Ncube: when the truth is not enough
by Dinizulu Mbikokayise Macaphulana
07/12/2010 00:00:00
WINSTON Churchill observed correctly that political lies can run across half the globe naked before the truth puts on its clothes to join the race. Politically-motivated falsehoods have no respect for cover and common decency.
I was shocked senseless when l attended a book discussion at the University of Botswana, where Peter Godwin’s The Last Days of Robert Mugabe was being debated. A man who proudly described himself as an “MCD-T insider” and “an intellectual” told the gathering that “it has been established that Welshman Ncube will do anything to keep Zanu PF in power.”
It is then that I realised that the naked, politically-motivated lies that are floating about the name and person of Welshman Ncube must not escape probity. It is also helpful to notice that the naked lies themselves are not the real enemy of the truth, the true enemies of the truth are the many unquestioning believers who swallow without chewing these political lies, and receive them as given wisdom.
This article is not a defence of Welshman Ncube. While Ncube’s responses to the naked lies are slowly getting dressed to join the race, mine is a direct and democratic confrontation to the climate of hatred and falsehoods created by MDC-T information mandarins around politicians like Ncube that they fear and hate.
Ncube’s “play-it-clean” approach to politics in an environment infested with MDC-T and Zanu PF ruffians suffers a severe paralysis. Confronting the dirty tricks of Zanu PF and MDC-T is no white collar business but a monumental, dare-devil come-down-to-the-mud affair!
It appears that the rusty cliché about politics being “a dirty game” assumes some fresh truth each day. When suicidal Alqaeda Jihadists plane-bombed the American Twin Towers, killing a multitude of innocent civilians, George Bush remarked that “the world is very dangerous place” before he threatened to “smoke them out “wherever they are, the terrorists!”
What George Bush, for political reasons, did not tell humanity is that Osama bin Laden and Ayman El-Zawahiri, the two loathed Alqaeda masterminds, are both CIA trainees. Never mind also that George Bush senior is remembered as a family associate and consultant to the Bin Laden family in the rich business of making roads and mining for oil.
That painful American paradox and political duplicity where the left hand trains and arms terrorists, and then with the right hand they declare a global war on terror and bomb half of the world to “smoke them out”, is cinematic of the unhygienic nature of politics.
In the dirty game of politics, politicians and their organisations cause problems by night and during the day, they pretend to solve them and expect money from donors, votes from the public and thanks from humanity for the trouble. They indicate right and turn left, while speaking in forked tongues and dissembling vocabulary. The very line between liberators and enslavers has become too thin if it still exists at all, and that makes up the old dirty game.
The question and major concern of this article is how does a goat and cattle herder from Silobela, armed with village morality, wisdom and sense of communal justice and decency, equipped with knowledge of the law, and given to choosing the truth and fairness, just how does Welshman Ncube survive the vicissitudes and falsehoods that punctuate the Zimbabwean political playing field?
I propose a dinner between Welshman Ncube and Niccollo Machiavelli, the ancient Florentine statesman. I will be back to this point later, now to the naked falsehoods.
The naked falsehood that Ncube is a Zanu PF apologist, defender and loyalist tells us a lot about the calibre of his accusers and the entertaining quality of their thinking. Morgan Tsvangirai, the president of MDC-T, in his own words recently told South African journalist David Smith that “Mugabe is my hero”, and that he only differs with “the violence that Mugabe started in the past ten years” -- which excludes the Gukurahundi genocide, Mugabe’s capital crime against humanity and his worst offence on record. We know of course that Tsvangirai started finding fault with Mugabe well after he had packed in his guns in Matabeleland.
Not only that, but Tsvangirai dismissed those who want Mugabe tried for crimes against humanity of unnecessarily being “retributive.” Tsvangirai added that Mugabe must do his best to rescue “his legacy” so that he is not remembered in bad light when he is gone. If this is not a defence of Zanu PF and a glorification of Mugabe, then what is?
Roy Bennett, now a senior MDC-T stalwart, who is now being lionised as a fierce Zanu PF opponent and angelised as an innocent victim of Mugabe’s brutality, is actually Pachedu, the same former Rhodesian forces cadre who joined Zanu PF and only left in 1999 after a dispute over primary election results when he wanted to represent Zanu PF in parliament. So Roy Bennett only left Zanu PF over a primary election grievance, not any ideological difference or opposition to Zanuism.
The example of Morgan Tsvangirai and Roy Bennett shows beyond doubt that the cream of MDC-T leaders are actually aggrieved Zanu PF cadres and not meaningful revolutionaries. The painful irony is that these Zanu PF dropouts are the ones whose communicators and mandarins are accusing Ncube of being Zanu, when from his days of herding goats in Silobela up to lecturing law and serving clients at advocates’ chambers in Harare never joined PF. The records are available and the facts speak for themselves.
Tsvangirai moves around the world collecting dirty money and awards for ‘courage’ in fighting Zanu PF, while Bennet addresses the French in Paris describing “the crisis in Zimbabwe.” Like George Bush and his silence on the relationship between America and Alqaeda, Tsvangirai and Bennett will not tell the world about how they helped build and support Zanu PF even as Mugabe killed in Matabeleland. The world is indeed “a very dangerous place” for the unthinking.
There is no doubt that Welshman Ncube is a politician of mascular intellectual abilities and robust communication skills. An avid consumer of classic literatures and a writer of pulsating impact, Ncube is no push over. Part of the picturesque legal vocabulary that decorates the grammar and expression of many lawyers and students of law today in Zimbabwe is part of Ncubes’ flowery intellectual furniture, especially the extracts from legal and academic debates he used to hold with colleagues at the University of Zimbabwe.
He has been accused of being “aloof” and sometimes “bookish” and “too intellectual” in approach. As those who fear him in MDC-T throw mud and other dirt at him and his person, Ncube chooses to look aside. The trouble is that a political lie, however naked, when frequently repeated without being challenged tends to gain belief as Goebbels observed.
The signature of a volatile temper and impatience is scribbled along the forehead in fierce furrows, yet the man remains of a calm and collected demeanour – armed with the disposition of a charm warrior who is a disarming negotiator.
His biggest political weakness is the silence in the face of false accusations. When the truth is not told in politics and elsewhere, naked lies and myths tend to take its place. Ncube’s truth about himself and what he is up to is taking too long in the dressing room while naked lies are flying about uncontested. Smart in mind and body, he chooses to ignore lies which unfortunately gain belief among the gullible.
Far from being “bookish” I think what makes Ncube appear “aloof” and removed is the ZAPU and Joshua Nkomo philosophy of “playing it clean” and “by the rules,” which in politics amounts to the biblical “turning the other cheek”. While in religion if you turn the other cheek you may earn some salvation, in politics you get punched on the nose.
While the real sellouts of Zimbabwe, who are raising millions of United States dollars on the false promise that they will deliver land back to the colonialists, collect awards for courage and masquerade as heroes, genuine fighters for democracy like Ncube and others have naked lies and dirty labels heaped upon them.
Because of their silence, it becomes a challenge to excavate and rescue the truth from below the massive debris of falsehoods that have been constructed. It is indeed true that it is trees that bear fruits that suffer stoning.
Niccollo Machiavelli’s political classic The Prince is a political treatise that is treated like a political adult movie, circulated with care and sometimes with shame, yet it remains the most candid description of power politics. What Ncube and other believers in political cleanplay have yet to observe is that in politics, the truth alone is not enough.
Also playing it by the rules when your opponents are resorting to Machiavellian force and fraud is not helpful. The MDC-T split, which was caused by Tsvangirai’s violation of the MDC-T constitution, is now ironically being blamed on Ncube with the Americans recommending that he needs to be “pushed out” which is coded intelligence parlance for “eliminated.”
What Ncube needs to add to his many political and intellectual credentials and recommendations is a “devil ingredient” without which one may not win against dirty players in Zanu PF and MDC-T in their enduring service to the interests of colonialists. I propose a dinner between Welshman Ncube and Niccollo Machiavelli, with short spoons!
Dinizulu Macaphulana is a Zimbabwean student living in Lesotho. E-mail him on dinizulumacaphulana *** yahoo.com
Labels: MDC, WELSHMAN NCUBE, ZANU-PF
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WikiLeaks founder arrested
by Reuters
07/12/2010 00:00:00
WIKILEAKS founder Julian Assange handed himself in to British police on Tuesday after Sweden issued a warrant for his arrest over allegations of sex crimes, London's Metropolitan Police said. Assange, whose WikiLeaks website is at the center of a row over the release of secret U.S. diplomatic cables, was arrested under a European Arrest Warrant.
Swedish prosecutors want to question the 39-year-old Australian about allegations of rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion. He denies the allegations.
Assange was due to appear before City of Westminster Magistrates' Court in London later on Tuesday when a date for an extradition hearing is likely to be set. This must take place within 21 days of his arrest.
"He is accused by the Swedish authorities of one count of unlawful coercion, two counts of sexual molestation and one count of rape, all alleged to have been committed in August 2010," London police said in a statement.
Assange has spent much of his time in Sweden and earlier this year was accused of sexual misconduct by two female Swedish WikiLeaks volunteers.
This led Swedish prosecutors to open, then drop, then re-open an investigation into the allegations. The crime he is suspected of is the least severe of three categories of rape, carrying a maximum of four years in jail.
Police said Assange was arrested by officers from its extradition unit at about 9.30 a.m. (0930 GMT) after he appeared by appointment at a London police station.
His whereabouts had been previously undisclosed.
If a judge is satisfied his extradition is warranted and will not breach his human rights, then he will order the WikiLeaks founder to be extradited, although Assange can appeal against that decision to higher courts.
Assange's Swedish lawyer has said his client would fight any extradition and believed foreign powers were influencing Sweden.
WikiLeaks has angered the U.S. government and others across the world by releasing details of 250,000 diplomatic cables it had obtained.
Zimbabwe ranks on the top 10 of the most discussed countries on the cables, ahead of Pakistan and Afghanistan -- hotbeds of terror, according to Washington. WikiLeaks says there are 2,998 cables that relate to Zimbabwe, 39 of which are categorised “secret”, 1,542 as “classified” and 1,417 “unclassified”.
