some civil society organisations were seemingly belonging to particular political parties. This is why we approached political parties to assist in identifying civil society across the political board. There is perception that we have not adhered to the 70-30 [representation stipulation] of which we did because 571 seats are to be civil society delegates and about 200 are political parties. We never promised to take all 300 organisations submitted, when the list was recieved from NANGO and Crisis we realised that 60 of these were already acreditted under other means of engagement. We have increased civil society seats from 571 to 671. For every 2 delegates submitted by NANGO and CRISIS only one will be acreditted,” he said.
The indaba was held between Thursday and Friday 18th- 19th October 2012 and carried the theme “Our Country, our input, our constitution.” It was convened to provide civil service organisations with a platform for analysis of the COPAC draft constitution against CSOs minimum demands on process and content; to facilitate CSOs consensus building on the COPAC draft constitution, and too identify key issues, strategies and areas of engagement with COPAC and the 2nd All Stakeholders Conference.
Several key community leaders spoke at the indaba who include among others, ROHR Zimbabwe chair Grace Mupfurutsa, and former Mavambo Kusile Dawn founding member Ibbo Mandaza. (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

(Harare)The case of missing exam papers being investigated by the ministry of Education and Sport together with the exam board Zimsec took a new twist on Thursday afternoon after a report narrated that a disgruntled prostitute snatched the important batch of papers from the named headmaster after he had allegedly failed to pay up for pleasuring himself on her.
The report published by a UK based paper written by one Zwanai Sithole quoted sources at the Ministry of Education, Sports, Arts and Culture provincial offices in Bulawayo, stating that Zimhuno lost the examination papers at a local lodge where he had booked with a lady of the night.
“What really happened is that after collecting the examinations papers from Zimsec, Zimhuno booked at a local lodge with a prostitute. He left the papers which were sealed in khaki paper at the lodge’s reception and the woman noticed this,” said a source at the provincial education offices.
The source according to the report says the following morning, the unidentified woman demanded her dues from Zimhuno but the headmaster allegedly reneged on his promise. Instead, he gave her half of the amount which they had earlier agreed on.
After that, the source said the woman left the room in a huff, leaving Zimhuno fast asleep. She reportedly went to the lodge’s reception and took the examination papers as compensation for the shortfall.
“When the headmaster woke up and became sober he went to reception and was told that the examination papers had been taken by the woman.
After realizing the gravity of his negligence, he cooked up the version that the papers were lost in a public transport” said another source.  The Zimbabwe School Examination Council (Zimsec) has already cancelled the affected papers and will have to reset the examinations at a cost of $850 000.

 
Zimsec has standard procedure
Meanwhile Zimsec has defended itself for the handling of the matter stating that they continue to upholding a standard procedure.
The exam body’s information and public relations manager Ezekiel Pasipamire told ZimEye:
“Yes, ZIMSEC has a standard procedure for sending out exam question papers. We have question paper collection points in each district where ZIMSEC hands over question papers to the Ministry Officials (headmasters).  This procedure is not new and it has been followed for years.”
 
The body however acknolwedged that they have stopped utilising registered secure postal services:
“No, we don’t use registered post for sending out examination question papers. We used to use action packs from ZIMPOST for the return of written scripts but we have since stopped,” she said.
She also added that it is normal for headmasters to collect the exam papers in person:
“It is very normal for a Headmaster to collect scripts on behalf of the school, after that it is not ZIMSEC’S policy to find or organise transport for the Heads to reach their schools. This is what all headmasters do and looking at all the 2 118 Ordinary Level centres it means 2 117 headmasters
managed to take their question papers to their respective schools as usual,” she said. (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

London(ZimEye)The head of the Matebeleland Liberation Organisation (MLO), Paul Siwela has thrown his weight into the 2013 elections subject triggered last week by Zimbabwe’s justice minister Patrick Chinamasa, by putting forward his proposition that Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai cannot take over from Robert Mugabe without bloodshed.
Paul Siwela who was once incarcerated and falsely charged for treason for his views for a free Matebeleland, told ZimEye on Monday the only solution to bring out a free Zimbabwe is by creating a round table for the various political stakeholders.

“Morgan cannot take power without bloodshed; and blanket amnesty to Zanu PF would be a dangerous precedent not in Zimbabwe but (also) other third world countries; the solution (thus) lies in a round table between Zim and aggrieved parties that include Matebeles, white farmers, and so on,” he said.
Siwela went further to elaborate on the stakeholders he proposes should be involved:
“The players are Zanu PF on one side and the other are Matebeles, white farmers primarily, and then others are in Zanu PF and other political parties. Without a roundtable, apologies, reparations, forgiveness there would never be stability,” Siwela said.
Siwela suggestions come as a confirmation to recent open threats by Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa who said that Tsvangirai is asking for trouble by going for elections with hopes of winning the ballot.
“He [Tsvangirai] cannot win. He has been campaigning and mobilising against the interests of Zimbabweans on many issues, whether talking about land, seeking to reverse the gains of the liberation struggle.
“And this is where the military comes in…. Young people participated in the liberation struggle to gain control over our resources. Many friends died and are buried in unmarked graves.
“Now if anyone is going to say: ‘When I come into power I’m going to reverse that,’ they [the military] have every right to say: ‘Please – you are asking for trouble. You will be asking for trouble.’
“He [Tsvangirai] will be asking for trouble to seek to reverse the land reform programme. There is no-one who is going to accept any enslavement.”

Zanu PF has long accused Tsvangirai of being a front for the interests of Western countries as well as white former commercial farmers still nursing a sense of grievance over the takeover of their farms for re-distribution to landless blacks.

“And if those countries impose for him to win, that result will not be acceptable. We will not accept it. We will just not accept it. Isn’t that clear?,” said Chinamasa.
(ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

It was all theatre and drama at the MDC-T’ party’s Harvest house offices in Harare after Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday suddenly fired senior aides of his MDC-T party.
Sources told ZimEye Tuesday afternoon:
“Hot development – Ian Makone has been demoted. James Maridadi and Muriritirwa cast onto the streets.
The commander in chief then in turn militantly brought to Harvest house Mudzingwa who was fighting with Makone.”
Speculation was rife that this development is a direct result of personal pressure from Tsvangirai’s new wife Elizabeth now popularly referred to as ‘Queen Elizabeth’.

 

 

 

When approached for a comment, Tsvangirai’s spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka simply replied:
“The Prime Minister reserves the right to reorganise his office staff, restructure cabinet deployments and as MDC leader can re-order party deployments. If what you are saying is true, then that means there will be a formal statement soon. That’s all we are saying for now.”

 

ZIMBABWE’s minister of energy Elton Mangoma has been arrested on charges that he allegedly insulted President Robert Mugabe at a rally more than seven months ago, in March.
Mangoma was whisked away while at work by several policemen at just after 3PM on Wednesday and he was immediately taken in for interrogation.
At the time of writing he was still in police custody and the duration he is to stay under the police was known.

An MDC-T employee who declined being named  told ZimEye the arrest was a shock but is not a surprise.
“This is certainly a shock but its not surprising considering this only 2 days after Minister Mangoma ordered that Chisumbanje villagers must be compensated for their losses.
ZANU PF are not happy with the strong stance that the honourable minister has stood for justice of the poor people,” he said.
It was also not clear (at the time of writing) which rally the police allege Mangoma uttered insults against the president.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights NGO have now appointed prominent lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa to represent the minister.
Mangoma’s popularity in Manicaland has risen sharply against President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party in recent months after he led various successful community projects which benefit all political parties and these include mortuary, education and other key community accessories.

Harare(ZimEye)Former tertiary education minister who died suddenly last week, Stan Mudenge ‘s body has been taken to Harare where he is due to be laid rest at the National Heroes shrine in Warren Park, Harare.
The historian Minister Mudenge took his final journey on earth as his body was flown to Harare on an airforce helicopter on Sunday afternoon in preparation for a national burial at the ZANU PF controlled heroes shrine.
Government vehicles were lined up Monday morning to take his body past Belvedere and Meirick Park suburbs towards the heroes acre.
The body was taken to One Commando Barracks as is common with all state burial processions.

Meanwhile President Robert Mugabe spoke praises of Mudenge who has risen through the ranks first as a foreign secretary at independence before ascending to the post of a cabinet minister. Addressing mourners, Mugabe said Dr Mudenge will go down the history of Zimbabwe as one of the founding crop of bureaucrats, who despite little knowledge and exposure, took over the running of government ministries when the country attained independence in 1980.
“Dr Mudenge was one of the first leaders of independent Zimbabwe. He did a lot of work for the development of this country, especially in the education sector, where he excelled as a historian and educationist. He is well known in all countries he has visited both as a student and as a teacher,” Mugabe said while at the Mudenge family house in Harare.
Speaking soon before a Roman Catholic church mass at the family house Mugabe said Mudenge will be remembered for his outstanding work in the education and diplomatic sectors how Mudenge stood to defend Zimbabwe’s stance on the land reform program.

HARARE(ZimEye)Barely with six months after President Robert Mugabe’s motorcade killed two soldiers of his escort team in a road traffic accident another police officer reportedly died after crashing into a haulage truck on Wednesday morning at the Sam Levy’s village, a few kilometers from Mugabe’s house.
According to eyewitnesses the motorcycle collided with the truck and immediately caught fire, before being reduced to ashes with the outrider dying on the spot.
Speaking in a telephone interview the police national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the incident to ZimEye but could not give further details as she said investigations were still underway to establish the number of casualties and the cause of the accident.
“Yes I can confirm that such an accident did occur involving the Presidential motorcade at around 10 today in the morning, investigations are still in progress to establish the cause and the number of casualties have not been disclosed yet,” said Ass Comm Charamba.

In June this year, Mugabe’s motorcade had three accidents in just about three weeks killing more than five people and injuring several others in a spate of accidents resulting in him having to buy a new fleet of cars for his escort.
Mugabe typically travels with an escort of more than 10 vehicles, including the presidential limousine, a Mercedes Benz, motorcycles, army vehicles and an ambulance that is specifically for him and not for other members of his escort.(ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

Harare (ZimEye) – The United States ambassador designate to Zimbabwe, David Bruce Wharton has said he is deeply honoured to be appointed to Zimbabwe by President Barack Obama and is very excited at the prospect of returning to a country where he and his family lived and worked a decade ago.
“My family and I lived, worked and learned in Zimbabwe a decade ago, and returning would be a new stage in our lives. We are excited with this opportunity to work with all of you again,” said United States Ambassador Designate to Zimbabwe, David Bruce Wharton in a message ahead of his arrival.
Ambassador Wharton was sworn in on September 10th and is expected in the country this week.
Wharton spoke of the common heritate shared between Zimbabwe and the US , ‘Americans and Zimbabweans have so much in common: family, faith, hard work and love of the land which sustains our countries’ shared agricultural roots’.

“We all deserve it (justice) and we all need strong institutions to defend and administer it.
“Nations prosper when all people are equal before the law. Zimbabweans and Americans have both fought for justice, know how important it is and know that it requires constant nurturing,” Wharton said in a recorded messages sent to reporters by the US Embassy in Harare.
Zimbabwe has a long history of gross human rights abuses sponsored by the state that stretches back to its pre-independence Rhodesian times. Selective application of the law has also been an issue over the past decade with the controlling party ZANU PF standing accused.
Wharton, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, was previously Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy in the Bureau of African Affairs at the Department of State. He joined the Bureau of African Affairs in 2009 as Director of the Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, after a two-year assignment as Deputy Coordinator of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Information Programs.
Wharton says he is excited about the prospect of returning to Zimbabwe and looks forward to meeting, learning about and working with all sectors of Zimbabwean society.
“I will work to enable Zimbabwe to become a just, prosperous and democratic state that meets the needs of its people, contributes to development in the region, and plays an important role in world affairs.”
Wharton’s additional overseas assignments include posts in Guatemala, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and South Africa.
VIDEO:

(ZimEye, Zimbabwe)

Oregon(ZimEye)A US tourist visiting Zimbabwe was arrested before he was to meet Vice President Joice Mujuru, then made to endure a gruelling four days in the Harare remand prison and later deported without a charge.
Paul Sivley, who is also a photographer, hoped to meet Joice Mujuru and other local women of repute, power and influence “in order to highlight accomplishments of Zimbabwean women.”
But after successful interviews with only 3 women, Sivley met the wrath of the CIO and senior law enforcement agents as he encountered unfair arrest, illegal detention, the denial of medication and other basic rights and finally deportation. He was kept in a room and interrogated for hours before they took all his belongings including his camera and laptop.
Joice Mujuru has in recent months come under watch of the CIO after top secret wikileaks cables revealed she went behind her boss Robert Mugabe and engaged in secret meetings with a top US envoy based in Harare. The US man says he was not aware that the CIOs were monitoring Joice Mujuru especially after reports of her leaking state secrets to a US envoy, so for an American citizen to meet her, it would be a serious security matter.
“Oh, boy, had no idea about that. My naivety and/or insufficient knowledge,” he told ZimEye.
Sivley says he failed to complete his interviews after being targeted and quizzed on why he wanted to specifically meet the HON VP Joice Mujuru.

 
“…they really focussed on why I wanted to meet the VP, and I said cause some consider her an inspirational woman!,” he said.
“Sad thing is that I couldn’t meet but 3 of the inspirational women I wanted to feature,” he told ZimEye.
The US citizen, a photographer who currently serves as vice-chair of a social empowerment organisation in Mutare planned to create a photographic story about inspirational women in the country who could serve as role models for younger women. In the past Sivley who carries a strong passion for photography, and specialises in portraits, architectural and travel/editorial imagery, has for years served the Zimbabwean community in Oregon.
 
Only white person at Heroes Acre
Sivley successfully attended the recent national heroes commemoration at the heroes acre in Harare in August without being victimised despite being the only white foreigner apart from foreign envoys present there. He revealed to ZimEye that it was only after he sought to see The HON Vice President Joice Mujuru that he was targeted, otherwise his colour of skin could not have affected the CIO agents.
“I can’t say I was targeted as white, but I was easy to pick out of all the people at the Heroes Day celebration since I was the only white in the audience beyond embassy officials.”
 
Police abuse
Soon after the heroes celebration, Sivley says he was subjected to 7-15 hour interrogations by various officers, including Commissioner Augustine Chihuri, spent four continuous nights in the remand prison and was shouted at and threatened with beatings by notorious police torturer, Henry Dowa of the CID Law and Order section.
“…Visa cancelled Aug 19, had to leave immediately. Despite the fact they couldn’t make any charges stick. Officer Dowa at CID Harare Central Station is someone who is on the edge,” he told ZimEye
He was cleared of charges before returning to the US.
“Immigration cleared me of charges before any court proceedings,” he said.
Sively adds that he was not only denied food and water, but he was also refused his heart medicine. Besides the physical abuse, he had his equipment and goods worth about USD20, 000 confiscated by the police and was neither given a copy of the inventory.
“At no time over the three days were we offered any breaks, water or food. I was never told the name of any police officers. I was never advised where we were going when we were in transit, with the exception of when two officers went with me to search my room,” he said.
“It was clear during the long interrogation that the officers were hunting for some charge they might be able to make stick – be it alleging I was a journalist, that I should have had a business visa, not a tourist visa, and various other lines of inquiry.
“I was subjected to questions ranging from my marital status, my religion, who I was working for, why I had picked women to focus on, and much more. Officers ridiculed my mention of a female farmer as the inspiration for this project, questioned why I had ‘a woman who did absolutely nothing of importance’. At about midnight on August 15, I was charged with the business/tourist visa matter,” he said.
 
No strip search
Sivley says that the police did not strip search him something he finds to be unusual since if the police were genuinely concerned about discovering more about him, they would have performed a more thorough search instead of just targeting his belongings.
“I’m just typing some trip notes and one thing I recall is that even though they searched me, my room, my backpack, etc, they never did a strip search. Is that normal? Seemed a shortfall from their perspective, frankly?,” he said.
  
Prisoners were happier than the prison-guards
Sivley has said that during his stay he found that prisoners were actually happier and in better spirits than the guards themselves.
“They tried to toss a bunch of phony charges at me, all cleared, but visa cancelled. 4 nights prison; they kept my equipment. But prison inmates had higher morals than the cops…,”  he said.
 
