Archive for May, 2008

Links ~ 30 May 2008

Saturday, May 31st, 2008

Family of MDC spokesman assaulted in village raid (SWRadio)
The spokesperson of the MDC, Nelson Chamisa’s 78-year-old grandmother, his mother and young 13-year-old brother were severely assaulted by armed soldiers in the Chiwara Village, Gutu. Two groups of soldiers, estimated at about 40 in total, terrorised villagers and demanded to be shown Chamisa’s rural home. The soldiers chanted ‘Tinoda Chitaka cha Chamisa!’ (We want Chamisa’s heart). The soldiers assaulted Chamisa’s family for over 2 hours. His little brother fainted 4 times during his assault and his mother was beaten while naked. Chamisa blamed the operation on Major General Engelbert Rugejo who sanctioned the operation in the area. Chamisa’s family members are badly injured.

Text: Tsvangirai speech to MDC Parliamentary Caucus (NewZim)
The above is the full text of an address by MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai to the MDC’ Parliamentary Caucus on Friday, May 30, 2008. (more…)

Feeling a bit ‘agro’

Friday, May 30th, 2008

This is an ‘agro cheque’ (click on it to enlarge). It looks like it has been printed on ordinary office paper and it feels like it too!

Zanu PF’s PR skills reached new heights with this one. In Zimbabwe, if someone says ‘That person was agro’, they are actually saying, ‘That person was very very angry’. So Zanu PF has given us a new ‘currency’ note that captures the mood of the country and our views of them perfectly. Most people are feeling fairly ‘agro’ about the new cheques and about the state of our economy. (more…)

Links ~29 May 2008

Friday, May 30th, 2008

Zimbabwe: Top Government Officials Blacklisted (Zimdaily)

ZimDaily says that according to reliable sources, Emmerson Mnangagwa and Gen. Constantine Chiwenga (ZDF) have ordered, amongst others the blacklisting of:

  • Didymus Mutasa - State Security minister
  • Elliot Manyika - Zanu-PF political commissar & Minister without Portfolio
  • Nicholas Goche - Minister of Labour, Public Works and Social Welfare
  • Ray Kaukonde - Governor of Mashonaland East
  • Sikhanyiso Ndlovu - Minister of Information and Publicity
  • Gary Thompson - Independent businessman and advertising guru

Blacklisted for:

Mutasa is targeted for allowing farm invasions that included targeted resettled farmers and the diesel n’anga saga through which the government was duped after a traditional healer claimed that he discovered natural diesel deposits near Chinhoyi.

Manyika and Goche are credited for causing Zanu-PF’s defeat in the Mashonaland Central and East provinces, which in the past were Zanu-PF strongholds.

Kaukonde is believed to have been secretly backing Simba Makoni who was challenging Mugabe for the presidency.

Ndlovu, for allowing the state broadcaster to air positive publicity regarding the MDC and Morgan Tsvangirai. Henry Muradzikwa the CEO of ZBC has already been fired.

Gary Thompson has been credited as the creative mind behind the “Morgan is More” adverts.

Emmerson Mnangagwa, Mugabe’s strategist, is chairman of the Joint Operations Command (JOC) and is in charge of the presidential run-off campaign. Other members of JOC include, Com. Contantine Chiwenga (ZDF), Gideon Gono governor of RBZ, Patrick Chinamasa Minister of Justice, and July Moyo, former Zanu-PF Midlands provincial chairperson.

More information about JOC: Hawkish ally leads Mugabe fightback (ZimOnline)

Zimbabwe’s Mugabe will never step aside for rival: wife (AFP)
Grace Mugabe told Zanu-PF supporters on Thursday, that Robert Mugabe would never vacate his office for the MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, even if Mugabe should lose the run-off. She said “He will only get to hear about what it looks like inside State House from people who have been there. Even if Baba (Mugabe) loses, he will only leave State House to make way for someone from ZANU-PF.” (more…)

Democracy : Missing Presumed Dead (SPT Video)

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

This video from the Solidarity Peace Trust

Links ~ 28 May 2008

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

Zimbabwe: UN Rights Chief Speaks Out Against Murders of Opposition Activists (allafrica.com)
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights - Louise Arbour, has strongly condemned the killing of the MDC activists in Zimbabwe, as well as the continuing harassment of civil society members such as NGO-workers and human rights defenders. Ms Arbour expressed shock over the reports of the recovery of the bodies of murdered MDC activists, including Shepherd Jani a provincial treasurer of the MDC.

