On Tuesday United States President Barack Obama strongly criticized Robert Mugabe's leadership and made it clear that conditions in Zimbabwe still did not warrant the removal of targeted sanctions.

Speaking to a group of young Africans taking part in a three-day forum to mark the 50th anniversary of the independence of African states, Obama said he was "heartbroken" to see what has happened in Zimbabwe. He said; "I think Mugabe is an example of a leader who came in as a liberation fighter and, I'm just going to be very blunt, I do not see him serving his people well."

Mugabe always dismisses criticism from world leaders, calling them colonialists who do not want Africans to rule themselves. In that regard Obama's words carry more weight, as his father was from Kenya and he holds the distinction of being America's first black president. The United States is also Zimbabwe's biggest donor.

Obama was addressing 115 young Africans, who had been invited for their leadership qualities, and he warned them not to make the same mistakes in the next 50 years that were made by what he called the "independence generation" of his father.

Obama also called for greater press freedom and dismissed Mugabe's demands that targeted sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union be lifted.

He said: "In order to do that we've got to see some signal it will not simply entrench the same past abuses, but will rather move us in a new direction that will help the people."

Professor Ken Mufuka of the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum in America, said President Obama was right on target in his criticism of Mugabe and said "ZANU-PF has not forgotten its old ways". He explained that sanctions were targeted mostly at politicians who have assets in the United States and want to send their children there, but they do not affect ordinary Zimbabweans.

Asked why African leaders do not speak out against Mugabe, Mufuka said: "Usually the African leaders themselves have the same problems, so that is why they cannot speak directly to Mugabe about Zimbabwe."

The Professor told SW Radio Africa that US Congressman Donald Payne has introduced a law, called the Zimbabwe Act, which Congress will soon vote on. He said the law seeks to keep the targeted sanctions in place until the situation in Zimbabwe improves, and to also create a trust fund for education and health.

He said it would also increase funding for youth activities, because Congressman Payne visited Zimbabwe and felt that the youth were joining ZANU-PF because they had nothing else to do.

Professor Mufuka added: "African Americans feel that when they go to Africa, they are going home. They have a special desire to see that Africa does well."

JOHANNESBURG, 19 July 2010 - "Things are not all right in Zimbabwe," said human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa, delighted that the American Bar Association (ABA) has decided to honour her because it draws attention to the fact.

The ABA announced that the feisty lawyer, who has defended ordinary Zimbabweans, journalists and politicians, as the winner of the 2010 International Human Rights Award.

"People assume that there has been an inclusive government in place in Zimbabwe for the past 18 months, but there has been no restoration of the rule of law," she said. "The award has inspired me."

Morgan Tsvangirai's opposition Movement for Democratic Change formed a unity government with President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF in 2009, after violent elections in which ZANU-PF lost its majority in parliament for the first time since independence from Britain in 1980.

Mtetwa has worked for more than 20 years to protect press freedom from government restrictions that have threatened media independence and all opposing speech in Zimbabwe.

"The award was created with the knowledge that in many countries with repressive regimes, the regime is less likely to take retaliatory action against a human rights advocate if the advocate has received international recognition," said an ABA press release.

Past recipients include the well-known Sudanese human rights lawyer Salih Mahmoud Osman, who spent over two decades providing free legal representation to victims arbitrarily detained, tortured, and subjected to serious human rights abuses in Sudan.

"We have put three big tents in Beitbridge, 10,000 blankets, 20 boxes of laundry soap and 1,000 buckets," Madzudzo Pawadyira, head of the government's civil protection unit, told AFP. Beitbridge is the main border crossing to South Africa.

"The same measures have also been put in place in Plumtree to cater for those returning through the Plumtree border" with Botswana, he added.

Scores of Zimbabweans working and living in South Africa are returning home after the 2010 football World Cup, with rumours of xenophobic violence swirling through poor neighbourhoods, he said.

"Indeed, there has been an increase of volume at Beitbridge, but this is not only confined to Zimbabweans, but this also includes other nationals from Zambia and Malawi," Pawadyira said.

"Most of the people who were in South Africa are sending their children back home. Then you have those who are coming back because their usefulness in South Africa is no longer required.

"We have put up the contingency plans in partnership with United Nations agencies such as International Organisation for Migration, other non-governmental organisations such as Médecins Sans Frontières and World Vision."

He sought to allay fears of a repeat of the 2008 xenophobic attacks that left 62 dead and thousands without homes when mobs of South Africans turned on foreign nationals they accused of taking scarce jobs.

"We have been assured by the South African authorities that they will stem out out these attacks on foreigners and this is quite encouraging," Pawadyira said.

US Secretary of State Clinton said the 'ruling clique' within President Mugabe's ZANU-PF party 'continues to benefit from aid, benefit from the diamond trade, benefit from corruption to a very significant degree'

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Monday that Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s ruling clique continues to benefit from corruption and trade in diamonds as ordinary Zimbabweans suffer.

Clinton told a seminar at the State Department that the United States will maintain pressure on Mr. Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party. She said it has been difficult to bring change to an unfortunate situation in the country.

"It's a very sobering situation," Clinton told the seminar on Sub-Saharan Africa, "it's a very sad one indeed because the ruling party, the ruling clique within that party continues to benefit from aid, benefit from the diamond trade, benefit from corruption to a very significant degree." She added: "People are suffering.'

Clinton said the United States is "trying to walk a line between supporting the people, keeping the pressure on the Mugabe leadership, working with South Africa to try to get that message across."

But, "I'm not going to stand here and say we have some perfect formula, because it's extremely difficult to try to do what we're doing, and (make) a difference for the people of Zimbabwe, but we're going to persist in doing so."

Her comments closely followed a report from advocacy group Global Witness saying Zimbabwe's political and military elites are using violence and links to companies working in the Marange field to loot diamond wealth. The Kimberly Process Certification Scheme has also come under fire for what its critics call weak action in Zimbabwe.

Political analyst Joy Mabenge of the South African-based Institute for a Democratic Alternative for Zimbabwe told VOA Studio 7 reporter Sandra Nyaira that Clinton was right on target.

Police came to the rescue of a woman who was being chased by a mob for dumping a foetus in a dustbin in the Johannesburg CBD, Warrant Officer Xoli Mbele said on Thursday.

The foetus was discovered when people who saw the 22-year-old Zimbabwean woman throw a black plastic bag in a dustbin, rushed to the bin thinking it was food.

When they found a four-month-old boy they chased after the woman.

The incident took place at the corner of Bree and End streets on Wednesday at about 11pm.

Police rushed to the scene in time to save the woman from the angry crowd.

They arrested her and recovered the body from the dustbin.

She would face a charge of concealment of birth in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court.

HARARE — Zimbabwe has met minimum human rights standards in its diamond fields, an international monitor said in a report on Tuesday, bringing the country a step closer to resuming international trade in the gems.

"Zimbabwe has satisfied minimum requirements of the Kimberley Process certification scheme for the trade in rough diamonds," the global diamond regulator said in its report, obtained by AFP.

Last year, Kimberley investigators documented forced labour, beatings and other abuses by the military against civilians in the eastern Marange diamond fields.

The Kimberley Process, created to prevent the sale of "blood diamonds" on world markets, will consider the report later this month at a meeting in Israel, which could clear the way for Zimbabwe to resume diamond exports.

Zimbabwe had faced a June deadline to end human rights abuses in Marange, and South African diamond executive Abbey Chikane was named as Kimberley's monitor in Harare to ensure compliance.

The report said the Zimbabwe government faced difficulties "in managing a number of challenges", and urged diamond-producing countries in southern Africa to help Zimbabwe regulate artisanal mining, appraise its diamonds and provide security in the fields.

"The economic situation in Zimbabwe renders the government incapable of dealing with some of these challenges," the report said.

Zimbabwe has two other diamond mines, one operated by Australia's Rio Tinto and another controlled by Saudi group Aujan.

Kimberley only halted diamond sales from Marange, but the abuses in Marange cast a shadow over the entire industry. Mining is Zimbabwe's main foreign currency earner.

In January, Kimberley halted the sale of 300,000 carats of diamonds from Marange, saying the auction did not have approval.

The mines ministry says more than two million carats have been mined since the beginning of the year in Marange, but none have been sold.

President Robert Mugabe, who controls the military under Zimbabwe's power-sharing regime, has threatened to pull out of the Kimberley Process if the country is not allowed to sell its gems.

The issue of Zimbabwe diamonds is set to dominate the Kimberley meeting in Israel, officials say.

The Marange fields face a separate legal hurdle in Harare, where the government and the British firm African Consolidated Resources are in court over a dispute on the license to exploit the gems.

The British firm says it holds rights to the fields, but Zimbabwe has placed the mining operation under the management of two South African firms.

The Marange fields cover some 66,000 hectares (163,000 acres), but the gems were only discovered there in 2006, making them one of the few new sources of income for Zimbabwe as it claws its way out of a decade of economic collapse.

Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said Thursday a referendum on a new constitution will be delayed, possibly until next year.

Under the unity deal that brought Tsvangirai into government with his long-time rival President Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe was meant to vote on a new charter by August.

"That has been delayed but we are hoping to catch up to that," he told reporters during a visit to South Africa.

"It will happen this year or the early part of next year," he said.

"Whenever that happens, we can sit down and decide on an election date," he added. "I cannot put the cart before the horse."

Adoption of a new charter would pave way for fresh elections following disputed presidential polls in 2008, when Mugabe claimed victory after Tsvangirai pulled out of a run-off, citing violence against his supporters.

The rivals are supposed to be conducting an 18-month effort to gather the views of the public and draft a new constitution, but that campaign has been repeatedly delayed due to funding problems and occasional disruptions by Mugabe's supporters.

"Zimbabweans need elections, because they need change," Tsvangirai said. "But I cannot short-change the process and announce an election date here."

"It is clear that decision will be taken by two people who will sit down and say: 'We have have now had a referendum and we now have to set a date for elections.

"There is no definitive date for elections, but there is a process leading to that election," he said.

Mugabe, who at 86 is Africa's oldest leader, has already indicated that he is ready to stand for another term, raising fears that the polls could see a repeat of the deadly bloodshed that marred the 2008 race.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has been conferred with an honorary degree, Doctor of Laws, by Pai Chai University, one of South Korea's oldest universities.

Honorary degrees are given to honour distinguished individuals' contributions to public life. Robert Mugabe was the recipient of some degrees in the 1980s, although some universities like the University of Edinburgh, revoked their degree because of his abuse of human rights.

Speaking as he gave the award to Tsvangirai, Pai Chai University President, Professor Soonboon Chung said 'it was given in recognition of the enormous contributions made by the Zimbabwean Prime Minister to human rights and because he was a tireless politician in trying to lay the cornerstone of democracy in Zimbabwe'.

Tsvangirai's spokesperson, James Maridadi, said at the awards ceremony the Prime Minister urged African leaders to end the conspiracy of silence that has often allowed repression to continue unchecked. He reiterated the need to respect fundamentals of good governance, respect for the rule of law and property rights and the need to invest in developing human capital.

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s miners have asked the government to lower to 15 percent shareholding that foreign-owned mining firms must cede to local blacks under a controversial economic empowerment scheme that Harare has said will target the multi-billion dollar mining industry first.

President Robert Mugabe has insisted that foreign-owned firms must sell at least 51 percent stake to blacks by March 2015 in a programme that has raised fears of a repeat in the key mining and manufacturing sectors of the chaos and violence that characterised the veteran leader’s land reforms that he said were meant to empower black farmers.

The Chamber of Mines – the voice of mining in Zimbabwe – on Wednesday said it was not opposed to economic empowerment but said the decision whether to sell controlling stake to locals should be left to the individual companies and the potential black investors wishing to buy into them.

In addition, foreign-owned mining firms that have invested heavily in building schools, roads, clinics and other social responsibility programmes should earn empowerment points for these, Chamber president Victor Gapare told reporters in Harare.
“We have not said it must not be 51 percent, the decision should be up to the people negotiating,” Gapare said. “We have said 15 percent is the minimum but it can go up to 51 percent. The difference to make up 51 percent can be in terms of credits such as roads, schools, clinics and others.”

Gapare said the Chamber had submitted a paper detailing its proposals to the Ministry of Mines and was waiting for feedback from Mines Minister Obert Mpofu who was still consulting the government over the matter.
The proposed economic empowerment scheme has scared investors who are said to have put on hold several projects until there is more clarity on the scheme.

For example, the country’s largest platinum producer Zimplats Holdings announced about two weeks ago that commencement of a US$445 million project to ramp up production to nearly 300 000 ounces annually would dependent on the firm winning government approval of its empowerment plans.

Zimplats is majority-owned by South Africa’s Impala Platinum, the world's second largest platinum producer.

The empowerment plan has also split Zimbabwe’s fragile coalition government right down the middle.

Mugabe and his ZANU PF party back the plan but Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC party want the indigenisation programme stopped to allow for more consultation and the drafting of new regulations that will not scare away foreign investors, while allowing for economic empowerment of the majority.

The government last week postponed for the second time the deadline for foreign-owned companies to submit their empowerment proposals to June 30 from May 15.

In addition to mining giants such as Rio Tinto other large multinational corporations that will be forced to cede stake to blacks once and if the empowerment programme gets into full swing include cigarette manufacturer BAT Zimbabwe, which is 80 percent British-owned; UK-controlled financial institutions Barclays Bank and Standard Chartered Bank, Swiss-owned food group Nestlé Zimbabwe and AON Insurance.

However the empowerment laws are silent about where or how impoverished local Zimbabweans will get money to pay for stake in the large mines and industries.

Critics fear Mugabe and ZANU PF want to press ahead with transferring majority ownership of foreign-owned companies as part of a drive to reward party loyalists with thriving businesses

Cape Town - President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday expressed optimism about the situation in Zimbabwe.

Speaking in the National Assembly during debate on the presidency budget vote, he repeated the Zimbabwean negotiations process was well underway and "some achievements have been registered".

The parties had also agreed to put in place various commissions that would help to move the country and the negotiations process forward.

These included the establishment of the Human Rights Commission, the Electoral Commission, as well as the Media Commission.

The commissioners had already been sworn in and they enjoyed the respect of all Zimbabweans across the political spectrum. The three parties were still consulting about the appointment of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.

Outstanding issues

There was also agreement in principle on the appointment of provincial governors; the parties had agreed on the model and formula of how these provincial governors would be appointed, Zuma said.

It was agreed that Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change and President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF would share nine governorships, while the tenth would go to the MDC break-away group.

Whoever got four governors between the MDC and Zanu-PF would be given an additional minister of state.

The parties had established a team that came from all parties that would appeal to the international community to call for the withdrawal of [the targeted] sanctions.

All parties had also agreed on the establishment of the National Economic Council and this decision awaited implementation.

Zuma said with the acquittal of the MDC's Roy Bennett, one issue that was an obstacle had been removed.

Negotiations on other critical outstanding issues were still continuing, and various proposals on how to unblock the impasse were still being considered by various parties.

"There is hope and optimism that a solution would be found as we continue to engage with all the relevant stakeholders.

"I will present a report to the chairperson of the Troika and SADC soon," Zuma said.

Zimbabwe's three leading figures have condemned international sanctions on the country at a World Economic Forum conference in Tanzania.

In a rare show of unity, President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his deputy Arthur Mutambara appealed for investment.

Only Mr Tsvangirai had been expected to represent Zimbabwe at the forum in Dar es Salaam.

But President Mugabe and Mr Mutambara made a surprise appearance.

Despite the history of conflict, the three men put on a civil front, though Mr Mutambara did not resist a rather barbed reference to having gone to a previous World Economic Forum from a prison cell, says the BBC's Andrew Walker, who is in Dar es Salaam.

The Zimbabwean leaders were speaking to an audience with a large business contingent.

Several of them welcomed the show of unity and the more stable economic environment that Zimbabwe now has, our correspondent says.

But there were also some concerns expressed about how durable the improvement will be, he adds.

Mr Tsvangirai said his country no longer represented a risk to investors.

"The political crisis does no longer exist.

"The country is making progress and it's time that investors started looking at Zimbabwe from a different perspective," he was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying.

Mr Mugabe reiterated the call for an end to sanctions.

"Why the sanctions should be imposed on us we don't understand to tell you the truth, and this from Europe and America and not from the rest of the world," he said.

If the three leaders were here to give an invitation to investors, their joint appearance may have helped a little, our correspondent says.

POLICE have joined in the intensifying scramble for the controversial Chiadzwa diamonds where companies linked to Zanu PF and state security elements are making a mint.

Information obtained this week shows that police were anxious to get involved in Chiadzwa diamond mining in conjunction with the state-owned Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC). They want to mine diamonds through a security company called Security Self-Reliance Enterprises (Pvt)
Ltd.

In a letter dated April 9 and titled Application for a diamond mining concession at Chiyadzwa: Security Self-Reliance Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd (Zimbabwe Republic Police), Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri wrote to Mines minister Obert Mpofu asking for a mining concession for the
law enforcement agency in Marange.

"The above subject is pertinent. I make reference to my discussion in the office with you Honourable minister on the 21st of March 2010 concerning the above subject," the letter says.

"Honourable minister, after scanning the environment and a thorough analysis of the opportunities available, I wish to submit the Zimbabwe Republic Police's application for the areas in Chiyadzwa, Marange, marked on the map appended to the attached company profile document. I hope and trust that this application will meet your favourable consideration."

Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena yesterday said he was not aware of Chuhuri's letter and application.
Bvudzijena said: "I am not privy to the information as of now. I would have to get back to you tomorrow because the Commissioner-General is not available until tomorrow (today)."

Mpofu said he did not want to speak to the Zimbabwe Independent because the newspaper has been writing stories about him and the shady diamond mining deals in Chiadzwa.

He said: "My position not to talk to the Independent has not changed. Why do you now want to talk to me when all along you were writing stories without calling me."

The involvement of the police - alongside other security agencies - would bring vast swathes of Chiadzwa under the control of companies whose mining contracts facilitated by government officials have not been secured in a transparent manner.

The rot associated with the Chiadzwa diamond deals has caused ructions in the mining sector and the corridors of power.

ZMDC is working with Mbada Diamonds and Canadile Miners (Pvt) Ltd in joint-venture partnerships hurriedly formed and given licences without going through transparent procedures last year. Mbada and Canadile signed Memorandums of Agreement in July and final agreements in October last year
before they started minting.

African Consolidated Resources (ACR) plc is challenging their activities in the courts. This week the High Court said ACR's application to block the sale of its 129 400 carats of diamonds seized by the government in 2007 was not urgent and if ACR was to suffer prejudice in the process, as it argued
in its court application, it could seek compensation.

The High Court however did not give government the permission to sell the diamonds in dispute as claimed by the state media. Mbada was in January blocked from selling its diamonds which ACR says have been extracted illegally.

