Struggling Zimbabwe issues new banknotes (Reuters)
Zimbabwe’s central bank introduced higher denomination banknotes on Monday in another sign of the hyperinflation that has shown no sign of abating despite this month’s power-sharing deal. The printing of 10,000 and 20,000 Zimbabwean dollar notes, worth $100 (55 pounds) and $200 officially but 10 times less on the black market, came as government and opposition officials tried to break an impasse over cabinet posts.

Air Zimbabwe leaves passengers stranded at Gatwick (Zimdaily)
The only direct flight into Harare by the economically marooned country’s national airline Air Zimbabwe left almost 100 passengers booked on its flight to Harare on Sunday 28 September 2008 stranded at London’s Gatwick Airport. The only direct flight into Harare by the economically marooned country’s national airline Air Zimbabwe left almost 100 passengers booked on its flight to Harare on Sunday 28 September 2008 stranded at London’s Gatwick Airport. The direct flight’s schedule was altered at short notice to stopover in Egypt Cairo where it was expected to connect with a USA flight with President Mugabe’s shopping retinue of 54 (revised figure) that accompanied him to the 63rd United Nations (UN) General Assembly meeting in New York. (more…)

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World ready to help Zimbabwe if democracy respected: Miliband (AFP)
Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Saturday said the world stood ready to assist in Zimbabwe’s reconstruction but only if a new government reflecting the will of its people is formed… But the top diplomat said this would happen only if “the democratic process is respected, the new government is formed reflecting that process and action on the ground reflects a new approach.”

Jonathan Nathaniel Moyo vs Lovemore Moyo (Zimbabwe Times)
The full court submission provides enlightening political background information produced in High Court Zimbabwe Case no. HC4540/08 held at Harare in the matter between:- Jonathan Nathaniel Moyo First Applicant…

Power sharing no substitute for reform (Sunday Nation)
The recent Zimbabwe power-sharing agreement, fashioned with the involvement of outgoing South African President Thabo Mbeki, raises familiar questions. What’s in a name? What do power-sharing accords signify? How much do they accomplish? What does power sharing have to do with democracy, or with the reconstruction of weak or failed states? In some ways power sharing has become a “flavour of the month,” succeeding another one that gained ascendancy earlier in the era of democratic transitions — “pact making.” (more…)

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Starving residents take legal action against police (SWRadioAfrica)
Residents of Harare’s Glen Norah suburb have taken legal action to stop police from interfering with critically needed food aid meant to be distributed to two hundred desperate households.

Zim central bank taken to court over cash limits (Zim Online)
Four Zimbabwean workers have asked the High Court to bar the country’s central bank from limiting cash withdrawals, saying the daily limits were too little and also degrading given the number of trips one has to make to the bank to get enough cash. “We are making an urgent application seeking certain acts of the Respondents to wit, limitation of withdrawals, to be declared unlawful, inhuman and degrading and a violation of the right to life and other rights as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe and other international conventions.” (more…)

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The MDC condemns the current monetary regime which allows both individuals and companies to withdraw a paltry $1 000 per day which is not enough to address the basic needs of an average family.

The long queues at our banks as people strive to withdraw their salaries are an indictment on the unworkable policies of this government.

Maximum daily withdrawal limits have put a strain on both companies and individuals as the amounts are largely inadequate even for a two way trip to Chitungwiza. An average family of five needs about $7 000 to buy basics every day and $1 000 per day is not even enough for a two-way trip to Chitungwiza. (more…)

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Via ZimOnline

Via Zimbabwe Independent

Tsvangirai Consults On Economic Crisis (Zimbabwe Independent)
ZIMBABWE’S Prime Minister-designate Morgan Tsvangirai is on a whirlwind consultation tour on policy issues before he is sworn in — possibly next week after resolution of the deadlock on the allocation of ministries.

MDC Official Challenges Chombo Appointments (Zimbabwe Independent)
A BULAWAYO man has filed an urgent High Court application seeking the nullification of last month’s appointment of nine councillors by Local Government minister Ignatious Chombo to run the affairs of the MDC-led city council. (more…)

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Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) is saddened to learn of the unnecessary deaths of sixteen (16) people who have recently succumbed to the devastating effects of cholera.

According to two reports published by the state-controlled Herald newspaper this week and confirmed by Health and Child Welfare Minister David Parirenyatwa, 16 people have so far fallen victim to the cholera outbreak in Chitungwiza while 88 people have to date been hospitalized both in the dormitory town and in the capital Harare in just less than a month.

The ongoing deaths, which are a result of official and criminal negligence, have brought despair to the affected families and communities and the nation at large.

It is alarming and quite unusual for such a preventable disease to continue to claim such valuable lives in this day and age. If more than a dozen people have died from cholera in just less than a month, we can only imagine how many more are currently affected by, or at risk of contracting, this avoidable disease. (more…)

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The newly elected urban and rural MDC councillors have become victims of undue political interference in carrying out their day-to-day duties from Zanu PF officials in various parts of the country.

The MDC is disturbed that this is against the spirit of national engagement, which culminated in the political settlement signed by the three leaders of the three major political parties in Harare on 15 September 2008.

