Links ~ 23 May 2008
Zanu PF youths burn magistrate’s property over MDC cases (SWRA)
Magistrate Musaiona Shotgame’s house and car were set alight by Zanu-PF youths. The magistrate is a resident of Gutu Mpandawana growth point, Masvingo. The property, which was destroyed in the fire, is estimated at trillions of Zimbabwe dollars. Shotgame said that suspected Zanu-PF supporters came to his house and threatened him, accusing him of being lenient with MDC supporters who appeared in his court. The youths had then set fire to his house and property. Shotgame said that he was not a political activist and was being punished for doing his job professionally. The police at Masvingo said that they would investigate the matter and bring the culprits to book.
A constitution in tatters (The Star)
Should Robert Mugabe win the run-off election on June 27, he will retain most of his power for the next five years, even if the MDC has control of Parliament. The Zanu-PF-dominated Parliament was dissolved before the March 29 elections, thus Mugabe does not have legislative control. The new MDC-dominated Parliament will be constituted when a new president has been elected. The new president must be sworn in within 48 hours of the release of the results for the run-off election. Should Mugabe win the run-off he can appoint a wholly Zanu-PF cabinet. He would then only need Parliament to pass the budget, a process that he can avoid if he wanted to… The article explores different scenarios of an unpredictable future.
ZANU PF violence has crippled our campaign: MDC (Zimonline)
Zanu-PF and its militia’s campaign of violence targeted at MDC structures and supporters have seriously affected the MDC’s ability to participate in the run-off for the presidential vote. Nelson Chamisa spokesperson of the MDC said that Zanu-PF vigilante groups have hunted down their campaign teams, making it impossible for the MDC to campaign for votes. There has been a crackdown on all levels of the MDC’s structures, from the lowest to the highest level. The MDC has written a letter to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to express its lack of confidence in the ZEC’s capacity to ensure free and fair elections for the presidential run-off. The ZEC said it would respond to the MDC when the time is appropriate.
Zimbabwe: Newspaper Editor Convicted (allafrica.com)
Bright Chibvuri, editor of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union’s bi-weekly newspaper “The Worker”, has been convicted of practising journalism without accreditation. He was ordered by the court to either pay a fine or go to jail. Chibvuri had applied for a renewal of his accreditation, but has to date not received an answer from the Media and Information Commission (MIC). He has filed an appeal with the High Court against both the conviction and the sentence.
Zimbabwe Opposition Death Toll Reaches 48 As More Slain Activists Found (VOA News)
Morgan Tsvangirai said that the death toll for MDC activists slain in political violence has risen to 48 on Thursday.
The family of the slain MDC activist Tonderai Ndira has said that the authorities at the mortuary in Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare informed them that an order prevented them from performing a post-mortem on the victim. Apparently, all autopsies have been prohibited until further notice.
In Manicaland an MDC driver and seven others were kidnapped on Wednesday. War veterans tortured the men. The victims and their vehicle were then handed over to police at the Mutasa district council station. The police have charged them of illegal possession of firearms.
Zimbabwe has not taken delivery of Chinese arms:minister (africasia)
The Zimbabwe government has now denied that it took delivery of a consignment of weapons from China. “The shipment did not dock and there has not been delivery (of the equipment) as yet,” Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi told journalists in Harare. Sekeramayi said that the shipment was part of routine equipment for defence. He described the controversy around the shipment as a lot of “hullabaloo”.
Zimbabwe: Zinwa Set to Recover $380 Trillion (The Herald)
The Zimbabwe National Authority (ZINWA) has embarked on a water disconnection exercise in Harare to recover $380 trillion owed by consumers. Arrears in payments have increased over the past 4 months and resulted in various operations being compromised, such as the procurement of purifying chemicals. Mrs Marjorie Munvonga of ZINWA has said that in the light of the monies owed they have no choice but to embark on a massive disconnecting exercise.
Zanu-PF’s Lie Factory: Scouts, Lies and Videotape (The Herald)
· ‘The Selous Scouts are back with a vengeance. With modern weaponry, 4×4’s and much forex, they are back to kill, maim, and torture the rural folks of Zimbabwe. Then they take pictures and distribute them on the World Wide Web as evidence of Zanu-PF-inspired atrocities in the so-called Operation Mavhotera Papi’. [link]
· ‘Twelve suspected MDC-T thugs were arrested in Mutare yesterday after they were found in possession of axes, chain blades and sjamboks they were allegedly using to commit various acts of violence as they moved around in a pick-up truck belonging to the opposition party… (And further on) ‘…MDC-T thugs disguised themselves as Zanu-PF supporters by wearing the party’s regalia and beating people to taint the party’s name.’ [link]
· ‘The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions is compiling an exaggerated document on Zimbabwe’s political situation to present it before the International Labour Organisation annual conference that opens next week in Geneva, Switzerland.’ (And further on) ‘Some of the issues ZCTU is expected to raise include the arrest of its president, Mr Lovemore Matombo, and secretary-general Mr Wellington Chibebe two weeks ago for utterances allegedly made during a Workers’ Day rally on May 1 this year.’ [link]
