Zimbabwe Inclusive Government Watch : Issue 35 & 36
March 1st, 2012
This combined issue of ZIG Watch, which focuses on breaches of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) recorded during December and January, is being released on the eve of the Zimbabwe Investment and Trade Conference taking place in South Africa on 1 and 2 March.
A letter sent out to potential delegates from the Deputy Director (Bilateral Trade Relations) in Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce assures them that there is “respect and protection for all private property in the country” and that the Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (BIPPA) signed by Zimbabwe and South Africa in 2010 is currently operational. “This means that all investments by nationals of the two countries are protected,” the Deputy Director writes.
Given the chaos of the past decade that has devastated the Zimbabwean economy, and the widely publicised failures of the troubled coalition government to bring peace and stability to the country, it is unlikely that investors will be convinced by the Deputy Minister’s claim that the conference will give them “all the assurances of investing in Zimbabwe.”
Despite these reassurances, the political landscape in Zimbabwe portrays an entirely different story. Readers who read this latest issue of ZIG Watch will note that instability continues to plague South Africa’s northern neighbour and, despite the country’s rich natural resources, they are likely to be cautious of the business opportunities that the Deputy Minister seeks to promote.
The future of President Mugabe, widely believed to be suffering from cancer, remains unclear. Press reports suggest that he is planning to retire after the next election to make way for a hand-picked successor who will continue to protect his interests and shield him from prosecution for human rights violations.
Senior Zanu-PF officials told the Sunday Times (SA) in January that Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, 66, is earmarked to take over from Mugabe if he wins the next polls. Mnangagwa, despite his battered reputation due to his involvement in gross human rights abuses – mainly the Gukurahundi massacres of the 1980s – remains a powerful figure in the faction-ridden Zanu-PF. The position of Vice-President Joice Mujuru, who many believed would succeed Mugabe, is reported to have been weakened by the mysterious death of her husband, General Solomon Mujuru.
With respect to violations of the Global Political Agreement, December followed a similar pattern to the preceding months. There were ongoing reports of widespread violence, legal harassment, the banning of political meetings and the restriction or abuse of freedom of speech by Zanu-PF via its stranglehold on the armed forces.
The annual Zanu-PF conference was held this year in Bulawayo, with the party pledging to endorse the 87-year old President Mugabe for another term in office despite increased misgivings about his advanced age. Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe for 31 years and many people reportedly feel he may be physically incapable of running another election although he is believed to still be astute mentally.
Claiming that his party could win the next election, Mugabe said there was no need for coercive campaigning or political violence because voters supported his party’s “progressive” economic ideas.
Resolutions presented at the close of the conference, however, threaten to plunge Zimbabwe into further chaos and repression. Mugabe’s demands included controlling the Constitutional process, crushing and controlling the media, shutting down non-governmental organisations (NGOs), seizing the few remaining white-owned commercial farms and restricting the use of the increasingly popular social media.
During December, a total of 52 media articles were recorded for ZIG Watch, each article representing a unique breach of the terms of the GPA. Categorising these articles by the nature of the breach allows the generation of representative statistics.
The greatest number of violations involved cases of “legal” harassment of perceived opposition politicians and supporters, followed by cases of violence, intimidation, hate speech, threats, abductions and brutality. Next came cases of denial of the right to freedom of speech, or the abuse of freedom of speech, followed by examples of the denial of freedom of association or assembly. Zanu-PF was either responsible for, or involved in 98 per cent of all breaches recorded.
In January, the political environment was similar to that of the previous month. The majority violations of the GPA also involved the “legal” harassment of persons perceived to be a threat to Zanu-PF. Strategically co-ordinated, widespread violence by party members and the armed forces continued to keep democracy at bay – assisted by a significantly tainted judiciary which, together with senior security force commanders, is known to be well-compensated for its continued loyalty.
As Mugabe and his party continue to manufacture reasons for extricating themselves from the terms of the GPA, cases of deliberate non-cooperation with their GPA partners are escalating. Mugabe has disparagingly described the fragile 30-month coalition with the former opposition as an impractical “patch on torn trousers.”
