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Zimasco fires workers and managers | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwe Mining and Alloy Smelting Company (Zimasco) has reportedly fired almost all its workers, including managers, and ceased mining operations at Mutorashanga after the equipment meant to refine chrome ore failed to work.

The $25m equipment was installed in February at Zimasco’s refinery in Kwekwe by Chinese contractors on behalf of Sinosteel Corporation. Chrome ore was transported from Mutorashanga to be processed there. Sinosteel, a Chinese state owned company, bought Zimasco in 2007. The Chinese giant is that country’s second largest producer of iron ore.

An un-named manager who was fired last week said as a result of the equipment failure the company has closed supply stores at its Mutorashanga mine and fired its workforce. According to a Bloomberg news agency, the manager said the latest development brings the number of job losses to more than 500 over the last two years.

Small scale business operators in Mutorashanga said they ‘have seen crime and poverty going through the roof’ as a result of the closure of operations in the area. Zimasco has operated in Mutorashanga since 1910. The company operated alongside Zimbabwe Alloys which stopped mining last year.

A Kwekwe-based journalist said Zimasco’s problems went much deeper. He said: ‘Zimasco’s problems are deeper than that of the failed equipment. They are retrenching all over. People might call it firing but as far as I know they are not firing rather they are forcing people to take retrenchment packages because they can’t sustain operations anymore.’

The journalist said the company’s problems started when the Chinese took over. He said: ‘Even up to this date the workers are still wondering why the Chinese were brought in. Everyone in Kwekwe knows that the Chinese are not good for that company.’

In February, the company announced that it would be retrenching half of its three thousand workers to streamline costs. The company said the decision was a response to ‘global market conditions’ which had affected chrome prices since 2008. As a result, the management said, the company would henceforth undertake ‘various cost cutting initiatives in all its operations.’

Zimbabwe has the world’s second-biggest chrome reserves, after South Africa.


MDC-T SA provincial executive ‘booted out’ | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

The provincial executive of the MDC-T in South Africa, led by Kwanele Moyo, has been sacked for ‘sleeping on duty’ and replaced with an interim executive.

The new interim structure, headed by Austin Moyo, was put in place until the province holds elections, said Mutsa Murenje, the acting secretary for Research and Policy.

He denied the dissolution of the executive had anything to do with the factional infighting that has divided the party in Zimbabwe, triggered by the letter authored by suspended treasurer-general Elton Mangoma to party leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

In the letter, Mangoma accused Tsvangirai of lacking leadership, which resulted in the party’s heavy electoral ‘defeat’ to ZANU PF last year, and asked him to step down.

Murenje said: ‘These guys (old executive) simply went to sleep and the province stopped to function for years.’

A statement released by the MDC-T SA on Wednesday said the Party just disappeared in the hands of Kwanele Moyo, compelling the members to pass a vote of no-confidence in the non-existent structure.

‘The Zimbabwe Special Dispensation programme which saw Zimbabweans receiving work, study and business permits is at the verge of collapsing due to lack of follow-ups from the Kwanele Moyo led executive,’ the statement said.

Members of the new executive said they were fully behind Tsvangirai and also acknowledged the suspension of Mangoma.

‘We want to put it on record that only four ambitious individuals are attempting to disregard the outcome of the Party’s Congress which was held in Bulawayo three years ago. The members of MDC have however resisted the palace coup which Mangoma was made to be the face,’ the statement added.

Mugabe accused of ‘diplomatic hiccup’ over EU summit snub | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

Robert Mugabe has been accused of making a diplomatic misstep by boycotting this week’s European Union (EU) – Africa summit in Belgium, over the refusal by the EU to grant Grace Mugabe a visa.

The summit, which has seen 30 African and European leaders come together to discuss trade and policy, comes to an end on Thursday.

Mugabe, who refused to join the meeting after Grace was denied a visa to join him, had tried to stimulate an African Union (AU) snub of the summit, but to no avail.

South Africa’s Jacob Zuma also did not attend, although spokespeople for the ANC leader would not link his non-attendance to Mugabe’s boycott threat.

EU Ambassador to Zimbabwe Aldo Dell’Ariccia said Mugabe ‘miscalculated’ his influence, saying the move to boycott the summit was a “diplomatic hiccup”.

“This comes as a major diplomatic setback for Zimbabwe. But for us, the process of re-engagement continues and we hope that we are going to have our relations normalized soon,” Dell’Ariccia was quoted by the NewsDay newspaper as saying.

Mugabe and his wife remain targeted with EU restrictive measures, which bar, among other things, European travel. The rules were bent to accommodate Mugabe’s invitation to the Brussels based summit. But the EU did not make the same exceptions for Grace, on the basis that she had no role to play during the meeting.

But the 90 year old ZANU PF leader was left angered by this decision, along with the EU’s failure to invite his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for genocide. Mugabe, through his spokespeople, accused the EU of trying to dictate the makeup of African delegations.

