The Bearded Man

Wednesday, 15th July 2009

2009-07-15T08:16:00.006Z

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates updated...

-o00o-

This posting is later than usual today because of a late night last night following our attending the local high school's equivalent of "Britain's Got Talent". A most enjoyable evening and we watched some really great acts.

The local high school has got talent...

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We begin today with a story about robbers in Zimbabwe.

"Two bodies lie lifeless on the ground as crowds gather - the bloody end of what police say has been a reign of terror by three armed robbers.

Gift Gibson Mwale, Godfrey Konzemvu Zondai Marimbiri and Felix Mwariwa were shot dead by police sharp shooters after a gun battle at the Somerby Estates near Harare just after 10AM on Monday.

Police say the men had hijacked a Mercedes from Mount Pleasant earlier in the day. Mwale, who also went by the name Give Tyres, was wanted by police since 1999 for armed robbery. Marimbiri, alias Godzebvu, skipped bail in 2006 after he was arrested on firearms charges.

Detectives from a dedicated CID crack team dealing with armed robberies stormed the robbers’ hideout at the Somerby Store, near Snake World, some 20km out of Harare.

Police say Mwale and Mwariwa, both armed with pistols, fired shots at the detectives who returned fire – cutting down all three suspects in a hail of bullets."

This is the depth to which Zimbabwe has fallen. Criminals not only rule the roost, but when cornered, are prepared to attempt to shoot their way out - or die in the attempt.

In all my time in the police in the early 1980s, with the Gukurahundi beginning all around us, I was only shot at probably three times - and whilst it is not a great feeling having to bite dirt hard, it was a comparably safer time.

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The Herald, ever sensationalising anything that would make Mugabe, ZANU PF or any of the armed forces look good, ran a story on a witness's account of the shootout...

"Ms Gumisai Zishenyambi was on her way to the front of the shop at Somerby Estates when all of a sudden several vehicles full of heavily armed men pulled up in front of her.

Before she could gather her thoughts, one of the armed men shouted on top of his voice ordering everyone to lie down and the next thing she heard were heavy gunshots.

"Before I could sense what was happening, I heard gunshots. All I could do was to reach for my cellphone in a bid to phone policemen I know," said Ms Zishenyambi, one of the shop assistants at Somerby Shop near Snake World where three notorious armed robbers were shot dead by police after a shootout on Monday.

Ms Zishenyambi was on her way to look for change that Gift Gibson Mwale alias Give Tyres and Felix Mwariwa had alleged that they had left in the shop. The two were following her, but their motive was not known since detectives from the CID Crack Team had ringed the shop.

They were all at the back of the shop where they had bought pork worth US$6 for braai at the gazebo. Mwale and Mwariwa produced pistols before firing back at the detectives."

If it sounds like something from a rough and ready American gangster movie, it should do - because the robbers were prepared to shoot their way out - or die trying.

"Another eyewitness who preferred anonymity said Mwale shouted to the detectives that he also had a gun before producing it.

"When he was shot, the gun dropped a distance away from where he was and he even crawled to try to reach it to fire back."

Mwariwa was already on the ground, bleeding from the gun wounds and the P1 pistol in his right hand had already dropped.

According to another shop assistant, Mr David Mushipe, Godfrey Konzemvu Zondai Marimbiri alias Godzebvu was drinking Coke inside the shop. When he heard the gunshots, Godzebvu attempted to hide in one of the storerooms in the shop where there was some opaque beer.

"I told him to get out of the room and I didn’t know that he had already hidden a pistol and his jacket," said Mr Mushipe. He said Godzebvu pleaded with him saying: "Sha, unoda kuti ndife here? (My friend, do you want me to die?)"

In the jacket were three mobile phone SIM cards - one South African, one for

Botswana

and Zimbabwean - among other valuables.

When Godzebvu finally came out of the shop, detectives fired shots, killing him instantly."

This is the reality in Zimbabwe. It is not uncommon to have criminals resorting to desperate measures to pull off their illegal activities.

"No one was injured during the shootout although there were bullet holes on four windowpanes at the shop, one on the wall, and three others on two cars, which were parked.

Some of the people who had fled from the compound returned after the situation was calm and were trying to catch a glimpse of the bodies. The owner of the premises Ms Sheila Mabasa, also known as Cde Yondo, said most of the people coming to Snake World and going to Lion and Cheetah Park frequent the shop, especially during weekends.

"This is the first such incident to occur here and I would like to urge the authorities to put up a police post nearby," she said.

She said police stations were very far from the area yet many people frequent the area to see snakes and other animals.

"I hope some of the criminals have learnt a lesson because he who lives by the gun dies by the gun," said Ms Mabasa."

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I use Google Alerts to get early warnings on events in Zimbabwe, and whilst I was doing this posting (and taking care of my domestic responsibilities as well), I received an email notification of the reaction by the Zimbabwe police chief on the shoot-out.

"Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri yesterday said the shooting and killing of three notorious robbers on Monday was "only the beginning" in the campaign to weed out dangerous criminals countrywide.

In an interview yesterday, Comm-Gen Chihuri said the Zimbabwe Republic Police would continue working hard to bring to book hardcore criminals. "We are working and we will continue working. The robbers must go and this is only the beginning," he said.

Police have been on record as saying they will not hesitate to use minimum force on any criminals resisting arrest and those firing at them when carrying out their constitutional duties. Comm-Gen Chihuri said although the force was operating under difficult conditions, they would continue striving for excellence.

"Right now, the organisation is working under very difficult conditions. The situation is difficult, but we still have Zimbabwe to ourselves and that gives us hope," he said. He urged officers to remain determined in securing the safety of the public and in maintaining peace."Remain resolute in looking after the people and peace. The people will develop their own country. They have the will. Let the world also give the (Zimbabweans) their chance and the ZRP will give support," said Comm-Gen Chihuri.

He said what was needed was to work together in serving Zimbabwe. "All we need is to put our hands together. Let's not have weak connections within the chain.

"We are here to serve Zimbabweans and Zimbabwe," said Comm-Gen Chihuri. Gift Gibson Mwale alias Give Tyres, Godfrey Konzemvu Zondai Marimbiri alias Godzebvu and Felix Mwariwa died on Monday following a shootout with police two hours after they had hijacked a Mercedes Benz in Mount Pleasant."

I have a very simple question - who is going to police the police?

It is a sad reality in Zimbabwe that the police operates outside the law. They support ZANU PF to the core, yet refuse to involve themselves anything remotely 'political'. Nice work if you can get it.

The police are supposed to be apolitical, but the police chief himself is a dyed-in-the -wool Mugabe-ites and feels nothing for the people of Zimbabwe.

This shoot-out allows him to pay lip service to policing in Zimbabwe only.

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More misery and mayhem in Zimbabwe...

"The search for more people believed to have died alongside five others who were burnt beyond recognition on Sunday in a Colbro Transport truck has yielded no results.

The truck was sideswiped by another vehicle, forcing it to veer off the road, overturn and catch fire.

Two people who were in the pick-up truck were injured.

Police called off the search yesterday saying there was no hope of finding the bodies since the fire had been completely extinguished.

The accident happened along the Mbalabala-Zvishavane Road at around 6:30pm on Sunday."

The roads in Zimbabwe are deteriorating at a mean clip. This accident has echoes of the accident that killed the Prime Minister's wife earlier this year. The driver of the vehicle that hit their vehicle is claiming the state of the road caused that accident.

"We have since called off the search since we have realised the prospects of finding any bodies are next to none. However, investigations are in progress," said the Matabeleland South police spokesman Inspector Tafanana Dzirutwe.

He identified the driver as Paul Madziva (54) of Bulawayo and another passenger Decent Ndlovu of Filabusi. Efforts were being made to identify the other three victims.

It is reported the truck was ferrying cement to Zvishavane and when it got to the 154km peg, the driver encroached onto the lane of oncoming traffic lane side-swiping a Toyota Hilux which was travelling in the opposite direction.

The truck driver lost control of the vehicle and it veered off the road and overturned once before landing on its roof.

The truck caught fire and the five occupants were burnt beyond recognition while two people in the Toyota Hilux escaped with minor injuries."

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The same article in The Herald reports on another accident.

"Two other people died on the spot when a Toyota Hiace kombi they were travelling in rammed into a stationary truck, veered off the road, overturned once and landed on its roof at the 242 km peg along the Masvingo - Beitbridge Road.

The incident occurred at 4 am on Saturday.

Insp Dzirutwe said the kombi was travelling towards Masvingo with 15 passengers on board and when it got to the 242 km peg, it rammed into a stationary Freightliner truck trailer.

As a result, the driver lost control and it veered off the road and overturned twice before lending on its roof.

Two people died instantly while three others were seriously injured. They were rushed to Beitbridge District Hospital where their condition is reported to be stable.

"Of late we have recorded an increase in accidents in our roads, most of them as a result of human error. We therefore urge motorists to be extra-cautious so as to avoid unnecessary loss of life," said Insp Dzirutwe."

All of this tells me just how bad the roads are in Zimbabwe. When I lived in that country, the roads were brilliant. In all my years driving in Zimbabwe - and in other African countries - I was involved in just one accident and that was in Harare in 1986 when a heavy vehicle ran over my small Alfa Sud at an intersection...

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Mugabe has called himself "Hitler - tenfold'" and then the police arrested and prosecuted a woman for calling Mugabe "a Hitler".

In Zimbabwe, the law is so warped that the authorities are capable of prosecuting someone for agreeing with the President!

Gono admits taking money from accounts in the RBZ without permission - but Mugabe says that Gono is not a thief!

And just to add insult to injury: "Police arrest and detained a Bulawayo-based MDC activist Shareck Chifamba on allegations that he had insulted Robert Mugabe."

According to the MDC in a statement, Chifamba was detained for five days.

"Chifamba was last week detained for five days at Bulawayo Central Police Station on false charges that he had insulted President Robert Mugabe," said the MDC.

Four armed men who refused to identify themselves picked up Chifamba, 35, of Ilanga at his workplace.

The four men then drove him around the city threatening to kill him and asking him why he was an MDC supporter."

It is my understanding that it is a criminal offence to threat to kill someone.

Now - which crime is worse (supposing for just one second that Chifamba insulted Mugabe)? And which 'crime' is to be punished?

Ja - you guessed it - the one that seeks to protect Mugabe...

"He was only released after his wife reported the case to a local human rights lawyer who then facilitated his release from the unlawful custody.

However, Chifamba managed to identify one of his assailants as Joram Chiyangwa, a known ZANU PF official.

If one is found guilty of insulting the president in

Zimbabwe

they face a still charge of at least 3 years in prison."

Based upon that last sentence, then I am due to spend a few lifetimes behind bars...

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Tuesday, 14th July 2009

2009-07-14T06:54:00.005Z

Howzit

First of all, there was this: "Militants from President Robert Mugabe’s party disrupted the opening of a national conference to draw up a new constitution for Zimbabwe.

Monday’s opening remarks by Parliament Speaker Lovemore Moyo were drowned out by militants singing revolutionary songs.

Moyo is a member of the former opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, which is headed by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. Under Zimbabwe’s unity government agreement that brought Mugabe and Tsvangirai together in February, a new Constitution must be drawn up ahead of new elections within two years.

Moyo was forced to withdraw from the hall after ululating militants began dancing in front of the stage.

Other former opposition delegates walked out in protest.

There are no details on when proceedings will resume."

It is very easy to sit here in the United Kingdom and pass opinion on events in Zimbabwe some 6000 miles away - but then there are some political decisions in that country which are ludicrous and will do very little more than invite some stinging criticism from far and wide.

Before we even start on the article, Tsvangirai is not Mugabe's deputy. He is the Prime Minister...

"Zimbabwe

’s President Robert Mugabe and his deputy, Morgan Tsvangirai have ruled out a probe into the causes of the violent disruptions which took place today (Monday), and made to close a parliamentary meeting set for the drafting of a new constitution for

Zimbabwe

.

However, one of the councillors, Gilson Chitakunye, sustained serious head injuries after he was brutally assaulted by the ZANU PF thugs who were also openly filmed on camera.

"The question of whoever orchestrated that disruption is neither here nor there. We need to move forward for the benefit of the people. Let us put national interests above partisan interests," Tsvangirai said."

I am staggered by this decision. It is obvious just who broke up the meeting, and it is obvious who handed out the beating - yet Mugabe is happy to have the facts hidden, while Tsvangirai is obliged to play the same game or there will be more violence to follow.

One wonders if anything has changed at all in Zimbabwe.

"On the other hand President Mugabe would say, "We are here to say that we will not brook any further disturbances in the future.

We must have this Constitution done."

Mugabe systematically blocks any probe that might show his party in a bad light. The Gukurahundi, Operation Murambatsvina, Willowgate, the diamond fields...

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Operation Murambatsvina was a horrendous time in Zimbabwe and, if the truth be told, the country has not recovered from that violent 'clean-up'.

"A planned urban clean-up campaign in

Zimbabwe

's capital, Harare, motivated by health and safety concerns has evoked fears among some residents of a re-run of President Robert Mugabe's iron-fist ed Operation Murambatsvina in 2005.

Operation Murambatsvina left hundreds of thousands of people homeless after "illegal" structures were demolished by soldiers and police on the orders of the then ruling ZANU PF government, and was widely seen by analysts as the punishment of city-dwellers for giving their overwhelming support to the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

However, the proposal for an urban clean-up this time comes from the MDC city council, in the wake of a cholera epidemic that has killed more than 4,000 people and affected about 100,000 others, and the growing perception that Harare is turning into "another Kibera", a reference to one of Africa's largest slums, on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi."

If the 'clean-up' were to be re-visited upon the Zimbabwean people, then I really don't know anymore. A repeat Murambatsvina would be catastrophic - and if it is something put forward by the MDC, then I really am going to be confused.

I was under the impression that the MDC represented the people, whilst ZANU PF represented every fear and loathing - and if the MDC propose a new clean-up, then they make the difference between the two parties almost indiscernible.

"We should not promote anarchy; let us remove all the illegal structures as soon as possible and bring back order," said deputy mayor Emmanuel Chiroto.

The mid-winter timing of the clean-up project is reminiscent of Operation Murambatsvina (Throw out the Trash), which left more than 700,000 people homeless, and affected more than two million throughout the country.

Murambatsvina drew international outrage and prompted the United Nations to dispatch Special Envoy Anna Tibaijuka, who condemned its "indiscriminate and unjustified manner" and "indifference to human suffering."

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I read this article with some interest. An election is private and confidential - but if someone wishes to show their ballot paper to another, that is their choice and does not render that election null and void.

In my understanding at least...

"The High Court has indefinitely reserved judgement in a case in which independent MP, Prof Jonathan Moyo (Tsholotsho North) is seeking to reverse the election of the mainstream MDC chairman, Lovemore Moyo, to the position of Speaker of Parliament.

Justice Bharat Patel reserved judgement on the legal challenge by Moyo seeking to invalidate the Speaker’s historic election, in a plot said to be spearheaded by a number of so-called hawks within ZANU PF. The party’s own candidate for the position of speaker, who was a member of the smaller MDC party led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, was defeated in the election.

MP Moyo, represented by lawyer Terence Hussein, has declared his ultimate objective as being to bring the tenure of Moyo as Speaker of the 7th Parliament of Zimbabwe to a premature and inglorious end. Hussein said the election of the Speaker was flawed because the ballot papers were revealed to other legislators.

He says the election of Moyo breached Parliamentary rules as it was not a secret ballot, with legislators showing each other their unfolded ballot papers.

Clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma was accused of dereliction of duty by failing to call the House to order amid the alleged chaos."

Moyo is an independent member of the house - but a former member of Mugabe's ZANU PF. His need to bring this action is just another case against the MDC - of either faction - and shows the real colours of Moyo.

He hasn't left ZANU PF. All he has done is dress himself in clothes that he believes are more acceptable to the voting public.

"The Speaker has come out fighting, insisting that the doctrine of separation of powers outlawed the courts from interfering with parliamentary processes.

Speaker Moyo’s opposing papers state that the applicants should have brought a motion in Parliament seeking the reversal of the Speaker vote instead of rushing to the law courts.

Speaker Moyo has also queried Prof Moyo’s standing in the case and questioned why the aggrieved party, Themba-Nyathi, had not brought the challenge and what Prof Moyo’s interest was in the matter.

The Zimbabwe Times understands the legal challenge was mooted at the Kadoma Ranch Motel during a so-called strategy workshop of the Mutambara faction in September last year.

Prof Jonathan Moyo, who by all indications has now returned to the ZANU PF fold, checked into the motel for the duration of the workshop, sources say. At the height of the dispute last year, the MDC issued a statement stating that the MPs’ vote for Moyo was a true reflection of the will of the people of

Zimbabwe

-o00o-

The diamond question in Zimbabwe comes up with frightening regularity. If the fields are as big a find as indicated, then I do wonder how big a chasm is Mugabe and his loyalists intend to fill with money that is not going into State coffers?

Is there no end to their avarice?

"Zimbabwe

is relaunching a military crackdown on illegal diamond hunters in the eastern region - risking renewed criticism from human rights groups, state radio reported on Monday.

Following the launch of Operation Hakudzokwi (No Return) in Marange last year, human rights groups say dozens of panners were killed by troops, although the government insists there is no evidence of this.

Only last week, the international diamond certification group, the Kimberly Process, released a preliminary report accusing the army and police of looting diamonds in the area. The KP report also said the security forces had committed human rights abuses and recommended their withdrawal from the zone.