During the month, a total of 79 media articles were recorded for ZIG Watch. Once again the category with the greatest number of violations involved cases of legal harassment of perceived opposition politicians and supporters. The category with the second-highest number of articles involved cases of violence, intimidation, hate speech, threats, abductions and brutality. Following on were cases of deliberate non-cooperation with the other members of the GPA, while the fourth-highest involved cases of abuse of the land redistribution program. Zanu-PF was either responsible for, or involved in all of the breaches recorded.
The articles profiled below represent the media coverage of events in relation to the GPA during December / January. The list is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive because of the sheer volume of articles. We invite our readers to review the list of summarised articles, original articles (links provided) and previously captured articles, on the web page http://www.sokwanele.com/zigwatch and ask you to share this information with your colleagues and other interested parties.
The first article from December profiles a tactic used previously by partisan security officials to justify the arrest of opposition supporters. The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party was accused of bombing the Zanu-PF provincial offices in Gweru on the night of December 27. The state-controlled media said it was suspected to be a politically-motivated attack. Zanu-PF’s provincial administrator claimed the bombing could have been an act of aggression by MDC-T activists even before the police had completed investigations.
In a case involving the media, police charged Andrew Moyse, director of the Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe (MMPZ), with publishing statements denigrating President Mugabe. Police had previously arrested him on December 6 and had seized documents, DVDs and videos at the MMPZ headquarters while allegedly looking for material related to the Gukurahundi atrocities in Matabeleland.
Zanu-PF has resolved to craft stringent new media laws and is threatening to crush and close private media houses which criticise President Mugabe and his ruling clique. NGOs, which are perceived as “enemies of the state”, will also be shut down. The clampdown on the media and NGOs is likely to escalate in the run-up to the next election.
At the Zanu-PF conference, Mugabe threatened to undermine the constitution-making process if the draft constitution did not include Zanu-PF’s position. He said that the conference should send a clear message that elections must be held in 2012.
A Victoria Falls bookshop owner was arrested for selling the recently launched autobiography of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, “At the Deep at End”. Police raided the bookshop and confiscated all of the copies in stock. Reports suggest that the police subsequently planted subversive material inside the books to justify the arrest.
Paul Rukanda, the MDC-T Organising Secretary for Glen View South, was arrested on January 25 on allegations of murdering a police officer in Glen View, nine months previously. Rukanda is the twenty-ninth MDC-T member to have been arrested on what the MDC says are false charges. It is believed that Zanu-PF’s objective is to once again incarcerate MDC-T functionaries in order to weaken the party’s structures ahead of a possible election.
At the Zimbabwe Constitution Select Committee (COPAC) press conference on January 13, more than a dozen vocal war veterans hijacked the event, hurling insults at the COPAC co-chairpersons and accusing them of trying to smuggle gay rights into the draft constitution, while ignoring the views of the majority.
On January 18, the media reported that Zimbabwe Defence Forces troops had moved into the Mutasa area, engaging in indiscriminate intimidation and violence and randomly beating up villagers and Border Timbers plantation workers. While complaints had been made to Penhalonga police station, no arrests or investigations had been made at the time of the report.
In a case of deliberate non-cooperation with the other members of the GPA, Zanu-PF said it would oppose Finance Minister Tendai Biti’s plan to get Zimbabwe’s US$7,4 billion external debt written off under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, in a bid to access international capital markets once again. It emerged that Biti was in talks with the British Embassy to work out how to clear the debt.
An example of the ongoing abuse of the land redistribution exercise involved wealthy co-Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi who has become embroiled in a legal battle to take over another farm in the Beit Bridge area. A war veteran alleges that Minister Mohadi and his family are trying to forcefully remove him from a farm he claims to have been allocated in 2003. Mohadi claims he also has a letter, signed six years later, naming his son as the rightful owner. The case is currently in the courts.
