Links ~ 14 July 2008

MEDIA MATTERS: CIO in renewed war against journalists in Zimbabwe (Harare Tribune)
The Harare Tribune has received confidential information that the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) will renew its onslaught on journalists and authors perceived as critical of Zanu-PF. Sources within the CIO said that pirate radio stations and cyber-based newspapers had a significant impact on the operations of Zanu-PF and the issue was discussed extensively at several meetings of the Joint Operations Command (JOC) since March 29. The CIO has informed JOC that “radio stations, internet newspapers, have exposed the heinous activities that the Zanu-PF militia, ZNA (Zimbabwe National Army), ZRP (Zimbabwe Republic Police) and war vets have carried out in order to guarantee a win by Mugabe in the June 27 election,” the source said.

JOC has instructed the CIO to draw up a new list of the journalists involved and working for independent unlicensed media organisations. The aim of the list is to identify and eliminate those working for these pirate organisations.

For more detail of the operation and to view a partial list of those targeted, please follow the above link.

MDC asks court to order swearing in of councillors (ZimOnline)
The MDC has made an appeal to the High Court to order Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo to swear into office the new councillors for Bulawayo. Chombo has not yet installed new councillors in Bulawayo or other major urban municipalities. The MDC has won the majority of wards in council elections which was run concurrently with the parliamentary and presidential elections on March 29. The MDC has stated in their appeal that Chombo was in breach of the Urban Councils Act as he has failed to swear in the new councillors a day after they have been elected into office as prescribed under Section 103 of the Act.

South Africa: MDC Statement on the ANC National Executive Committee Position on the Crisis in Zimbabwe (MDC press release)
The Movement for Democratic Change is greatly encouraged and inspired by the 12th of July 2008 statement of the African National Congress (ANC).

The people of Zimbabwe appreciate the fact that the ANC, as the oldest liberation movement in the region, continues to have “extensive discussion on the situation in Zimbabwe.” We clearly are not on our own.

Our struggle in Zimbabwe, a struggle to complete the agenda of the struggle for national liberation, will and must get guidance from the views expressed by the ANC and other progressive African liberation movements, as well as other eminent Africans. The Zimbabwean problem is an African problem that requires an African solution.

The regime’s violence against our people continues unabated. The MDC and the people of Zimbabwe appreciate the ANC’s continuous condemnation of this violence, intimidation and political intolerance.

We again appreciate the position of the ANC that “[t]he violence that preceded the election of June 27 meant that the election was fundamentally flawed.”

The MDC accepts the position of the ANC that there must be “an inclusive and peaceful political settlement that reflects the will of the Zimbabwean people.” The MDC reiterates its position that we are committed to genuine dialogue, which will pave way for a political settlement which is inclusive and reflects the will of the people of Zimbabwe.

The people of Zimbabwe appreciate the concern progressive forces across the African continent have shown. We are sure that with the help of their caring hand, we will realize the ideals for which many of our people selflessly sacrificed during the struggle against colonialism; the ideals of peace, justice, equality before the law, descent jobs, universal education and health care.

Lack of bank note paper threatens Zimbabwe economy (Times)
Fidelity Printers & Refiners is tasked with the endless printing of money for Mugabe’s regime. A month ago its supply of banknote paper from Germany was stopped, forcing Fidelity to slow down on the printing of money. A senior staffer from Fidelity said that within 2 weeks the shortage of local currency would become “a disaster” when they run out of paper in stock. Fidelity prints the money, which is used by Mugabe’s regime to pay the police, the army and the intelligence organs. Should the regime be unable to pay its security forces, it could face economic paralysis and ultimately, total collapse.

Fidelity’s biggest fear however is that its software license for the European Bank note design technology that it uses, could be withdrawn.

“If that happened, that would be it,” the staffer said.

AU chief, Mbeki to hold ‘emergency’ Zimbabwe talks (AFP)
African Union Commission chief Jean Ping will meet South African President Thabo Mbeki for an emergency meeting on Zimbabwe in Pretoria. The aim of the meeting is to accelerate the implementation of a recent AU resolution on power sharing in Zimbabwe. Talks held between the political parties of Zimbabwe have reached a dead end, despite Mbeki’s latest attempts as SADC-appointed mediator to end the stalemate.

Research report on Zimbabwe seriously flawed (The Zimbabwe Times)
Garikai Chimuka of the Zimbabwe Times finds the report “Saving Zimbabwe, An Agenda for Democratic Peace” seriously flawed and questions who the real authors of the report are. The report supposedly co-authored by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) of South Africa and the African Policy Institute (API) ‘exposes a serious lack of critical analysis that makes a mockery of the intellectual integrity of the authors,’ Chimuka writes.