In February the Supreme Court ruled that the diamonds in dispute should be surrendered to the Reserve Bank for safe custody. The ruling has apparently been disregarded by the government.

The Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), a state-run agency which markets precious minerals, was in January ordered by the Supreme Court to release 129 400 carats belonging to ACR to the Reserve Bank for safekeeping but police seized the parcels in what lawyers say was a blatant
contempt of court.

President Robert Mugabe and Mpofu supported the move.

Also in January Mbada and Canadile were ordered by the Supreme Court to cease their operations pending the finalisation of the diamond claims ownership wrangle with ACR.

ACR has been fighting in the courts to regain its claims which were seized by the government in 2006 and given to ZMDC and later to Mbada and Canadile.

By February Mbada had accumulated about two million carats of diamonds worth US$60 million. Mbada is likely to be extracting a whopping 1,5 million carats by the end of May and over 3,5 million carats by June.

Canadile amassed nearly 260 000 carats in almost two months from the rich alluvial fields. This left the two companies sitting on a cool US$70 million worth of diamonds in a few months of operation.

This information is gleaned from letters written to Mpofu by Mbada and Canadile on February 8 and 10, respectively.

However, Mbada was blocked in February from selling 300 000 carats because Zimbabwe has yet to comply with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme
(KPCS) procedures.

Even MMCZ, the legal and legitimate marketing agency, was not involved in the failed unprocedural Mbada sale. ZMDC, one of the Mbada partners, was also not involved. Mbada officials claim they have a special dispensation from the Ministry of Mines to sell the diamonds on their own, something
which almost certainly would be unlawful.

The KPSC is a process introduced by United Nations Resolution 55/56 that was designed to certify the origin of rough diamonds from sources which are free of conflict fuelled by diamond production. The process was established in 2003 to prevent "blood diamonds" - diamonds fuelling war and human rights
abuses - sales in the mainstream diamond market.

Mbada is a joint venture between the (ZMDC)'s subsidiary Marange Resources (Pvt) Ltd and South Africa's New Reclamation Group (Reclam) (Pty) Ltd's Mauritian-registered subsidiary, Grandwell Holdings.

Canadile is a joint venture between Marange Resources and South Africa's Core Mining and Minerals (Pvt) Ltd. Canadile also features a retired soldier, Lovemore Kurotwi. It also obtained its mining contract in a controversial way.

CARDIFF, UK – A 19 year old Zimbabwean drug dealer told police that the day he was arrested as part of an operation to get heroin off Cardiff’s streets was the happiest of his life, a court heard.

Marvin Mhlanga, 19, told officers who charged him with supplying heroin to their undercover colleagues that he had “never been happier” because his arrest meant he would no longer be under pressure from a drugs gang.

Cardiff Crown Court heard his joy was the relief he felt in no longer being forced to peddle the class A drug in the city.

As he was jailed for three years, defence barrister Andrew Jones said: “He had been asked to hold on to a package which he lost and after that had to work off the debt.

“He is too frightened to name others involved.”

Mhlanga, the son of a Zimbabwean asylum seeker and political activist who was said to have been murdered, was waiting to take up a business studies course at Coleg Glan Hafran when he was arrested.

The court heard how, during the drugs operation, he supplied heroin to an undercover police officer on four occasions.

During one of those meetings, others with Mhlanga became suspicious of the customer they knew only as “Dave” and thought he may have been with the police.

But “Dave” allowed himself to be searched, was allowed to go on his way and to arrange further meetings.

The teenager was eventually arrested at home in Lady Margaret Terrace, Roath.

Mr Jones said: “It’s right that he told them ‘I’ve never been happier’ – he was relieved when he was caught.”

“He left school with nine GCSEs and had a life full of promise in front of him until he fell in with the wrong crowd.”

It was that bad company which was said to have led to Mhlnaga being part of a street robbery in 2007.

On that occasion a group followed a youth into lane in Penarth, took his belongings and left him with two black eyes and a fractured jaw.

Giving him three years in a young offenders’ institution, Judge David Wynn Morgan told him: “Fortunately you yourself are not addicted – you were doing it because you got into trouble and you were being used by people who had some hold over you.

“But these are despicable crimes and there must be a lengthy sentence.”

Harare, April 20, 2010 - Former Finance Minister and now leader of the Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn (MDKD) party, Simba Makoni, on Tuesday took the blame for the political mess caused by President Robert Mugabe, saying he did not act alone.

 "Mugabe hasn't done these things alone. I place more responsibility for the condition of our country on the people around Robert Mugabe than on Mugabe himself. If the rest of us - and I include myself in this - had put our foot down and said, 'President, we must do land reform but not this way, we must do empowerment of the people of Zimbabwe but not this way,' I don't think that singlehandedly Mugabe would have done it," said Makoni.

Makoni who was interviewed by a British newspaper, the UK Guardian on Sunday said  "I clearly regarded him as a hero, someone to look up to, I had a sense of what kind of a character he was. Definitely the hero, definitely the people's leader, very committed and at that time genuine about the
welfare of the people."

Makoni also said he was not sure if Mugabe regretted the infamous Matebeleland massacres commonly known as Gukurahundi.

"I am quite sure that even as Gukurahundi was taking place, there was a lot of pain in Robert Mugabe's heart, if I think back to
conversations we had at the time. But then again, it could have been crocodile tears," said Makoni.

Makoni said the inclusive government had failed.

Makoni, a former Zanu (PF) politburo member before his dramatic resignation from the party in 2008, said the country needed a broad-based dialogue that cuts across political divides.

Makoni who came a distant third in the first round of Presidential election in 2008, said: "I encourage Zimbabweans not to give up on themselves, the failings of the coalition government should not discourage them to continue looking for a lasting solution to the crisis facing the country currently."

"We should not believe that the coalition arrangement is the only solution available. Now that it's failing we need genuine engagement of citizens across sectors without confining ourselves to a few political parties."

Makoni said issues such as the indigenisation drive currently being pushed by the Ministry of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment, should be discussed with the active participation of the business sector and not to be left to politicians alone.

Turning onto the 30th Independence anniversary of the country, Makoni said there wasn't much to celebrate.

He said there was a serious need for leadership change in his former Zanu (PF) party.

"We need leadership that will lead us to the ideals of the original struggle not the practise of the current crop of leaders who only think about themselves," said Makoni.

Masvingo, April 12, 2010 - Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Walter Mzembi and Masvingo governor Titus Maluleke have been implicated in the disappearance of Mugabe‘s birthday gifts which were donated by Triangle Limited, individuals and other companies.

The gifts which include 30 tonnes of sugar, unknown amount of cash and various other presents were supposed to be handed over to the ageing leader of Zanu (PF) party at his birthday bash in Bulawayo in February but two months down the line, the gifts are still missing.

Mzembi could not be reached for a comment but Maluleke remained silent for a while before blaming poor network connection and switched off his mobile.

“Are you an auditor…, I can’t hear you…phone later I hardly hear you,” said Maluleke.

A Zanu (PF) party source said party politburo member, Dzikamai Mavhaire, could also be involved.

A Zanu (PF) party source said that the disapperance of the gifts was not the work of one man .

“A lot of people managed to steal one or two things from the donations. We suspect that less than half of the resources donated found their way to the intended destination,” said the source.

Masvingo provincial chairman Lovemore Matuke confirmed the gifts had gone missing and said a serious investigation was underway.

Matuke also confirmed some "big fish" in the party could have been involved and said they would soon be asked to attend a disciplinary hearing.

“There was a lot of confusion when people went out to source donations for the 21st February movement. Some took everything they sourced. We are aware Triangle donated sugar but no one in the provincial executive know what happened to the sugar.

“Yes there are some big names that might include ministers but it would be premature for us to name them now. We want the investigation to be over first,” said Matuke.

RadioVOP was informed that Mzembi and Maluleke received the sugar and diverted it for their personal use.

“Mzembi and Maluleke collected the sugar but they kept it as a secret and used it. The two were once called by national fund raising chief executive officer Jaya to explain what happened to that sugar.

“More big names are likely to emerge if the investigation continues,” said the source.

A Mr Jaya refused to give any details claiming the issue was "too hot to handle. Instead Jaya said he would want to know people who rushed to the press with the issue.

“This issue is very sensitive; give me the names of people who rushed to the press with the issue. Those people are more dangerous than those who are said to have stolen the gifts,” said Jaya.

Masvingo District Coordinating Committee (DCC) chairman Xavier Magweva has since been dragged to a provincial disciplinary hearing twice for allegedly looting 200 litres donated by Bikita Minerals.

“Magweva went away with 200 liters of diesel which was also donated by Bikita Minerals. It is really embarrassing,” said another source.

However, Magweva said it was Mavhaire who abused the fuel.

“Aah those individuals should be after killing my political career, its not me maybe Mavhaire would tell you the person not me,” said Magweva.

Johannesburg, April 08, 2010 - The Zimbabwe political parties in the inclusive government has failed to agree on the full implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) according to a report on the interparty talks that was received by the mediator, South Africa's President Jacob Zuma on Thursday.

Lindiwe Zulu, Zuma's International Affairs adviser said on Wednesday night that a report was going to be presented to Zuma.

"We are going to receive the report tomorrow from the Zimbabwean negotiators and we take a few days interrogating it before making a
decision on how to engage further with the process," Zulu said, Wednesday night.

"Thereafter we will present it to President Zuma."

Zulu is part of a three-member team appointed by Zuma to oversee the Zimbabwe talks late last year. The team is also made up of
anti-apartheid hero Marc Maharaj and former cabinet minister Charles Nqakula.

The report, which comes almost 10 days late, now awaits Zuma's action and recommendations from the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The SABC reported that the report noted that the parties, Zanu PF and the two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formations had failed to agree on outstanding issues.

However, analysts remained pessimistic of an immediate solution and were calling for the creation of an even playing field for fresh elections, the SABC reported.

Sources told the SABC that the consolidated report was now in South Africa and after Zuma has seen it, the document will be forwarded to Mozambican president Armando Guebuza, as SADC chairman on defence politics and security.

Zimbabwean analysts said the perpetual stalemate was in Zanu-PF’s favour.

Failure by the parties to find common ground has all but watered down President Zuma’s statement last month that the parties had agreed on measures.

The two old times foes, President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who formed a unity government last year in February after signing a historic agreement in September 2008, are haggling over how to democratise Zimbabwe and introduce reforms to
introduce a new political regime in the southern African country.

The tension within the coalition government appeared to have been made worse by ANC's Youth Leader Julius Malema's visit over the easter weekend which was largely viewed by the MDC as an open show of sympathy with Zanu PF. Malema who refused to meet the MDC, kept on emhasising that it was a party to party visit with nothing to do with the on-going talks.

Tsvangirai accuses Mugabe and his Zanu PF party of frustrating efforts to introduce the much needed reforms. One of the accusations centres around the veteran leader's refusal to undo the unilateral appointment of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomanna. Gono stands accused of presiding over the destruction of the country's economy through a slew of quasi-fiscal activities as well as funding activities infringing upon people's human rights while the Tomana is accused of using his office to persecute opposition supporters and human rights activists. Apart from this the MDC also wants the appointment of its officials as provincial governors expedited together with that of its Deputy Agriculture Minister designate, Roy Bennett.

On his part Mugabe wants the MDC to engage on a public call for the removal of targetted sanctions imposed on him and members of his inner circle by western country. In addition he also wants MDC to cause the closure of so-called pirate radio stations broadcasting into Zimbabwe from abroad.

Zimbabwe’s political parties said they made progress during a mediation visit by South African President Jacob Zuma, who got rivals to agree to a package of measures to try salvage a power-sharing deal.

Zuma had “fruitful” discussions with President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai during a two-day visit to Zimbabwe, Zuma said in a statement today. The “implementation of this package will take the process forward substantially,” he said, without saying what the measures were.

Tsvangirai has repeatedly accused Mugabe of violating a September 2008 agreement, which plans for a new constitution and fresh elections by next February. While Tsvangirai beat Mugabe in the first round of the March 2008 vote, his adversary won the second after violence against the supporters of Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change led him to withdraw.

“I am very encouraged by the spirit of cooperation displayed by the leaders and all the parties,” Zuma said. Mugabe’s Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front and Tsvangirai’s MDC will report to Zuma “on all outstanding issues” blocking the implementation of the power-sharing deal by end of the month, Zuma said.

“The talks with President Zuma have gone well,” Mugabe’s spokesman George Charamba said in a phone interview from Harare, the capital. “I have met with President Zuma as have the other party leaders,” Tsvangirai said in a phone interview. “There is some scope for progress.”

Meanwhile President Jacob Zuma has survived a vote of no-confidence called by opposition parties.

The vote - the first such move since the ANC came to power in 1994 - was defeated by 241 votes to 84 with eight abstentions.

The motion was called by the Congress of the People (Cope) and backed by the Democratic Alliance.

The vote follows an admission by President Zuma, who has three wives, that he has a child out of wedlock.

The ANC has a huge parliamentary majority.

Mr Zuma is in Zimbabwe and is due to return to South Africa later.

President Zuma faced sharp criticism earlier this year after it emerged he had fathered a child with Sonono Khoza, 39, the daughter of local World Cup boss Irvin Khoza.

'Let us down'

In proposing the motion, Cope leader Mvume Dandala told the National Assembly: "The president of our country has let us down. He has let Africa and the world down.

"It is common knowledge how the president has failed this nation by his repeated risky sexual behaviour, thus weakening the crucial fight against HIV/Aids and setting a poor example."

Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, a veteran ANC member, dismissed the motion as "a frivolous waste of time".

Mr Zuma travelled to Zimbabwe in an attempt to ease tensions within the fragile year-old unity government.

Harare, March 18, 2010 - South African President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday night met the Attorney General (AG), Reserve Bank governor and an appointee of the Prime Minister for Deputy Agriculture ministry as he steps up efforts to break Zimbabwe talks deadlock.

The three, AG Johannes Tomana, RBZ governor Gideon Gono and Deputy Agriculture minister designate Roy Bennett, refused to speak to the press after their meetings with Zuma.

The three are subject of the talks between Zanu PF and the two Movement for Democratic Change formations. The MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai wants Tomana and Gono relieved of their posts. MDC also wants Bennett who is currently accused of terrorism charges acquitted and sworn in as deputy minister of Agriculture. The MDC says charges against Bennett are trumped up. Tomana, an appointee of Mugabe, has been prosecuting in the Bennett case.

Zuma is in Harare to mediate talks that had collapsed following the failure by the three leaders in the inclusive government to fulfill the Global Political Agreement (GPA). Zanu PF wants sanctions imposed by the west removed and exiled media radio stations banned.

Earlier in the day the South African president had met the three principals to the agreement, President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his Deputy, Arthur Mutambara.

Mugabe and Tsvangirai told journalists that the meeting had progressed very well.

Sources close to the talks said Zuma had demanded the full implementation of the GPA and the removal of all conditions. It is said the three principals had agreed to move elections from next year citing growing cases of political violence. Zuma had suggested an early poll next year.

Zimbabwe also needs to put a new constitution in place before a free and fair election is held. The parliamentary committee spearheading a constitutional reform process says it will only complete its work by 2013. The process has been delayed by infighting and lack of funds. It has been marred by violence before it has even taken off, particularly in rural areas where villagers have been intimidated not to contribute to the process by Zanu PF. Zanu PF wants the Kariba draft constitution, adopted by the three principals in the inclusive government, adopted as it is but the two MDCs want the people to contribute to the draft before it is adopted as Zimbabwe's new constitution.

Zuma spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told reporters that an announcement on the progress of the talks would be made on Thursday.

“The group meeting will be there tomorrow morning. There may be a press conference in the afternoon,” said Magwenya.

The sources said Mugabe called an emergency meeting with his ministers late on Tuesday.

Only two weeks ago, Mugabe stripped MDC ministers of power, moving most responsibilities to his cronies.

Mar 07, 2010.

FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe has ordered the destruction of 100 households in a Mazowe suburb to make way for the expansion of the orphanage she is building in the area.

Although the affected households have been promised land elsewhere, anxiety has gripped the suburb after the residents were given notices to vacate their houses to make way for the extension of the orphanage she is struggling to build in the farming town in Mashonaland Central.

Angry residents on Friday told The Standard that the 100 families had been ordered by the local council to stop building on their stands in preparation for relocation.

Some of the residents said they bought their stands way back in 1998 from the Mazowe Rural District Council and had completed building their homes but others were still at foundation level.

The residents said Grace Mugabe cherry-picked the area, in the manner many Zanu PF activists did on farms, despite the fact that desperate home-seekers had already been allocated stands there.

"I had already finished building my house but she is forcing me out," said a visibly troubled middle-aged woman, who requested anonymity for fear of victimisation.

"She is making economic orphans to make way for other orphans." She said she was not sure whether she would be allocated another piece of land or even, importantly, be compensated.

Another victim, a 39-year-old man, said he did not believe the First Lady wanted to build an orphanage that would benefit orphans.

"If she is that kind why did she choose an area that was already occupied? "Sally Mugabe (President Mugabe's late wife) never invaded other people's properties to help poor children.

"She must be up to something," said the man.

President Mugabe's first wife is renowned for having had a soft heart for disadvantaged members of the community, especially children.

Grace Mugabe's centre was supposed to be officially opened in 2008 but this was put on hold as construction was still underway.

When The Standard news crew visited the centre on Friday armed police were not allowing anyone inside without permission from the site manager who was unavailable.

But there was little activity to show that the centre would be opened to orphans any time soon.

Local council officials remained tight-lipped about the project saying it was a "sensitive" issue.

Liberty Mufandaedza, the Mazowe council's chief executive officer only said residents would be allocated new residential stands.

"We will soon be showing them where they will be relocated," said Mufandaedza referring further questions to the council chairman.

Council chairman Richard Mudavanhu was also afraid to comment saying: "Small as I am, I can't comment on such a big project. Talk to the governor." Mashonaland Central governor Martin Dinha said the opening of the centre had been delayed because of the economic meltdown caused by sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the West.

He said construction had resumed and the centre would be opened soon.

Dinha said the council had identified an area to relocate "60 households" while working on compensation modalities.

Asked why Grace chose an area already allocated to desperate home-seekers, Dinha chose to shoulder the blame.

"We as a province, valued so much the development and construction of an orphanage and a secondary school by the First Lady that we offered her land to benefit orphans," said Dinha.

"But it does not mean we will neglect our people. We will house them elsewhere." When complete the state-of-the-art orphanage centre, named Amitofo Care Centre, established in 2006, would consist of 30 five-bed houses.

Each would accommodate 20 children under the care of two foster parents.