Only two "classified" files on Zimbabwe have been released so far, and the website says it could take months for all the cables to go online.
The first cable on Zimbabwe was a 2007 memo to Washington by the United Staes' outgoing ambassador to Zimbabwe, Christopher Dell, in which he gave his appraisal of Zimbabwe's political leaders.
His pointed criticism of then opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai as a "flawed figure" drew fire from his MDC party which said he was out of touch. The criticism has bolstered President Robert Mugabe's supporters who say the MDC leader is unfit to govern.
Asange's arrest is not expected to halt the leaks.
Labels: JULIAN ASSANGE, WIKILEAKS
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1,600 jobs to go at Reserve Bank
by AFP
07/12/2010 00:00:00
THE debt-saddled Reserve Bank is to lay off 1,600 workers -- three quarters of its staff -- in a bid to balance its budget, officials said.
Gideon Gono, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, who was widely blamed for presiding over rampant printing of the now abandoned local dollar which ended in hyperinflation, said only 530 jobs would be kept.
"We are looking at retrenching 74 percent of the central bank's staff," Gono told the official Herald newspaper. "It is not one of the easiest tasks as it is going to be one of the largest retrenchments in the history of the country by a single institution."
In March, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the bank needed a new board to strengthen governance, adopt a sustainable budget, and refocus its role after abandoning the Zimbabwean dollar in 2009.
Gono said most of those likely to lose their jobs had served for more than 30 years. Employees recruited when the bank undertook various non-banking activities at the height of Zimbabwe's economic crisis will also be fired.
"We are currently saddled with a huge debt that strictly speaking belongs to the government, which stands at US$1.2 billion," he said.
Gono, as the bank's chief, was renowned for introducing new Zimbabwean dollar notes in astronomical denominations causing hyperinflation as the economy spiralled downwards amid political turmoil, but he remains at the helm.
His presence as the bank's chief remains one of the major sticking points in the unity government between veteran President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara.
Zimbabwe's economy grew by 4.7 percent last year, ending 12 years of contraction during which inflation hit world record levels.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti said last month that the economy would grow by 9.3 percent in 2011 due to improved tobacco production and higher mining output.
Labels: GIDEON GONO, JOBLOSSES, NEOLIBERALISM
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US urged to soften Mugabe criticism
by James Mombe Tuesday 07 December 2010
JOHANNESBURG – The United States (US) embassy in London last year urged Washington to tone down criticism of President Robert Mugabe and instead adopt a quieter but tougher approach towards the Zimbabwean leader, according to cables released by WikiLeaks.
In an assessment of Britain’s Africa policy, political counsellor Richard Mills, whose conclusions were apparently heavily influenced by the views of experts from several political think tanks, suggested that the UK should maintain Zimbabwe on its priority list for historical reasons.
But the US should instead strive not to be seen as too focused on Zimbabwe because, according to the experts relied upon by Mills, Washington’s interest on the southern African country was “surprising” given the fact that the Zimbabwean crisis was largely a contained matter and also because Harare poses no threat to America.
[Can you say DIAMONDS? - MrK]
“Zimbabwe should/will remain a priority for the UK for historical reasons, but the USG (United States government)’s focus is ‘surprising,’ as it is largely a contained crisis that should be treated as a regional issue. A ‘tough and quiet’ approach should be considered,” Mills wrote in a cable sent to the State Department on 6 February 2009.
While accepting the UK’s pre-occupation with Zimbabwe, Mills however appeared to criticise London’s vocal denunciations of Mugabe saying this was playing into the veteran Zimbabwean leader’s propaganda trap.
Mugabe -- who denies Western charges that he is a dictator who has ruined Zimbabwe and frequently abuses human rights -- loves to portray himself as a victim of Western imperialists out to topple him as punishment for seizing white farmland for redistribution to landless blacks.
[Because those are the facts. - MrK]
“HMG (Her Majesty’s Government)’s history of bombastic statements has only served to solidify President Mugabe’s status as a colonial liberation leader and rallied South Africa’s unwavering support,” Mills said in the cable.
Mills also counsels against attempts to internationalise Zimbabwe’s crisis and said Washington should not allow its stance on Mugabe to jeorpadise its relations with South Africa, the biggest economy on the continent and of more strategic importance to America.
The US diplomat advises against attempts to internationalise Zimbabwe’s crisis, frankly pointing out that political think tanks regard the international community’s concern about Zimbabwe being a regional destabiliser as “largely unfounded”.
Zimbabwe is among 10 countries that have the highest number of leaked US diplomatic cables in the possession of WikiLeaks.
[Which is surprising, considering that there are two wars going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. So what is more important about Zimbabwe than Iraq? - MrK]
The whistleblower website is holding 2 998 cables on Zimbabwe, with 39 of the leaked documents under the category of “secret”. 1 542 are categorised as “classified” while 1 417 are in the “unclassified” category.
Analysts in Harare say the cables -- including one by former US ambassador to Zimbabwe Christopher Dell that virtually portrayed Washington as the hand guiding Zimbabwean opposition politics -- will give Mugabe the excuse to crackdown on opponents ahead of elections expected next year. – ZimOnline
[Really? When was the last time 'Mugabe' 'cracked down on opponents'? - MrK]
Labels: RICHARD MILLS, WIKILEAKS
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‘Govt should listen to calls for windfall tax’
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Sat 04 Dec. 2010, 04:00 CAT
A LABOUR leader says the government should heed the people’s call over the windfall tax. Mubiana Sitwala, the president of the Hotel Catering and Allied Workers of Zambia (HCAWUZ), said many sectors in the country were heavily taxed and yet they did not make as much money as the mines.
“I appeal to the government to pay attention to many observations that have been made by various economists and envoys over the windfall tax. Let Situmbeko Musokotwane tell the President the true value of windfall tax,” Sitwala said in an interview yesterday.
“I see no reason why the MMD government is being jittery over the introduction of this tax when mines are making huge profits over our resources.”
Sitwala said the country’s tax regime was highly biased towards the formal sector.
“We have repeatedly submitted to the government to vigorously capture the formal sector in a bid to raise the necessary revenue for the country. This has always fallen on deaf ears as the government seems to lack capacity to implement mechanisms on how to collect this revenue,” Sitwala said.
“This tax is self regulatory as it only captures the excess profit on revenue. The argument being put across by those supporting the outright removal of windfall tax lacks comprehension. I would have expected the government to listen to divergent views when they come up with decisions of this nature.”
He said the workers had continued to pay heavy taxes from their meagre salaries and yet multinational companies had continued to enjoy tax exemptions.
“This trend cannot continue and it is high time we put measures for our posterity to benefit from wasted resources like copper. We advocate for a strict tax regime, that will benefit the country and windfall tax is not a burden to mine owners. We should not treat investors with jelly hands, while they exploit our resources to their benefit,” Sitwala said.
He said the country could benefit from the windfall tax and subsequently improve the social sector. Sitwala said it was illogical for the government not to listen to professional advice and instead give political answers.
“I thought that commerce minister Felix Mutati was an expert on economic issues, but his recent statement on the windfall tax leaves me with a lot of worries when it comes to mixing politics and economics,” Sitwala said.
He said the government was busy using President Rupiah Banda to campaign for next year’s elections and showing the nation the schools and hospitals that were currently being constructed.
“Where will the teachers come from? Where will the educational materials come from? The hospitals need equipment and medicines and these can only be procured using profits from the mines instead of relying on tax payers moneys,” said Sitwala.
Labels: HCAWUZ, MUBIANA SITWALA, WINDFALL TAX
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Look for quality leadership
By The Post
Sat 04 Dec. 2010, 04:00 CAT
WHEN our people go to the polls next year, they will not be going there to vote for ideas, for things in one's head. They will be voting to win material benefits, to live better and in peace, to see their lives go forward, to guarantee the future of their children.
And chief Kanongesha is right when he says voters should elect leaders who will take the country to another level because what is being sought in these elections is genuine democracy in which leaders are servants of the electorate and not its masters.
Our people will only be able to live better and in peace if they elect leaders who are intelligent, honest and humble and who see politics as a vocation to serve the people.
Elections are important in the promotion of justice, peace, development and community among all.
We see elections as a way of building up society for the common good. We should therefore vote wisely and only for people who are known for their honesty, ability, dedication and concern for the welfare of all.
When election time comes, we must vote for people of integrity regardless of the region they come from, their tribe, language or political affiliation.
Zambia needs patriotic leaders; people who place national interest before personal ambition.
Our duty of voting must be fulfilled carefully and we must choose wisely people who will take the direction of civil affairs.
We should be conscious of the crucial role each individual citizen should play in choosing the leaders who will create the Zambia we want to live in.
We should use our voice for the good of Zambia, as opposed to the good of a particular political party, group or individual.
We should vote for candidates who have proved themselves accountable to the electorate for the common good.
We should vote for people who are courageous in defending truth and justice for all, candidates who are completely honest in fulfilling private and public responsibilities.
We should vote according to our conscience, in accordance with the highest human values without allowing ourselves to be pressured or dictated to by anyone, by bribes, threats, self-interest and so on and so forth.
Next year's elections will provide all Zambians with a unique opportunity to show their political maturity and their sincere aspiration for peace and harmony anchored on justice.
The election campaign itself should avoid tribalistic outlook or sectionalism and look for the common good of all people.
There's need to realise that real political victory in these elections will lie on the ideas proposed, on the ethical values of the candidates, on the respect for the freedom of choice of all citizens, and not on any form of moral pressure or intimidation of political opponents or voters.
Political parties should be formed and run on ideals and principles and not on tribal or personal cult.
The right to vote bears positive fruit for the country when the people choose good leaders. We have the right to choose those who will represent us, and we must do our duty as citizens by choosing people who will serve the country with justice towards all.
We strongly advocate voting for people who consider themselves accountable to their electorate, who consider the public interest than their own, and who are faithful to their election promises; people who respect the rights of others and who do not use their position to amass wealth and are mindful of the many who have little or none; people of genuine integrity, moral courage in the cause of truth and justice, and who are competent for the posts entrusted to them.