In Harare, the MP for Zvimba North Ignatius Chombo continues to override council decisions yet he is not a substantive minister. (more…)

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I can work with MDC, says Mugabe (BBC News)
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has said he can work with his long-time rival Morgan Tsvangirai, following a recent power-sharing deal. “I don’t see any reason why we can’t work together as Zimbabweans. We are all sons of the soil,” he said.

There is no GNU deadlock, I will never resign – Mugabe (Harare Tribune)
Robert Mugabe, angry at the downfall of Thabo Mbeki who had protected him for the last ten years, said Wednesday there was no deadlock in the talks to form the all-inclusive cabinet between ZANU-PF and the Movememnt for Democratic Change (MDC). (more…)

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I came home to vent my spleen at my keyboard, working off battery power as our electricity supply has been sporadic to put it mildly. I have been reading through the comments to my last blog and I feel both empowered and entirely frustrated by the comments on the blog site.

Perhaps hope is a malaise, but I don’t know what else to offer right now…?

Should we, at this late stage in the drama, send out the cry for people to take up arms? Hasn’t there been enough violence? Do we want to descend into yet another war torn African state?

Right now, sitting comfortably at my desk, my own answer to those questions is an agonised, YES,  but not for the war-mongering reasons you may assume. It would be better to die a quick death by a bullet, than watch my children starve, or hunt dogs to roast over the fire – now a sickeningly common occurrence in our ravenous country.

Right now I would rather swiftly end the misery than experience the agony of a parent who spends every last cent to get to a hospital for a sick child only to discover that there are no drugs, no doctors, nobody who actually cares.

But who am I to tell the nation that they must die for democracy? (more…)

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This morning I woke up determined not to let the “situation” get me down, but then I made the fatal error of listening to the ZBC news. The top story was that the Red Cross is busy delivering food aid to the most vulnerable.

Thank goodness, I sighed in relief, but a relief clouded by the knowledge that the farcical agreement has given the wily old dictator exactly the legitimacy he has been looking for as he swans about the world, having the temerity to attend the UN summit dedicated to African issues.

Aid agencies are now plugging the devastation brought on by haphazard and violent farm invasions (which are still taking place) and total agrarian ineptitude. (more…)

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The information in this post comes from an email forwarded to us, originally written by someone we will refer to as ‘George’.

George is desperately concerned about the hunger situation in Wedza, an area in Mashonaland East.

Wedza has 25,000 families registered for food assistance - about 85,000 individuals. It receives 50 tonnes of maize meal a month, but needs 500 tonnes to meet the needs of the hungry. (more…)

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AU dismisses worry over Zimbabwe with Mbeki gone (Reuters)

African Union Chairman Jakaya Kikwete on Tuesday dismissed concerns that the ousting of South African President Thabo Mbeki could jeopardize a Zimbabwe power-sharing deal he helped negotiate.
“No cause for alarm, the South African government remains,” and will continue to focus on the issue, Kikwete, who is president of Tanzania, told the U.N. General Assembly.

Mugabe recalls his old Cabinet amid deadlock (Daily Nation)
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has recalled his old Cabinet to fill the vacuum created by delays in the setting up of an inclusive government, a senior aide has announced. The country has been running without a substantive government since Mr Mugabe’s controversial June 27 re-election, further deepening a decade old political and economic crisis. (more…)

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Political violence against MDC supporters in some parts of Zimbabwe continue despite signing of a deal between the MDC and Zanu PF meant to end the country’s political and economic stalemate.

Sam Veremu Jaricha, an MDC supporter at Nhema Village, in Zaka, Masvingo province had his home burnt down by Zanu PF supporters on Saturday night.

The suspects are based at the homestead of Chief Nhema, Rangarirai Guvanda. (more…)

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This information received by email today:

I have had many reports now from farmers that there is a huge increase in the number of farms being invaded. In most cases it is high ranking army and police personnel involved. They are arriving on the farms with outdated offer letters from Msika and demanding the farmers leave immediately.

Three farmers on smallholdings they own just outside Harare were taken to court yesterday for illegally squatting on state land! Their case has been remanded to Thursday and others are being served with court papers today.

It is very apparent that the people with the offer letters are not potential farmers but ZANU PF members on a last minute looting spree. Most farms that have been occupied in the last 2 months have been rapidly stripped of their assets and equipment moved off the farm to be sold.

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Links ~ 23 September

ANC confirms Mbeki’s successor (BBC News)
South Africa’s governing African National Congress (ANC) has confirmed that deputy leader Kgalema Motlanthe, will become the caretaker president. Mr Motlanthe, an ally of party leader Jacob Zuma, will succeed Thabo Mbeki, who is due to step down on Thursday on the orders of the ANC.

Mbeki’s resignation “tragedy” for Mugabe (The Zimbabwean)
Analyst says Mbeki’s resignation “tragedy” for Mugabe . Thabo Mbeki who has been at the heart of the Zimbabwe crisis as the mediator and also the President of the major power in the region, resigned at the weekend after receiving an ultimatum by his political party the ruling African National Congress (ANC). (more…)

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