Dube wants ZIFA to turn to farming to raise money | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

ZIFA chairman Cuthbert Dube is pushing the association to turn to farming to raise funds for the cash strapped local football body.

But his suggestion has been described as ‘insane and out of touch’ with modern football administration by the game’s administrators and players. Dube, who was controversially re-elected the ZIFA boss at the weekend, has asked government to give his association several farms around the country, according to the BBC.

During Dube’s first tenure as head of ZIFA, the association accrued a debt of US$6m, adversely affecting the operations of the badly managed body.

‘Maybe some people will ask if I’m still alright in my head, but we are going to diversify into farming in a very big way. I’ve already started talking to the responsible government ministry, as we’ve got the land reform programme. We are going to do cattle ranching and crop farming,’ said Dube.

However former Caps United footballer Innocent Mugabe, now a holder of a UEFA B coaching licence in the UK, said Dube’s plans are not in sync with modern football.

‘That is (farming) not the way to run football. You end up losing focus of running the game and eventually spend more time worrying about farming activities.

‘In modern football you cannot escape joining hands with the corporate world to succeed in football management,’ said Mugabe.

He added: ‘What Dube needs to do as a matter of urgency is to form an advisory body made up former coaches, administrators and players. This body will advise him of how to approach issues in this modern day era of football management.’

Three years ago the then Finance minister Tendai Biti, a huge football fan, told ZIFA that government would not fund the game until the local football governing body put its house in order.

The MDC-T secretary-general, a Black Rhinos and Arsenal supporter, accused ZIFA of ‘ruining’ the country’s most popular sport and running it like a ‘tuck-shop.’

‘Football associations around the world make a lot of money if they are run properly and professionally, but here you are running it like a ‘tuck-shop.’ thereby contributing to the demise of the good sport.”

MP Sipepa Nkomo lodges legal bid for devolution | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

Lobengula MDC-T MP Samuel Sipepa-Nkomo has lodged a Constitutional Court bid to force Mugabe’s government to comply with the constitution on devolution.

In his petition filed last week, Nkomo wants the government to decentralise power from Harare to provincial levels, to enable all citizens to set their own priorities.

He also argues that government’s non-compliance is preventing him from fully dispensing his duties as the representative for the Lobengula Constituency.

“Devolution is central in the part of the country I come from and in the constituency I represent. I was chosen to represent my constituency which expects me to serve in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Council and represent its interests.

“I want to serve in this important institution so that it can perform and execute its developmental roles as defined by the constitution. This is where we are supposed to make decisions, together with Bulawayo councillors, about what is of importance to the city and how to take the city forward,” Nkomo said.

But this council doesn’t exist because the government is delaying its formation as required by the new charter.

Nkomo therefore wants the ConCourt to force Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo, Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa and the government, to put in place legal institutions necessary for the formation of such councils.

Chombo is responsible for the administration of the Provincial Councils and Administration Act, while Mnangagwa handles legal matters for the government including the Constitution and Bills.

Speaking on SW Radio Africa’s Big Picture programme on Thursday, Nkomo said devolution was one of the highlights of the constitution-making process last year.

“It was very popular as Zimbabweans across the country looked forward to at last managing their own affairs at local level. That is why I think this government should have made this issue a priority and this court case is to try and force them to listen to the people,” the legislator said.

MDC President Professor Welshman Ncube, whose party has been very vocal in campaigning for devolution, said the issue is about self-governance as much as freedom.

“It is an important issue for everyone who cares about freedoms, independence and the liberties of the people and their right to self-determination.

“Devolution is also about the economic development of each and every village, district and province. The aim of this liberating philosophy is to transfer power into the hands of people at local level to determine their own developmental affairs,” the MDC leader told SW Radio Africa.

Ncube commended MP Nkomo for applying pressure on ZANU PF to respect the law and said such steps were important to ensure that the “regime is exposed to its violations of the country’s constitution”.

The MDC leader said the reluctance by the ruling party to align all laws to the new constitution stemmed from ZANU PF’s tradition of governing by force.

Innocent Ndibali, leader of the Zimbabwe Unemployed People’s Association, said implementing devolution will also ensure that local communities will be given first preference to jobs in their provinces.

Soldiers assault MDC-T youths in Harare | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

On Wednesday morning 10 MDC-T youths were assaulted by a group of armed soldiers as they were putting up rally posters in the Harare suburb of Highfield, the party has announced.

A statement said Shepherd Mbewe, Sean Chindori and Sharodd Matamba, were also detained for over an hour at Zororo Centre where over 30 soldiers are holding training courses. The three were ‘badly assaulted’ and they have since reported the incident at Machipisa Police Station. The other seven youths managed to escape.

The rally, which is penciled in for this Saturday, has been cleared by the police and the party was granted permission to put up their posters.