We should vote for the political party that has a programme we see as the best for us as a nation. And candidates should therefore be evaluated on their capacity to implement both their party's manifesto and their own personal vision.
Those who offer themselves for re-election ought to be evaluated against the record of what they have or have not achieved. Did they fulfil their promises? Did they offer quality service to all the people and not only those who voted them into power? Were they available to listen to the concerns of the people and were they selfless in responding to the needs of all, especially the poor?
Those who have not yet held office should be carefully evaluated in terms of their competence and their reputation for honest and selfless dedication to the common good.
We believe that only those with the courage to speak out the truth, concern for social justice, desire to work for the common good instead of self-enrichment, disposition to use power for service, especially service of the poor and underprivileged, openness to dialogue, good moral standing, transparency and accountability to the electorate should be entrusted with the responsibility of public office.
Where we may now review the performance of our present representatives, let's weigh the candidates on the balance of truth, justice and unselfish service, and, if we find them wanting, reject them and elect others in their place.
This is our inalienable right. But this gives rise to another issue - the character of the candidates themselves. There is little benefit in voting out the old, if the newly elected may prove equally disappointing.
Our vote should help eliminate the unworthy and improve the quality of the new leadership. Once every five years, the law puts this power in our hands. Let us use it wisely and bravely.
Our vote is certainly a powerful weapon for unity, an instrument of liberty, justice and peace. On our voting, on the quality of it, the discernment behind it, depend the progress and peace of our country.
Clearly, in casting one's vote, a citizen should never be swayed by personal profit, tribal or even racial bias, but solely by the consideration of which of the conflicting issues or candidates is better for the nation.
We should scrutinise the people who wish to represent us and select our candidates strictly according to the good we think they can do.
The interest of the political parties should be kept subordinate to the public good. It is necessary to remind ourselves of the fact that politics and elections are for the good of the people and the country, and not for political survival of any individual or political party.
The spirit of the primacy of the common good should animate all our political parties. Politics and elections should aim at the promotion of the common good and the service of all the people.
We read in the scriptures that "The Son of Man himself came not to be served but to serve" (Mark 10:42).
The political parties that participate in our elections may not be that serious, their leaders may really be silly.
But the function of the elections in which they participate is deadly serious: to provide a peaceful and fair method by which our people can select their leaders and have a meaningful role in determining their own destiny.
And judging by the record of the past, the two most decisive factors affecting the future consolidation and expansion of our democracy will be economic development and political leadership. Economic development makes democracy possible; political leadership makes it real.
This is why chief Kanongesha's call to Zambians to look for quality leadership during next year's elections should not be about to fall on deaf ears.
Labels: CHIEF KANONGESHA, LEADERSHIP
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Media should focus on issues, not personalities - UNDP
By Joseph Mwenda
Sat 04 Dec. 2010, 03:59 CAT
THE Zambian media should focus more on issues in its reporting rather than personalities, says UNDP resident representative Kanni Wignaraja. In an interview after she visited The Post newspapers offices in Lusaka yesterday, Wignaraja said it was difficult to pick the real issues from what was being reported because of the character assassination perpetuated by the media.
She said there was too much tension and anxiety that was being reported.
“The media has an adrenaline rush that makes a person like me who is new in the country feel scared,” Wignaraja said.
She urged journalists to utilise their intellectual capabilities by bringing out real issues from the newsmakers and consider the opinion of the readers on matters being reported especially in the run-up to next year’s general elections.
“I need to see a more balanced way of reporting. Journalists must be able to distinguish between reporting purely what has been said, reporting with their opinions or those of the newspapers they represent and reporting based on the opinion of the general public not the readers because there is a difference,” Wignaraja said.
And Post managing editor Amos Malupenga said the media was a mirror of society.
“As The Post, we try as much as possible to focus on the real issues because it’s the real issues that are going to make a difference to our country. But it should be noted that the media is merely a mirror of society. What you see in the media reflects what kind of society we have,” Malupenga said.
“Sometimes the media can be blamed when they are merely reflecting what is happening in society.”
Malupenga said there was need to look at the whole issue of media coverage in a holistic manner and ensure that all stakeholders played a positive role.
Labels: 2011 ELECTIONS, ANTHONY UNDI, KANNI WIGNARAJA
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Govt should help unpaid farmers - clergyman
By By Post reporter
Sat 04 Dec. 2010, 03:59 CAT
A Mpika clergyman says the government should help farmers who have not been paid by the Food Reserve Agency for the grain supplied.
Bishop Ignatius Chama, the Mpika Catholic Diocese head, said some farmers in rural areas had not been paid by the organisation and the government needed to find an alternative way of helping them to access farming inputs for this year’s farming season.
Bishop Chama said most people still went without food despite the country having recorded a bumper harvest.
He said the maize was just rotting in storage sheds while various people did not have food to take them through to the next harvest season.
Bishop Chama made the remarks during the induction of 70 justice, peace and development members at Mpika’s cathedral church yesterday.
He said economic development should start with the improvement of people’s livelihood at household level through food security.
“Our core interest in Zambia is to make more money from exporting maize. Whatever happens to the people of Zambia thereafter is to start looking for relief food from well wishers. When are we going to be self-reliant?” said Bishop Chama. “We appreciate what government has done in terms of infrastructure, but that alone is not development because people are still starving. How do you expect them to be proactive if they do not have enough food in their homes? How do you expect civil servants to fight corruption if their daily needs are not met? How do you expect the pupils to go to school and concentrate when they have not eaten? What benefits is our grandmother in Nabwalya going to get? Is she going to eat the building?”
Bishop Chama asked the government through the district commissioner to investigate reports that officers tasked to handle the distribution of farming inputs had reduced the approved number of packs which were to be given to farmers.
Bishop Chama said justice and peace soldiers of the Catholic Church would expose the injustices that the members faced if the government did not act immediately.
He said Caritas Zambia had in most cases been misunderstood by those in government and yet the organisation’s role was to promote justice, peace and development among the people.
Bishop Chama said all human beings were equal and should benefit from the resources.
He said it was unfortunate that the politicians viewed the Catholic Church as anti-government and yet it just wanted the government to better people’s lives.
Bishop Chama said the church would not remain silent as long as the injustice continued.
Labels: FRA, IGNATIUS CHAMA
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MMD is ready for alliance - Chituwo
By Chibaula Silwamba in Lusaka and Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Sat 04 Dec. 2010, 04:02 CAT
MMD is ready for an alliance but Hakainde Hichilema should decide if the UPND wants to stay in opposition perpetually, a senior government official has said. And a senior MMD member says the UPND will be left without people if they do not quickly join the ruling party.
Speaking on Radio Mus-o-Tunya's Good Governance programme on Thursday in Livingstone, local goverment minister Brian Chituwo said he did not understand why UPND leader Hichilema was behaving in the manner he was despite the fact that UPND and MMD manifestos were similar.
"I have never spoken about this issue but since I'm in Southern Province, let me say that it is better for HH to get an opportunity like this one alliance. Let him not turn down the opportunity. If he has chosen to remain in the opposition in perpetuity, it is his decision. I'm offering him a chance,” Dr Chituwo said.
He said the MMD valued Hichilema so much that it would be better for the two parties to consolidate what he termed as the MMD's winning powers.
Dr Chituwo said Hichilema was being offered a chance by the MMD to join the 'winning' team.
"Let the young man take the chance," Dr Chituwo said.
And commenting on the continued suspension of the Livingstone City Council, Dr Chituwo said his visit to the tourist capital was for consultations and that he would soon come up with a report on the suspension of the Livingstone MMD-led city council.
Dr Chituwo said that the government had a process to follow and that Vice-President George Kunda's recent statements that the council would remain suspended was done in conformity with the law. He charged that the Livingstone City Council had been a problem since time immemorial and that government would not tolerate bad local governance.
Meanwhile, MMD Southern Province secretary Emmanuel Siamweela yesterday said the UPND would be left without people if the party did not quickly join the ruling party.
In an interview, Siamweela also confirmed parliamentary chief whip Vernon Mwaanga's remarks that MMD’s lower levels and the UPND were negotiating the possibility of forming an alliance.
"Informally we are negotiating, but we have not yet been given approval to undertake formal negotiations and many of them UPND members are joining us and we hear what people are saying," Siamweela said. "So, I want to confirm VJ's remarks. What is happening on the ground is what he is saying."
He said the people of Southern Province, mostly UPND members, were tired of being in opposition and were advocating for an MMD-UPND alliance so that they could also have a Cabinet minister after next year's polls.
He said UPND members at lower levels were threatening to ditch their leaders unless they heeded their demands.
Labels: BRIAN CHITUWO, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, MMD
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Kawimbe, Chikwakwa have failed - Musosha
By Patson Chilemba
Sat 04 Dec. 2010, 04:01 CAT
BONIFACE Kawimbe and Jazzman Chikwakwa must go because they have deliberately failed President Rupiah Banda in Luapula Province, says Chrispine Musosha.
In an interview, Musosha, who is education deputy minister and Mansa-Central MMD parliamentarian, said he agreed with PF ‘rebel’ members of parliament who have called on President Banda to remove Luapula Province minister Dr Kawimbe and provincial permanent secretary Chikwakwa from their portfolios.
He said Dr Kawimbe and Chikwakwa had failed to spearhead development in Luapula Province.
Musosha said Dr Kawimbe and Chikwakwa had failed to utilise the six graders and fully trained grader operators under their control to develop feeder roads in the province.
He said the productivity ratio for each grader was supposed to be four to six kilometres per day, meaning the six graders the province had could have achieved an average of 30 kilometres per day.
Musosha said Dr Kawimbe and Chikwakwa had only worked on 80 kilometres.
“So what productivity ratio is that? That government sent enough money last year, no single road was handled. This year they sent K5 billion, it is in the account today. Does it make sense, somebody has already prepared the food for you and you fail to eat it?” Musosha asked.
“The government has even put food in the mouth of both the minister and the PS and the entire provincial administration, and no road is being attended to. Does that make sense? So all those that are calling for the removal I am sorry I must join them.”