Caught lice and ringworm
“On my second night in remand, I caught lice from the wool blankets and ringworm from the showers, as verified by doctors in the US on my return. On August 18, at about 9am, I was escorted out of the cell to two waiting immigrations officer who, after some delay, said I had been cleared of the visa charge, but that my visa had been cancelled and they were taking me to the airport immediately.”
 “I stayed on the concrete floor with my head one foot from a concrete toilet and my feet at a drafty door,” he said. “One of the key observations I made was that there was absolutely no communication between CID, immigration or prison officials.
“Clearly, there are prisoners who merit different treatment after being convicted of serious crimes, but I was housed with non-convicted prisoners, many accused of minor crimes, who enjoyed no rights, procedures, information or basic health standards. I noticed that the absence of rules or procedures was even worse and more arbitrary in police cells than at remand.”
Sively has said he hopes to contact the Home Affairs Ministers Theresa Makone and Kembo Mohadi about his ordeal. His equipment has now been released, but the cost to ship it to America is very expensive. (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

Coventry(ZimEye)Restoration Of Human Rights organisation, ROHR, continues to roar and will be loaching an innovative IT communications project for human rights activists soon.
ROHR has announced venturing into a new Information Technology offensive which will engage the latest mobile communication technologies available.
Addressing a crowd at the group’s annual comemoration in a Saturday party function at Coventry, the organisation’s chair, Grace Mupfurutsa announced plans to use Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) systems.

“As we get towards elections, we intend to get activists on the ground communicating in the easiest and cheapest technologies possible. This will involve the latest 4G and 3G tech platforms, SMS, MMS, USSD, VoIP, and WAP ” she said.
Despite the organisation encountering problems with expelled fraudster Ephraim Tapa, none of the Tapa’s unscrupulous activities have affected the group’s growth. Members from various parts of the UK, southern, northern, and other remote locations of the country coverging at Coventry for their annivesary, heard of the NGO’s leap into technology. The party began from 2PM and stretched all the way into midnight. Photos:

The family of a young woman killed in a fatal road traffic collision on the M62 has paid tribute to her in a death that has been blamed on a Zimbabwean asylum seeker, Mr Wilfred Museka, aged 31, of Powell Street, Clayton.
Mr Museka driving a vehicle in the wrong direction on the motorway hit into a vehicle carrying Rebecca Caine, reports allege. Rebecca Caine, known as Becky, aged 20 from Leeds, died when the Chevrolet Matiz she was travelling in was involved in the head-on collision with Museka’s Renault Megane on the M62 eastbound near to junction 21.

Wilfred Museka, aged 31, of Powell Street, Clayton, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, fraud by false representation, driving without insurance and driving other than in accordance with a driving licence.
He is due to appear at Minshull Street Crown Court on 8 October 2012.
In a tribute from the family, they said: “As you can imagine our lives are shattered and our hearts are broken into pieces.
“She was a beautiful girl with her whole life ahead of her. She was embarking on a modelling career and would be finishing her final year of her business degree at Leeds University.
“Rebecca was a bright light that attracted everything to her with her infectious laugh and her beaming smile.
“She saw the best in everyone and was loved by hundreds of friends.
“The worst part is the emptiness and the total waste of a beautiful life. She was only 20 when she died.
“She was our little girl now she is our little angel. Something somewhere has failed us.
“We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to the police and other services for helping us through this difficult time.”
The driver of the Matiz and two other passengers suffered minor injuries.
Anyone with information about the collision is asked to call the Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 0161 856 4741.

London(ZimEye)Zimbabwe’s Paralympic team together with the support staff were made to endure a gruelling long 8 kilometre journey outside Central London after the Zim embassy decided to cancel their send off party-venue having learnt that Mavambo Kusile Dawn party leader Simba Makoni would be present at the function.
The party held last week ended up being abruptly shifted within less than 48 hours’ notice after embassy officials discovered that Simba Makoni had also been invited to the farewel function held for the sporting heroes. As a result of the embassy’s unexplained actions the function was poorly attended and venue facilities were not accomodative for disabled people.
A source told ZimEye soon after the party:
“The ambassador was afraid that if Simba was going to come to the embassy, it was going to be an issue(with Harare). The row was that Makoni is not in government but how come he has been suddenly invited to the function; That is the reason why the ambassador cancelled the venue.”

 
Ambassador snubbed meeting
Coincidentally, the ambassador was not seen at the function and when contacted on the day, embassy officials claimed that he had travelled for an urgent family meeting in Birmingham. At the previous function for the Olympians, the ambassador was however present including several government officials and the splash party was held at the posh embassy building at The Strand in Central London. But at the paralympians’ function only one official was present- a young Mr Donald Charumbira.
While the fundraiser for the Olympic team weeks before had over 250 people attend, this time around ZDOSN managed an audience of a paltry less than 70.
 
Envoy later escorted the team to airport
It turned out that the ambassador later escorted the paralympians to the airport.
“You will note that the ambassador later even decided to escort the paralympians to the airport on their way to Harare,” the official who declined to be named said.
No reason given for the cancellation
To date no valid reason has been provided for the cancellation and several calls to Mr Donald Charumbira the embassy official’s mobile phone, were neither answered nor returned.
“They just wrote to us that they were cancelling the function at the last minute , but did not explain the reasons for it. As a result we had to put in our own private money to hold the function,” one of the organisers told ZimEye in an exclusive interview on Wednesday.
 
Paralympians demand recognition
The venue being a 8kilometres stretch away was not suitable for disabled people and the choice of the stage was neither wheelchair accessible.
Lewis Garaba, the Chef de Mission for the Paralympians was later seen taking an indirect swipe at the organisers for the shocker. He joked stating that “maybe next time Zimbabwe Diaspora Olympic Support Network (ZDOSN) could include Paralympians to their organisation’s name?” Other issues raised were that the function was poorly attended with 14 tables but only 8 occupied. The low turn out meant that only £2700 was raised and the 2 Paralympians Nyasha Mharakurwa and Elliot Mujaji, are to receive only £400 each. The organisation may have  suffered a loss as overheads amounted to £1900, £100 short of the hall hire, £2000.
Efforts to obtain an additional comment from the ambassador were fruitless at the time of writing. (ZIMBABWE,ZimEye)

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has proceeded with his wedding to Elizabeth Macheka on Saturday under customary laws, a day after a court cancelled his marriage licence.
Tsvangirai decided to circumvent the order by staging the wedding under the country’s customary law which allows a man to have as many wives as he wants.
“We respect the law; we don’t violate the law but there are other people who would like to abuse the law for their political ends.

More photos below…

“I think I will make it to the Guinness Book of Records as the first Zimbabwean to be denied the right to wed.”
Tsvangirai rubbished his critics saying despite the attacks on his character, he will die with Elizabeth: “Some have a chain of wives and some took other people’s spouses. So what is my issue?”
This one I hunted on my own and I shall die with her, he said
“Uyu ndakapfimba ndega, ndikaroora ndega and ndichafa naye. Zvichemo zvinoenda nekuna mai ava ndivo amai venyu.”
Below are some of the latest pictures coming out of the ceremony.

A magistrate has blocked Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s planned wedding meant for Saturday ruling that he was already married to a former lover under customary law.
Ms Locardia Tembo’s lawyer, Everson Samkange who announced the Court’s latest ruling said, ‘the marriage licence that had been issued to the premier has been cancelled.’
Morgan Tsvangirai has had a string of women claiming various forms of union with him ranging from mere intimacy, to the traditional customary lobola procedures, and the recent marriage licence for Elizabeth Guma whose planned marriage ceremony has been cancelled. Three women were claiming him – Locardia Karimatsenga Tembo, Elizabeth Guma, and a South African woman, Nosipho Regina Shulubane.
Had it not been for the ruling Tsvangirai would have been tying the knot with Ms Macheka Saturday at Rain­tree Gardens in Umwinsidale, Harare.
Lawyers for Tsvangirai, whose political reputation has been marred by the love wrangles however said they would appeal the ruling. At the time of writing, it was not clear how that appeal would be processed.

Harare(ZimEye)A South African woman filed papers with the Magistrates Court in Harare on Thursday seeking to stop Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s wedding a day after another local woman Locardia Kamutsenga had lost a bid to stop the same wedding in the High Court.
Nosipho Regina Shulubane says she met Tsvangirai in Singapore and they proceeded to have an affair.
She said Tsvangirai promised to marry her.

Shulubane says she has pictures of them spending time on the beach and the sort.
Tsvangirai has been linked with various women since the death of his wife Susan in a car accident a few years ago.
The details of the case read as follows:

• Shilubane filed the urgent application objecting to the pending wedding ceremony between Tsvangirai and Macheka in terms of Section 19 of the Marriages Act Chapter 5:11, through her lawyer Wellington Pasipanodya.
• Pasipanodya filed the papers before regional magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi
• Shikubane is aggrieved that Tsvangirai intends to marry without her knowledge and without finishing outstanding lobola negotiations with her family.
• Shilubane contends she was introduced to Tsvangirai by her pastor, Mr Lazurus Muriritirwa of the Gospel Assembly Church on the 5th of September 2009 in Johannesburg at Monte Casino shopping complex.
• Tsvangirai told Shilubane he was a widower who was looking for a bride to marry and the pastor had said she was a suitable candidate.
• Shilubane visited Zimbabwe between the 18th and 20 of September in 2009 staying at her pastor’s house in Borrowdale.
• Tsvangirai is said to have relocated Shilubane from Yeoville to an upmarket apartment near Sandton Buccleuh, following which they went for a holiday in the Seychelles between 28 of December and 10 January 2010.
• On the 19th of December, Shilubane alleges Tsvangirai asked her to follow him to Gaborone in Botswana, saying he was distressed. She followed and they stayed together in his hotel.
• On the 27th of December 2010, they went together for another love cruise holiday in Singapore for two weeks up to early 2011, on a yacht called the Legend of The Seas.
• In February, Tsvangirai is said to have proposed to marry Shilubane indicating he wanted the ceremony to be conducted in Zimbabwe and Shilubane accepted, advising him that he should first marry her traditionally according to her Tsonga custom.
• After the marriage dates were agreed upon, Shilubane alleges Tsvangirai would shift them saying government commitments were disturbing him.
• Throughout the relationship, the PM did not use condoms. He asked Shilubane to go ‘on the pill’.

_FINAL UPDATE: Tsvangirai wedding to go ahead after High Court ruling 

Harare (ZimEye) Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s supposed wedding with his newly found love Elizabeth Macheka hangs in the balance, after High Court Judge Guvava reserved the judgment on whether it will be a success or not to Wednesday.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s ex-lover Locadia Karimatsenga claims she is legally married to the Premier claiming that they were customarily married with the MDC leader having paid Lobola (dowry).
“Judgment has been reserved to tomorrow, that’s when the court is going to make a ruling. They argued their case and we argued ours as well since 1430hrs and the court resolved that it be rolled over to tomorrow,” said Advocate Innocent Chagonda who is representing Prime Minister Tsvangirai.
As part of his argument, Tsvangirai filed an opposing affidavit arguing that Karimatsenga does not fully understand the provisions of the marriages act.

“In my respectful view, it is very clear that the Applicant has not been properly advised. ……….I invite the Applicant and her advisors to acquaint themselves more fully with the provisions of the Act,” said Tsvangirai in his affidavit.
Tsvangirai further argues that the High Court has no jurisdiction over the case as the magistrate court had already issued a marriage licence.
“Upon receiving any objection, the magistrate who has issued a Marriage License or a Marriage Officer who intends to preside over the marriage is obliged at law to hold an inquiry into the grounds of the objection,” he said.
Tsvangirai attached a copy of the Marriage License issued by Magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi on August 27 this year as provided for in the marriages act. The licence,  noteably, bears Tsvangirai’s state provided accommodation as the residential address of both the bride and the bridegroom.
Meanwhile the Premier has also attacked the media for reporting on his private life despite him acknowledging that he lives a public life by virtue of him being Prime Minister. He also rubbished the pictures published in several local papers of Locadia perfoming cultural rites in Buhera as choreographic.
“The cultural rites that took place (in Christon Bank) received wide, well arranged publicity clearly giving rise to a legitimate inquiry on the motive of this publicity, including the choreographed media capture of Ms Karimatsenga while she was supposedly in Buhera,” he said.
Zanu (PF)’s most political flip-floper Jonathan Moyo once referred to Tsvangirai as one who approaches life with ‘an open zip and shut mind policy’. However, Tsvangirai seems to have owned up to his mistakes where as part of his court papers he apologises to Zimbabweans for his actions.
“I apologise to every Zimbabwean for any discomfort caused by any of my actions,” read Tsvangirai’s affidavit.

_FINAL UPDATE: Tsvangirai wedding to go ahead after High Court ruling

-Court Update-  1900Hours  Tuesday 11th September 2012 – CLICK TO READ
-Court Update-  1805Hours   Tuesday 11th September 2012
The decision in the high court chamber application by Locardia Karimatsenga Tembo case versus Morgan Richard Tsvangirai is expected to be announced in the next three hours.
At the time of writing, people were still holed up in the court room. As is the nature of chamber applications, a decision can stretch beyond working hours.
The exact time the decision will be passed was not clear at the time of writing.

Please visit this page again for updates –CLICK TO READ UPDATE

Zimbabwe’s parampic team was treated to a reception by The Zimbabwe Diaspora Olympics Support Network [ZDOSN] at the Irish Centrein Camden town, London.
The 7 September Reception was an opportunity for the Zim community to show support for the two Paralympic athletes, Elliot Mujaji (100 metres) and Nyasha Mharakurwa (wheelchair tennis) who flew the flag for Zimbabwe at the Paralympic Games.
Present at the function were officials from the Zimbabwe National Paralympics Committee and the Zimbabwe Sports and Recreation Commission. There were also a number of former Zimbabwean Olympians, politicians, and also celebrity guests in attendance, including Mavambo Kusile Dawn president Dr Simba Makoni.
Of the paralympians, Elliot Mujaji was not present as he was still in hospital after suffering from an injury during his race.
PHOTOS

A 34 year old Zimbabwean man, Obert Ngwenya, has been arrested by Sussex Police after a woman suffered serious facial injuries in a violent attack in Hove, Sussex.
The attack described as “one of the worst cases of domestic violence” in the area happened at a care home in Hove, reports state.
Ngwenya was arrested on suspicion of kidnap, threats to kill and assault following the incident in New Church Road at around 01:00 on Sunday morning.
The man is also known by another name Obert Moyo.

Detective Inspector Mark Cullimore said: “I would like to thank the public for their assistance in our appeal yesterday which has resulted in the arrest today of a man in connection with the incident. “The victim of the attack continues to recover from the serious injuries she received.”
The man was still in custody at the time of writing. (UK,ZimEye)

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and leader of the MDC-T party has warned of a possible election disaster looming if regional leaders do fail to address the current national political deadlock to do with the draft constitution and deal with President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF party.
President Robert Mugabe recently rejected the draft constitution which his legal team approved and signed after a two and half year rigorous consultation process. Soon after the draft constitution was produced, Mugabe’s party then announced that they were not in agreement with its key components resulting in a deadlock.
The MDC leader has cautioned that tampering with the draft constitution could spell disaster for the elections. Tsvangirai has rejected President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF party’s proposed amendments to the draft Constitution and is calling for the draft to the taken to the public.
“if this process is collapsed, it will spell doom to the prospects for a credible, free and fair election, ” said Tsvangirai in Harare on Tuesday.
He said the people of Zimbabwe are the real principals and final arbiters who should take the decision in a referendum to accept or throw away the Draft Constitution.
Below was the PM’s statementon the constitution:

—
“Perhaps the most important debate in the country is about the Constitution. I want to make it clear that neither the Principals nor the political parties have any veto power over the Constitution.
Article 6 of the GPA is clear that the Constitution-making process should be driven by Parliament. Some of us have no wish to revise that position and in any case, the Principals cannot renegotiate a document agreed by those with our delegated authority.
We cannot negotiate in perpetuity. This Constitution is a product of years of hard work which included sourcing the views of the people and negotiations between the political parties. So we say no to any attempts to dedicate more time in a process where the country has already committed huge resources and time.
It is time the people made a decision through a referendum and political parties should refrain from pretending to speak on behalf of the people when the people reserve the right to speak for themselves in a referendum.
This draft is a product of careful and painstaking negotiations on a give-and-take basis.
In this referendum, every party should reserve the right to campaign for or against this Constitution because it is high time we gave the people of Zimbabwe the right to make a determination on this important national process. The new draft by our friends in this government is not an amendment to the draft, but a completely new document which is at variance which what the people said. For example, the people were clear on the need for a devolved State but our friends have completely removed any mention of devolution in their new document.
So let’s take the draft Constitution to the people who are the real Principals in this matter. The Principals to the
GPA cannot substitute the sovereign people of Zimbabwe to determine how they should be governed. Let the people of Zimbabwe in a referendum be the final arbiters, not three individuals.
A new Constitution is central to elections and to the reform agenda in Zimbabwe and if this process is collapsed, it will spell doom to the prospects for a credible, free and fair election”
 
ZANU PF restored presidential powers.
Tsvangirai’s cautioning comes as Zanu PF at the weekend convened an emergency meeting where they forced 30 amendments to the document, saying the draft in its current state does not reflect the people’s views.
The Zanu PF draft strengthens presidential powers over parliament including in the right to declare war and explicitly outlaws homosexuality, same sex marriage and dual citizenship. It also scraps a proposed independent prosecuting authority, clauses giving more executive authority to provincial governments and gives complete immunity from prosecution to the president.
Meanwhile Sotuh Africa’s president Jacob Zuma’ currently the SADC appointed mediator arrived in Harare to attend the staelmate over the draft constitution.

In the coming few days ZimEye reveals exclusive secret documents from the CIO headquarters on how President Robert Mugabe’s intelligence organisation strategically planned and framed former ZANU Ndonga leader Ndabaningi Sithole leading to his imprisonment in the 1990s.
Sithole once Robert Mugabe’s boss, went into exile in fear for his life in 1983, and returned to Zimbabwe in 1991.
Soon upon his return he became a thorn in Robert Mugabe’s flesh as his ZANU Ndonga party grew and was elected to Parliament in 1995.
By this time, Mugabe’s government had become deeply unpopular and Sithole’s party proved a small but troublesome thorn in its side.
In 1997 he was swiftly charged, tried and convicted for conspiring to murder Mugabe and disqualified from attending the Harare parliament. His life was troublesome leading to his death in 2000.
ZimEye will offload every single detail letter by letter of how the CIO successfully brought down Robert Mugabe’s former boss, Sithole. (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

Harare(ZimEye)There was a crisis in Harare Monday afternoon after Professor Welshman Ncube was snubbed from the principals meeting yet attended by President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara.
This development goes against a resolution passed at the recent SADC summit which declared Welshman Ncube as the legitimate MDC principal and not Arthur Mutambara.
A furor was also sparked by Arthur Mutambara after he attacked and shouted at Jacob Zuma for snubbing him during a principal’s briefing last week.
The MDC deputy spokesman Kurauone Chihwayi told ZimEye:
“MDC president professor Welshman Ncube was not invited to the meeting of principals today. This did not come as a surprise to all green team members. We shall remain committed to the struggle of delivering a just and fair Zimbabwe. The MDC shall go on a collision course with Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara. We are ready for any storm with all the angels of Lucifer.”
It was not clear if Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was party to the plot to snub Ncube.
What was not also clear was what Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara were meeting for.
Meanwhile president Mugabe’s spokesman George Charamba told state media that Prof Ncube’s recognition by SADC as leader of the MDC would not upgrade him to the status of Principal when it comes to Zimbabwe’s Government matters.
“The long and short of all this is that Prof Mutambara remains a Principal in the same way Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is and the same way President Mugabe is.
“He remains so in spite of the Sadc decision, which relates to political parties anyway.”
Mr Charamba said Sadc stressed that for the purposes of its mediation assignments in Zimbabwe, it would now be dealing with leaders of political parties.
(ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

The former US ambassador to Zimbabwe has resigned from government service and will now become a general citizen with everyone else.
Ray told friends from his home on Thursday night that he is changing professions and will now be a journalist.
“I am retiring effective Sep. 1. After that date, I am a private citizen and journalist, no longer a diplomat,” he said.
Ray also issued a statement on his blog stating that: “it is good to be home” in which he also announced that he can now get back to doing what he loves doing.
“I can now get back to doing what I love doing, when I’m not writing or some other activity, riding the Washington Metro Rail observing my fellow passengers. That’s right; like most writers, I am a notorious snoop and eavesdropper, and some of my best characters, plots, and descriptive have come from subway rides. In fact, the subway is probably one of the best places for a writer to observe the human condition. I’ve ridden subways in New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco (not to mention London, Paris, and Stockholm), and each of them has its own unique characteristics. But, for me, the Washington mass transit system has been a gold mine,” he wrote on his online portal.
Charles Ray struck history becoming the first foreign diplomat in Southern African history to engage at personal level local citizens on social communication websites Twitter and Facebook on a wide range of subjects covering various social issues.
Thousands of Zimbabweans began joining him particularly on the social networking website Facebook.
It was not immediately clear what influenced him into resigning at the time of writing. (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

Harare(ZimEye)-ZIMBABWE is set to deploy troops to war-torn Syria as part of a peace keeping mission following a request by the United Nations.
Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa said UN has requested Zimbabwean troops to Damascus.
“The request has come in two ways. First the UN requested us to shift our officers in other countries to Syria. The second request was for us to send another team to Syria which we have already approved,” he said.
He said Zimbabwe will continue to honour UN invitations to participate in peace-keeping mission. Zimbabwe has participated in other war-torn areas like Liberia, Angola and Sierra Leone.
However Mnangagwa did not clarify how the Zimbabwe troops will operate as it has become apparent that UN intervention in Syria was failing.
A special envoy to the UN, Koffi Annan has withdrawn from being the negotiator as rival parties in the country continue to engage in a bitter civil war.
Thousands of people have been killed while others have fled the country to seek refuge in other countries.
There has been suspicion from the warring parties that foreign troops and machinery was being used in by the fighters.(ZimEye, Zimbabwe)
Ends

Gweru(ZimEye)Two of the three Gweru women who last year made international headlines after being caught with 31 used condoms with semen at a road block have been acquitted by a Gweru court.
Rosemary Chakwizira and sisters Sophie and Natsai Nhokwara made headlines last year when they were arrested at a road block after police discovered them with 31 used condoms that had semen in the boot of their car.
This had followed a spate of incidences of men who had been raped along the country’s highways.  

The three were early this year acquitted for indecent assault of male hitch-hikers by a Harare magistrate.
But Rosemary and Sophie were back in the dock last week facing charges of prostitution.
Gweru magistrate Mildred Matuvi however acquitted the duo owing to lack of evidence.
Prosecutor Bonwell Balamanja had told the court that between January and October 2011 the two went to Tim Uptown night club in Gweru where they would solicit for prostitution.
He told the court that the two were arrested after they were found in possession of used condoms and some concoctions in their house in Gweru. (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

London(ZimEye)Barely two weeks after the death of MDC leader, prof Weshman Ncube’s son, tragedy has struck the MDC party again.
The MDC Treasurer General Cde Paul Themba Nyathi’s son has died in a suspected suicide incident, it was announced Tuesday morning.
Details were sketchy at the time of writing but the party’s deputy chairman in the United Kingdom, Langelihle Khoza told ZimEye:
“He is said to have passed away in a suspected suicide incident. Our thoughts are with the Nyathi family”, he said. More details to follow…

At least six priests in the oldest Christian organisation, the Roman Catholic church have in the past eight years alone been kicked out of holy service after being found guilty of sex affairs as was in the manner of the disgraceful exposure of his Grace the Most Reverend Dr. Pius Alick Mvundla Ncube in 2007.
This was revealed during an interview of the current Archibishop of Harare Robert Ndlovu.
Archbishop Ndlovu speaking to the weekly Standard paper’s deputy editor Walter Marwizi, would not disclose the full statistics raising belief that the number of ‘immoral’ priests may by far exceeds six.
“Well, I wouldn’t give you statistics but I know for instance since I came to Harare, I can say more or less with certainty five or six priests have been told to leave the priesthood,” he said.
Below is the Archbishop(ARN’s) short interview with Walter Marwizi(WM):
WM: What is the state of Roman Catholic Church in Zimbabwe: Is it growing or declining in terms of numbers?
ARN: Well, I would say it’s growing judging by the number of people and records that we have, of those that are being baptised, those that are being confirmed it’s grown, but there is an element that we have to look at. In the past few years, within the last 10 years or so, a good number of Catholics have gone to the diaspora and we can feel that in our parishes.  But otherwise in terms of growth, I can say it is balancing.
WM: There are critics who say the church is losing members especially the youth because it has remained too conservative on matters such as condoms and birth control. What is your comment?
ARN: We believe that sex is something sacred and it is to be used within a relationship, and therefore it’s an expression of love of two people and they realise in so doing they are co-operating with their creator. And that is God…So if it is morally wrong it does not become morally right because someone has invented a condom…
WM: Let’s turn to the problems in the priesthood. The church has been criticised for failing to rein in wayward priests. Is the church addressing these problems?

ARN: You always have problems and a rotten apple here and there because we are human beings and I think action is being taken, a good number of priests have been suspended once they were found out. A good number have just been told to leave the priesthood.
WM: Do you have numbers?
ARN: Well, I wouldn’t give you statistics but I know for instance since I came to Harare, I can say more or less with certainty five or six priests have been told to leave the priesthood. And I think two or three were sent on suspension because it depends on the gravity of the matter, some of them are not really (serious offences) but for discipline’s sake we have to do that… But also look at it from this point of view; we are recruiting from a society that we all know. I like to use the term a wounded society, so sometimes these temptations don’t stop because someone has become a priest…
WM: We have this case of former Archbishop Pius Ncube. Here is a head of the church who got involved with a woman, what do you think about his conduct?
ARN: Well, I get your point and I know the gravity of the situation especially as it was reported. But as I said there is a human side to all things and sometimes people can exploit that, I wouldn’t know the details of it, you know it was really a private life, how he came to be hooked into that situation, was it something set up, it is very difficult to get, he knows the rest but I always said, I look at myself and say it could happen to me, I am still a human being I can still get attracted to a person of the opposite sex …And we have to also realise that celibacy itself is not an easy life and I   think anyone who tells you it’s an easy life, will not be truthful. Celibacy is not an easy life but is a life that is worth living with the grace of God. It can be, it can be done.
WM: And what would you say is the damage that was caused by to the church by the Pius Ncube saga.
ARN: Well, as I said the issue of what happened to Archbishop Ncube has a lot of question marks that we still cannot answer. That is why I use the word, was he trapped into that… but you know it had also, some people will still think it had a political dimension, true or false I don’t know.
WM: But he confessed when he went to Vatican
ARN: Yah, but you see he confessed having, it’s not to deny that something happened that he had an affair with her but how it came about. This is what I don’t know and how do you get to that, he is the only one who knows what happened. How he met that woman and how he managed to reach that stage with a married woman for that matter, I don’t know what transpired there. But definitely I would be naïve about it, we have to accept that it scandalised the faithful.
 

An overzealous Policeman in Gutu has for the past 2 weeks struggled to get social scientist and business community leader, Phillip Bohwasi prosecuted.
It is two weeks now since the named cop arrested Mr Bohwasi claiming the crime committed was that of distributing party regalia.
After confining Mr Bohwasi overnight ina police cell, the cop went further to attempt to cast Bohwasi into court.
Bohwasi told ZimEye on Sunday he is still to hear the basis for the arrest effected on him two weeks later.
“An over)zealous policeman arrested me and began claiming that I was distributing party regalia(uniform)”, he said
But two weeks later the police have failed to find a legal basis for incarcerating the respectable social scientist exists.
Phillip Bohwasi commands respect in the business world and has held several senior posts in organisations nationwide.
He is a Founding Executive Director of Zimbabwe Opportunities Industrialisation Centres, which is responsible for the overall program planning, implementation, supervision and representation at various stakeholders meetings. He is also the former vice Chairman and founding Board Member of the Zimbabwe Micro Finance Institutions (ZAMFI) founded in 1998, and served on the Board for two three-year terms up to 2004. He has held several other top posts to date.

 

The MDC-T party’s Secretary General and Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Tendai Biti has said President Robert Mugabe can no longer unanimously deploy troops or declare war under the new constitution which vests those supreme powers in parliament adding that if the draft is endorsed Mugabe will also be liable for prosecution for offences he committed during or after his tenure of office.
“If he declares war yes, he can order soldiers to shoot back, but he has to go to parliament within seven sitting days and both houses must have two thirds saying yes we must go to war. Then the real power to declare war rests in parliament. I am told this is what ZANU (PF) does not want. On Wednesday they left that house (meeting) at around 12 in the morning and the other day they left at around 1 in the morning,” MDC-T Secretary General Tendai Biti told Reporters Friday in Harare.
Biti told the meeting organised by the Media Centre to make journalists get an appreciation of issues which ZANU (PF) is against in the draft constitution.
President Mugabe in 1998 deployed 11 000 troops in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to help in stopping a Tutsi-led rebellion, trained Interahamwe Hutu militias fighting Tutsis in the Great Lakes region.
But critics said the ZANU (PF) administration then did this without consulting citizens, arguing that the deployed soldiers were being paid by tax payers’ money, and up to now the amount which was used to pay the soldiers remain unknown.
Biti said if Mugabe is elected in office on the forthcoming elections under the new constitution he will be liable for prosecution for crimes he committed before, when and after his tenure of office.
“This constitution does not apply retrospectively that is why the two term office which we have done does not apply to prevent Mugabe from contesting for the next election. Suppose Zimbabweans are mad enough to vote for Mugabe it now mean that he is bound by the wide provisions of this constitution .So when he leaves office he will be prosecuted for Gukurahundi, Murambatsvina, because the constitution is now applying introspectively,”Biti added.
Currently ZANU (PF) is still debating the contents of the draft constitution with the aim of coming up with a common position.
The party met last week Friday and failed to reach a consensus. The party held another meeting Wednesday and again failed to agree on position.
Contacted for comment on the party’s Draft constitution through a telephone Friday ZANU (PF) spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said, “I cannot tell you until we have held another meeting next week.”
The two MDC formations in the inclusive government have already endorsed the draft constitution.
On Saturday the MDC-T party’s senior decision making body met and unanimously endorsed the draft constitution and below was their press statement:
 
MDC-T senior politburo adopts Draft Constitution.

After extensive deliberation, the National Council resolved to accept the Constitutional Draft. This is despite the fact that some aspects which the MDC would have wanted included in the Draft could not be incorporated.
It recommended Zimbabweans to vote ‘YES’ for the constitution in the referendum. Among other positives, the MDC is happy the Constitution has a very comprehensive bill of rights which include the first generation rights and socio-economic rights.
The constitution makes provisions for free and fair elections and sets definite time periods in which elections must be held.
The Party is also happy that the dream for a 50-50 representation in Parliament is becoming a reality. The acceptance of the Draft Constitution by the National Council follows a similar move by the Party’s National Executive Committee last week.
The MDC urges the Zimbabweans to ignore prophets of doom who have dismissed the constitution as they want to reverse the gains made by the people.   (Radiovop/ZimEye)

Oxford(ZimEye)The reported confusion at the Oxford MDC-T fundraising function on Saturday connected with the stripping down of the party’s foreign branches’ authority has been explained as having been caused by the UK leadership who allegedly failed to properly communicate directives from Harare.
It was also revealed that the visiting Harare delegate Thabitha Khumalo has nothing to do with the diaspora squabbles which are 15 months old to date.
The confusion arose over the contentious issue of whether the MDC-T UK and Ireland should continue as an external structure or reduced to an associate as stipulated in the latest MDC T constitution doctored from Harare.
One of the branch chairmen, Stanford Biti told ZimEye that the so called “demotion” is not a demotion at all and should have been communicated as re -organisation.
“It is mere “re-organisation” of the party it’s not a demotion,” he said.
Claims that Stanford Biti dismissed and doubted if “Tendai Biti had signed a letter which Samanyanga was reading to the media on the day”, have been disputed.
“I never challenged the authenticity of the letter ” said Biti.
“No. The only thing which I said is that “why should one person speak for the party?” We are now saying the secretary said this and that, (but) the secretary general is not the party.  Biti is not the MDC and Tsvangirai is not the MDC, we should say the party has said instead,” he said.
“I asked Tonderai  Samanyanga: are you operating as a provincial committee or as a coordinating committee, and he replied me saying he is operating as a coordinating committee.

“The only thing we should say is that the UK and Ireland should realise that they are far much better than any other province, and realise how powerful they are so they can unite to challenge Harare. And our potential actually means we can challenge Harare (on certain issues), he said.
Tonderai Samanyanga the man who was a year ago elected in provincial elections as UK and Ireland chairman, this week announced that his executive will be swiftly transformed into a coordinating committee as directed by the new constitution.
This was reportedly met with a diversity of views with Bristol branch MDC chairman Morgan Mutasa vehemently rejecting that the Samanyanga led executive should automatically transform to a coordinating committee.
“The new constitution states clearly that there should be only six members as in the coordinating committee and this would last up to 2016. We need to adhere to the constitution rather than misinterpret it ,”said Mutasa.

Harare(ZimEye)-The decade long exiled The Zimbabwean newspaper has been finally granted an operating licence.
The Zimbabwe Media Commission early this week announced the development.
The newspaper’s Editors Wilf Mbanga told Zimeye in an interview Wednesday that the development is going to see the paper striving for democratisation of the country.
“We will continue to build on our solid reputation for credibility and commitment to democracy, human rights and freedom of expression. Since the launch of our NEW LOOK at the beginning of the year we have implemented a new emphasis on analysis and interpretation of the news, more human interest stories, news about positive developments and success stories in every sphere. Our focus is to encourage dialogue between all Zimbabweans to foster nation-building, tolerance, diversity and reconciliation, ”Mbanga said.
Mbanga said National healing which the country desperately needs is going to be promoted by his weekly 32 paged publication which will be costing US$1 .
“Gender issues and national healing are high on our list of priorities, “he added.
John Makumbe the board chairperson of the publication says,
“We will now get all our reporters accredited so that we continue to provide the best news and information to the nation .We have a very competent team of reporters. Our thrust is going to be more analytical of local, regional and international events. It is also going to be focused on positive national development at the social, economic and political levels. With Zimbabwe now expecting to proceed to an All Stakeholders Conference on the Copac draft Constitution and the subsequent  referendum and elections, Zimbabweans deserve to know what will be happening in their country and what it will mean for the future of this good country,”he said.
This follows a Government directive for all foreign-based newspapers to register with the ZMC while their locally based journalists are accredited according to Zimbabwe’s laws.
ZMC chairperson Mr Godfrey Majonga confirmed to the state controlled daily Tuesday the registration of The Zimbabwean. “We have licenced one newspaper from the many that are currently operating outside the Zimbabwean law.
Mr Majonga said the ZMC was also checking on magazines operating in Zimbabwe.
“All those publications that have not done so are encouraged to come to our offices so that they operate within the law. If they continue with their illegal operations in the country we will act against them. We can ban the papers if they fail to comply with the requirements of the law.”(ZimEye,Zimbabwe)

Harare(ZimEye)Finance Minister Tendai Biti has said he has lost weight due to constant pressure from war veteran, civil servants and President Mugabe who are constantly at his office demanding money.
Biti said he has lost his social life because of sleepless nights he endures when dealing with the country’s treasury.
“Zimbabwe is the lowest on the happiness index, some of us, you can look at me, I have lost weight because every day I have war veterans, civil servants and Robert Mugabe and all kinds of nonsense that impinge on my right in pursuit of happiness,” said Biti jokingly told members of the civic society who were brain storming the constitutional draft on Wednesday.

“I used to play golf, I used to support Black Rhinos, I don’t know how all that ended. I don’t know the last time I have ever been to a night club. My right to pursue happiness has really been infringed. I used to phone girls but all that is gone and I don’t think it’s fair.”
Biti has been at the helm of the Finance Ministry since 2009 and has been blamed by many quarters who feel his policies have left them poor.
Civil servants have on numerous occasions threatened to go on strike to force Government to review their salaries. War veterans also want the Finance minister to review their gratuities.(ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

BRITISH DETECTIVES in West Midlands are investigating the murder of Zimbabwean teenager Ben Morutare who was found stabbed at his friend’s birthday party in Walsall, England

The 16-year-old had attended an 18th birthday party at the Smethwick Home Guard and Old Comrades Club in Smethwick on Friday evening (27 July).

At around 12.45am on Saturday (28 July), officers were called to a disturbance at the club.

When they arrived they were told by door staff that police were no longer needed as there were no signs of disorder.

A further emergency call was made just before 1.30am, when officers came across a large group of people in the street following a disturbance.

It is believed Ben was stabbed in the leg during that disturbance.

He was taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital, where he later died.

A murder investigation was launched and the scene remains cordoned off as officers continue their investigations.

Detectives are following up a number of lines of enquiry today (30 July) as they attempt to piece together the turn of events that led to Ben’s death and are urging people who were at the party and who have not already spoken to by the police to contact them.

Detective Inspector Gary Plant, from Force CID, said: “We do not underestimate the devastating impact the death of this young man will have on his family and the local community.

“We will do everything within our power to establish how Ben died. Officers continue to conduct house to house enquiries and part of the area around the club is still currently cordoned off.

“I would like to thank the local community for their patience and support as we continue with our investigations and would urge anyone who can help us with any information to speak to us at their earliest opportunity.

“My officers and family liaison officers have been speaking to Ben’s family and continue to offer them support and our thoughts and condolences remain with them at this time.”

Anyone with information can contact Force CID on 101 or call Crimestoppers confidentially on 0800 555 111.

Harare(ZimEye)Relations between Britain and Zimbabwe are strained, and President Robert Mugabe cannot set foot in London because of European Union imposed travel bans; Mr Mugabe blames Britain for retaliation following his seizure of white owned farms, and at a time when her own family members lost farmlands to Mugabe, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth is wishing to visit Zimbabwe.
The British Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms Deborah Bronnet in a speech yesterday revealed the Queen’s desire to travel to the former British colony:
“2012 is a special year in the United Kingdom. We have the Olympics, followed by the Paralympics. These two coincide with the celebrations of the Queen second Diamond. When I spoke to her last year (The Queen) she had full memories of visiting this country. I could see her love for the country in our conversation connected to my coming here as a representative. She was talking very fondly of Zimbabwe and her intentions to come here traveling around here and seeing people of Zimbabwe,” Bronnet said.
The last time Queen Elizabeth set foot in Zimbabwe was in October, 1991 when Zimbabwe was hosting the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Harare when she lodged at Robert Mugabe’s State House together with the president’s late wife, Sally.
 
Certainly against all conventions
Huddersfield University lecturer Nkululeko Sibanda told ZimEye of the development:
“It certainly goes against convention and expectation that the Queen will be expressing interest in terms of going to Zimbabwe at this time before the EU has made a decision to lift sanctions and before the Americans have done so but more importantly the EU. However I think what is important people have to understand is that the Queen is not necessarily a representative of the British state as it were; The Queen is a representative of British interest; and British interests can be found in countries that are both friendly and unfriendly to Britain or countries that politicians generally do not like. So from that strategic way of thinking you would see that the Queen would be willing to go to Zimbabwe. And if she does that is certainly to set the button for relations between Britain and Zimbabwe.
“Its certainly not the first time that Britain has had sterling relations with a Southern African country and especially with Robert Mugabe at a time when he is committing human rights abuses. This was the case in the 1980s and the excuse at that time was that Britain maintain relations as to see an end apartheid in South Africa.”
 
They have an excuse
Mr Sibanda continued saying the Queen will have a good explanation:
“So perhaps the Queen will have a good explanation to why she would be visiting Zimbabwe. I don’t see it happen immediately; I think the Foreign Office will act first by formalising relations first before the Queen can travel. If the foreign office can’t do that, then that may derail the Queen’s move. But the fact that this is being said, puts a lot of gravity to the matter in terms of letting sanctions lapse. And I think the Australians are going to follow suit. And they have an excuse since Morgan Tsvangirai has been traveling around the world campaigning for the lifting of sanctions. So they have an excuse but I must say its certainly not expected both from an academic and a political point of view.
 
Tears in Mugabe’s eyes
President Robert Mugabe’s close relationship with the Queen has been a major subject of discussion recently with some political commentators claiming she may be the only person able to convince Mugabe of anything.
Mugabe is reported narrating his relationship with the Queen with tears falling from his eyes and in a recent interview he told of their friendship: “And now, to this day, we treasure those moments, and we have nothing against the Royal Family,” he is quoted saying by South African author Heidi Holland.
 
Good relations until Tony Blair
Zimbabwe, a former British colony, was enjoying good relations with the former colonial power at the time the Queen traveled to Harare and President Robert Mugabe has hinted that problems with Britain began when the labour party’s Tony Blair took the Premiership in the late 1990s. The Conservative party who now hold power are known for their close traditional ties with the monarchy.
Ms Bronnet was guest speaker Friday at an event organised by Harare West legislator and the country’s Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development Deputy Minister Jessie Majome to donate 1000 primary school reading books.
The Queen is the longest living monarch after having acceded to the throne in February 1952 on the death of her father George VI.

When her father, the King George VI passed on, the Queen, then princess, was on a honeymoon in another African country, Kenya. Queen Elizabeth’s diamond jubilee this year was marked by several Zimbabwean women who marched exclusively singing in celebration of her. (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

Help is being sought for little two and a half year old Chantelle, from Zimunya village, in Mutare South.
“We are working hard to try and send Chantelle (2 and a half years old of 22 Mile Peg-Zimunya-Zimbabwe) for cleft-lip operation in Harare; She has developed a tooth just below her nose”, reveals Mr Henry Chitsenga of the Oxford based Sub Saharan Childrens Hope Trust.
ZimEye is informed Chantelle lives in Pararai Village (Zimunya, Mutare South, Manicaland) with her mother who is divorced. Her father is still alive. Her care giver is one Mrs Euphrasia Maraire.
The people who take care of Chantelle are subsistence farmers and her mother does some piece jobs around the village to earn a living.
Sometimes she gets help from her relatives but it is not consistent.

Chantelle was born on the 6th December 2009 (in a a family of four and she is the fourth born)
The first 3 siblings have their own father but he is late.
She was operated last year in June at Chitungwiza General Hospital
Those who wish to donate to Chantelle’s medical and operation expenses are asked to do so here
For more information on Sub Saharan Children’s Hope, click here
 
 

EDITOR – The recent Supreme Court ruling in which President Robert Mugabe was ordered to hold by elections in three Matebelend North constituencies should be treated with caution. The speed in which the Supreme Court ruling is nothing but a stage managed plot to trigger the holding of the next elections while the electoral environment remains in favour of Zanu (PF).
In 2002, MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai petitioned the Supreme Court challenging the results of that year’s presidential election, which was open to abuse of human rights and serious electoral fraud. More than 10 years later, the ruling is yet to be done. Several political cases are being similarly delayed.
It was therefore strange that the Supreme Court has made such a quick decision. Our judges are compromised and we should view their recent judgment with suspicion. Time and again the judiciary has been used by Zanu (PF) to further its agenda. We know that they want to hold elections without going through a referendum for a new Constitution.
That is why they are using any tactics available to their favour including coercing the judiciary to come up with judgments that although not in their favour will at the end prove to their benefit. – Agrippa Zvomuya, Harare
-thezimbabwean

MDC supporter’s dead body found in Thames river

London(ZimEye)An MDC member in the United Kingdom has been found dead in the Thames river.
London Police recovered Mr Bernard Hukwa’s body in the Thames river early in July and an autopsy is yet to be announced.
Hukwa was known for several weekend protests at the Zimbabwean as well as the Swazi embassy.
He had been missing for several days and when diaspora community leader Mr Jeff Sango went to Stratford police he was later surprised after finding out that the police had information of his fate.
Reports obtained by ZimEye show that Hukwa’s body was discovered in the Thames on the 9th July.
Described as a gentle, thoughtful and caring person, Mr Hukwa, unemployed as he was still awaiting the processing of his asylum claim, was continuously worried that he was failing to provide for his family in Zimbabwe. Asylum seekers are not allowed to work and if found in employment, they risk imprisonment and subsequent deportation.
It was only last week Wednesday that friends found out from the police that he had died.

Vigil leaders have concurred in saying that what they found most distressing about Bernard’s death was that he did not talk about his problems to the organizations that could have supported him: Vigil, Zimbabwe Association, ROHR and MDC.
The Vigil issued a press release stating:
It is with great sadness that the Vigil reports the death of Bernard Hukwa, a faithful supporter who was also a member of our sister organization ROHR and the MDC. We were horrified to hear his body was found in the Thames. Bernard was a gentle, thoughtful and caring person and all who knew him are grieving at the loss of such a good friend. He was living on his own in accommodation provided by the Home Office while his asylum case was being processed and we know he was worried about being unable to support his family in Zimbabwe. We hope to have more information later but at the next Vigil we will take a collection towards the cost of repatriating his body to Zimbabwe.
It was important that people shared their difficulties with others before they became really desperate, the statement further stated. (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

Professor Arthur Mutambara who for more than a year has held onto the government post of deputy Prime Minister despite his ouster from party leadership early 2011, has failed to secure a share of the government allocated US$8 million which is set aside for political parties in the 2012 national budget.
 
Several frantic appeals by Mutambara have led to Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa outrightly denying Mutambara in a surprise rebuttal of Mutambara’s rebel MDC-M faction.
 
Mutambara has to date twice attempted appeal with Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, pleading that his party was entitled to the money proportionately shared between the parties according to the number of MPs they have in Parliament.
 
“I have written letters to the minister twice and he has not responded. He has probably decided that we are not a party but at least he should have responded to our letters,” the party’s secretary general Maxwell Zimuto was quoted by The Herald.
 
“Our argument is based on the premise that we have some MPs who have expressed allegiance to us in writing.
 
“No one can just dismiss us because we are a legitimate party entitled to anything that the MDC-M must get as a party that signed the Global Political Agreement.”
 
The development sees the latest moves by President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party leaving Mutambara in the cold for the first time after more than a year of fighting and Mr Chinamasa replied Mutambara telling him that it was impossible to disburse funds to his rebel party. The High Court recently upheld Ncube’s election although Mutambara has to date appealed the decision at the Supreme Court.
 
“The (Political Parties Finance) Act provides that I should deal with secretaries-general or secretary for administration (with respect to Zanu PF),” Chinamasa said.
 

 
“We have therefore disbursed money to Welshman Ncube in the same account that we have deposited. Until there is a court order to the contrary, we will continue disbursing the funds in that manner.”
 
Ncube currently industry and commerce minister in the coalition government, replaced Mutambara as MDC leader at a party congress in 2010, prompting a legal challenge by the deputy premier.
Meanwhile when approached for a comment by ZimEye, Prof Arthur Mutambara shouted on our reporter vocalising unprintable words and then later only said people should approach his party’s information department for inquiries.
Mutambara launchedhis party after he last year refused to recognise Welshman Ncube as leader despite a legitimate internal election which he both participated and agreed to and refusing to abdicate from the position of Deputy Prime Minister he stated:
“I have no intention whatsoever to leave the position of the DPM. I will not abdicate from  my national responsibilities in order to satisfy narrow party-political aspirations…” (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

Bulawayo(ZimEye)PROSTITUTES in Bulawayo have come out in full force backing former MDC-T deputy spokesperson Thabita Khumalo who Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai demoted for calling for the legalisation of prostitution.
Several prostitutes in the city told ZimEye they are demanding Khumalo be reinstated and will forcefully vote her back into her position.
Khumalo who is the MP for Bulawayo East was demoted from the party early this month after she went on a crusade to ensure parliament come up with a law to legalise the “oldest profession”.
Among her demands, she was also challenging the use of the word prostitutes and wanted the name to be changed to ‘pleasure engineers’.
Prostitutes said silencing Khumalo through demotion from the party was unfair and was meant to dampen her spirits in the campaign which was also geared at fighting HIV/AIDS transmission as according to her arguments, the legalisation would mean prostitutes can get adequate medical support from government being at greater risk of contracting the disease.

“This is a blow to our quest. We know that in her we have a voice and we are clearly aware that the move to demote her is an attempt to dampen her spirits and we advice her to stand firm,” said a prostitute identified as Pinky.
Another prostitute who called herself ‘Vicky’ and who frequents a night club a stone throw from a flat where Khumalo resides said prostitutes wound continue to vote for her.
“Unless they bar us from voting, we want to assure her and warn her detractors that we are going to support her and she is going to get the position she is yearning for.”
Another prostitute at another city club known as Linda said they wanted Khumalo to be reinstated to her position.
“We want MaKhumalo back on top,” she said.
Khumalo has been calling for the legalisation of the profession arguing that it helps curb the spread of HIV and AIDS and will also help in harnessing taxi from the popular profession. (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

Coventry(ZimEye)A Zimbabwean male nurse, Bongani Nyathi, on trial by the Nursing council, NMC, for a number of sexual offence allegations which include asking for sex at work and also stroking a female colleague’s breasts, has denied the claims and accused the alleged victims of concorting the accusations.
Several female work collagues have accused Nyathi of a number of despicable advances which include showing a colleague  a picture of his genitals.
Nyathi however maintained his ground throughout the hearing and denying the claims he accused the alleged victims of concorting the accusations against him.
But speaking before an NMC tribunal, Mr Nyathi’s boss Noel Carroll, deputy manager of the Cow Lees Care Home in Bedworth, Warwickshire, however said that Nyathi had actually confessed to grabbing the care assistant’s breasts during an internal investigation.
 

“He didn’t deny it” – Boss
“He didn’t deny it, and the impression I got was he had a feeling he was about to lose his job,” Carroll told a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) hearing.

Frogs “taste like Chicken”

London(ZimEye)A Zimbabwean man based in the Netherlands has shocked the online Zim community as he confessed to eating frogs and enjoying it.
Mr K******* ******** said that no one forced or enticed him to eat the ‘delicacy’.
” l was all by myself and none had to convince or influence me and l just said why not try something new. It’s looks and sounds crazy or even nasty if you wanna call it,” he said.
 

There was pandemonium on social networking Facebook after Mr ******** in an open way graphically described his experience of eating frogs:

“Had my first frogs last Sat, surprisingly they taste like chicken. l was a bit hesitant at first then said why not?,” he said.
“l didn’t die”
Mr ******** hinted that he did not die after eating the water animal meat so there is “no big deal” in the eating of frogs.
“l had many other options but frog legs were my choice and by the way l didn’t die am still alive. No big deal out of it,” he said.
 