“At one level, there appears to be an increasing pattern of people being targeted for politically motivated assassination. At another, arrests, harassment, intimidation and violence - directed not just at people with political affiliations, but also at members of civil society - are continuing on a daily basis.” said Ms Arbour.

Violence in Zimbabwe affecting children and relief effort (webwire.com)
UNICEF has strongly denounced the political violence that has displaced at least 10 000 children in Zimbabwe. The ongoing violence is hampering relief efforts to the children and their families in certain parts of the country. Politically motivated violence has resulted in the destruction of hundreds of homes and thousands of children are unable to attend school. Many of the children have been beaten or turned away from schools. Some schools are even used as centres of torture. UNICEF has found that more than half of the NGO’s in Zimbabwe who had programs that assist children, have had to restrict their activities due to threats, or have been directly ordered to stop by Zanu-PF or have done so out of general ‘concern at current uncertainties’. In South Africa as many as 20 000 Zimbabwean women and children had to flee their homes because of xenophobic attacks. (more…)

Mabel Penisara found alive

Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

This was sent to us by the Crisis Coalition:

Mabel Penisara, wife of Ian Kay’s Campaign Manager who was abducted by 20 ZANU-PF thugs was found yesterday, 27 May 2008. She sustained serious injuries from the torture and beatings she endured during the detention period and was left naked and for dead by a roadside. She is the first person to be abducted and found alive since the March 29 General Election.

Mabel was abducted on Monday night (blogged here).

Mugabe and Gideon Gono’s un-natural disaster

Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

Everyone in Zimbabwe is well aware of inflation and to some degree, has become savvy with their finances.

The main rule is to spend your money as you receive it – even if it means spending it on items you may not need - because of the rate of depletion of our dollar (or bearer cheques as we no longer have actual dollars and cents). This is the only way to survive.

Then: don’t lend, don’t borrow, don’t purchase on credit, don’t pay in advance or don’t even pay a deposit in advance of delivery. These things just don’t work.

But even for the financially savvy, the rate of inflation during the month of May has been staggering.

The drop has been so hard and fast, prices are just a blur of zeros. Many of my friends have said that they often just trust the cashiers when making payments because adding, subtracting, multiplying, counting out handfuls of cash and then trying to check your change is an impossible task to do on the spur of the moment.

You cannot budget ahead and go into a store with the correct cash – inflation does not allow for this luxury.

Time is money.

Last week I hesitated on the price of a spare part for my car. On Monday 19th May I was quoted $35 billion (which looks like this $35,000,000,000-00). On Friday 23rd May I phoned the supplier again to find the price had now gone to $58 billion ($58,000,000,000-00). I rushed down to the store not realizing that they closed at 4pm. Yesterday morning, Tuesday 27th May, I contacted them again and they quoted me an additional $5.8 billion on Friday’s price. (Remember that this time-delay has been during a weekend and Monday was a public holiday, so store has been closed since the last quoted price).

The value of cash withdrawals is restricted by the banks (as per instruction of Mr Gono). I cannot withdraw enough cash to pay for items like my much-needed spare part.

So in addition to this morning’s increase, the supplier has told me that I must add 20% of the value of my purchase onto the payment as I am paying by cheque.

Are you keeping up?

The part now costs 76 billion, five hundred and sixty million dollars ($76,560,000,000-00).

The supplier is calling this additional charge ‘administration expenses’. They explain that it takes the banks 3 to 4 days to clear a cheque and present it in their account. In that time, they lose money. So much so that they cannot replace their stocks. The supplier either transfers the cost to me or he goes under.

The banks cannot keep up, suppliers cannot keep up, customers cannot keep up, wages cannot keep up! The hole is getting deeper and deeper.

I have used the cost of a spare part to illustrate what is happening in our country.