Zanu-PF offices bombing – MDC blamed
ZimEye: 29/12/2011
The former opposition MDC party is being blamed for a recent bombing incident of the Zanu-PF offices in Gweru. Zanu-PF party’s provincial offices in Gweru on Tuesday night were bombed, shattering windowpanes, in what the Zanu-PF controlled state media claim is “a suspected politically-motivated attack”. Zanu-PF provincial administrator Passmore Washaya said the attack could have been an act of aggression by MDC-T activists. “We are still waiting for police investigations to be completed, but we strongly suspect that this was an act of aggression by our enemies, especially the MDC-T,” he said. MDC-T Midlands spokesperson James Tsuro dismissed as unfounded, allegations that his party was responsible for the bombing of Zanu-PF offices.
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE XI : RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS
- ARTICLE XVIII : SECURITY OF PERSONS AND PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE
- ARTICLE XIX : FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND COMMUNICATION
Police Charge Media Activist For ‘Denigrating’ Mugabe
RadioVOP: 30/12/2011
Zimbabwean police on Thursday charged prominent media activist Andrew Moyse with publishing statements allegedly denigrating President Robert Mugabe. Moyse, director of the Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ), had presented himself to Gwanda police on Wednesday weeks after he was briefly detained in Harare over the same charges. He was ordered to return the following day in the company of his lawyers. His lawyer, Kossum Ncube, said police recorded a warned and cautioned statement from Moyse. When he was initially arrested on December 6, police seized documents, DVDs and videos at the MMPZ headquarters where they were allegedly looking for material related to the Gukurahundi atrocities in Matabeleland.
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE XIII : STATE ORGANS AND INSTITUTIONS.
Zanu-PF resolves to crush media-houses, and shut down NGOs
ZimEye: 12/12/2011
Zanu-PF has resolved to craft new media laws to crush and close private media houses which expose President Robert Mugabe and his ruling clique’s ineptitude, while NGOs which are perceived as enemies of the state will be shut down. The clampdown on the media and NGOs is likely to escalate in the run-up to the 2012 elections to choose a new government to replace the shaky coalition pact signed by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Mugabe. According to the Zanu-PF 12th annual conference resolutions presented by the party’s secretary for legal affairs Emmerson Mnangagwa, delegates agreed that the Zanu-PF leadership should come up with stringent media laws to silence the media which criticizes the former ruling party.
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE XI : RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS
- ARTICLE XVIII : SECURITY OF PERSONS AND PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE
- ARTICLE XIX : FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND COMMUNICATION
Mugabe threatens to sabotage constitution
Zimbabwe Independent, The (ZW): 09/12/2011
President Robert Mugabe has demanded elections next year, threatening to undermine the constitution-making process if the draft constitution does not include Zanu-PF’s position. Mugabe said the conference should send a clear message that elections must be held in 2012 without fail. “The GNU has become a drag on our nation. It must give way to an elected administration … free to govern unhindered, free to pursue definite policies for the betterment of our people,” Mugabe said. “It must also make it very clear that Zanu-PF reserves the right to dissociate itself from a draft constitution which seeks to undermine the cardinal goals of our national liberation struggle and our national culture and values.”
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE VI : CONSTITUTION
- ARTICLE VIII : RESPECT FOR NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND EVENTS
- ARTICLE XIII : STATE ORGANS AND INSTITUTIONS
- ARTICLE XVIII : SECURITY OF PERSONS AND PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE
Vic Falls bookshop owner arrested as police plant subversive material in Prime Minister Tsvangirai’s book
SW Radio Africa (ZW): 20/01/2012
Police in Victoria Falls today arrested bookshop owner Sinekiwe Matore for selling Prime Minister Tsvangirai’s book, At the Deep at End, at her shop. On 17 January 2012, police raided the bookshop and confiscated all 10 books in stock, taking them to the police station. However, today, Friday, one police officer who identified himself as Officer Shiri from the Law and Order Section went to Rosepet and arrested Matore. At the police station, the police had planted subversive material, red cards and small MDC flags inside all the books. One of the subversive materials has a list of 11 Zanu-PF officials including Robert Mugabe which claims that they should be eliminated.