The MDC-T councilor for Ward 26, Special Zuze, castigated the soldiers for their action. Zuze said the soldiers are ‘needlessly assaulting the public’ at a time when people must unite and confront the country’s economic problems. He added: ‘What the soldiers have done does not reflect a defence force with integrity or a force that wants to protect the people at all. It shows a defence force that lacks discipline and this has to end now'.

Zuze has also approached the Harare City Council’s department of housing seeking clarification on why the center, which also houses a pre-school, has been turned into a military training camp.

Robert Mugabe has always used the military to maintain his hold on power and numerous incidents have been reported about army units terrorizing defenceless people on behalf of the party. Senior army officers openly support the ruling party and routinely issue inflammatory statements and hate speech against the opposition.

Food shortage fears as govt cancels import permits | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

The immediate cancellation of food import permits have sparked fears of a looming shortage of fruit and vegetables, with no clarification yet of when imported fresh produce will be allowed back on shelves.

Agriculture Minister Joseph Made said in a statement this week that all current fruit and vegetable import and export permits, previously issued by the ministry, had been recalled with immediate effect. This followed a Government directive on Monday that there was a need to revise the rules and regulations governing the importation and exportation of agricultural produce.

The move means that all fresh produce brought into the country will not be permitted, until new import permits are issued. It is not yet clear who will now be given the permits and when. But in the short term it means grocery stores and other shops who sell imported goods will soon run short of stock.

The effect of the directive is likely to be far reaching, with Zimbabweans mostly reliant on imported fresh produce because of the destruction of the domestic agricultural sector. The import of fresh fruit and vegetables from South Africa, for example, is said to be worth an estimated $1 million a month.

At the same time, some commercial farming groups in Zimbabwe remain afloat because of international exports of their produce, with large supermarkets chains and others still sourcing Zim fruit and vegetables.

Economic analyst Masimba Kuchera said the directive has likely been motivated by pressure from local producers, who have argued that imports are killing the local markets.

“The idea is good, but the timing is really bad. This may induce a food shortage because the directive is coming with immediate effect. Local farmers are likely not prepared to chip in with the required food tonnage of produce for the markets,” Kuchera told SW Radio Africa.

He added: “So we may have a ripple affect with price increases in the short term, because we will have fewer goods with a lot of demand.”

Kuchera also warned that the impact on the export market will be serious, because Zimbabwe’s economy is still in desperate need of foreign currency.

“From an export perspective this is shooting yourself in the foot, because some of the foreign currency in the market is generated from this sector. So this (the directive) reduces the country’s ability to earn foreign currency which is required at the moment,” Kuchera explained.

He added that corruption, which has been rampant in different Zimbabwean sectors, is a source of concern moving forward, with the import/export industry worth millions of dollars.

“Corruption is something we have to be worried about generally, because it has pervaded every nook and cranny of Zimbabwean transaction. Clearly we have a situation where there is a culture of doing business where kickbacks and bribes are the order of the day,” Kuchera warned.

Doctors ready to offer free facial reconstruction surgeries | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

Organizers of free facial surgeries are calling on all people afflicted with cleft palates or similar facial disfigurements to attend the exercise which starts on Sunday at 8am at the Harare Central Hospital.

Avondale and Borrowdale Brooke Rotary Clubs said a team of about 20 international doctors was already in the country to offer free surgeries and are raring to go. The Operation of Hope team will kick-start the life changing exercise with the screening of patients, which will be followed by the actual surgery on Monday.

Children and adults who are afflicted with cleft palates are asked to bring with them all their particulars, including medical records, to facilitate a smooth exercise.

Operation of Hope has been undertaking such missions in the country since 2006. So far more than 720 people have benefitted from 13 pervious missions. Last year more than 40 people, mainly children, received new appearances.

The Rotary Club representatives said this year they were expecting even more people from all over the country.


Britain introduces new visa requirements | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

The United Kingdom has introduced new changes to the visa application process which will require potential travelers to pay application fees online by debit card.

A statement from the British Embassy said Zimbabweans can no longer go to the embassy to apply for a visa but will have to visit the www.Visa4UK.fco.gov.uk website to apply online for appointment times.

Most Zimbabweans have no access to debit cards and are likely to find the new process a deterrent. But the embassy said the ‘mandatory’ system would meet the UK government’s requirements and is ‘consistent with a wider global trend to online transactions and payments.’ The UK government also said the new system would help cut costs in the management of the visa regime and would also keep the fees affordable.

The embassy also introduced a priority visa to cater for business travelers. The special visa will be processed within five days at a cost of £100, as opposed to the normal visa which could take 15 working days.

Since 2000 many Zimbabweans have fled both repression and the economic decline to settle in the West. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans reside in the UK. In 2002 the UK was forced to introduce a visa for Zimbabweans as a way of controlling the number of people coming into the country.