Musosha said President Banda should not be blamed for deploying Dr Kawimbe and Chikwakwa to serve in Luapula.
“It is just that they chose to fail the President and the entire MMD administration. They chose to do that unfortunately because one would be crying for money for diesel and other things. Money has been in the account,” Musosha said. “It means we are paying for nothing…it’s unfortunate. I urge my brothers to work up and start working.”
Musosha said fertiliser was released to the farmers earlier, but it was being taken to the farmers on rough terrain.
“Meanwhile, equipment has been sitting idle the whole year,” he said.
However, Musosha said he was ready for anybody that would want to challenge him.
Earlier during the debates in Parliament on the estimates of expenditure for Luapula Province, Kawimbe said he was aware of several calls from the rebel members of parliament for his provincial administration to step down but maintained he would not.
This is however, the first time that a fellow party member has called for his dismissal.
Labels: BONIFACE KAWIMBE, CHRISPINE MUSOSHA, JAZZMAN CHIKWAKWA, LUAPULA PROVINCE, MMD
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Rupiah salutes SA-Zambia ties
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Sat 04 Dec. 2010, 04:01 CAT
PRESIDENT Banda says Zambia and South Africa have been exemplary in their belief in democratic governance and the rule of law.
In a statement released by State House chief analyst for press and public relations Charles Kachikoti, President Banda said the two countries had been in the forefront to seek solutions to conflicts and political crises not only in the SADC sub-region but also on the African continent as a whole.
He said Zambia greatly appreciated the economic relations that continued to exist between the two countries.
“South Africa remains Zambia’s largest single trading partner with several South African companies and business people involved in the mining, agricultural, transport, tourism, trade and other industries in Zambia. In this way, most Zambians would be able to access South African expertise in various fields as we endeavour to better the livelihoods of our people, particularly in the rural areas,” he said during a state banquet held in his honour during his visit to South Africa on Thursday evening,
He said just as the two countries collaborated in the fight against colonialism, Zambia and South Africa must continue to work hand-in-hand to win the struggle for the economic emancipation of the continent and the improvement of the living standards of the people.
President Banda also congratulated President Zuma’s government and the people of South Africa for successfully hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
“You publicly demonstrated to the world that Africa can successfully host any international event and even make it better. I was personally very impressed with the organisation of the games and the infrastructure built. You made Africa proud,” said President Banda.
Labels: RUPIAH BANDA, SOUTH AFRICA
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African diplomats fearful of US-China relationships
ILHAM RAWOOT | JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - Dec 06 2010 16:54
African embassy officials, including a South African, are afraid that relationships between the United States and China will hamper Chinese funding to the region, according to a leaked cable from the US Embassy in Beijing.
The cable, released by WikiLeaks on Sunday, is one of the latest in the organisation's streaming release of over 250 000 leaked diplomatic cables. It was created on February 4 2010, and was classified as "confidential".
"During a February 8 lunch, Kenyan ambassador to China Julius Ole Sunkuli said he and other Africans were wary of the US-China dialogue on Africa and felt Africa had nothing to gain from China cooperating with the international donor community," reads the cable.
"Sunkuli claimed that Africa was better off thanks to China's practical, bilateral approach to development assistance and was concerned that this would be changed by 'Western' interference. He said he saw no concrete benefit for Africa in even minimal cooperation."
South African diplomat, Dave Malcolmson, was also present at the meeting, and echoed Sunkuli's reservations.
"Malcolmson echoed Sunkuli's comment that African countries also fear losing their bargaining power. China's emergence in Africa as a counterbalance to US and European donors have been very positive for Africa by creating 'competition' and giving African countries options. He recalled that after the 2006 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit, when China announced its commitments to Africa, traditional donors changed their attitude.
They recognised that they had to measure up to China and "came calling". The European Union proposed infrastructure projects (after having defacto given up supporting these types of projects) and the World Bank began to support more agriculture projects.
The author comments that Sunkuli and Malcomson's words should be seen as a warning sign, and that China might use African opposition as an excuse to halt progress on discussions or collaborations with the US.
"We should be careful to pick projects that would have broad support within the African community, preferably African-initiated and led, to get the development cooperation dialogue started on the right foot," reads the cable.
Labels: CHINA, WIKILEAKS
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Edward Mumbi was never trusted-Sata
Sunday, December 5, 2010, 19:38
Patriotic front leader Michael Sata has disclosed that the patriotic front has never trusted their former secretary general Edward Mumbi.
Mr. Sata tells QFM in an interview that the PF is not surprised with Mumbi's action as he is known to be a dishonest individual. Mr. Sata says it is funny that Mumbi is busy showing president Rupiah Banda that he is weakening the PF when in the actual sense he is strengthening the party.
He notes that the MMD will soon realize that Mr. Mumbi is not what he is portraying himself and will not want anything to do with him.
[Qfm]
Labels: EDWARD MUMBI, MICHAEL SATA, PF, PF-UPND, UPND
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Hichilema will regret declining Pact offer when it’s late—Mumbi
Monday, December 6, 2010, 8:20
FORMER opposition Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Edward Mumbi has said United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema will only realise the reality of the UPND-MMD alliance talks when he is left alone in the party.
And the MMD in Southern Province has urged the UPND national leadership to accept the wishes of the members at the grassroots to go into a pact with the ruling party.
Mr Mumbi said it was imperative that Mr Hichilema carried out thorough investigations to get the feelings and the mood of his party membership at lower organs regarding the alliance with the ruling MMD before refuting the statements in the media or else, he would wake up to a rude shock to find that he was a lone president.
Mr Mumbi was reacting to a statement in the media where Mr Hichilema had allegedly denied that his party was in talks to enter into an alliance with the MMD.
But Mr Hichilema said he could not respond to Mr Mumbi because he did not deserve his response.
“Mr Mumbi does not deserve my response, so I can’t respond to his statement,” Mr Hichilema said.
Denying the statement by MMD parliamentary chief whip Vernon Mwaanga that there were talks for an alliance between the UPND and MMD, Mr Hichilema said the announcement was a lie, saying all UPND MPs signed the letters to state the position that they were not for the idea of the alliance between the MMD and UPND.
But in an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Mumbi said media reports that UPND was engaged in talks with MMD at a lower level were true and Mr Hichilema should not brush them aside.
[Times of Zambia]
Labels: EDWARD MUMBI, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, PF, PF-UPND, UPND
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COMMENT - Minister Eustarkio Kazonga looks like a very good guy. Maybe the AG's office has someone on loan to track down corrupt elements in the FRA. Farmers should be paid on delivery.
Kazonga sends warning shots to FRA
By LusakaTimes
Monday, December 6, 2010, 9:02
Agriculture Minister, Dr. Eustarkio Kazonga has said the Food Reserve Agency has exported about 83, 000 metric tonnes of Maize to Zimbabwe while about 300, 000 metric tonnes more has been advertised for sale eying Congolese market.
Speaking during the national Watch program on ZNBC yesterday, Dr. Kazonga said plans were also underway to overhaul the crop marketing system in the country.
Dr Kazonga says his ministry has developed models of how the crops marketing should be conducting in the country and said he would present the models to cabinet for approval.
Meanwhile, Dr. Kazonga said he was aware of corruption elements in the payment systems of farmers who had supplied maize to the agency.
“Reports have been received of such irregularities in the payment system. Some farmers who supplied maize to FRA earlier have not yet gotten payment but those who supplied later on have been cleared. That is unacceptable, I am asking the farmers to report such acts and anyone who who will be found wanting will be dealt with at whatever level,” Kazonga said.
He also announced that the distribution of inputs to farmers is nearly complete with 90 percent of seeds and 70 percent of the fertilizer distributed so far throughout the country.
Dr Kazonga said government anticipates another bumper harvest of three million metric tonnes this season.
He said government is currently looking for funds to construct and rehabilitate silos in readiness for the bumper harvest next year.
“I have instructed the new board at FRA to start preparing for next year’s harvest, this issue of starting to look for empty bags in September and October will not be tolerated,” he said.
Dr Kazonga said so far government has spent 11 million dollars constructing storage facilities in Mbala,Chambishi, Petauke,Kapiri,Chisamba Mufumbwe and Kaluma in Southern province.
Labels: CORRUPTION, EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, FRA
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Mutati challenged to apologize over windfall tax remarks
Sunday, December 5, 2010, 8:52
Commerce Minister Felix Mutati has been challenged to apologize for saying that Zambians don’t understand windfall tax. Chingola Central Member of Parliament Wilber Simusa has said that Mr. Mutati insulted Zambians for alleging that Zambians don’t understand windfall tax.
He said that it was unfortunate that the Minister of high caliber could issue such a statement on behalf of the government. Mr. Simusa believes that Zambians understand the windfall tax unlike what the Minister said this week.
He said that Zambians wanted to seriously benefit from the mining activities that were taking place in the country.
He said that it is quite unfortunate that the Zambian government had failed to clearly explain on the proceeds it made from the mining activities.
He added that it was a must that the Minister of Commerce Trade and Industry apologize for the comments he made.
QFM
Labels: FELIX MUTATI, NEOLIBERALISM, WILBUR SIMUSA, WINDFALL TAX
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Why Africa must make China a priority development partner
By JULIUS BOSIRE (email the author)
Posted Monday, December 6 2010 at 00:00
Don’t lynch China; there are good things it is bringing to Africa’s extractive industry,” argues Muthuli Ncube, vice President of the African Development Bank.
Addressing a group of journalists attending a workshop in Tunis recently, Prof Ncube said that whereas Africa mostly looked to development partners from America and Europe, China was worth considering because it was biased towards improving infrastructure in the countries it is doing business in.
“China is using a different model – trading off its extraction with infrastructure,” said Prof Ncube. “Even after the contracts expire, the states are assured of improved infrastructure in roads and the telecommunication sector.”
He said that since infrastructure development was a direct investment China was making in Africa, the country should be ranked among priority development partners.
Prof Ncube criticised aid given to African states with conditions, likening it to insurance (aid-insurance) that demands specific conditions be met before it is delivered.