Food costs are increasing at the same rate.

Gono has totally lost control and as the rate of the dollar literally drops by the minute, the suffering increases by the minute.

Zimbabwe Business Watch : Week 22

Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

The week commenced amid reports that inflation had now exceeded 1 million % and, in fact, the actual inflation rate is now adding zeros rather like the cost of basic goods.

Month on month inflation is now over 300% and prices are projected to rise by over 1000% by the date of the run-off poll on June 27.

Further reports are coming in of exporters FCA’s being raided and this is restricting production and interfering with long standing and hard won relationships with purchasers abroad.

The currency’s dive accelerates and the USD has now passed the 700 million (billion) mark.

More and more businesses are trying to dollarise their operations in order to try and achieve a sense of real value in terms of costs, wages and projected income.

Quasi-government institutions have all but collapsed as they have neither the skills nor the means to coping with such hyper inflation.

Manufacturing industry is fighting a desperate battle to remain viable as the political stalemate extends well beyond what was initially predicted.

The Hard Boiled Egg Index has reached a Fair Value Rate of 700 million as at Friday the 23rd.

Links ~ 27 May 2008

Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

More councillors, village heads and MDC youth abducted (SW Radio)
Reports have been received that as many as 20 people may have been abducted since Friday, May 23.

Ian Kay’s campaign manager Mable Penisara has been abducted on Monday night. Witnesses say that men armed with AK-47’s and pistols came looking for her husband and then abducted Penisara. It is believed that Tonderai Penisara may have managed to escape.

Nehmiah Nhembera newly elected councillor for Musana village in Bindura South and 15 other people have been abducted on Friday. Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri is implicated in these abductions. The people were abducted in the early morning hours.

Zim conditions ‘not conducive’ (News24.com)
The Movement of Democratic Change (MDC) said on Tuesday, that conditions ahead of the presidential election run-off is not conducive to free and fair elections. Despite the advantages, the MDC will win the election. The slogan for the campaign is ‘Lets Finish it’ and that is what the people are going to do. The problems experienced, are only the birth pangs of a New Zimbabwe.

Nelson Chamisa head spokesperson for the MDC said they have no access to the state-sponsored media and had to make appeals to the high court in order to be allowed to hold the last two rallies. The number of MDC supporters killed in violent attacks now totals at least 50. Key members of the MDC have been abducted and killed. Zanu-PF militia has displaced hundreds of people having fled their homes because of attacks.
(more…)

Action Alert: MDC activists arrested in Bindura

Tuesday, May 27th, 2008

Yesterday a friend of mine commented on how she couldn’t believe how fast the country was unravelling. A string of sms’s received today punctuates that. I am sorry, but we have no more information on these than published in the sms’s, but I hope we’ll be able to follow up if we are able to get more information

1st sms:
3 MDC activists are at Bindura law and order and need lawyer today. Their names are Zivai Chimombe, Adimere Mudavanhu, Farink Mudavanhu

2nd sms:
4 woman MDC supporters in Mudzi North died at Kotwa hospital after being beaten by Zanu PF

3rd sms:
A family of MDC supporters had their homestead burnt to debris. Nothing was retrieved. A family of 9 going without food, clothing etc…Chikomba, Mashonaland East


Take action:

The deaths of the women and on-going persecution highlight how critical it is that we support those in trouble as soon as we can, when we can. Please be aware that human rights activists and those opposing Mugabe are frequently denied access to legal representation.

To that end, we have two numbers stored in our database for Bindura police, to call to support Zivai Chimombe, Adimere Mudavanhu, Farink Mudavanhu.

+263 (0)71 6132
+263 (0)71 7382

Please call the Police Station, and very politely inform the person that you speak to that you are aware these people have been arrested and that you will be watching their story closely.

Tell them that you have the greatest respect for the Zimbabwean people and that you hope the country will soon enjoy peace and prosperity.

Tell the policeman that you have every confidence that law and order in Zimbabwe can be maintained by good decent policeman, and that you hope the activists rights will be respected, that they will be treated with dignity, and that they will be granted access to legal representation as soon as it comes.