The centre to take up more than 48 ha on completion will have the children's home, a nursery, schools, a vocational training centre, a hospital, a shopping centre, a restaurant and guest chalets.

Probed if the centre would also take children whose parents were murdered in the run-up to the violent March and June 2008 elections, Dinha professed ignorance of any politically-motivated murders.

"I am not aware of any children orphaned due to violence during that time.

"What I can confirm is that there was inter-party violence which has since been addressed with the coming in of the global political agreement." MDC-T says at least 200 of its activists were killed by Zanu PF militia and State security agents mostly in Mashonaland Central and East during that time.

Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is stepping up efforts to reverse a black empowerment law.
The law came into effect on Monday. It compels foreign and white-owned firms to hand over 51 percent of their shares to blacks.
Tsvangirai convened an extraordinary meeting of the council of ministers on Thursday.

He will try to convince Zanu-PF the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act was bad for Zimbabwe’s economy as it needs foreign investment.

Already the effects of the law are being felt on the Zimbabwe stock exchange.

Volumes traded have plummeted from around $2m a day, to just $500 000.

Officials said what the prime minister wanted to see another government gazette published, ideally this Friday, repealing the law.

Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere told the business community in Bulawayo the regulations needed to be made stricter.

Tsvangirai may find himself confronted yet again by his own powerlessness..

But Zimbabwe's cabinet will review new local ownership rules that have sparked concern among business leaders, the industry minister said Wednesday, saying the law had been published "prematurely".

Zimbabwe published a law three weeks ago requiring that major foreign firms divest 51 percent stakes to locals. Banks and mining companies will be the most affected by the law, which gives five years to comply.

"Unfortunately those regulations were published prematurely," Industry Minister Welshman Ncube told a meeting of business executives in the capital.

President Robert Mugabe, in power since independence in 1980, has defended the law as being necessary to end colonial-era inequities.

But Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, the former opposition leader who joined the unity government one year ago, condemned the regulations -- saying they were drafted behind his back and passed without his approval.

Ncube said that cabinet should have reviewed the law before it was published, but said the review was now taking place.

"It is now before the cabinet committee on legislation and we have asked other ministers to make contributions," he said.

The committee will then make recommendations to government, which is sharply divided on the measure, with Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change arguing that the law will scare away foreign investment.

Victor Gapare, president of the Chamber of Mines, said foreign inflows had already been affected "because of perceived country risk."

Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries president Kumbirai Katsande urged the government to tone down its rhetoric to avoid frightening potential investors.

"We have agreed with the minister to tone down on this sensitive issue," Katsande said at the meeting.

"Indigenisation is here to stay, but it must be done in a manner which brings investment."

HARARE – Youths from the mainstream MDC party have vowed to defend party leader Morgan Tsvangirai against Zanu-PF youths who last week threatened to deal with him for allegedly inviting Western-imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe.

“Zanu-PF’s misguided youths must know that the people of Zimbabwe will always stand ready to defend and protect the man they overwhelmingly voted for on 29 March (2008),” MDC youth assembly chairperson Thamsanqa Mahlangu told journalists Tuesday afternoon.

Zanu-PF youths staged a street march in central Harare last week demanding the unconditional scrapping of the sanctions.

They later gave Prime Minister Tsvangirai a one-month ultimatum to force the scrapping of the sanctions. Tuesday’s State-owned daily newspaper, the Herald, reported in a front-page article that Tsvangirai had called for the unconditional removal of sanctions against President Robert Mugabe and the Zanu-PF leadership

But the MDC youths said they would not stand idle while their leader was being abused.

“We stand ready to guard the people’s vote,” said Mahlangu.

“If this is now an open season to insult and threaten, then those who deserve this treatment are the ones whose executive power is directly linked to the blood spilt in the run up to June 27 2008.”

The MDC says the sanctions were caused by electoral theft and the abuse of human rights by the Mugabe’s government.

Mahlangu said Zanu-PF youths could not purport to be representing all the youths of Zimbabwe when they were representing themselves and their party.

“The MDC Youth Assembly is aware that President Tsvangirai is not under threat from the youth of Zimbabwe,” he said.

“He is under threat from a sulking minority in Zanu-PF which is busy looting diamonds in Chiadzwa.

“These Zanu PF saboteurs, who are found in the military top brass and the Zanu-PF Politburo, have unleashed these hired street urchins to prevent the hawk-eyed Prime Minister from putting a dead end to the shameful corruption in Marange.

“They are aware that the Prime Minister wants to divert these proceeds from their private pockets into the national coffers so that we can pay civil servants decent salaries which they deserve.”

Mahlangu said if threats continued against Tsvangirai, the MDC youths would also stage their own march demanding an end to the looting of the country’s rich natural resources by top government officials and the military.

“Now that these hoodlums have been allowed to demonstrate without fear of arrest,” said the MDC youth leader, “Zimbabweans shall soon be embarking on nationwide demonstrations for the arrest of all those linked to the nauseating corruption at Chiadzwa.

“We shall soon be taking to the streets and giving our own deadlines for the opening of new newspapers and television stations, a speedy resolution to the outstanding issues and the completion of media and constitutional reforms.”

Mahlangu is also the Deputy Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment. He is the Member of House of Assembly for Nkulumane.

LONDON  - South African President Jacob Zuma said his country's public works programme would continue beyond June's soccer World Cup to try to build on infrastructure projects and boost employment.
Zuma also said he would use a visit to Britain next week to urge the West to lift sanctions imposed on Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his allies.

In an interview with the Financial Times published on Thursday, Zuma said the government planned to invest more than 800 billion rand in infrastructure after the soccer tournament finished, as Africa's largest economy continues to expand economic activity.

The development programme for the next three years will include power stations, roads and dams.

South Africa has invested billions of dollars getting ready for the continent's first World Cup, kicking off on June 11, but hopes to recoup that and more through investment and tourism in years to come.

Spending on infrastructure is expected to contribute 0.5 percent to GDP this year and Zuma said the preparations had furnished workers with new skills.

But the country's official jobless rate climbed to almost 25 percent by the end of last year and remains a challenge for the government and a stumbling block for the economy.

South Africa emerged from its first recession in 17 years in the third quarter of 2009.

Zuma, who came to power last May, said his ruling African National Congress had made considerable efforts to overhaul the system of government to weed out corruption.

Earlier this week Zuma ordered an external audit following persistent reports of mismanagement and political meddling.
"We are gearing the machinery and we are working on shortening the distance between the discovery of corrupt people and actions taken," he said.

Zuma said he would discuss the possible lifting of sanctions imposed by Western powers on Zimbabwe. He said southern African economic and trade bloc SADC had not failed to resolve political problems in Zimbabwe.

"No, the problem is that people are very subjective on this matter. They like to criticise others. What have sanctions done to help the situation?" Zuma told the Financial Times.

"If I were in the shoes of the big countries I would have said here is an agreement and supported that fully and said let us give SADC the chance. Let us remove all the excuses of many people," Zuma said.

Mugabe, who is accused by the West of causing the collapse of the country's once vibrant economy, joined old foe Morgan Tsvangirai in a power-sharing government last year, after disputed elections left the country in a stalemate and in danger of serious violence.

Brussels - A year into a power-sharing agreement that was supposed to put an end to President Robert Mugabe's autocratic rule, Zimbabwe has made "insufficient" moves towards democracy, European Union foreign ministers said on Monday. Last week the EU extended sanctions against the country for another year, renewing an arms embargo and a visa ban and asset freeze against Mugabe and his acolytes.

In a statement, EU ministers lamented "insufficient progress with regard to the rule of law, respect for human rights, constitutional reforms, power sharing on equal terms, national reconciliation, security sector reform and the protection of investors."

However, they stressed that the the bloc "stands ready" to keep sanctions "under constant review and to revoke them" if Mugabe makes concessions towards Morgan Tsvangirai, the former opposition leader who became Prime Minister as a result of last year's coalition agreement.

BRUSSELS, - The Committee of permanent representatives from European Union member countries has decided to extend the targeted sanctions against Robert Mugabe and his mob, official sources said in Brussels on Friday. The council of ministers on 16 February will approve this decision and propose to extend the sanctions against Zimbabwe until 20 February 2011.
This decision arrived at during a meeting is motivated by the 'shortage of sufficient progress' in the implementation of the global agreement concluded between Zanu-PF led by Robert Mugabe and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Morgan Tsvangirai, according to a statement to PANA.
The council of ministers on 16 February will approve this decision and propose to extend the sanctions against Zimbabwe until 20 February 2011. The sanctions target 142 personalities close to president Mugabe, as well as several Zimbabwean companies which provide funds for ZANU-PF. The leaders targeted are banned from staying in Europe and the foreign assets of the affected companies are frozen in European banks.
The sanctions which came into force in 2002 target the ruling regime and were taken against Harare's policy for the accelerated agrarian reform. This agricultural policy consists of allocating agricultural land taken from white Zimbabweans to other citizens.
Divisions had emerged in the European Union body on whether to renew targeted measures against Robert Mugabe and his regime cronies or heed Morgan Tsvangirai’s plea to end them to try and coax the geriatric Zimbabwean leader into fulfilling outstanding issues in the Global Political Agreement which ushered in Zimbabwe’s unity government early last year.
The EU’s council of ministers meets on 16 February to decide on the matter and authoritative diplomatic sources say it is now most likely that some names would be struck off the sanctions list as a compromise among the differing EU countries. But these would mainly be names of companies sanctioned over their close links to regime cronies and not those of targeted individuals.
The authoritative diplomatic sources said some countries led by Germany and Denmark had favoured an easing of the measures to try and prod Mugabe into cooperating with Tsvangirai in addressing all outstanding issues in the GPA.
Another group led by the Netherlands and the United Kingdom was of the view that the targeted measures should stay because nothing much has changed in terms of fostering the rule of law in Zimbabwe.
In the end, the view of some softening of the measures, accompanied by an equal easing of language to “acknowledge the reality of the GPA and encourage its implementation” would prevail, the sources said.  
Mugabe has vowed he will not cede any further ground in negotiations with Tsvangirai’s MDC until all sanctions against him and his cronies are lifted.
Sources disclosed that Tsvangirai had written to the EU recently urging the powerful bloc to lift the targeted measures, arguing that there would be no movement in talks to resolve the outstanding issues in the GPA unless the sanctions were lifted.
Last week a meeting of six “like minded countries” met in Denmark to review the situation in Zimbabwe and formulate a position ahead of the 16 February council of minister’s meeting. The meeting was attended by Zimbabwean desk officers in the foreign ministries of Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Ireland, UK and Sweden.
Sources said the meeting was told that Zimbabwean civic society very much wants the targeted sanctions to remain until there was real progress in implementing the GPA. 
But it was also argued in that meeting by the Europeans that “removing the sanctions in an incremental fashion could well be used in the bargaining power with ZANU PF….” to move the GPA forward.
It was also suggested that efforts be made to engage directly with hardliner elements in the defence forces and reformists in ZANU PF to move the reform process forward.
Countries like Denmark and Germany supported softening the sanctions regime to encourage reforms. “Their view is that any softening of sanctions is not rewarding ZANU PF but the MDC after Tsvangirai asked for the removal of the sanctions,” said another source.
Because the EU works by consensus, the view that would finally emerge is on lifting at least some of the restrictions but not the entire package of measures, said one diplomat.
“Although the final decision will be on the 16th, you can expect the knocking off some 10 percent of the measures.  Ninety percent will then remain pending implementation of the GPA. This 10 percent would be restricted to the removal of names of companies on the sanctions before any individuals are considered…” said a diplomat.
But senior Members of the EU Parliament (MEPs), who spoke at a meeting organised by the Zimbabwe Europe Network (ZEN), this week made it categorically clear that they want to see the sanctions maintained.
MEP Anna Gomes from Portugal of the socialist S&D party told the meeting held in the EU Parliament premises that EU MEPs had wanted to visit Zimbabwe in December to get first hand feel of what was happening on the ground and had first been invited before being blocked at the last minute by the Zimbabwe government which said the time wasn’t right.
She said they were still anxiously waiting for a new date of a visit to be confirmed by the Zimbabwean embassy in Brussels. She emphasized the need to maintain the sanctions until serious progress was recorded.
Her sentiments were shared by MEP Olle Schmidt from Sweden of the liberal ALDE party who described it as a “huge shame” that Mugabe was still in power as well as Geoffrey Van Orden from UK of the Conservative ECR party, who noted that while there have been progress a lot still needed to be done.
“It seems for every two steps forward made in this process, there is always one huge step backwards…,” said Van Orden, insisting that sanctions should stay.
Prominent Zimbabwean rights activists argued for the sanctions to stay .
In fact, Gabriel Shumba, after chronicling a list of violations of the GPA by Mugabe, said he was puzzled by any suggestions that the sanctions should be lifted.
“The debate should instead be on intensifying the restrictive measures against people thwarting the implementation of the GPA,” he said.
Okay Machisa of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (Zimrights) said the restrictive measures must be maintained until there was real democracy in Zimbabwe.
The implementation of the GPA has stalled over Mugabe’s refusal to cede further ground on issues like appointment of MDC governors, reversal of his unilateral appointments of Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana, among others.
He argues that the MDC should ensure the lifting of sanctions and put an end to broadcasts by “pirate radio stations” into Zimbabwe.  Although it is secretly lobbying for the lifting of the sanctions, the MDC publicly argues it has no liability over the sanctions measures imposed in reaction to poor governance in Zimbabwe.

Harare - A 29kg consignment of diamonds from Zimbabwe's controversial Chiadzwa diamond field has disappeared after being removed on Thursday night by police from the central bank, in violation of orders by the country's supreme court, lawyers said at the weekend.

The incident is the latest turn in the long-running legal dispute between British-registered mining company African Consolidated Resources and the country's mines minister, Obert Mpofu, over the ownership of Chiadzwa claims in eastern Zimbabwe.

ACR was forced off its property at gunpoint by police in 2006, but in September last year a high court judge ruled that its ejection was illegal and that it was the rightful owner.

The government has appealed. Geologists say Chiadzwa is the world's biggest diamond discovery in a century and could yield more than a $1bn annually to the country struggling to emerge from economic collapse.

The missing rough diamonds held in three strong boxes were part of a much larger collection of diamonds that were mined by ACR before they were evicted, and afterwards by the bankrupt state-owned Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) until late last year.

Chief justice Godfrey Chidyausiku a fortnight ago ordered that they be deposited in the central bank for safekeeping until the case was finalised.

"We don't know where they (the diamonds) are," said ACR's lawyer, Jonathan Samkange.

On Thursday, officials from the government, ACR and the central bank were recording the details of the diamonds to be moved to the bank when Minister Mpofu walked in with his lawyer, said an official who was present but asked not to be named.

"He produced this letter from the registrar of the supreme court in which she said that the chief justice had suspended the September ruling, and that we couldn't move the diamonds," the witness said.

Deputy sheriff stood firm

"But the deputy sheriff [of Harare, responsible for carrying out the chief justice's order] stood his ground and Mpofu stormed out."

The three strongboxes were carried in a heavy security vehicle under escort of senior police to the central bank and were being registered shortly before being placed in the bank vaults.

"Then the senior policeman started getting phone calls," the witness said.

"Then he said, There have been new developments. The letter is genuine. I am taking the diamonds'." Despite the protests of the officials, police removed the boxes.

"The police robbed the central bank," ACR lawyer Samkange accused.

He said the letter from supreme court registrar Nomonde Mazabane was "illegal" because court officials cannot give rulings on behalf of judges.

It would also mean that Chidyausiku was reversing his earlier order, "and that's impossible".

Blood diamonds

"An order by the supreme court is final and cannot be appealed."

Mpofu is coming under increasing pressue over his allegedly illegal award in September of mining rights at Chiadzwa to a South African scrap metal trader with no previous experience in diamond mining, locally registered as Mbada and working in partnership with the ZMDC.

A parliamentary inquiry heard this week from senior state mining officials that they had no idea of what Mbada did with its diamonds.

Last month Mbada tried to hold an auction of 300 000 carats of diamonds in Zimbabwe, allegedly without notifying any authorities or its partner.

Zimbabwe is under close scrutiny by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, the UN founded international body set up to combat the spread of "blood diamonds" that fuel wars in Africa.

Chiadzwa was overrun by illegal diggers shortly after it was seized by the government, but late in 2008 the army carried out a brutal operation to drive them away.

New York based rights group Human Rights Watch, in a report on the operation last year, accused the army of killing and injuring dozens of diggers in the operation - an allegation the government denied.

 Zimbabwe's High Court on Wednesday admitted disputed email evidence implicating opposition politician Roy Bennett in a plot against President Robert Mugabe's government.

Bennett, a white farmer and a senior official in Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), faces a possible death penalty if convicted of illegal possession of arms for "terrorism, banditry and sabotage".

Defence lawyers had asked the court to reject emails linking Bennett to the alleged crime, arguing that they had been doctored and that a key state witness, Peter Hitschmann, who is alleged to have conspired with Bennett, disowned them.

The court had previously thrown out confessions by Hitschmann linking Bennett to the crime, on the grounds that the statements had been extracted under torture.

High Court judge Chinembiri Bhunu ruled that the emails were created before Hitschmann's alleged assault.

"The emails cannot be tainted by the alleged abuse suffered by Hitschmann," Bhunu said.

"They are relevant and vital to the fair resolution of the case and are hereby admitted as evidence."

The arrest and trial of Bennett, MDC nominee for deputy agriculture minister in a government set up by Mugabe and Tsvangirai, has raised tensions in the power-sharing administration.

The state charges Bennett with funding a 2006 plot to blow up a major communication link in the country and assassinate key government figures. He is accused of having deposited funds in Hitschmann's Mozambican account for the operation.
Bennett denies the charges, which he says are politically motivated. Hitschmann, an arms trader and key state witness who faced the same charges but was convicted in 2006 on a lesser charge of possessing dangerous weapons, has absolved Bennett.

Commercial Farmers Union President Deon Theron said three farmers filed an urgent application Wednesday asking the court to block their evictions, though the farms have already fallen into the hands of invaders

Lawyers for three white commercial farmers in Chipinge have appealed to the High Court in Harare following an order issued by a Manicaland magistrate giving the farmers 24 hours to vacate their farms.

Commercial Farmers Union President Deon Theron said the farmers filed an urgent application Wednesday asking the court to block their evictions.

The matter remained before the court late Wednesday while the farms were said to have been occupied by invaders believed to be ZANU-PF supporters.

Theron said the Chipinge Magistrates Court fined each farmer US$800 for refusing to vacate and ordered a fourth to leave his farm in 30 days.

Theron told VOA Studio 7 reporter Gibbs Dube that the three farmers ordered to leave their land had fled to Harare as their properties had fallen into the hands of marauding gangs believed to be ZANU-PF youth militia.