“The good news is that Africa may not need aid in the next 40 to 50 years,” he said.
He urged African media to focus on macro economic management of their economies, explaining that whereas the continent may not have economically benefited from the Structural Adjustment Programmes of the late 1980s and early 1990s, personnel trained to handle the process have become the best managers who are leading growing companies on the continent.
“The quality of managers who emerged due to SAPs are now displaying their skills in growing economies,” he said.
Prof Ncube praised Kenya’s mobile telephone money transfer system, which “had not been seen anywhere else in the world.”
Media should focus on intra-Africa trade, which he said was the pillar of economic development and yet it went under reported.
The 20 journalists were picked from around the continent to attend the one-week training whose theme was strengthening media coverage of economic and development issues in Africa. The workshop was sponsored by the AfDB and Reuters Foundation.
Godfrey Mwindaare the chief investment officer in charge of the Private Sector Department of AfDB said the coming of China, Brazil and India into Africa has enhanced competition in the mining industry, which has long been dominated by the West.
“This will promote efficiency in the extractive industry, leading to a competitive environment for business,” said Mr Mwindaare. “China is bringing improved infrastructure to Africa, a more permanent development as they extract resources.”
He however, cautioned African countries against exporting raw materials to the homes of their development partners.
“Africa cannot extract and export raw materials. There is a need to add value. Since most countries with resources have no infrastructure, it is all the more reason that we should welcome China, which has shown the way of concurrent development.”
Patrick Smith, editor Africa Confidential, cautioned African countries against entering loose agreements with “development partners,” which caused them to lose millions of dollars in the process of extracting their resources.
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Since 2008, Africa has lost $854 billion through deliberate mispricing and illicit financial flows, Mr Smith told the workshop.
Mr Smith estimated that of the total loss to Africa, about 70 per cent was through deliberate mispricing, 20 per cent through criminality, drug trafficking, taking resources out in terms of substance while 10 per cent is lost through facilitation fees, which was usually split between government officials and contractors.
He said the reason countries could not trace the money lost through such arrangements was because pre-bargain deals are always very difficult to investigate and prove in a court of law.
“African states need to be extra-cautious in investigating companies before signing deals with them,” said Mr Smith.
Some companies that have wrecked prospects of African countries’ development are extremely well connected in the West, Mr Smith explained.
A case in point is Ghana’s oil exploratory plans that have not taken off to drilling oil because of what the government feels was a bad deal entered into by the former regime with Kosmos, an exploration company from Texas.
He said all contracts with companies investing in Africa must be scrutinised to ensure they benefit both parties.
“Extractive industries must be monitored and their profiles investigated. Their accounts must be investigated and their tax payment followed keenly,” said Mr Smith.
Bad deals have been witnessed in Uganda oil, Nigeria and Ghana where the three states have lost massive resources in terms of tax and pre-negotiated agreements.
Vinay Sharma, the head of Integrity and Anti-Corruption Department at AfDB, argued that 25 per cent of African states’ GDP was lost through corrupt activities.
The latest Transparency International report ranked 30 African states among the 47 most corrupt countries in the world.
Labels: CHINESE, MUTHULI NCUBA
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Queries over European bank’s ‘hit and run’ lending to Africa
Posted Monday, December 6 2010 at 00:00
Queries are being raised over the lending of nearly £1 billion (about $1.4 billion) to banks and private equity companies in Africa by the European Investment Bank. A report by a group of European NGOs titled, “Hit and Run Development,” says too many of EIB’s lending processes are not transparent. It adds that funds have disappeared into private bank accounts and European tax havens.
EIB’s lending last year included 20 million Euros to the Private Enterprise Finance Facility in Kenya, 30 million Euros into PEFF in Uganda, 5 million Euros to the Rwandan Global Loan private sector support in Kigali and a further 10 million Euros to assist the Rwandan Private Sector Support Programme.
Specific projects criticised in the report include loans to the Intercontinental Bank of Nigeria, the NBS Bank in Malawi and the failure of the loans to Rwanda to be spent.
The Counter Balance report reveals how the European Investment Bank’s use of intermediated loans and private equity funds facilitates corruption and tax evasion.
The report concludes that the use of these lending tools in developing countries “goes against any kind of development logic.”
The EIB has defended its practices, saying it has “exemplary transparency and accountability standards,” and that its operations “ensure more effective lending and cheaper financial support for local companies.”
It added that some details of its loans were held back for “commercial reasons.”
The Counter Balance report says the EIB increasingly uses intermediated loans or global loans — up to 37 per cent of its non-EU lending amount – as an integral part of its development lending.
But it says “by pre-approving projects as a group instead of appraising them individually, the EIB is making it difficult to track the final use of the money.”
At the same time, the EIB is conducting an increasing amount of its development investing via private equity. “This means a further shift from traditional project finance to investments via entities that clearly prioritise profit maximisation over concerns about sustainable development.”
While the EIB may insist that it selects “trusted and experienced partners” for such investments, the “evidence suggests otherwise,” the report says.
The cases presented in the report suggest some EIB funds are misused for sinister practices such as tax evasion, money laundering and personal enrichment.
That “the EIB’s due diligence and project partner selection for those cases have been compromised casts doubts not only on how fit for purpose these newly favoured investment models are but also on the overall development effectiveness of EIB’s activities in developing countries,” says author Antonio Tricarico.
Labels: BANKING
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‘Ugandans are not fools’
By Risdel Kasasira (email the author)
Posted Sunday, December 5 2010 at 00:00
General elections are expected to take place in Uganda in February next year. In preparations, political parties are strategically placing their flag bearers to vie for various elective positions. Risdel Kasasira caught up with the Inter-Party Cooperation flag bearer for Mbarara Municipality and Forum for Democratic Changes’s secretary for defence, Maj. John Kazoora, to ascertain his views on his political fortunes and that of his party in the forthcoming elections. Excerpts:-
Western Uganda has had a history of voting the NRM and Mr Museveni and voting out the opposition. Don’t you think you are just chasing wind?
I don’t think Ankole or western Uganda always votes Museveni. Voters are intimidated to vote otherwise because you will soon see all the military Generals coming here to intimidate people. There is nothing like free and fair elections here. Voters are intimidated and they vote against their will. But his [Museveni’s] long stay in power is definitely working against him and he will soon lose ground. He has completely ignored what he said when he was swearing in as the president 25 years ago. He said the problem of African leaders was overstaying in power yet he is now one of the longest serving presidents in the world.
Can the opposition lead this country when they have shown that they are disorganised and have failed to agree under the Inter-Party Cooperation (IPC)?
Is the Inter-Party Cooperation all about mayoral race in Kampala? That is where we have been having disagreements. IPC is big and has candidates all over the country. In any case, which political group in does not have disagreements?
Do you see change in leadership of this country in 2011?
Yes. People are tired of lies by the NRM and Mr Museveni. Look at their manifesto in 2006 on which the people of Uganda voted. It was Bona Bagaggawale (Prosperity for All). This phrase made people excited. They thought there was money for them in a basket to pick. They tried to explain how people were going to get rich in five years. However, I want you to tell me any village in this country where one person, not two, who has benefited from this programme?
They promised so many billions of shillings to repair roads in the country. But what do we see? Multiplication of potholes. You can simply call them fish ponds. They created that hype of Chogm (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) in 2007 and how it was going to market the country. But what did we see? Stealing of the money they had budgeted for the event.
In fact it has done more harm. They swindled billions of shillings meant for the event. It is just a small group of people known to each other who benefited from this scam. You know the much hyped Universal Primary Education (UPE). If you asked a graduate of this programme to write for you a letter, you would be lucky if they wrote one correct sentence in English. All we have seen in the last five years is the arresting of journalists, closing radio stations and besieging of courts. You have heard him [Museveni] say he would not leave power if he lost.
I don’t know why people forget history when history written in their doorsteps. When Mr Museveni took over power 25 years ago, he said he could not imagine being a president when he is leading people who do not put on shoes. But what do we see in this country? High levels of poverty. Jiggers are killing people. There is no medicine in the hospitals. I can tell you that people are not fools. They know which people have let down this country and they will vote them out.
NRM has more confidence that they will win this election with a bigger margin than what they got in 2006. What is your comment?
Let them think so. But let me hope that they know that their candidate got 79 per cent in 1996, 69 per cent in 2001 and 59 per cent in 2006. What have they done that will make them gain more support this time? Maybe if they think that using violence is the only way to go. I know they will use harassment, threats and intimidation towards voters and journalists, including arresting them on trumped-up charges. But that is not sustainable. You have heard him singing Mpa Enkoni. I think he was indirectly telling people to get sticks and start beating up those opposed to him.
Do you see violence in 2011 after the announcement of the election results by the Electoral Commission chairman Badru Kiggundu?
It depends on how elections are managed. You cannot push people to the wall and you expect them to keep quiet. People are not fools. They know what they want. If this government denies them their rights, they can explode. They know it has happened elsewhere and it can happen here too.
Which key areas should the voters consider when voting in the forthcoming general elections?
Why do we elect leaders? They need our mandate to get to power and deliver services. People should vote for a person who can do accountability. They should vote out people who do not respect human rights. The besieging of the courts should be a very big voting factor in the next elections. Voters must ask questions about Chogm money - why that money was swindled and no action against the perpetuators has been taken.
Why has Universal Primary Education failed miserably? We need transparency and accountability. A healthy and well-educated population is both a necessary condition for development and one of the central objectives of development. But what do see here? It’s total mess. These are the questions the voters must ask and they must be given answers.
Would I be right to say that a wrong perception has been created on the minds of people from the west that they are the ones benefiting from this government?
No, no. People are right. They know who has benefited from what. There is a certain group of people who are controlling this country and they feel they should fight for their bread. It is your work as the media to highlight such issues. But like I said before, people [Ugandans] are not fools because they know who is getting what and who is doing what.
Labels: ELECTIONS, JOHN KAZOORA (MAJ.), NEOLIBERALISM, UGANDA, YOWERI MUSEVENI
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US regime change plot busted in Harare!