Let the person understand that if their rights are not respected, you will do all you can to ensure that your government, human rights organisations in your country, and your local press, are made aware that these three people are being unfairly treated in Bindura, Zimbabwe.

Please be polite at all times. If the person is listening to you, please take the chance to ask him to carry a message to the three activists, and to tell them that the world is watching and that they must stand strong.

This alert was sent out on Twitter. To sign up to receive alerts and critical information from us via your cell phone, join twitter and link up to us. More information here.

Links ~ 26 May 2008

Tuesday, May 27th, 2008

Docs expose police lies about violence (The Zimbabwean)
Police documents leaked to the Zimbabwean newspaper reveals that the police commissioner Augustine Chihuri is part of the Zanu-PF campaign against MDC supporters. Chihuri has consistently blamed the MDC of inciting violence in the country, not withstanding the fact that it is MDC supporters who are attending the funerals of murdered family, friends and colleagues and that it is not Zanu-PF supporters who have to bury their dead.

The documents show for instance that police at Chombira had indicated a charge of murder – as defined in section 47 of the Criminal Law Act – against some 150 Zanu-PF youths. The youths and a person only referred to as ‘Comrade Bond of Gram Farm, Mt Darwin’ had allegedly assaulted and fatally injured 3 MDC activists, namely Tapiwa Persuade Meda (23), Joseph Madzuramhende (51) and Alex Chiriseri (53).

The Zanu-PF youths wore T-shirts bearing the words “Kasukuwere Parakwati.” The same youths were charged for the alleged assault whereby inflicting grievous bodily harm to 5 other individuals (named) and many others whose “exact number and particulars” need to be confirmed. These victims were referred to the Concession Hospital for treatment after the assault.

According to the documents, the group of approximately 150 Zanu-PF youths under leadership of Cmde Bond had proceeded to villages surrounding Chaona Business Centre, Chiweshe. Upon arrival, the group split into smaller groups and were instructed to call the villagers to attend a Zanu-PF meeting in a Roman Catholic Church in the area. Once the villagers had congregated in the church, the youths produced a list of names of villagers who were reportedly MDC supporters. The names on the list was called out one after the other, and the villagers were taken to a near gum tree plantation where they were assaulted by the youths with logs and sticks. It was only when the riot police intervened that the youths and their commander had fled. Those villagers who sustained serious injuries were rushed to Howard Hospital. Unfortunately, three villagers (as named above) had died because of their injuries.

The incident was reported on Chombira RRB Number 0320375. Sources say that police files were laden with similar cases which document Zanu-PF violence against innocent MDC supporters. (more…)

Durban refugee saga

Tuesday, May 27th, 2008

Last Sunday, more than 400 refugees crowded the Emmanuel Catholic Cathedral in Durban; with even more running to its sanctuary by the hour. To meet the need, the Cathedral has an established the “Refugee Pastoral Care” programme, but has nevertheless been totally overwhelmed by the numbers pouring in, straining its limited facilities.

With regard to the facilities available, there are only two bathrooms, and with only one person able to occupy the bathroom at a time, the situation has become desperate. In an attempt to aid the situation, four portable toilets were placed outside the complex. The problem with this however, is that with the toilets placed outside the safety of the enclosure, the people are scared to make use of them. In addition to this, the church is situated in an unsafe/unstable part of Durban.

In a further attempt to meet the prevailing need of those huddled in the church, Gift of the Givers, a non-governmental, humanitarian disaster relief organisation based in Pietermaritzburg, has donated food and blankets, with Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi (Inkatha Freedom Party) doing likewise. After visiting the refugees and speaking to them in concern for their plight three days ago, Nkozi Buthelezi had then distributed the materialistic essentials. An outspoken spokesperson for the plight of the refugees throughout this crisis, Buthelezi has attempted all in his power to restore calm and bring relief.

Unfortunately however, blankets and food are not all the people want. ‘They simply want to go home’.  Desperate to vote in the run-off election on the 27th of next month- which will hopefully result in peace for Zimbabwe- Zimbabwean nationals are now looking for transportation back to their homeland.