Theron also also criticized the Harare High Court’s refusal to register a ruling by the Namibia-based Southern African Development Community tribunal ordering the Zimbabwe government to halt farm takeovers.

“It's surprising that the High Court is of the opinion that it respects SADC protocols but then it can’t register the SADC tribunal ruling,” he said.

Farmers registration of the ruling after the Zimbabwe government ignored it and continued to evict white commercial farmers and seize their property

Harare/Johannesburg - Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday resisted pressure for elections next year, in opposition to calls made by South African President Jacob Zuma over the weekend. Zuma is charged with the task of facilitating the resolution of issues threatening the implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) that created the Zimbabwe's power sharing government last year, and he is pushing for elections next year.

"President Zuma cannot push for elections in Zimbabwe," Tsvangirai told the German Press Agency dpa. "The elections in Zimbabwe will be defined by the GPA. The GPA says after the referendum the president and prime minister will set the date for the election."

Tsvangirai said that once ongoing talks produce a draft constitution, a referendum would be held to endorse it, and only then would a date be set for elections.

"So I think that people should not preempt a process which is already there and which is understood by all parties to be the law," he added.

Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe formed a coalition government nearly a year ago to end a political crisis following an inconclusive election in June 2008.

The government has stabilized Zimbabwe's economy and ended the hyperinflation that reigned at the height of the country's economic meltdown.

As a result living conditions for many ordinary Zimbabweans have greatly improved compared to 2008 when the country battled shortages of cash, fuel and basic commodities.

But unending bickering between Mugabe's ZANU(PF) and Tsvangirai's MDC as well as the coalition government's inability to secure direct financial support from Western nations have held back the administration's efforts to rebuild the economy.

The MDC wants Mugabe, among other things, to fire central bank governor Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana, saying their appointments were unconstitutional.

Mugabe's party on the other hand has accused the MDC of reneging on its commitment to persuade the US and the European Union to lift travel bans and asset freezes against its leaders imposed in 2002 following a spate of human rights abuses and repression targeting the opposition.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has called for the standoff to end. In a meeting of the regional economic grouping's leaders in Mozambique last Thursday, SADC praised Zuma's efforts to revive the flagging unity government.

Harare, Zimbabwe -- The trial of controversial Zimbabwean politician Roy Bennett took a new twist Tuesday when prosecutors told the judge they wanted to impeach their star witness.

The prosecution called arms dealer Michael Peter Hitschmann to the stand to implicate Bennett in the procurement of the arms.

Bennett is a senior official of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and Zimbabwe's deputy agriculture minister-designate. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of terrorism and inciting people to carry out terrorism. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

The MDC -- led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai -- says the case against Bennett is politically motivated and was aimed at keeping him out of the unity government it formed with President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party last February.

Under questioning from Attorney General Johannes Tomana, Hitschmann testified he had seen Bennett on television and then had met him at a public gathering.

But Hitschmann told the fully packed courtroom that he was not aware of some of the weapons the prosecution claims that he bought with the financial support of Bennett.

In addition, Hitschmann -- who appeared relaxed throughout the proceedings -- cast doubt on the authenticity of e-mails that were produced in court which the prosecution said had been retrieved from his laptop and which allegedly reveal that he and Bennett were planning to commit terrorism.

"None of the contents was retrieved from my laptop in my absence or in the presence of my legal counsel (in 2006 when he was arrested)," he said, adding, "I don't know here they came from."

After that, Tomana started questioning Hitschmann as if he were a hostile witness and not the star witness for the prosecution.

Bennett's lawyers objected, saying the prosecution was trying to "confuse" people.

At that point, Tomana indicated that he was in the "preparatory stage" to "to lay evidence that Hitschmann was being inconsistent."

"The witness -- who is an accomplice witness by the way -- is getting to be a witness in favor of the accused; we are entitled to start impeachment procedures when the state witness starts showing that he is being unfavorably indisposed in favor of the accused," he added.

Bennett's lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, said the prosecution had never indicated that it had e-mails which were purportedly written by her client and Hitschmann.

She said Hitschmann had submitted an affidavit saying he does not want to testify against Bennett, adding that the statements about conspiracy that were purportedly made by him were done under "traumatic and unfriendly circumstances" in 2006, when he was arrested and later charged with terrorism himself.

Mtetwa said the prosecution was attempting to take a statement Hitschmann made to the army and turn it into a statement against her client.

"That is an army-procured statement. What legal basis is there to change it to a witness statement? The statement was made when he was an accused facing conspiracy charges," said Mtetwa. "During that time the prosecution did not indicate that he had acted in common purpose with the accused (Bennett)."

Hitschmann was acquitted of terrorism charges in 2006 but served a jail sentence for the lesser charge of possessing weapons without a license. The weapons allegedly included six sub-machine guns and two machine guns, which the prosecution produced in Bennett's trial as part of the state's exhibits.

The judge in the case, Justice Chinembiri Bhunu, who resumed the trial after adjourning it last November, is expected to rule Wednesday whether the state can proceed to impeach its own witness.

Throughout the court proceedings, Bennett -- clad in a blue suit, matching blue tie and a light blue shirt -- sat motionless, gazing into the sky once in a while. He laughed out loud when Hitschmann said he first saw Bennett on television punching the justice minister in parliament.

Harare, January 10, 2010 - The Zimbabwe Republic Police Commissioner (ZRP) General Augustine Chihuri blocked Prime Minister and Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai from touring police stations around the country in December, Radio VOP has learnt.

Highly placed sources in the police, told Radio VOP, at the weekend that Tsvangirai wanted to visit the country’s police posts to meet officers and assess their work conditions and hear their concerns but was blocked by the police chief.

During the scheduled visit Tsvangirai was to make a firsthand assessment of police cells whose conditions have been roundly condemned by human rights activists.

“The Prime Minister was supposed to Harare Central Police Station and several other stations around the country in December but the visit was blocked by Chihuri who is afraid that he was going to use the visit to cement the already growing support that Tsvangirai has among members of the force,” highly placed sources at Harare
Central Police station told Radio VOP.

“A radio was sent in December instructing officers to prepare for the visit of the Prime Minister. But while officers were busy preparing for his coming another radio was sent to all stations instructing everyone not to entertain the Prime Minister and anyone  representing him. That was the last we heard of his visit.”

The sources said they would have wanted the Prime Minister to visit so that he can see for himself the rot at many police stations in the country.

The cells at Harare Central Police Station are inhabitable with prisoners crowded in the cells and diseases flourishing.

Chihuri  is a hardline Zanu PF supporter whose term of office has been continuously renewed by President Robert Mugabe. He vowed, together with other security chiefs, before the March 2008 harmonised elections, that he will not salute Tsvangirai if he was to become president of the country.

In 2007 on March 11, Chihuri sanctioned the assault of Tsvangirai and many other civic leaders during the aborted prayer meeting at Zimbabwe grounds. Tsvangirai was beaten all over his body until he passed out.

Just recently Chihuri refused to facilitate a civil servants audit programme from accessing police files.

It is believed that the police force has on its pay roll thousands of war veterans who are neither police officers nor police constabularies.

  Illegal immigrants have been working at some of the most sensitive Government offices in the country - including the headquarters of the UK Border Agency - a Mail on Sunday investigation has discovered.

Following our enquiries, the Home Office admitted employing a dozen illegal foreign staff over the past four years - 11 Nigerians and a Ghanaian.

Ten of them secured cleaning jobs at Becket House, the headquarters of the UK Border Agency, which vets immigrants. The building in Croydon, South London, also serves as an immigration detention centre, holding up to 270 people awaiting deportation.

Two other illegal immigrants worked at the Whitehall headquarters of the Home Office, which houses the office of Home Secretary Alan Johnson. One was a chef in the canteen, while the other worked as a security guard on the front door for 19 months.

The Home Office headquarters is regarded as one of Britain's most high-profile terrorist targets and receives round-the-clock police protection.

Eight of the 12 have since been deported, three are detained pending appeals and one was later granted leave to remain in the country.

The embarrassing disclosures come despite repeated pledges by Labour to crack down on illegal immigration.

Using Freedom of Information legislation, The Mail on Sunday contacted each Government department, council and hospital in Britain for details of employees later discovered to be illegal immigrants since 2006.

Three Government departments, 34 local authorities and 54 NHS trusts admitted hiring a total of 349 unlawful foreign workers. The list featured 37 nationalities, including migrants from Kazakhstan, Zambia and Venezuela.

Disturbingly, several bogus entrants managed to secure jobs in sensitive positions. Councils admitted hiring six illegal immigrants as teachers in secondary schools and ten got jobs as social and care workers, working with some of the most vulnerable in society.

Health trusts revealed four became doctors and 13 secured nursing work in NHS hospitals.

Many councils and health trusts admitted that some fraudulent workers vanished when questioned about their immigration status.

The Government has made repeated pledges to crack down on illegal immigration.

In June 2008, then Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced new powers to fine organisations caught hiring illegal immigrants and warned that she would name guilty company bosses on the Home Office website. She said: 'Good employers have everything to gain from us clamping down on the bad ones.'

However, The Mail on Sunday asked each of the 91 public bodies who admitted employing illegal foreign workers to provide details of any penalties they received.

Not one of them had received a fine, which can be as high as £10,000.

The local authority that employed the highest number of illegal immigrants was Haringey, in North London. It gave jobs to 35 unlawful foreign workers, including two Jamaican carers working with elderly and disabled residents.

The news will heap more pressure on Haringey, which was heavily criticised by Government inspectors over its role in the Baby P scandal.

In December 2008, Haringey's head of children's services, Sharon Shoesmith, was sacked by Schools Secretary Ed Balls after the 17-month-old boy was tortured to death despite being on the Child Protection Register.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling said: 'This is an absolute scandal. The Government has taken tough action against private companies over the employment of illegal immigrants, yet on this evidence it is quite clear the public sector has taken on bogus workers and escaped any form of censure.

'We have Ministers constantly telling us they have got to grips with the chaos in our immigration system, yet the Home Office itself has been employing illegal workers. It is completely unacceptable and we need an urgent explanation from Ministers.'

Mr Grayling pledged to write to Home Secretary Mr Johnson to ask him about The Mail on Sunday's findings and demand a review of security at the Home Office.

He said: 'It is breathtaking that procedures and checks at the Home Office are so lax that an illegal immigrant could cook food for the Home Secretary himself. This is a huge security breach. We cannot go on like this.'

Three Whitehall departments admitted employing unlawful workers: the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice and the Department for International Development.

The Ministry of Justice gave jobs to three illegal foreign workers, including a Botswanian administrator working in the Access To Justice Department in Central London, which routinely handles sensitive data concerning legal aid funding.

Failed Zimbabwean asylum seeker Eugene Madzima used a fake passport to land a job processing immigration appeals at a tribunal in Leicester. He was jailed in 2008 for holding forged documents.

The Department for International Development admitted employing 'fewer than five' illegal immigrants in each of the past four years. Despite repeated requests, it refused to provide any more details.

Suffolk County Council employed a 31-year-old Colombian as a modern languages secondary-school teacher before discovering she was in the country unlawfully. A spokesman for the council refused to comment.

Other local authorities that employed illegal immigrants as teachers were Leicester, Bromley, Wiltshire and Nottinghamshire.

Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council admitted giving jobs to 15 illegal immigrants, including Ghanaian and South African home carers. Town halls in Bromley, South London, Hounslow, West London, and Nottingham also gave illegal immigrants jobs as carers.

In hospitals across Britain, The Mail on Sunday found 176 unlawful foreign workers treating patients and running clinics.

North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust admitted employing two doctors who were later found to have fake identity papers.

One 34-year-old Indian managed to land a job as a dentist after providing health chiefs with forged documents generated by what the trust described as a 'sophisticated national fraud'. However, the trust refused to provide further details.

The same NHS trust also employed a 46-year-old Ghanaian illegal immigrant as a part-time doctor in a Carlisle hospital. The trust refused to comment.

In another striking case, two South American illegal immigrants stole the identities of a British couple living abroad and used them to get clerical jobs in an Accident and Emergency unit in South London.

Guyanan nationals Indra Kumar Mohan and Kamini Shukram worked full-time at Mayday Hospital in Croydon, South London, for three years while claiming more than £100,000 in benefits. They were jailed for eight months in 2008.

Sir Andrew Green, of MigrationWatch UK, said: 'It is essential that the Government and other public bodies do not break the law by employing illegal immigrants.

'There are now approaching one million illegal immigrants in Britain and the Government's failure to take action threatens the credibility of the entire immigration system.'

A Home Office spokesman said: 'The 12 illegal workers identified were all sub-contractors. None of them were directly employed by the Home Office.

'It was our checks and the strict regime we operate on illegal working in the UK that brought these cases to light. We are doing more than ever before to crack down on illegal working, with raids taking place up and down the country every week and thousands of rule-breakers deported.'

The Home Office said it had fined 2,400 organisations for employing illegal immigrants in the past two years. However, it refused to say whether any were in the public sector.

A Haringey Council spokesman said: 'We took the correct action for dismissal when illegal status became known. We will continue to be vigilant and work closely with other agencies to identify any future cases.'

What the law says - and who broke it...

The Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 sets out clear rules relating to the employment of immigrants.

Employers in both public and private sectors, including individuals, must check and take copies of identity documents from foreign workers before giving them jobs.

Failure to keep copies is a civil offence, attracting a maximum £10,000 fine. Knowingly and deliberately employing an illegal immigrant is a more serious criminal offence, punishable by two years in jail and an unlimited fine. 

According to the Act, an employer can avoid any penalty if they take 'specified steps to verify, retain, copy or record the content of an [identity] document produced'.

It was steered through Parliament by Attorney General Baroness Scotland when she was a Home Office Minister. But in September last year, it was revealed that she was employing a Tongan illegal immigrant as a housekeeper.

Gordon Brown ordered the peer to issue a humiliating apology. But the Prime Minister allowed her to cling to her job after the UK Border Agency backed her claim that she did not know Loloahi Tapui had illegally overstayed a student visa.

However, Baroness Scotland's version of events was questioned when the housekeeper told The Mail on Sunday she never showed the Minister her passport and that, even if she had, it was out of date.

Baroness Scotland admitted failing to take copies of Ms Tapui's papers and became the first individual in the country to fall foul of the new laws.

The Labour peer was fined £5,000 but sparked controversy by comparing the matter to not paying the £8 London Congestion Charge for motorists.

She said: 'It's like driving into the city and not paying the Congestion Charge. It is not a criminal offence.

'I made an administrative, technical error for which I am bitterly, bitterly sorry. I got it wrong. It was a technical breach and I have paid the penalty.'

Ms Tapui was charged with immigration and fraud offences and is due to appear in court later this month.

Negotiators of the country’s three main political parties are said to have agreed on fifteen of the 21 outstanding issues threatening the shaky coalition government but the MDC wants a deadlock to be declared on the remaining ones, sources close to the talks say.

The sources sai this week that the parties have agreed on 15 items out of an expanded list of issues tabled when the parties resumed talks after the SADC Troika meeting held in Maputo last month.
“They have agreed on most of the issues and have presented a progress report to the three principals and now await direction on how to proceed on the remaining issues,” said the source.
Among the crucial issues that have been agreed are media reform, pirate radio stations, audit of the land reform programme among others. The parties are however still deadlocked on the issue of sanctions, appointment of Attorney General, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor, provincial governors, Roy Bennett and security sector reform.
The MDC party led by Prime Minister Tsvangirai is said to have declared a deadlock on these outstanding issues and want them referred to SADC for a determination. But President Robert Mugabe is insisting that the talks be given more time. He met Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his Deputy Arthur Mutambara met on Monday and agreed to give the negotiators more time to thrush out a workable deal before declaring a deadlock.
The negotiators are now set to resume the final talks on Friday. On the other hand the three principals have agreed to make an announcement on what has been agreed next week upon Mugabe’s return from Copenhagen where he went to attend the ongoing climate change talks.
“The MDC wanted the negotiators to declare a deadlock and have the matter referred to SADC but Mugabe is said to have asked his colleagues to give the talks more time,” said the source.
At his party’s just ended congress Mugabe asked the SADC appointed mediator, Jacob Zuma, to be patient insisting that any issues agreed in the ongoing power-sharing negotiations would only be implemented when MDC calls for the lifting of Western sanctions on Mugabe and his loyalists.
When approached for a comment one of the negotiators, Welshman Ncube, of the MDC party led by Mutambara said he an not talk about the deliberations ofeh talks but said, "We are still negotiating and we have  no timetable."
SADC Troika last month asked Zimbabwe’s political leaders to engage in dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues in the implementation of last year’s power-sharing agreement or global political agreement (GPA).
Some of the outstanding issues include Mugabe’s refusal to rescind his unilateral appointment of two of his top allies to head Zimbabwe’s central bank and the attorney general’s office.
Mugabe has also refused to swear in Tsvangirai ally Roy Bennett as deputy agriculture minister while the Prime Minister’s MDC-T party is also unhappy by what it says is selective application of the law to target its activists and officials.
On the other hand ZANU PF, which insists that it has met all its obligations under the GPA, accuses the MDC-T of not living up to a promise to lead a campaign for lifting of Western sanctions against Mugabe and members of his inner circle.

11/12/09 HARARE – Newly deployed United States ambassador to Zimbabwe, Charles Aaron Ray says the targeted sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by his government are lawful and it is not possible for anyone outside the US Congress to force their lifting.“The sanctions are beyond my individual control and also they are beyond the control of political parties (in Zimbabwe),” Ray said to journalists when he met Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai at his Strathaven home in Harare on Thursday.

President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party has demanded that the MDC should effectively denounce Western imposed sanctions on him and some members of his former government saying they were imposed at the instigation of MDC.

But the newly arrived and soft-spoken diplomat said sanctions were the US congress’s initiative and not that of any political party or individual in Zimbabwe.

“This is a congressional mandated issue and it is up to the US legislature to determine what is to be done,” said Ray.

“Sanctions are a legal legislative issue that has to be decided by the legislature not by the Prime Minister.”

Ray, who officially started his job on Wednesday, said he discussed the matter with President Robert Mugabe when he met him saying the “matter was too complex to be discussed in one conversation”.

The US envoy said he was willing to restore normal relations with the Zimbabwean government if it was prepared to respect internationally accepted norms of governance.

“I am willing to work with everyone here who is willing to play by internationally accepted rules to restore this country to its former prosperity,” he said.

“Zimbabwe has rightly been called the jewel and the crown of Africa and if I can I will play any small role in helping to restore the lustre of that reputation.”

He said he would not follow the aggressive path that was employed by his predecessors while dealing with the Zimbabwean authorities.