Saturday, 04 December 2010 22:21
THE regime change operations of the American government in Zimbabwe over the past three years have been exposed following the leaking of a Fiscal Year 2010 Mission Strategic Plan from the US Embassy in Harare which details how the mission sought to push President Mugabe out of power through a three-pronged approach.
Figures under the title “Summary of Foreign Assistance Requests — Mission Requests” in the plan show that the embassy had requested about US$140 million for the clandestine project.
The strategic plan, which covers the period between 2008 up to the end of this year, outlines the US government’s three-pronged approach to effect regime change as: putting pressure on the Zimbabwean Government, providing assistance to opposition political parties and civil society and the provision of aid to the people of Zimbabwe.
The embassy, which was under James McGee at the time, wrote that for the acceptance of this plot, it had to “promote a positive image of the US and US government programmes” and promote American principles and values, but quickly declared that “no other goal supersedes in importance the mission’s efforts to respond to the needs of American citizens in Zimbabwe”.
The leaking of the document in Wikileaks-style fashion is set to put the US Embassy in Harare in panic mode as the Obama administration is currently battling to contain leaks published by Wikileaks last Sunday.
Under the “Chief of Mission Statement”, the embassy predicted that the removal of President Mugabe from power would happen during the 2008 to 2010 period, adding that the March 29 2008 elections provided the first opportunity for change.
The embassy states that “during the next three years, the US Mission in Harare will focus on promoting Zimbabwe’s transformation” but acknowledged that “Embassy Harare faces exceptional challenges, expects to encounter exceptional opportunities, and requests exceptional treatment”.
“Change is likely to come to Zimbabwe during the 2008-2010 period. Elections to be held on March 29 2008 provide the first opportunity for change . . . ” said the embassy, adding that “(President) Mugabe’s eventual departure from power will create an opportunity but cannot guarantee fundamental reform . . .
“The challenge for the USG (US government) is to ensure that the opportunity for real reform is not missed. In the short term, while Mugabe continues to cling to power, we will continue laying the groundwork for reform by maintaining our three-pronged approach to promote change: pressure on the regime, assistance to Zimbabwe’s democrats, and aid for its suffering people.
“On Mugabe’s departure, we will need to exercise leadership within the donor community to maintain unity and ensure that a successor regime understands that generous foreign assistance will support serious reform but that the international community will require actions and not just words. Donor co-ordination efforts have laid a solid foundation for this task.”
The embassy said it would work closely with the IMF on macro-economic policy reform and offer targeted assistance to promote private sector development.
“Our public diplomacy initiatives also encompass a wide-ranging outreach programme that reaches Zimbabweans in high-density urban areas as well as rural areas and creates goodwill through cultural, educational and social programming. Through two American Corners and travel by embassy officers and visiting speakers, the mission seeks to reach Zimbabweans throughout the country . . .
“Of course, no other goal supersedes in importance the mission’s efforts to respond to the needs to American citizens in Zimbabwe,” said the embassy.
However, the embassy said the ability to meet its goals depended on the availability of resources “in excess of our current allocations. Our needs reflect both the new ambitions we have set for ourselves and the reality that current budgets are inadequate to support even existing levels of activity”.
The embassy called for the improvement of security “at our facilities and residences” to match “the current threat environment”.
“In FY (Fiscal Year) 2010, USAID anticipates requiring an additional three USDH (US Direct Hire) positions to better manage the size and complexity of its programme in the context of political change in Zimbabwe,” said the embassy.
It added: “Even if change does not come as a result of March 2008 elections, Mugabe’s age, the fissures in his party (Zanu-PF), and the people’s growing dissatisfaction all augur well for change in the near future.” The embassy pledged to assist in reforming the judiciary and the security sectors, both law enforcement and military. If democracy (regime change) is delayed, the mission’s foreign assistance programme would continue its current three-prong approach of pressurising the regime, providing assistance to democratic political parties and institutions, and supporting those affected by the GOZ’s (Government of Zimbabwe) poor governance policies.
“Towards this end, the mission would continue to support independent media . . . expand the efforts of civil society to apply pressure on the Government . . . keep the opposition voice alive,” the embassy revealed.
“The mission’s foreign assistance priorities for FY2010 comprise an integrated strategy to ensure that the USG attains its transformational diplomacy goals in Zimbabwe.
“The installation of a new government will bring many opportunities for the USG . . .”
Under its Goal Papers, the embassy said it would partner with Usaid to increase the number of effective civil society organisations.
In the FY 2007, the embassy’s target was to create 15 civil society organisations but it ended up creating 29 organisations.
In the FY 2008, the embassy aimed to create 32 civil society organisations while in 2009 and 2010 it targeted to create 35 organisations.
The embassy even revealed that it wanted to use the fight against HIV and Aids to create a good US image among the people of Zimbabwe by providing anti-retroviral drugs and counselling for those affected by the pandemic.
Under Goal Number 3, which is to Improve Quality of Security Law Enforcement and Justice Institutions, the embassy said it would receive assistance from the US government’s Foreign Military Financing and the Economic Support Fund.
The US government’s Defence Attache Office, the Defence Intelligence Agency and the Department of Defense would also be roped in, in the regime change plot.
Interestingly, the MDC-T has also been making a lot of noise about the need for security sector reforms.
The embassy also sought to use food to improve the image of the US government adding that in FY 2010, the target was to have 75 percent of the population receiving free food distribution and 25 percent receiving livelihood support.
Among its top priorities in promoting economic recovery, the embassy said it would seek the “re-establishment of property rights, especially resolving the thorny issue of farmland tenure”, a move that clearly exposes the hidden hand to reverse the land reform programme.
Some private businesses were in line to benefit from the US government’s economic assistance programmes.
Under Goal Number 6 to Promote the Free Flow of Information in Support of Positive Political Change, the embassy said: “The mission will emphasise information and cultural programmes that engage and influence target audiences in order to promote understanding of American values and policies . . . We will target youth and students as a way to influence the leaders of a post-change Zimbabwe . . .
“As part of an active media presence, PAS (Public Affairs Section) will strengthen the independent media and improve journalistic standards through workshops and the dissemination of resources, including IIP (International Information Programmes) products and publications that offer basic American principles, policies and values . . .
“Our programmes will work to promote a positive image of the US and USG programmes. Media events and publicity will seek to increase awareness of US contributions, both private and USG, to Zimbabwe . . .”
Under its public diplomacy, the embassy in the FY 2007 targeted to have 750 Zimbabweans visiting its IRC (Information Resource Centre) per month but it surpassed the number to 850.
The embassy claimed that pirate radio station Voice of America (VOA) in FY 2007 managed to reach out to about one million listeners “despite jamming by the Zimbabwe Government”.
In FY 2008, the US government wanted VOA to reach out to about 1,5 million Zimbabweans while in 2009 it targeted 1,8 million and in 2010 it targeted two million that it would bombard with information seeking to spruce up its image.
Labels: NEOCOLONIALISM, WIKILEAKS
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President launches Tree Planting Day
Saturday, 04 December 2010 21:11 Top Stories
President Robert Mugabe Saturday officially launched the annual Tree Planting Day by planting a Munyii tree at Chishawasha Primary School just outside Harare, underscoring the theme of this year’s national tree planting commemoration, that is, ‘a tree today and a forest tomorrow.
President Mugabe said Zimbabwe has 17 million hectares of forest cover that is depleting at 330 thousand hectares per annum and at that rate it will take only 53 years for it to vanish. He said something drastic has to be done in the form of an aggressive replanting of trees.
The President said the 17 million hectares represent a 45% of Zimbabwe’s land area and the country has potential to tape into the international carbon markets and enjoy financial benefits.
He said the planting and sustainable use of the environment must be practical, adding that foresters and scientists have to speedily investigate how the country can benefit from the multi-billion dollar carbon market.
Brazil is already enjoying the carbon markets.
Accompanying the President were the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Management, Cde Francis Nhema, Governor and Resident Minister for Mashonaland East Province, Cde Eanias Chigwedere, Goromonzi West member of the House of Assembly,Beatrice Nyamupinga and Goromonzi East House of Assembly member, Paddy Zhanda.
The President was present with two lion cubs, a male and a female.-zbc
Labels: TREE PLANTING DAY, TREES
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COMMENT - This is excellent, and what development should be about. A lot of money can be made honestly, by linking small scale farmers into sales channels that benefit them. See also the
Swedish Cooperative Centre page.
Sorghum cheer for farmers
Agriculture Reporter
Tuesday, 12 October 2010 13:17 Agriculture
Small-scale sorghum farmers in Chiredzi have demonstrated that besides boosting food security, sorghum can take care of their socio-economic needs when they delivered 30 tonnes of the grain to Delta Beverages, earning themselves US$6 527.
The farmers shared the money according to the tonnage each had delivered with the highest earner, Mr Phahlela Tsamwisi of Vhukani Village, pocketing US$1 680.
“I am happy that
we have finally found a reliable buyer in Delta Beverages after years of being ripped off by unscrupulous middlemen who always purport to be advancing our cause yet they are the ones who benefit more from our toil,� Mr Tsamwisi said.
He paid tribute to the non-governmental organisation Swedish Co-operative Centre for linking them with Delta and making arrangements for transportation of produce to Harare.
After handing over the money to the farmers, SCC programmes manager for Chiredzi, Ms Wendy Mangwende, said they intervened to help improve livelihoods.
The money was first deposited into SCC’s bank account as the majority of farmers have no accounts.
“We subsequently helped the farmers to establish the 50-member Dhumela Farmers Club to which the 18 who sold their grain to Delta belong.
“Under the programme, dubbed ‘Assisting Farmers to Fight Poverty’, we will help them explore more new markets both locally and regionally.
“We are currently exploring the Botswana markets for red sorghum,� she said.
She said farmers used to barter produce for different products, making it difficult for them to meet other obligations such as paying school fees for their children.
SCC country co-ordinator Mr Jonathan Kagoro added: “The starting point is that farmers need to find a reliable market and this is what we are doing to assist them.