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE XI : RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS
- ARTICLE XIII : STATE ORGANS AND INSTITUTIONS
Another MDC member arrested on false charges of murdering a police officer last May
MDC Information and Publicity Secretary: 26/01/2012
Paul Rukanda, MDC-T Organising Secretary for Glen View South, Harare, was arrested on Wednesday on allegations of murdering a police officer in Glen View 3, nine months ago. Rukanda was arrested in central Harare, bringing to 29 the number of MDC members who have been arrested on false charges of murdering the policeman. Rukanda is detained at the Harare Central Police Station, Law and Order Section. Among those arrested over the cooked up murder case are the MDC Youth Assembly chairperson, Solomon Madzore, and the MDC National Executive member, Last Maengahama. Madzore and seven other MDC members are in remand prison, while the rest have been granted bail.
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE XIII : STATE ORGANS AND INSTITUTIONS
Tense Atmosphere As War Veterans Take Over Copac Press Conference
RadioVOP: 13/01/2012
Over a dozen vocal war veterans on Friday highjacked a Zimbabwe Constitution Select Committee (COPAC) press conference, hurling insults at Copac co-chairpersons, accusing them of trying to smuggle gay rights into the draft constitution, whilst ignoring the views of the majority. They also accused Copac of deliberately delaying the completion of the exercise to earn lucrative allowances. The press conference, held at Copac offices in Harare, was open to all stakeholders. The war veterans also threatened to beat up the co-chairpersons accusing them of looking down upon rural folk who thronged the outreach centres, because of their educational inferiority. So tense was the atmosphere that even journalists who attended the Copac briefing refrained from asking questions.
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE VI : CONSTITUTION
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE VIII : RESPECT FOR NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND EVENTS
- ARTICLE XI : RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS
- ARTICLE XVIII : SECURITY OF PERSONS AND PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE
Armed Soldiers assault Border Timbers staff
ZimEye: 18/01/2012
Zimbabwe Defence Forces troops who moved into the Mutasa area following recent reports of timber company Border Timbers facing closure, now camped at Sheebah Estates in Mutasa South constituency, are reportedly randomly beating up villagers and Border Timbers plantation workers. Complaints have been made to Penhalonga police station but no arrests or investigations have been made. One victim who made a report was told to go and bring the assailants. “… pregnant women are being forced to do press ups by soldiers. Other people are forced to buy beer or find girlfriends for them. If you fail to do as they say, you are beaten or forced to go frog jumping at gun point…,” one witness said.
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE XIII : STATE ORGANS AND INSTITUTIONS
- ARTICLE XVIII : SECURITY OF PERSONS AND PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE
Zanu-PF fights Biti’s debt plan
Daily News (ZW): 15/01/2012
Zanu-PF on Friday said it will oppose Finance Minister Tendai Biti’s plan to get Zimbabwe’s $7,4 billion external debt written off under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Zanu-PF’s comments come after it emerged last week that Biti was in talks with the British Embassy in Harare to work out modalities to clear the debt in a bid to access international capital markets once again. The British Embassy said Zimbabwe’s qualification for HIPC status will be conditional upon full implementation of the Global Political Agreement. “… we will not accept that kind of thing,” Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said. “… The country will be run by outsiders … We will certainly oppose it…”
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE III : RESTORATION OF ECONOMIC STABILITY AND GROWTH
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE XIII : STATE ORGANS AND INSTITUTIONS
Minister Mohadi in wrangle over Beit Bridge farm
SW Radio Africa (ZW): 05/01/2012
Despite being extremely wealthy, co-Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi is involved in a legal battle to take over another farm in Beit Bridge, with allegations the row has turned into physical assaults and threats from Mohadi and his family. A war vet in the Beit Bridge area, Given Mbedzi, alleges that Minister Mohadi and his family are trying to forcefully remove him from a farm that he legally owns in the Beit Bridge area. Mbedzi claims the property was allocated to him in 2003 and has produced an offer letter to prove it. But Mohadi has his own letter, signed six years later, naming his son Campbell as the rightful owner. The case is currently in the courts.
- ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- ARTICLE V: LAND QUESTION
- ARTICLE VII : PROMOTION OF EQUALITY, NATIONAL HEALING, COHESION AND UNITY
- ARTICLE XI : RULE OF LAW, RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS
- ARTICLE XIII : STATE ORGANS AND INSTITUTIONS
- ARTICLE XVIII : SECURITY OF PERSONS AND PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE
