I wonder if political rallies should be abandoned for the political violence to cease in Zimbabwe.  But if that happens, maybe the elections we need won’t happen because the politicians won’t be able to campaign if rallies are barred.  Naturally, it has been only one political party feeling the brunt of violence whenever their rallies are assaulted.  Even in the rural areas, district meetings cannot be held for the police refuse to allow them, don’t forget we still have POSA, the GNU has not gotten rid of that yet.   Throughout the country both MDC formations are facing stiff resistance from the police who not only bar meetings and rallies, but who turn a blind eye to the violence in their normal fashion.

In Morgan Tsvangirai was merely confronted by the police who blocked him from addressing two rallies, luckily no one was injured in the process, but in the last week’s clashes violent ZANU (PF) supporters bulldozed their way into Chibuku stadium, stole a Public Address system and trashed two party vehicles.

I was there on Sunday at Chibuku stadium where I witnessed the brutal attacks by ZANU (PF) youths who had started the day by blocking all roads leading to the rally venue.  As a concerned citizen I had a chance of talking to MDC-T Chitungwiza province youth who spoke of the 50 ZANU (PF) youths, chanting revolutionary songs when they broke into the grounds in the morning and violently seized the sound system and beat up people coming to the rally.

by Veritas COURT WATCH 2/2011

Cases in the Supreme Court

The cases Court Watch will cover are selected constitutional cases, appeals on human rights issues, cases involving political activists and other cases of general public interest.  It will not attempt to cover the court’s ordinary appeal work involving labour disputes, marital disputes, or commercial and other civil cases of limited general interest.

A Constitutional Case on Repression of Artistic Freedom

Owen Maseko Challenges Prosecution over Paintings at Bulawayo Art Gallery

In March 2010 police in Bulawayo shut down an exhibition of paintings by internationally-renowned Bulawayo artist Owen Maseko.  The paintings depicted torture and massacres that took place in the 1980s during the period of civil unrest called Gukurahundi.  Mr Maseko himself was arrested and taken to court accused of undermining the authority of or insulting the President and causing offence to persons of a particular race or religion, contrary to sections 33 and 42 of the Criminal Law Code.  He spent four days in custody before bail was granted and he was placed on remand.  Later, the State added another charge: contravening section 31 of the Criminal Law Code by publishing or communicating falsehoods prejudicial to the State.  The police action against Mr Maseko came only a day after a photographic exhibition at Harare’s Delta Gallery, organized by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association, was abandoned after police tried to confiscate the photographs on show, in defiance of a court order.

In September 2010 Mr Maseko’s lawyers made a section 24(2) application to Bulawayo magistrate Ntombizodwa Mazhandu, arguing that the prosecution of Mr Maseko infringed his rights under sections 18, 19 and 20 of the Constitution [section 18 covers protection of the law, section 19 freedom of conscience and section 20 freedom of expression].  The magistrate granted the application, holding that it was neither frivolous nor  vexatious.

The record of proceedings has been received by the Supreme Court.  What remains to be done before the case can be set down for hearing is for the registrar of the Supreme Court to call on the parties for their heads of argument.  [A later Court Watch will examine why it seems to take an inordinately long time for cases appealed or referred to the Supreme Court to come up for hearing.]

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South African youths, led by Julius Malema of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL), recently wore t-shirts bearing the face of slain Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. It is undeniable that Gaddafi helped the ANC and Joshua Nkomo’s Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) during the liberation struggle. However, genuine “youth leaguers” must be wise when associating themselves with departed dictators.

Gaddafi and his sons were so cruel to Libyans, he sounds like one peculiar leader from Southern Africa, who sports an Adolf Hitler like moustache.

I recall an incident, which happened in June 1996. Some 400 students were arrested for demonstrating against the Libyan Government. After going through hurried prosecution procedures, a warrant of execution against them was signed by Gaddafi. Television cameras were brought in so that all Libyans could watch the youths being executed by firing squad.

It does not bother Malema and the ANCYL that all of Libya watched “Gaddafi” murder college students for simply participating in a legitimate and peaceful protest. At least South African President, Jacob Zuma, allows Malema and his colleagues to demonstrate in public. One wonders if the ANCYL could ever stomach a situation where Zuma instructs police to execute students, one after the other, while SABC cameras roll live.

A review of October confirms that organised, large-scale politically motivated violence is escalating at a worrying level.   Media reports indicate that the violence is planned and perpetrated by members of Zanu-PF and the armed forces under instruction from the highest levels, and is aimed not just at their partners in the GPA, but also at the general populace.

