Corrupt ministers face axe: President
Friday, 07 December 2012 23:43
Takunda Maodza and Farirai Machivenyika in GWERU
PRESIDENT Mugabe says he will fire corrupt ministers if he is alerted to their underhand dealings and challenged Zimbabweans to expose such culprits.
President Mugabe, who is President and First Secretary of Zanu-PF, bemoaned rampant corruption in the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and warned that such behaviour should stop forthwith.
Officially opening the 13th Zanu-PF Annual National Peoples Conference here yesterday, the President said some ministers were demanding bribes from prospective investors using his name.
“Be disciplined. Do not try to deceive. There is a lot of indiscipline taking place.
“I was getting complaints even kunze from former South African president Thabo Mbeki who said some of our ANC people who come (to Zimbabwe) trying to do business, have been told, if you want to do business you should give us US$1 million. No, it is now US$5 million. We will take some of the money to President Mugabe, zvekundinyepera.”
Added the President: “That is corruption. If I get information that minister So-and-So is doing that, you go immediately.
“Unfortunately, vamwe vanenge vasingadi kutaura mazita.”
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces said because of fear, some people were not willing to name the culprits.
He said refusal to disclose the culprits worsened the situation.President Mugabe slammed rampant corruption in the ZRP and Zimra at border posts.
“Mapurisa, mapurisa, mapurisa. We want you to be straightforward people. You are representatives not only of Government, but of the people as a whole,” he said.
“If you want to be paid to do your job, then you are practising corruption and you cannot boast of having a well-disciplined police.”
Police, said the President, were stopping motorists on the roads and demanding bribes.
“Kumisa vanhu mumigwagwa. Mota yako haina mabreaks haungaende mberi kana uchida, bhadhara US$200 woenda,” he said. President Mugabe said in the majority of cases, the vehicles would not be defective as alleged by the traffic police officers.
He said in the case where the car was genuinely defective, it did not help to allow the vehicle to proceed.
President Mugabe castigated Zimra for engaging in corruption, especially at border posts where cross border traders, mainly women fending for their families, were made to give bribes.
He condemned indiscipline by some Zanu-PF officials who engaged in vote-buying, saying such behaviour was tantamount to corruption.
“So, we want discipline in the party. We do not accept that your membership of the party or your being elected to a post should depend on how much you pay to supporters,” said President Mugabe.
“Kubhadhara mari kuti vanhu vakuvhotere, kwete.”
The President said while there was nothing wrong with those in positions of authority helping the disadvantaged, there was everything wrong when such authority was used to corrupt people.
He said Zanu-PF should be a clean party and reminded delegates that pioneers of the struggle for independence did not demand payment from anyone to liberate the country from the British colonial yoke.
“It was just commitment,” President Mugabe said.
President Mugabe castigated the MDC formations for their inferiority complex and belief that the country can not develop without the assistance of whites.
He said this sense of inferiority was the reason Zanu-PF differed with their partners in the inclusive Government on the indigenisation and empowerment programme.
“That is the point we do not agree with our partners in the inclusive Government, vamwe vedu vachiri mupolitics hameno kuti ndedze nguva ipi, kukudza murungu zvakadaro, kuti hatingakwanise kuita chinhu pasina murungu. Kukudza murungu kunge Mwari. To worship a whiteman like God,” he said
“Let us be our own masters, our very true owners and true developers of our resources. Those who want to do business are free to come, even to our Chinese friends we say you don’t just come, you have to respect our rules.”
He rubbished claims that foreign capital was the panacea to solving the country’s problems.
“That capital is greater than any other factor is absolute nonsense,” said President Mugabe.
“That is what is used to deprive people of their resources…yes bring your own capital we will reward you. We need business, but the land is ours, we do not say use your tractor for nothing or use your technology for nothing.
“But you cannot say because we are owners of capital, we are now owners of the resources. This is what they do to poor countries with oil. They say because we bring the machinery to drill the oil you get 10 percent (of the proceeds)….ndozvatirikuramba. That’s theft, that’s criminal, that’s robbery.
“If you do that you are not a good custodian of those resources for your people, you cannot be president. They (foreign companies) should not say because of their ability to dig they own our resources, that philosophy is dirty, it is filthy, it is criminal.”
President Mugabe said Government was now considering preserving the mining sector for Zimbabweans.
“I have told the Minister of Mines and Mining development that we have had enough of this 51 percent/49 percent ownership structure, lets us just go at it on our own,” he said.
“We have miners, geologists, engineers like vana J B Matiza (who worked with designers of the conference centre) let us dig on our own.”
President Mugabe castigated foreign companies holding mining claims for speculative purposes and said if multinational companies operating in the country were not comfortable with the indigenisation policies they were free to leave and locals would take over.
Turning to regional neighbours, the President said it was necessary that the countries craft business linkages that brought mutual benefits.
“To our neighbours, we can agree (business deals) on reciprocal basis, our companies do business in South Africa and they do business in Zimbabwe, on a 50-50 basis,” he said.
President Mugabe said Zimbabwe would not accept situations where companies from the region benefited from the country’s resources, yet local companies were prevented from entering their markets.
He urged local companies venturing into foreign countries to always create partnerships with local people in those countries to ensure cordial working relations.
The Zanu-PF conference is being held under the theme Indigenise, Empower, Develop and Create Employment.
Thousands of delegates are attending the conference at the newly built state-of-the-art convention centre 10km outside Gweru.
Labels: CORRUPTION, MINISTERS, ROBERT MUGABE
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Zuma to brief Troika on progress in Zimbabwe
Friday, 07 December 2012 23:07
Herald Reporter
Sadc facilitator president Jacob Zuma of South Africa is expected to brief the Troika meeting that began in Tanzania yesterday on progress made in Zimbabwe.
He will update the Troika, at its two-day meeting on political developments in Zimbabwe after which the Sadc chair President Armando Guebuza will brief the full summit.
In a statement posted on his website, President Zuma said: “The issues to be considered by the Troika, the Double Troika and the full Summit include the crisis in the eastern part of the DRC.
The Extra-Ordinary Summit is also expected to discuss the situations in Madagascar and Zimbabwe.
“South Africa will be expected to report on the facilitation process in the Republic of Zimbabwe, while the chair of Sadc will report to the Summit on the mediation process in Madagascar.”
South Africa’s International Relations and Co-operation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane accompanied President Zuma to the summit.
President Zuma has been facilitating dialogue between Zimbabwe’s coalition parties over a roadmap that should lead to harmonised elections scheduled for March next year.
Zanu-PF and the MDC formations are trying to reach a deal over the country’s new constitution, which is one of the benchmarks agreed by parties in the inclusive Government before the next elections.
The parties recently agreed to form a leaner committee that should deal with contested issues in the Copac second all-stakeholders conference report.
The committee comprises Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa (Zanu-PF), Finance Minister Tendai Biti (MDC-T) and Regional Integration and International Co-operation Minister Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga (MDC).
Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga, who also sits in the committee as chairperson, said they needed a week to unlock the deadlock.
The committee is expected to submit its recommendations to GPA principals who will have the final say on the constitution-making process.
Labels: ARMANDO GUEBUZA, JACOB ZUMA, SADC
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VP Mujuru commends CBZ Bank
Friday, 07 December 2012 00:00
Fanuel Kangondo Acting Business Editor
Vice President Joice Mujuru has commended CBZ Bank for playing a leading role in supporting the Government’s empowerment initiative and the bank’s immense contribution to the development of Zimbabwe’s economy.
In a keynote address at the commercial bank’s 32nd anniversary celebrations held at a local hotel on Wednesday night, VP Mujuru said CBZ Bank was a crucial partner in the empowerment drive.
“We take great pride in our local management. At this juncture I am proud to announce that Government’s efforts to empower our local people and institutions (are getting support from leading banks such as CBZ).
“This is very pleasing because the development of any economy in the world cannot be spearheaded by foreign institutions,” she said.
She said participation of foreign institutions in the local economy was little.
“CBZ, which is 75 percent locally owned, has seen the biggest financial group supporting efforts of Government to grow the economy,” VP Mujuru said.
She outlined how in 2011 the bank issued a US$50 million Economy Recovery Bond which generated money for the recapitalisation of the local industry infrastructure.
VP Mujuru also noted that CBZ has been at the forefront of supporting Government programmes notably payment of civil servants’ salaries.
“I have been advised by Finance Minister Tendai Biti had it not been for this group our Government of National Unity would not have paid civil servants’ salaries,” she said.
She also praised the bank for being able to diversify its services and growing to become the biggest bank and recognised internationally as evidenced by numerous accolades presented to the group over the years.
Afreximbank president Mr Jean Louis Ekra also praised the financial institution for its continued support in uplifting Zimbabwe’s economy despite several financial challenges.
The 32nd anniversary function attracted ministers, MPs, ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of various financial institutions and clients.
Labels: CBZ BANK, INDIGENIZATION AND EMPOWERMENT ACT (ZIMBABWE), JOICE MUJURU
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210 white farmers refuse to vacate gazetted land
Friday, 07 December 2012 23:36
From Takunda Maodza in Gweru
A TOTAL of 210 white commercial farmers are under prosecution throughout the country for refusing to vacate farms gazetted for redistribution to landless Zimbabweans.
According to a Central Committee report tabled before the Zanu-PF 13th Annual National People’s Conference and adopted here, this is despite the fact that the farmers were given time to wind their operations.