Bob Diamond to organise bonds for Zim government | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

The former CEO at Barclays UK, who resigned in 2012 after the bank was fined a record amount for trying to manipulate lending rates, is set to organize a bond worth millions to help the broke Mugabe regime.

Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa told reporters Wednesday that Robert Diamond’s company Atlas Mara Co-invest had promised to organise “an issuance of a European bond” worth $207 million. This is part of the cash-strapped government’s efforts to raise money to fund its operations.

Concern has been raised over Diamond’s links to George Manyere, an investment banker and former World Bank official, whose company was hired by government to oversee the “indigenization” of foreign firms. Through his company Brainworks, Manyere last year faced allegations that he had profited from a deal involving the mining giant Zimplats.

According to The Telegraph newspaper, Manyere’s Brainworks was paid $40 million to simply prepare the indigenization agreement between Zimplats and a local community ownership trust. Manyere is an adviser and member of Diamond’s “founder network” for his Atlas Mara, an investment vehicle that raised $325 million for African projects.

Harare based economist Tony Hawkins said Diamond’s company has the necessary connections and this week bought local Zim bank BancABC. But Hawkins told SW Radio Africa that the deal with Diamond will increase Zimbabwe’s already large foreign debt.

“My feeling is simply that for Zimbabwe to raise more offshore money at this stage when it has already over-borrowed and has huge arrears is not a sound strategy from a long-term viewpoint, rather than criticism of Diamond and what he does. We need to reduce our offshore debt not increase it,” Hawkins explained.

Chinamasa and Diamond expressed confidence in the prospects of raising enough money for the Zim bond. But many Zimbabweans commenting online said no investors in their right minds would sink money into a country where government policy requires that 51% of all foreign firms be controlled by locals.

Others were more critical of Diamond, with one saying: “With a bit of luck, Diamond will be left holding the bonds, instead of Muppets. Then he can get some sense of emerging market risk in a country that has no respect for property rights, of any kind. It might be illuminating for him.”

Tourism ministry buys vehicles worth $50 million from India | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

The Ministry of Tourism has ordered 670 vehicles from an Indian company, just two days after the chief executive of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority complained that his organisation is underfunded.

In a statement Ashok Leyland said it had secured an order worth $50 million to be delivered in the 2014-15 financial year. Tourism minister Walter Mzembi confirmed the deal but declined to comment further. The deal is based on Zimbabwe receiving a ‘line of credit’ from India.

Nothing is known about what the vehicles are for or how the ministry will pay for them or even if the ministry had gone to tender.

On Wednesday, Karikoga Kaseke, the ZTA chief executive officer, complained that they had only received $50,000 from Treasury so far this year. He said the authority was allocated only $2.2 million by Treasury against the $35 million requested for its activities.

Our Bulawayo correspondent Lionel Saungweme said the ministry should have used part of the money to market the country’s tourist destinations, rather than spend it all on vehicles.

‘The Ministry is not that big to buy over 600 vehicles…one wonders what the vehicles are for, unless if they are earmarked for tourist companies around the country,’ Saungweme said.

Tourism used to be the country’s third biggest foreign currency earner, attracting nearly one and a half million visitors a year. But by December 2000 that number of visitors had fallen by 75%. This had a massive impact on the economy as thousands of people lost their jobs as companies closed down.

Last year Zimbabwe and Zambia co-hosted the UNWTO General Assembly which provided the two countries the rare opportunity to showcase their tourism products to the world. But the ZANU PF led government has made no effort to increase the country’s tourism potential and in fact is proposing a VAT tax on foreign visitors which will depress the industry even more.

Nhema insists ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ violated in mining Trust case | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

The new Indigenisation Minister has called on mining firms to pay up the $10 million they each promised to pay into Community Share Ownership Trusts, as part of a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’.

Minister Francis Nhema is under fire from the Parliamentary Committee on Youth and Indigenisation, over the failure of the Marange-Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust to pay out the millions allegedly pledged by mining firms.

The Ownership Trust was launched by Robert Mugabe in 2012, with a US$50 million kitty that was promised would be used for development projects in Marange. The multimillion dollar cash injection was allegedly the result of ‘contributions’ by the mining firms operating at the Chiadzwa diamond mines. The cash had allegedly been promised by five mining firms as part of efforts to ensure proceeds from the diamonds benefitted the local communities.

But two years later it has emerged that out of the ‘promised’ amount, only $400,000 was remitted, with officials from the mining firms distancing themselves from claims that they had pledged $10 million each. Nhema’s predecessor, Saviour Kasukuwere, was last month also accused of ‘lying’ to Robert Mugabe, when he presented a false multi-million dollar cheque to him in 2012 as part of the Trust’s launch.

Mining officials, who appeared before a parliamentary committee on Mines, refuted the claims that they agreed to give $10 million each to the Trust. Some officials reportedly said they only pledged $1.5 million each, while others professed complete ignorance of the existence of the Trust. Acting Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda has said if it is proved that the officials lied to the legislators they could be charged with perjury.