“We now want them to diversify into small livestock units, for instance goats, whose auctioning has already started in Mwenezi.�
Agricultural consultant Mr Marcus Hakutangwi said farmers should form study groups to exchange vital farming information on crop agronomy, animal husbandry and marketing.
Chiredzi falls under natural region five where average annual rainfall barely goes above 500 mm.
The region is not suitable for crops such as maize but is good for small grain crops like sorghum.
For the 2010/11 agricultural season, Dhumela Farmers Club members intend to produce more than 60 tonnes of white sorghum and also try red sorghum for Chibuku Breweries.
Labels: DHUMELA FARMERS CLUB, SORGHUM, SWEDISH COOPERATIVE CENTRE
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Iranian firm to set up dairy plants
Saturday, 27 November 2010 21:59 Agriculture
PLANS by an Iranian firm Souts, which manufactures farming machinery, to launch three dairy processing plants in the country have reached an advanced stage, an official said last week. Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Pournajaf said negotiations with the ministries of Agriculture and Foreign Affairs to establish the dairy plants had been completed.
He said the location and size of the plants had been determined and the project was expected to be completed in the next six months.
“Following the visit by our Head of State Mahmoud Ahmadinejad earlier this year, a lot of projects were agreed on and this is one of them.
“Souts, one of our firms which manufactures machinery for agriculture, will be installing three dairy processing plants in Zimbabwe within the next six months. With this project we hope to improve the dairy supply in the country and at the same time improve the bilateral relations as has been the case with Motira tractors,” he said.
Labels: DAIRY, IRAN, MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD
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230 on dairy training programme
Thursday, 14 October 2010 07:41 Agriculture
The Department of Livestock Produ-ction and Agritex have embarked on a programme to train 230 farmers from Nharira and Sadza Dairy schemes in the Chikomba District of Mashonaland East.
In an interview on Tuesday, Chiko-mba livestock specialist, Mr Cosmas Ratsakatika, said 160 of the farmers would be from Nharira and the remainder from Sadza.
“The training is aimed at reviving production levels that had dipped from 1 000 litres a day to the current 150 litres a day,†Mr Ratsakatika said.
He said they were training farmers on the basics of increasing fodder and silage production and use. “The training will also enable farmers to practice proper record keeping, adopt right feeding and culling methods to boost herds while keeping their focus on increasing the calving percentage from 34,5 percent to 40 percent,†Mr Ratsakatika said.
Apart from this, the farmers will also be trained on feed formulation, clean milk production and proper storage procedures. To this end, the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare has also been roped in to take care of sanitary training requirements.
Mr Ratsakatika said a district management team — comprising representatives from different Government departments — would train farmers on handling of finances and marketing. After the training, farmers are also expected to up their daily yields from 1, 9 litres per day per head to more than eight litres.
Apart from directly boosting their incomes, they are also expected to start a yoghurt making business. The training began on Monday and will run until December.
“The first day recorded over 50 farmers at Nharira while 35 commercial dairy producers also received training at their farms. “The response was just overwhelmi-nging,†Mr Ratsakatika said.
Labels: DAIRY, NEW FARMERS, YOGHURT
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COMMENT - The author means pre-2002 levels. According to the FAO/WFP, the first year tobacco declined was in 2002. (Tobacco (US$ m) 2000 (548.8) 2001 (594.1)
2002 (434.6) 2003 (321.3). See:
Table 1: Zimbabwe - Key economic indicators, 2000–2007)
Bumper tobacco crop projected
by Gilbert Nyambabvu
05/12/2010 00:00:00
ZIMBABWE’S tobacco production is inching towards the pre-2000 peak levels with industry officials projecting output to jump 38 percent to 170 million kilogrammes in the next cropping season.
The country produced 123 million kilogrammes in the last season but the Tobacco Industry Marketing Board (TIMB) has said output should increase to 170 million kilogrammes with more farmers expected to join the sector.
50 000 farmers made deliveries to the country’s auction floors in the just ended season and the TIMB said it expects an additional 10 000 producers to join the sector.
“Indications are that the 2011 tobacco season will be successful because the number of growers has increased,” TIMB chief executive Dr Andrew Matibiri said.
“Last year, we had 50 000 growers and we are expecting that figure to increase to 60 000.”
The organization said a significant number of farmers were expected to switch from cotton to tobacco production in the new season while others in non-traditional tobacco growing areas were also trying the ‘golden leaf’.
“We have also witnessed that some farmers in areas like the Zambezi have expressed interest in growing the crop this year even though the climatic conditions in such areas are considered unfavourable for the crop,” Matibiri said.
Zimbabwe used to be one of the world’s leading tobacco producers with output topping 227 million tones between 1998 and 2000.
However, re-organisation of the country’s farming sector in the wake of the government’s controversial land reforms compounded by often-inclement weather conditions saw production decline significantly over the decade.
Labels: ANDREW MATIBIRI, TOBACCO
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WikiLeaks: One shame more, one gain less
by Nathaniel Manheru
04/12/2010 00:00:00
WIKILEAKS! WikiLeaks! Oh WikiLeaks! Yesterday morning we woke up to a front page story headlined, "I’m not bothered — Tsvangirai." With obvious relish, I quickly reached for a copy of the Ncube tabloid, curious to see how the big man from Buhera, so vaunted by the West for wielding superlative skills, handles this one, handles the invidious in general.
Here was mighty America — Tsvangirai’s sworn ally, and author of ZDERA — unhelpfully telling Robert Mugabe — Tsvangirai’s bete noire, and ZDERA’s victim — that, yes, you are right Bob, right after all; Tsvangirai is woefully inadequate: whether to play personality foil to you, or to succeed you as leader and president of this land of Great Stone.
Regarding the latter, mighty America says Tsvangirai — her proxy — has "little executive experience and will require massive hand holding and assistance." America goes further. The man will require massive assistance "should they [opposition] ever come to power." And in the unlikely event that they "should ever come to power", please watch out, warns our Prime Minister’s all-powerful master!
Zimbabwe’s Walesa
The man is "a flawed figure, not readily open to advice, indecisive and with questionable judgment in selecting those around him." And America declares that this composite flaw definitively circumscribes prospects both for the man’s career and for the opposition: "He is the indispensable element for opposition success, but possibly an albatross around their necks once in power." It helps to remember America did this character assessment before the Inclusive Government. Traversing the continent of Africa, all to reach Poland in mainland Europe, America declares Tsvangirai is alter ego to Lech Walesa, himself a precursor trade unionist-turned-president, thanks to Uncle Sam and the collapse of the Soviet Union. The analogy and conclusion is stark: "Zimbabwe needs him [Tsvangirai], but should not rely on his executive abilities to lead the country’s recovery." In his place, mighty America finds no alternatives, which is why it turns its eyes to those living in the Diaspora.
Timba the little…
Now, with this kind of characterization from a whole all-seeing, all-knowing and all-powerful, planetary superpower called America, who would not be too keen on the reaction? Who? Eagerly, I go for the "intro". It reads: "Jameson Timba, the Minister of State in Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Office, says…blah, blah, blah." A-ah, so it is not the man himself saying "I am not bothered"? It is another? And who be it? Jameson Timba!
Timba the little bird! Timba the little! The whole story is devoted to the diminutive Minister "in the Prime Minister’s Office". It is, in other words, a story driven by someone coming from the very Office which is the subject matter of WikiLeaks. Let us see with what amount of competence. I read on. The horror, the horror! The Minister has "risen" to tell us all that the Prime Minister, Right Honourable Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, is not bothered by America’s view of him! Simply, not bothered at all. Palaver Finish!
Illustrating America’s verdict
Let me confirm that I had absolutely no interest in this story until this little man Timba rose tall and taller, all to tell us his boss is not bothered. But his boss is bothered enough to send him to tell us he is not bothered?
Not bothered at all! And when the messenger comes from his Office, when the messenger is his officer, we are immediately furnished with material with which to test mighty America’s character assessment of the man. Is someone thinking in that office?
The subject of America’s dismissive view of Tsvangirai centres on his sense of judgment, specifically his "judgment in selecting those around him." Such as Timba? How do you stretch yourself larger and taller to declare un-existing nonchalance? You convey non-bother by taking a bother with a media enquiry on the matter? With men like this, who needs to doubt the Americans?
R.S.V.P.
Now that the minister has invited us into the story, let us deal with it, candidly too. If not simply on grounds of his clumsy and disastrous handling of this public relations challenge on his boss, certainly on grounds of concern at the MDC-T leader’s claimed lack of concern at his handler’s view of him.
Let me dispense with matters of protocol first. America’s piece does not relate to Morgan Tsvangirai as Prime Minister of this country. It could not have, given that at the time of this American judgment, the man was nowhere near Munhumutapa building, less in dreams, far, far less so in reality. Secondly, America is addressing him as a leader of an opposition it made and expected so much from. ZDERA, reinforced by successive executive orders makes this paternal connection and filial expectation so obvious as to be trite.
So I need not comment within strictures, fearing I am accused of disrespecting the Office of the Prime Minister of this country. But equally, I am not constrained from gauging whether or not the man has evolved, ever since the passing of this verdict, now leaked to the world.
Aesthetics of longer apartheid
I am Zanu (PF) and the temptation to go for Tsvangirai beckons compellingly. Yet that would be to miss a crucial point with a direct bearing on this country and its African (black) people, the true indigenes of this land. I am not the type that gets finicky about whose land Zimbabwe is. I am very clear, the same way I am very clear that when a victim of oppression agonizes to ingratiate himself or herself with the oppressor, he/she is showing appalling weakness, in fact showing a despicable complex.
He is not showing strength of character, less still magnanimity. It is a weakness that only invites greater derision from the oppressor, not a higher regard for superior humanity. You cannot mortgage the entitlements of your people in the name of one-sided reconciliation. Much sooner than much later, South Africa will learn there is no black colour on the rainbow, itself a vaunted symbol of post-apartheid reconciliation and its famed amity.
If South Africa treats "rainbow" as a symbol of permanence, as a timeless and unconditional ideal, then the rainbow will turn out to be such a bad, execrable metaphor that misled a generation. If South Africa treats the rainbow as a social model for tackling racially entrenched disparities, then the rainbow will turn out much worse, indeed acquiescence so unfit and so demeaning to a liberation movement.