“I never live in the past, I live in the future,” he said. “I talk to everyone. I listen to everyone and I try to find common ground with the people that I meet focusing on things that are really important and what is important in this case is to rebuild Zimbabwe.”

Meanwhile, the US government has pledged an additional US$46 million on top of a total of $200 million since 2000 towards efforts to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Zimbabwe.

Ray said his government remained committed towards reducing the prevalence of the disease which has devastated society and further reduced life expectancy in Zimbabwe.

“We are committed to continue a strong partnership with Zimbabwe to defeat the AIDS pandemic. Since 2000, we have invested over $200 million in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe,” said Ray.

“We are expecting another $46 million in 2010. In 2009 the US government supported anti-retroviral therapy for 40 000 Zimbabweans in need of care and, in 2010, we will increase the number by nearly fifty percent.”

Ray was speaking in Harare earlier on Thursday during the Auxillia Chimusoro HIV and Aids awards presentation ceremony funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The awards are named after Auxillia Chimusoro, one of the first people in Zimbabwe to openly disclose their HIV positive status. At the time in 1987, the disease was shrouded in secrecy.

Press Statement

Additional Humanitarian Assistance for Returnees to Zimbabwe – Final applications to be received by 31st December 2009 -

To help meet the challenges resulting from the socio-economic situation in Zimbabwe IOM has been providing additional humanitarian assistance to people who wish to return to home under IOM’s Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programme (VARRP) – since February 2009. This additional assistance will be available for anyone who applies for a voluntary return under the VARRP by 31st December 2009.

The Reintegration Assistance package is enhanced to include an increase in both the pre-departure relocation grant and the in-kind business assistance:

Relocation grant – increased from £500 to £1000. This is given in sterling, in cash at the UK airport before departure. If returnees choose to convert the money into US Dollars there will be time before the flight to do so.

In-kind business set-up grant –increased from a total of £2000 to a total of £3000. Following detailed discussions about a chosen reintegration activity with IOM Zimbabwe, £2500-worth of assistance will be available initially to obtain supplies and equipment for setting up a small business. After 6 months a review will be carried out by IOM and an additional £500-worth of in-kind assistance will be available for further investment.

If the request is made in advance in the UK, IOM Officers can meet returnees at the airport in Harare to assist them to travel within Zimbabwe. The IOM office in Zimbabwe will make every effort to offer up-to-date information and practical advice on cholera prevention and reintegration activities. By providing two basic commodities baskets they will also do their best to help everyone to settle in at home.

UPDATE:
29 October 2009: Please note that the Additional Humanitarian Assistance for Returnees to Zimbabwe will now offer greater flexibility to returnees who can receive £1000 of their £3000 business set up grant in either cash or in-kind payments.

For more information call IOM free on: 0800 783 2332

IOM branches

London & South East: 21 Westminster Palace Gardens, Artillery Row, London SW1P 1RR Tel: 020 7233 0001 Scotland: 38 Queen Street, Glasgow G1 3DX Tel: 0141 548 8116 Wales & South West: Park House Business Centre, 10 Park Street, Bristol BS1 5HX Tel: 0117 907 4777 North West: Regus Reception – 5th Floor, Horton House, Exchange Flags, Liverpool L2 3PF Tel: 0151 244 5641 Piccadilly House, 49 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 2AP Tel: 0161 212 1463  North East: 100 Wellington Street, Leeds LS1 4LT Tel: 0113 346 6010 Midlands: eOffice, Ground Floor, Norfolk House, Smallbrook Queensway, Birmingham B5 4LJ Tel: 0121 633 5074

DE DOORNS, 3 December 2009  - More than two weeks after the attacks that drove some 3,000 Zimbabwean migrant workers from their homes in an informal settlement called Stofland, outside De Doorns, a farming town about 140km from Cape Town, South Africa, the mood among the displaced remains grim.

"The situation seems like we must go back to Zimbabwe," farm worker Taphiwa Mheva told IRIN. "You don't know with these people - maybe one of these days they think about killing us. We would go now, but we have no money."

Mheva is one of the lucky ones. She is one of 282 Zimbabweans given accommodation on the farm where she works, and plans to return to Zimbabwe after the grape harvesting season ends in April.

Another 1,200 Zimbabweans are living in 190 tents provided by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), pitched on the De Doorns sports field. On weekends that number swells to around 1,600, when spouses and partners working in other areas come to visit. Almost all the displaced are seasonal labourers on the area's wine farms, an industry worth over US$400 million annually.

Every evening hundreds of workers disembark from trucks returning from the farms and wait while security guards check their papers and possessions before entering the safety site. Red Cross volunteers check registration lists, and distribute food around the camp.

"We are trying to avoid a situation where this becomes an overcrowded area, and where people are coming from other areas," said UNHCR Regional Protection Officer Monique Ekoko.

People are coming to take advantage of what is happening here - that itself will create a problem 
More worrying is that people are coming from as far away as Port Elizabeth, in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province, and even straight from Zimbabwe. "People are coming to take advantage of what is happening here - that itself will create a problem. We want to maintain the temporary nature of this site, and to ensure that people move as soon as the conditions are right," Ekoko told IRIN.

She also noted the importance of dealing swiftly and effectively with the situation. "The longer we keep this site here, the chances increase that it might spur other people to take similar actions [xenophobic attacks]. Integration efforts are key, and not only to send a message that people have to live side by side."

Unfriendly environment

According to Martin van Rooyen, a member of the De Doorns Displacement Crisis Committee, 11 December has been set as the starting date for reintegrating displaced people into their original communities.

"We have various processes unfolding to create an enabling environment," Van Rooyen said, citing an interfaith prayer service on 29 November, and ongoing meetings with local government, religious ministers, and the police.

The people living in the camp have given no indication of being willing to leave. "For me there is no option to go back in the community. I've got three kids and a wife - I managed to escape with only a few blankets," Doubt Chinomera, a Zimbabwean labour contractor, told IRIN.

"It's only an option if our security is guaranteed ... because last time when they attacked us the police were there." Chinomera's sentiment was echoed by many, and the perception that the police did nothing to protect them remains vivid.

"The police were just accompanying the South African people. When they were busy destroying the shacks the police were there behind them, looking at them, not arresting them," said farm worker Siyabonga Nkomo.

Superintendent Desmond van der Westhuizen, commander of the De Doorns police station, said the police had been aware that some people in the townships of Stofland and Ekuphumleni had intended some kind of action against the Zimbabweans.

"It was established that the community wanted to stop [Zimbabweans] to go to work the next day, and then they indicated that they would try to dismantle some of the shacks," he told IRIN.

Van der Westhuizen said he had requested support from Worcester, the nearest large town, and Cape Town, as his force was too small to handle the situation, but the distance of those stations from De Doorns meant the additional police officers did not arrive until it was too late.

"At that stage [when the Zimbabweans were blocked from going to work and the looting began] we were trying to do it on our own. It was not obvious whose property was whose. There were 12 officers; police had to use discretion. The crowd was so big - there was chaos, actually - they didn't make arrests earlier because of the manpower shortage."

South African rules

"There is still resentment on the part of South Africans," committee member Van Rooyen said, referring to allegations that the Zimbabweans worked for less than the minimum wage of R60 ($8) per day, thus "robbing" South Africans of jobs.

"Now, the latest resentment is that you're getting services on this site, when we are told to be patient [and to wait for water, sanitation and electricity] by our same government," Van Rooyen said.

People were also angry about the 24 arrests after the attacks - 12 of those arrested were released for lack of evidence, and a bail hearing has been set for the remaining 12 on 5 December.

The Zimbabweans insist that they are not working for less, a claim strongly supported by Agri Western Cape and the Hex River Valley Table Grape Association, umbrella associations to which all the producers in the region belong. 
 
South African residents of Stofland: no open arms for Zimbabwean migrants
 
"With regards to the allegations that workers are paid less than minimum wage, Agri Wes-Cape would like to challenge the organisations and individuals that are making these allegations to provide the Department of Labour with the necessary proof, so that those allegedly responsible can be investigated," the association said in a recent press release.

According to Agri Wes-Cape statistics, during the harvest season nearly 9,000 seasonal workers swell the ranks of 5,337 permanent workers; of the total workforce of some 14,000, just over 1,500 are Zimbabwean.

Agri Wes-Cape also noted an independent study in 2008 by the Labour and Enterprise Policy Research Group at the University of Cape Town, whose findings indicated that most workers in the De Doorns area, including the Zimbabweans, were earning R10 ($1.40) a day above the minimum wage.

Nonetheless, local South Africans persist in their belief that Zimbabweans are taking their jobs. "The farmer comes with a truck, says, 'I need 100 people.' Those Zimbabweans, they go like sheep; so our citizens stay behind and don't have bread in their house," Manghozi, a resident of Stofland, told IRIN.

Manghozi and his friends also complained that the Zimbabweans worked on Sundays and holidays. "They must respect our labour rules," he said. Then we can live together."

12/11/09 Defence lawyers for a top aide to Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai have demanded the judge take himself out of the case because of bias towards the prosecution, a defence lawyer said on Thursday.

Roy Bennett, a former white farmer who is treasurer to Tsvangirai's party, is charged with terrorism over an alleged plot to overthrow President Robert Mugabe three years ago.

Defence lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa said judge Chinembiri Bhunu should step aside because of comments he made in 2006 that appeared to show he already believed the prosecution claims.

"We have asked the judge to recuse himself and hand over the matter to another judge," Beatrice Mtetwa told reporters after meeting with Bhunu in chambers.

"In May 2006, he said this was a very serious case, and we feel this (remark) also affects Roy. Come Monday, he will decide whether to recuse himself or not," she said.

The same charges against other officials in Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have already been tossed out of court. Bennett could face the death sentence if convicted.

His arrest last month prompted Tsvangirai to stage a three-week boycott of the unity government.

Tsvangirai and his long-time rival formed the power-sharing government in February, nearly a year after disputed polls that saw Mugabe handed the presidency in a one-man run-off.

5/11/09 THE United Kingdom Border Agency estimates that there are as many as 70,000 to 100,000 failed asylum seekers from Zimbabwe, the House of Lords heard on Thursday.

Contributing to a debate on Immigration, Detention and Deportation in the upper chamber of Britain’s parliament, Lord Richard Best warned that plans by the Home Office to lift a moratorium on deportations to Zimbabwe would result in “prolonged legal battles in many cases”.

Lord Best, chairman of the Phoenix Fund for Zimbabwe (visit website) which was set up to assist Zimbabwean refugees and asylum seekers to undergo vocational training and placements, said ministers’ desire to clear a backlog of unresolved so-called “legacy cases” should not be used to justify “swinging to the other extreme and implementing draconian or inhumane policies”.

Quoting a March 2009 report on research conducted by the Phonix Fund (see report), Lord Best said UK Border Agency “estimates that there may be living here as many as 70,000 failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers or Zimbabweans without valid leave to remain.”

“This figure suggests those potentially eligible for removal to Zimbabwe could present the UKBA with a huge task, with concomitant strain on pre-removal detention centres,” he said. “If the so-called normalisation of returns policy to Zimbabwe is pursued, I suspect there will be prolonged legal battles in many cases.”

Britain’s Immigration Minister Phil Woolas announced on October 29 that Britain was reviewing its moratorium on the removal of failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe because “indiscriminate violence which marred the elections of 2008 has abated.”

Woolas said the Home Office had carefully considered its position on enforced returns to Zimbabwe in the light of developments since the formation of a government led by the Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

"The UK Border Agency will therefore be starting work over the autumn on a process aimed at normalising our returns policy to Zimbabwe, moving towards resuming enforced returns progressively as and when the political situation develops," Woolas said.

But Lord Best told the House of Lords the Home Office’s position on Zimbabwe was at odds with the Foreign Office’s, insisting that political reforms “are not yet sufficiently embedded” in Zimbabwe to guarantee the safety of returnees.

“I detect an inconsistency between the approach of the Home Office and the UK Borders Agency, and that of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development,” he said. “The latter organisations’ approach to Zimbabwe suggests that the political reforms are not yet sufficiently embedded for the Department for International Development to normalise development aid.

“Support is restricted to humanitarian assistance and through channels not susceptible to abuse by Zanu PF. It would seem premature to normalise enforced returns of vulnerable asylum seekers while the political atmosphere remains highly charged and human rights organisations report a resurgence in politically motivated violence.”

He said the Foreign and Commonwealth Office judges that it is not yet time for the European Union to consider lifting sanctions on Zimbabwe. “This would certainly suggest that the Home Office is acting hastily in considering it is time to normalise enforced returns,” he added.

In response, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Office Lord West of Spithead said: “We take seriously the points made by the noble Lord Best on Zimbabwe. The situation there, we believe, is improving under the new, inclusive Government.

“I think that we treat people with respect, so I am not surprised that there are millions, if not billions, of people who would love to be here. However, we need a system that is proportionate in handling the demand.

“We have to remember always, as I have said previously, that each case, even if the person concerned is not meant to be here, is a personal tragedy, and we have to try to deal with it like that. In general, bearing in mind what we have to achieve, I think that the government do that.”

5/11/09 Maputo — Mozambican President Armando Guebuza on Thursday urged the leaders of Zimbabwe's three main political parties "to capitalize on the points that unite you, for the good of the people of Zimbabwe and of our entire region".

He was speaking at the start of a summit of the SADC (Southern African Development Community) troika on politics, defence and security cooperation, called mainly to discuss the latest crisis in Zimbabwe, where Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has pulled his faction of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) out of the government.

The MDC argues that the ruling ZANU-PF, of President Robert Mugabe, is not negotiating in good faith, and has failed to implement key parts of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) of September 2008.

Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, of the minority MDC faction, are attending the summit. The troika currently consists of Mozambique, Swaziland and Zambia - Swaziland is represented by King Mswati III, and Zambia by its Defence Minister Kalombo Mwansa.

Also in attendance is the past chair of SADC, President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, but the current chair, Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is represented by the Congolese ambassador to South Africa.

Guebuza recalled that last month a ministerial delegation from the SADC troika had visited Lesotho and Zimbabwe to learn of "progress in the post-election political dialogue" in the former, and "the stage of implementation of the GPA" in the latter.

"Both in Lesotho and in Zimbabwe we are clearly aware of the existence of divergent points of view", he said, "but we are pleased to know that the parties are doing all in their power to overcome these differences".

"We would like to stress that the challenges are enormous, but they can be overcome", added Guebuza.

He hoped that the summit could obtain from the three Zimbabwean leaders "undertakings to continue working together to overcome the present challenges, always putting, as they have done, the national interest of the country in first place".

Guebuza said that everything should be done "to maintain political stability for the continued inflow of foreign investment needed to continue the relaunching of economic activity".

He was optimistic because the SADC mission to Zimbabwe had found "there are more points of convergence than disagreement".

Guebuza said that Mozambique remains convinced that challenges "can only be effectively resolved through cooperation between our governments and peoples. For us, SADC remains the most appropriate forum for dealing with the challenges affecting our region".

Meeting those challenges would establish the conditions "for successful implementation of joint development programmes to eradicate poverty".

The meeting then went into closed session, with the troika mediators meeting individually with each of the Zimbabwean leaders, before holding a further plenary session.

2009-10-27 13:18 Harare - Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and ministers drawn from his MDC party on Tuesday boycotted a cabinet meeting for the second time in as many weeks, an official said.

"We did not attend a cabinet meeting again today until the outstanding issues have been addressed," said Nelson Chamisa, spokesperson for the Movement for Democratic Change, who is also a cabinet minister.

"Friction has no winners, conflict has no harmony," he added.

However, President Robert Mugabe and ministers from his Zanu-PF party went ahead and met on Tuesday morning, government sources said.

A smaller faction of the MDC led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara also attended the meeting.

Under the unity government accord, Zanu-PF has 15 cabinet ministers, Tsvangirai's MDC has 13 while Mutambara's smaller faction has three.

On Monday, Mugabe and Tsvangirai were "poles apart" on key unity government issues, as the leaders failed to break a deadlock over disagreements on government appointments.

Monday's meeting was the first between the longtime rivals since Tsvangirai shelved ties with what he called Mugabe's "dishonest and unreliable" camp on October 16, sparking a crisis in the fragile, eight-month partnership.

Following the MDC's cutting of ties, Tsvangirai snubbed last week's regular meeting with Mugabe and embarked on a regional tour to appeal for southern African leaders to intervene in the standoff.

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai called off a cabinet meeting Thursday after a magistrate's court detained top aide Roy Bennett ahead of his trial on terrorism charges, officials said.

"The Prime Minister has suspended the council of ministers meeting and any government appointments until the Bennett issue is resolved," an official in the prime minister's office told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Roy Bennett, Tsvangirai's pick as deputy agriculture minister, was sent back to jail to stand trial Monday in a ruling his party said was a serious attack on the credibility of the inclusive government.

The Movement for Democratic Change party treasurer, accused of possessing arms for the purposes of banditry, terrorism and inciting acts of insurgency, had been free on bail since March. He had been arrested on February 13, the day the unity government was sworn in.

His renewed detention has cast fresh clouds on the challenges facing the eight month partnership of Tsvangirai with long-time rival President Robert Mugabe amid claims of a crackdown on MDC supporters and disputes over key posts.

Minister of State in Tsvangirai's office Gorden Moyo told AFP Thursday's cabinet meeting was cancelled as the prime minister had to attend to matters linked to the unity pact but did not give details.

"The council of ministers meeting which was supposed to be held today has been cancelled because the chairman, who is also the PM, had other pressing issues which relate to the global political agreement which he had to personally attend to and address," he said.

Bennett, a feisty white former coffee farmer whose land was expropriated under Mugabe's land reforms, was arrested on his return from South Africa to join Tsvangirai's government.

He had fled to the neighbouring country in 2006 after being implicated in an alleged plot to kill the veteran leader, for which he stands trial on Monday.

"Zanu PF has invented yet another technicality to have him detained without trial on trumped-up charges of banditry and terrorism," the party said in a statement.

"The banditry charges are trumped-up and they poison the letter and spirit of the inclusive government" and the unity deal, it added.

The British National Party has been forced to change its membership rules to allow people of different races and religions to join. In our Tuesday publication: BNP to expel all Zimbabweans a lot of BNP supporters showed their true hatred of all foreign nationals or anyone they consider ethnically not British.This move is therefore a great blow to their nationalist campaign but it might actually make the party appear more legitimate.

The far-right party agreed to change its constitution after the Equality and Human Rights Commission issued County Court proceedings over concerns its membership criteria were restrictive to those within certain ethnic groups.

Robin Allen QC, counsel for the Commission, said party leader Nick Griffin had agreed to present party members with a revised constitution at its general meeting next month.

He added that the party had agreed not to accept any new members until the new constitution was in place.