“Not my favourite dish though”
 ******** however said that although he would not mind eating frogs again, they are not his favourite dish.
“Do l wanna eat them again? Maybe yes but not my favourite dish though,” he said
A friend of ******** s then commented saying that he will now collect frogs for Muchemwa when next he visits. “Will start collecting frogs for the next time you come this side”, wrote a friend identified only as J Mutemutemwa.
Frog meat is common in eastern countries and a WordPress blogger has described the meat in exactly the same way ******** does:
“…After a while I had to ask what new treat she had prepared. “Ça c’était délicieux Malou. Qu’est-ce que vous faites? Du poulet, bien sûr?” (It was delicious Malou. What did you make ? It must have chicken.) She grinned and answered, “Non, c’est les cuisses de grenouille ! ” (No, it’s frog legs.),” writes the blogger.
(ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

The European Union’s announced plans to lift sanctions have been celebrated across the Zimbabwe political divide with MDC parties expressing hope that the development should pave way for free and fair elections.
Zanu PF had to date used the sanctions matter as both a tool to attack coalition partners in government and also as propaganda to garner support and tighten its grip on power.
Responding to the EU suspension of sanctions the MDC-T spokesman, Douglas Mwonzora, told ZimEye: “The sanctions have been removed to allow Zimbabwe to show whether it can reform. We hope Zanu PF will take this opportunity to allow peace in Zimbabwe.”
A UK based legal expert, Alex Magaisa has pointed out that the so called smart sanctions were bound to fail from the onset:
“Far from being a point of weakness, sanctions became a source of strength amongst the targeted. Notice how ZANU PF responded to calls for the implementation of the GPA with its own call for the removal of sanctions. The reluctance to remove the sanctions because an excuse for refusing to implement the GPA.
“Smart sanctions gave an excuse and opportunities for the state to intensify its grip on the citizens as the state played innocent victim and intensified measures under the auspices of protecting the country’s sovereignty….. Repressive laws like POSA were actually intensified and extended purportedly to maintain “public order and security” on the apparent claim that Zimbabwe was under siege from sanctions-imposing Western forces.”
On the other hand however, ZANU PF secretary general, Didymus Mutasa said the suspension of sanctions makes no difference to Zanu PF members in the sanction list as they have never been affected at all since the imposition.
“It makes no difference to me whatsoever,” he told The Telegraph.
“I won’t be going to London, it’s very cold and the people are very unfriendly – I would rather stay here.
“We have been telling the British for years that the people they targeted are not being adversely affected by sanctions at all. We are still receiving our salaries and the situation for us is exactly the same.
“The people who are being affected are those who benefited from the industries that could not function under sanctions. We are happy only that our people will be happier.”
The president of the other MDC faction, Welshman Ncube, said their suspension would promote a more open democracy.

While the effect of lifting of sanctions has little effect on individual Zanu PF officials, it is widely believed that it effectively disarms Zanu PF who have largely depended on them (sanctions) as an excuse to attack both MDC parties. (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

Harare(ZimEye)The local watchdog here, the Harare Residents Trust, has made a blunt criticism of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai who recently blamed the city’s women for blocking the water piping system.
In a statement on their online portal, the HRT threw daggers at PM Tsvangirai saying he should stop making uninformed statements for matters of environmental polution.
The statement read in full:
“Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai should desist from making uninformed comments on the causes of litter in the communities by simply blaming residents for the increasing environmental pollution. The HRT expects the Prime Minister to focus his energies on re-aligning environmental management policies of local authorities and allocation of financial resources for refuse trucks, waste management and ending rampant corruption in Harare City Council. Residents are concerned with the failure of Harare Water and Waste Management departments to timeously respond to reports of burst sewer and water pipes. The provided hotlines are not helping residents to assist the council monitor service provision”

 
The statement of protest by the HRT comes after the PM last week issued out criticism for the city’s environmental polution as he co-blamed female residents for the problems. Speaking at the recent launch of the Zero Litter Campaign and Water Conservation Strategies held in Harare’s high-density suburb of Budiriro last week, Tsvangirai said his visit to Firle sewage works on the outskirts of Glen View last week had revealed to him that sand was the main material that clogged the works.
“How can we clog our own system?” he asked.
“Last week I was at the Firle sewage plant. Women, you are clogging the system with sand. There are babies and even blankets found in the sewage works. So I am asking women to do their work in a way that ensures our sytems are not clogged. Why use sand when there is Vim and Harpic (cleaning detergents)?” he said.
The PM also attacked industries which he said were dumping toxic waste into rivers, saying they were contaminating drinking water, a practice that resulted in more money being needed to treat the water.
“We must give local authorities the mandate to arrest and fine companies that dump toxic waste into our water system. We must also find the most effective way of treating our water. Building of new dams like Kunzvi and Tokwe-Mukorsi will go a long way in alleviating water shortages.” (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

London(ZimEye)A man found with head injuries in a road in Essex on Saturday and died in hospital within hours of being discovered, has been identified as a former Air Zimbabwe engineer, one Mr Simon Makombe, ZimEye can exclusively reveal.
The local BBC news service had earlier reported that: a passerby discovered the man, aged in his 50s, in Wharf Road, Grays, at about 01:15 BST.
He was taken to Basildon Hospital, where he died shortly after 04:00 BST. He has been described by police as black and about 6ft (1.83m) tall.
In an update on Saturday afternoon, police said there were no suspicious circumstances.
They believe the man was in Grays town centre, near the railway and bus station in Crown Road, shortly before he was found.
“Medical evidence is consistent with witness statements that the events which led to his death are not suspicious,” a police spokesman said.
His identity at the time was still not known
ZimEye can now reliably inform our valued readers that the deceased man is Mr Simon Makombe.
Police managed to contact his wife by using document particulars which had her name in Makombe’s pockets leading to the final verification.
While the full official post mortem was not declared at the time of writing, his wife told ZimEye the man was suffering from stress and severe depression due to hardships he was experiencing from failing to obtain employment in his job of choice. The head injuries were caused by falling repeated down after a few drinks, ZimEye was told Monday afternoon.
 
Appeal for funds.
The late Simon Makombe’s widow told ZimEye his death has left a gap in the family being widowed with two children, she may struggle to send his body to Zimbabwe for burial.
“For me to understand where he was passing through actually , I cannot.
“He was just walking and collapsed on his own as he was struggling to walk,” she told ZimEye.
She also revealed that he died of internal bleeding.
“He died of internal bleeding,” she added.
Anyone wishing to donate to funeral expenses is requested to telephone Mrs Makombe at: 07729025723
 (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

London(ZimEye)A UK journalist, Mkhululi Mpofu, was physically dragged out of the just ended Mtukudzi-Macheso show in Leicester after allegedly invading Oliver Mtukudzi’s dressing room with a ‘smuggled camera’, according to function promoters.
Mpofu who has not denied entering the back stage area where Mtukudzi was resting, has defended himself saying the attack was unprovoked and also added that in front of onlookers, he was choked, kicked and punched in what he described as a brutal assault he even thought he had died.
ZimEye is reliably informed that Oliver Mtukudzi told Mr Mpofu to approach the singer’s manager first in order to obtain authorisation for an interview. Promoters state that even after this, Mpofu continued to film despite another call for him to stop doing so which resulted in a promoter resorting to force him out of the premises.
After his accused was taken in by the police for questioning, Mpofu on his news website soon published an article titled “Journalist assaulted at Tuku UK show,” a story he personally wrote in which he detailed his alleged ordeal prompting among others, negative reactions on the social networking website Facebook with some people criticizing stating that he should prove injuries.
 
A black guy with black skin – “no bruises”
What has been difficult for Mpofu has been to prove that he actually was assaulted with severity alleged, and he told ZimEye that the policeman handling investigations did not take the matter seriously because the cop being of white origin failed to notice bruises on a black man’s skin pigment, according to Mpofu.
“I am a black guy with black skin. Bruises are not seen the same way they are seen on a white person…”, he said.
 
Filming without permission.
Both Mtukudzi’s manager and the promoter who is alleged to have attacked Mpofu have told ZimEye Mr Mpofu was wrong to have been filming the function without obtaining permission.

The promoter told ZimEye:
“I am told some silly story is written about me. Its actually embarassing that the person who accuses me of assaulting him, writes a story. I was getting phone calls from people telling me, we hear you are in police cells… Actually no charges were laid. You can even contact Leicester police because no charges were laid against me. So, I am actually offended because I work with Oliver and Ezra. We told this man it doesn’t matter if you are member of the press, please stop filming; and then the guy tells me: ‘do you know who I am?’, and I didn’t know who he is.
“There is copyright infringement, and if he goes on Youtube, and publishes online, that is (actually) copyright infringement, and then he accuses me of assaulting him, its actually a joke.
“He then ended up approaching me aggressively wanting his camera, saying he had paid money, and then that’s when he was removed from the venue,” he said.
A female friend of Mr Mpofu who was with him at the time  has however given an almost contradictory version of events stating that  Mpofu was singled out from a group, questioned, and then taken out, a claim which coincides with Mpofu’s who also said that his attack was part of a conspiracy because he did not publicise a co-promoter and so was now being targetted:
“…yeah they did single him out cause I too was filming and taking photos and so were a few other people. With **** yes … But apparently the fight was with someone else but I didn’t see it … Just heard it happened, ” she said.
 
Below was Mkhululi Mpofu short account of what transpired, which report has been disputed by both function organisers and Oliver Mtukudzi’s team:
“ONE of the promoters of the Oliver Mtukudzi and Alick Macheso United Kingdom tour has been arrested by British police in Leicester after he brutally attacked me during the show last night for no apparent reason.
I was attacked in full view of co-promoters who never tried to rescue me from the monster.
The overzealous promoter was immediately arrested by police in the early hours of Sunday morning at the venue of the show, Leicester’s Athena. He was detained overnight and is still wallowing in the police cells.
The heavy built and weight-lifting promoter is being held at Mansfield House Police station, Leicester.
Police said they will interview my assailant this morning and he is expected to be formerly charged. I am pressing charges of assault and theft of my camera. I have already presented a full statement to the police.
Trouble started while Tuku and Macheso entertained the excited crowd when the chubby promoter approached me and started attacking me with blows. He then dragged me out of the venue despite having paid to enter the venue and continued attacking me.
He confiscated The ZimDiaspora camera and footage was lost during the process. Some equipment was also damaged during the fracas.
In a completely unprovoked attack, he grabbed me by my throat, squeezing and kicking me at the same time. It was the most savage attack I have ever experienced in my life.
As several other media personnel were filming what is rumoured to be Tuku’s last world tour, the notorious promoter was busy body-punching and choking me. After being dragged outside by the collar, he pushed me into a secluded ditch, pressed me down and continued kicking, punching and choking me to the extent that I thought I would die.
As I struggled for my breath, I tried ringing the emergency services, he then grabbed my mobile phone and flung it across the street, smashing the iPhone into smatterings.
It was only after a loud scream that a passerby came to my rescue and the police were immediately called who subsequently arrested the vicious promoter.
It is unfortunate that while most of Zimbabwean shows in the UK are very peaceful there are some people who still think that it is their privilege as promoters to go about assaulting and duping fans as they wish.
The behaviour of the promoter is unwarranted and risk tarnishing the image of one of Africa’s greatest musicians Oliver Mtukudzi“.

Harare(ZimEye)-Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka has rubbished false reports by the Zanu pf controlled Herald newspaper that the Prime Minister’s new wife, Elizabeth Macheka is on a week-long government sponsored shopping spree to South Africa and India.
Reports by the Herald claimed Ms Elizabeth Macheka Thursday left the country for a week-long private visit to South Africa and India ostensibly to buy for herself jewellery and paraphernalia related to the couple’s wedding set for September.
But Ms Macheka was today seen together with Tsvangirai at the launch of a Water, Anti-litter campaign in Budiriro contrary to claims by the Herald.
Disgusted spokeman Luke Tamborinyoka told ZimEye ,”It’s false. The same story appeared on front page today. But all journalists who came to Budiriro today where the PM was launching the water conservation campaign saw PM Tsvangirai with his wife when Herald was (yet)claiming she left for India yesterday.

“Progressive papers will expose the truth. The PM’s wife is in Harare.”
The paper accused Tsvangirai of drawing funds from the treasury to finance the trip and illegally engaging Macheka on government duties that are reserved for civil servants.
The Herald report titled: “Government footing Prime Minister’s wife’s jaunts” reads:
The PM’s Office applied for the funds from Treasury despite the fact that Ms Macheka and Ms Mungweni are not civil servants and are not entitled to such privileges.
PM Tsvangirai’s official duties are carried out by civil servants and not his wife.
“The PM’s spouse and a lady officer in his office left the country today (yesterday) for South Africa and are proceeding to India,” a source said.
“They are returning on July 12. The costs are fully borne by the Government of Zimbabwe after the two indicated that they were travelling on Honourable PM’s duties. This is despite the fact that the official duties of the PM are carried out by civil servants and not his wife.”
On her return on July 12, Ms Macheka will join the Prime Minister and his daughter Rumbidzai on a 12-day visit to Japan and Australia, with the costs again borne by the cash-strapped Government.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti has often raised concerns about expenditure on foreign trips by Government officials.
In his 2012 budget, Minister Biti revealed that over US$45 million has been blown on foreign trips by officials.
The Prime Minister’s Japanese and Australian trips are at the invitation of the two countries.
“The Prime Minister is leaving for Japan on July 15 and will stay there for six days. He is expected to leave Japan on July 21 for Australia where he will stay up to July 27,” the source said.
(ZimEye, Zimbabwe)
.

Harare(ZimEye)THE attack by Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gono on Indigenisation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere is personal and the latter has said he will not even bother to talk to the former on the issue as he is just a regulator of the financial sector not a shareholder.
Kasukuwere on Thursday said the law was for shareholders of banks and not Gono. This was after Gono issued a strong worded statement on Wednesday accusing Kasukuwere of being a failure who failed to run his own bank Genesis.
“The fact that the two main proponents of the recent illogical moves have presided over the failure of their two banks before, namely Unibank (David Chapfika) and Genesis (Kasukuwere), calls for Solomonic wisdom on the part of Zimbabwe’s population and leadership. Ordinarily, anyone who was near a failed bank is not a fit and proper person to deal with banking matters or to ever own, run or talk about the ownership of a bank again until cleared by the central bank; this is a universal practice,” said Gono adding that he would approach president Mugabe on the matter.