One shame less, one gain more
No amount of aesthetizing the apartheid that lingers well into Uhuru will alter the above facts. We saw it here. We called "longer Rhodesia" the "private sector" or "commercial farming". We deodorized it up to 2000, until our embittered people told us there was dung in the room.
We only began moving forward as a people the day Robert Mugabe decided that the reconciliation which had given us some peace respite from a bitter war, could never deliver social justice to the downtrodden. And it has been so throughout histories of the oppressed.
It was Mexico’s armed revolutionary leader, one Zapata, who said: "We fight for the land and not for illusions that give us nothing to eat…. With or without elections, the people are chewing the cud of bitterness." Real progress begins to register when as a people and a race find each day comes to mean one shame less, and one material gain more.
Hard on the ward
I want to go back to WikiLeaks. Zanu (PF) welcomes this as propaganda manna. It should and it must wring out of this hefty disclosure every ounce of propaganda value. Well before the Zimbabwean masses have judged this man called Tsvangirai, his own benefactors have dropped a hint to guide all of us when the time of judgment comes.
They do not think highly of him, something this column has repeatedly pointed out. Surely benefactors are always charitable, even reluctantly so. When they eventually say hard things about their ward, when they cannot hold back on negativity, and say so loud enough for the ward’s enemies to hear, surely they have seen something too sinister to be ignored, too dangerous to benefit from doubt. This seems to be where we are.
America’s KRA
But there is a more fundamental point: that to do with imperial America’s relationship with small, rich states, relationship with small, dark people minding their own little, coveted corner in the world. Throughout the leaked assessment of Tsvangirai, the concern of America is apparently not Zimbabwe and its futures.
The fixation is with one Mugabe, chiefly his delayed political end. America’s "grit, determination and focus" is in getting Mugabe out of the way and the fact that this was the subject focus of Dell, clearly suggests that was the raison d’etre of his deployment here. Maybe the all-time reason for the deployment of American Ambassadors to Harare. Mugabe’s downfall is a key result area of American foreign policy, it seems.
Caveat Emptor
And America pursues this with singleness of purpose. Its whole concern is invested in this one outcome. Here we call it regime change, a sinister goal the American embassy here stoutly denies as sullying its otherwise impeccable foreign policy. And when Mugabe falls? America, apparently, is not concerned.
About that, it makes a measly contribution: simply by way of a costless warning to all of us on who should not lead us. And the man who should not lead us is Morgan Tsvangirai, America tells us. Read all that against the tall claims of ZDERA and Executive Orders signed by successive US Presidents and tell me what price tag you would put on America’s care of this small, great country, on this small, great black people.
Holding thy hand
Except not caring for post-Mugabe Zimbabwe’s fate would actually have been a favour to all of us as Zimbabweans. And don’t get me wrong: to say America does not seem to care is not to say America has no interest in getting involved. On Zimbabwe, America is not about to cut and run. You cannot miss America’s fervency in the leaked report.
America means to stay. It promises "a massive hand holding and assistance" to a Zimbabwe led by an unable MDC and its equally unable leader. I mean, no-one should be foolish enough to think Dell is wishing for a "massive SADC hand holding"? The massive hand he means is that of imperial America.
That is where Tsvangirai’s character as read by his American benefactors and your fate and my fate, intersect. America will lead Zimbabwe simply by holding the disabled governing hand of the MDC, should it ever become a ruling party! And America is too impatient to hesitate. After all, save for Tsvangirai’s ineptitude, America "could have achieved more already."
Brave for what?
But there are qualities in Tsvangirai America gladly extols. He is brave. He is committed. He is "by and large" a democrat. More fundamentally for America, he is the one player "on the scene right now" with "the ability to rally the masses". Brave in defence of what? Committed to what? Whose democrat? Rallying the masses towards what?
Such questions bring us closer to America’s sense of leadership abroad, little abroad. Answers to all these questions, quite naturally, must relate to helping America "achieve more" in Zimbabwe, which is where one needs to broaden the outlook beyond Dell’s instalment, itself the latest and "lastest", as his tour of duty came to a close. What WikiLeaks gave us were last rites of policy exhortations by an American envoy to America pursuing defined goals, working for definite outcomes, all set well before this leak.
For America, African opposition politicians are there to neutralize African leaders who dare oppose the realization of American interests on their own soil. For that eventuality, they must show bravery and commitment; they must be charismatic enough to "move the masses". African political leadership should be instrumental to the pursuit of American interests on the continent. And the whole MDC campaign woven around marches to State House, around "removing" Mugabe "forcefully", was part of the leadership test for Tsvangirai. They found him brave; they found him committed, but with a serious IQ deficit.
I did not say it; America did. And as "the end gets nigh", quite naturally American imperialism gets anxious. It needs an able hand "to rally the masses" towards endorsing the outcome America desires, towards accepting to live under a neo-colonial outcome perpetually, without challenging American interests. It means reconstructing a new "State" out of the one created in the aftermath of the war of liberation. That State must be ably manned, with competent hands. This is America’s gripe with Tsvangirai and those around him. Through the incompetence of those around him, he cannot build a cleverly run neo-colony for America.
The Maliki option
America’s solution is not Biti or Chamisa, much as it places both above their condemned leader. It is those Zimbabweans in the Diaspora. I call this simple America’s Maliki option, after the experiences of post-Saddam Iraq. Or the Karzai option where Gucci-smelling Moslems are plucked from Diasporic Afghanistan to take over an Afghanistan ruined by a blatant American invasion, and then to rule it after the image and vision of Uncle Sam. America tried the same in Cuba, which is why post-1959, America pursued a policy of Floridising Cubans, including through the Peter Pan project which involved massive abduction of Cuban children for adoption by American families in Florida and other cities.
The idea was to raise a Cuban émigré community in sufficient numbers to be able not just to mount an invasion, but also to cobble an American-reared leadership for Cuba. So when the American envoy talks of a hand-held outcome, we need not conjecture what that means in everyday terms. We have precedence already, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, but also spectacularly inspiring examples in Cuba. To say so is not to indict many Zimbabweans out there eking out a hard living in the Diaspora. We should get away from this fallacy of thinking everyone out there is pro-West and an MDC activist, supporter or sympathizer. True, tall tales have been sold to western immigration officers by many in the Diaspora.
But once settled, Zimbabweans in the main regain their sense of nationalism. I have always told people if you want to radicalize a Zimbabwean, send him abroad. Whatever the dominant disposition of Zimbabweans out there, the issue is imperialism will not stop hoping or drawing scenarios serviceable to it. It is important to know this.
Still standing
I recall Baffour Ankomah of "New African" magazine reminding me after an instalment that America’s penultimate act before ousting Nkrumah was to withdraw its white envoy who had done much of the dirty work, in order to replace him with a black one who would blend well with Ghana. Maybe that is what McGee was all about and this column made the same point. It read McGee together with Johnnie Carson, averring their deployment to or on the Zimbabwean case was not necessarily out of sync with the broader pursuits of imperialism. But a good two years after McGee, Mugabe still stands. It is precisely for the same reason that I find Charles Ray and his latest forays at attempting to rally veterans of Zimbabwe’s war of liberation, quite interesting. Is he the one America has been waiting for to deliver Mugabe’s head? Is he a correction on McGee? Or might he be a turning point after the false end Dell saw and America hoped for?
Shark on sand dune
Ambassador Charles Ray reads like a proverbial shark pushed to a sandy shoreline. It can no longer rely on its size and agility, facing as it does a sea of sand. Much as one wants to like him, one finds him a bit strange in white America’s way. How can he tell us an American Ambassador’s view is not American policy, without nullifying his own role here? That view certainly matters to American policy, and that is the point. And when he says so, is his not another American ambassador’s viewpoint which need not be America’s policy? Which is to say Dell could very well have articulated America’s policy, whatever Ambassador Ray thinks and says?
Anyway, what is America’s policy towards Tsvangirai, if Dell’s views are not it? That he has good judgment and must lead this country? Or that the end for Mugabe is "not nigh"? I do not like denials from Westerners which take us for buffoons. We are a thinking nation, a thoughtful people, and Ambassador Charles Ray must respect his origins which connect him to us regardless of whom he serves today. He must never bring to bear here a white man’s contemptuous view of the Zimbabwean African. We are not cretins and Dell’s backhanded tribute to Robert Mugabe is deserved. It is not an act of generosity by a white American Ambassador.
Wikileaks or Weak Links
We have come a very long way, seen a lot and survived stupendous adversity. We are still standing. We mean to live, to endure, driven by the same appetite for longevity that animates white America. The era of revolutions that produce martyr-leaders is long over. We read Nkrumah not just to know how to move forward, but also to know how not to be extinguished in a dangerous world. The African revolution must defend its leaders. It must not ape Haiti, itself an ambivalent symbol of black prowess and black vulnerabilities. From where I stand, America must budget to deal with Mugabe, a longer Mugabe, which is what makes its view of his fall utterly mistaken.
It is a hard fact Britain is just beginning to digest, albeit interrupted by numerous internal growls in its own stomach. It is a hard fact that Europe, led by its southern soft-belly, is beginning to grapple with, turning over to the page of pragmatism. And Mugabe’s longevity subsists not in claimed "autocracy" or "rigging", which all the westerners do know is fictional, self-serving fabrications. Mugabe’s longevity lies in the fact that he has turned out to be both "the wind of change" which began in the 1960s, and the gale of empowerment which roars in open challenge to neo-colonialism.
He wants the aftermath to be African, truly African. In that respect he leads the pack and has treaded where even angels would dare not go. With a continent still occupied, a people still marginalised, a future still strangled, how can Mugabe ever fall? How can his end ever be nigh? WikiLeaks has shown imperialism’s weak links.
Icho!
Nathaniel Manheru is a columnist for the Saturday Herald newspaper
Labels: CHRISTOPHER DELL, MANATHANIEL MANHERU, NEOCOLONIALISM, WIKILEAKS
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