In an order issued at the Central London County Court, the BNP agreed to use "all reasonable endeavours" to revise its constitution so it does not breach the Equality Bill by discriminating on the grounds of race, gender and religious belief.

John Wadham, of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: "We are pleased the party has conceded this case and agreed to all of the Commission requirements. Political parties, like any other organisation, are obliged to respect the law and not discriminate against people."

He added: "It is unfortunate the BNP spent several months before conceding and dealing properly with our legal requirements.

"We will be monitoring the BNP's compliance with this court order on membership, and its other legal obligations, including to its constituents."

Sept. 15  -- Zimbabwean police yesterday held a farmer and a television news crew at gun point on a farm the Southern African Development Community ruled could not be seized by President Robert Mugabe’s government.

Farmer Ben Freeth had taken an Al Jazeera news crew to Mount Carmel farm in Chegutu, where Freeth works for his father- in-law, he said in a phone interview from Chegutu today. The farm, about 60 miles west of Harare, has been seized by invaders loyal to President Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front party.

Armed policemen dressed in civilian clothes told Freeth and the Al Jazeera crew they weren’t allowed to visit the farm, where invaders allegedly burned down the farm owner’s home on Sept. 2.

“It was anarchy,” Freeth said in a phone interview from Chegutu today. “One of the policemen wielding an FN rifle was bare-chested. The situation was ridiculous.”

Mount Carmel is one of 78 farms the Namibia-based SADC Tribunal ruled should not be taken by Mugabe’s government. Zimbabwe’s Justice Minister and Mugabe ally Patrick Chinamasa said last week the country was not bound by the SADC ruling and that it would continue to seize white-owned farms, the Herald reported.

“The police are now saying they’ve found bombs and an arms cache on the farm,” Freeth said.

Calls to police in Chegutu and Harare weren’t immediately answered when Bloomberg News sought comment today.

Freeth said charges had not been laid against him or the Al Jazeera journalists, though they had been told they could not visit the farm without police permission.

MEDICAL tests carried on the pregnant 14-year-old girl alleged to have been raped by Kwekwe Urban MP Blessing Chebundo revealed that she had sex more than once, a medical doctor testified on Wednesday.

The Kwekwe General Hospital medical practitioner, who cannot be named for professional reasons, under cross examination from defence counsel Advocate Happias Zhou, told a Gweru court that results from the tests showed that the teenage girl had sexual encounters “on a number of occasions."

"I can confirm that the girl came in the company of a police officer for medical examination. The results showed a two, five, seven clock which is consistent with a person who has had sex on a number of occasions," the doctor testified before presiding magistrate William Bhila.

The medical practitioner also said there were no bruises since "they can only be detected immediately" after a rape incident, and the alleged January 5 attack on the teen was not reported to the police until May 13.

The doctor’s testimony was contrary to the testimony of the alleged victim who claimed to have been a virgin before being sexually molested by the MP near the Sebakwe River Bridge along the Harare-Kwekwe highway.

The former Form 2 pupil has dropped out of school due to a pregnancy which the prosecutors are pinning on Chebundo. She is expected to give birth sometime in October.

Advocate Zhou asked the doctor: "Is it possible to carry out paternity tests when the girl is still pregnant?"

The doctor replied that the process involves "extracting fluid from the womb and then carrying DNA tests" on it, but he had reservations if Zimbabwe had the capacity at the moment to carry out such tests "though they can be carried out elsewhere".

Also appearing as a witness was the chief investigating officer, Chief Police Inspector Paul Dheka, who left the court in stitches with his over confidence when he introduced himself as “a chief police officer with 29 years in the service and a little more than 200 days”.

Under cross examination by the lead prosecutor, Emmanuel Muchenga, Inspector Dheka told the court that on May 19, at around 11PM, he received instructions from his “superiors” to investigate a rape case in which the Movement for Democratic Change MP was the accused.

In the company of two other detectives, Inspector Dheka said he proceeded to Harare at around 1PM on May 20 and located Chebundo at parliament building.

Inspector Dheka said Chebundo asked him who the complainant was, “and after I explained to him, he appeared very disturbed by the allegations."

The police officer said they drove from Harare with himself in a car in front and the MP driving behind in his vehicle with two other detectives.
When they reached Selous, the detective said he was "surprised" to discover that Chebundo’s vehicle was now being driven by one Inspector Matibenga and stopped to enquire.

"I was told the accused was now driving dangerously and at one point passed through a red robot (traffic light)," Inspector Dheka said.

Upon reaching Kwekwe Central Police Station, Inspector Dheka said Chebundo asked “if it was possible to withdraw the charges". “I told him it could only be done at the instigation of the complainant,” Inspector Dheka testified.

But Advocate Zhou told the court that Chebundo did not remember Inspector Dheka as one of the detectives who accompanied him from Harare. Chebundo, the lawyer said, had only seen two detectives including Inspector Matibenga.

Advocate Zhou also told the court that when Inspector Dheka visited the scene of the alleged crime on May 21, there were prior visits of which Inspector Dheka said he was not "aware of", adding: “I’m sure they were in line with investigations."

Advocate Zhou shot back: "As Chief Investigator in the case, you state you were not aware of prior visits to the scene by the police, visits made in the absence of the accused. By your admission, no reports were made to you about those visits. I put it to you that the visits were to stage-manage a crime.

"And also in this police diary presented before court, the girl was made to make several statements of which you have denied knowledge of. It looks like everything was happening without your knowledge.”

The trial has been adjourned to October 21 with the defence expected to call more witnesses. The prosecution will also hope to have paternity test results with the girl expected to give birth sometime in October.

Earlier the sister of  the 14-year-old girl who claims she was raped by Kwekwe Urban MP Blessing Chebundo  told a Gweru court she never had a love affair with the politician.

The 21-year-old university student, a former child MP, denied defence claims that she was pursuing a vendetta against married Chebundo after their affair ended when he “discovered that she had several boyfriends”.

Chebundo has also claimed the sister was influencing his eight months pregnant accuser to lay charges at the bidding of unnamed “political adversaries”.

But appearing as a state witness on day two of the trial on Tuesday, the alleged rape victim’s sister said: "I was never in a relationship with Blessing Chebundo, no politician ever visited our home after a report was made to the police. He is building the case in order to evade the rape case."

The sister’s testimony followed a dramatic opening day in court which saw Chebundo’s accuser produce a torn pair of panties which she said she kept following the January 5 attack near the Sebakwe River Bridge.

The teenager said the MP - who allegedly took her virginity - repeatedly threatened her with death if she ever reported the matter to anyone.

She narrated in graphic detail how Chebundo, a senior member of the MDC party led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, forced himself on her and recounted the terror of her violent first sexual encounter.

“I had never had sex before … After raping me, he constantly threatened to kill me if I told any of my family members or the police. I was terrified such that at some point I contemplated suicide, but a (mysterious) voice told me not to do it,” the girl testified.

The teenager said the politician had given her a lift to Harare to see her older sister who was not feeling well. But on their return on the same day, Chebundo stopped his parliament-issued 4x4 vehicle near Sebakwe River along the Harare-Kwekwe highway and branched off the road.

He went over to the passenger side and grabbed her, tore her panties and raped her once, the girl claimed, adding that she fell pregnant as a result of the rape.

The girl is a former Form 2 pupil who has since dropped out of school due to pregnancy.

Chebundo was arrested in Harare while on parliamentary business in May.
On Tuesday, prosecutor Emmanuel Muchenga led the cross-examination of the teenager’s sister who appeared at ease in the dock and occasionally smiled at familiar faces in the courtroom.

The sister, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the alleged rape victim, said Chebundo became known to the family in 2003 – the same year she became a Junior Member of Parliament for Kwekwe.

Under cross examination from lead defence counsel Advocate Happias Zhou -- instructed by Reginald Chidawanyika of Chitere, Chidawanyika and Partners and Michael Jumo of Jumo, Mashoko and Partners -- she confirmed she continued working in the constituency offices with Chebundo in 2007 after her term of office had terminated in 2004.

Asked why she continued to work with the MP and even attending workshops outside Kwekwe when her term of office had expired, she replied that she had "unfinished projects" and no-one had been elected to replace her then.

"The reason why I continued is because I was pursuing unfinished projects. There were also no elections to replace me as junior MP."

When pressed whether she knew any other former child MPs who had attended workshops Chebundo, she said there were several of them but "only recalled Rumbidzai Jambwa."

The defence said the MP had bought the complainant's sister many gifts on several occasions when he travelled outside the country. He also claimed that at one time he sponsored her school trip to Botswana.

"I bought her gifts from South Africa, Senegal, Uganda and Botswana including two mobile phones and sponsored her trip to Botswana in 2008," the MP said in a written defence outline.

But the accuser’s sister denied any gifts came her way, insisting that there was only one occasion when Chebundo bought five boxes of pizza and brought them to university for her daughter, who was her friend. She got one of the pizzas.

"It's not true that he bought me gifts. I only recall once when he came to university visiting his daughter, who was my friend with five boxes of pizza and I got one,” she said.

"As for the trip to Botswana, half of the money I got from ASEC and the other half from my friend Justice. Blessing (Chebundo) was only going to provide the US dollars and my friend Justice would repay him."

When Advocate Zhou asked her how she got a scholarship to study at Wits University in South Africa at the end of June, soon after rape allegations had been brought against the MP, she said she had passed the interview.

"Every year there is an international human rights exchange programme and they come to Zimbabwe to conduct interviews. I was successful in my interviews and that is how I got the scholarship,” she fired back.

Also taking the witness stand was the girls’ father who appeared composed, but looked occasionally irritated.

He said the MP phoned him and sent text messages before sending his lawyer Tapera Sengweni and Kwekwe Mayor, Shadreck Tobaiwa, requesting for an out of court settlement.

"He phoned me and then texted me at 09.30am on the 20th of May on mobile number 0912278*** requesting for an out of court settlement."

The defence team argued that Chebundo – who insists he was not aware of the full nature of the allegations at the time -- sent the text messages believing that the issue pertained to the accuser’s sister.

Advocate Zhou asked the girls’ father: “Did Sengweni and Tobaiwa mention any of your daughters by name?”

Looking very emotional, the girls’ father said the issue of Sengweni and Tobaiwa "was done with at the courts and I see no reason why it should continue being mentioned now."

When pressed further, and after being evasive, he told the court Sengweni and Tobaiwa had specifically stated the issue involved the alleged rape victim.

Tobaiwa and Sengweni were acquitted on August 24 on charges of obstructing the course of justice in the same case over the contact made with the girl’s father. The court ruled then that since no bribe had been offered, the charges could not stick.

The girl’s father also refuted defence claims that he had discussed with Chebundo an incident when he was summoned by the provincial Zanu PF leadership and asked why his daughter was working with a member of the opposition.

"That is not true,” he said. “In fact I went to the Ministry of Youth and Gender to find out how my daughter worked as Child MP. I did not want her to get involved in political affairs since I wanted her to just concentrate on her studies."

CHIADZWA, 26 August 2009  - The militarization of Zimbabwe's diamond fields is still a fact of life, despite a report by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) - an international initiative to stem the flow of conflict diamonds - citing the presence of soldiers as a major concern that could lead to the country's suspension from the global diamond trade.

The KPCS interim report recommending Zimbabwe's six-month suspension from importing and exporting rough diamonds was leaked to the media in July 2009, but the suspension is only expected to be enacted in November 2009 at the annual plenary meeting of the organization in the Namibian capital, Windhoek - although this is not a foregone conclusion.

The interim report called for the "immediate demilitarization of the Marange fields [of which Chiadzwa is part] and a comprehensive investigation of the role of the Zimbabwe National Army, Zimbabwe Republic Police, and other officials in abuses in the Marange diamond operation."

An IRIN correspondent who visited the area this week said access to the Chiadzwa diamond fields, in the eastern province of Manicaland, was blocked by armed soldiers and police, and there were frequent roadblocks in the area.

"Armed soldiers and police details, some mounted on horses and others with vicious dogs, continue to terrorise the villagers. They [the security forces] were on their best behaviour during the KPCS visit, but went on to unleash more terror on local people," a teacher who declined to be identified told IRIN.

The IRIN correspondent was subjected to both vehicle and body searches by security personnel at numerous roadblocks in the province, and saw what appeared to be new earthmoving equipment en route to the diamond fields.

"The situation on the ground [in Chiadzwa] is of great concern," said Annie Dunnebacke, a campaigner for Global Witness, a UK-based NGO that seeks to prevent the use of natural resources to fuel conflict, and a prime mover in setting up the KPCS.

It has been ten months since human rights abuses were exposed in the Chiadzwa diamond fields. "In spite of global attention, evidence of human rights abuses and the facilitation of [diamond] smuggling by the [Zimbabwean] military ... the Kimberley process is hiding behind the excuse of procedure."

Dunnebacke told IRIN that Zimbabwe's disregard for the KPCS was "sending a bad message" that "the international agreement has rules, but no consequences for those that don't follow the rules."
The international agreement has rules, but no consequences for those that don't follow the rules 

Andrew Bone, Director of International Relations at De Beers, told IRIN: "The [diamond] industry is eagerly awaiting the Kimberley Process final report, and just as eagerly the findings and recommendations of it, and that any and all of the recommendations are carried out in a timely fashion."

The KPSC final report on Zimbabwe's diamond trade, although not yet completed, is expected to be presented at the Windhoek plenary meeting, but according to those familiar with the process, the findings in final reports rarely differ from those in interim reports.

The KPCS relies on governments, the diamond industry and concerned NGOs to prevent the trade in conflict diamonds, also known as "blood diamonds", which are often mined with scant regard for the human rights of the miners, and have overwhelmingly been used to fund conflicts, especially in underdeveloped countries.

Politicising the diamond agreement

However, a visit to Zimbabwe by the current KPCS chair, Namibia's Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy, Bernard Esau, under the auspices of the organization but without the consent or prior knowledge of other partners, angered NGOs as well as several governments party to the international agreement.

Esau visited Zimbabwe soon after the KPCS announced it would investigate allegations of human rights abuses in the Chiadzwa diamond fields, which observers said "politicized" the international conflict diamond agreement.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party and Namibia's South West African People's Organisation (SWAPO) government forged close ties during their respective struggles for independence, and their armies fought side by side during a recent conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"Under the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, conflict diamonds are rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance conflict armies at undermining legitimate governments ... There is no armed conflict or any involvement of a rebel army or movement in Zimbabwe; therefore Marange diamonds do not fall within KPCS definition of conflict diamonds," Esau told local media.

Arrests in the wake of the fact finding mission

After publication of the interim report calling for the six-month suspension of Zimbabwe from the world's diamond trade, a local chief in the Chiadzwa diamond fields, who said he had assisted the KPSC fact-finding mission, was arrested.

Chief Newman Chiadzwa was charged with the unlawful possession of 8.61kg of diamonds, under the Precious Stones Trade Act, in the Mutare magistrate's court on 20 August.

According to "investigations" by the Herald, a state-controlled daily newspaper, "Newman Chiadzwa ... is posing as Chief Chiadzwa" and was an "illegal diamond dealer".

The Herald said, "Newman was neither a chief nor a headman of the area in which the diamond fields are situated", and that family members had told the newspaper "he [Newman] was a problem in the family, and was actively working for Zimbabwe's suspension from international diamond trading."

HARARE – Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has finally given in to relentless pressure from major civic society groups leading a defiance campaign against the current constitution-making process driven by Parliament.

The groups, led by the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), want the inclusive government to surrender control of the constitution-making process to independent organisations.

The NCA and two other dissenting organisations are said to have convinced the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader at a no-holds-barred meeting held last weekend he should go back to his colleagues in government and push for the amendment of Article 6 of the Global Political Agreement (GPA), as a condition to their participation.

The controversial clause gives the inclusive government the authority to lead the constitution-making process.

According to the GPA, the role of civic society was only to assist the Parliamentary Select Committee “as may be necessary” to discharge its mandate.

But in an apparent bid to mend his party’s deteriorating relationship with its long-time allies, Tsvangirai requested a meeting with the three organisations at the party’s headquarters last Saturday.

The two other organisations that attended the meeting alongside the NCA were the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and the Zimbabwe National Student Union (ZINASU). The three organisations facilitated the creation of the MDC back in 1999.

The meeting was also attended by Thokozani Khuphe, Tsvangirai’s deputy, secretary general Tendai Biti, Adv Eric Matinenga, Minister of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs in the inclusive government and a handful of other top MDC officials.

Sources privy to the discussions revealed that the three groups told Tsvangirai in no uncertain terms that they were not going to be party to the current constitution-making process for as long as Parliament was driving it.

The three, it is said, also dismissed appeals by the MDC leader who asked them to understand the GPA was “not a perfect solution” to what had become a political paralysis in Zimbabwe.

Tsvangirai also said the GPA was conceived under “subjective” circumstances.

They were also livid over what they view as the MDC’s temerity in discussing and agreeing with President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF, on the clause without first consulting the stakeholders on the issue.

The painstaking negotiations between Zanu-PF and the two MDC parties led by Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, who is now Deputy Prime Minister, were brokered by the SADC and the African Union. The negotiations were conducted in an atmosphere of secrecy.

The outcome was unveiled in a signing ceremony conducted on September 15, 2008, in the presence of some African leaders and members of the diplomatic community.

Over the weekend the NCA, ZCTU and ZINASU are said to have berated Tsvangirai for allegedly abandoning the MDC’s founding principles, which they helped to draft, by agreeing to impose on Zimbabwe a “cease fire” document similar to the current Lancaster House Constitution adopted in 1979.

“We also did not hide our anger with the MDC whose naivety created this needless contest around the Kariba Draft document by appending their signatures to it,” said the source.

Zanu-PF is adamant the constitution-making process should be anchored on the controversial document crafted by MDC and Zanu PF representatives in the resort town of Kariba. The document leaves the President’s excessive powers intact.

The organisations, it was revealed, also said they were angered by the “arrogant” attitude that had been adopted by some MDC politicians who were now allegedly telling their supporters in rural areas to beat up people found wearing the NCA’s “Take Charge” T-shirts.

“Take Charge” is the slogan adopted by the NCA in its campaign against the government controlled process.

The source said some delegates at the meeting even protested that Tsvangirai now suddenly had a favourable disposition towards those civic groups that proposed last year that he should step aside and allow Simba Makoni to become leader of what would then have become an opposition coalition of the two MDC parties and other opposition parties to contest the elections against Mugabe under one umbrella.

Makoni, now leader of the opposition Mavambo/Kusile party, had just broken away from Zanu-PF to challenge Mugabe and Tsvangirai in the March 29, 2008 Presidential elections. His performance was dismal.

At a civic society convention to craft the People’s Charter in February last year, the NCA, ZCTU and ZINASU, it is said, were among the organisations that campaigned strongly against Makoni’s imposition.