This is happening at a time when so-me Western countries are trying to frustrate the historic land reform programme by launching million dollar lawsuits in international courts.
“A total of 210 white former farmers are under prosecution for failure to vacate gazetted land after the expiry date as required by the Gazetted Land (Consequential Provisions) Act . . . The majority if not all of the former farm owners who refuse to vacate gazetted properties were given time to wind up business and harvest their crops previously,” the report said.
It revealed that some of the farmers were citing support from some Zanu-PF members for refusing to vacate the farms. There are 198 white owned farms that have not been gazetted. In Manicaland province the properties are mainly holiday homes. The report noted that deliberations on holiday homes by Cabinet were yet to be finalised. Government this year gazetted 3 050 hectares for rural resettlement and urban expansion.
The Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement has submitted a framework for farm assessments for productivity and land utilisation to Cabinet and US$30 million is required to carry out the exercise.
“No indications have been received from treasury as to the availability of funds for this exercise which we envisage to cover old resettlement schemes, model A1, A2 farms,” the report notes.
The Central Committee report noted that some Western farmers successfully sued Government after it gazetted their farms for resettlement but there was no money to pay them compensation.
“The Dutch farmers who took the country to the International Court for Settlement of Investment Disputes and won have not been paid. In addition, a Germany family, the Von Pezolds, has also taken us to the ISCID for
their farms (Forester Estates and Border Timbers properties) which we acquired and partly resettled. We are framing our defence with the Attorney General’s Office. The Von Pezolds claim is in the region of US$600 million.
The report by the Central Committee observed that some farms covered by Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements were acquired for resettlement. The countries under the Bippas are Denmark, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands and Switzerland. Out of 153 farms, 116 were settled by 4 179 families under model A1 and A2 leaving 37 unsettled.
“The agreements require that Government pays fair compensation in currency of former owner’s choice for both land and improvements for acquired Bippa farms. In this regard, Government has an outstanding payment of 16 million Euros awarded to Dutch farmers by the ICSID.”
Labels: LAND REFORM, WHITE FARMERS
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Peri-urban farmers start replanting
Friday, 07 December 2012 00:00
Agriculture Reporter
MOST peri-urban farmers in Harare have started replanting and weeding following the recent rains. Yesterday, they were replanting maize, which had failed to germinate owing to the dry weather conditions while a few were concentrating on land preparations. Mrs Nelly Muhangu of Mbare, Harare, said she had planted her crops mid last month, but they were affected by hot weather.
“I am just hoping the rains will continue for some time so that the seed I am planting will germinate,” she said. Mr Leonard Nyakudenga of Mabvuku said this was the third time he was replanting.
“I now have three different stages of maize in my field as I have continued replanting.
“I have learnt a lesson to stagger planting dates so that when the other crop is affected the other part may do better and I will have something to harvest,” he said.
Mr Nyakudenga said in future he would not apply fertiliser when planting as this had a negative effect if rains are not consistent.
Some farmers complained that they had run out of seed and were now replating using retained seed.
The Meteorological Services Department forecasted normal to below normal rainfall during the first half of the season (October, November and December) 2012/13 season.
Normal to above normal rain associated with floods is expected from January, until March.
The country has been experiencing inconsistent rainfall seasons and persistent droughts, attributed to climate change.
Labels: URBAN FARMING
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Mugabe targets 100 percent black ownership
08/12/2012 00:00:00
by AFP
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe on Friday vowed to overhaul business laws to require 100 percent black ownership of foreign firms, up from the current 51 percent.
In a pre-election address to the Zanu PF party faithful, Mugabe said the government would press ahead with controversial indigenisation policies, despite protestations from foreign investors.
"The notion that capital is more important than any other factors is nonsense," Mugabe told 5 000 delegates in the central city of Gweru. "That philosophy is dirty, filthy and is criminal."
The government passed a controversial indigenisation law two years ago, forcing all foreign-owned firms to cede a 51% shares to locals, arguing it would reverse imbalances created during colonial rule.
"I think now we have done enough of 51%. Let it be 100%," he told the last party conference before 2013 polls, which could well see the 88-year-old's name on the ballot for the last time.
In typically bombastic style, Mugabe's comments plotted a clear populist platform for his re-election campaign.
"If you don't want to abide by the rules go away."
Mugabe and Zanu PF face an uphill struggle to win over voters, many of whom are angered at the poor state of the economy.
The party must also patch up the damage done by internal splits that cost the party dearly in the 2008 general elections.
In that election, for the first time since independence in 1980, Zanu-PF lost its majority in parliament.
That helped force the veteran leader into a shaky power-sharing government with long-time rival Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, whom he will face at the polls.
Labels: INDIGENIZATION AND EMPOWERMENT ACT (ZIMBABWE), NATIONALISATION, ROBERT MUGABE
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Makone's daughter 'found hanged'
08/12/2012 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
HOME Affairs Minister Theresa Makone and her husband Ian, an adviser to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, were rushing home on Saturday after one of their daughters died in an apparent suicide. Nyarai Makone, 32, was found hanged at the couple’s home in Domboshava, according to sources.
Her parents received the news while travelling with Tsvangirai in Kenya, according to one report. The MDC-T’s youth secretary general Promise Mkhwananzi, also travelling with the Prime Minister, confirmed the news on his Facebook page.
He said: “Mr and Mrs Makone, pivotal actors in our struggle for democratic change just lost one of their only two daughters. My heartfelt condolences to Ian Makone and his family. We grieve with you!!!”
The Makones had two daughters, Taneta and Nyarai.
At the time of her death, Nyarai was self-employed as an international trader of hand crafted furniture.
Nyarai, who previously worked as a manager at the National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe, graduated with a degree in Art, Design and Applied Arts from Edinburgh University, Scotland, in 2004.
Labels: IAN MAKONE, MDC, THERESA MAKONE
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Thandiwe received K5bn allocation during Rupiah's tenure
By Mwala Kalaluka and Tilyenji Mwanza
Sat 08 Dec. 2012, 10:00 CAT
FORMER first lady Thandiwe Banda received about K5 billion as part of her allocation during her husband's three years as Republican president.
According to a summary of expenditure for first ladies for the period 2006 to 2011 released by State House following what the presidency calls the recent unproven and groundless assertions over the allocation of the sum of K1.5 billion to first lady Christine Kaseba's office in the 2013 national budget, the office of the first lady was allocated K493,408,200 in 2008.
The tabulation contained in the statement released by the President's special assistant for press and public relations, George Chellah, yesterday further indicated that Thandiwe's office was allocated K1,443,170,521 in 2009 and the figure rose to K2,505,763,217 in 2010.
The total allocation to Thandiwe went to about K4,442,341,938 but this excludes the K1,368,362,627 that was allocated to her office last year when Rupiah Banda lost the presidency to President Michael Sata in September last year.
Chellah's statement also indicated that the first lady's office was allocated K1,294,764,425 in 2006 and K1,568,501,695 the following year in 2007.
"As observed above, as far back as 2006 the Office of the First Lady has been funded under the estimates of revenue and expenditure, commonly referred to as the yellow book based on the offices and activities permitted by the Constitution using revenues of the Republic from the consolidated fund," he stated. "As stated before, the application of activity based budgeting in Zambia has existed for several years now and the reference to the Office of the First Lady is merely to enhance transparency unlike the way it has been in the past."
Chellah indicated that there was nothing illegitimate with this process given that the government and State House in particular was being accountable and transparent in accordance with the promises made to the people through the PF manifesto.
"It is unfortunate that a countable number of stakeholders are expressing concern that the Constitution may have been violated by the PF government's decision to uphold the tenets and principles of good governance by ensuring transparency in the budget estimates for 2013 to the Office of the First Lady," stated Chellah. "It is regrettable that over a straightforward and transparent matter such as this; there are those who seek to see corruption and illegalities.
As a matter of fact, the first lady Christine Kaseba-Sata deserves commendation and not attacks for the selfless service she is doing for our people. The Patriotic Front government is committed to running an effective, transparent and accountable democratic government with modesty, respect and hope for a better Zambia for all."
Labels: FIRST LADY, MMD, THANDIWE BANDA
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DEC warns against financial crime during rebasing
By Henry Sinyangwe
Sat 08 Dec. 2012, 10:00 CAT
THE Drug Enforcement Commission has warned people against taking advantage of the rebased currency to commit financial crimes. During a sensitisation workshop for DEC officers on the features of the existing and rebased currency conducted by the Bank of Zambia yesterday, deputy commissioner Lottie Mpundu said it was important for the officers to understand the features clearly to prevent counterfeiting.
"It is gratifying to note that the purpose of this workshop is to give an opportunity to DEC officers to have a deeper understanding of the security features of the Zambian currency so that we can prevent and investigate financial crimes effectively during and after the rebasing exercise," Mpundu said. He commended the Bank of Zambia for being proactive and involving various stakeholders in the rebasing exercise.
"It is our position that at the end of this workshop both Bank of Zambia and DEC will come up with workable suggestions on how to tackle financial crimes in particular currency counterfeiting and money laundering," Mpundu said.
He said the commission would pursue financial crime vigorously.
"Let me take this opportunity to give a timely warning to those who might take advantage of the rebasing exercise to commit crimes," said Mpundu.