Minister Nhema has now been caught up in the fallout of the parliamentary probe, insisting that the Marange mining firms and others who pledged to donate to the nationwide Trusts, violated a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ with the government. He said that mining companies operating in Zimbabwe had made the pledge, as part of the ZANU PF ‘empowerment’ initiative.

“The spirit of the agreement, the spirit of the discussion was that they would pay $10 million. We don’t have pledges written but we have minutes. I believe it’s a gentlemen’s agreement, they were in the meeting, they shook their hands, they should honour their obligation,” Nhema told the parliamentary committee this week.

Committee chairperson ZANU PF Mayor Wadyajena asked whether government worked on gentlemen’s agreements.

“The government operates on goodwill sir. That is why we still accepted the $10 million from Unki (mine) without any written agreement,” Nhema said, adding that the companies still had to ‘honour’ their promises.

According to Nhema, 13 mining companies have paid a total of $31 million to the different Community Ownership Share Trusts. Of the 13 companies only Unki Mine paid the full amount of $10 million. Zimplats reportedly paid $6 million; Blanket Mine $5 million; Mimosa $4 million; Freda $1 million; Rio Tinto owned Murowa Diamonds $300,000; Mbada $200,000 and Marange Resources $200,000.

James Mupfumi, the Acting Director of the Centre for Research and Development (CRD), told SW Radio Africa that the Trusts were never set up with the benefit of the affected villagers in mind. He called it “political grandstanding” with officials and government ministers trying to curry favour with Mugabe.

“I am not surprised that the money never materialised. In Marange even the diamond firms and their deals are shrouded in secrecy and the communities were just thrown (in) the dustbin. The ministers were only wanting to please Mugabe,” Mupfumi said.

Government bars Tsvangirai from visiting flood victims | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

Government has barred former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai from visiting victims of the Tokwe Mukosi floods, the MDC-T has said.

The MDC-T leader was due to visit the Chingwizi holding camp this week where he wanted to donate used clothes, blankets and food stuffs to the victims. But the government notified the former premier’s emissaries that he could not go ahead with his mission.

According to a statement from Harvest House, Provincial Affairs Minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti said Tsvangirai must leave his presents at the government offices in Masvingo where they will be transported to the victims. But the MDC-T said ZANU PF is so used to partisan food distribution that they may want to misrepresent all donations as coming from them. The party said it was criminal for ZANU PF to ‘take advantage of a national disaster for political capital.’

Spokesman Douglas Mwonzora said the opposition party was shocked that the government would bar a former premier, and leader of a party represented in Parliament, from undertaking such a humanitarian exercise.

Mwonzora said Tsvangirai was simply being ‘courteous’ by informing the government of his plans because there is no legal requirement for him to do so. He said: ‘He is a former PM and as such certain formalities are important to be fullfilled otherwise he is not bound by any law to inform anyone of such a mission.’

Mwonzora said the party will continue to negotiate with the government. He said Tsvangirai had delayed his visit as a way to ‘give the government a chance to deal with the flood situation on its own without tainting the situation with politics.’

About 4,000 people were evacuated from the flood risk area after heavy rains threatened the collapse of the Tokwe Mukosi Dam in the Masvingo area. Reports have said the flood victims are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance and the government is clearly failing to cope with the situation.

International aid agencies have been working in the area to try to help alleviate the crisis.

Concern grows over flawed Electoral Bill | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

The Electoral Amendment Bill is a “flawed document” which parliament should not pass until proper consultations have been made, poll observer groups have said.

The Bill controversially sailed through the Senate on Thursday, despite protestations from opposition MDC-T lawmakers who had staged a walk-out the day before.

MDC-T Senator Morgan Komichi later said the walk-out was a reaction to the “speed with which the ZANU PF administration was bulldozing the Bill through the House without taking their proposals on board.

On Friday, two civil society groups described the Electoral Bill as unconstitutional and urged parliamentarians to block it until the public have been consulted.

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) said it was concerned that “this important piece of legislation that will inform future elections” had been “hurried” through Senate without involving interested Zimbabweans.

“Adequate consultations with the public and other stakeholders are vital to ensure comprehensive alignment of the Bill with the new Constitution,” ZESN said in a statement.

The Election Resource Centre also noted several “deficiencies” in the Bill, which would “render it unable to positively influence a change in the architecture of electoral management in Zimbabwe”.

The two civic groups note that the Electoral Bill is vague on what constitutes voter education, and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) remains answerable to the justice ministry, in violation of the constitution.

Another concern is that the Bill denies the right to vote to Diaspora-based Zimbabweans, or those in hospital or prison.

In its post-poll review conference held last month, ZEC also proposed changes to the conduct of elections in the country but these, too have been left out of the Bill.