But in a report on Monday, ZBC radio reported: "Operation Hakudzokwi which was jointly carried out by security personnel to restore sanity at Chiadzwa diamond fields is bouncing back bigger and more re-invigorated to deal once and for all with illegal diamond dealers and panners, says the Governor and Resident Minister for Manicaland province, Cde Chris Mushohwe."

Two questions I would care to raise here.

1) If the crackdown was the success that Mugabe's people say it was, then why do the State coffers remain empty?

2) If the fields were as uncontrolled as alleged, then how was Gideon Gono, the governor of the Reserve Bank, able to quantify the losses so easily?

"Following the launch of the operation last year, Herald columnists Nathaniel Manheru - thought to be President Robert Mugabe’s press secretary George Charamba - described Marange as the “wild-wild East” where security forces were employing "shock therapy" against panners.

He wrote that captured diggers were being made to use their bare fingers to refill gullies they dug."

The sad thing is that until and unless Mugabe allows a strict procedure to be introduced in the diamond fields, very little will ever be realised except further death and anxiety, whilst the country will continue to lose money hand over fist.

-o00o-

I am not the only one that queries where the money for the diamonds has gone...

"Several months ago it was reported that there were buckets of rough diamonds kept inside the vaults of the Reserve Bank of

Zimbabwe

. These were sold on the black market and used to keep the ZANU PF regime afloat, when ordinary Zimbabweans were on their knees and battling the destroyed economy. Last week the country’s security chiefs convened a press conference in Mutare and basically told the unity government to go to hell, after it gave them a half-hearted instruction to gradually withdraw from the diamond fields. This followed a report from the anti-blood diamond group, the Kimberly Process, implicating the army in mass murder and child labour practices.

All these events have combined to expose the key role played by the diamonds (and the country’s other mineral wealth) in keeping Mugabe in power. The diamonds, as one analyst put it, helped Mugabe keep the army happy at a time when his government did not have the money to pay proper salaries. With the soldiers turning the diamond fields into a lawless 'wild west' there was, and continues to be, no accountability over proceeds and this suits ZANU PF in the current unity government. Mugabe’s reluctance to remove Central Bank governor Gideon Gono, even at the cost of the coalition government, has pretty much given the game away. Gono remains a key figure in this diamond syndicate."

I will state it again. If the government is in control of the diamond fields, then why is the country broke?

Where has all the money gone? Who took it and for what reason?

The diamonds in the Marange/Chiadzwa fields are a national resource - they are not the property o Robert Mugabe of ZANU PF...

"Newsreel spoke to a businessman who explained how the transactions are supposed to work. The Central Bank buys the diamonds from those doing the mining. The bank then sells the diamonds outside the country and retains the profit. This profit, or agency fee, then goes into a fund run by the Reserve Bank. The government, through the Finance Ministry, will only get money from these transactions via taxes. Given that the former mine owners in Marange, the London-listed African Consolidated Resources, were kicked out of the claim, it means the army is effectively mining the diamonds, while exploiting cheap labour from both adults and children in the area.

Mines Minister Obert Mpofu last week told a mining publication that there was no dispute over ownership of the Marange diamond fields. This is despite owners African Consolidated Resources still challenging the matter in court. Mpofu insists the government is the sole owner of the claim, through the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation. But judging from last week’s press conference in which police, army and CIO provincial chiefs in Mutare put their foot down and said they were not leaving the diamond fields, the army appears to be running the show."

Military insubordination... which won't worry Mugabe - as long as he keeps the armed forces sweet with the illegal proceeds from the sale of the diamonds.

"The big tragedy is that with an estimated US$200 million per month being generated from the various diamond mines in the country, that money could take care of many of

Zimbabwe

’s economic problems. Sadly senior figures in the army and ZANU PF just continue to line their pockets.

It’s a reminder once again, that rebuilding a country is never about a shortage of money - just a shortage of political will."

I couldn't have put it better myself...

-o00o-

In ZANU PF, you are not guilty of a crime - unless you get caught - and the catching of someone breaking the law is viewed to be more serious than the breaking of the law... if that makes any sense.

And then, when a Mugabe big-shot is implicated, strange things begin to happen. People die suddenly, or leave the country unexpectedly, and paperwork just disappears...

"A police docket implicating two ZANU PF stalwarts who include President Mugabe’s blue eyed boy, Emmerson Mnangagwa along with ZANU PF longtime guru, Webster Shamu has vanished from Zimbabwe Attorney-General Johannes Tomana's office.

As the MDC sought a probe into the matter, efforts to provide Tomana a copy of the docket saw the police superintendent who was in charge of the investigations being immediately transferred from his posting at Bulawayo Central police station to a rural centre in Mashonaland Central’s Nzvimbo, a growth point in Chiweshe, more than 500 kilometres away from Matebeleland.

The two high-profile figures had been implicated in massive poaching of rhinos in

Zimbabwe

’s national parks, after the arrest of a Chinese national early this year who was found with six rhino horns at a police roadblock along the Hwange-Bulawayo Road."

And the matter will just be allowed to amount to very little. No further action will be taken - even if the ZRP wanted it...

Mugabe has a habit of making things happen that appear to exonerate his colleagues - bu,t in reality, these cases are held in abeyance, to be reignited if the person concerned steps out of line.

"Mnangagwa, who earned notoriety as the head of the dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) ministry in the early 80s, is the current defence minister in the government of national unity.

Shamu is the media and information minister.

The two government ministers are said to have been launching their operations from HKK Safaris, a conservancy Shamu co-owns together with South African businessman, Charles Davy. Davy is father to English-Royal Prince Harry’s former girlfriend, Chelsy.

Davy has in the past been accused of violating hunting quotas and

Zimbabwe

’s then stringent foreign currency regulations at their conservancy near Hwange national park but has been shielded from prosecution by Shamu. He is also said to be a personal friend of President Mugabe.

"The President (Mugabe) is very, very embarrassed," said environmental and natural resources management minister, Francis Nhema, last week. "He asked me for the names of the ministers involved."

Nhema, however, refused to admit or deny the two Mugabe right-hand men were the ministers in question."

Mugabe embarrassed? That'll be the day! But he must be approaching the "enough!" stage...

"Tomana’s appointment as attorney-general and Gideon Gono’s re-appointment as central bank governor have been referred to SADC for arbitration as they were unilaterally made by Mugabe without the consent or agreement of the two MDC leaders. This matter has also seen a bitter feud between Finance minister and Mugabe appointed central bank governor, Gono.

Under the new global political agreement (GPA) senior appointments such as these have to be agreed to by all parties in the unity government. Since the year 2000, many dockets implicating ZANUF PF members have disappeared into 'thin air' In March 2000, another docket implicating then leader of the war veterans, Chenjerai Hunzvi disappeared after a week of having been opened. Many other dockets would soon follow the same trend that has seen many ZANU PF members protected by loopholes in the state security structures."

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Monday, 13th July 2009

2009-07-13T05:57:00.007Z

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates update...

-o00o-

Is there not enough death and destruction on the earth without Mugabe adding to it by supplying arms to warring nations?

"Zimbabwe is not only stockpiling modern weapons, but is also circumventing sanctions by exporting arms to the US via Eastern Europe, according to a report that is due to be released this week. The International Peace Information Service (IPIS), a Belgian-based research hub, says this state of play is a good example of why the UN-proposed Arms Trade Treaty needs to be as comprehensive as possible to stem the flow of weapons into

Zimbabwe

.

The report says that throughout last year, when the political climate was most volatile, it tracked shipments of arms in and out of the country, which not only pose a threat to Zimbabweans, but outline the dubious nature of arms deals that continue to take place with a country that is heavily sanctioned.

In the space of 48 hours last August, 53 tons of ammunition were allegedly flown from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Harare by Enterprise World Airways, aboard a Boeing-707-3B4C aircraft registered as 9Q-CRM, say Brian Johnson-Thomas and Peter Danssaert, authors of the report.

The first shipment on August 21 contained 32 tons of 7.62x54mm cartridges, according to the UN's Groups of Experts on the DRC. A second shipment, which they say arrived two days later, contained 20 tons of 7.62x39mm cartridges, the kind of ammunition used in AK-47s.

The ammunition was received in Zimbabwe four months after a separate and controversial arms consignment from China was turned away at Durban on the so-called ship of shame in April last year, only to be flown into the country a month later from Angola, the report also claims.

Despite denials from Luanda and Beijing, an employee of the state-owned Zimbabwe Defence Industry (ZDI) in Harare told Ipis in June that the shipment, which contained mortar bombs, rockets and rounds of ammunition, had arrived in the country - something that Information Minister Bright Matonga also suggested in May when he told a TV-recorded panel discussion that "the shipment is already in Zimbabwe". Matonga could not be reached for comment this week.

"

Zimbabwe

has no national legislation on the import, export or transit of arms and ammunition that conforms to international stands," the report's authors say, suggesting the country's borders are dangerously pervious and proof of what happens when there is no arms treaty in place."

Mugabe and his senior loyalists will stop at nothing to make a few bucks. The farms, the harvest from those farms (although the new 'farmers' never set foot on the land), the diamond fields and now arms shipments all have been used to enrich the few whilst the rest of the country starves.

"All does not have to be lost in the absence of a treaty, Guy Lamb of the Institute of Security Studies (ISS) argues.

"Illicit and corrupt arms trading, as well as arms transfers to conflict zones or countries where governments are responsible for human rights abuses, can be restricted in Africa by more comprehensive and consistent implementation of existing regional arms control agreements at the national level," the head of the arms management programme at the ISS points out.

"Examples include the SADC firearms control protocol and the Nairobi small arms and light weapons protocol."

However, what could happen and what does are very different things. The researchers also tracked the shipment of 1349 stripped MAG58 machine gun bodies, 2051 barrels and various other machinegun parts from Harare to Podgorica airport in Montenegro in February last year, which they claim later found their way to the US in a roundabout deal that breached the sanctions imposed by the government of George W Bush.

According to the airway bill, or shipping document, the consignment was dispatched by the ZDI to its Montenegran counterparts, a deal they say was brokered by the Swiss-based company BT International. That company is run by Heinrich Thomet, the Swiss man who appeared on the

arms trafficking "Watch List" three years ago.

Earlier this year, during a visit to the Montenegro Defence Industry, the authors of the report were informed "that the machineguns supplied from Zimbabwe had been bought for refurbishment" and "that the overhauled machinegun parts, with the exception of the barrels and receivers" were later shipped on to the United States in a transaction that was also facilitated by BT International.

An investigation into the trans-Atlantic deal pointed to Ohio Ordnance Works as the recipient of the gun parts, a dealer that supplies the

armed forces and which previously supplied the allied forces in

Iraq

."

Zimbabwe has a history which is steeped in violence and death. And, for personal gain, Mugabe and his stalwarts are more than happy to continue making money out of war and combat.

Mugabe and his closer senior echelon no longer see themselves as 'liberators' of Zimbabwe, but international war lords...

-o00o-

Almost every week, we read of the MDC-T MPs being jailed for various 'crimes' and it is obviously an attempt by ZANU PF to overturn the slender majority that the Tsvangirai faction of the MDC holds in Parliament.

"MDC-T MP for Chipinge South Meki Makuyana was last week sentenced to 12 months in prison for kidnapping two ZANU PF supporters in the run-up to the 2008 harmonised elections.

This brings to four the number of MDC-T MPs convicted of various crimes, while several others are facing different charges in the courts. Chipinge provincial magistrate Mr Samuel Zuze convicted Makuyana, along with Councillor Chisumbanje Hardwork Masaiti, and two MDC-T party supporters Wedzerayi Gwenzi and Simon Chaya, after a full trial.

The four had pleaded not guilty."

The part of the heavily loaded pro-Mugabe report in The Herald that got my attention was a reminder that any triggered by-election, under provisions of the Global Political Agreement, the seat can only be contested (for the first 12 months or as long as the unity government exists) by the party that held the seat in the first place.

This perhaps does not help the mix of seats as far as ZANU PF are concerned, but it will allow them to perhaps place an MDC candidate that is sympathetic with Mugabe's rule.

"Prosecutor Mr Last Goredema said the four kidnapped two ZANU PF supporters - Isaac Ndlovu and Joseph Dhliwayo - when they were attending a rally at Chisuma Primary School ahead of the 2008 harmonised elections.

"The four accused persons, who reside in Chisumbanje, were at an MDC-T rally at Chisuma Primary School when they observed that ZANU PF supporters were also having their meeting at the same school and about 100 metres from where they were. Dhliwayo was addressing the ZANU PF meeting.

"Makuyana asked Masaiti, Gwenzi and Chaya to go and stop the ZANU PF meeting and order everyone who was there to attend the MDC-T rally.

"The ZANU PF supporters refused and Masaiti, Gwenzi and Chaya went back to inform Makuyana that they had refused to attend the MDC-T rally," he said. He told the court that the three teamed up with Nyasha Madhodha - who is still at large - and went back to the ZANU PF meeting where they assaulted the people there with sticks and chairs.

Ndlovu and Dhliwayo were apprehended and forcibly marched to the MDC-T rally, he said."

Read into this what you will - ZANU PF obviously hold sway in the criminal courts in Zimbabwe...

"Lynette Karenyi (Chimanimani West) was sentenced to 20 days in prison or a fine after being found guilty of forging her nomination court papers last year.

Shuah Mudiwa (Mutare West) was jailed for seven years for kidnapping a 12-year-old girl.

Mathias Mlambo (Chipinge East) was slapped with a 10-month prison term for obstructing the course of justice. A further five MDC-T MPs are on trial on fraud charges stemming from their alleged abuse of the Government’s farm inputs programme.

These are Hega Shoko (Bikita West), Edmore Marima (Bikita East), Tichaona Maradza (Masvingo West), Hamandishe Maramwidze (Gutu North) and Ramsome Makamure (Gutu East).

Blessing Chebundo (Kwekwe Central) is also before the courts on allegations of raping a minor."

-o00o-

"Two Harare men allegedly connived with a security guard at a car sales and drove away undetected in a Nissan Hardbody truck worth US$20000.

The vehicle, which belonged to Red Cross International Zimbabwe, was at Alex Harrisons car sales in the city.

Paradzai Gora (39) and Farai Chidavarume (26) last week appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts facing car theft charges.

However, nothing was said in court about the security guard."

I worked in the motor trade and was the Sales Manager at a dealership in Harare.

Unless there is serious connivance with the security guards, it would have been almost impossible to steal a motor vehicle - even if that vehicle was parked in the stock yard.

I find it very interesting that the vehicle has not been recovered.

"Appearing for the State, Miss Lethiwe Maphosa said the offence was committed last month when the security officer guarding the premises connived with the two to steal a Nissan Hardbody truck.

The car has registration number 214-TCE157 and is white in colour. They took the car under the pretext that it was going out for cleaning.

The two avoided the normal company procedures of booking vehicles in and out of the car sale so that they would bypass the security authorities.

The two were arrested in Harare but the vehicle is yet to be recovered."

-o00o-

Sometimes this page begins to resemble a Zimbabwean Criminal's "Who's Who"...

"Two Chitungwiza men were on Wednesday fined US$300 each for illegally possessing ivory and zebra trophies valued at US$13000.

Benjamin Smart and Naboth Chisuko, who separately appeared before magistrate Ms Olivia Mariga, should pay the fines before the end of July.

If they default payment, Ms Mariga ruled, the duo risk spending two months in prison.

The two pleaded guilty to breaching the Parks and Wildlife Act before the court fined them."

Even twenty-odd years ago when I prosecuted in criminals courts in Esigodini, Plumtree and Gwanda (and, quite frequently, at Tredgold Building in Bulawayo), convicted criminals were given time to pay fines.

In the current environment, I fully understand this, as prisons are in a poor state of repair and they do not have the funding to even feed or clothe the prisoners adequately - and this has, in recent weeks, fallen on the families and friends of those so incarcerated.

At least someone is thinking on their feet.

-o00o-

"The Minister of Education, Sport, Art and Culture David Coltart's mother, Mrs Nora Coltart, has died. She was 81.

Minister Coltart said his mother lost a long battle with breast cancer at Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo at 7am yesterday.

"She passed away this morning (yesterday) as a result of complications caused by breast cancer which she fought bravely for many years," he said."

My deepest sympathy to the honourable Minister.

"Mrs Coltart survived by her only child - Minister Coltart following the death of the Minister's father in 1999.

Mourners are gathered at number 5 Murton Close, Burnside."

-o00o-

Zimbabwe's 'comical Ali' may have fallen from the headlines in a political sense, but his domestic life is back in the papers.

"The dirty linen of a former Deputy Minister’s family is set to be washed in the public.

Anne Elizabeth Matonga - the estranged wife of Mhondoro Ngezi MP Bright Matonga - has filed papers in the High Court suing businesswoman Sharon Mugabe for adultery.

Anne, who is locked in divorce proceedings with Matonga, says Mugabe ruined her marriage by committing adultery and ultimately brazenly snatching her husband.

To compensate for the suffering she underwent as a result, Anne who is now surviving on charity is demanding $50000 from Mugabe who runs a marketing and communications firm, Imago Y&R.

Mugabe is however denying the accusations. She says she never knew that Matonga had been married to Anne, adding she only got acquainted with him when their marriage had irretrievably broken down.

But according to Anne’s submissions, her marriage to Matonga was well publicised especially after she supported her husband in grabbing a Banket farm from its white owners."

You know what? I don't care about Matonga - or his divorce proceedings - or his love life. I really don't care...

-o00o-

I do note that Blogger's online spellchecker continues to question correctly spelled words - and now with a twist - it questions a correctly spelled word, but has no suggestions as to the 'correct' spelling...