During the weekend meeting, Tsvangirai is said to have agreed to approach his fellow principals in the GPA to propose an amendment to Article 6.

This, it is said, would allow for the creation of a constitutional commission that would completely be independent of government influence. Tsvangirai’s will be an uphill task, considering President Mugabe’s known intransigence in matters that threaten his hold on power.

MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa refused to discuss the subject.

“I do not know what you are talking about,” he said.

But ZCTU secretary general, Wellington Chibhebhe, NCA spokesperson, Maddock Chivasa and ZINASU president, Clever Bere, each confirmed they had participated in “fruitful discussions” with the MDC leader.

For up to six months now, the MDC has been battling to apply pressure on Mugabe to desist from blocking the full implementation of crucial reforms as provided for in the GPA.

Mugabe is adamant that the MDC acts under pressure from hostile Western governments, which he accuses of sponsoring the party to facilitate a regime change agenda against his controversial rule.

By giving in, Mugabe says he would have compromised “the revolution”, now a euphemism for his relentless and vice-like grip on power.

Zanu-PF unequivocally stated its position last week. The party’s deputy information secretary declared that Zanu-PF would not make any further concessions on the GPA unless the MDC started to campaign for the removal of Western imposed sanctions.

Harare - Zimbabwe's gradual recovery from economic collapse was marked on Monday with the return to the country's banking system of one of the rest of the world's most basic business instruments - the cheque.

The Bankers' Association of Zimbabwe said in a statement that local commercial banks would start with immediate effect to issue their customers with chequebooks, for the first time in over a year. Until now, business has been almost exclusively with foreign cash.

Economic chaos brought about by President Robert Mugabes reckless policies of rigid price controls and printing of vast quantities of banknotes, reached its worst point early this year with inflation hitting 50 billion per cent and the national currency, the Zimbabwe dollar, plummeting to a sextillionth of a US dollar.

Bank transactions ground almost to a complete halt, except for sporadic issues of the Zimbabwe dollar, while business was conducted nearly exclusively in cash black market deals with the US dollar.

Electronic transfers

As the value of the Zimbabwe dollar fell drastically over single days, payment by cheque - taking several days to clear - became pointless. Even same-day electronic transfers were stopped because of sharp falls in the Zimdollar's value between morning and afternoon.

The crisis was dramatically halted after the inauguration in February of a power-sharing government between Mugabes Zanu (PF) party and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirais Movement for Democratic Change.

The MDC took over the finance ministry and immediately abolished the Zimbabwe dollar and established the US dollar and the South African rand as official legal tender. Inflation is now about 3%.

Commercial banks closed clients' Zimbabwe dollar accounts and allowed them to open fresh accounts in hard currencies.

Severe shortage of cash

However, business executives say the return to banking normality has been slow, because of a critical shortage of US dollar and rand cash, and because Zimbabweans' reluctance to put money in foreign currency-denominated accounts.

This followed a scandal last year when it emerged that the central bank, controlled a Mugabe crony, had stolen hundreds of millions of US dollars out of foreign currency accounts to prop up Mugabe's bankrupt regime.

In a reflection of the severe shortage of cash, the Bankers' Association said chequebooks would be denominated in US dollars, but that personal account holders could issue cheques up to a maximum of only 200 US dollars, while companies could write them up to 500. The limits would be reviewed from time to time, it said.

Meanwhile Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono has proposed the re-introduction of the Zimbabwe dollar anchored on gold valued by an independent body.

The Zimbabwe dollar is officially dead, having been killed off in hopes of curbing record world inflation of billions of percentage points. It was replaced with the United States dollar and the South African rand.

But Zimbabwe has not formally dolarised or randified the economy.
Gono, whose policy of printing money to fund social services and government spending was blamed for fuelling inflation, told MPs on Monday that the unavailability of change of small denominations and coins will persist until the local currency was revived.

"Nobody can move me from that conviction,” Gono told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Natural Resources, Hospitality and Tourism. “We anchor our Zim dollar to the gold available. It will not only be RBZ, but all stakeholders.

“A certificate will then be issued to the RBZ on the amount of Zim dollar to be printed after the committee has satisfied itself on the value of the gold.

"You can also redeem your Zim dollar in return for an ounce of gold. Say, if you want to keep gold not cash, you can go to your bank and get an equivalent of ounces of gold to the Zim dollar you have, so we will be backing our money with reality on the ground. Such an approach is not inflationary because you are anchoring your money on productivity.

"We can even print gold coins. The Zim dollar can then gain as it is anchored on gold. We need to think outside the box.”

The fate of the Zimbabwe dollar has become a contested political issue, with President Robert Mugabe and Gono leading the calls for the currency to be put back in circulation as legal tender.

Mugabe complains that most Zimbabweans lack the hard currency needed to buy basic goods.

But Finance Minister Tendai Biti, who joined the government as part of a power-sharing agreement between his Movement for Democratic Change and Mugabe's Zanu PF party, has declared the local dollar indefinitely obsolete.

He has threatened to quit if a return to the local currency is forced upon him.

"We are putting the tombstone on the corpse of the Zimbabwe dollar," Biti told lawmakers in a midyear fiscal policy statement. And in another speech to business leaders, he said, "We are no longer printing our own money."

Zimbabwe Soldiers Harass Villagers       
Plumtree - August 12 2009 - Villagers in Tshitshi area in Plumtree have accused soldiers and members of the police Support Unit based at an army base in the area of harassing them for voting for the opposition MDC during the previous elections despite denials by President Robert Mugabe on Tuesday that army members have never been involved in political violence.

Mugabe rejected accusations that soldiers had committed abuses, either during last year's campaign and voting or more recently under the unity government. He lauded the military for keeping law and order.

"Allegations of gross abuses of human rights or failure to respect good governance have provided fodder for the West and its media," said Mugabe at a ceremony to honour the defence forces.

The soldiers and police who are based at Matsiloji, the boarder between Zimbabwe and Botswana have been causing havoc in the area since June last year.

“During the run up to last year’s elections the soldiers and the Support Unit set up a mini base at Tshitshi which was used to torture suspected opposition supporters. The base has not been dismantled since that time and the soldiers are still harassing us,” said Mavis Ncube, the councilor for the area.

The soldiers have also been accused of harassing workers for non governmental organizations operating in the area whom they blame for Zanu PF ‘s defeat during the elections.

One of the relief organizations which operates in the area has already launched a formal complaint with the police in Bulawayo.

“We have already approached the officer Commanding Support Unit in Bulawayo who has promised to address our concerns. During the meeting we all agreed that the base should be now dismantled since it has ‘served its purpose” said an official of the organisation, who refused to be named for fear of victimization.

Last week the soldiers disrupted a meeting organized by a local non governmental organizations operating in the area.

“We were having a meeting with community leaders at St Francis secondary school when the soldiers who were apparently drunk stormed into the meeting and demanded to be included in the programme. This people have really become a problem here,” said a worker of another non governmental organization who also refused to be named for fear of victimization.

The soldiers have also been accused of impregnating school children in the area.

The soldiers have been accused of confiscating boarder jumpers goods and exchanging the items with goats and chickens with the local villagers.

“The fact is that most of our husbands and relatives work in Botswana. They occasionally bring us groceries and other things. It is when they are bringing those groceries that they are raided by the soldiers. In most cases most of the people have evidence to prove that they applied for their passports.

Besides that we have got lots of relative across,” said Jane Ndlovu.

When reached for a comment an army officer working in the army’s Public Relations Department who only identified himself as Captain Tsatse said “We have not received any of the reports which you are talking. What I know is that we have soldiers in Plumtree who are guarding our boarder with Botswana.” 

Nairobi - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday said she planned to push South Africa to do more to counter what she called the "negative effects" of President Robert Mugabe on the reform process in Zimbabwe.

Mugabe's Zanu-PF and Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) struck a deal in February to share power for the first time, but the MDC accuses Mugabe of not fulfilling his end of the bargain.

"I intend to speak not only with President Zuma but other members of his government about what more ... can be done to strengthen the reform movement inside Zimbabwe ... and try to use its (South Africa's) influence to mitigate against the negative effects of the continuing presidency of President Mugabe," Clinton told journalists in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

New South African President Jacob Zuma recently pledged to intercede with Mugabe to resolve the power-sharing issues, but the US wants to see stronger action.

Mugabe and his party were beaten in largely peaceful elections in March last year but then launched a bloody campaign for the run-off presidential vote in which about 200 MDC supporters were murdered.

He was declared the winner after Tsvangirai withdrew over the violence.

Clinton was speaking on the second full day of an 11-day tour of Africa. She plans to travel to South Africa later on Thursday.

She also is expected to visit Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Liberia and Cape Verde.

HARARE  - Zimbabwe's central bank has allowed foreign exchange bureaux to resume full operations as part of reforms aimed at reviving the battered economy, the bank said on Friday.

In a mid-year monetary policy review, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono said the bureaux, which have in the last seven years served as money transfer agencies for Zimbabweans working abroad, could now buy and sell foreign currency to the public.

In January, President Robert Mugabe's government lifted a ban on the use of foreign currency to stem hyperinflation that had rendered the Zimbabwe dollar almost worthless.

The move left Zimbabwe without an interbank market and reduced the central bank to a simple supervisory role as it lacked foreign currency reserves to be the banker of last resort.

"The adopted multi-currency system, together with the liberalisation of exchange restrictions on the current account means that the public is free to transact and deal in foreign currency," Gono said in the review published on Friday.

"This new development makes it possible for the extension of bureaux de change business to include selling of foreign exchange to individuals, using international cross-rates."

Gono -- whose re-appointment to serve a second five-year term as governor is being fought by Mugabe's arch-rival, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai -- said he supported plans to re-introduce Zimbabwe's own currency only when the local economy recovers.

"We will continue to carefully gauge the overall performance of the economy to inform us on the appropriate decisions or courses of actions to take, in close collaboration with our principals in the inclusive government," he said.

The unity government formed by Mugabe and Tsvangirai says it needs about $10 billion in foreign aid to help repair an economy which last year saw inflation surge to over 500 billion percent, according to the IMF.

But many international donors say they will only give massive support when the new administration implements radical reforms, including firm commitment to private property rights.

Many Western countries imposed sanctions on Mugabe's ZANU-PF government over charges of human rights abuses, vote-rigging and its seizures of white-owned commercial farms for redistribution to blacks without paying compensation.

Mugabe, 85, and in power since independence from Britain in 1980, says Zimbabwe's once-prosperous economy has been wrecked by sanctions and his land policy is aimed at correcting colonial injustices.

Zimbabwe Governing Parties In Compromise On Kariba Constitutional Draft  

The Zimbabwean politicians who negotiated the Global Political Agreement that underpins the country's national unity government have agreed to use the so-called Kariba draft as a key reference point for the new constitution the country recently began drafting.

A declaration signed by all but one of the negotiators says the select parliamentary committee charged with revising the constitution will present the Kariba draft to the Zimbabwean people and consult them on which aspects of it they approve or disapprove.

The declaration reached late last week appeared to reflect a compromise between President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, which was insisting the 1007 Kariba draft it formulated with both groupings of the Movement for Democratic Change be the basis for the constitution, and the MDC which was saying the Kariba draft should have no special status.

Economic Planning Minister Elton Mangoma, who is also deputy treasurer of the MDC formation led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, told reporter Patience Rusere of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that the Kariba draft won't be forced on the people.

Elsewhere, the leadership of the Zimbabwe National Students Union has split over whether to support the official revision process directed by the parliamentary select committee, or to throw in its lot with the National Constitutional Assembly, which rejects that process.

HARARE, 27 July 2009 - Families are turning on each other in Zimbabwe's rural areas, where a higher premium is being placed on political allegiance to either President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party or Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), than ties of blood.

Ebba Katiyo, a middle-aged MDC supporter Uzumba, a village in Mashonaland East Province, told IRIN while convalescing after a beating ordered by her uncle because of her MDC membership that relatives were turning on each other over party loyalties.

"My uncle, who is the village head and a ZANU-PF official, summoned me [on 12 July 2009] to a public meeting where he berated me for continuing to be an MDC supporter," she said.

"After he publicly humiliated me, he ordered some youth militia [established by ZANU-PF and often accused of political intimidation and thuggery] to beat me up - they used sticks, their feet and clenched fists to beat me all over my body."

A few days later the same youth militia accosted her and again assaulted her, leaving her for dead. She was discovered by friends and brought to the capital, Harare, for medical treatment.

Mugabe declared three "peace days" from 24 to 26 July "to observe the prevailing peace, [and] promote the ideals of national healing and reconciliation", but in the rural provinces of Mashonaland West, East and Central, Masvingo and Manicaland - once ZANU-PF strongholds - supporting the MDC still carries the risk of a beating.

Morgan Komichi, a senior MDC official involved in rural organization, told IRIN that ZANU-PF violence was increasing as the party went about shoring up its support ahead of the elections expected to take place once a new constitution has been agreed.

Machinery of violence

"What is happening is that ZANU-PF is rolling out its machinery of violence in order to intimidate the population ahead of the constitution making-process; it is a constitutional battle," Komichi said.

"Mugabe has said he wants the new constitution to be based on a draft ... crafted during the inter-party negotiations [which led to the formation of the unity government], while the MDC is for a people-driven process," he commented.

The reports of violence that we are receiving at our offices are extremely shocking and barbaric. MDC supporters are being axed, while in some instances members of the military are viciously assaulting our members 
"The reports of violence that we are receiving at our offices are extremely shocking and barbaric. MDC supporters are being axed, while in some instances members of the military are viciously assaulting our members. ZANU-PF is now actively pushing the agenda of national healing so that perpetrators of violence find an escape, so that they don't [have to] account for their actions."

Komichi said the violence would end if Mugabe explicitly told his supporters to refrain from it. Mugabe acknowledged the existence of political violence at a ceremony to observe the peace days in Harare, but placed no blame on his own supporters.

"There are still reported cases of political violence, and this must stop. Let us move among the people, promoting the values and practices of tolerance, respect, non-violence and dialogue as a sustainable means of resolving political differences."

Tsvangirai said there was a need for justice before national healing and cohesion could occur. "We must look back resolutely to the pre-independence era, the post-independence Matabeleland massacres, and the more recent political violence that has torn at the fabric of our society."

Zimbabweans fought a protracted war of independence against the white minority government in the then Rhodesia, which brought independence in 1980. Two years later, President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF government launched Operation Gukurahundi - in the Shona language, "the early rain that washes away the chaff before the spring rains" - in which more than 20,000 people were killed in the provinces of Matabeleland North and South.

Rural teachers fear ZANU-PF militia

Political violence has become a feature of ZANU-PF's power struggle against the MDC since 2000, especially during election periods.

Raymond Majongwe, secretary-general of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), told IRIN that since the emergence of militia groups, teachers in rural areas feared for their security.

"Teachers are apprehensive about the appointment of former soldiers in high-ranking posts at the ministry of education - the government's motivation in this regard is very much unclear. There are youth militias who are intimidating teachers, pupils and  parents in the countryside," he said.
Teachers are apprehensive about the appointment of former soldiers in high-ranking posts at the ministry of education - the government's motivation in this regard is very much unclear 

ZANU-PF youth militia had become part and parcel of everyday school activities. "The presence of youth militias in schools has been done through several strategies, with one of them being to demand offices from schools around the country, which are manned by what are called 'youth coordinators' without permission from the ministry of education," he said.

"Some youths are instructing schools to appoint some school children as councillors. These councillors are supposed to inform the youth militia about any problems that develop at schools."

Majongwe said he was disturbed by reports that some centres were running history clubs for children. "Who would be worried if they were running mathematics or science clubs? Why history? Whose history?"

Fuel shortages have become widespread again in Zimbabwe amid official moves to pull back on issunce of import licenses to new operators, leaving the National Oil Company of Zimbabwe with a an effective monopoly again in the sector, sources said.
VOA was unable to reach Energy Minister Elias Mudzuri of the Movement for Democratic Change formation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for comment.

But sources familiar with the energy sector said a decision was taken three months ago by the government and industry players to concentrate financial resources to bring fuel in at a more competitive price with NOCZIM as the conduit for most fuel imports.

But this has led to a shortage as NOCZIM has been unable to reliably come up with the hard currency cash payments demanded by regional suppliers, business sources said.

Meanwhile the price of petrol has soared from 55 U.S. cents to US$1.55 on the back of the worsening shortages, aggravated by a strengthening South African rand.

Economist and consultant Luxon Zembe told our reporter that this latest round of price increases puts additional strain on businesses which are struggling to recover from the country's near-total economic meltdown.

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 said 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.

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. From Johannesburg, human rights lawyer Dewa Mavhinga told reporter Blessing Zulu of VOA’s Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that the principals must resolve the issues which continue to jeopardize the longevity of the unity government.

Food is more readily available in Zimbabwe due to a significantly improved 2009 harvest and liberalization of the marketplace, but many Zimbabweans are still finding it hard to meet their nutritional needs, according to two United Nations agencies focused on food.

The World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization report said a harvest of 1.4 million tonnes of maize this year, more than twice the size of last year harvest, has helped make basic food more widely available in the country.

Zimbabwe's adoption of hard currencies early this year has also helped increase food supplies - though the benefits of increased imports have not extended to many in rural areas.

The U.N. agencies said 2.8 million Zimbabweans risk facing hunger in the year ahead.

The WFP and FAO have urged the government and the international community to provide Zimbabwean farmers with inputs such as seed and fertilizer ahead of the next rainy season.

WFP spokesman Peter Smerdon told reporter Sandra Nyaira of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that although maize production surged, the outlook for winter wheat is poor.

Agricultural consultant Roger Mpande said the farm production picture has improved, but much more needs to be done by the government and other stakeholders.

JOHANNESBURG, 23 June 2009 - The special permit for Zimbabwean migrants, announced by the South African government, is being put on hold pending a review of the decision by cabinet.

The outgoing home affairs minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula announced in April 2009 that Zimbabwean migrants would be eligible for a special permit allowing them to stay legally in South Africa for six months.

NGOs concerned with migration and human rights greeted the move as a progressive and necessary step to effectively manage the estimated more than three million Zimbabweans who have travelled to South Africa to escape their country's economic collapse.

Chairperson of the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA), Kaajal Ramjathan-Keogh, told IRIN: "The special permits have never been available. Home affairs issued some kind of document indicating they would be available, but they have not been."

Home Affairs Deputy Minister Malusi Gigaba said at the time, "We have taken an important decision, which acknowledges that migration patterns between South Africa and Zimbabwe have probably changed permanently."

Home Affairs director-general of Immigration Services, Jackie MacKay, told local media: "The permit confers on them [Zimbabwean migrants] the right to stay in South Africa for a period of six months, it confers on them the right to schooling or education, it confers on them the right to work and access to basic health care."