The head of Election Resource Centre, Tawanda Chimhini, said they have launched a “Why Rush – Give Us Time” petition to try and put pressure on the justice ministry to reconsider.

“The Electoral Bill does not address the numerous challenges which were noted by various observer missions during the 2013 elections and acknowledged by ZEC.

“The Bill is weak and has unacceptable errors that betray little seriousness on the part of the drafters,” Chimhini said.

“In its current form the Bill will not take Zimbabwe forward in terms of electoral reforms and if it is passed we intend to challenge its constitutionality in court.”

Chimhini said to avoid passing into law such “flawed documents” the public should be allowed to participate and have a say in any Bill that is brought before parliament, in accordance with the constitution.

“The problem with this Bill, as with all our electoral laws, is that it weakens rather than strengthens systems and as long as these are allowed to exist, we won’t have credible or acceptable elections in this country,” Chimhini added.

He said they hoped that MPs from both sides of the political divide will show the same unity and energy in rejecting the Bill just as they have done on corruption.

The Electoral Bill is one of several other pieces of legislation that have to be aligned with the country’s new constitution which was adopted last year.

Hopes were high that the new charter, campaigned for by the three political parties in the unity government which ended last year, would usher in a new era of constitutionality in Zimbabwe.

The constitution limits the president’s stay in power. The charter also provides for security sector and media reforms and creates institutions that (in theory) are supposed to promote democracy, peace, transparency and accountability.

But there is no specified timeframe within which old laws should be aligned with the constitution, a loophole that ZANU PF is taking advantage of.

Without the called-for changes and reforms, there is real fear that ZANU PF will continue using these institutions to rig and manipulate the electoral process, just as it did in 2013.

Anti-corruption body faces eviction over rentals | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) is facing eviction from their offices for failing to pay rentals, a weekly newspaper has reported.

The Zimbabwe Independent said the commission has been given a 30-day ultimatum to pay overdue rentals, failure of which will result in the organization’s eviction from their Harare offices. Ahead of the latest developments there was a shortage of water at the commission’s offices which are located at the Livingstone House along Samora Machel Avenue.

An unnamed official is quoted as saying the cash-strapped commission has also received letters of demand from other creditors. So dire is the situation that the organization has virtually ceased operating. The commission’s fleet of vehicles is grounded as the organization cannot afford fuel and the phone landlines have been cut. An official said without the landlines it was difficult to function as whistle blowers cannot even reach the commission.

The Denford Chirindo-led commission last received funding in August 2013. Around the same time the commission’s term ended but the commissioners continued to report to work. At the time Chirindo expressed hope that the government would renew their contracts, but that has not happened. Commissioners are appointed by the justice minister in line with the constitution for a term of two years.

The MDC-T shadow minister for justice, Jessie Majome, said the commission’s fate indicates the government’s lack of seriousness in the fight against corruption. She said: ‘There is absolutely no political will whatsoever to maintain any measures against corruption. They say actions speak louder than words. The commission is under siege financially, politically and in every sense of the word.’

Despite the lack of funding the commission has continued to work but has been criticized for its inaction in the face of the many scandals that have been reported in the last few months. The commission is mandated with investigating and exposing cases of corruption in the public and private sectors. However, the commission never had the powers to prosecute suspects, effectively making it useless. In February the MDC-T shadow minister for Home Affairs, Lilian Timveos, called for the dissolution of Zacc and its replacement with an independent body to deal with corruption in high places.

In December 2013, a key research project found that Zimbabwe was the third most corrupt Africa country after joint leaders Nigeria and Egypt. Afrobarometer said corruption in Zimbabwe has increased in the last decade. Afrobarometer is a research project which measures public attitudes on socio-economic and political issues in sub-Saharan Africa.


60 people to receive free facial surgeries | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

Free facial surgeries began in Harare this week with organizers saying about 60 patients are expected to have been treated by the end of the week.

About 100 people afflicted with cleft palates and other facial disfigurements attended the screening stage on Sunday. However, the organizers said only 60 people will receive surgeries with the remainder set to be treated during the next exercise, which is due around June.

The exercise is undertaken by a team of international doctors called Operation of Hope who are working in conjunction with the Avondale and Borrowdale Brooke Rotary Clubs.

Operation of Hope has been undertaking such missions in the country since 2006. So far more than 720 people have benefited from 13 previous missions. Last year more than 40 people, mainly children, received new appearances.

The Operation of Hope team in Zimbabwe

Sunday Mail retracts false Bennett story, fires editor | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

The State-run Sunday Mail newspaper has apologised to senior MDC-T official Roy Bennett, after falsely claiming that he criticised party president Morgan Tsvangirai’s leadership qualities in an interview with the paper.

In a story titled ‘Bennett Slams Tsvangirai’ published on March 23rd, the Sunday Mail ‘quoted’ Bennett as saying he and other MDC-T officials had lost faith in Tsvangirai, whom the story labelled “strong-headed and “power-hungry”.