"The Commission will pursue them vigorously and ensure that their activities are curtailed in line with the law. We shall use all available means within the law to prevent, investigate and prosecute financial crimes."
Last week, Director of Public Prosecutions Mutembo Nchito challenged prosecutors and investigators to fight financial crime and prevent its negative impact on the country's economy.
He said in an interview after witnessing the graduation of 22 prosecutors and investigators at Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education (ZIALE) that all crime should be fought with resolve.
Nchito observed that the country was at a stage when there was increased financial crime which posed threats to the economy.
He said financial crime should be addressed because it destroyed the lives of many citizens.
"If we do not, it means you do not collect sufficient taxes, we are not able to have sufficient revenue for the government and if the government does not have sufficient revenue, it cannot provide resources," said Nchito.
Labels: DEC, DPP, KWACHA, LOTTIE MPUNDU, MUTEMBO NCHITO
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Nevers pleads with Andeleki
By Tilyenji Mwanza and Kombe Chimpinde
Sat 08 Dec. 2012, 12:00 CAT
MMD president Nevers Mumba yesterday pleaded with Registrar of Societies Clement Andeleki not to be hard on the opposition party. And Mumba says the decision to appoint Kapembwa Simbao as party national secretary is final.
Sources disclosed yesterday that Mumba complained to Andeleki during their meeting that the latter, as Registrar of Societies, was taking sides over the issues in MMD. According to sources, Mumba told Andeleki that he was making his presidency difficult.
"Ba Mumba pleaded with Andeleki that there was no need to be hard on him and the party. He said Andeleki was siding with Major Kachingwe. Mumba told Andeleki that even over the dual membership, he should have just called him so that they sit down and resolve the matter instead of rushing to the press. He told Andeleki that he was no longer Reform Party president and if he called him, he would have explained to him what happened," said the sources.
The sources said Mumba told Andeleki that there was need to find a way of working together. The sources said Andeleki told him he was merely following the law on the deregistration of MMD.
According to the sources, Andeleki told Mumba that he could not comment on the dual presidency because the matter was in court.
Mumba arrived at the Registrar's office after 10:00 hours and refused to come out of his vehicle until Andeleki was made available to him.
Mumba did not wait long in his vehicle as Andeleki went and told him his offices were open to the public.
Andeleki dismissed journalists from being part of the meeting and was locked in a meeting with Mumba for almost an hour.
Addressing journalists after meeting Andeleki, Mumba disclosed that MMD had paid all its debts to the Registrar.
"I'm glad to say the balance has been paid and I want to assure our members that there is nothing to worry about. I want to assure them that its leadership have cleared its outstanding bill," said Mumba.
And Mumba said issues surrounding the appointment of Simbao were closed.
"We cannot go back into discussing that issue at this forum. The decision was made and we shall go by it; it is a dead and closed matter," Mumba said.
"NEC made a decision. We are moving forward. We are not moving backwards. We cannot go back into discussing that issue."
On Thursday, MMD chairperson for elections Gabriel Namulambe said the appointment of Simbao as national secretary was erroneous.
Namulambe demanded a full NEC meeting to discuss the expulsion of Maj Richard Kachingwe and Mumba's dual presidency.
And Namulambe has accused senior party members questioning his visit to State House of intimidating him.
In an interview, Namulambe, who is also Mpongwe MMD member of parliament, said there was nothing wrong in MMD members going to State House to see President Michael Sata.
"I went to see the President to discuss the issues of Mpongwe-Machiya road. The party president is aware about it because I told him that I will be going to see the President. The party chairman is aware that I was going to see the President. I didn't hide. I told them they are all aware," he said.
"There is nothing secret about it. It was purely developmental. The truth of the matter is that I went to State House at 10:00 hours yesterday Thursday. I managed to meet the President."
Asked on whether he would write a report on his visit to State House when requested to do so by the party leadership, Namulambe said he would ask them to put the request in writing instead.
"In the first place, there is nothing wrong in any person seeing the President. The fact is that the party officials, I had informed them that I was going to see the President. What is wrong? I am not disputing. I went to see him," said Namulambe.
Labels: CLEMENT ANDELEKI, GABRIEL NAMULAMBE, KAPEMBWA SIMBAO, MMD, NEVERS MUMBA
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Load-shedding annoys Sata
By Moses Kuwema
Fri 07 Dec. 2012, 12:00 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata yesterday got annoyed with load-shedding at State House. And President Sata says he will not suspend Minister of Justice Wynter Kabimba unless the Anti Corruption Commission proves the allegations to him.
During the swearing in of Rollen Mukanda as ACC commissioner and the Teaching Service Commission members at State House yesterday in the morning, there was interruption in power supply thrice while President Sata was speaking.
The other two power interruptions happened shortly before President Sata walked into the room to swear in the commissioners.
The power outages incensed President Sata who took to task his principal private secretary Francis Chalabesa.
"You see the efficiency of Mr Chalabesa who is in charge of State House, nomba when we start getting load-shedding here, what about people in the compound? Where is Mr Chalabesa? He is not even here. Soko, where is your brother Mr Chalabesa?" asked President Sata.
Soko responded that Chalabesa was calling Zesco managing director Cyprian Chitundu. Shortly afterwards, Chalabesa came in and President Sata asked him if he was repairing the generator.
"Ba Peter Kasanda deputy Secretary to Cabinet mwamona mwaya leta abakote ati musunge State House. Mr Kasanda have you seen, you brought us an old man to be in charge of State House. If we have load-shedding at State House, what more in Kanyama? And you have this man Chalabesa very inexperienced in electricity issues," said President Sata.
Meanwhile, President Sata said the ACC should not have gone to the press to announce its investigations against Kabimba before proving anything.
"Madam Rollen, I want you to take some sanity to the ACC. If you ask judge Christopher Mushabati, how would you feel if somebody is investigating you in the Times of Zambia? Because if you are investigating somebody, that must be between you and that person and I will not suspend anybody unless you prove to me," he said.
President Sata said the law required the ACC to get permission from him as head of state before they could carry out investigations against a senior government official.
"You don't go to the press and say you are investigating somebody, that's the MMD way of doing things. If you ask judge Mushabati, he will tell you natural justice demands the accused to be heard. You don't go to the newspaper and say we are investigating. Give people the privacy which they also deserve as you also have," President Sata said.
Later as he led the people that were sworn in outside for a photo shoot, President Sata told justice Mushabati to advise ACC director general Rosewin Wandi not to be embarrassing his ministers in public.
"You Mr Mushabati, tell this woman to stop embarrassing my ministers. There is a way of embarrassing ministers, not like that," he said.
And speaking to journalists shortly after the swearing-in ceremony, Wandi said the commission would not try people in the media.
Wandi said the ACC would soon call Kabimba for interviews.
"…I don't think the instruction here is that the justice minister is not going to be interviewed. He is definitely going to be interviewed and it is a matter of time. We will be getting in touch with him soon," she said.
And President Sata hoped that the new members of the Teaching Service Commission would bring some sanity to the service.
"It is a pity because if I had a choice, all the men I would not have allowed them because you are going to deal with tender age. Today the Teaching Service Commission, I don't know what has gone to them, whether dogs have gone there and when you have men like these, what inspiration are you going to give to the Teaching Service Commission?" President Sata wondered.
He said the service needed a lot of inspiration and that issues of defilement and examination leakages could only be dealt with if the country had a dignified service and men running the commission.
President Sata urged the new service chairperson Jennipher Chiwela, whom he said he knew personally, to look at the recruitment of teachers and not allow people who were unqualified to be recruited.
Also sworn in as Teaching Service Commission members were Alfred Sikazwe as vice-chairman, Justo Chishimba, Agness Nyoni, Robam Mwaba, David Kandolondo and Janet Kayama as members.
And President Sata has with immediate effect created seven more districts.
The newly established districts are three in Western Province namely Nkeyema, Limulunga, and Mwandi, while the other districts are Luano, Chisamba and Chitambo in Central Province, and Shiwang'andu in Muchinga Province.
President Sata has directed the provincial leadership in Western, Central and Muchinga provinces to liaise with all the stakeholders, political parties and their royal highnesses in order for them to establish the centre where the district headquarters will be situated.
Labels: ACC, DISTRICTS, ENERGY, MICHAEL SATA, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Malnutrition cases on the rise - Masi
By Fridah Nkonde
Fri 07 Dec. 2012, 11:59 CAT
NATIONAL Food Nutrition Commission director Dr Cassim Masi says cases of malnutrition in the country are on the rise. And Programme Against Malnutrition says children who are malnourished are unable to grow up well.
In an interview yesterday, Dr Masi said the commission's main concern was addressing the problem of under nutrition focusing on the children under the age of five.
He was commenting on a statement by Zambia Civil Society Scaling up Nutrition Alliance coordinator William Chilufya that malnutrition was still a major problem affecting 45 per cent of children under the age of five.
Chilufya said malnutrition was more than just a health problem and that the country needed to politicise nutrition development so that it gets the attention it deserve s in fighting malnutrition.
"Presently, nutrition in Zambia is treated as a health issue. While this is important, it overlooks the fact that some causes of under-nutrition or malnutrition are not health related. A number of interlocking factors lead to insufficient nutrition. The focus on nutrition as a health issue underplays the reality of multiple causal factors that reinforce under-nutrition," Chilufya said.
Dr Masi said present malnutrition figures were outdated.