Fired over Makoni advert (Association of Zimbabwe Journalists)
The Zimbabwe Newspapers group has fired a worker of the Chronicle for publishing an advertisement placed by Simba Makoni, an independent presidential candidate. Milidzi Khupe, who was a supervisor in the production department of the Chronicle, had not obtained approval from management before publishing the advertisement.

Khupe is not the only media worker who had been fired for backing Makoni’s presidential aspirations. The former CEO Henry Muradzikwa of Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings was fired for allegedly giving Makoni substantial airtime on news bulletins. Five other media workers were also fired, including editor-in-chief Robson Mhandu and news editor Patrice Makova.

Matonga ditches wife for Mugabe’s niece (The Zimbabwe Times)
Zimbabwe’s junior Information Minister Bright Matonga has allegedly ditched his British-born wife Anne Pout and has moved in with the extremely wealthy businesswoman and widow, Sharon Mugabe. It is alleged that Sharon Mugabe is the niece of Robert Mugabe. Sharon Mugabe runs the marketing communications firm, Imago Y&R. The company ran Mugabe’s election campaign ahead of the June 27 presidential runoff election. Imago Y&R allegedly made colossal profits on the controversial campaign, the costs of which, was underwritten by the Reserve Bank. Matonga had during this period become increasingly vociferous in his support for Mugabe. Matonga was also responsible for vetting the companies that had submitted tenders for Mugabe’s election campaign. It is furthermore reported that the Matonga and Grace Mugabe has a young baby.

Matonga told the Zimbabwe Times to “Go to hell!” when asked to comment.

Return of Prof Moyo, Zanu-PF’s prodigal son [Opinion] (The Zimbabwe Times)
Professor Jonathan Nathaniel Moyo had once said in an interview, that he was working on a manuscript that would bring Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party down on their knees. Moyo was the nominated candidate for Tsholotsho North in the March 2005 elections. The interview was published on the website of NewZimbabwe.com. Geoffrey Nyarota of the Zimbabwe Times had indeed waited with great anticipation for the launch of the potential best seller depending on ‘how much Moyo was prepared to disclose’ of his close association with Robert Mugabe.

Moyo has now, apparently not only relinquished his quest to bring Mugabe and Zanu-PF “to their knees”, he is now extolling the virtues of Mugabe and even said that he would rejoin Zanu-PF. Nyarota thought it an appropriate time to remind Moyo that – before (if ever allowed to) he resumes his seat on the Zanu-PF gravy train – Moyo still had to deliver on that long promised best-seller.

“Perennial wisdom from divine revelation and human experience dictates that all earthly things great or small, beautiful or ugly, good or bad, sad or happy, foolish or wise must finally come to an end. It is from this sobering reality that the end of executive rule has finally come for Robert Mugabe who has had his better days after a quarter of a century in power.

“That Mugabe must now go is thus no longer a dismissible opposition slogan but a strategic necessity that desperately needs urgent legal and constitutional action by Mugabe himself well ahead of the presidential election scheduled for March 2008 in order to safeguard Zimbabwe’s national interest, security and sovereignty.

“One does not need to be a malcontent to see that, after 25 years of controversial rule and with the economy melting down as a direct result of that rule, Mugabe’s continued stay in office has become such an excessive burden to the welfare of the state and such a fatal danger to the public interest of Zimbabweans at home and in the Diaspora that each day that goes by with him in office leaves the nation’s survival at great risk while seriously compromising national sovereignty.”

Professor Jonathan Nathaniel Moyo – 2005

Reflections of a hired political thug (The Zimbabwe Times)
Stanlus Marowa was conscripted by Zanu-PF into the youth militia and had to identify and torture MDC supporters in St Mary’s, a suburb of Chitungwiza. Marowa’s victims reported him to the police, but he was confident that the police would not take any action. As soon as Mugabe had ‘won’ the June 27 election, Marowa found that he now had no protection and he was arrested. He appeared in court on charges of housebreaking and assault. Marowa alleges that Zanu-PF officials had promised him rewards for his ‘work’, amongst others, a job in the government or a scholarship to study overseas. “I am now being treated like a leper or murderer [by the community] simply because I was too stupid to know that I was fighting other people’s war on the basis of empty promises,” said Marowa.

China ‘is fuelling war in Darfur’ (The Zimbabwe Times)
The BBC has evidence that China is giving the Sudanese government military support in Darfur. The Panorama TV programme has tracked down Chinese army lorries in Sudan that were part of a consignment exported from China to Sudan in 2005. Sources told BBC that China was training fighter pilots for the Chinese A5 Fantan fighter jets, which are used in Darfur. Should China be giving military support in Darfur, it contravenes a United Nations arms embargo on Darfur. China has chosen not to respond to the BBC’s findings.

This entry was posted by Link Round-up on Tuesday, July 15th, 2008 at 12:01 pm. You can follow any comments on this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.