Strategies adopted by Zanu-PF to retain power are always multi-faceted.  The main tool in their arsenal is to ramp up the violence and build a climate of fear.  In addition, members of “opposition” parties are having to face continuous legal harassment resulting from trumped-up cases against them. Marches and demonstrations are being banned or blocked by the police, even when approved by the courts. Commentators believe that the violence and harassment is designed to intimidate the electorate prior to elections planned for next year.

During October, a total of 67 media articles were recorded for Zimbabwe Inclusive Government Watch. Among these articles, the greatest number of violations related to violence, intimidation,  hate speech and abductions.((45% of total).  22% of the articles related to violations in the form of legal harassment of opposition politicians and perceived supporters involving legal cases.Denial of the right to freedom of assembly and association comprised six articles (9% of total), while violations of the GPA related to land followed (6% of total).

We have compiled ten articles at the end of this report to represent the month’s media coverage of events in relation to the GPA.  The ZIG Watch section of the Sokwanele website carries additional information about further breaches in this issue, as well as a comprehensive archive of breaches for previous issues (please visit http://www.sokwanele.com/zigwatch for further information).

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I never thought that after the lessons from the ad-hoc land reform programme Zimbabwe would pursue another disastrous programme, this time dubbed black empowerment.

With the ruin wrought by President Robert Mugabe’s ill advised land reform programme that destroyed the once vibrant agriculture sector, turning overnight the country from breadbasket to basket case, it is indeed hard to contemplate yet another similar programme engineered by the same looters who are now multiple farmer owners.

It’s like a drama in slow motion with an obvious tragic end; a destroyed economy, no jobs, no food and no money.

I am not sure what will happen to the country’s potential mining sector now that Mugabe and his cronies are busy looting it in preparation for the biggest election in their long political careers.  But I am as sure, as the sun rises every morning, that eventually the company grab, just like the land grab, will kill the country’s sick industrial base. (more…)

I am so sick of the Constitutional debate and all the rubbish around it.  It is a process which has gone on and on and on.  It has eaten millions of dollars.  A few weeks ago in Bulawayo Zanu-PF activists created a furore at the Small City Hall when Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (COPAC) co-Chairman Douglas Mwonzora had no other choice but to stop the meeting. The committee of legislators had come to gather views on what should be contained in the new constitution. One man who was just about to finish giving his contribution when suspected Zanu-PF members began to interject saying that he was “talking rubbish”.

“Get away, get away,” the alleged Zanu-PF activists shouted to the unidentified man.   As the “get away” chorus grew louder, suspected MDC-T party members began to chant, “Kakhulume,” which means, “Let him speak”. One Zanu-PF activist demanded that the man making his contribution should speak in a language that he could hear. “Khuluma ulimi oluhle esiluzwayo,” he said. (more…)

The rains are upon us and many are already preparing for the 2011/12 agricultural season, but even though the government has stepped in, providing inputs to ‘peasants’, most people will not get the  fertilizer or seed that is distributed on partisan basis.

Since the chaotic land reform programme a decade ago, Zanu PF chefs and those well  connected to the former ruling party have helped themselves to the government import scheme.  Whenever the imports have cascaded to the lower tiers of society they have been handed out on a partisan basis by agriculture extension officers who are mostly Zanu PF to the marrow.

In the Mashonaland East district where I come from, people started way back to prepare for yet another unpredictable agriculture season.  They declared war on ant hills whose soils are often rich.  They attacked them with picks and shovels,  painstakingly spreading the anthill soil on their almost sterile lands in order to coax a meaningful harvest.

Even after the harvest in April and May, they took the maize stocks and stored them for food for their animals and also as organic manure for this agriculture season. (more…)

Media Release – International Crisis Group

Johannesburg /Brussels | 16 Nov 2011

[Full report (pdf) - B82 Resistance and Denial - Zimbabwes Stalled Reform Agenda]

Slow and inadequate progress in implementing the compromise they reached three years ago threatens to push Zimbabwe’s contending forces into premature elections and undermine political and economic recovery.

Resistance and Denial: Zimbabwe’s Stalled Reform Agenda , the latest briefing from the International Crisis Group, examines the stalemate on the 2008 Global Political Agreement (GPA) between President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), in light of the recent effort of the regional organisation to be more active, particularly regarding deteriorating internal security.

Following the lack of significant reforms in key areas, including the electoral and security systems, communiqués from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) since late March, indicated they would take a more robust stand on GPA issues. Its recommendations, however, have yet to be acted on. Delays around deployment of SADC monitors and slow progress on a draft electoral roadmap have been compounded by further delays on a new constitution and a resurgence of political violence. ZANU-PF has largely frustrated the divided MDC movement in the “Inclusive Government” formed under the GPA and has fought to keep its security sector monopoly. There are doubts SADC’s harder line will result in tangible reforms in time for elections that must be held before June 2013. (more…)