"What people need to understand is that when we talk about malnutrition, we refer to over nutrition which is obesity and under nutrition. At the moment we are still saying that 45 per cent of children under the age of five are affected by malnutrition, but I am sure the figures have now changed because we are still referring to the 2007 health survey. We will have new figures by January 2013," he said.
Dr Masi said the commission had come up with a strategy to address malnutrition, adding that the commission was working hard to reduce chronic malnutrition in the country.
"We are part of government and our role is to coordinate these efforts in order to reduce malnutrition. We believe that malnutrition cannot be addressed by one sector. Sectors such as health, agriculture, local government, community development, and education have a part to play," he said.
He said the commission was doing a food consumption survey to find out what Zambians were eating.
He said that the food that most people were eating did not provide the necessary ingredients to allow the human body to function properly.
And PAM finance and administration manager Francis Kasamala called on Zambians to join in the fight against malnutrition in the country.
Kasamala said children who were malnourished had difficulties to adapt well in school.
He said it was evident that most children in Zambia today were badly affected by malnutrition. He advised mothers to try by all means to improve on the way they prepared their food. He praised the government for putting up mechanisms to fight malnutrition in the country.
Labels: CASSIM MASI, HUNGER
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Namulambe wants NEC to discuss Nevers' dual presidency, Kachingwe's expulsion
By Kombe Chimpinde
Fri 07 Dec. 2012, 12:00 CAT
MMD chairperson for elections Gabriel Namulambe says the appointment of Kapembwa Simbao as national secretary is erroneous.
And Namulambe (left) has demanded a full National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to discuss the expulsion of Major Richard Kachingwe and Nevers Mumba's dual presidency.
In an interview yesterday over Simbao's appointment and the revelation by some NEC members that the position of national secretary was for NEC members only, Namulambe said it was true that Simbao did not qualify.
He warned that MMD risked going into oblivion if its leaders refused to be guided by the constitution.
Namulambe, who is also MMD Mpongwe member of parliament, said some actions that were being undertaken were based on selfishness.
"I am compelled to comment on what has appeared in The Post. Although I am yet to see the minutes of the meeting, I have been consulting the national chairman (Kabinga Pande) over the meeting that was held to expel Major (Richard) Kachingwe. From the information gathered, I am told there were 32 members who sat (in the meeting) and of those 32, two were not members of the National Executive Committee. These are honourable Mutolo Phiri and a Mr Mutiti," he explained.
"This means there were 30 people in that meeting and it means that the quorum was not formed."
Namulambe said in view of the failure of the meeting held at Mumba's residence, the members that were present could not arrive at a decision to expel Maj Kachingwe.
"The bedrock of MMD is the provision of our party constitution and we should not assault the provisions of the party constitution. If the quorum was not formed, the meeting should not have gone ahead to make such a big decision. I think respect for the constitution is very important," Namulambe said.
"In any case, if the office of national secretary falls vacant, it is automatic that the deputy national secretary takes the mantle to act as national secretary. The appointment of Mr. (Kapembwa) Simbao as national secretary was erroneous in view of the fact that he is not a member of the National Executive Committee. The position of national secretary is part of an employee of a company.
A national secretary is a member of a National Executive Committee and chief executive officer of the party who by virtue of being national secretary, our constitution states that 'he is an employee to run the affairs of the party on the day to day basis'. So as such, the appointment of my brother Simbao was erroneous."
Namulambe said a member of the party only becomes an employee once elected by its members.
"What should have happened first was to fill the position by way of using the people that are in NEC and then advertise and if within NEC, there is no person eligible for the position, it is then that we would have opened it to the general membership of the party and make people apply for the position and elections should have been done by NEC to fill that vacant position," he said.
"This was not done at the so-called meeting. So in whatever form that it was done, it was irregular and unconstitutional."
Namulambe said MMD leaders should be guided by the constitution.
"The problem with me is I have difficulties with telling lies because I easily forget. That it is why I want to depend on the provisions of the party constitution. I know even in the past there are certain times when we have abrogated the provisions of the party constitution. If you remember, for instance, when Mike Mulongoti was expelled from the party, there was no charge against him, which was erroneous although the same was reported to the national convention," he said.
"When Mulongoti was being expelled from the party, he should have been accorded a chance. The rules of natural justice demand that a person is not guilty until after proven guilty."
He said although the constitution was amended at the 2011 national convention held in Kabwe to give powers to NEC to expel a member, the the rules of natural justice should be exercised.
"Let us swallow our pride and abide by our party principles and the ideas of the party for which it was constituted," Namulambe said.
Asked to comment whether Maj Kachingwe was in order to nullify the election of Mumba, Namulambe said he would not comment on the matter as it was before the courts of law.
However, Namulambe demanded a full NEC meeting to discuss the expulsion of Maj Kachingwe and Mumba's dual membership.
"With due respect to the matters in court, let me assure the general public that we are in control and we want to have a full NEC meeting where all these contentious issues are going to be discussed and deliberated on. What is important is not individuals because the party is bigger than all individuals," Namulambe said.
"The best thing we can do is to defend the constitution and I stand to defend the constitution of the party and the general membership of the party should not be worried. I know that after losing elections, the party is still in a turbulent state. There are still a lot of teething problems but I think we should rise above these problems."
And Namulambe said the 2016 presidential election bid must not be the priority for leaders.
"The issue of elections should not make us lose direction or become selfish over certain things. Let our actions be above selfishness because if we are selfish, we won't be able to move the party forward," Namulambe said.
"Let us re-organise ourselves. Let us move to the provinces, to the districts, to the constituencies, to the ward, and to the branches to get re-organised. I think people still have hope. Our energy should be focused on coming up with a new manifesto. There have been some people that have insinuated that the party might go into oblivion. Yes it will go into oblivion when we go against what the party provides in the constitution."
Labels: GABRIEL NAMULAMBE, KAPEMBWA SIMBAO, RICHARD KACHINGWE
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PF reluctant to admit Mangani, Mulongoti as members - Kabimba
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Fri 07 Dec. 2012, 12:00 CAT
WYNTER Kabimba says PF has been reluctant to admit Mike Mulongoti or give a position to Lameck Mangani because the party wants to run a civilised country and avoid what is happening in MMD.
In an interview, Kabimba said the beating up of MMD national secretary Major Richard Kachingwe by MMD members was an act of uncivilised leaders that had hijacked the party and were very desperate for power.
"That's why we have been reluctant to admit people like Mulongoti to the membership of the party. That's why we have not been able to give a position to Mangani to be a member of the party, to take any position in the party because such members act out of desperation," he said.
Kabimba said the PF wanted to run a democratic and civilised country and what MMD was exhibiting was neither civilisation nor an act of democracy.
Kabimba said police must deal with the incident firmly and whoever was connected to the incident, directly or indirectly must be brought to book.
He said the MMD was suffering from being transferred into the hands of people like Nevers Mumba that had hijacked the party and never cared about its image.
Kabimba said what happened to Maj Kachingwe was shameful and that was why the PF was guarding the party against infiltrators and those from outside that wanted to assume positions in the party before undergoing the period of probation.
Kabimba said MMD members that were supporting Mumba must begin to raise questions on whether Mumba was a right leader or not to move the MMD forward instead of the culture of violence which was coming under a leadership of a person who called himself a pastor and a man of God.
He said Zambians must judge Mumba for what he was as there was no difference between him and William Banda special adviser to UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema.
"If indeed Nevers Mumba was not the mastermind, let him come out and condemn this violence. It's him to appeal to the police to arrest that group of thugs. If he fails to do that, the police must pick him up and question him as a mastermind," he said.
Kabimba said the accusations that Maj Kachingwe was close to the PF and President Michael Sata was not an offence and no justification for violence.
He said every organisation had civilised ways and means of dealing with a member who departed from its values and principles and not violence.
"The man (Mumba) is emerging in my view as a hypocrite in the eyes of God and there was no way God who is a God of justice is ever going to reward Nevers for these activities and he must realise that. These activities can only bring him down," he said.
He said the issues which Maj Kachingwe raised were constitutional matters within the realm of the constitution of the MMD, and everything must be dealt with constitutionally.
Maj Kachingwe on Saturday invalidated Mumba's presidency, saying he was not a member of the party at the time he was elected.
After announcing Mumba's invalidation at the secretariat, cadres loyal to Mumba manhandled Maj Kachingwe, forcing him out of his office.
Labels: LAMECK MANGANI, MIKE MULONGOTI, MMD, PF, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Mugabe targets decisive victory
06/12/2012 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
ROBERT Mugabe told his Zanu PF party to “disentangle” itself from a coalition with its MDC rivals on Thursday as he demanded a decisive victory in general elections slated for next year.
Mugabe told his party’s central committee in Harare that a coalition he was forced into after disputed elections in 2008 was a “monster” which had slowed down their “pro-people programmes”.
“It’s important, comrades, that our victory in the harmonised elections should leave no room for doubt in our opponents,” Mugabe said, speaking at the party’s headquarters in Harare.
“Our performance in the elections should certainly disentangle us from the inclusive government monster which, like a behemoth, has pulled back our coherent, forward-looking, pro-people programmes.”
On Friday, Mugabe travels to Gweru for the official opening of Zanu PF’s annual conference hoping to stir his party out of its electoral decline – dramatised by its loss of majority in 2008 – ahead of the new elections slated for March.