Take care.

'debvhu

Sunday, 12th July 2009

2009-07-12T07:03:00.005Z

Howzit

I could swear but I won't.

We all know that Mugabe has big problems with the existence of the MDC in government.

"President Robert Mugabe admitted Saturday his ZANU PF party still differed on policy matters with the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), his partners in the current inclusive government.

Mugabe said the MDC was too friendly to the Western governments in the process failing to realise the West still had a hidden agenda to recolonise

Zimbabwe

. "Now it is not a fight with the gun. It is a fight to get properly united and that is why we are saying lets be one," he said."

Mugabe is getting quite boring with the idea that Zimbabwe will be recolonised. Why on earth would the West want to recolonise the country - especially since it is in ruins following the last three decades (decayed?) of Mugabe's destructive rule?

"Mugabe was addressing mourners at the burial of the late PF ZAPU member, Ackim Matthew Ndlovu who died last week at the age of 77 through illness and was declared a national hero by the ZANU PF politburo. The burial ceremony was boycotted by the two MDC parties."

Mugabe asks if the country is unified... No, it is not. Primarily because ZANU PF force the issues if they don't get their own way. People are arrested, beaten, tortured, incarcerated and even murdered in the name of ZANU PF.

The Zimbabwean people are sick of it and they do not want Mugabe or ZANU PF to lead them or represent them...

"Are we truly one in the inclusive government? Are we united? Let’s show that we are united and speak with one voice," Mugabe said, "the voice of the

Zimbabwe

that is free; a voice that no longer seeks the support of oppressors.

"Those who oppressed us yesterday cannot be our friends today. And we have got to learn that.

"They may talk sweet language to us but deep down they have a deep-seated grievance. Let’s not humiliate ourselves any further."

Which would suggest that ZANU PF should not be the friend of Zimbabweans as they have oppressed the population.

Mugabe goes on to state that he has friends that are prepared to help Zimbabwe rather than dictate conditions to aid - if that is the case, why does he daily complain and whinge about the West wanting more reforms before releasing aid?

-o00o-

Mugabe will not be happy unless he holds the trump card and has the ability to have the last word.

In the article above, he claims that he has friends that will help him - he has already stated that any money raised in the East will be for his party, not the country - but he insisted on firing yet another salvo at the West.

"Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has criticised the West for imposing conditions on aid to his troubled nation.

Mr Mugabe has called on members of the unity government to speak up on the aid issue and show their commitment to the country. The unity government was formed earlier this year, with Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangarai taking the positions of president and prime minister.

Mr Mugabe lashed out at Western nations on Saturday, saying

Zimbabwe

would not humiliate itself any further by agreeing to Western demands for further political reforms in return for aid."

I find it of double standards that Mugabe can daily hand out criticism to the West, but that no one - repeat no one - can say anything negative about him, his party or what he has done to the country.

"The government has only had limited success in lifting

Zimbabwe

out of its deep economic crisis marked by years of food shortages and hyperinflation. The progress has been hindered by internal disputes and lack of support from Western nations, who have pledged support but said they wanted to see more progress."

-o00o-

The unity government is in disarray. Mugabe continues to rule as a dictator, Mutambara is slowly shifting his MDC faction closer and closer to Mugabe's way of thinking and Tsvangirai has been taken to task by his faction for not being assertive enough...

"The MDC-T national executive on Friday took Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to task for failing to stand up to President Robert Mugabe whom they accused of violating the Global Political Agreement (GPA), sources said yesterday.

The sources said Tsvangirai was also accused of remaining "aloof" as the 85-year-old leader in power since 1980 continued to flout provisions of the agreement that led to the formation of the unity government in February.

Another bone of contention, the sources said, was Tsvangirai’s continued silence as Mugabe increasingly claims that he is both head of state and government despite the power-sharing arrangement. The state media, which has not changed its pro-Mugabe stance, also refers to Mugabe as head of both state and government."

Very simply put, there can never be a unity government whilst one person continues to work unilaterally and ignore the other party/factions in the government.

Whilst I have high praise for the MDC for even taking their leader to task and allowing the media to know the score, until and unless Mugabe/ZANU PF stands by the signature of their leader, the unity of any government will be in question.

"They have a right to express their views and this shows deep-rooted levels of democracy in the party," Maridadi said. "It (national executive) shows that it does not tell the Prime Minister what he wants to hear but the situation on the ground. "This is what the Prime Minister has been fighting for - democracy."

As things stand right now, the election results mean nothing. ZANU PF lost and continues in power, whilst the MDC won and struggles to be integrated within the inclusive body.

"On Mugabe’s claim to be both head of state and government, Maridadi said the President’s role was clearly spelt out in the GPA. He said Tsvangirai is head of government while Mugabe is head of state.

"If you look at the functions, he (Tsvangirai) becomes head of government. He formulates and implements government policy and this makes him the head of government," Maridadi said.

Turning to accusations that Tsvangirai glossed over

Zimbabwe

’s problems on his recent trip abroad, Maridadi said Tsvangirai was quoted out of context on the issue of farm invasions and the breakdown in the rule of law.

"The Prime Minister is very clear on the issue of rule of law and farm invasions," he said. "He does not tolerate all these. He is concerned about the on-going selective application of the law, farm disruptions and continued harassment of MPs from his party," Maridadi said."

This is just semantics. Arguing over who is what when nothing is being done on the ground means absolutely nothing to the voters. I don't care if Mugabe calls himself the king of Zimbabwe - what matters is the return of law and order, and the improvement of life in Zimbabwe.

-o00o-

Mugabe doesn't like to be told what to do - by anyone. Especially if it is something within Zimbabwe - even though it is overseen by an international body.

Diamonds in the Eastern Highlands are manna from Heaven for Mugabe. And even if he has to kill people in his endeavour to take control of the diamond fields, then so be it. Sadly, any resources he uses are public - but work entirely for his own personal wealth.

The Marange/Chiadzwa diamond fields have been systemically stripped of the valuable stone by Mugabe and his bigwigs.

The value of the stones in the fields could easily rebuild Zimbabwe many times over, but Mugabe prefers that the money is in his numerous bank accounts.

"A confidential memo by the head of a delegation of the Kimberley Process, which recently wrapped up an investigation into the reports of violence and killings in Marange, has detailed the 'horrific violence' used by the army against civilians there.

The Kimberley Process, a scheme tasked with halting the trade in 'blood diamonds', sent the delegation to investigate

Zimbabwe

's 'compliance' with international diamond trade standards.

Their visit came days after a Human Rights Watch report detailed the ongoing human rights abuses at the Marange diamond fields, which in turn followed numerous accounts of abuse and killings there. Accounts from survivors of the military onslaught at Marange detailed the killings, speaking of machine-gun attacks by helicopter and armed attacks by troops on the ground. Civilians in the region also reported that anyone attempting to enter the area was arrested and often tortured and killed.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights have said that about 5,000 people were arrested during the army operation, with three quarters of them showing signs of having been tortured severely. Government officials have repeatedly and adamantly denied state-sponsored violence at the diamond fields. Mining Minister Obert Mpofu earlier this year, at the start of a separate Kimberley Process mission in March, said the accounts of killings were fabrications.

Most recently, his Deputy Murisi Zwizwai told a meeting of the Kimberly Process in

Namibia

two weeks ago that no killings had taken place.

The MDC minister's comments have since landed him in hot water with his party, who last week said his comments were 'inaccurate'."

I have repeatedly asked where the money for the diamonds has gone. The army have refused to withdraw and the biggest diamond heist in recent years carries on right under our noses - and we are virtually powerless to stop it.

"In his confidential memo handed over to government officials and which has also been made available to The New York Times, the Kimberley Process team's leader, Kpandel Fayia, told Zimbabwean officials that he was so disturbed by the testimonies of victims that he had to leave as they spoke.

"Our team was able to interview and document the stories of victims, observe their wounds, scars from dog bites and batons, tears, and ongoing psychological trauma," said the memo by Fayia, a deputy minister of the ministry that oversees mining in

Liberia

."

How do you stop a whirlwind, a hurricane? How does one stop the Mugabe-ites from stealing the country's mineral resources, whilst Mugabe accuses the West of wishing to recolonise the country and rob exactly what he is already stealing?

"Government officials have said they would 'try' to comply with the Kimberly Process standards before the team issued its final report.

Deputy Mining Minister Zwizwai was quoted as saying that

Zimbabwe

had agreed to remove soldiers from the fields "in phases while proper security settings would be put in place."

But while

Zimbabwe

could face being removed from the Kimberley Process as a result of the delegation's findings, it appears the human rights violations in Marange could be swept under the rug. The delegation has recommended a temporary suspension in

Zimbabwe

diamond trading.

But Susanne Emond from Partnership Africa Canada (PAC), an organisation that has been campaigning for the end of conflict fuelled by the blood diamond trade, explained to SW Radio Africa that the Kimberley Process, as a regulatory body, "doesn't have a specific language when dealing with human rights." She said that one of the few tools that the Process has is the suspension of a participating country from the body, therefore preventing the country from trading in diamonds all together.

"This suspension would normally be enough to force a participant to comply with their standards," Emond said. "But it is unacceptable that a country says it is applying the laws while killing people."

-o00o-

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Saturday, 11th July 2009

2009-07-11T07:25:00.007Z

Howzit

The internet has a report that Akim Ndlovu would be buried as a hero today. I ask myself, who is Akim Ndlovu? According to the report in The Herald, he was a ZIPRA commander, and I have no reason to argue with the decision to consider him a hero.

But I do ask why Patrick Kombayi was not tagged as a hero? The decision to make anyone a hero in Zimbabwe is laced with political bias and really needs to be sorted out.

-o00o-

In Zimbabwe, a deposit fine is a simple way of admitting guilt and paying a stipulated fine for that offence.

"Police yesterday announced new deposits for fines for those wishing to plead guilty to minor offences and wishing to avoid a court appearance.

The new deposit fines are with immediate effect. Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena, warned that for some offences repeat offenders would have to appear in court, and could not simply pay a deposit fine at a police station.

First offenders for the listed offences have the option of appearing in court, if they wish to plead not guilty or if they wish to bring forward mitigating evidence for a lower fine.

Before the release of this schedule, some police officers were applying the US$20 fine indiscriminately.

The new deposit fines are as follows:

Offence Fine in US$

Gambling 10 Rioters 5
Indecent conduct 5
Dealing in prohibited or any knives 20
Threatening language especially in public 10
Obstructing passages, streets, pavements or sidewalks 10
Public drinking 5
Drunk violent or disorderly behaviour on licensed premises 15
Failing to display liquor licence 15
Selling liquor without permit 20
Selling or supplying liquor to any person who is drunk 5
Selling liquor after hours 20
Shops without licence 20
Unlawful possession of identification documents belonging to another person 20
Moving cattle without permit first offence 20
Second offence court
Unlicenced radio or television receivers at home and in cars 5
Failure to renew firearm certificate on time 5
Failure to renew for three firearms 20
Insecure firearms 20
Buying or selling a firearm without a certificate court
Disposal of firearms to unathourised persons court
Failure to register a car 15
Illegible registration mark and number plates 10
Vehicles with no front registration numbers 10
Driving without a licence 20
Learner’s driving without supervision 20
Motorists failing to obey turning arrows 10
Driving into intersection when exit is not clear 20
To cause or permit animals to stray on any roads 10
Failure to obey directions from a policeman in uniform controlling traffic 15
Cars without headlights 20
Driving with an illegal beacon 10
Failure to carry a red triangle 10
Cars without wipers 5
Public service vehicles without fitness certificates 15
Failure to display certificate of fitness 10
Excess passengers 5 per head
Touting 10
Speeding 1km/h 50km/h 5 to 20
Speeding in excess of 50km/h court
Fishing without permission from owner 5
Serving or offering food in a train or railway premises first offence 5
Second offence 10
Third offence court"

I have reproduced the list exactly as it appears in The Herald. Not that I expect an answer, but what is "Failure to renew for three firearms"?

And I note that driving without a driver's licence, a serious offence, carries a fine of just US$20.

Some of these fines are a joke - and all that they prove is that fines of this nature are just another way in which Mugabe and his cronies milk the system for foreign currency.

-o00o-

The Marange/Chaidwza diamond fields in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe continue to be a problem for that country...

"Zimbabwe

's army and police on Friday refused to vacate diamond fields where security forces are accused of human rights abuses, despite a pledge last week for their withdrawal.

The announcement came despite a call from the Kimberley Process, which works to end the sale of "blood diamonds", for the demilitarisation of the Marange fields, where security forces are accused of torture, killings and other abuses against civilians.

"The officer commanding Manicaland province, senior assistant commissioner Munorwei Shava Mathuthu, said security forces will remain in place to deal with illegal diamond dealers and panners," said the statement read on state television. Mines Minister Obert Mpofu "concurred with the security forces", state television added - although on Sunday the government had said it would conduct a phased withdrawal from Marange."

I suppose that it could be argued that the withdrawal will be phased - one phase only - and will take place at a later date.

"A team from the Kimberley Process on Wednesday accused the military of being involved in illegal diamond mining in the Marange and of perpetrating "horrific" violence against civilians. The team recomended that

Zimbabwe

remove the army from Marange by July 20. The team visited

Zimbabwe

last week on a fact-finding mission, after Human Rights Watch accused the armed forces of using torture and forced labour to control the Marange fields, saying 200 people had been killed last year.

Zimbabwe

has denied the allegations."

Mugabe will tell the world that Zimbabwe is a sovereign democracy and will not respond to the orders of others - ie, the Kimberley Process.

What this means is that Mugabe and his senior loyalists will continue to milk the fields for every stone that they can...

The diamond field in Zimbabwe - carat or stick?

-o00o-

Another report on the same subject...

"The army and the police will not withdraw from the Chiadzwa diamond fields, but will remain there to maintain 'law and order', a state controlled newspaper said on Friday.

The weekly Manica Post in Mutare said the security forces will continue with their presence at the diamond fields, despite recommendations by the Kimberley Process team that visited the country last week to demilitarise the fields. The officer commanding Manicaland Province, Senior Assistant Commissioner Munorwei Shava Matutu, told journalists at a media briefing that because of the vast nature of the diamond fields, the security forces will continue using various strategies, including roadblocks and patrols, that he said have resulted in the decline of illegal panning and dealing in diamonds in the province. The briefing was also attended by provincial commanders from the army and the CIO."

Just how the police and the army are expected to uphold 'law and order' when they themselves are the biggest culprits, I will never know.

But you will note a pattern emerging here. Mugabe's people refuse to leave the diamond fields - he refuses to have an audit within the RBZ... His way of covering anything up is just to close ranks.

And to return to a question that I ask a lot... where has all the diamond money gone?

"The Kimberley Process team visited the country last week on a fact-finding mission, after Human Rights Watch accused the armed forces of using torture and forced labour to control the Marange fields. At least 200 people are known to have died in a military crackdown last year, which saw the army at one time use helicopter gunships to flush out illegal diamond panners.

Sox Chikohwero, a former MDC intelligence chief, told us the military’s insistence to remain at Chiadzwa amounted to a ‘mutiny’ against the unity government.

"Two government ministers agreed with the Kimberley Process recommendations and promised to withdraw the armed forces in phases. But the pro-ZANU PF military has refused and this can only be described as a mutiny against the government," Chikohwero said.

The former ex-combatant and officer in the airforce said those defying government recommendations should be arrested. But he said it is an open secret that ZANU PF has directed the military to issue the statement.

"ZANU PF used to get funds from Gideon Gono but because that financial route has been blocked by the unity government, their only source of funds was Chiadzwa. It’s clear the diamond fields have sustained ZANU PF as a party and the top military generals," Chikohwero said.

"Lets not be fooled they will let go of the diamonds fields. They will fight for it, the soldiers will fight for ZANU PF to ensure its sustainability as far as money is concerned. You cannot separate the soldiers from ZANU PF," added Chikohwero."

-o00o-

"Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara says the lifespan of

Zimbabwe

’s current inclusive government in

Zimbabwe

is likely to be extended to a full term of five years. Mutambara further described as false, a widely held belief that the duration of the hybrid government had been intended for two years.

"All this is completely false," Mutambara said, "If you look at the Global Political Agreement (GPA), there is nowhere where it says the government is for 18 months or two years. It is silent on the duration of the unity government."

A five year term for the 'unity' government would be playing straight into Mugabe's hands. He is determined to remain at the top of the government - come hell or high water.

"Said Mutambara, "What we say in the agreement is that, after the new constitution is adopted in a referendum, we will sit down as the three parties and discuss whether to continue or to shut down government and go for elections.

"When we were doing the negotiations, we were coming from the opposition; we wanted a short and sharp government, 18 months, and then elections. That was our demand.

"But our brother Mugabe from ZANU PF was saying, "No I was elected on the 27th of June (2008), I want my five years.' So we argued back and forth.

"The reason why we did this in the end is to ensure that people are not in an election mode. We for once work for the country. If we have 18 months or two years as our horizon, we don’t work, we campaign."

Does Mutambara believe that the Zimbabwean people can sit through yet another interminable round of 'negotiations'? When Mugabe and his party 'negotiate' they visit all manner of violence on the people, forcing the hand of those that they 'negotiate' with...

He does, however, make one statement which, in Zimbabwe, will never happen.

"If we behave well as a government, we create conditions for free and fair elections."

-o00o-

"Zimbabwe

’s assets in foreign countries are soon to be impounded, after President Mugabe revealed his government will not pay for land expropriated under his violent land reform programme.