 
But as usual Kasukuwere said Gono has turned the whole matter into a personal attack:
“We are engaged with the shareholders not regulators. The two are very different, a regulator is not a shareholder.
“The law is for shareholders to comply and then we can discuss with others. I know some would have wanted to be doing this task, but let’s not turn it into unwarranted personal attacks,” said Kasukuwere.
He said discharging national responsibilities require maturity and sober reasoning adding that the attacks will not deter him from grabbing the banks.
“We will not fall for the attacks, but will continue to be guided by the rule of law and the necessary transformation of key institutions. The law is in place and it has to be implemented, come rain come sunshine.
“Shareholders have been in touch with us and we are pleased with the progress to date and we will continue with the respectful engagement. I am sure at the right time ,we will approach all other relevant authorities and get their views.”
The latest fight come after it emerged the Kasukuwere contributed to the collapse of Genesis Bank after he blocked FMB Malawi that wanted a 90 percent stake in the bank.
Kasukuwere has however denied the allegations saying he was no longer the shareholder of the bank by the time it went down.
Below is a statement by Gono on Kasukuwere
ALTHOUGH I’m on a business trip outside Zimbabwe and therefore have not familiarised myself with the full content of the Gazetted Notice in question, the Zimbabwean banking sector needs to be advised that there is no law that provides for arbitrariness on the part of anyone and/or expropriation of banking assets in Zimbabwe yesterday, today or tomorrow.
I will, as soon as I get back home, be consulting with and obtaining further guidance from H.E. the President Cde R.G. Mugabe on the latest moves by the Minister in relation to the sector that I superintend – the Banking Sector – and his instructions will be final in the manner in which we will proceed.
Until such guidance is received from H.E. The President, we regard the regulations as gazetted as devoid of detail and rationality as they are contradictory in many respects with existing laws in the country such as the Banking Act and the RBZ Act which stand at par with any other law in the country except the Constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
Both the RBZ and the Banking Acts have not been amended to exclude the RBZ from final responsibility of running Zimbabwe’s financial sector, including determining and approving changes to the shareholdings of banks in order for such changes to be effective, the terms thereof in terms of capitalisations, compliance with the country’s exchange controls regulations, SADC central bank governors prescriptions for harmonising and integrating our regional economies as well as a host of other local subsidiary legislative requirements that deal with boards of directors, management appointments, internal bank policies and procedures for granting loans as well as a variety of other do’s and don’ts when it comes to dealing with depositors funds.
The fact that the two main proponents of the recent illogical moves have presided over the failure of their two banks before, namely Unibank and Genesis, calls for Solomonic wisdom on the part of Zimbabwe’s population and leadership. Ordinarily, anyone who was near a failed bank is not a fit and proper person to deal with banking matters or to ever own, run or talk about the ownership of a bank again until cleared by the central bank; this is a universal practice.
As the Reserve Bank, we repeat our earlier invitation to any Zimbabwean wishing to start a bank to come forward with their application and we will give them a licence to join the sector at 100 per cent ownership, rather than waste money taking over other people’s banks.
The example of Minister of Mines Dr Obert Mpofu who came forward with his money and sought permission to take over ZABG bank which was ailing then is a case in point. We gave him two years within which to regularise the ownership structure of that bank to a maximum of 25 per cent for any single shareholder which he committed to do but for the time being he has put in money and is a 99,9 per cent shareholder.
Furthermore, it must be realized that the money in all these banks belongs to depositors and not foreigners, except the equity components which, in most cases is less than 20 per cent of the banks’ balance sheets, and, in any case, that equity is tied up in operating capital assets such as furniture, fittings, land and buildings. The rest belongs to depositors and is not, as assumed by some, profit of the banks available for sharing the next day one becomes an owner.
In addition, last year alone (2011), the entire banking sector made total profits of $70 million of which $37 million belonged to international banks. Assuming a generous dividend pay-out of
30 per cent of net profits, this translates to $5,67 million ($37mil x 51% x 30%) payable annually to the 51 per cent shareholder. The question is one of materiality over substance … you do not need to be a rocket scientist to realise that someone is trying to take Zimbabweans for a ride!
The model that I have proposed gives Zimbabweans from all walks of life and across the breath and width of this country a share of $350-400 million per annum throughout the year in supply-based empowerment which will lead to indigenisation sooner rather than later. This is apart from the fact that the model I have presented attends to “bread and butter issues” of the people – school fees, medical fees, food, water, transport, rent, airtime, seeds and fertilizers – to many as opposed to an opaque few that we see clamouring to put their own proxies as beneficiaries under the disguise of indeginisation of the banking sector.
The question then is, do we just indigenise to empower our people or we empower our people to indigenise? As Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and a technocrat, with genuine hard-earned qualifications in banking, finance and development economics, I have presented to the nation and the ministry an empowerment model which has the potential to lead to the ultimate indigenisation of the financial sector as more people participate, but it seems people meant to be assisted through robust and not necessarily populist thinking do not either have the time to read the models or don’t understand them at all, hence going off at a tangent.
The Governor is happy and willing to share a platform anytime with anyone wishing to soberly debate sustainable models of development in Zimbabwe, including broad- based empowerment and indigenisation models for the financial sector that benefit many as opposed to a few. Having said that though, and for the time being, the financial sector will move as if no mistakes have been made and announced through the said Government Gazette which was also done without checking with monetary authorities in the country.
Again, it has falsely and mischievously been suggested in some quarters that as Governor, I am protecting the foreign banks because I owe them huge amounts in the firm of loans given to my family business entities. Well, for the record, my family and I have had business dealings with Barclays and Standard Bank dating back to 1977 (Barclays), 1980 (Standard Chartered), 1996 (Stanbic Bank). At present, I do not owe any of these banks a single penny by way of loans or facilities.
Indeed my family companies owe millions of dollars to regional and continental banks that have extended lines of credit to local banks and through them, to my family enterprises. A substantial component of these loans are all performing though a local bank is affected by curatorship, it follows that my family business loans, through these institutions also get affected, get called-up like those of any other borrowing entity operating in a difficult environment in Zimbabwe.
However, loans extended to the governor’s family businesses are treated as any other and governor does not run the companies directly nor does do I interfere with any legal processes that may correctly or incorrectly be taken against me as co- guarantor of loan facilities to the family enterprises. This must, therefore, dispel any notion that the governor gets feared or favoured by the banks or that I am protecting foreign-owned banks as a favour to them.
I am just as ordinary a family business person as anyone else; my family companies do try to stand on their own though without over-reliance on Gideon Gono, the Governor, for creditors. It is very tempting and exciting to sue the Governor when any of his family companies experience, like any other, difficulties to meet their commitments.
As a family we have been in business for the last 33 years and employ about 2000 people directly in sectors such as farming, agro-processing, horticulture, construction, real estate, publishing, transport, consultancy among others. We are now the third largest chicken-integrated farming operation in the country after Irvines and Cfi-Crest, all started from scratch over the last 33 years. Some people think that we own some banks around but nothing could be further from the truth!” (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai who last week admitted fathering a child with Bulawayo 25 year-old Ms Loreta Nyathi, has requested public understanding over the matter.
Mr Tsvangirai’s spokesman at the weekend told ZimEye the PM was in Bulawayo on strict government duty and that people should consider the matter which has sparked international controversy a private matter he alone must be left to deal with.
 
“This so called son…”
Tamborinyoka referred to baby Ethan as  “this so called son” and appealed for privacy on the matter:
“The Prime Minister was in Bulawayo on a government program. The PM is happily married; And whatever is happening regarding his so called son Ethan is a private matter,” he said, before hanging the phone before our reporter.
Tsvangirai (60) who recently re-married following his wife’s death in 2009 fathered the 19 month old boy with Nyathi.
Last week there were internet-wide reports that claimed he was to date yet to see the child and was allegedly refusing to assist the mother obtain a birth certificate for the son.
 
“Personal life”
Tsvangirai at the weekend however told journalists that the reports were an invasion of his private life and were not true.
“I have my personal life and you have yours. I would prefer that we keep it like that. I am not refusing to assist him,” he said.
“Whatever the reports you have heard, I will take care of it and his mother knows the arrangement that we have. I have not refused my responsibility. “It is not true that I am refusing to have my son get a birth certificate. I am happily married.
Part of the controversy surrounding the PM’s love life are developments which resulted in him recently publicly divorcing a woman he had customarily married, one Locardia Karimatsenga Tembo around the same time he was also claiming to be a bachelor. Tembo Family members have claimed that their kinswoman suffered depression following the media barrage against her which culminated in her lover divorcing her in public.
 
UK would have fired Tsvangirai by now
Women’s activists have slammed Tsvangirai following the latest developments making apparent claim that the PM “does not respect women”.
An activist and founding member of the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe who declined being named told ZimEye that due to the latest developments, the Prime Minister would have been fired had he been doing politics in the UK.
“If this was in the UK, Tsvangirai would have been fired by now. We are dealing with vulnerable women…It is a very ironic situation where a woman although she may have made mistakes, but because there is a child, the PM should have done better than what we see. This shows on its own that Tsvangirai does not respect women. Why did people allow Tsvangirai to rule when he does not respect women?” she said.

Tsholotsho(ZimEye)-32 years after obtaining independence from Britain, Zimbabwe’s Local government Minister Ignatius Chombo, here has accused the former colonial masters of relegating rural communities during the pre-Independence (1980) era.
Chombo on the sidelines of a US$50 million launch for Rural Water and sanitation program in Tsholotsho on Thursday told UK Aid head Dave Fish in front of journalists and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, that Britain underdeveloped rural communities just before saying that sanctions worsened the situation.
“Whatever resources came out of the pre-independence economy was ear marked for the development of the few elite whites. Not in the urban areas only, even the blacks who were occupying fertile soils were removed and dumped in Gokwe and even here. In areas infested with Tsetse flies,” Chombo said.
He added:

“The development which was meant for blacks I have known none. I have been a Local Government Minister for more than 10 years, any developments, water, sanitation, schools; clinics only came to the people after independence. Those gains which we had after independence were reversed in 2000 when we had the land reform and the problems we had with our former colonial masters ending up in sanctions. All households had clean water, borehole, protected wells, and roads. There is nothing the former colonisers helped us with if you know one program during the colonial era tell me.”
UK Aid head in Zimbabwe Dave Fish had no kind response for Chombo .
“I suspect that Minister Chombo and I disagree on certain issue which happened during and after independence, and I am not here to apologise for certain historical issues raised here, but I think it’s important that this country looks forward, and does not blame current problems to history and look back. It is really encouraging to see Ministers from all parties to the inclusive government together here at this event. The international community, Britain included, wants to work with you and you should look forward rather than looking backwards, “he responded angrily.
UNICEF is going to be in charge of the WASH program which is going to benefit 2.5 million people from the country’s semi arid provinces.
Matebeleland North and South, Masvingo, Midlands and Mashonaland West are the five provinces which are going to benefit.
According to UNICEF results of the launch are going to be seen in the next 30 days as the development partners having already identified companies to drill and maintain bores in the area.
“Bringing safe water near homes will reduce time spent in collecting water and provides opportunities for poor families to engage in small-scale productive activities.It also reduces burdens which mount on women and girls in rural areas who are the main collectors of water,” UNICEF Country representative Dr Peter Salama said.
Blair toilets for most of the rural communities in the chosen provinces are also going to be constructed.(ZimEye, Zimbabwe)

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has denied reports that he is scheduled to perform a white wedding on the 15th Septermber.
Media houses have in the past week proliferated an alleged leak of information on Tsvangirai’s future plans with his current customary wife Elizabeth Macheka. It was reported that the PM will tie the knot with 35 year-old Ms Macheka on September 15th, at a ceremony in Harare.
But the PM’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka has denied reports of the premier’s imminent wedding stating that it is just mere media talk.
“Its media talk, media speculation, there is no truth in it at all” he told ZimEye on Tuesday.
 
Both Tsvangirai and Ms Macheka lost their spouses in tragic accidents. Tsvangirai lost his wife Susan in a March 2009 car crash along the Harare-Beitbridge highway, while Elizabeth lost her first husband, Mabasa Guma, in a separate car crash along the Harare-Bulawayo road in 2002.
 
Controversy has however surrounded the PM as he was slammed by supporters for dumping his former customary wife Locadia Tembo claiming that ZANU PF were behind his marriage to her. But the PM has now picked another ZANU PF family-aliged ‘s daughter whose father is a feared senior ZANU PF official at a time when many MDC-T activists are languishing in prison who include top party cadres such as Solomon Madzore amid concerns that the PM has betrayed the movement.

(London)The late Ret General Solomon Mujuru’s customary wife, Simbiso Chisirimunhu, has died in the United Kingdom.
She was 38.
Ms Chisirimunhu died on Tuesday evening after a long ilness although relatives reported she died of stress.
She was mother to Tawanda and Tsitsi Mujuru and her son, Tawanda, seen by ZimEye has a sharp facial resemblance of Zimbabwe’s most feared army general.
General Mujuru married the woman 18 years ago in Chikomba, Sadza district, witnesses claim. She was second wife customarily married to the general who until his death was legally married to Vice President Joice Mujuru.
Ms Chisirimunhu’s relatives Wednesday said that she died of stress. She succumbed to “mental health relapse as a result of stress,” a relative said.
Her brother, Christian Mahachi said “she died on Tuesday evening. We are still consulting as a family so that we can start working on burial arrangements,”
A friend of Simbiso who declined being named alleged to ZimEye that the deceased struggled and was once threatened by Vice president Joice Mujuru, which resulted in her opting to relocate to the United Kingdom”.

As the international community celebrated World refugee day Wednesday, the United Nations High Commissioner for refugees (UNHCR) has claimed that Zimbabwe is generous to refugees as he commended the nation for accommodating several inflows from countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Cote d’Ivoire, Uganda and Sudan.
In a statement, the UNHCR expressed gratitude to Zimbabwe claiming that it is generous with refugees who continue to enter the country mostly through the northern Nyamapanda border post.
A statement read:
“UNHCR wishes to record its special thanks because despite the tremendous developmental and other challenges facing the country, the government and people of Zimbabwe have remained committed to preserving the institution of asylum, and tolerating the presence of refugees and other persons of concern on Zimbabwean territory,” said the UNHCR boss.
But the high commissioner was blasted by the Nottingham Zimbabwe community leader Regis Manyanya:
“Has the High Commissioner been to the refugee camp in Tongogara? I have been there. The conditions the refugees live in there is absolutely deplorable,” he said.
Manyanya said that animals in the bushes of Chiredzi are living better life than those in the refugee camps, ‘although the country does indeed allow entry of refugees from various countries’.
Several refugees of Ethiopian origin were also seen by ZimEye in the outskirts of Harare’s Waterfalls suburb, living in card box shelters in the bitter winter weather. ZimEye found that state media journalists had weeks before even photographed the destitute refugees, and with government well informed of their plight, they yet continued to languish in the outward dwellings.
Zimbabwe yesterday (Wednesday) joined the rest of the international community in commemorating the World Refugee Day – originally the African Refugee Day.
UNHCR’s 2011 Global statistical Trends Report show an increase in the number of refugees following a string of humanitarian crises that unraveled from late 2010 in Cote D’Ivoire, the Arab Spring in Libya, Yemen, Egypt and Tunisia. Other triggering events were those in the Sudan, and the now cyclic scenes of violence in Somalia.
At least 4.3 million people have to date been displaced worldwide, according to the report and out of this number, 800,000 sought refuge in other countries.
The international theme for this year’s commemorative events is “Dilemma” and the UN’s office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Zimbabwe has narrowed the dilemmas faced by refugees and other displaced people to two aspects: how to restore hope and ensure that refugee children have access to universal primary education. The theme speaks to the urgent need to address the increase in forced displacement across borders.

BULAWAYO (ZimEye)- A TOTAL of 13 people perished in a horrific accident while four were injured when an overloaded commuter omnibus veered off the road along the Mbembesi-Fort Rixon Road.
The commuter omnibus then crashed into Nonka River on Monday evening.The injured passengers are admitted at United Bulawayo Hospitals.
Police officer commanding traffic Senior Assistant Commissioner Martin Chari confirmed the accident, saying the omnibus was overloaded and speeding resulting in the driver losing control at about 9km off the Bulawayo-Gweru Road.
Chari attacked transporters for overloading and speeding which has resulted in unnecessary loss of life.
He said a raft of strategies have been crafted to force transporters to comply with the Road Traffic and Road Motor Transportation Acts.
The strategies include speed traps on main and feeder roads, checks on drivers’ worthiness to drive passenger vehicles as well as sobriety checks of drivers.
Overloaded and speeding commuter omnibus accidents have claimed a significant number of lives in recent months, a situation that Senior Assistant Commissioner Martin Chari said could have been avoided had the drivers not overloaded, and limited themselves to the speed limit of 80km/h.
(Zimbabwe, ZimEye)

London(ZimEye)A Zimbabwean beauty has been chosen as one of four unsung heros among foreign exiles in the UK.
Cynthia Masiyiwa may be 21 years old, but she has been recognised for her sacrificial work with the youth in the ghetos of city of London where she has for the past three years been involved in cutting down crime and lawlessness, while encouraging fellow young people to abandon street life and adopt a working culture.
She is also the youngest of the other three heroes.
The lead poster (right) is based on the incredible four stories of what refugees are doing to contribute to the upcoming London Olympics. The poster has been placated across Rail and tube stations boards across the Europe’s largest city  – London.
Earlier last week, Cynthia spent time with Lord Coe who is the head of the London Olympics as she took him around the premises showing him various features of what is taking place in London in a few weeks’ time including the intensive preparations currently underway.
Cynthia also took exclusive time with the Chief Inspector for Greenwich Police, Reece Turner.
Zimbabwe is to be represented by a number of sportpersons who include gold medalist Kirsty Conventry. Full list to follow…

More pressure is building up in South Africa’s ruling ANC party as the party increases its call for a lifting of sanctions on President Robert Mugabe and persons close to his ZANU PF party.
Weeks after the expulsion of pro-Mugabe former youth president Julius Malema a spokesperson for the party’s junior arm the Youth League told ZimEye Thursday they nearly 14 days ago unanimously resolved to re-escalate the matter:

“The ANC Youth League has got a collective decision on it. Our policy conference that was held two weeks ago resolved that amongst the issues that we would take forward to the ANC policy conference is the lifting of sanctions on Zimbabwe,” she said.
The ANC controlled South African government Thursday made its latest call for the sanctions to be lifted. President Jacob Zuma’s top foreign policy advisor, Lindiwe Zulu(pictured-right) was quoted by Reuters on Thursday stating that sanctions have not worked. she said that the whole of Africa is calling for their lifting:
“It’s not just Zimbabwe that’s saying the sanctions are not working. The entire continent is saying that,” she said.
Zulu who is part of a delegation that for months has been leading negotiation efforts among the three parties, MDC-T, MDC, and ZANU PF, has in the past clashed with President Robert Mugabe.
South Africa’s ruling party has adopted a soft approach to the crisis across the Limpopo.
Analysts say the sanctions have been exploited by Mugabe for his political purposes, blaming them for his party’s economic blunders that have caused what once was one of Africa’s richest nations to now be among its poorest.
Zulu is part of a Southern African Development Community initiative led by Zuma aimed at ending the political turmoil in Zimbabwe and holding free and fair elections by next year.
South Africa’s president Jacob Zuma was tasked to mediate in the Zimbabwean crisis by SADC after MDC-T temporarily pulled out of the unity government in 2009 as frustration intensified over Mugabe’s refusal to fully implement the GPA.

Apart from outstanding issues such as the appointment of the Attorney General Johannes Tomana and Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono, the MDC formations have continuously expressed concern over the unilateral stripping of ministerial powers by President Robert Mugabe on its ministers. Among a list of thorny issues was the appointment of MDC-T Treasurer Roy Bennett who is now living in exile in the UK after he was constantly arrested tried, but later acquitted before new charges were laid on him again.
The most recent thorny matter has been the position of the Deputy Prime Minister which is currently being clutched by prof Arthur Mutambara who was ousted from party leadership, replaced by Prof Welshaman Ncube, and a High Court ruling rendered him party-less. But the DPM Mutamabra has continued to hold on and it was this week announced he would appeal to the Supreme Court.
It is largely speculated that ZANU PF fears that Welshamn Ncube’s connections with Jacob Zuma as an in law relation may make Ncube super powerful in the unity government. (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

Harare(ZimEye)The animal protection organisation, SPCA has cleared the Harare based Chinese owned, Shangri -La restaurant of allegations that it was selling dog and cat meat.
Following an investigation the SPCA has now issued a statement clearing the restaurant of the allegations.
An SPCA official told ZimEye on Wednesday:
“We have inspected recently, but we haven’t seen anything there recently… Basically… we are undergoing some investigations with some restaurants. But they are for investigative purposes. But with Shangri -La we actually haven’t had a problem.

And with the other ones, we are investigating at the moment.” she said adding that they continue to monitor all restaurants around the country for possible violations.
Shangri -La restaurant’s lawyers have issued a statement stating that their client is not involved in any dog, cat meat or other culturally unacceptable food business.
“This is a restaurant that has won awards with the Zim tourism authority here… No businessman worth their salt would do such a thing. Why would somebody come from China and engage in such business?,” he said More to follow…

Harare(ZimEye)-Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu has invited the western diplomats to visit the controversial Marange Diamond fields as his ZANU(PF) party intensifies its efforts to lobby the west to lift sanctions.
“The EU and western diplomats are visiting the Marange Diamond fields next week .In fact they asked for that permission long back and we have now allowed them but they are reluctant to go because they expected us to refuse .This is the kind of duplicity and hypocrisy we are getting from people who are just looking for faults in a system,” Mines and Mining Development Minister announced during an Accountability Conference organised by Centre for Public Accountability in Harare early this week.
Over the years government has been reluctant to allow anyone other than President Robert Mugabe ally to visit the diamond extraction area, citing security reasons.
This made the public to believe that something amiss was happening at Marange.
Issues of gross human rights abuse by the military and corruption by senior ZANU(PF) officials have been raised by the civic society.
But the European Union delegation in Zimbabwe through its ambassador Aldo Dell Arricia in an interview with ZimEye Tuesday in Harare confirmed Minister Mpofu invited them not the reverse as Minister Mpofu had put it.
“It is not that we have been given the green light to visit Marange Diamond fields by its Mines Minister Obert Mpofu who invited us. The visit is going to be on at the end of this month. We will be there for few days in order to have a firsthand impression of the situation and of course how the mining plants are working because this is an important element in the economy of Zimbabwe. And as heads of European countries we are very much interested in seeing the operations of these mines,” Aldo Dell’Ariccia.
Minister Mpofu said the reason why they were reluctant to allow the west to tour the diamond fields is that they did not want them to know ZANU(PF)’s anti –sanctions strategies.
Marange Resources and Mbada Diamond Mining operating in Marange, were added to US Treasury Office of Foreign Affairs Control’s special designated nationals list.
The two Diamond Mining Companies were punished because they are operating under the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation which is under sanctions.(ZimEye,Zimbabwe)

Oregon(ZimEye)The city of Mutare was twinned with the US city of Portland, at the weekend.
The Zimbabwean flag and fame were carried majestically by the current Miss Northwest Africa Queen, Chido Dhliwayo, who was seen ascending the high platform with a crown on her head.
She later told ZimEye after the function:
“For me it was actually a way of being grounded because I miss home so much…,” she said.
“I am part of the Portland Mutare city association. It’s a non profit organisation and I was representing Zimbabwe and Mutare. It was a good experience, and the only thing I was worried about was the weather…”
There was also dancing, and various kinds of Zimbabwean joys, just as other nationalities also offered their tastes and flavours.
PHOTOS:
 

(Harare)A Zanu-PF legislator for Mudzi West, Aqualinah Katsande, is under the spot light for the crime of obstruction of justice on the murder of MDC-T local chairman, Mr Cephas Magura.
The Zanu-PF legislator who last week blamed the MDC-T party for Magura’s death, sparked international outrage after she claimed to know the exact precise cause of Magura’s death stating that he had died of a car accident instead, a claim the professional autopsy proved to be completely untrue.
Katsande had claimed:
‘It is not true that he was killed by our supporters, but fell off their moving vehicle’.
“Our youths were having their own meeting in a hall at Chimukoko when a group of MDC supporters, who were holding their meeting at a nearby ground, invaded our meeting and this was provocation. It resulted in the youths fighting,” she said.
“We have our members who were injured and we took them to hospital. We also reported the matter to the police.”
“The MDC supporters were outnumbered in the fight and they fled from the scene and drove away in their truck and one of their members who was seated in the back of the truck fell and hit his head on the ground resulting in his death.
“It is not true that he was killed by our supporters, but fell off their moving vehicle,” she said.
Katsande is now under the spot-watch of even ZANU PF gurus as comments were made by Oppah Muchinguri rubbishing her claims and stating that Magura’s death was indeed caused by brute murder.
The legislator is also slated with a controversial history of crimes against humanity. Her son, George Katsande orchestrated violence in 2008 presidential runoff elections and thereafter, leading to Mudzi being recorded as an area with most political motivated killings.
A legendary historian who built ZANU PF’s international image in 1977, Daina Mitchel,  once wrote in her blog about Ms Katsande:
“A blog for today can only say that I have read of the crass brutality of one Aquilina Katsande in Zim’s violently led ZANU (PF) and am horrified. I am regretful that it is likely that I shall not live long enough to see this woman and her ilk brought to account in this world. There is not much else one can say so long as the current regime rules,” wrote Mitchel who built and shaped Zanu PF’s international image when Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo were still regarded as terrorists.
 
This week MPs began a motion for the possible arrest of Aqualinah Katsande (Mudzi West) together with Newten Kachepa (who is MP for Mudzi North).

Eyewitnesses told the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (Jomic) last week that Kachepa’s pick-up truck and Katsande’s Mazda T3500 truck were used to ferry Zanu PF activists involved in the disruption of the police-sanctioned MDC-T rally and the attack on the party supporters that led to the murder of Magura.
Kadoma Central MP Editor Matamisa (MDC-T) called for the immediate arrest of Katsande and Kachepa. Glen View North MP Fani Munengami (also MDC-T) said Katsande even had “the guts” to lie saying the murdered MDC-T activist died
after he fell from a moving vehicle. “I am surprised that Katsande, a female MP, had the guts to say the person who died in Mutoko fell from a truck, and it’s a disgrace Kachepa, one of the MPs implicated, is in this House with us and I am challenging him to explain how those things happened in his constituency and how his vehicle was used to block and ferry people,” Munengami said.
“The two MPs are good at killing but have never contributed to any debate in the House and unless they are brought to book and explain what exactly happened, this House will continue labelling them killers.”
Aquillina Katsande case on Magura’s death will continue to haunt her as it is now being used by the United Nations as pivotally defining, just as the body prepares to setup a possible remote human  rights centre.

London(ZimEye)The expelled leader of South Africa’s ANC party Youth League, Julius Malema, has been barred from entering the United Kingdom, ZimEye can reveal.
Malema who was scheduled to address African and West Indian black exiles at a recent Birmingham Africa Liberation Day function, (at the weekend) failed to obtain a Visa together with another speaker from Tanzania who was also barred by the British embassy, according to conference organisers.
Conference organisers told ZimEye exclusively that Malema failed to obtain British embassy clearance.
“Julius Malema didn’t make it to Africa Liberation Day,” a senior organising committee member who declined to be named said adding that even another speaker from Tanzania had been barred.
“Neither the commissioner from Tanzania. The British embassy failed to issue a VISA when they should have. So that was a sabotage.
“It was deliberate. They have done it before, and of course we will be taking it with the relevant authorities,” he said.
Earlier last week, one of the senior organisers, Mr Bini Butuakwa, had told ZimEye Malema was having serious VISA problems:“We are having a bit of the problem at the moment which is getting him into the country. If we don’t get him….we going to get him on Skype,” he said.
“He was going to come but we are getting some problem”, he added.
 
Zimbabwe minister funding trip
Mr Butuakwa however stated that Zimbabwe’s information Minister Webster Shamu had promised to pay for Malema’s air fares, should he have problems.
“The Information Minister in Zimbabwe said that he will get him to come over and if he has a problem with paying he would cover the fare…,” he said. (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

Harare(ZimEye)-The European Union has consoled the Magura family and the MDC-T party following the brutal murder of Cephas Magura, the MDC-T ward 1 Mudzi North chairperson by ZANU (PF) supporters and urged the judiciary to quickly try the murderers.
The EU cites political violence as its justification for the imposition of sanctions on ZANU(PF) officials in 2002.
“Delegation presents its condolences to the family of the deceased and strongly condemns these acts and any complacency with political violence and intimidation as a political tool.
“It is encouraging to note the condemnation for these criminal acts that came from across the political spectrum. The EU delegation looks forward to urgent action by the police authorities and the Attorney General’s office to bring the alleged perpetrators and their instigators to justice, in order to give a clear and unequivocal message that political violence is totally unacceptable in Zimbabwe”,EU said in a statement Tuesday.
Magura was murdered in the presence of the police who were providing security to the rally which was authorised, making them liable for the brutal murder.
According to eye witnesses a ZANU PF mob attacked MDC-T activists at a rally that had been sanctioned by the police a week earlier.
ZANU PF had not been cleared to gather for any event, yet they gathered near the venue and started chanting slogans before approaching the MDC-T group.
Magura was buried in Mudzi on Sunday 3 June.
ZANU(PF) continues to perpetrate violence on MDC supporters despite several calls by its leader President Robert Mugabe denouncing violence.(ZimEye, Zimbabwe)

BULAWYO (ZimEye) – LOCAL Government Minister Ignatius Chombo has threatened to fire Bulawayo councillors over corruption allegations as the Zanu PF ministers continues sacking MDC-T elected city fathers.
Chombo has been on a whirlwind tour of councils firing MDC-T councillors and replacing them with “special interests councilors.”
Recently, Chombo suspended Gwanda Mayor Lionel De Necker even before investigations. He later appointed a four-member investigating team which earned $80 000 per week, a move which was castigated by Gwanda councilors and stakeholders.
But at the weekend Chombo said he would wield an axe against Bulawayo MDC-T councilors who were found guilty of corruption by his investigating team two months ago.
The controversial Minister said: “The probe team made some recommendations although I cannot give them off-hand. The committee would look at whether to fire, suspend or caution those councillors who would be found to have abused their powers and disadvantaged residents. It is possible that one or two councillors might be suspended.”
Chombo said five Chitungwiza councillors were suspended last week on allegations of corruption, charges that are being faced by Bulawayo councilors.
He said councilors were guilty of selling stands “under trees” at inflated prices, which was tantamount to abuse of office.
Chombo insisted that Bulawayo City Council would get special councillors whether the city fathers liked it or not, adding that his office has since been given suitable names by Zanu PF Bulawayo province.
Bulawayo has resisted efforts by Chombo to appoint eight special councilors. The matter is still pending at the Bulawayo High Court.
De Nekcer last week challenged Members of Parliament to amend the Urban Councils Act to clip Chombo’s sweeping powers which has resulted in the Minister treating local government as his fiefdom. (Zimbabwe, ZimEye)

HARARE (ZimEye) PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe’s call for elections this year has been thrown into disarray after a recent Extraordinary Session of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) insisted that a new constitution be adopted before elections.
Mugabe, 88, has been threatening to call for elections in line with Zanu PF’s resolution at last year’s annual conference for polls this year.
But constitutional experts warned that a constitution would only be ready at the end of 2012, paving way for fresh elections early 2013. MDC-T, MDC and the civic society have been pushing for elections to be held next year after the full implementation of critical democratic and electoral reforms.
Fears were swelling that Mugabe was likely to unilaterally declare elections this year in effort in manage the succession battles in Zanu PF.
But a Sadc summit on June 1, poured cold water on Mugabe’s 2012 election ambition while his health is still permitting.
According to a Sadc communiqué released after the Luanda, Angola summit, the Heads of State and Government resolved that the Global Political Agreement (GPA) which was signed by Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara be fully implemented. There are several outstanding issues in the GPA, chief among them security sector reforms and the writing of a new governance charter.
The Sadc summit also resolved that the constitution making process be finalized before Mugabe proclaims election dates.

The communiqué stated that: “On Zimbabwe, Summit commended stakeholders for their commitment, cooperation and efforts towards the implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) and urged the parties to the GPA to finalise the constitution-making process and subject it to a referendum thereafter.
“Summit also urged the parties to the GPA, assisted by His Excellency Jacob G Zuma, President of the Republic of South Africa and SADC Facilitator of the Zimbabwe Political Dialogue, to develop an implementation mechanism and to set out time frames for the full implementation of the Roadmap to Elections.
“Summit further commended the Facilitator for his efforts towards the realisation of full implementation of GPA.”
However Zanu PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo played down the tough stance Sadc took against Mugabe, saying his boss would be ready for elections either this year or in 2013.
Mugabe, last week, dispatched emissaries to Sadc countries to lobby the regional block to back his plan to call for an early plebiscite regardless of numerous calls for the full implementation of critical reforms.
(Zimbabwe, ZimEye)

Bulawayo(ZimEye)-At least 100 children with severe disability of cerebral palsy and autism housed at Monica Brewer Day Centre in Bulawayo are losing out on their routine physiotherapy checkups as their parents are failing to raise an imposed weekly medical fee of US$100.
Cerebral palsy and autism are caused by brain damage while the baby is still in the mother’s womb and the conditions cannot be cured.
Professional Physiotherapists in Bulawayo however charge $100 per session and it is a requirement for the affected children to visit physiotherapists twice a week.

“This is one of the major challenges we are facing here at this centre because parents cannot raise US$200 per week per child for physiotherapy. As mitigation we are receiving basic physiotherapy training so that we can at least attend to our children here”, Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children Association’s Programmes Officer Mrs Tendai Masumba told ZimEye in Bulawayo.
Mrs Masumba is also a parent of one of the disabled children being taken care of at Monica Brewer Day Centre.
The centre was established by mothers with children with severe disabilities after realising that they could not do anything profitable for a living if they concentrate with their children who need close attention every time.

At the centre parents take turns to look after their children with almost the same conditions so that they could do something for a living.
“As you can see these children cannot do anything on their own. We need tones of pampers, cotton wool and toilet tissues so that when they mess up they are quickly cleaned, and this is the other challenge we are facing,”Martha Sibanda mother to Luke Junior Sigauke (12) said.
Mrs Sibanda and her son are both HIV positive.
“My son needs walking frames as he can only move using his knees and hands. Because of his HIV positive condition he is on and off sick making his hospital bill always high and this is the challenge I am faced with” Mrs Sibanda said.
Babara Ncube an information officer for the institution taking care of these children with severe disabilities said they are lobbying government to include in the education curriculum children they are taking care of.
“We have held several meetings with the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders who have agreed and appreciated our call for the inclusion of these children in the mainstream education sector rather than leaving them to us or at their homes. What we are now waiting for is to hearing when this is going to be implemented because there are thousands unidentified children at homes,” she said.
UNICEF is also assisting the centre with material, financial and technical support all in an effort to alleviate the lives of the innocent vulnerable children living with this life condition. (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

(Harare)CIO agents fixed former MDC-99 spokesman, Aaron Muzungu, into driving away a display new Ford Ranger T6 vehicle from a Croco Motors fleet, after telling him President Robert Mugabe had paid cash for the vehicle as a special reward, ZimEye has been told.
The former MDC-99 spokesman, Aaron Muzungu, was arrested by Harare police and charged for allegedly stealing the Croco Motors display car which he freely took away from a demonstration session and drove more than 1300 kilometres away. It was at that time, last month claimed he stole the new Ford Ranger T6, and fled away with it over a long eight days span before being caught, according to a police report.
But ZimEye was on Thursday told Muzungu was actually set up by special CIO agents who told him president Robert Mugabe had paid for the vehicle and given him as a token of appreciation for exposing party president Job Sikhala who he allegedly claimed was attempting to topple Robert Mugabe in a coup.
The statement comes as a senior Croco Motors employee refusing to comment on the matter, repeatedly protested saying she would rather have her bosses at their Head Office respond to it.
Party spokesperson David Hwangwa told ZimEye in an exclusive interview Thursday:

“He had written a letter to president Robert Mugabe and saying he used to work for MDC-99 ….he knows everything that happens in the party. he knows all the secrets. He also told the president that the party is planning a coup…that Job Sikhala has been working with mercenaries from South Africa. And then also that hunger strike that Job Sikhala wanted to do, he told them that its not a hunger strike, …its a hunger strike in disguise and the people from the party are going to have weapons and they are going to ransack and go through  parliament….and shoot everyone in there and cause a coup; which in fact wasn’t true.
 