Says Timothy Rukombo, overseer of these Durban refugees: ‘they just need a lift…’

Mengistu Haile Mariam sentenced to death by an Ethiopian court

Monday, May 26th, 2008

Zimbabweans and freedom lovers around the world will not be the only people watching the Presidential run-off scheduled for next month with concern and their hearts in their mouths.

Mengistu Haile Mariam, former ruler of Ethiopia, has a vested interest in Zanu PF staying in power; he was sentenced to death today, by a Ethiopian court. Responsible for the deaths of thousands of Ethiopians, Mengistu Haile Mariam has avoided prosecution because he fled to Zimbabwe and enjoyed the protection of Robert Mugabe and the Zanu PF government.

This from Wikipedia:

Col. Mengistu gave a dramatic send-off to his campaign of terror. He shouted “Death to counterrevolutionaries! Death to the EPRP!” and then produced two bottles of what appeared to be blood and smashed them to the ground to show what the revolution would do to its enemies. Thousands of young men and women turned up dead in the streets of the capital and other cities in the following two years. They were systematically murdered mainly by militia attached to the “Kebeles,” the neighborhood watch committees which served during Mengistu’s reign as the lowest level local government and security surveillance units. Families had to pay the Kebeles a tax known as “the wasted bullet” to obtain the bodies of their loved ones. In May of 1977 the Swedish general secretary of the Save the Children Fund stated that “1,000 children have been killed, and their bodies are left in the streets and are being eaten by wild hyenas . . . You can see the heaped-up bodies of murdered children, most of them aged eleven to thirteen, lying in the gutter, as you drive out of Addis Ababa.” Mengistu Haile Mariam is alleged to be responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Ethiopians between 1975-1978.

There was a time when he probably thought his future was secure and that he had dodged accountability for his crimes; when Zanu PF looked rock-solid and his friend Robert a guarantor for a long and happy life, albeit exiled from his home country. (more…)

Images from a ‘Stand Up (for) Zimbabwe’ protest march in Pretoria, South Africa

Monday, May 26th, 2008

These images were taken at a protest march in Pretoria yesterday. The signs say it all. More on the march here, and at the ‘Stand Up (for) Zimbabwe’ website.

Protest march in Pretoria

Protest march in Pretoria

Protest march in Pretoria

Protest march in Pretoria (more…)

Links ~ 25 May 2008

Monday, May 26th, 2008

Senatorial Candidate for Murehwa North Killed (The Zimbabwean)
Sheperd Jani, MDC candidate for Ward 10 in the Murehwa North has been killed. His body was found in the area of the Goromonzi Mountains. 4 men driving a blue twin-cab, registration number AAA 9248 kidnapped Jani, in full view of some of his MDC colleagues. His colleagues tried to save him but the men pulled out guns and threatened to shoot them. The bodies of Cain Nyeve, Godfrey Kauzani, and Tonderai Ndira have been discovered in the same area. Goromonzi district has become a death chamber as Zanu-PF unleashed its campaign of terror.

Mashonaland East Province - More bodies have been found in Uzumba, Mashonaland East Province. Three unidentified bodies, two men and one woman, were found on May 23. The police of Mutawatawa have confirmed the deaths.

Mt Darwin East - Abbia Nyakudya Chaparira, an MDC supporter was murdered on May 10 by Zanu-PF militia. He was buried yesterday.

As Zimbabwe opposition mourns, Mugabe fights for survival (africasia.com)
Whilst Morgan Tsvangirai leader of the MDC was attending the funeral of Tonderai Ndira, MDC activist, Mugabe was fighting for political survival as he kicked of his campaign for the run-off for the presidential poll. Tsvangirai in an emotional speech promised that Ndira’s memory would not be betrayed. He said that the murder “was clear testimony of the callousness of the regime” and that the regime would go to any lengths to remain in power. mourners. “They can kill us, they can maim us, but on June 27 we are going to vote this man out. We will not betray the life of Tonderai.”

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa (Zanu-PF) admitted to the state-sponsored newspaper, Sunday Mail “We are now fighting with our backs to the wall.” (more…)

  • Photos

    More at Flickr.

Close
E-mail It