In his announcement on Thursday, president Mugabe said that Britain should pay for the compensation of siezed land since a colonial obligation was ‘outlined’ in the Lancaster House agreement made before independence that Britain should pay. At an international investment function held in Harare, Mugabe said he told Tony Blair, '…to keep his money, and we were going to keep our land’ Mugabe said.

"The responsibility for compensating the farmers rests on the shoulders of the British government and its allies," Mugabe added on Thursday."

Mugabe fails to acknowledge that the change of ownership of land in Zimbabwe, as 'outlned' in the Lancaster House agreement, was supposed to be a 'willing buyer - willing seller'. What was so willing about the farmers and their workers being murdered on the farm? What was so willing about the farmers being physically forced off the land?

"However, some of these farms were lands owned by 13 Dutch farmers, some who went into

Zimbabwe

after independence (1980) and invested in farming business. These Dutch farmers were protected by commercial treaties personally signed by President Mugabe.

Recently, a World Bank tribunal ruled that

Zimbabwe

should pay US21 million for the breach of these commercial treaties when Mugabe violently siezed their farms. A 21 July deadline was given afterwhich time, interest will be added and the government’s assets in foreign lands will be subject to seizure.

Although the

Zimbabwe

government had requested that the damages be discounted, the tribunal rejected this request in April.

Government owned companies such as Air

Zimbabwe

will be siezed unless or until the

Zimbabwe

government has remitted payment. The tribunal ruling stated that the applicable law governing the dispute under the Treaty was public international law, not Zimbabwean law."

But why should Mugabe worry? His foreign banks accounts are neatly hidden away and he is rich beyond his wildest dreams. All he has to do now is to avoid being picked up for crimes against humanity...

-o00o-

And finally, for today, an article that discusses something which I have written about before...

"Under normal circumstances a government that takes over from another is usually under an obligation to honour contracts entered into and to repay legitimate national debts acquired by its predecessor.

That happens in most democratic nations where transition from one leader to another is undertaken peacefully and where contracts and debts are entered into with the knowledge and consent of the citizenry.

This week one half of Zimbabwe’s government of national unity fired a salvo by declaring that they would not be honouring debts acquired by the previous ZANU PF government of Robert Mugabe.

"

Zimbabwe

does not have the capacity to pay the debt," Tendai Biti, Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister, told debt cancellation campaigners at a conference in Harare. "We will not pay this debt."

Unequivocal. And when we look at the debts that Mugabe has against his name, we must ensure that the debts run up that did nothing more than bolster his hold on power are not paid by the new government.

And these should include the weapons that he has purchased to arm his army and the police against the population.

"Inter Press Services reports that, according to the latest Ministry of Finance and Reserve Bank of

Zimbabwe

statistics, released on Jun 30, "

Zimbabwe

is sitting on a total external debt of US$ 4.6 billion".

It is estimated that approximately 65 percent of these external obligations are in arrears and yet "

Zimbabwe

requires 8.4 billion dollars for its economic blueprint, the Short Term Emergency Recovery Programme (STERP) launched by the government in April this year".

"It would be obscene for me as the Minister of Finance to direct that we pay when 90 percent of our people are living below the poverty datum line, surviving on less than US 20 cents a day,” Biti, of the Tsvangirai led MDC, told IPS."

And when you consider that Mugabe has sent his own entourage to the East to beg money from Mugabe's friends, he told whoever would listen that any money raised would be for his party - not for the country...

"The MDC is unwilling to repay loans and debts acquired by Mugabe and his ZANU PF government at a time when they alone were in charge of

Zimbabwe

.

In addition, civil society is reportedly demanding an audit of the loans and debts to determine how such a colossal amount was used before agreeing to repay the loans.

Civil society organisations want an audit "to determine the extent to which the country’s debts have become illegitimate and odious"."

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Friday, 10th July 2009

2009-07-10T06:09:00.007Z

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates updated...

-o00o-

"Workers at President Robert Mugabe’s farm, Gushungo Dairy Estate Holdings, have poured cold water on recent reports that the veteran president and his wife Grace, a former typist, are model farmers. They said this after Mugabe commissioned a new state-of-the-art milking parlour sourced from

South Africa

last week, amid praises from his fawning ministers that Zimbabweans needed to emulate the Mugabes for "taking farming seriously".

The farm in Mazowe, formerly known as Foyle Farm, was seized from Ian Webster and was at the time one of the best dairy estates in the world.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, workers told The Zimbabwean this week that the Mugabes’ "success" was based on free money acquired from the Reserve Bank of

Zimbabwe

, and free labour taken from government-run agricultural enterprises such as ARDA.

A former manager at Gushungo Dairy Holdings, told this newspaper that over the last four years and on the instruction of Grace Mugabe, he and other managers applied for loans amounting to several million South African Rands from the Reserve Bank of

Zimbabwe

in their individual capacities.

"When we asked Grace if we would not end up being saddled with her personal debts, she would always tell us that she had already spoken to people at the Reserve Bank and that the money was awaiting collection," he said."

What a surprise! Mugabe is a no good farmer as well as a no good African leader!

And, if this report is anything to go on, his wife, the Amazing (Dis)Grace, has been using RBZ money to feather her own nest and half the goods she buys are rubbish and the other half is not for farming...

Several employees had accompanied Grace to South Africa to identify the milking parlour, one of the top two in Africa.

"The highlights of our visit to

South Africa

to identify different farming equipment were the shopping binges that we would do as the woman was generous with the free funds," added the manager, who, although he was contracted to and paid by ARDA, spent all his time working for the Mugabes.

"So really for the politicians to mislead the nation that the First Family are good farmers is simply not true. For quite a long time we provided free labour at the expense of the taxpayer, while money was being taken from the RBZ."

A current employee at the farm said the trend had not changed. Agricultural experts from state enterprises were still being seconded to work at the estate.

"It is so crude to the point that agriculture minister, Joseph Made, is essentially the President’s farm manager. He spends most of his time supervising workers from government agricultural institutions," said the employee."

Isn't Joseph Made the Zimbabwean MP that can assess and quantify an annual crop from the air?

And this is just one of Mugabe's farms - so much for his 'one man - one farm'...

-o00o-

Mugabe spent some time over the past couple of weeks complaining that the West wouldn't give him the money that was needed to rebuild the country. The West said that they needed to see more by way of reforms before they would release any money.

And whilst he is complaining, he is adamant that his government will pay no compensation for the seized farmlands.

What happened to the "willing buyer - willing seller" agreed to in the Lancaster House agreement? What happened to the £144 million given to the Mugabe administration to pay for farms?

"President Robert Mugabe said Thursday his government will not pay any compensation for land seized by his government over the past 10 years.

Mugabe accused the largely white Zimbabwean commercial farmers of siding with the British at a time his government was trying to apply pressure on the British government to disburse funds to buy land for resettlement to the previously disadvantaged black population.

"The responsibility for compensating the farmers rests on the shoulders of the British government and its allies," Mugabe said.

He was responding to a question by Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) President, Trevor Gifford, during the plenary session of an ongoing International Investment conference being held in Harare.

Gifford asked the Zimbabwean leader when his government would start paying farmers who have lost their source of livelihoods through farm takeovers.

According to the CFU, 175 farmers are due to stand trial for refusing to vacate their land to make way for the new farmers."

Before any sort of payment is made, surely the priority is to attend the the breakdown of law and order? What of the killings of workers and farmers? Do they not warrant any justice.

And it is more than apparent that Mugabe is going to attempt (again) to hoodwink the international community that the land was destined for the 'landless blacks' and then, once secured, he gives it to his senior party faithfuls!

"I told Blair to keep his money and we were going to keep our land," Mugabe said.

He was adamant it is enshrined in the Zimbabwean Constitution that compensation for land repossessed by government shall be paid by the British government.

"We did pay compensation for improvements and developments… we have honoured that part. This is our stand. It is a British responsibility," he said."

Any 'compensation' paid was based upon Mugabe's valuations, and any money paid was in useless Zimbabwean currency and is reportedly about 3 to 10% of the true value.

"Zimbabwe upholds the sanctity of property rights," Mugabe said in his main address."

Eish! And he said that with a straight face!

-o00o-

ZANU PF continue to prosecute MDC legislators under charges that actually are so fanciful that they are hard to believe. This is Mugabe undermining the election results so that he can overturn the slender majority held by Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC faction.

"A member of parliament for

Zimbabwe

's former Movement for Democratic Change was sentenced to 18 months in prison - six of them suspended - on Thursday after conviction on charges that he committed violence in the turbulent post-election period of 2008.

Magistrate Samuel Zuze pronounced the sentence against Meki Makuyana, 44, member for the Chipinge South constituency of Manicaland province in the House of Assembly.

Makuyana was the fourth MDC lawmaker to be convicted and sentenced this year.

Mutare West MP Shuah Mudiwa was recently handed a seven year sentence for kidnapping.

Chipinge East member Mathias Mlambo got 10 months for committing public violence, and lawmaker Lynette Karenyi of Chimanimani West was found guilty of electoral fraud.

Karenyi, Mudiwa and Mlambo have appealed their convictions, and lawyers for Makuyana are also filing an appeal. The MDC issued a statement calling all the charges "trumped up."

Mugabe is enraged with the idea that his party is no longer the people's choice. Instead of targeting the voters, Mugabe has targeted the elected MPs and is intent on putting them all away. And under the Constitution of Zimbabwe - that document that Mugabe has rewritten and changed on a whim - any legislators imprisoned for longer than 6 months (and I stand to be corrected here), loses their seat...

"MDC Manicaland spokesman Pishai Muchauraya told reporter Jonga Kandemiiri of VOA's Studio 7 for

Zimbabwe

that such convictions reflect an attempt by the former ruling ZANU-PF party and loyalists in the judiciary to whittle down the MDC's House majority."

-o00o-

What happened to the idea that a vote is private and confidential?

"Nine villagers were fined by their village head for supporting an MDC representative during village development committee elections held here last week. According to a letter written to the local MP, Festus Dumbu, the local village head, Gilbert Mujakachi, demanded that the villagers pay R20 for their defiance.

Dumbu had reportedly advised the villagers not to back the MDC candidate during the elections. Although The Zimbabwean could not establish the name of the candidate, it is understood the village head imposed the fine as a measure of disciplining the villagers."

It beggars belief that a voter should be beaten, abducted, incarcerated or fined for their choice of political support. Mugabe is always telling the world that Zimbabwe is a 'democracy'.

Well, it isn't...

-o00o-

In Zimbabwe, there is a huge difference between what is agreed and what actually happens. My question is simple... Why wait until next month? What is going to happen in the interim that will change things?

"MDC-T treasurer-general Roy Bennett will be sworn in as Deputy Minister of Agriculture alongside six new provincial governors next month, the Zimbabwe Independent learnt this week.

This is contrary to claims that Bennett's case had been referred to SADC as one of the outstanding issues of the global political agreement (GPA) after President Robert Mugabe refused to swear him in arguing that he was facing serious terrorism charges.

Gorden Moyo, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, confirmed to the Independent this week that Bennett would take the oath of office alongside five governors from the MDC-T and one from the MDC-M in August.

"Contrary to what some sections of the media have been saying, the issue of the swearing in of Bennett is not an outstanding issue," Moyo said. "There was an agreement reached on the issue by the three principals and he is likely to be sworn in as deputy minister in August when the new governors are sworn in."

Hang on! It was Mugabe himself that said that Bennett would not be sworn in until the court process was complete. Mugabe's people are suggesting that the failure to swear him in was due to reports in the media.

Rubbish!

"He said the only outstanding issues of the GPA were the appointment of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor Gideon Gono and Attorney-General Johannes Tomana.

"As far as outstanding issues are concerned we are now left with the Gono and Tomana issue that has been referred to SADC," Moyo explained. "Bennett will be sworn in with the new governors and the current governors were allowed to complete one year of service before the new governors are appointed."

And here's the stinger. The governors that are being replaced are all Mugabe appointees, and the unity government is to pay them compensation for only having served one year! This is totally wrong! The error was Mugabe's and therefore his party should pay, not the inclusive government.

"Bennett is facing terrorism charges in that he plotted to procure weapons to overthrow Mugabe’s government.

Bennett was arrested before he could be sworn in along with other deputy ministers in February.

He was released on bail a month latter and since then he has not taken the oath of office despite the fact that he was sworn in as a non-constituency senator upon his release from remand prison.

Bennett will serve as deputy to Joseph Made, who oversaw the country’s chaotic land reform programme and sanctioned the takeover of Bennett’s coffee farm in Chimanimani.

During his time as a member of parliament, Bennett shoved Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa to the floor during a heated parliamentary debate, an episode that led to him being jailed for eight months for the offence."

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Thirsday, 9th July 2009

2009-07-09T06:01:00.009Z

Howzit

Prison is not a place to be in Zimbabwe. Any time spent incarcerated in Zimbabwe is not only dangerous but could shorten your life - either through sickness or starvation...

This MP has been released on bail pending his appeal against conviction and appeal - and I am very happy for him - although it does little for those who remain behind bars.

"The MP for Mutare West in Manicaland province, Shuah Mudiwa - jailed for seven years two weeks back on charges of kidnapping - has been granted a US$2000 bail by a Mutare magistrate.

Mudiwa appealed against his conviction and sentence last week, and appeared in court yesterday where he won his freedom.

Mudiwa is accused with two other MDC supporters of kidnapping a 12 year-old girl in his constituency in 2007. He was sentenced to seven years in prison by Magistrate Hlekani Mwayera.

Two and a half years of the sentence were wholly suspended on condition of good behaviour."

It will be very interesting to see how quickly the case is reviewed - last week, it was highlighted that the jail sentence imposed on Peter Hitschmann in the same court, never came up for appeal in three years and Hitschmann finished his sentence before appeal.

I will keep a close eye on proceedings.

"Mudiwa challenged the sentence and was granted bail by the same magistrate.

The incarceration of Mudiwa and seven other MDC MPs facing trumped-up charges are part of a well-orchestrated campaign to intimidate and frustrate the MDC, analysts say.

Senior MDC officials say the Cabinet boycott last week was also aimed at protesting the jailing of MDC legislators."

Boycotting a cabinet meeting is hardly going to change Mugabe's mind on subjecting MDC MP's to untold pressure by accusing them of all manner of crimes and throwing them in jail for years.

"MDC officials claim the so-called hardliners are bent on frustrating the MDC and whittling down its majority in Parliament.

The MDC is the majority party in Parliament and the largest political movement in the country after it garnered 100 seats in the House of Assembly in the 29 March 2008 harmonised elections against ZANU PF's 99."

MDC-Tsvangirai has a majority of just one seat - how much 'whittling' does it take to regain the majority?

-o00o-

Here we go again. Having taken over the majority of the commercial farms in the country and still intent on removing all white commercial farmers, we have ZANU PF beginning to move in on the mines.

I half expect the mine grab to mutate into a firm grab and then a house grab...

"Hordes of ZANU PF supporters on Wednesday disrupted mining operations at Bikita Minerals, a major producer of lithium in

Zimbabwe

amid claims bigwigs in President Robert Mugabe’s party were angling for a take-over of the mine.

It emerged yesterday that senior ZANU PF officials here were bracing to take over the mine under the new measures stipulating at least 51 percent ownership by indigenous people in any mining operation.

Last year, the government of President Robert Mugabe crafted the controversial mining laws saying blacks needed to have the majority stake in

Zimbabwe

’s mineral resources."

If the land grab was anything to go by, not only will the mines be owned by ZANU PF personnel, but they will be systematically asset stripped and left as skeletons in the Zimbabwean landscape, producing nothing to add to the national coffers.

"On Wednesday, mining at the lithium-producing mine temporarily came to halt after the ZANU PF supporters, among them so-called war veterans, descended on the mine and harassed workers.

The marauding party youths also demanded the immediate dismissal of a white, accusing him of racism.

Leading the campaign was Retired Colonel Claudius Makova who, sources say, was positioning himself for a take-over of the mine."

'War veterans'? Any real war veteran would have to be at least my age and I'm 46! Yet the article talks about 'youths'... When are ZANU PF going to own up and actually tell the truth?

"We saw a group of ZANU PF youths coming at our work place and ordered us to leave saying that we were sell-outs for allowing whites to continue to milk the country’s resources," said a worker at the mine who requested anonymity.

"We ran in different directions and operations stopped. After harassing us they proceeded to the manager’s residence where they demanded that a white manager be dismissed.

"We only returned to work after an hour after the commotion at the whole mine premise."

Why has every move by ZANU PF got to be laced with racial hatred?

-o00o-

I hate this sort of thing. Not only because it is illegal, but whilst we are trying to tell the story of how hard life is in Zimbabwe, these people are showing an altogether different story about Zimbabwe.

"A Zimbabwean nurse has been sentenced to nine months' imprisonment at Liverpool Crown Court for obtaining a bursary and then employment in a private nursing home using forged documents.

Roy Kudzai Mapfumo, a part-time club DJ, overstayed his leave to remain in the

and used forged documents to get his way around until he was busted following an investigation by the National Health Service (NHS) Counter Fraud.

Mapfumo of Southport, Merseyside, defrauded over £20,000 from the NHS and was convicted on two counts of false accounting in relation to the bursary and fraud in relation to obtaining employment."

Whilst I do understand the position that a Zimbabwean professional may be put in following their departure from Zimbabwe, I do not condone illegality. I have no sympathy for this man.

"The North Sefton Magistrates Court heard that in February 2001, Mapfumo was granted limited leave to remain as a student in the

until the end of October the same year, but he failed to contact the Home Office when his leave expired.

He obtained a place on a three-year degree course in Adult Nursing at Buckinghamshire New University and was awarded an NHS student bursary of £20,317.10 using a forged vignette in his passport, which falsely indicated he had indefinite leave to remain in the

.

He applied for his job at the nursing home using his Zimbabwean passport together with a forged Home Office letter indicating indefinite leave to remain with no restrictions on seeking employment."

-o00o-

If this had happened in Zimbabwe, then people would have been arrested - but it was in Malawi and that is where it will end. Mugabe will make no mention of it, and his media mouthpiece, The Herald, will make nothing of it. Indeed, if they do mention is, it will be with allegations that it was set up by the West or the MDC...

"Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, who stirs mixed feelings in many Malawians, received hisses at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre where he was attending the country’s 45th independence celebrations on Monday.

The celebrations, where he was the only other head of state with his host Bingu wa Mutharika, appeared to have been studiously shunned by the 16-member Southern African Development Community, SADC. Only two low-ranking officials from

Mozambique

and

Tanzania

attended among locally-based diplomatic staff.

Government sources said the SADC heads are sending a message to Mugabe that his failure to cooperate with their recommendations on the way forward for the

Zimbabwe

government will not be tolerated."

Like Mugabe took any notice or could really care less. He is out of Zimbabwe and travelling - and anything else is a bonus...

"Mugabe who is seen by local Malawians as only a titular head following the formation of a unity government with Movement for Democratic Change, MDC was hissed at on entry and was openly booed with his host from the over-crammed 25,000-seat er stadium in a show of disaffection with his presence in

Malawi

."

Mugabe has got such a thick skin that this would have made little or no difference in his life.

-o00o-

Did the MDC really think that Mugabe and ZANU PF would play by the rules when it came to a power-sharing government?

"Zimbabwe

's power-sharing cabinet issued an ultimatum Wednesday to the three principals in the national unity government to resolve numerous issues that have been straining relations between the Movement for Democratic Change and ZANU PF sides of the government.

MDC and ZANU PF sources told VOA that Wednesday’s cabinet meeting was tense with extended and heated debate as members from the MDC formation led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai clashed with their ZANU PF counterparts. The latter were said to have been agitated over last week’s MDC boycott of a cabinet meeting.

The MDC raised the stakes this week demanding compliance in full with the Global Political Agreement signed in September 2008 by President Robert Mugabe, Tsvangirai and now-Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara. Senior members of the Tsvangirai MDC formation accused ZANU PF of attempting to torpedo the unity government."

Cabinet in Zimbabwe is not complete - because Mugabe refuses to swear in the deputy Agricultural Minister designate, Roy Bennett. Mugabe says that the criminal charges that Bennett is facing are serious and he cannot let him join cabinet.

The minister of finance, an MDC man, is facing charges of treason - but he is in cabinet.

Once more, Mugabe's decisions make little sense.

"Contentious issues include an ongoing judicial crackdown on MDC and civic activists, the delay in swearing in MDC Treasurer Roy Bennett as deputy agriculture minister, the appointments of provincial governors and the failure of the National Security Council to convene.

Government sources said the three principals will brief the cabinet next Tuesday on how much time they will need to settle the outstanding issues."

It isn't going to happen. A power-sharing/unity/inclusive government is a pipe dream...

-o00o-

The rift between the two MDC factions in Zimbabwe looks to widen after a report that was initially in Mugabe's media mouthpiece, The Herald, said that Mutambara (leader of the smaller faction) was calling for the appointments of the RBZ governor and the Attorney General to be accepted in the name if unity.

"Reported comments by Zimbabwean Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara on Wednesday returned a dispute within the country's fractious national unity government over the tenure of Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono to the political front burner.

Mutambara was quoted in the state-controlled Herald newspaper as urging Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to work with the central banker, accused by many of stoking hyperinflation and misappropriating funds, instead of demanding he be sacked or step down.

Reached by VOA, Mutambara said he could not comment as he was in a meeting."

I am surprised that Mutambara didn't deny the story - but just excused himself. If the story were false, then he should have jumped at the opportunity to clear himself.

His failure to do this is tantamount to an admission.

"The comments brought a statement from Mr. Tsvangirai's formation of the Movement for Democratic Change saying Gono must depart as agreed under the Global Political Agreement signed in September 2008 by President Robert Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara."

Mutambara is showing himself to be a loose canon and his statements are more dangerous than perhaps even he realises.

-o00o-

Blogger's online spell checker still continues to pick up on correctly spelt words, offering an alternative spelling that is exactly the same as the word it is querying.

Oh well - it is a free service...

Take care.

'debvhu

Wednesday, 8th July 2009

2009-07-08T03:08:00.021Z

Howzit

B and I saw the surgeon yesterday afternoon - after they had removed the cast and after an x-ray.

Initially I was a little concerned as it just didn't look right, but I told that the bone graft was just taking a little while to 'firm up'...

I took a snap of the x-ray.

Apologies for the reflection - but I don't think that the x-ray viewers are designed to have photographs taken.

The surgeon took the decision that the graft needs more time to unify and then he would be taking the holding screw out.

I have been put into a lightweight thermoplastic brace (with no less than 7 velcro straps) which I can take off to have a shower! Yay! (B has been putting my arm in a tied black bin bag for more than six months!)

And I have been told to slowly exercise the elbow - remember that it hasn't worked since before Christmas - and to just take it easy. The scar is quite serious (about 22cm long) - B and I also need to work on the dryness of the skin.

So another 6 weeks and then hopefully the bolt will be removed and then into a new leather orthotic brace...

And - a bonus - my fingers are no longer swollen and for the first time in about six years, I am able to wear my wedding ring... Yes!

Post op photo taken in 19 May 2009...

The arm this morning...

It feels great to be out of the cast!

-o00o-

When B and I were leaving the hospital early in the evening, the air ambulance came roaring in - and let's face it, when one of these birds flies, it is serious - and I took a couple of snaps using my mobile phone.

The ambulance is just above the treeline...

The ambulance lands on top of the hospital..

The reason that I include these snaps, poor though they may be, is so that I can say that I have had long and arduous experience within the NHS, and I am sickened that the NHS takes such a public beating in the political halls - but the people that I have worked with, the people under whose care I have been for many years, the service that is rendered to the sick, the frail, the infirm and accident victims, is of the highest value, good calibre and the nurses, the doctors, the specialist are just truly amazing people.

The NHS - don't knock it until you have tried it...

-o00o-

Foreign currency mid-rates updated...

-o00o-

Until we know a lot more about this attack, it would be silly for me to comment - although my opinion of the attacks on farmers is well documented on this page...

"Bob Vaughan-Evans, a director of Zimbabwe's Commercial Farmers' Union, has been axed to death at his home.

Mr Vaughan-Evans, who was in his late seventies, was killed on the eve of his wife Jean's 80th birthday. The couple were attacked in their home in Gweru, Zimbabwe's third largest city, where Mr Vaughan-Evans represented the CFU in the Midlands Province.

The CFU president, Trevor Gifford, said Mr Vaughan-Evans, a renowned agriculturalist and conservationist, died from head wounds after he was attacked by an intruder. He said he did not yet know Mrs Vaughan-Evans's condition.

"She is frail and in a wheelchair from a previous attack, also in their home," he said. Mr Gifford said the couple had been attacked three times in the last six months, once for about £15.

President Robert Mugabe began siezing thousands of white-owned farms in 2000 and now only a few hundred remain on small portions of their original land holdings. "We still do not know details of what happened. Bob was a very important member of the CFU team," said Mr Gifford.

Zimbabwe

's crime statistics are seldom disclosed, but there has been a surge of armed and violent robberies, particularly since

Zimbabwe

abandoned its worthless currency in January and now uses US dollars or South African rands."

-o00o-

As if we weren't aware of the bias within the ZANU PF mouthpiece, The Herald and it's sister paper the Chronicle, the radio and the television station which is run by the State...

All of these media spend their time criticising the MDC and praising ZANU PF and its leader. Even if there is nothing to criticise or praise...

"Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday took a swipe at the state media for continuing to serve partisan interests to the detriment of the inclusive government, saying it’s failing in its mandate of serving the people as a true public media.

Addressing journalists at the Gweru Press Club, Tsvangirai said bias of the state media is temporary as reforms in the media to be introduced soon will ensure a divergence of views from which Zimbabweans can choose for their sources of news.

"It a fact that in contravention of both the letter and spirit of the Global Political Agreement, the state media continue to serve partisan interests, thereby failing to fulfill their mandate as a public service to the people of

Zimbabwe

.

"This situation is temporary as sooner rather than later market forces in the form of alternative media will enable the people of

Zimbabwe

to choose their sources of news on a daily basis," said Tsvangirai."

Sadly, it matters not how many times a non-ZANU PF politician states that the media has let the side down, whilst Mugabe has still got breath in his body, these badly written reports lauding him and his party will continue to be written, and the television news will be liberally laced with pro-ZANU PF stories.

-o00o-

This report does not surprise me. I have often stated that Mutambara reminds me of a young Robert Mugabe - and I have taken time to question why the smaller faction of the MDC seems to escape the oppression that the larger faction endures.

"Zimbabwean Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara on Tuesday said he was prepared to work with Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr Gideon Gono and pleaded with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to ensure unity in the inclusive government if the country was to proper.

Addressing small-scale miners at a function attended by PM Tsvangirai, Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe, Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu, his deputy Murisi Zwizwai, Dr Gono and other senior Government officials in Harare, DPM Mutambara said there was more that united Zimbabweans than divided them.

"There is no family without quarrels. There is more that unites us than divides us. Governor Gono, we must work together as long as I am the Deputy Prime Minister, Prime Minister, I beg that Zimbabweans have unity of purpose," he said."

Mutambara misses the point. You don't unite for the purposes of unity. You cannot ally with another for the sake of an alliance. He, of all people, should understand this. The MDC split over senate support and attempts at a re-unification have failed - and yet he would have all of the political parties unify in government so that he can proclaim Zimbabwe unified...

And Gono is not part of the unity government insofar as he is not an elected member of that body.

"Mutambara added that Zimbabweans should unite in working for the country. Mutambara’s comments come in the wake of last week’s boycott of a Cabinet meeting by MDCT ministers and PM Tsvangirai’s recent trip to the

United States

and Europe PM Tsvangirai to seek a financial package to revive the economy and call for the lifting of economic sanctions. Mutambara said

Zimbabwe

could only overcome its current economic challenges if the inclusive Government worked as a team.

He said the country’s future lay in the exploitation of its natural resources like gold and "not aid from

America

China

"."

For the definition of 'exploitation', just read what Mugabe has done in the last 29 years...

"Dr Gono and Attorney General Mr Tomana have the highest qualifications for office, but what is only needed is the three principals to agree on the appointments since they were appointed by President Robert Mugabe alone without the other principals," he said then.

The small-scale miners used the occasion to present to Government the 50kg of gold that they mined using loans totaling US$1,1 million provided by the People’s Own Savings Bank and the newly established TN Bank."

Perhaps Mutambara needs to sit back and look at the damage that Mugabe has wrought, before he requests that Zimbabweans fall in line behind Mugabe's leadership...

-o00o-

And this is the country which Mutambara would have everyone unify - a country where rape, robbery and murder are commonplace.

"Police in

Zimbabwe

have arrested two men who raped a 24-year-old woman then fell asleep at the scene of their crime.

In a terrifying attack, the men went to the woman's home in Dulibadzimu township in

Zimbabwe

's border town of Beitbridge.

Posing as detectives, they ordered her to accompany them to the police station. Once outside, they dragged her to a bushy area on the banks of the Limpopo River, where they raped her - and fell asleep.

The woman sneaked away to alert her sister and security guards, who returned and carried out a citizens' arrest before police arrived.

The attack shows just how crime is spinning out of control in once-peaceful

Zimbabwe

."

Until such time as Mugabe stops using the police for his own personal and political gains, and allows them to perform theior function of upholding law and order, then this sort of thing will be on the increase.

"The number of armed robberies and assaults has surged since a unity government between president Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF and the former opposition Movement for Democratic Change was formed in February.

Regular bank raids, hijackings and supermarket shootouts are prompting unfavourable comparisons with neighbouring

South Africa

.

The latest bank to be targeted was Barclays, in the second city of Bulawayo, last Friday. Six men with pistols burst into the building and terrified tellers before getting away with $50,000, 126,000 rand and £500. Kingdom Bank, in Harare, has been targeted twice.

In Harare's Glen Norah township, residents are keeping to a 6pm curfew after a mobile phone trader was beaten to death by muggers last month.

Giles Mutsekwa, Zimbabwe's home affairs minister, believes former diamond diggers and dealers, who were removed from the Marange fields in a controversial security operation last year, are behind the crime. "They are turning to this crime because they have to maintain their lifestyles," he said. "It's a cause for concern."

Foreign nationals who entered

Zimbabwe

to take part in the diamond trade were also involved, he claimed."

Political aims and aspirations should be put aside and the country needs to regain some law and order.

"Canny criminals are trading on the fact that Zimbabwean businesspeople, wary of central bank raids on their accounts, are bank-shy. George Guvamatanga, the managing director of Barclays Zimbabwe, said last week that

Zimbabwe

banks held just £294 million in deposits, while £619 million was kept out of the system, in homes, safes or offices.

Jane Mutasa, a Harare businesswoman, was robbed at gunpoint of£12,382 and her Mercedes Benz S350 in Harare's quiet Greystone Park suburb, which is better known for its pair of roaming leopards than as a haven for robbers.

"I was ordered to get out of my vehicle by one of the accused persons, who was wearing a police uniform and armed with a pistol," she told a court last week."

-o00o-

"Ominously, despite participation by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in a cross-party government, politically motivated attacks on the party’s activists by Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe loyalists appear to have resumed.

Over the past two weeks, a party source says, a number of MDC activists from around the country have contacted the former opposition party to say they have been assaulted by supporters of Mugabe’s ZANU PF party, who, they allege, are preparing a new wave of violence for the rural areas.

The increase in violence against supporters of the MDC, which entered into a transitional government with ZANU PF last February as a means to move past disputed elections, is feared to be linked to a plan to intimidate people ahead of a constitutional referendum.

"Our intelligence is telling us the joint operations committee [Mugabe’s security council, which is made up of army generals] has decided to reform the youth militia and prepare them for a campaign of 'persuasion' that will begin in late September," according to the source."

One of the things agreed on in the two agreement signed last year was the use of political room to allow the parties to campaign peacefully and without undue influence. ZANU PF have ensured that this is not the case. They have harried, pushed and prodded the MDC and have abducted, tortured, arrested and arreigned the members and supporters of the party in an attempt to reduce the political majority that the MDC enjoys.

Enjoys? The way that Mugabe continues to lead a 'government' whilst he is not the elected leader of Zimbabwe leaves a lot to be desired. He wasn't even 'democratically' elected and relied heavily upon his militia, war veterans and others to do his dirty work.

Beyond belief...

-o00o-

I have another appointment elsewhere, so will have to wrap this up now.

Take care.

'debvhu

Tuesday, 7th July 2009

2009-07-07T07:46:00.003Z

Howzit

Today will tell all. I am due to meet the surgeon late this afternoon and the full cast with a 90 degree elbow will be removed - and he will be doing a very minor procedure to remove the holding bolt (knowing my luck, my arm will fall off!) and then I will be put into a light brace and let loose on the world!

I have no idea if they want me to have any therapy (I haven't had an elbow for almost seven months) and I need to revisit the orthotics department to get a new leather brace made as my old one will not work as the hand position has been changed.

Whatever happens, I do look forward to a distinct improvement in my life.

Wish me luck.

-o00o-

"A visiting delegation from the Kimberley Process has just concluded a week long investigation into

Zimbabwe

’s controversial diamond mining trade and found that the country’s military and police were major contributors to the illegal activities, human rights abuses and murders that took place in the Marange diamond fields, despite denials by government officials.

The Kimberley Process is an initiative by international governments and civil societies to stem the flow of conflict diamonds. Although the full report has not been publicised, the interim report said: "There cannot be effective security where diamonds are concerned, with the involvement of the military."

The anti-blood diamonds group recommended that the army should be immediately removed from the diamond fields. Liberian Deputy Mines Minister Kpandel Fayia, who is the head of the Kimberley Process delegation, is quoted in the Herald saying the full report on

Zimbabwe

would be issued within a month."

I go back to my original thoughts. If the money for the diamonds found in the Chiadzwa fields had be channelled correctly, then Zimbabwe would have been able to pay for its own rebirth. I estimate that the lost revenue is about US$100 billion and the rebuilding of Zimbabwe would only have cost US$5 billion.

The question that remains unanswered is, where has all the diamond money gone?

"Human Rights Watch senior researcher Tiseke Kasambala said: "If this is truly the case, then that is indeed a positive statement from the Kimberly Process and was one of the key recommendations from our report we released about a week and a half ago, calling for the de-militarisation of the diamond industry in

Zimbabwe

."

The rights group also said government denials of killings, especially by the army, are a cover up as gross abuses have been taking place in the Chiadzwa area since the diamond fields were discovered in 2006. Kasambala said it is disappointing the authorities are denying the atrocities that took place, instead of addressing what happened and trying to bring about accountability and transparency in the mining of diamonds in

Zimbabwe

.

"The army has carried out terrible abuses, including forced labour of children, women and men and took part in the massacres that took place in October and November 2008." According to the group, at least 200 people were killed by military personnel during a crackdown on so called illegal diamond dealers."

Whilst Mugabe's ZANU PF party struggles to establish some sort of legitimacy, the findings of the report will rubbish that and will paint an entirely different picture to that which Mugabe would prefer the world to see.

Diamonds are Mugabe's best friends.

-o00o-

Mugabe treats the Western world with absolute disdain. He has neatly forgotten that it was the West that facilitated his rise to power in the late 1970s. He doesn't like being told just how it is, and will build a facade that the West is attempting to oust him and effect regime change.

Whilst we have no doubt that a Mugabe-free Zimbabwe would be a distinct improvement, it is also important that his departure is violence free and that a new government has the capability to rule with fairness and honesty.

"President Robert Mugabe spurned a request for a courtesy meeting by outgoing

US ambassador to

Zimbabwe

, James McGee, a

embassy official said Monday.

"Over two weeks before Ambassador McGee departed Zimbabwe, the US Embassy requested a courtesy call with President Mugabe through a diplomatic note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Tim Gerhardson, a US Embassy Public Affairs Officer said.

"Unfortunately, the US Embassy never received a reply from the Government of Zimbabwe regarding the US Ambassador’s request for a meeting with the President."

This is how Mugabe treats people. His office does not even have the decency to give a reply to the request.

Mugabe will believe that his silence speaks many more words than he could ever cook up.

Very, very sad.

-o00o-

We all know that the Reserve Bank remains a huge stumbling block in the path of a true power-sharing government in Zimbabwe. The appointment of its governor, Gideon Gono, was not only unilateral, but Mugabe is resisting the removal of this man from the helm of the central bank.

Gono ensures that the monies are in place - from all manner of sources - for Mugabe to continue with his totalitarian rule.

"The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is refusing to take resignation letters from its staffers, The Zimbabwe Telegraph has learnt.

The move by the central clearing house, according to sources is because it cannot afford to pay people their packages in an event that they decide to leave.

"The situation is bad we are not motivated at the same time we cannot leave work. They are refusing our resignation letters," said a frustrated RBZ top official.

To make matters worse RBZ workers have had their contract cellular phones cut off because of unpaid bills.

"We have switched off more than 1000 contract lines that had been leased to Reserve Bank of

Zimbabwe

employees as a result of failure to settle bills," said an official from Zellco a company contracted by NetOne."

When the central bank can no longer pay their bills and will not accept resignations because they do not have the money to pay out the people who wish to leave, we must realise that the RBZ is itself, circling the drain.

Again - what happened to the money that the diamonds were meant to bring in? Did this money get syphoned elsewhere? Evidently.

When Gono is helping himself to monies held in accounts (and Mugabe refuses to call it theft) to prop up the Mugabe regime, and the world sits back and watches without comment or reaction, then we know that we are in big trouble.

"The failure to settle bills to the state-run NetOne and Zellco is a result of the adoption of multiple foreign currencies by the government which has seen the central bank abandoning all money printing activities, resulting in the

Zimbabwe

dollar being shelved until next year.

"People who were first affected were the ones that use lines from Zellco as our bills have not been paid for some time," an official said.

"Initially we thought this was only affecting middle and junior managers but to our surprise most lines belonging even to divisional chiefs have also been disconnected. NetOne started disconnecting some of the lines at the start of this month and there seems to be no solution in sight."

-o00o-

This article looks at the insistent call by Mugabe and his supporters for the lifting of sanctions (albeit targeted) but also compares the need that Mugabe has to not allow international media inside Zimbabwe...

"Many Africans and some Zimbabweans, including Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, who argue vehemently against continued international political restrictions on

Zimbabwe

, have completely got their coordinates wrong.

"Promises of reform" in the face of strangled civil and political liberties of Zimbabweans are not sufficient ingredient for the recipe of total democratisation that we demand before first lady Mrs Grace Mugabe is allowed to be part of the glitz and glamour of London’s Harrods high society again. For those of us who bear the full brunt of dictatorship, anything that adds melody to the soundtrack of misery on those who oppress us is sweet music! That is how trivial we want to be.

So far, Mutambara and his boss, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirayi are yet to convince anyone but themselves that the road to reform is straight and wide. Zimbabweans have one daily newspaper. Neither CNN nor BBC is allowed to practise the noble profession of journalism in the country. Journalists still have to go to court to prove their worth. There are hundreds of political prisoners languishing in jail. Women rights activist Jenny Williams is still being arrested for demonstrating peacefully."

Oppression in Zimbabwe is a daily occurence, yet Mugabe wants us to treat him and his worshippers with some welcome and allow him back onto the international dais.

With so many Zimbabwean souls on his non-existent conscience, we do wonder when will he buckle under the strain - the problem being that he seeks support from the police, the army, the air force, his youth brigades and the war veterans. (It must be said that the veterans are not that impressed with Mugabe, saying that the land invasions have not helped them at all...)

"We have a ZANU PF loyalist and farm invasion beneficiary Johannes Tomana masquerading as 'attorney general', while state-controlled Herald and ZBC still spew toxic anti-democracy propaganda. There is not a single independent television or radio station licenced to do business in Zimbabwe, while thousands of commercial farmers who were illegally dispossessed of their properties are either in exile or destitute in Zimbabwe. If Mr Tsvangirayi and Mr Mutambara think this is ‘progress’, then perhaps I need more English lessons."

An interesting, forthright piece, and one which will, no doubt, be swept under the carpet by both Mugabe and those that seek to hide the truth from the people of Zimbabwe.

-o00o-

The last time that Mugabe attempted to railroad a flawed 'new' constitution upon the good people of Zimbabwe, he was met with a decisive, "NO!" and thereafter there began the land grab.

The strange thing was that on national television that evening, Mugabe is recorded as saying that his government would accept the voice of the people... we know now that it was just a delaying tactic, that Mugabe was apoplectic with rage.

"MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai on Sunday dismissed attempts by ZANU PF to force the Kariba draft constitution on the people, saying it is up to the people to decide and no one should impose a solution on them.

He said the process to draft a new constitution was not about individuals or political parties, but a people-centred initiative, which should involve everyone. The MDC leader told a party rally in Marondera that the new constitution should outlive the politicians.

Tsvangirai's comments were a reference to Robert Mugabe's rallying call to ZANU PF supporters that the new constitution must be anchored in the Kariba Draft, that was agreed to by ZANU PF and the two MDC formations on September 30, 2007.

"The constitution is not about individuals or political parties. The people must define the future of this country by writing their own constitution which should outlive the politicians," Tsvangirai said.

"So let us not miss this opportunity. Let us work together so that there is no sliding back to violence," he added. Civil society organizations have also come out in the open castigating politicians for wanting to have an undue influence on the process."

Mugabe is a past master at imposing his will upon the people. If they resist, he has them beaten within an inch of their lives, and then implements whatever it was that he wanted anyway.

The people of Zimbabwe are aware of this, but there is very little that they can do to stop the dictator from doing what he will.

I have said this many times. For Mugabe to have been successful, he needed to change very little. But his avarice and ZANU PF's need to take things forcibly necessitated the first changes in the law and the constitution. These changes then led to more changes as they bolstered the initial changes - and so began the domino effect on the constitution.

"Basically what they were saying was they should be masters of their own destiny, free and equal and empowered to decide the next constitution of Zimbabwe," Muchemwa said."

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Monday, 6th July 2009

2009-07-06T05:55:00.006Z

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates updated.

-o00o-

The one thing that has been stepped up markedly is Mugabe's criticism of anyone who he decided that he doesn't like. And many of the people that he picks on are diplomats from western countries.

James McGee often came under much ridicule from Mugabe office, and, unable to resist the opportunity, Mugabe has begun on the US Assistant Secretary for African Affarirs...

"President Mugabe has described US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson as an idiotic little fellow for trying to lecture

Zimbabwe

on how to conduct affairs of State.

The President, who met Carson on the sidelines of the just-ended African Union Summit in Sirte, Libya, at the request of the

diplomat, said he had been angered by Carson’s condescending attitude.

Responding to a question on whether anything had come out of the meeting, the first such interaction between the President and a

government official in years, President Mugabe said he hoped Carson was speaking in his individual capacity and not for US President Barack Obama.

"No, you wouldn’t speak to an idiot of that nature. I was very angry with him, and he thinks he could dictate to us what to do and what not to do in the inclusive Government.

"We have the whole of SADC working with us, and you have the likes of little fellows like Carson, you see, wanting to say: "You do this, you do that."

"Who is he?

"I hope he was not speaking for Obama. I told him he was a shame, a great shame, being an African-American, an Afro-American for that matter."

Mugabe does care what he says - as long as he has the headlines he believes that he has said and done the right thing.

But Mugabe says that he has "the whole of SADC working with us" - it is a pity that he doesn't work with SADC. He has defied an order to pay compensation to frmers who's land in Zimbabwe was protected, but claims that SADC is working with him?

This would be a two-way street - but Mugabe ignores that. By mentioning SADC, he believes that he has added weight to the insult he lays upon Carson.

Mugabe does not do himself any favours.

"Carson, a career African-American diplomat, served as US ambassador to

Zimbabwe

from 1995 to 1997, and ended his tenure just before the bilateral dispute with

Britain

flared up."

-o00o-

Isn't is amazing that when a ZANU PF member is shot at, that the police are able to arrest, detain and arraign the supposed perpetrators, but I don't see the courts flooded with accused people for the murders of commercial farmers and their workers or MDC supporters killed in last year's violence.

The people being charges are not even the people that shot at Shiri - they are people who falsely accused others of the shooting!

"Air Force of

Zimbabwe

Commander Air Marshal Perrence Shiri is expected to testify at the Bindura Magistrates’ courts on Tuesday as a State witness in the trial of two men charged with falsely incriminating three others in the shooting incident in which he was shot.

The State, represented by Mr Emmanuel Muchenga, successfully applied for the postponement of the trial of Dzingai Moyo and Gibson Maingano to give the State time to summon the Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander.

Moyo and Maingano are facing charges of making a false report against Alexio Tembo, Mr Nisbert Chauraya and Mr Withus Masunda in the shooting of Air Marshal Shiri in December last year."

Does this case actually mean anything in the grand scheme of things?

Not for normal Zimbabweans, but it is a show of strength by ZANU PF is the courts.

-o00o-

Hitschmann was imprisoned in Zimbabwe for possessing unlicenced firearms after the initial charge of plotting to assassinate Robert Mugabe did not fit...

"I was arrested on 6th March 2006 following a tip off that was given to the intelligence agencies by an army major called Major Phiri, Major Israel Phiri.

Major Israel Phiri alleged that I was the commander, or one of the deputy commanders of the Zimbabwe Freedom Movement, a military organisation operating from within the armed forces of Zimbabwe

and aiming to topple Mugabe.

Gonda: And did you have anything to do with this Zimbabwe Freedom Movement?

Hitschmann: I’m not aware that the movement exists, those were the allegations that were brought against me and in the trial they failed to prove that (a) the Movement exists, (b) that I was a part of that Movement or (c) that I had ever planned or plotted anything to do with either the demise of the President or any other member of his party."

Hitschmann goes on to explain the charges and how they were worked against him...

"I spent 16 months on remand, a year and four months. I was denied bail I think at least five or six times with a claim that I was a danger to national security – based on the original charge which was the second most serious charge that can be brought to anyone in this country. The first is treason as the one that was brought against Morgan Tsvangirai and Tendai Biti. At the time, when these charges were brought, the only sentence that was available was a life sentence in prison. By the time we reached July 2006, there had been an amendment to that law which allowed for any lesser sentence for a life sentence. In any case I spent 16 months in remand before the trial even kicked off.

Then the trial kicked off, the State knew from the onset they had no basis for the trial so they played dirty tricks from the beginning by first of all delaying the trial. So I ended up waiting another, I think it was about eight or nine months before we completed the trial in July 2007. The original charge which was the intention to commit acts of terrorism, banditry etc totally flopped and I was acquitted on that one and I was convicted under the Public Order and Security Act for possession, possession of dangerous weapons. At the time, you’ll probably remember, I was a registered firearms dealer and from the beginning I always admitted having in my possession certain arms of war for which I should have had special authority from the Minister, and that’s what they convicted me on.

But that charge had the option of a fine, I think it was 22 million dollars at the time. I was never given that option and instead I was given a four year sentence, one year was suspended either by the courts and then I went to prison for a three year spell. On good behaviour they removed one year so I actually served two years in jail. So totally I’ve been 40 months in prison between the conviction and the remand."

When you consider the original charge was about the idea that the alleged conspirators would spill oil on the Christmas Pass into Mutare and this would cause an accident. In the aftermath, the assassins would then finish off the President.

Quite ridiculous.

"If you can believe the system of justice in this country, you’ll now be aware that my appeal has never been heard. The last time we went the legal route was in December 2008 when my lawyers applied for bail pending appeal because the previous application for bail pending appeal had been denied by Justice Chitakunye citing there would be time, ample time for my appeal to be heard. That was in September 2007. December 2008, the appeal still hadn’t been heard and we went back to the judge and said 'listen our client is left with a little more than 6 months to serve and the appeal hasn’t been heard, we’re requesting bail pending appeal.’'His answer was there was yet time for the appeal to be heard. Today is the 2nd of July, two years after the conviction and my appeal still hasn’t been heard."

Unreal. If the appeal is upheld, then the time served has been for nothing.

This interview is quite long - but well worth the read. I do hope that Hitschmann decides to write a book - which would be very interesting when read alongside Kevin Woods' book - and perhaps he would make a few dollars doing that.

-o00o-

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has provided a lifeline to Mugabe and his party - keeping them afloat while the rest of the country floundered financially.

It is common knowledge that ZANU PF is broke, yet the RBZ continued to finance the party and ensuring that the Mugabe family had enough foreign currency to sate their international travel requirement (sold to them at an advantageous price)...

Now Mugabe is paying the price for the actions of his lapdog, Gideon Gono.

"Donors and potential investors are trying to avoid channelling their money through the Reserve Bank of

Zimbabwe

, the architect of hyperinflation and politically motivated exchange rates. A multi-donor trust fund is being set up according to World Bank procedures and will be the future route for most cash provided by foreign donors. This will be for future humanitarian aid and funds raised to oil the creaking transitional period. The fund will allow donors to circumvent the tainted central bank. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told a press conference about the fund on Tuesday on his return from a three-week trip to the US and Europe, where he raised considerable political goodwill and support for Zimbabwe, but little hard cash.

A financial source, who did not want to be named, said the R300 million given to

Zimbabwe

South Africa

in January had "disappeared". The source said no one was sure how the money had been spent. An International Monetary Fund technical team investigating Zimbabwe's revenue collection and tax regimen last month, found that while Zimbabwe's monthly revenue had leapt from about R160m in February to about R640m, the central bank had failed basic transparency" tests, and was still involved in "quasi-fiscal" activities. Central bank governor Gideon Gono had practically taken over the economy in the past two years, bypassing the finance ministry. The "quasi-fiscal" activities included printing massive amounts of money, fuelling hyperinflation, and skewing exchange rates to benefit President Robert Mugabe and his cronies. This fuelled the savage contraction of productive sectors. The central bank has also failed to produce an audit for the past five years."

An audit of the RBZ has been blocked by none other than Mugabe himself.

What action is being taken to find out where the South African money had gone? Where is the ZRP on this?

I can tell you - nowhere. Because the money 'disappeared' within party circles and that was the end of that.

"Gono handed out billions of rands for many ZANU PF-aligned businesses and individuals in unsecured loans, which were then wiped out by inflation and for which there are few records.

"There is no way any serious investor or any donor, whether giving money for reconstruction, transitional or humanitarian aid, will go near the central bank," said an informed source last week. Economist John Robertson said the central bank could not be trusted. As the inclusive government emerged in February, Gono finally admitted the bank had helped itself to many companies' export earnings and even dipped into funds belonging to NGOs.

"It has rendered itself irrelevant," Robertson said. A political source in Harare said last week: "Gono still has access to export money, and other undetected revenue streams, but he is being a bit more circumspect these days, and keeping a lower profile, as (Finance Minister Tendai) Biti is watching him."

Gono and the RBZ made themselves irreverent - meaning that they had little regard for the holders of the accounts that they looted - and contracy to common belief, they have not been able to repay the stolen monies.

-o00o-

What is the bet that either the service supplier will be ordered to reconnect the phones - or that somehow the money is magically made available to pay the bill?

"Mobile airtime services providers NetOne and Zellco have switched off more than 1000 contract lines that had been leased to Reserve Bank of

Zimbabwe

employees as a result of failure to settle bills.

The failure to settle bills to the state-run NetOne and Zellco is a result of the adoption of multiple foreign currencies by the government which has seen the central bank abandoning all money printing activities, resulting in the

Zimbabwe

dollar being shelved until next year.

Central bank officials said first to be affected were employees that were using Zellco contract lines.

"People who were first affected were the ones that use lines from Zellco as our bills have not been paid for some time," an official said.

"Initially we thought this was only affecting middle and junior managers but to our surprise most lines belonging even to divisional chiefs have also been disconnected. NetOne started disconnecting some of the lines at the start of this month and there seems to be no solution in sight."

Gono will, no doubt, steal money from accounts in order to pay the bills. As the saying goes, "in for a penny, in for a pound." And Mugabe will refuse to acknowledge this, claiming that Gono is not a thief.

"As a result of failure to settle the bills most central bank employees have acquired lines from Econet and Telecel.

"What can we do?" a senior manager whose line was also disconnected said. "We just have to adjust to the fact that our lines were switched off and look for other service providers. First they tried to take our cars and now we are being told nobody can resign."

So even if you wanted to, it is impossible to walk away from this mess...

-o00o-

Do you think that Kasukuwere will be punished for this admission? Not likely! Mainly because he attempts to rope the MDC in on the violence...

"ZANU PF deputy secretary for Youth Saviour Kasukuwere on Friday admitted that the former ruling party deployed militias to spearhead its violent election campaign last year that left hundreds of opposition supporters dead.

Kasukuwere, who is also the Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment, told journalists at the Chinhoyi Press Club that all the political parties "abused" the youths to further their own ambitions.

"We have done it... all political party youths were involved in it,” he said.

"MDC have done it as well. It’s easy to take advantage of a young man or woman who is doing nothing.

What do you do? You buy them beer... four crates after that you say let’s go and do such and such a thing. They are young, naive and under the influence of alcohol. Wrong direction... wrong leadership.

"The youth do it because normally they are easy to mobilise to do activities of violence that are not in the long run helpful to themselves. I think we have learnt our lessons."

The problem being that the activities that the youth got up to was unacceptable. And for some reason ZANU PF feel that they can dilute the activities of the youth by suggesting that the MDC did the same.

If he can make the suggestion, why not make the allegation - and then substantiate it? We already have numerous MDC members facing all manner of charges in court - but very little evidence.

I sincerely hope that someone in the MDC jumps on this man's statement and denies that the MDC had anything to do with youth violence.

"The youths popularly known as the Green Bombers because of their green uniforms are trained at the so-called Border Gezi centres and deployed in rural areas to campaign for ZANU PF.

There are fresh reports that youths have been deployed in rural wards to campaign for ZANU PF’s position on the new constitution.

"These are young people employed by government to co-ordinate youth activities at ward level and their duties are to attend to problems affecting youths at that level," Kasukuwere said.

"They are looking at leadership problems in the area and looking out at NGOs activities with the intention to be involved and also to hear the concerns of young people and bring them forward to central government."

There is no reason for the youth or the government to become involved in the activities of the NGO's.

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Sunday, 5th July 2009

2009-07-05T05:45:00.004Z

Howzit

This will be a very short posting as I do have an RBL meeting later this morning.

Over 300 Zimbabweans arrested in Johannesburg City

"We were planning to bring Michael Jackson to Zimbabwe" - Chiyangwa

Zimbabwe invites constitution experts for stakeholders conference

S.African Human Rights Bodies Slam Arrest Of Homeless Zimbabweans

Kimberly Process Team Visits River Ranch Mine

ZANU PF Propaganda Mouthpiece Restructures

Brutality Continues

Take care.

'debvhu

Saturday, 4th July 2009

2009-07-04T07:52:00.007Z

Howzit

For some unknown reason, I am unable to access "The Zimbabwe Situation"... so articles today have been gleaned from Google Alerts and Zimreport....

-o00o-

Another report that I read last evening, indicated that van Hoogstraten was now to be known as Adolph van Hessen.

"A court in Harare has cleared controversial British property tycoon Nicholas van Hoogstraten, a key ally of ZANU PF, of illegal currency dealing and possession of pornography.

The state-run Herald reported that the case was thrown out this week at the end of the prosecution case after judges said police had broken the rules when they raided the tycoon’s home, adding that the police had permission to search for money but not for pornography. Van Hoogstraten, now known by new name of Nicholas von Hessen, had consistently denied the accusations.

The 64-year-old businessman, who appeared in court under his new surname, is said to enjoy a good relationship with President Robert Mugabe."

Justice in Zimbabwe is largely dependent on who you are and how well connected you are.

-o00o-

This is not a 'because of' but an excuse to do something that he has wanted to do for years... all he was doing was waiting for something to happen that gave him the reason...

"President Robert Mugabe is planning to seize dozens of British companies in

Zimbabwe

following the staunch refusal by Western governments to lift targeted sanctions imposed on him and his cronies.

Senior officials in ZANU PF, the party led by the 85-year-old veteran politician, who faces growing international condemnation for his crackdowns on political opponents, white farmers and independent journalists, say he is furious that foreign governments had refused to give Tsvangirai assurances that they would lift sanctions that have hit hard the top brass in his party. Mugabe got official feedback from Tsvangirai, who returned home Monday. Mugabe seemed seized with the matter at the 76th ordinary session of ZANU PF held in Harare last week Wednesday.

"I hope that the Prime Minister’s trip has given him an opportunity to call for the removal of the illegal sanctions which are stifling efforts by the inclusive government to achieve its targets," Mugabe said."

Everything that Mugabe seizes, whether legally or otherwise, falls very quickly into wrack and ruin. The farms are failing to produce anything of any value - and the vast majority of the new 'owners' are ZANU PF senior members who know nothing about farming.

I have said this before. For Mugabe to have been successful, he needed to change very little in 1980. But the need/want to change things led to other changes and before he knew it, the Zimbabwean economy was on the verge of collapse and he has no more resources to stop it.

"A leading member of the president’s ZANU PF party warned that Mugabe planned to retaliate for the intransigence of Western governments and alleged that the refusal was at

Britain

’s instigation - with other Western capitals taking a cue to maintain a ban on travel to European Union countries and

America

.

According to the Southern African Business Association, there are about 100 British companies in

Zimbabwe

, with a total investment of hundreds of millions of pounds.

Some of the big players, such as Barclays Bank, BP and Cadbury, are considered too vital to the economy to be nationalised. But scores of family businesses, many of them in tourism, could be confiscated and distributed among Mugabe’s party faithful, the sources said. Mugabe told his lieutenants: "We must urgently revive the revolutionary spirit of the party."

And this is where the whole thing goes wrong. Mugabe is looking towards a resurrection of the ZANU PF, instead of the resurrection of the country's economy and infrastructire.

"White British passport-holders in

Zimbabwe

would have to renounce their

citizenship amid a continuing diplomatic stand-off over the evacuation of elderly Britons from

Zimbabwe

.

Aides of Mugabe say that the tacit refusal to lift sanctions means that those Britons who have failed to become Zimbabwean citizens will face repercussions. Many of the few remaining white farmers have already decided to comply with the measure.

But a prominent businessman in Harare said yesterday that many of the whites still in

Zimbabwe

were determined to hold onto their British passports."

It was a prerequisite that I renounced my British birth (and hence, my claim as a British national) before I could join the ZRP. I checked with the High Commission and discovered that such a renouncing meant nothing in the High Commission as they said that nothing could remove my birthright.

I held a Zimbabwean passport until about two months after I arrived in the United Kingdom.

"There will be serious repercussions for

Britain

’s refusal to lift these sanctions," said the ZANU PF aligned businessman, who had been warned of Mugabe’s plans by ministers in the president’s inner circle.

"It’ll be tit for tat. People will simply have their right to live here taken away and they’ll lose their businesses."

Asked how this would be achieved with an MDC party with a strong presence in Parliament, the official said, "it will be a spontaneous uprising, like the agrarian revolution." He boasted that the MDC was powerless to stop a ZANU PF scheme which had the full backing of the top brass in the security forces."

For "agrarian reform" read "land grab".

-o00o-

It is evident to me that this security guard had something that very few ZANU PF members and employees have - a conscience...

"A security guard, who stands accused of killing a man at a commercial farm, seized from a Chegutu farmer by Senate President Edna Madzongwe shot and killed himself in a toilet at the farm, sources have said.

The teenage security guard died on Monday after he pulled a gun on himself. He died on the spot. Sources in the farming town of Chegutu told The Zimbabwe Times yesterday that Innocent Mbofana’s body was taken to Chegutu Hospital mortuary a few hours after he allegedly committed suicide.

"He had initially run away after the death of the man they accused of stealing oranges in May and he only returned last week. The police officers at the farm tried to detain him but he escaped and went ahead to shoot himself," said a source who declined to be named.

A mortuary attendant at Chegutu hospital only identified as Ngwenya confirmed receiving Mbofana’s body on Monday afternoon before it was released into the hands of relatives on Wednesday for burial in rural Chakari, near Kadoma.

"The postmortem that was done was just external as the gun shot was there for everyone to see. The relatives also did not have money for an expensive autopsy. It seemed as if he shot himself from under the chin and the bullet came out through the forehead. His eyes popped out of the eyeholes," said the attendant."

The idea that the police were attempting to arrest this young man when he escaped - whilst armed - and went on to kill himself is a little unbelievable.

I cannot see how one teenager would have been able to escape - but, then again, I wasn't there.

A conscience is a fine thing to have, but when it results in death I baulk at the idea of 'justice' in Zimbabwe.

"Violence erupted at Stockdale Citrus Estate in April resulting in the death of the unidentified man at the hands of Madzongwe’s farm guards.

A Justice for Agriculture spokesperson alleges that the man was taken to a citrus packing shed where he was tortured for most of the night. The following morning he was released by the guards and the body was found near the entrance to the farm. No report was made to the police about the alleged theft.

After the death a report was made to the Chegutu police and three of Madzongwe’s guards, plus two former Stockdale employees, were picked up by the police and taken to the police station. No arrests have so far been made."

-o00o-

In a similar case, a security guard at a farm has just pulled five years in Mugabe's prisons for shooting an alleged thief dead.

"A farm security guard who shot and killed a thief he caught stealing maize and seriously injured another, was on Tuesday jailed for five years for culpable homicide and attempted murder.

Raphael Ncube (38), who was employed by Mazowe Citrus Estates in Mazowe, killed Tawanda Butawu and injured Luckson Paizoni on the leg.

Ncube was jailed after pleading guilty to both charges before Bindura regional magistrate Ms Mavis Kudumba.

Initially, Ms Kudumba had sentenced Ncube to six-and a-half years in prison - four-and-a-half years for the culpable homicide charge and one-and-a-half years for attempted murder - before she conditionally set aside one and a half years."

The stark choice that the teenager in the previous story had was a long and lingering death within Mugabe's prisons, or a rapid exit at the end of his firearm. And I can understand his choice...

-o00o-

Before the committee looks at the re-admission of Zimbabwe to the Commonwealth, it needs to be crystal clear that the departure from the Commonwealth was a Mugabe decision. He tendered the country's resignation from the Commonwealth - following their suspension for a flawed 2002 Presidential election...

"Former British colonies club the Commonwealth has set up a committee to look at the possibility of readmitting Zimbabwe into the grouping, The Zimbabwe Telegraph has learnt.

Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth in a huff in 2003 after the group suspended the country after a flawed 2002 presidential poll characterised by rampant intimidation and widespread violence a thing that went on to become the mainstay of Zimbabwean politics under the government of Robert Mugabe. The Commonwealth is eager to assist

Zimbabwe

for the sake of its civilians who are subjects of Mugabe’s bad policies."

I am a little surprised that a committee should consider the country's re-admission - especially since they have just had yet another flawed Presidential election and Mugabe's human rights record has not got any better...

"Our aim will be to marshal the Commonwealth’s professional and other networks in support of existing aid efforts, and the medium to long-term prospects for reconstruction and development in

Zimbabwe

.

"We hope that the roundtable will result in practical action plans and the identification of the necessary resources to take these forward. Furthermore we hope that the issues arising out of the roundtable will be brought to the attention of Commonwealth Heads of Government when they meet in

Trinidad and Tobago

later this year."

Until Mugabe and ZANU PF are only memories in Zimbabwe, they will never toe the line in the Commonwealth and this is rather a waste of time, money, manpower and resources...

"The Commonwealth committee says time is now ripe for an initiative to bring together Zimbabwe civil society and Commonwealth partners with three core aims to consult with Zimbabwe partners about their urgent needs to formulate concrete and coordinated plans for practical action and identifying resources for this work with a view to establishing a Special Commonwealth Fund for Zimbabwe."

-o00o-

And whilst Mugabe's destructive reign continues, so does the crime...

"Police are hunting a gang of seven armed robbers who seized US$80,000, £505 and R126,000 in an early morning raid on a Barclays Bank branch in Bulawayo on Thursday.

The pistol-waving robbers swung into action moments after the bank in Donnington - along the road leading out to Plumtree - opened its doors at 8.15AM, witnesses said.

A male bank employee was injured during the raid but is expected to recover, police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena said.

He added: "The seven men who were all armed with pistols got to the bank soon after it had opened and disarmed the security guard who was manning the entrance.

"They went into the banking hall where they demanded and got money from the bank tellers before going into the branch manager’s office. They force-marched him to the safe where they got more money."

Mugabe is responsible for this. Not that he committed the crime - but he has caused the collapse of the economy and crime is the only way that some of the people in Zimbabwe can survive. And as the crisis lingers on and on, so the crime takes on new and unknown boundaries.

If the government can commit such huge transgressions against the people, then robbery, theft and fraud all pale by comparison.

"Zimbabwe

is in the grips of a wave of armed robberies on a scale not seen since the country’s independence in 1980.

Bulawayo police called a security meeting with business leaders on Friday morning to discuss strategies of thwarting robbers.

Bvudzijena said: "We have always called on banks and retail shops that handle large sums of money to revise their security strategies especially now with the dollarisation of the economy.

"We have, as the police force offered to assist such establishments with the vetting and training of their security personnel."

'Dollarisation' of the economy? Does Bvudzijena know something we don't? The local currency was shelved, yes - but I don't think that the economy has been 'dollarised'...

-o00o-

(Note to "Blogger" - for the past two or three dyas, your spellchecker has been indicating faults with words spelled correctly. Just so you know...)

Take care.

'debvhu

Friday, 3rd July 2009

2009-07-03T05:43:00.004Z

Howzit

Foreign currency mid-rates updated...

-o00o-

Most of us have, at some time or other in our life, been down on our luck - when life is hard and owning the 'normal' things in life is just that little bit out of reach.

But have we ever been so down that this is our 'home'?

"My tour guide is Gift, 18 years old, with fiercely red eyes that stared out from a gaunt sallow face. Gift is from Nyanga originally, he left school in Form one, and has never had a job. He “works” the streets, the systems, watches cars, cleans cars, buys and sells commodities - and he lives in a ditch.

I have watched Gift grow up from a skinny little kid into even skinnier adulthood. There is a home for street kids in Bulawayo run by a wonderfully caring church group, but after Gift’s initial stay with them, he ran away, preferring the freedom of the streets. We took a trip to his "Home" which is not far from his main haunt - a suburban shopping centre in what was once an affluent residential suburb. Not any more!

Gift’s home comprises a shallow depression behind a fallen log; dead palm fronds, artfully placed, protect his privacy from passers-by. His worldly possessions include a broken bucket, a tiny wire mesh grate, several ragged blankets and various tin cups and plates.

He bathed every day, he told me, in a bucket of cold water from a tap near a hotel where wealthy tourists and businessmen stay during their visits to

Zimbabwe

. You can smell alcohol on Gift, but in spite of his horrendous living conditions, he also smelled of cheap soap!"

This is the reality of Mugabe's Zimbabwe. This is what he has reduced the population to. Mugabe doesn't care that people like Gift never got an education and will probably never work.

Mugabe is also aware that people like Gift will probably be so busy keeping themselves alive that they will never stand in the way of ZANU PF. But I worry that criminality is just a simple step away.

"Alcohol is his lifeline, he said - alcohol and dagga (cannabis). With these substances he can cope with "being laughed at" he said me sadly. A twist of dagga is easily and readily available for just one rand. Skokiaan is his preferred drink, costing two rands for a "scud". (Skokiaan most typically refers to a fast brewed ‘home-brew’. It sometimes contains meths.)

We spoke about the cold at nights - Bulawayo had a black frost this week destroying some farm crops and many urban gardens - but Gift says he actually prefers the cold! He explained that during winter the snakes go underground to sleep. Gift is dreadfully afraid of snakes. He burns plastic bags at night to keep his fire going - he tells me that plastic burns for quite a long time. There is never a shortage of plastic bags flying around Bulawayo in spite of the recent "Keep our City Clean" campaign. He also prefers to sleep alone: I gathered from his conversation that something sad in his youth made him a bit of a loner."

I am fully aware that there are people the world over that live and sleep rough - here in Derby in the UK, there are people who prefer to sleep on the streets and some of these people have taken to crime to finance their lifestyle addictions.

But I don't think that the number of people sleeping rough in Zimbabwe was ever so high.

"I took Gift back "Home" as dusk fell; he needed to cook before the sun went down. He promised that if I gave him some money he would not spend it on dagga or skokiaan, but would look for some warm accommodation.

According to the weather-man, the temperature would be reaching three degrees Celsius tonight."

-o00o-

I suppose that it would be easy to say that everything about this case stinks of a Mugabe's frame up - but if the cap fits, wear it.

We saw something very similar in the very early 1980 when Mugabe's security people 'found' arms caches that allegedly belonged to Joshua Nkomo's ZAPU. When those charges failed to stick, they went after the owners of the farm where the weapons were found, the York brothers...

"Michael Peter Hitschmann, who was initially arrested for allegedly plotting to assassinate Robert Mugabe at his birthday bash in Manicaland in 2006, was released on Thursday. Although the assassination plot charges were dropped, Hitschmann went on to serve a total of three years and four months in jail after police said they found an arms cache at his home and he was charged with possession of firearms without a licence.

In an interview with SW Radio Africa shortly after his release the former police constable says he was a registered firearms dealer and the weapons found at his home were never hidden. He said since the farm invasions he acted as a conduit for firearms for the police. He would collect firearms and weapons from evicted commercial farmers and take them to the police armoury. Hitschmann said he was doing the job the police were supposed to do and claimed the receipts he got when he handed weapons into the police, mysteriously disappeared when he was arrested."