“Just take the keys and drive away”
“And so in exchange for all that information he wanted the president to buy him a Mercedes Benz… So on that day in question of the Ford Ranger that he stole, he was told by the people who were working with him… the CIO or the law and order… who had been assigned by the president to investigate him…he was to told go into that Ford Ranger, ‘just take the keys and drive away’.”
 
At Mozambiquan border
After driving away with the vehicle, all the way to the Mozambiquan border from the Chiredzi area, Muzungu then experienced difficulty crossing over and seeing an advert in the newspaper calling for information to a stolen vehicle, he then telephoned Croco Motors saying he had paid cash for the vehicle; Upon this juncture Mr Hwangwa alleges, Muzungu was advised to return to Harare to pick up the required documentation, shortly before being arrested on his way back.
When contacted, a Croco Motors employee refused to comment even anonymously and vehemently protested to our reporter:
“I do not want to comment on that, can you call our head office please.”
An attempt to reach Muzungu for comment was fruitless as we were told he was in remand prison at the time of writing.

BULAWAYO (ZimEye) – AN ex-ZIPRA official has broken the silence on the 1982 discovered arms caches that led to the Gukurahundi massacres, saying the weapons belonged to South Africa’s ruling party African National Congress (ANC) military wing, Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK).
Former Zipra cadre Cetshwayo Sithole told Zapu youths at the party’s regional offices in Bulawayo, that Zapu couldn’t reveal that the arms belonged to MK because it would be “improper.”
“It’s true that we were keeping arms but they belonged to Umkhonto Wesizwe’s arms. When we surrendered our arms at Brady barracks, we couldn’t surrender MK’s arms as well. The truth must be known. We had kept the arms. Dumiso Dabengwa and Lookout Masuku just kept quiet about it in court,” he said.

The then Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister Robert Mugabe deployed the 5th Brigade in Matabeleland and Midlands in 1983 after claiming to have unearthed an arms cache in February 1982 at Zipra properties.
Matabeleland and Midlands were Ndebele speaking strongholds of Zapu, who had won a paltry 20 parliamentary seats in the country’s first democratic elections in 1980.
However a treason trial in 1982 involving Lookout Masuku, Dumiso Dabengwa and four others, built around the discovery of the arms cache, failed to prove a case against them and they were all released.
Dabengwa and Masuku were re-detained without trial for four years but Masuku died in prison.
Sithole continued:
“We (Zapu) need to be in parliament so that we can send to the Hague people who are guilty of Gukurahundi. We should first take power, starting with Bulawayo,” he said.(ZimEye, Zimbabwe)

London(ZimEye)The Zimbabwean government has promised to pay air fares for expelled ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema’s for his upcoming UK meeting scheduled for Birmingham, ZimEye has been exclusively told.
Julius Malema, who apart from being expelled from South Africa’s ruling ANC party has recently challenged South African president Jacob Zuma for the presidency, is scheduled to speak at the upcoming Birmingham Africa Liberation movement conference on the 3rd June whose air fare the Zimbabwean government promised to pay, according to top sources in the Birmingham based organising committee for the function.
The function is a belated Africa Day celebration which would have been held on the appropriate day 25 May but was delayed for reasons undeclared.

One of the senior organisers, Mr Bini Butuakwa, of West Indian origin, confirmed to ZimEye on Saturday morning:
“The Information Minister in Zimbabwe said that he will get him to come over and if he has a problem with paying he would cover the fare…,” he said, adding that at present Malema was still struggling to obtain a travel visa.
“We are having a bit of the problem at the moment which is getting him into the country. If we don’t get him….we going to get him on Skype,” he said.
“He was going to come but we are getting some problem.
“We’ve been supporting the liberation movements in South Africa and Guinea Bissau since 1965”, he said.

Mr Butuakwa also indicated to ZimEye that in the entire ANC party Malema is the only person they selected as appropriate to address delegates at the belated function.
At the time of writing Malema had not obtained a British Visa.
Julius Malema was this year expelled from the ANC for his activities deemed to have brought the ANC party into disrepute which included announcing he would soon effect regime change in neighbouring Botswana as well as also publicly labeling his senior leader Jacob Zuma, a dictator.
Meanwhile, MDC south End On Sea branch chairman Stanford Biti has said that the party will demonstrate against Malema should he enter the UK:
“We the MDC in UK will protest against his visit and would like to meet him and send a clear message that he supped with the Zimbabwean Dictator Robert Mugabe and incited violence in Zimbabwe. Julius Malema has also been on the fore front advocating violent farm invasions and expropriation of property in South Africa on racial grounds. “Therefore on the 3^rd of June when he intends to address the people in Birmingham, we will be there in big numbers to meet him and confront him,” he said.
A comment from the Information Minister, Webster Shamu could not be obtained at the time of writing.
(ZimEye, UK)

London(ZimEye)The brother to Zimbabwe’s Finance minister Stanford Biti, has weighed in on MDC-T party findings that have resulted in Morgan Tsvangirai’s uncle relation Jaison Matewu, being probed for allegedly paying bribes in order to obtain parliamentary candidacy in Marondera Urban.
Mr Biti who during a UK meeting in 2009 in a yorky attack, assaulted former diasporan, Jaison Matewu with a bunch of eggs at a party function, this week told ZimEye that he is ‘not surprised’ that the Tsvangirai family man is now being investigated on corruption charges.

“I landed Matewu with half a dozen of eggs on his face,” he said, followed by a chuckle”
Biti who was immediately reported to UK police for the incident which he at first denied, said:

“We told them long before that these guys are corrupt …and that’s the reason why we refused to have …and Moyo came in and imposed an illegal structure. And that’s why we welcome the current amendment because it gives branches (autonomy),” the man who is the chairman of the MDC’s South End On Sea branch added.
Jaison Matewu who is on record saying of Tsvangirai that he spent his childhood life and went to primary school together with Tsvangirai in Buhera, was blasted by the party’s Organising Secretary, Nelson Chamisa.
“Who is this Matewu that people are complaining about? Does anyone know his political background or the status of his party membership?” asked Chamisa.

In order to secure parliamentary candidacy, Matewu is alleged to have bought designer suits for elected councilors at the local authority, donated a T-35 truck to Denga, dished out cash and furniture to leaders, and purchased a residential stand in Marondera for a former top official – among other allegations.

One of the organisers of the festival, who declined to be named, said he had kept in touch with Trelawny who was being “treated well”.

Foreign journalists intending to work in Zimbabwe must seek permission from the Information Ministry prior to entering the country under tough media laws.

Harare(ZimEye)-The visiting UN human rights chief Navi Pillay on Friday requested that Western countries should suspend sanctions on Zimbabwe and its President Robert Mugabe in order to give the country a chance to implement reforms.
Concluding her five day visit, Pillay said sanctions should be suspended until election time.
“I would urge those countries that are currently applying sanctions on Zimbabwe to suspend them, at least until the conduct of the elections and related reforms are clear,” she stated.
Pillay said in full:
“Finally, I would like to turn to a highly controversial issue that has come up again and again during my visit here, namely the various limited sanctions regimes that some countries have imposed on Zimbabwe over the past decade or so. The continuation of sanctions is now opposed by all three parties that make up the Inclusive Government, and I have yet to hear a single Zimbabwean inside the country say they definitely think sanctions should continue. The reason for this is a perception that sanctions, which were targeted at various named individuals and companies, are in fact having a wider impact on the general population. While it is difficult to disentangle the specific causes of Zimbabwe’s major social and economic ills, there seems little doubt that the existence of the sanctions regimes has, at the very least, acted as a serious disincentive to overseas banks and investors. It is also likely that the stigma of sanctions has limited certain imports and exports. Taken together, these and other unintended side-effects will in turn inevitably have had a negative impact on the economy at large, with possibly quite serious ramifications for the country’s poorest and most vulnerable populations who have also had to cope with the political instability and violence as well as a severe drought.
“The issues relating to the individuals targeted by the sanctions will I hope – assuming there is sufficient evidence – one day be sorted out in a court of law, which is the proper place to deal with serious crimes. In the meantime, I would urge those countries that are currently applying sanctions on Zimbabwe to suspend them, at least until the conduct and outcome of the elections and related reforms are clear.”
Pillay who is the highest ranking UN official to visit the country to date, stated that dispite her  five day visit, camped in the capital, she would not be drawn into making many conclusions since all she saw of Zimbabwe was just the capital city Harare.
Read more on Pillay’s closing speech . (ZimEye, Zimbabwe)
 

Manchester(ZimEye)A woman placed in a council flat in Manchester claims a Ghost she ‘found’ in the house is still inside months after she reported the matter.
The woman LS(REAL NAME WITHELD) who says Manchester Council’s Northwards Housing company told her “what you see is what you get”,  told ZimEye Tuesday afternoon:
“…nothing has changed ever since February. Its still the same,” she said.

The house is managed by the Manchester Council company who did not deny the complaints which included a previous tenant’s antiques left at the property for several weeks, only being removed following a ZimEye undercover investigation in February.
LS  aged 33, is a single mum of one who has been living at the property for the past five months and told ZimEye of her terror at the alleged “Ghost”:
“I am having sleepless nights with my child. I can’t even sleep,” she said.

LS claimed that the company’s housing officer however gave two conflicting accounts, one that stated that the previous tenant lived since 1986, and another that the same tenant lived for only three years.
ZimEye editors were left in stitches after we were told people had been busy chasing the “Ghost” around the house on the Wednesday afternoon in February when we began our investigations.
“…(We)are here busy chasing the chipoko(ghost)”, one woman who had been assisting LS said. “Its here, its busy breaking things and the council is saying there is nothing they can do,” she said. (UK, ZimEye)

The expelled former ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema heads for the United Kingdom to the second city of Birmingham where he is scheduled to speak on the Africa Liberation Day, a function celebrated worldwide since 1963.
The function is to be held on Saturday the 3rd June.
Speakers include pan Africanists: the historian Cecil Gutzmore, Sarudzayi Barnes, Anna Magowa, Makola Libango, lawyer and community organiser Afryea Adofo, and Julius Malema himself.
Scores of Zimbabweans and as well as other exiled Africans are expected to attend the meeting whose theme and motivation is: “an occasion when African people worldwide focus on the fight for total liberation and self determination”
More to follow
Poster:

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay on Tuesday met Zimbabwe’s NGO Forum organisation together with prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai after meetings with the President of the Senate and local human rights organisations.
Tsvangirai met with Pillay, a day after President Robert Mugabe’s party, in a fragile three-year coalition government, insisted to the envoy there was no state-sponsored violence in the country.
Tsvangirai, who was a victim of torture himself said that he hoped the upcoming elections will be “free and fair and away from violence.” Pillay said she had raised many “areas of concern” on violence with Tsvangirai.
On Monday the civil society in the country had raised concern over the government’s change of the top UN diplomat’s schedule where it had excluded the CSOs coalition preferring to hire some Zanu (PF) affiliated individuals and organizations including the Affirmative Action Group (AAG) a black empowerment group which led a campaign for the indigenization of foreign owned companies, Chris Mutangadura a chief law officer in the Attorney general’s office who has been used by the state to prosecute most human rights defenders and perceived Zanu (PF) critics in the country and Goodson Nguni, a known Zanu (PF) activist.
The Civil Service Community which stood by their declaration had cowed not to attend Pillay’s meeting at Parliament as rescheduled by the government left the UN Human Rights boss without an option but to see the CSOs separately from the ‘stage managed’ one.
Addressing journalists after their meeting, the Director of NGO Forum Abel Chikomo said they had met and presented their side of the human rights situation in the country which the government ignored.
“The government was welcome if they wanted to sit in and listen to what we were saying to the high commissioner, because these are the things that we tell them every day, the only thing is that government has never cared to listen at list to do anything about what we tell them, in fact we were expecting that Mr Mangota was going to sit in the meeting, especially Mr Mangota because he attempted to disrupt our meeting with the high commissioner,” said Chikomo.
Meanwhile police are out in full force pursuing the high profile human rights defender Chikomo fir charges not yet known to him, he told journalists soon after their meeting with the United Nations’ Pillay at the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights Offices in Harare. Chikomo said he had no idea why the police had been to his offices looking for him.

Harare(ZimEye)The government of Zimbabwe through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice David Mangota has reportedly suppressed the interaction between the visiting UN High Commissioner on Human Rights and the local civil service organizations a move viewed as intended to stage manage the High Commissioner’s tour.
Addressing a joint press conference on Monday hosted by the Zimbabwe lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) endorsed by 37 local CSOs Abel Chikomo who read the statement on behalf of the NGO Forum claimed Mangota had instead hired some unknown human rights activists including a top human rights abuser the AAG and Zanu (PF) activist Goodson Nguni to stand as the CSOs in place of ‘the genuine ones’.
“The permanent secretary, David Mangota, ……….unilaterally changed the venue of the meeting, moving it to Parliament building and had invited several other ‘organisations’ that are not known to be doing any work on human rights in Zimbabwe,” said chikomo.
The CSOs said the actions of the government were a clear indication that they are the gross human rights abusers as evidenced by the fact that they have denied the CSOs just a thirty minute meeting with the High Commissioner out of her five day visit.
“Minister Chinamasa is already on record saying the government has nothing to hide – so why are they choosing to suppress interaction between Madam Pillay and credible and trusted CSOs who have been working on the ground for decades? We today are here to make it clear that genuine CSOs will not be commandeered by government to a stage-managed civil society meeting with the High Commissioner which is organised by the government; neither will we legitimise a fraudulent exercise meant to give the UN human rights chief a superficial picture of our country’s human rights situation,” said the NGO forum.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights Director Irene Petras said it was not up to government to say there were no human rights abuses but rather to the people who bear the brunt of the government’s abuses and that the actions of the government spoke volumes.
“It is very clear for every logical Zimbabwean who can read and write that the government is (or) could be hiding something. So let the people make their own conclusion on whether there are human rights abuses or not,” said Petras.
Outspoken constitutional lawyer Professor Lovemore Madhuku said the CSOs that had been invited by government to the meeting where just an extension of the state which stands accused of the abuses on its own people.
“These are just an extension of the state now pretending to be involved in Human Rights issues who want to abuse the visit by the High Commissioner; this is how naïve they are,” said Madhuku.
Meanwhile the NGO Forum indicated their intention to boycott the upcoming meeting saying it would not endorse and legitimize tomorrow’s meeting between Pillay and the Zanu (PF)’s purported CSOs by attending it adding that they would only show up at the originally agreed venue.
The NGO Forum said they had already prepared a report they handed to the High Commissioner directly. (ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)

Harare(ZimEye)Claims that president Robert Mugabe has died are not true, ZimEye is reliably told.
Many of our valued readers both telephoned and emailed our editors inquiring about the President’s condition after known CIO operatives claimed that Mugabe died in the early hours of Saturday morning.
“…CIO agent (name witheld) told me that the president Robert G Mugabe has passed away today. How far true is this?” inquired a reader only identified as Edwin.
Three other readers with connections to President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party claimed they had heard the exact same rumour from named sources and telephoning our editors were seeking to know the truth.
But ZANU PF party spokesman Rugare Gumbo told ZimEye on Saturday that there was no truth in the claims.

“Which president? Ah where did you get that from?,” he said before hanging the phone saying we should call back in a few minutes after checking if there was any credibility to the reports.
“There is nothing like that,” Mr Gumbo later repeated to our reporter after checking with his party.
ZimEye also confirmed with several other top government sources Saturday afternoon who reported to be equally shocked at the inquiry.
On Wednesday a fit Robert Mugabe attended and chaired a 7 hour long politburo meeting, completely nullifying all claims on his health.
President Robert Mugabe’s health became a major subject of high media speculation following leaked US cables reported Reserve bank govenor Gideon Gono allegedly stating that Mugabe would not live beyond the year 2013 due to a long illness. Last month a rogue UK website following the rumours, mischievously   constructed a series of false incidents  claiming that Mugabe had fallen into a coma , and in the process  outrageously misleading  international newspapers on the matter.(ZIMBABWE, ZimEye)