When SW Radio Africa contacted Bennett over the story, he denied speaking to anyone from the Sunday Mail, or discussing internal party issues with the media.

“I never made any comments nor have I done any interviews with anyone, I never have and never will talk to the ZANUPF propaganda machine. I am not doing any interviews on internal party issues,” Bennett told SW Radio Africa by email.

In its retraction and apology this weekend, the Sunday Mail indicated that through his lawyers Bennett had distanced himself from the false story.

The newspaper attributed the story to a Bulawayo-based freelance reporter, Simba Jemwa, but said he “has been unreachable on his mobile phone after claiming that he has a voice recording of the purported interview.”

Sunday Mail editor Brezhnev Malaba has been sacked over the false article, SW Radio Africa learnt on Monday.

A source told this station that Information Minister Jonathan Moyo was already unhappy with Malaba’s performance, and the Jemwa saga had been the perfect excuse to get rid of him.

Other media reports say Malaba is the latest victim of the infighting between rival ZANU PF factions headed by Joice Mujuru and Emmerson Mnangagwa.

It is said that Information Minister Moyo, Mnangagwa’s public face, was uncomfortable with Malaba’s links to Transport Minister and Mujuru ally Obert Mpofu.

Edson Madondo, a senior researcher at The Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe, told SW Radio Africa that his group has recorded a steady rise in sensational reporting, especially on political matters in the country.

Madondo said besides the falsehoods exemplified by the Jemwa story, the Zim media across the divide was in the habit of exaggerating and passing off the opinions of their reporters as hard news.

“In a story like this where controversial things are said to have been made against another person, the editor should have asked Jemwa to supply them with a recording of the alleged interview before running the story

“I think there was time for the editor to properly check and verify the story but what probably lacked was the will to do so,” Madondo said.

Madondo called on all reporters in the country to be ethical in their conduct and abide by internationally acceptable standards of journalism.

The controversial State-media journalist has in the past been accused of defrauding a number of businesses in Bulawayo, including Hustlers nightclub and football clubs Bantu Rovers and Njube Sundowns, where he was a public relations manager.

Jemwa moved into PR after working as a reporter at the Sunday News and the Chronicle newspapers, where he left in unclear circumstances but amid allegations of writing falsehoods.

See also http://www.swradioafrica.com/2014/03/27/zimbabwe-sunday-mail-fabricates-roy-bennett-story/

ZANU PF chefs accused of looting at Hwange Colliery | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

As corruption by government officials continues to make headlines, two ZANU PF deputy ministers have been accused of refusing to hand back property belonging to Hwange Colliery Company, which is allegedly losing $14 million per month due to corruption.

According to The Independent newspaper, the allegations were made by the controversial British businessman Nicholas Van Hoogstraten, whose company owns a 15% stake in the struggling national coal mining firm.

In an interview last Wednesday, Van Hoogstraten described “those representing government interests” at Hwange Colliery as “corrupt” and questioned how the company is losing “close to $14 million per month”.

In addition, a forensic audit by Chartered Accountants is reported to have shown that Hwange Colliery and Hwange Gasification companies were “prejudiced” of about $200 million between January 2009 and May 2013, mostly through “massive externalization and fraud”.

“It is not the common worker who is stealing, but those in power, those that cannot be stopped because I have made reports to the highest office in order to stop this rot. But it seems to be unstoppable,” Van Hoogstraten is quoted as saying.

He went further to accuse deputy Mines Minister Fred Moyo of refusing to give back a house he was given when he was managing director at the parastatal. He also claimed that close to 50,000 tonnes of coking coal was shipped to Maputo during Moyo’s tenure, but the company was never paid for it.

The businessman also accused Tendai Savanhu, a deputy minister at the Lands Ministry, of refusing to return a company car that he was using as a board member, despite repeated calls to do so. Savanhu claims to have an agreement with the board, the Independent said, and Moyo claims that he is owed money by the company.

Political analyst Clifford Mashiri said although corruption is widespread in Zimbabwe, it does not surprise him that no arrests have been made because there is a culture of impunity that protects ZANU PF chefs, even when they commit serious human rights abuses.

“It looks like the President, who is supposed to be dealing with these corruption issues, cannot act on his own people. These are civil servants and public officials and they rely on ZANU PF for protection and for everything. They are getting away with murder,” Mashiri told SW Radio Africa.

He added that civil society and the opposition parties, especially the MDC-T, should be grabbing this “gift” from ZANU PF and screaming about their corruption to ensure victory at the next election. But the silence that has followed indicates a lack of leadership on both fronts.

“The fact that they never went into the streets after this last disputed election or protested as vocally as they did in 2008 shows we now have a new civil society culture. It is fear as well as if you can’t beat ZANU PF then join them or keep quiet for your own safety,” Mashiri said.