I found it quite unacceptable that an arms dealer should be arrested for weapons charges - basically meaning that anyone in Zimbabwe can be arrested for doing their job. (We have seen reporters arrested for the crime of 'journalism'!)

"Hitschmann said shortly after his arrest he was taken to an army barracks in Mutare and tortured severely and forced to write confessions that he had conspired with several people, including some from both the MDC and ZANU PF, to assassinate Mugabe.

"I was kicked in the testicles a few times and then they resorted to using cigarettes on my buttocks. Although that was a terrible experience I was lucky enough to pass out quite early when they started with the cigarette burns," he narrated.

"But more effectively they arrested my wife and my son." He said he was told that if he didn’t confess, his family would join him at the army barracks."

No doubt, Hitschmann will be a font of information when it comes to life behind bars in Zimbabwe, and I shudder to think of the detail that he will impart to us. Perhaps he should write a book and attempt to glean something back to make his life back on line.

-o00o-

The story above is supplemented by the news that the State prosecution is intending to call Hitschmann as a witness against senior MDC member, Roy Bennett, who is charged with banditry and is facing trial in October.

Bennett is waiting to be sworn in as deputy minister of agriculture - but Mugabe refuses to have this happen, saying that the courts must finish their work first.

"Peter Michael Hitschmann, the former police constabulary, who was jailed for possessing an arms cache three years ago was released on Thursday and vowed not to be a State witness in the trial of Roy Bennett, the MDC Deputy Minister of Agriculture designate.

State prosecutors say Hitschmann is the key witness in the trial of Bennett, who is facing charges of attempting to commit acts of sabotage, banditry, insurgency and terrorism.

Bennett's trial will kick off on October 13. He faces life in jail if convicted but Bennett has dismissed the charges as politically motivated."

Hitschmann has stated since his release that Roy Bennett was named in a 'plot' gained by torture. Hitschmann says that he himself had no charge to face - but that the case against him was manufactured, and that Bennett's name was introduced by his torturers.

"Hitschmann was initially charged with attempting to assassinate President Mugabe and key ZANU PF politicians in Manicaland but the charges were thrown out due to lack of evidence. He was then convicted on lesser charges of possessing arms without a license.

"I was surprised to hear that I was a State witness (in Bennett’s case)," Hitschmann said. "I am certainly not going to be a State witness. I find it surprising. Bennet has nothing to do with it."

Hitschmann added: "He has not been to my premise and there is no link between Bennet and the fire arms. On the night of 6 March 2006 we were taken to Adams Barracks were we were tortured and forced to make certain confessions and one of the confessions incriminate Roy."

Adams Barracks is an army camp, on the Mozambican frontier.

"According to that confession Roy and I were plotting sabotage specifically of radio and communication equipment in the area of Bromley somewhere outside Harare."

All of which shows the manner in which Mugabe and his minions work - just how they obtain information and twist it to suit their purposes.

"Hitschmann said he was disappointed he had completed his sentence while his appeal against conviction and sentence was still pending at the Supreme Court.

He said this was an indication that the justice delivery system in

Zimbabwe

was skewed.

Hitschmann said prison conditions were appalling and during his 40 months’ stay in prison, he saw close to 50 people die."

-o00o-

My only query with this is where did government get the money from? Did someone have a pang of conscience and cash in his diamonds?

"Govornment will from this month start paying civil servants salaries instead of allowances after it emerged that its coffers had improved.

Finance minister Tendai Biti is expected to announce the change when he presents his mid-term policy statement on July 16.

Civil servants have been getting a monthly allowance of US$100, which many said was not enough to sustain them.

Biti this week confirmed that the government would start paying a salary with effect from this month end.

He could not reveal the minimum salary that civil servants would earn but said government was working from a narrow budget."

Any progress is a step forward and the unity government must be sure to pick up the kudos here. But I am willing to bet that the President and his party will either belittle the effort or claim the added financing as theirs.

It is just the way that politics in Zimbabwe goes.

"We are working at decompressing and rationalising the wage bill of civil servants and this review will ensure that civil servants start receiving a salary but we are working from a narrow budget," Biti said.

The salaries, unlike allowances, will differ according to positions. Sources said the government’s decision on salaries was designed to avert a looming strike in the public sector.

"There is a brewing storm in the civil service especially from teachers. There was fear that if nothing was done urgently the teachers would strike. This was going to be a blow to the all inclusive government which measures its successes on restoration of normal services in the public sector," said one source."

It will very interesting to see just how the civil servant react to receiving a little more money.

-o00o-

What goes around, comes around.

Mugabe sells the farms invasions as a return of the farmlands to the 'landless blacks' - even if the majority of those 'landless blacks' are senior members of his administration and security forces.

The land grab began in 2000 and was headed up by the war veterans - who now feel abandoned by their illustrious leader.

"It was in February 2000 soon after the rejection of the government-sponsored draft constitution when a group of seven former freedom fighters invaded Yotham Farm, about 55 kilometres east of Masvingo city.

The invasion sparked spontaneous farm occupations across the country under the banner of redressing colonial land imbalances in

Zimbabwe

.

President Robert Mugabe, sensing danger following the rejection of his government’s sponsored draft constitution in a referendum, seized on the opportunity presented by the land seizures and blessed them, while glorifying the often violent process as the Third Chimurenga."

What irks me is that commercial farmers and their workers were killed and there has been no prosecution of the killers.

"However, nine years down the line, the pioneers of these farm invasions in Masvingo are living in squalor. They now accuse Mugabe of abandoning them.

The five surviving members of the original team of farm invaders in Masvingo: Felix Zivanai, Peter Saharo, Elton Mushunde, Ernest Matambo and Kid Muzenda now live in abject poverty.

Two of the former freedom fighters Isaac Mupondi and another, only identified as Chiwawa, died in penury.

Besides a small piece of land they grabbed under the A1 Resettlement model, the five have nothing substantial to show for the early occupation of Yotham Farm.

According to Zivanai, the recent and much-touted farm mechanisation programme launched by Mugabe’s government had not benefited them in any way.

"When our leaders come here they promise to solve our problems but nothing has been done," said Zivanai angrily.

"We had hoped that the farm mechanisation programme would target us, genuine farmers, who spearheaded the Third Chimurenga, but nothing is forthcoming.

"President Robert Mugabe has abandoned us and we are not going to forgive him for that. We just hear that some people were given tractors and scorch-carts, wheel barrows and harrows but we did not get anything.

"We believe all these farming implements were looted by senior ZANU PF and government officials at the expense of the generality of the people."

Mugabe would be best advised not to forget the war veterans. Although it must be said that many of those that claim to be veterans are much too young to have fought in the chimurenga, these are the men who are quite prepared to put their lives on the line for Mugabe and his continued occupancy of the Presidency.

And when they are largely forgotten by the administration then he may be taking on a force that is greater than his own. The thing about the veterans is tht they have the innate ability to blend in with the population...

Read that as a threat if you will, but I can back that up with a quote from the veterans...

"When the 'No' vote carried the day, we as war veterans felt that ZANU PF, our party, had lost," said Zivanai. "So we asked ourselves; what do we do in order for us to benefit from the government given the fact that people had voted 'No' in the referendum?

"We held a meeting at the Chiefs Hall in Masvingo where we agreed to start the farm invasions. Some of the war veterans refused because they argued that the white farmers were armed but we felt it was time for us to take the land.

"We targeted Yotham Farm because the owner Dick Ren had already left. After all, his farm was used as training ground for Rhodesian soldiers and as a torture centre for villagers who supported the liberation struggle.

"Soon after taking over that farm, we wanted to dish out pieces of land to landless people until the government chipped in, blessed our idea and then regularise the process.

"To date, everyone is happy to own a farm, even Mugabe himself, but we are saying he should not forget us.

"Our lives have not changed since we invaded these farms. If anything, our lives are deteriorating in terms of living standards.

"If you have the capacity to meet him (President Mugabe) tell him that we are living in squalor and that if he does not give us the farming implements which he shared with other party activists and officials, we are not going to forgive him and his government."

Perhaps Mugabe should heed these words...

But I'll bet that they will be rejected as the words of the minority and therefore nothing to worry about.

-o00o-

Tsvangirai went looking for US$5 billion and returned with not a lot.

Now, another blow for the financial brains in Zimbabwe.

"International Monetary Fund has told

Zimbabwe

that it will not provide the country with more funds until its existing $1bn debts are settled.

Zimbabwe

’s government estimates it will need $10bn (£6bn) of foreign aid to help rebuild its battered economy.

But the IMF said that

Zimbabwe

would need to clear its debts and show a sustained record of sound policies before it could give financing.

China

recently agreed to give

Zimbabwe

a loan of $950m.

China

was one of the few countries to retain economic support for

Zimbabwe

in recent years.

The IMF said that

Zimbabwe

’s economic policies had improved and a "nascent economic recovery appears to be under way".

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai visited the

and Europe earlier this month in an attempt to raise funding for the struggling nation.

The

promised $73m in aid while the

pledged to boost its funding by about $8m, taking its total to $98m for the year.

Mr Tsvangirai said he had received pledges totalling $500m during his trip."

Mugabe will dismiss this as sponsored by an anti-Mugabe West...

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu

Thursday, 2nd July 2009

2009-07-02T07:11:00.005Z

Howzit

Living in the United Kingdom can sometimes be a right laugh. The people complain if it is too cold, complain if it is too hot, and if the temperature gets into double figures then they start taking their clothes off!

Yesterday it reach about 30 degrees C and the population started to wilt. I used to play golf in temperatures approaching 40!

The difference is in the humidity. It does get very 'muggy', but maintaining a steady fluid intake will sort that out.

I believe that today will be yet another 'scorcher'...

-o00o-

It should be noted that Mugabe has not begun to move the system to allow Bennett to be sworn in. I am of the belief that the swearing in was connected to the tour of Western countries in search of aid by the MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, and given that that tour did not glean the rewards everyone hoped for, the swearing in will not take place.

When Mugabe makes up his mind about something, trust me, it stays made up.

"A magistrate in Mutare, Lucy Mungwari, has further remanded to October 13, 2009, Senator Roy Bennett, the mainstream MDC treasurer-general and deputyAgriculture Minister-designate.

Bennett faces charges of attempting to assassinate President Robert Mugabe four years ago and of attempting to commit acts of terrorism, banditry, sabotage and insurgency.

He dismisses the charges as politically motivated.

His bail conditions were also relaxed and he will now have to report to the police once every two weeks instead of once a week.

His defence counsel led by Trust Maanda, a Mutare-based lawyer told the court should the state fail to proceed with the case on October 13 Bennett should be removed from remand.

State prosecutor, Michael Mugabe agreed saying he would make sure the trial commences on the given date."

October is an age away, and much can happen on the political front in Zimbabwe in that time, and Mugabe will have rearranged things to suit and may well allow this case to die a natural death by then.

"I want it to be put on record that on October 13 if the state is not ready Bennett will be removed from remand," Maanda said in court on Wednesday.

Mugabe responded saying: "I will ensure that by October 13 the trial will proceed. If we are not ready the defence can go ahead and make an application to have him removed from remand."

In Zimbabwe, because the courts are largely controlled by Mugabe and his militant followers, applying to have someone removed from remand is easier said than done. If Mugabe's office decides that Bennett remains on remand, then he will stay there, no matter what the defence says or proves.

"Bennett faces a life sentence if convicted. President Mugabe has refused to swear him into the inclusive government until the matter is finalized.

Bennett was dramatically arrested at Harare’s Charles Prince Airport on February 13 moments before his flight took off for Johannesburg, South Africa. He was driven at high speed to the eastern border city of Mutare, where he spent a month in remand prison.

Bennett is the MDC’s nominee for the position of deputy Minister of Agriculture but is yet to be sworn in. The position has remained vacant for the past four months and is likely to remain vacant, until whenever Bennett is acquitted. Judging from the circumstances of the case so far, there is no guarantee that Bennett will be acquitted or that this will happen any time soon.

"The fact that his case has been remanded further by almost four months means this is just political persecution and the State has no evidence whatsoever linking the deputy minister designate to any crime," said the MDC in a statement Wednesday.

"The party also calls for immediate swearing-in of Hon. Bennett as the deputy Agriculture Minister because he is innocent until proven guilty."

-o00o-

"The Movement for Democratic Change says the Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Hon Murisi Zwizwai lied when he said that there were no killings in the Chiadzwa mining area of Manicaland province. The Zimbabwe Telegraph reports.

"The MDC views as unfortunate and inaccurate the remarks by the Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Hon Murisi Zwizwai, that there were no killings in the Chiadzwa mining area of Manicaland province.

We view the remarks as premature and inaccurate in the absence of an investigation into the murky dealings in the Chiadzwa diamond fields where a lot of things happened out of the public eye. Hon Zwizwai’s claims are therefore fact-hostile and evidence-free," said the MDC in a statement."

If the details of the killings were to become set in stone and public, then I believe that the illegal dealings in diamonds will also spill into the public domain.

I read this in parallel to Mugabe's blocking the audit of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

I will, no doubt, ask the question more than a few times more... If the Chiadzwa fields are as full of diamonds as ZANU PF claim, and there were no killings in the mines, then where has all the diamond money gone?

"The MDC went on to call on the inclusive government and Parliament to commission an investigation into the goings-on in Chiadzwa.

"We believe that a thorough investigation will enable the inclusive government to come clean on what really transpired before senior government officials seek refuge in denial.

Zimbabweans are only aware that whatever happened at Chiadzwa remains shrouded in secrecy. There is no public information as to how much the country has accrued from the diamond fields where ordinary Zimbabweans were displaced to make way for politically connected fat cats and politicians," added the MDC."

The events within the fields are being protected just as the events of the Gukurahundi continue to be shrouded in secrecy.

The last sentence of the article about the Chiadzwa diamond fields, could have been written about the Gukurahundi.

"There are mass graves and massive looting that cannot be easily dismissed in the absence of an investigation into the blood diamonds area."

-o00o-

"Zimbabwe

's high court Wednesday handed down a crushing blow to the government's case against a group of Movement for Democratic Change supporters and officials.

Seven people who were accused of terrorism will have their complaints referred to the Supreme Court to decide whether their constitutional rights were violated when they were allegedly abducted and tortured last year.

High court judge Charles Hungwe on Wednesday reprimanded state prosecutors for failing to prepare their case adequately, saying he had no alternative in allowing the seven accused to have their case referred to the Supreme Court.

The seven accused argued that the terrorism charges against them should be dismissed because their constitutional rights were violated when they were abducted from their homes, held incommunicado and tortured into making confessions last year."

The actions of the State in bringing these people to 'justice' are highly questionable. But in Zimbabwe, because they were carried out under the umbrella authority of Mugabe, nothing will be done to rectify the situation.

If these activities had been committed by the MDC, then ZANU PF would have been baying for blood.

"The

Zimbabwe

government claims the seven people - most of them officials or supporters of the Movement for Democratic Change - were involved in plots against President Robert Mugabe.

Their lawyer Alex Muchadahama told the court there was no evidence against any them beyond one confession extracted under torture."

The mechanisms of justice in Zimbabwe, if begun by the State, will always fail to recognise the legal rights of the accused person(s). The suggestion of illegal activities seems to have stripped any defence from the people.

But remember that Mugabe is not beyond making allegations just to ensure that the person so accused is taken out of the frame while they defend their innocence.

-o00o-

I do notice that the call for assistance from family of incarcerated people in Zimbabwe has come from the deputy minister. Not that long ago, the minister himself, Patrick Chinamasa, undertook to improve life behind bars within 30 days.

"We have agreed to meet the basic needs of all prisoners in terms of food, clothing, bedding and health in the next 30 days."

I have had emails sent to me saying that this is a fabrication that I have trumped up, an invention written by Mugabe critics and a lie manufactured by anti-ZANU PF persons.

"Zimbabwe’s cash strapped government has asked family and relatives of inmates in the country’s overcrowded jails to help provide for their upkeep by donating food, blankets, clothes and other essentials.

Deputy Justice Minister Jessie Majome, told ZimOnline yesterday that the government decided to allow relatives of prisoners to buy essential necessities to improve their stay behind bars.

"We are trying to do everything humanly possible to take care of our prisoners but the government has no money and the state of prisons is disastrous," said Majome in an interview.

She added: "We have since passed a resolution allowing relatives of prisoners to buy them prison clothes, blankets, jerseys, food and many other essentials as long as they meet prison requirements."

Here is a novel idea: Why not take some of the illicit proceeds of the diamond trade from the Chiadzwa fields and use it to upgrade the standard of life of prisoners in Zimbabwe?

And, while you're there, spend some of that money rebuilding the education and medical sectors in Zimbabwe so that we can ensure that tomorrow's leaders have a decent education and that the people have some recourse in the event of illness and accident...

Just where does the deputy minister expect the people of Zimbabwe to get the money to provide food, clothing and bedding for prisoners (all within prison requirements mind)? If the government has not got any money, how can they expect the public to pay for their shortcomings?

"Zimbabwe’s prisons have long been considered virtual death houses with hundreds of inmates reportedly dying in the jails because of diseases and an acute shortage of food.

Human rights watchdog, Amnesty International reported two weeks ago that 1000 prisoners have died since the beginning of the year.

According to local prisoner’s rights group Zimbabwe Association for Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation of the Offender (ZACRO) at least two inmates die every day due to hunger and disease at Chikurubi and Harare Central - the country’s two biggest jails."

Unacceptable.

But because it is happening in Mugabe's Zimbabwe, the free world sit back and watch. Nothing more. Just watch...

-o00o-

Take care.

'debvhu