But after South Africa's general election on 22 April, the new president, Jacob Zuma, appointed former foreign affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to the home affairs portfolio and the much heralded special permit system for Zimbabweans came under review.

Home Affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa told IRIN: "The [home affairs] minister wanted cabinet to be briefed about the matter, about the scope and implications of that decision [to grant special permits to Zimbabweans], and we'll take it from there."

CoRMSA's Ramjathan-Keogh commented that regardless of whether the special permit was approved or not, Zimbabweans would continue to come to South Africa and work, "legally or illegally".

An international aid worker based in the South African border town of Musina, told IRIN that around 350 Zimbabweans a day were applying for an asylum seeker's permit, and adequate shelter for the migrants was an ongoing problem.

Substantively restricting migration is neither possible nor is it a solution. Migration is not a threat to South Africans' economic or physical security; managed properly, it can lead to investment, job creation, and a more productive economy 
The aid worker said "there was not a firm 'no' yet" [from Home Affairs on issuing special permits to Zimbabwe migrants]. More than 90 percent of applications for asylum seeker permits were turned down, and all they did was "clog" the system and delay "genuine" applications.

Most Zimbabweans are seen as economic migrants; in line with the Southern African Development Community's immigration policies, South Africa has granted Zimbabweans a free 90-day visa on demand. However, Zimbabwean travel documents are difficult to obtain and very expensive.

"We will find no answers to South Africa’s problems by halting migration," CoRMSA said in a report released in June 2009: Protecting Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Immigrants in South Africa.

"Substantively restricting migration is neither possible nor is it a solution. Migration is not a threat to South Africans' economic or physical security; managed properly, it can lead to investment, job creation, and a more productive economy."

Zimbabwe's High Court rules in favor of journalists and labels a state media commission responsible for accrediting journalists as illegal.

The court said on Friday that the commission had no legal authority as its term expired in January 2008, a lawyer for a journalists' lobby group said after the court ruling.

Four freelance reporters - Stanley Gam, Valentine Maponga, Stanley Kwenda and Jealous Mawarire - sued Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai after he barred them from covering the weekend trade bloc summit of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), held in the resort town of Victoria Falls.

"Applicants are hereby allowed, upon being registered with the COMESA summit secretariat, to cover the event without the need to produce an accreditation card from the media and information commission," said Judge Bharat Patel.

The judge added that accreditation carried out by MIC from January 2008 was invalid.

In 2002, President Robert Mugabe's government passed the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act that compels journalists and media organizations to register with a government-appointed media commission.

Critics say Mugabe has used the media laws to muzzle his opponents.

In April, Mugabe's Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told the state-run Herald newspaper that the new government was looking at relaxing the stringent media laws.

A new body was supposed to be appointed by the unity government. But a power-sharing pact signed last year by Mugabe and Tsvangirai, which led to the formation of the unity government in February, is yet to be fully implemented.

Students from the University of Zimbabwe have been excluded from classes due to a lack of funds.

Many of the students have been away from lectures for many months with the country's oldest institution of higher learning on the verge of failing. Many of the people in government went to the university which was established in the early 1950’s.

The university has suffered greatly, with infrastructure in disrepair and food or running water for attendants. Lecturer salaries have also dried up because only about 1,000 of the university's 12,000 students have paid fees.

In the past, the government paid late student fees but this year insolvency has ensured the policy will not continue.

The odours of death and decay are gone from the corridors of Zimbabwe's biggest hospital, replaced by the smells of medicines and food for the patients who are once again coming for treatment.

Nowhere is the change in Zimbabwe more evident than in the hospitals that just months ago failed so woefully to cope with a cholera epidemic that killed more than 4,000 people.

Since a new power-sharing government between President Robert Mugabe and old rival Morgan Tsvangirai started work in February, doctors and nurses are being paid again and have returned to Harare's Parirenyatwa General Hospital.

UNICEF has been helping to pay allowances to some doctors and nurses while the government is now paying them $100 a month like other state employees.

Zimbabwe's stocks of drugs have risen from 10 percent of what they should be to 42 percent and are set to reach 60 percent in August, according to the Health Ministry.

"Things seem a bit better compared to when I was here in January but drugs are still short," said Emelda Mwaera, 61 and diabetic, as she was wheeled by a nurse from the hospital to a car.

In December, she lost her youngest son to cholera because nobody could care for him at a clinic in Budiriro township.

But despite the evident improvements in the hospitals, Zimbabwe's full recovery from a decade of decline will take much longer and there is no sign yet of the big inflows of money needed from Western donors who demand greater reform.

Even in the health sector, Zimbabwe is far from being able to provide the care it once did, not least because many doctors and nurses were among the estimated three million Zimbabweans -- a quarter of the population -- who have fled in search of work.

"If this was a patient you could say he has regained consciousness after a long coma but it will be some time before he takes the first step," said one junior doctor who gave his name only as Bright.Teachers are also reporting for work after the government exempted their children from fees. Prices have stabilised after authorities allowed use of multiple currencies and shops have basic goods again. Councils have started rubbish collections.

But there are less promising signs too. The biggest university is shut because it has no water and students cannot afford the fees, many Zimbabweans struggle to pay for the newly available goods, and health experts fear disease could spread again.

WEST STILL WAITING

The government is trying to raise billions of dollars from Western donors and last week launched a 100-day plan meant to restore the economy and set targets on political and economic reforms.But Western donors are yet to be convinced. The World Bank has said it will provide $22 million, although not through the government. The United States also emphasised that it was not ready to restart aid to the government for now.

"I want to be sure that any aid that comes from an American perspective gets through to the people," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told South African television.The power-sharing government has still fared far better than many pundits had expected given the depth of bitterness between Tsvangirai and Mugabe. Tsvangirai said on Thursday that only two areas of disagreement remained within the government -- the posts of central bank governor and attorney general.

While journalists, human rights and opposition activists are still being arrested, political tension has eased.

"There is a melting away of the fear that had become omnipresent in Zimbabwe's political environment," said political analyst Eldred Masunungure.

African institutions are making available more than $1 billion to revive closed industries. Gold producers are re-starting shut mines, tempted by the more conducive political environment and strong prices.The government is targeting 6 percent growth in 2009 after years of decline.

But the danger for the coalition remains that the more it raises expectations, the more it will be expected to deliver.State employees are already demanding salary hikes from their $100 monthly allowance to $460, saying that meets the basic needs of an average family of five. Strikes would not augur well for the government.

"What the masses want are tangible things like functioning schools, hospitals, good roads and good prices for their produce and jobs. So far it has tried and I will give it a marginal pass," Eldred Masunungure, a leading political analyst said.

"But the government will stand or fall on delivery."

REVIVAL: Dumiso Dabengwa addresses ZAPU congress in Bulawayo on Saturday, May 16, 2009
A CONGRESS of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) on Saturday officially completed the pull-out from a 1987 unity accord with Zanu PF, while retaining Dumiso Dabengwa as the interim leader.

ZAPU gave up its name in the pact with the Zimbabwe African National Union to form the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front.

Senior ZAPU figures, led by Dabengwa, announced in September last year that they were pulling out of the agreement because the party’s supporters “had suffered a lot of disadvantages since we went into that unity accord… a lot of ideas that we had when we fought for the independence of this country have not been realised.”

The congress, attended by delegates from the country's 10 provinces, South Africa and Botswana resolved that former ZAPU members who choose to remain in Zanu PF cease to represent the interests of ZAPU.

Dabengwa said: “The re-emergence of ZAPU and its extrication from the unity accord of 1987 is informed by the noble agenda which seeks to renew the Zimbabwe dream through rebuilding infrastructure, providing economic stewardship, building democratic institutions and respect for the rule of law, devolution of power, human rights and civil liberties.”

He said ZAPU would restore “respectable nationhood” where the people were “the pivot around which proper, able and accountable leadership is elected”.

President Robert Mugabe has reacted with fury to the ZAPU pull-out, insisting that the accord is still intact and seeking to cast Dabengwa as a disgruntled rebel.

Dabengwa said the main driver of the decision to join ranks with Mugabe’s party was a desire to end a five-year brutal crackdown on ZAPU supporters and its leader Joshua Nkomo by a special army unit set up by Mugabe which is blamed for over 20,000 civilian deaths.

The revived party is set to collide with Mugabe’s party after resolving to reclaim its properties confiscated by the government.

Meanwhile, prominent Bulawayo lawyer Steven Nkiwane will lead a committee to draw up a new constitution for the party.

SUPPORT: ZAPU supporters at the party's first congress after the pull-out from Zanu PF

Leaders of the revived ZAPU have been sensitive to accusations the party is a tribal outfit, and Dabengwa said there would be no room for tribalists.

Canciwell Nziramasanga, his deputy in the interim leadership, called for “vigorous national mobilisation” and the establishment of structures across the country.

The congress ran under the theme "Restoring the Nation for a Better Future for All".

The Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, The Right Honourable Morgan Tsvangirai, Launches the Government’s 100 Day Plan, Harare International Conference Centre, May 13th 2009:

Vice President Mujuru, Deputy Prime Minister Mutambara, Deputy Prime Minister Khupe, Honourable Ministers and Members of Parliament, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Government Officials, Invited Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen;

I would like to welcome you to this historic launch of the new Government’s 100 Day Plan. This Plan will provide the blue print for the implementation of key sector reforms and the initiation of essential development and rehabilitation programmes.

The first 100 Days of this Government represented the process of formulation and consolidation. Today with the launch of this Government’s commitment to the next 100 Days, we move into the sphere of implementation.

More importantly , this 100 Day Plan has the potential to change the culture of Governance in Zimbabwe as it represents a Ministerial commitment to delivery to the Zimbabwean people to which they will be able to hold individual ministers, and the government as a whole, accountable.

Indeed, accountability is the cornerstone of any democracy and this Government will not shy away from its responsibilities as defined by the GPA.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am particularly proud of the work that has gone into developing this plan as it represents the first concrete example of what can be achieved if the various signatories to the GPA are committed to working together for the betterment of our nation.

I would like to express my gratitude to the World Bank for sharing our vision and for supporting the development of the 100 Day Plan. It was through their support, that we were able to take all our ministers and the acting permanent secretaries to Victoria Falls to develop this implementation agenda.

We went to this remote location to build a sense of team work, mutual respect and cooperation amongst colleagues and associates who yesterday were bitter political adversaries.

During the course of the retreat, we formulated an agreed vision for the way forward and a detailed plan of how to get there which is what we are presenting to you today.

This implementation plan is based on the commitments contained in the GPA and the vision provided by the Short Term Emergency Recovery Plan (STERP) which was launched in March of this year.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the development of this 100 Day Plan was undertaken by myself as Prime Minister and executed through my office in line with my mandate and responsibilities under the GPA. Indeed, it is important that we recognise the key role played by this agreement in the development of the Plan.

It is from the GPA and the Constitution of Zimbabwe that every member of Government derives his or her mandate. Its clarity on the structure of the inclusive government and the roles of the individuals and institutions within it should allow the machinery of governance to run smoothly during this transitional period.

The GPA states that, the Executive Authority of the Inclusive Government shall vest in, and be shared among the President, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, as provided for in this Constitution and legislation.

Within the agreement, the authority and responsibility of the Prime Minister includes but is not limited to;

* Chairing the Council of Ministers and is the Deputy Chairperson of Cabinet;
    * Exercising executive authority;
    * Overseeing the formulation of government policies by the Cabinet;
    * Ensuring that the policies so formulated are implemented by the entirety of government;
    * Ensuring that the Ministers develop appropriate implementation plans to give effect to the policies decided by Cabinet: in this regard, the Ministers will report to the Prime Minister on all issues relating to the implementation of such policies and plans;
    * Ensuring that the legislation necessary to enable the government to carry out its functions is in place: in this regard, he/ she shall have the responsibility to discharge the functions of the Leader of Government Business in Parliament;
    * Being a member of the National Security Council;
    * Reporting regularly to the President and Parliament.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am aware of, and I accept the responsibilities placed upon myself and my Office to ensure the formulation of all relevant policies and their efficient and effective implementation.

I am also aware that, while it is vitally important to have a coherent plan to guide our policy development and implementation, it is as important that the will exists to ensure that such a plan, once developed, is implemented.

Sadly, there appears to be a reluctance by residual elements from the old government to obstruct and frustrate the successful implementation of the GPA. This attitude, should it continue, will limit the effective implementation of the 100 Day Plan and subsequently impact negatively on our ability to make a positive difference to the lives of all Zimbabweans.

What continues to plague Zimbabwe can be best described as a reluctance to accept the reality of the changes taking place within the country.

This residual resistance represents an unwillingness to accept the fact that the new political dispensation is not only irreversible, but also offers the country the only viable way forward.

The continued violations of the rule of law and the GPA prevent the inflows of development aid, obstructing a progressive legislative agenda and risk keeping Zimbabwe mired in poverty and the fear of persecution.

Ladies and Gentlemen as different political parties, it is natural that we have different political agendas. However, as co-signatories to the GPA, we should be united by our agenda of Governance and of delivering essential services to the people while simultaneously promoting their freedoms.

Such is the clarity of the GPA and the Constitution, that if there was truly a political will to abide by their letter and spirit, these issues could be resolved immediately. In doing so, we would prove to the international community that we are genuine and serious about restoring Zimbabwe to its rightful place in the family of nations.

The reality of the situation is that we must deliver more to the people and more quickly. The citizens of this great nation have been steadfast and resolute in allowing this new Government the opportunity to prove its worth. The members of the civil service have allowed us to introduce an interim allowance in lieu of salaries. While this allowance is more than their previous salaries, it falls short of what their counterparts in the region receive.

The Government is aware of this, and is grateful for their support and patience. However, there is a limit to the progress that we can make while the GPA is not fully implemented and while the rule of law continues to be violated. Those individuals that continue to undertake these actions are in effect stealing from every Zimbabwean.

Ladies and Gentlemen, once we embrace this need for mutual cooperation to drive our nation forward, we can then concentrate on the business of Government, delivering services to the people and driving the legislative agenda.

The next 100 Days of this Government are vital to proving our commitment to restoring Zimbabwe to its proud place in the international family of nations.

I know that the vast majority of Ministers, Government officials and members of the civil service are committed to rebuilding our country and are committed to implementing fully the 100 Day Plan.

I acknowledge that resources are scarce, but all Ministers involved should be aware that there are many projects and policies that can have a positive effect on people’s lives and which can be introduced at little or no cost.

I invite all stakeholders and representatives of Civil Society to work with us to ensure the successful implementation of all the targets identified in the plan.

I thank the international community and donor organizations for the support they have afforded our country and for their continued commitment to working with the Government and all stakeholders to deliver to the people the Zimbabwe our liberation heroes fought for.

Despite the challenges we have faced in the first three months of this new political dispensation, the GPA still represents the only viable way forward for this country,. Indeed, the positive impact that we have had on the lives of the people, in a relatively short timeframe, justify the purpose and role of the GPA in providing a stable framework within which we can take our country forward.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I call upon each member of our new Government and every citizen of Zimbabwe to join me in putting the interests of our nation and our people first – to join me in choosing progress and prosperity over poverty and persecution. There is no viable alternative for our country, our people or ourselves.

I believe in a future for Zimbabwe that puts the welfare of its citizens first, where development leads to growth, which in turn leads to prosperity for all.

Let us work together to make the next 100 Days a tribute to our ability to unite, to implement the necessary legislative reforms and to initiate the programmes of rebuilding our beautiful Zimbabwe that the people demand and deserve.

I thank you.

Last week ahead of meeting Thursday that week between the inclusive govt. principles, Prime Minister Tsvangirai put it forth that he had given President Robert Mugabe an ultimatum to resolve GNU/GPA outstanding issues, or else.

Thursday came. The three principles, Tsvangirai, Mutambara and Mugabe met. And as have been widely expected, nothing came off of the meeting. Inclusive govt. officials at that time then told the media that the crucial meeting had been postponed to next week, Tuesday.

Yesterday was Tuesday, and the three principles met. Again, nothing came out that meeting.

The Tuesday meeting was expected to see the three principles agree on revoking Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) boss Gideon Gono's tenure and that of Johannes Tomana, the Attorney-General, the two men whom Mugabe appointed in contravention of the GPA.

In addition, the three men were to deal with outstanding issues like the appointment of ministerial permanent secretaries, provincial governors, and foreign envoys; Nelson Chamisa's loss of powers, Roy Bennett's swearing in, farm invasions, and the continued detention of MDC activists and supporters.

Although Tsvangirai told a 30 000 strong crowd in Chinhoyi over the weekend that the 'inclusive government was irreversible', Mugabe and ZANU-PF are threatening to derail the whole process by refusing to address the outstanding issues.

Mugabe, secure in the knowledge that the MDC, no matter what may, will not have the guts to pull out of the inclusive govt., has been dragging his feet over addressing the outstanding issues.

In aftermath of the Thursday meeting, noting that not a single issue was resolved,  understanding that ZANU-PF cadres like Gideon Gono have privately said they won't lose their jobs, accepting that the recall of mediator Tambo Mbeki indicates a GNU about to implode, observers said it was safe to conclude that there never was a Tsvangirai ultimatum to Mugabe.

The three principles have been meeting over the past month trying to resolve the outstanding issues. Given that all previous meetings, including the one on Tuesda failed to produce any results, observers said it was highly unlikely that any meeting in the future will resolve anything.

The MDC, during negotiations led by disgraced former South African leader Tambo Mbeki, had stated that the resolutions of the above issues was a prerequisite before it can join the inclusive govt.

At the time, the MDC was afraid that Mugabe will refuse to address the issues if they joined the government before they are addressed.

Nobody knows what happened, but the MDC suddenly turned its back on these demands in late January, following which Tsvangirai was sworn in as Prime Minister.

MDC officials claimed at the time that outstanding issues, like the appointment of provincial governors and foreign envoys, would be dealt with immediately following Tsvangirai's swearing in. Two months down the line, nothing has happened.

Tsvangirai's failure to get any concessions from Mugabe on these outstanding issues have seen the MDC membership across the world become disillusioned.

MDC members wonder what the point of the GNU was when MDC supporters and activists are still behind bars or missing, and when the pro-ZANU-PF police is still continuing harassing and persecuting MDC members.

MDC members ague that Mugabe is not interested in power sharing, exemplified by his nullifying Tsvangirai's call for police to arrest illegal farm invaders.

What MDC has only achieved by joining the inclusive government has been to give Mugabe and ZANU-PF cronies easy money that is being donated by countries in support of the new govt, they say.

The recognition by western nations that Mugabe was still the man with all the power in Zimbabwe has seen them refuse to release more money to the unity govt