The allegations by Van Hoogstraten come at a time when workers at Hwange Colliery have gone without wages for about eight months. Earlier this year, police assaulted the workers’ wives after they organised a protest to support their husbands.

Shocking cases of corruption by senior government officials have been exposed at several state institutions, including the public broadcaster ZBC, the national Air Zimbabwe, and the Premier Medical Aid Society. Government has said no crime was committed

Renewal team disputes Tsvangirai’s claims of unity in MDC-T | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

Rebels in the MDC-T, calling for the ouster of party leader Morgan Tsvangirai, have dismissed reports of unity saying all is not rosy in the labour backed movement.

Two weeks ago Tsvangirai said there was renewed unity within the party following talks aimed at bringing an end to months of infighting.

‘We have discussed our issues and there is now unprecedented harmony and unity of purpose in the MDC cockpit,’ Tsvangirai said following a meeting of the national executive in Harare. He added; ‘The party is not in turmoil. Of course this was just a bleep in the struggle.’

There has been discord in the MDC-T since the party ‘lost’ to ZANU PF in last year’s elections. The latest bickering was triggered after the suspension of the deputy treasurer and former energy minister Elton Mangoma, who in January publicly called on Tsvangirai to resign over the election defeat.

Mangoma’s lawyer and MDC-T member Jacob Mafume, accused Tsvangirai of departing from the party’s core values, alleging the use of violence, a blatant disregard of the party’s Constitution and undemocratic approaches to decision making.

‘Regrettably, such tendencies have alienated genuine democrats within the party to the point where differences in value propositions have reached irreconcilable proportions.’ Mafume said at a press conference.

In an apparent reference to Mafume’ statement, Tsvangirai told party supporters in Mkoba, Gweru on Sunday that the rebels were free to form their own party and said he found it strange that they were lecturing him on core values when they have no idea where the party came from.

Youth leader Promise Mkwananzi, who is part of the renewal team, told SW Radio Africa on Monday that they still need to convene a meeting and iron out issue that have been bedeviling the party.

‘Things are still not yet rosy in the party. We still need to revisit some issues on the internal suspensions, sporadic violence and more specifically to relook at the suspension of Elton Mangoma,’ said Mkwananzi.

ZANU PF minister accused of ‘dishonesty’ in mining trust case | SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

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SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe

Former Indigenisation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere is again facing accusations of dishonesty and lying, in the ongoing probe into the failed Marange-Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust.

The Ownership Trust was launched by Robert Mugabe in 2012, with a ‘pledge’ of US$50 million to be used for development projects in Marange. The multimillion dollar cash injection was allegedly the result of ‘contributions’ by the five mining firms operating at the Chiadzwa diamond mines.

Minister Kasukuwere was one of the architects of the deal, and during the Trust launch he presented Mugabe with a cheque for $50 million.

But two years later it has emerged that out of the ‘promised’ amount, only $400,000 was remitted, with officials from the mining firms distancing themselves from claims that they had pledged $10 million each. Some officials reportedly said they only pledged $1.5 million each, while others professed complete ignorance of the existence of the Trust.

Kasukuwere has since produced “evidence” and the agreements he made with the mining firms. These letters, according to the Minister, were written to then Mines Minister Obert Mpofu and the Mbada Diamonds boss, indicating that the companies in Marange were each to contribute $10 million.

But Kasukuwere’s successor Francis Nhema has since told a parliamentary committee that there is no proof of the letters.

“I have checked with all the files at the ministry. It seems I cannot locate them,” Nhema said last week.

He added: “I have even asked officials whether the letters are there. The problem is that there is no reference, no date stamp to authenticate the letters. I have checked with many files I don’t know if they are there.”

Minister Nhema also insisted last week that the Marange mining firms (and others who pledged to donate to the nationwide Community Share Trusts), violated a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ with the government. He said that mining companies operating in Zimbabwe had made the pledge, as part of the ZANU PF ‘empowerment’ initiative.

Farai Maguwu, the Director of the Centre for Natural Resource Governance, said on Monday that the Trust saga “vindicates what we have been saying that the mining sector has nothing to do with benefitting the real people on the ground.”

“I’m happy these companies did not pay money into those Trusts, because clearly the money was targeted for looting. The communities were not involved at all in the management of the Trust, and it is clear that the money was never going to reach them,” Maguwu told SW Radio Africa.

The board of the Marange-Zimunya Trust has already faced serious questions from legislators, particularly regarding the spending of $45,000 in the last seven months. Although whatever money given to the board is supposed to be spent on community development, the Trustees have admitted spending over US$17,000 on board fees, about US$14,500 on travelling and subsistence and about US$13,000 on training.

“This case has opened up a can of worms, the Pandora’s box, and gives us an insight into the nature of the extractive sector in Zimbabwe, which does not serve communities in any way,” Maguwu said.

To contact this reporter email [email protected] or follow on Twitter

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