Mugabe also insisted Zanu PF would not be stampeded into accepting a draft constitution containing clauses “smuggled in by Western crooks”.
Zanu PF’s insistence on amending the draft constitution first published in July has stalled its passage on the path to a referendum.
Rewriting the constitution was one of the key reforms Zanu PF and the two MDC factions led by Morgan Tsvangirai and Welshman Ncube agreed to implement before holding elections.
While Ncube’s MDC insists on taking the draft as it is to parliament, Tsvangirai is ready to defy his party and open it up for amendment as demanded by Zanu PF, some say for selfish reasons because he is unhappy with the “running mates” clause.
But while Tsvangirai is open to amendments, his MDC-T and Zanu PF are hopelessly split on the contents of the draft and agreement could elude the parties well into the new year.
“We had to, nay, needed to, ensure that the ever present mischief-makers did not give us a constitution which was totally at odds with the Zimbabwean vision,” Mugabe said.
“As a revolutionary party, the people look upon us to provide solid leadership and solutions in situations where some of our colleagues are easily blown away by every wind and doctrine.
“So it became our calling, our duty, a national service, to monitor the Constitution exercise. For it became very clear that those we entrusted as drafters of the new constitution had regrettably been overcome by ill-winds and become drifters in the process.
“Who can forget the trickery and chicanery we had to look out for, eventually fight, as dirty hands tried to cheat their way into the constitution-making process?
“While our people’s views were simple and straightforward, sincere and reflective of the history of their existence, the Western crooks, apparently here to ‘help us’, soon proved to be conduits through which to smuggle foreign, clearly anathema views into our constitution.”
Mugabe praised “those comrades who worked faithfully and diligently” on the constitution-making exercise ensuring that the “enemy’s dirty tricks were always exposed”.
“In a game of chess, they would say ‘checkmate!’”
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), ROBERT MUGABE
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Tsvangirai says vow to quit if he loses 'a joke'
06/12/2012 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
MORGAN Tsvangirai, who announced last week that he would stand down as MDC leader if he loses elections next year, has stunned supporters by declaring: "It was a joke."
The former trade unionist would have led the party for 14 years next year, and although he had been criticised by supporters for "negative thinking", most had welcomed his gesture.
But now the 60-year-old, constantly battling criticism for indecisiveness and failing to hold the party together after a damaging split in 2005, is refusing to take the possibility of staying on after the next elections off the table.
In an interview with The Daily News published Thursday, Tsvangirai recanted utterances made during a meeting with his MDC-T party’s executives in Gweru on November 30.
“I'm a messenger of hope and cannot be a carrier of bad news,” he told the newspaper, trying to deflect criticism from activists who said the timing of his announcement could demoralise the rank and file just months before the crucial vote.
He went on: “I cannot be discouraging my own supporters or threatening them. We will win the next elections. I don’t know how journalists sneak into our closed-door meetings and misconstrue the jokes we make with our people.”
Tsvangirai insisted he was "not under any pressure to make that decision” of whether to stay or go after the elections, which President Robert Mugabe says will be held in March in line with a court order.
“If there are any people who have been misled by those reports, they need to calm down,” the MDC-T leader added in the interview.
“I intend to see through my five-year term from the mandate I received at last year’s congress and I will be here until the next congress.”
Speaking in Gweru on November 30, Tsvangirai said: “2013 election tikaruza, zvakaoma [if we lose, it would be difficult].
“You [should] take others and put them forward, isn’t that so?”
Following the split in 2005, the MDC-T amended the party’s constitution which previously limited the leader to just two five-year terms.
Under the new constitution, the “two term” clause will only kick in after the party gets into power.
Despite his latest U-turn, senior figures in the party insist that if Tsvangirai loses next year, he would have fought his third and last presidential election.
The party’s secretary general Tendai Biti and the organising secretary Nelson Chamisa are touted as the likely successors to Tsvangirai.
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), MORGAN TSVANGIRAI
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Morgan Tsvangirai is confused
06/12/2012 00:00:00
by Mai Jukwa
DOES Morgan Tsvangirai actually have a firm policy position? If not, is his constant vacillation deliberate – which might be tolerable – or are the contradictions actually lost on him?
Precisely, I want to know if Tsvangirai flip-flops out of conscious and premeditated effort or he is so hopelessly unable to control his mental faculties that he only realises after reading newspaper headlines that he has badly contradicted himself, or so radically shifted policy positions as to make it difficult, if not impossible, for observers to reconcile the policies as emanating from the same mouth in the same month.
As an act of grace, I will only offer a few examples although the said gentleman’s career is littered with repeated gaffes and contradictions. My objective is not to embarrass Tsvangirai, but rather to get clarity. It is crucial that we have a very clear understanding of the man who desires to be president and to sit in that office that demands so much of its occupant. The president must be a man of sound mind and judgement.
I fear that in the past, the MDC has not been subjected to sufficiently rigorous scrutiny. In an effort to rid ourselves of Zanu PF, we readily embraced them, no questions asked. But we must be careful lest we excitedly leap out of the pot and suddenly find ourselves scurrying in an effort to escape the frying pan.
A few examples will suffice. Take for instance homosexuality. What does Morgan Tsvangirai actually believe or is he ready to say anything and everything to anyone and everyone? To the donor, it is ‘yes, we accept homosexuality, invest your money in us’. To the Zimbabwean electorate, it is ‘no we do not accept such evil acts’. Which is which?
Let us quote the man verbatim, lest we be charged with defamation. On March 25, 2010, Tsvangirai said: “I don’t agree with the idea of a man breathing hard on the neck of another man while humping him. I totally don’t agree with this.” He went on to declare that the issue of gay rights being expressed in the new constitution was “not even debatable”. His position was clear.
In October of 2011, Tsvangirai sat down with the BBC and quickly shifted away from his anti-gay rhetoric; instead, he spoke in quite glowing terms about sexual freedom and his hopes that these rights would be enshrined in the new constitution. He went on to describe homosexuality as a human right. These are Morgan’s words.
It does not require a forensic semantic examination by Zanu PF’s spin-doctors to find this astonishingly contradictory. One minute, the man is gratuitously insulting homosexuals in the most graphic terms, next thing he jumps on a plane, lands in London and is now calling the same act he was insulting just a few months back a human right?
Let’s move on to indigenisation. What is Morgan Richard Tsvangirai’s position on the matter? Voters must have a lucid view of policy in order to make an informed decision about their preferred candidate.
In May of 2011, Tsvangirai voiced support for the indigenisation policy which stipulates that locals should own at least 51% in foreign companies. I was quite surprised by this as I am personally opposed to the policy and thought my views on the matter would likely find expression in the MDC, especially given how they jump up and down about property rights whenever there is talk of Rhodesian farmers.
Whilst I agree with the policy in principle, I fear that we are not currently in a position to negotiate with investors. To speed up the economic recovery, we must play by the purse bearers’ rules and only after we have our feet assuredly off the ground should we implement this noble policy. It is foolish to copy and paste GCC policy when you do not have the oil to back up the imposition of such onerous conditions on investment.
Let’s come back to the good Prime Minister. He voiced his support for the policy and said “across the political divide, we agree on the principle of citizenship empowerment.” He was speaking in Davos, if my memory serves me well. This was a global stage. His position was so unequivocal that Saviour Kasukuwere immediately praised Tsvangirai and said his party welcomed his expression of support.
Indigenisation is a debatable policy so I cannot fault Tsvangirai for taking whichever position. However, what is troubling is what happened next.
On November 29, 2012, Tsvangirai performed a spectacular position shift and now rejected the policy of indigenisation outright. Tapiwa Mashakada, the MDC-T Secretary General who is also the Economic Planning Minister, went on to say that the law, “kills investor confidence. You cannot bring your money to invest in Zimbabwe when someone takes over 50 percent. Capital is timid.”
This was not a qualified statement suggesting that they agreed with the policy in principle but disagreed with the implementation. No, it was an outright rejection. This was a monumental policy shift that the MDC announced without caring to explain what had motivated this abrupt change. It seems the MDC lacks ideological clarity and are formulating policy on the fly.
What is perhaps more troubling is that the so-called independent media and opposition-leaning intelligentsia are giving Tsvangirai a pass. John Makumbe is not demanding an explanation about these abrupt policy shifts. Violet Gonda is not going to grill Tsvangirai on Hot Seat in an effort to get clarity on these worrying contradictions.
Instead, what we will have is the usual Mugabe is a demon and Tsvangirai is our Mandela nonsense. Instead of serious policy, these publications choose to interview non-entities like Joseph Chinotimba and argue with him over Zanu PF policy matters that they know full well he is ignorant of, only to giggle foolishly like adolescent girls over how the said gentleman violates the Queens language.
Governing a nation is not a game for amateurs who are simply giving it a try as it were. For all its faults, Zanu PF deserves credit for consistency and clarity. They know who they are. They know what they believe. And they certainly waste no time expressing this and making it clear to the electorate.
If you vote Zanu PF, you know precisely what you are getting. They do not wake up and simply change significant policy as though they were merely shifting the position of a grinding mill. Put simply, they are a serious political entity. Whether they are good or bad is another matter.
Mai Jukwa is a loving mother of three. She respects Robert Mugabe, is amused by Tsvangirai and feels sorry for Mutambara
Labels: MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI
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SADC calls summit over Zim, DRC
06/12/2012 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
THE regional SADC meeting will hold an extra-ordinary summit in Tanzania beginning Friday to discuss the crisis in the DRC as well as review its facilitation process in Zimbabwe.
The summit comes after rebels, said to be backed by Rwanda and Uganda, overran government forces and seized a key city in the eastern DRC before threatening to topple President Joseph Kabila’s administration.
In a statement Thursday, the South African presidency said: “The issues to be considered by the Troika, the Double Troika and the full Summit include the crisis in the eastern part of the DRC.
"The Extra-Ordinary Summit is also expected to discuss the situations in Madagascar and Zimbabwe.
“South Africa will be expected to report on the facilitation process in the Republic of Zimbabwe whilst the Chair of SADC will report to the Summit on the mediation process in Madagascar.”
President Jacob Zuma has been helping facilitate negotiations between Zimbabwe’s coalition parties over a so-called roadmap to new elections expected next March.
Zanu PF and the MDC formations are trying to reach a deal over the country’s new constitution which is part of a raft of reforms expected to ensure the election outcome is not disputed.
SADC intervened to facilitate the coalition deal after the disputed 2008 ballot.
But both President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai agree new elections must be held to choose a substantive government.
Labels: DRC, SADC
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Unity Accord: searching for a more perfect union
06/12/2012 00:00:00
by Takura Zhangazha
THIS December, we commemorate 25 years of the 1987 Unity Accord that united two former liberation movements, ZANU and PF ZAPU. A number of leaders from the two parties were later to have their views and roles in the Unity Accord's mediation process via excerpts published in a book edited by Zimbabwe’s first President C.S. Banana entitled Turmoil and Tenacity, Zimbabwe 1890-1990.
In reading the book and the accounts, for example, over the disagreements as to what to call the new united party, it appears as though the Unity Accord was by and large an agreement between two parties and should essentially be left at that.
The truth of the matter, with the benefit of political hindsight, is that in its occurrence, the Unity Accord was as historical as it was to be beset by numerous problems in its aftermath.This particularly so when we take into account the preceding killings of thousands of civilians during a dark period that has come to be called ‘Gukurahundi’.
It is a serious indictment on the signatory parties to the Accord that the book does not record any leader as apologising for these lives that were unnecessarily and tragically lost during and in between the seven years that it took to sign the agreement. Neither has there ever been an apology over the same matter a quarter of a century later from any of the leaders who now constitute the united Zanu PF.
The closest that we have come to receiving an official acknowledgement of the fact that many lives were tragically lost from the government was when President Mugabe, in 1999, referred to the same period as a ‘moment of madness that should never be repeated’. And for many a Zimbabwean, this remains inadequate.
Almost an entire generation later, we have to deal with the reality of our immediate post Independence past through the act of a public holiday to recognise the coming to agreement of two former liberation movements. And with each successive commemoration, the Unity Accord may slowly be becoming a document and moment for historical record as opposed to one that, with the benefit of hindsight, should have signified a new departure toward, as its very name suggests, a united Zimbabwe; building an intrinsic and holistic sense of belonging to the territory between the Zambezi and the Limpopo rivers by all of its citizens.
It is this particular point that must essentially be placed on the table for debate in 2012 and beyond because as the generation that was old enough to witness or even sign the Unity Accord passes on, so do newer and much more relevant reasons for keeping the country united emerge.
These more contemporary and organic reasons emerge within the context of how, 25 years later, while we go on the commemorative holiday, we still have not addressed the issues of differentiated development across the many regions of the country and are still faced with the urgent need to atone for the atrocities against innocent civilians during the Gukurahundi period.
But perhaps even more importantly, and due to the political contestations that emerged in the late 1990s, we are now dealing with issues that are not only historical but have come to affect our contemporary politics. Whether one looks at the ethnocentric splits of our current major political parties or alternatively the politicized debates around devolution and emergent separatist movements, there is adequate evidence to point to the need for a new democratic and unifying narrative beyond the power acquisition oriented statements of our current political leaders.
It is task that will require that, unlike our former liberation movements, we take the entirety of the national question into account. And this means that a new national unity must not seek only political compromises for seats at the table of power and resource distribution as sadly turned out to be the case after 1987.
While we must take into account the historical importance of 1987, together with its central positive of ending a direct but largely one sided conflict, we cannot afford to make the same mistakes as were made thereafter.
A new unity would entail a redress of the past not only for its own sake or to spite the other, but in order to prevent any such negative pasts from recurring in the future. In order for this to happen, the younger generations of Zimbabweans must take up the mantle and refuse to use the templates of the older generations to address the challenges that we face as a country.
We must take up the progressive values that established our national independence (none of which ever fought for a bifurcated Zimbabwe) and discard the regressive ideas and replace those with ones that have a truly democratic and unifying ethos to them.
This means avoiding simplistic ethnocentric understandings of our national political problems and embracing democratically tolerant and nationally beneficial ones which are based on people-centred holistic development needs.
We must also learn to accept that our diversity is not our weakness, but our strength and that the debating of ideas is the beginning of finding common ground to solving our national problems, together.
Takura Zhangazha writes here in his personal capacity (takura-zhangazha.blogspot.com)
Labels: 1987 UNITY ACCORD
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Three mining giants to lose licences
Sunday, 02 December 2012 00:00
Kuda Bwititi and Tinashe Farawo
Three major mining companies are set to have their operating licences revoked after blatantly refusing to comply with Zimbabwe's indigenisation regulations. The Ministry of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment has recommended that the three, Metallon Gold — the largest gold mining company in the country — Vumbachigwe Mines and John Mack Gold Mine face punitive action for ignoring instructions to cede shares to the respective communities they operate in under the Community Share Ownership Scheme.
The companies were also expected to initiate and draw up their respective indigenisation proposals.
In an interview last week, Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Cde Saviour Kasukuwere said he had already written his Mines and Mining Development counterpart, Dr Obert Mpofu, advising him to revoke their operating licences.
Cde Kasukuwere said his ministry took the decision after the three firms remained stubborn.
A Metallon Gold spokesperson refused to comment on the issue last week, saying the firm will issue a full statement this week.
Vumbachigwe Mines and John Mack Gold Mine officials could not be reached for comment.
"We have always been very worried about Metallon Gold. They are the biggest gold mining company in the country, but do not want to comply," said the Minister.
"We have now written a final warning to the three mining companies, telling them that if they do not comply they will lose their licences."
Cde Kasukuwere said Metallon Gold's negative attitude towards indigenisation was unacceptable.
He said the company refused to budge despite being approached by Government several times.
"We consulted them numerous times, asking them to give us their proposals for compliance.
"We even approached and asked them to contribute to the Mashonaland Central Community Share Ownership Trust. They, however, refused, yet they have the biggest gold mines in the province. Our patience has run out; we will not be deterred in implementing the law when dealing with them."
Minister Kasukuwere said authorities would also "read the Riot Act" to Canadian-owned Vumbachigwe Mine after its proprietors refused to contribute to the Gwanda Community Share Ownership Trust. The Trust was launched by President Mugabe in May this year. Cde Kasukuwere said Government was working to revoke the company's licence following its clear disregard for the law.
"I held a discussion with Minister Mpofu. I proceeded to write him a proposal to revoke the mining licence of Vumbachigwe Mine.
"We have already said there are no sacred cows when it comes to the laws of the land."
The Minister added that he would also meet officials of John Mack, one of the biggest mining firms in the gold-rich town of Kadoma.
Cde Kasukuwere emphasised the need for all foreign companies to comply with indigenisation regulations.
"Those who are no longer interested in doing business in this country must leave. We have already said 'lets share the national cake and some are refusing.'"
National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board director of compliance Advocate Zwelibanzi Lunga said the ministry unearthed irregularities in the shareholding structure of Vumbachigwe Mines.
Advocate Lunga added that investigations were also in progress to determine how the firm was conducting business.
"We understand there was an agreement between the Forbes and Thompson family (the owners of the firm) and Duration Mine.
"We are investigating the nature of this arrangement because we suspect there could have been some irregularities."
In terms of the Indigenisation and Empowerment Act, all foreign companies should cede 51 percent of their shareholding to locals.
The indigenisation and empowerment programme has also seen the setting up of community and employee share ownership Trusts.
Labels: INDIGENIZATION AND EMPOWERMENT ACT (ZIMBABWE), SAVIOUR KASUKUWERE
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AgriBank requests additional funds
Thursday, 06 December 2012 00:00
Agriculture Reporter
Agribank has requested additional funds from Government after it received loan applications of nearly US$29 million against an allocation of US$15 million for onward lending to farmers. The bank’s chief executive officer Mr Sam Malaba said of the US$15 million, the Government had so far released US$5 million.
He said the bank had submitted a request to the Ministries of Finance and Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development for the release of the remaining US$10 million.
“The bank has received applications in excess of US$28,7 million and it is, therefore, clear that the demand for funding will exceed availability of funds,” said Mr Malaba.
He said to date 296 farmers had benefited from the loan facility.
Mr Malaba said most farmers were complaining of perceived delays in processing of applications, the requirement to provide security and failure by the bank to accept 99-year leases as security.
He said farmers in arrears on previous facilities with Agribank and other financial institutions were not being considered.
“The bank has managed to speed up processing of applications by fast tracking applications of known capable farmers without undertaking farm visits prior to disbursements of funds,” said Mr Malaba.
Zimbabwe Indigenous Women Farmers Trust, Mrs Depinah Nkomo said most farmers were failing to access funding as they did not meet the requirements.
“It is difficult for an ordinary farmer to meet the requirements and most of the people who can easily access the loans are not even in farming,” she said.
“Some people benefit from facilities meant to assist farmers and they end up buying posh cars.”
The Government is in the process of making amendments so that the 99-year leases can be accepted as security by banks.
The fund benefits A2 farmer in a high rainfall maize growing area and is strictly for capable maize farmers with good track record and good loan repayment record.
All lending above US$30 000 must be secured by tangible security, while facilities below US$30 000 can be considered without security.
Labels: AGRIBANK, AGRICULTURE, LENDING
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Million new voters for Zanu-PF
Sunday, 02 December 2012 00:00
Sunday Mail Reporter
The Zanu-PF women's and youth leagues have registered more than 700 000 new members since the beginning of the year, drawing closer to their combined target of securing 2 million voters for the2013 harmonised elections. This comes as all is set for the 13th Zanu-PF Annual National People's Conference, which begins in Gweru this Tuesday.
Party women's affairs secretary Cde Oppah Muchinguri told The Sunday Mail last week that the Women's League secured a staggering 700 000 new members through a massive recruitment drive implemented over the past 11 months.
Figures for the new youth members were not readily available yesterday, but it is understood the Youth League is targeting one million young voters for the polls.
Cde Muchinguri said women were the backbone of the party and would help it win national elections.
"We now have at least 700 000 registered members of the Women's League; we are expecting to reach our target of 1 million members before next year's mother of all elections, which we are going to win resoundingly," she said.
"We are the backbone of the party. With 700 000 votes in the bag, we will never go wrong, come election time!"
Cde Muchinguri said the league was working hard to regain the ground Zanu-PF lost in the run-up to the 2008 harmonised elections. She implored fellow party members to desist from fanning divisions, saying factionalism would inhibit the party's chances of winning polls.
"As we approach elections, it is important for all members of the party to shun factionalism. It is a cancer that can destroy our party," she said.
"For those who have got an appetite for factionalism, please continue your factionalism after we have won elections next year. We are also saying our members should not abuse the party regalia. If you want to be violent or corrupt, do not use the party's name to pursue your selfish and destructive agenda."
She said plans are afoot to rebrand the wing. A new membership card will be unveiled soon, she added.
"We are moving with the times. Soon, we are going to have a new look. The way we are going to call for meetings and our regalia will be modern. We have also opened community banks in Mutoko, Mutasa and Gokwe, among other places. We are encouraging women to save money from their projects, among them bee-keeping and poultry."
Zanu-PF Youth League deputy secretary-general Cde Varaidzo Mupunga yesterday said her constituency is targeting 1 million new members before the elections. She said the conference provides a platform to map critical strategies for the party and country.
"We have set a target of one million new members for the Youth League. Although we are still consolidating the figures, it is clear that we have made significant headway."
Zanu-PF National Chairman Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday said the conference this week is crucial as it will set the tone for the 2013 elections. He said preparations for the event were progressing smoothly.
The conference agenda will focus on President Mugabe's keynote address while sector committee reports will deal with the performance of key areas such as the economy, social services as well as politics and mobilisation.
"It is certainly the last annual conference before elections. The preparations for the conference have gone extremely well. I chair the conference co-ordination committee which has met on several occasions to receive reports from various sub-committees. The Midlands provincial leadership has done sterling work and my committee's assessment, after visiting the conference venue twice, is that it is all systems go! Everyone has worked flat out to ensure that all roads lead to Gweru for the conference."
Cde Khaya Moyo said the theme of the event, "Indigenise, Empower, Develop and Create Employment", signifies Zanu-PF's people-centeredness.
"Zanu-PF is the only party in this country with policies and programmes that are people-centered. The conference theme testifies to that effect."
He said the need for unity within the party will also be tackled.
"Our party constitution has no provision for factionalism. Anyone who associates himself/herself with a faction must be aware that such conduct is a cardinal violation of the constitution and if proven, can lead to expulsion from the party. We have one President, Cde R.G Mugabe, with his Presidium and the Central Committee, all elected at Congress every 5 years. The President appoints the Politburo from Central Committee members."
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), EMMERSON MNANGAGWA, ROBERT MUGABE, ZANU-PF
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Who is against new districts?
By The Post
Thu 06 Dec. 2012, 12:10 CAT
It is surprising that while some opposition elements in Lusaka are opposing the creation of more districts, chiefs and their subjects are celebrating the elevation of their areas into districts. And there are more chiefs and other citizens lobbying government to declare their areas districts.
Are those opposed to the creation of new districts telling us that all these people lobbying for, and celebrating, the creation of new districts wrong? We don't think the chiefs and their people are wrong. We think the ones who are wrong are those opposed to the creation of new districts.
It cannot be denied that we still have many challenges in our whole governance system and indeed in the running of the current districts. But the problems and challenges we are facing in the running of our existing districts have very little to do with their numbers. It has more to do with the way we have been managing them.
If this argument was stretched a little further and extended to other organisations or institutions, one would say we shouldn't create more schools, hospitals, pave new roads, build new churches because we have problems or challenges managing the existing ones. Where will this leave us or lead us as a nation?
A similar argument could be extended to our political parties themselves: why create new political parties when we are failing to manage the existing ones? Why create more new party branches or structures when we are failing to manage the existing ones?
Clearly, the opposition has no point to make on this score. The best they could do is to demand improvements in the efficiency, effectiveness and orderliness in the running of our districts. That would be understandable and acceptable to all because we all need an efficient and effective government.
We all know that without increasing efficiency and effectiveness of governance structures, very little will be delivered to our people. And there is nothing which makes people more appreciative of a government than that it should be able to deliver services.
There are many economic, political and socio-cultural reasons that support the creation of more and more districts. The creation of new districts is a fundamental part of decentralisation of government.
From market theory of local expenditures, the creation of more districts increases decentralisation which helps to improve resource allocation through better knowledge of local preferences and competition among localities. Decision-making and a strong role of local governments is advocated based on the grounds of efficiency, accountability, manageability and autonomy. So from an economic point of view, the opposition elements opposed to the creation of new districts have no sensible argument.
Clearly, decentralisation is a logical application of the core characteristics of good governance at local levels. By good governance, we mean basing political, social and economic priorities on broad consensus of the society and groups like the poorest and most vulnerable being given audience during decision-making regarding allocation and utilisation of scarce resources for development. And one of the processes of decentralisation is the creation of local government jurisdictions; that is to say: geo-political division of the state into more and smaller jurisdictions, that is districts.
This process has political, economic and socio-cultural benefits which include maximisation of economies of scale, economies of small scope, promotion of popular participation by the majority, proximity in terms of accessibility of services, promotion of unity among small local groups, autonomy and self-governance.
We should also not forget that human beings are linked to society, to the nation through small and intermediate size organs or institutions such as a district. And as such, matters affecting people ought to be handled by a smaller or lowest component of authority.
And when we talk about local government, there is need for us to realise that these are specific institutions or entities created to deliver a range of specified services to people in a relatively small geographically delineated area such as the small districts we are creating. Of course, there will always be questions which may come up here: how do we designate an area to become a district, a local government jurisdiction?
If we are honest with ourselves, we will realise that the current districts have not done very well in delivering services to our people. Some of our districts are just too big in terms of the geographical areas they cover. And also our population has been growing over the years, requiring smaller geographical areas to be designated as districts on account of population size.
It is difficult to decentralise service delivery without creating smaller and more manageable districts.
Success in decentralised service delivery ultimately depends on the institutional arrangements that govern its implementation.
The creation of more and smaller districts encompasses not only transfer of decision-making power and resources to lower levels of government, but also local authority at that small district level to demand accountability and enhancement of public participation in local political process.
It helps the process, whereby citizens are given a meaningful role in local decisions that affect them and increasing popular control over what local government have done or left undone. This helps to improve service delivery, matching social services with local needs. Mobilising local resources and increasing equity in the use of public resources as expected outputs.
The creation of more and smaller districts will help deepen decentralisation and consolidate democracy by devolving power to local governments. Of course, districts must be able to meet certain basic requirements if they are to be able to solve problems effectively. These requirements include the districts' ability to identify problems, prioritise issues, mobilise resources to implement the set priorities, evaluate their performance and learn from it and should maintain their popular legitimacy.
They should at least have a defined geographical area and population of reasonable size where they can balance between the scale of problems and resource availability to serve the community. The districts should have authority and working institutions that make decisions and enforce accountability to their population.
This therefore implies that there has to be a balance between the economic reasons and political reasons to support the creation of new districts. It also means that the optimal point of creating a new district should be at a point where there is convergence which maximises both the economic and political benefits. There should be harmonisation of economic and political needs for the creation of new districts to have meaningful logic.
The argument here is also that local governments understand the concern of local residents, local decision-making is responsible to the people to whom services are intended, unnecessary layers of jurisdiction and bureaucracy are eliminated and inter-jurisdictional competition and innovation are enhanced.
It cannot be denied that the closer a representative government is to the people, the better it works. This is so because it increases efficiency.
A small district will be more responsive to the needs of the citizens and take their preference into consideration when planning services to be delivered and the cost of delivery.
There is another argument that is being bandied around against the creation of more and smaller districts and that is the issue of cost. What ought to be borne in mind is that the current districts are not being managed in the most efficient, effective and orderly manner. There is too much waste of public resources in the current structures of our districts. In some way, they are over-staffed.
We don't think the new districts should be run the same way. The colonial districts were more efficiently managed than our current districts. In most cases, the colonial districts had only three people managing a district - a district commissioner, a magistrate and a messenger.
We can draw some inspiration from that. We don't need to manage our new districts with so many people and so many offices. A small civic centre can do for the small districts we are creating. In fact, instead of wasting more money, more money may be saved with the creation of new districts through increased efficiency, effectiveness and orderliness.
Our politicians, especially in the opposition, should never pretend to know what they don't know. They should not feel ashamed to ask and learn from the people who are lobbying for the creation of more districts and who are celebrating the creation of new districts in their areas. The people know what they want and why they want more districts. They shouldn't think what they themselves don't know, the people don't know. Sometimes the people know more than what the politicians themselves know. And this is why it is important to listen to the people.
They shouldn't assume that the masses have no understanding of what they themselves do not yet understand. It often happens that the masses outstrip them and are eager to advance a step and that nevertheless they themselves fail to act as leaders of the masses and tail behind certain backward elements, reflecting their views and, moreover, mistaking them for those of the broad masses.
Labels: CHIEFS, DISTRICTS
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Simbao appointment illegal - NEC members
By Allan Mulenga and Kombe Chimpinde
Thu 06 Dec. 2012, 12:10 CAT
SOME MMD National Executive Committee (NEC) members have disclosed that the appointment of Kapembwa Simbao as national secretary is illegal because Simbao is not a NEC member.
And Simbao yesterday said his appointment came as a surprise. Sources within NEC have contended that Simbao was erroneously appointed as national secretary because the position could only to be given to a NEC member, which Simbao was not.
"The position of national secretary is an elective position in which only an elected member of the National Executive Committee can serve," the sources said.
"Kapembwa is not a NEC member and he does not qualify to serve as acting national secretary.
Some of the people who were among the 30 that attended the meeting at Dr Nevers Mumba's house are not NEC members. So they cannot even call it a quorum. It is also surprising, not all NEC members were invited while those who sent apologies have been included on the list of those that were present," the sources said.
"The national secretary was also absent at the meeting. Not even the deputy to the national secretary was present at the meeting. Kenneth Chipungu chaired the meeting. This is unconstitutional."
The source revealed that MMD chairman Kabinga Pande had earlier advised that the meeting should not take place, but was later forced to read the outcome of the meeting at a press briefing on Tuesday.
"The other thing is that we were supposed to have two agendas on that meeting, which was to discuss the expulsion of Major Richard Kachingwe and also the contents of the letter which Major Kachingwe wrote to NEC over the invalidation of Mumba as party president," the sources revealed.
"To our surprise, the letter (Maj Kachingwe's) was not discussed."
The sources said Simbao's appointment was hastily done in order to expel Maj Kachingwe and use his expulsion as defence against his application for an injunction in the High Court to restrain Mumba from carrying out party functions because he was not a member of the party.
The sources added that it was suspicious for the organisers of the NEC meeting to omit party chairperson for women's affairs, Catherine Namugala, election chairperson Gabriel Namulambe, chairperson for defence Ronnie Shikapwasha, Situmbeko Musokotwane and Felix Mutati among other provincial and district executives on the list of those that attended the meeting at Mumba's house.
"We are wondering why the rush in appointing an acting national secretary when we didn't form a quorum. We even have people who have been forced to approve of the appointment of Simbao by appending their signatures, who did not attend the meeting. So we expect to hear much from Namulambe, who is the chairperson for elections. What we saw was intimidation, Namulambe should explain," the source said.
And Simbao, when asked about the twist in his appointment, said he was not aware of the justification by NEC to appoint him as national secretary.
"Find out the justification. I don't know. I was not there when they were making decisions. Find out from Nevers Mumba. I have no idea, please," he said.
Asked whether he was part of NEC as per constitutional requirement for one to be appointed national secretary, Simbao said he didn't know anything.
"What do you mean? I don't know. What do you mean by that, before or now? I really don't know. I haven't yet received my letter of appointment.
So, I don't think that I should be talking about that. There is nothing that I can say about that. I think talk to Bradford Machila, MMD chairperson for legal. Machila will be able to explain."
Earlier in the day when asked over his appointment, Simbao said it was not automatic that he would unite the party.
He said it would take everyone's efforts to realise MMD's aspirations.
"People make you the unifying factor, if you are really not doing something to support me, then there is no way I am going to function. But if what you are doing now is to make me perform, I will definitely perform. It is not me that will make myself a unifying factor, people have to use me," he said.
Simbao said though he had not yet received the conditions of service, he expected to draw a monthly salary from the job.
"I am now an employee. I am not like any other NEC member. I am an employee and in normal circumstances, this means full-time job which is supposed to be a paid job. My circumstance might be different. I am not sure but in normal circumstances this is a full-time job. Let me see what is going on. Let me see what I can do and what I cannot do," he said.
Asked how he was going to resolve the chaos that had rocked the party following the expulsion of Maj Richard Kachingwe, Simbao said as an employee of the MMD, he needed to be given permission to make statements.
"I know you are asking something a bit personal. I wouldn't like to get into this right now. I would like to understand my position very well," said Simbao.
And MMD Livingstone has welcomed the expulsion of Maj Kachingwe, describing him as a shame to the party.
District chairman Bornwell Moomba said Maj Kachingwe was responsible for the harassment that he suffered at the hands of the youths because they (youths) were merely protecting the image of the party.
He said the party would not allow Maj Kachingwe to bring confusion.
"We are behind Dr Mumba as party president and the National Executive Committee for expelling Kachingwe. Kachingwe has been there for a long time and he was even instrumental over the party presidential elections. He did not say anything about the presidency of the party then, but why should he come out now? He has something to hide," said Moomba.
But MMD Copperbelt information and publicity secretary Yotam Mtayachalo said it was wrong for NEC to expel Maj Kachingwe without giving him an opportunity to be heard.
He said the problems that had rocked MMD needed a political solution.
Mtayachalo said the MMD should have followed party procedure in expelling Maj Kachingwe.
He said he expected that Maj Kachingwe was going to be charged and asked to exculpate himself so that he be accorded an opportunity to be heard.
He said going to court to get an answer over the problems in MMD might not be in the interest of the party.
"I agree with what (MMD legal chairperson Bradford) Machila is saying that there is need for NEC officials to discuss the constitution objectively and find the way forward. I have always been telling NEC officials that let's leave these partisan lines. If I am supporting Major Kachingwe or Dr Nevers Mumba, let's not align ourselves to individuals but let's deal with this matter objectively," Mtayachalo said.
He said the MMD should identify who was wrong between Dr Mumba and Maj Kachingwe without taking a predetermined position. I expected that even Major Kachingwe should have attended the NEC meeting and NEC should have given guidance that since there are two issues involving the president and national secretary, let them declare interest and the vice-president was going chair the NEC meeting and the deputy national secretary was going to assume the role of national secretary," he said.
He said as long as NEC did not address the issues raised by Maj Kachingwe and only wanted to deal with him, the party problems would continue.
Mtayachalo also advised Registrar of Societies Clement Andeleki not to poke his nose into MMD issues because it was not the only political party.
He said Andeleki should resign and join politics so that they could deal with him at a political level.
But MMD North Western chairperson David Kapwepwe said selfishness had propelled the infighting in the opposition party.
In a statement, Kapwepwe said members were perturbed and disappointed with the manner in which Maj Kachingwe misdirected himself and that he had proved to be a mole serving two masters.
He stated that Maj Kachingwe's claims that Mumba was not a party member were serious indications of "memory loss and disillusioned reflex index".
"It is wishful thinking and very cheap reasoning for someone in his right mind to stand up seven months after someone was voted into office to claim that he was not a member when in fact as the custodian of all party functionaries, Major Kachingwe is well versed with party statutes that include elections and qualification of candidates," he stated.
"....On the validation of Dr Mumba's membership, Major Kachingwe would have done well to raise his worthless claims 10 days before the elections in May 2012. Section 1 and 2 of article 39 of the MMD constitution is very clear about the qualification or validation of the presidential candidate. Article 38 section 2 equally allows anyone with queries about the presidential candidate to bring them to the attention of the returning officer 10 days before elections."
Kapwepwe stated that it was surprising to see Maj Kachingwe criticising a person he was a "chief campaigner for in the run-up to the presidential elections".
"It was Kachingwe who was open to tell all of us to vote for Dr Nevers Mumba if MMD was to move on after the loss. As the people who voted for Dr Nevers Mumba, we find Major Kachingwe's assertions childish, irrelevant and baseless. Unless Major Kachingwe's reflex index is in tatters, he must be ashamed of himself," stated Kapwepwe.
He said North Western MMD was "proud" to have Mumba as their party president. On Tuesday, MMD chairman Kabinga Pande announced that Maj Kachingwe had been expelled from MMD. Pande said Simbao had replaced Maj Kachingwe.
Labels: BORNWELL MOOMBA, CADRES, KAPEMBWA SIMBAO, MMD, NEC, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, RICHARD KACHINGWE
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