(STICKY) (NEWZIMBABWE) How Tsvangirai was outwitted, yet again
03/08/2013 00:00:00
by Denford Magora
IF ANY indication was needed that Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC-T party are living in La-la-land, delusional and completely off the mark with accusations of vote rigging, it was provided in an interview that he gave to South Africa’s Etv.
In the interview, broadcast on the morning of August 2, Tsvangirai gave the clearest indication yet that his allegations of vote-rigging are not rooted in fact but conjecture, delusional thinking and a basic refusal to self-examine and learn from mistakes.
Asked to substantiate his allegations, Tsvangirai told the Etv interviewer that the MDC-T "used to control Manicaland" and now they do not have a single seat in Manicaland. "Could people have lost faith in us to that extent?" he asked.
So basically, his allegations of rigging are based on the simple fact that he cannot believe that they lost. He took all his support for granted, that they would never desert him no matter what he did, no matter how badly he behaved. These are "his" people that he owns and he cannot see how on earth they could turn on his party and desert him.
Tsvangirai and the MDC-T only need to look at examples from other countries to see how the mood of a people can change and they desert a party completely.
Ask the Tories in the United Kingdom what happened to them when Tony Blair took over in 1997 from John Major. They lost seats that were considered strongholds.
Ask the Republicans in the United States what happened to them when Bill Clinton took power. And then ask them what happened when Barack Obama took power and retained it in a second election, despite all Republicans being convinced that Obama was dead in the water. The US economy was in the doldrums, Obamacare was said by every single poll to be deeply unpopular.
In fact, so incredulous were the Republicans after Obama won that they pulled a Tsvangirai and a lot of their supporters went on to social media and to the airwaves to allege that Obama and the "Chicago Mafia" had rigged the election.
But, more importantly, we need to look at how Tsvangirai lost this election. It is so obvious and was signalled to the MDC-T all through their years of sharing power with Mugabe that their decision to ignore these warnings cannot be anything other than a certain hubris that saw the MDC-T thinking they were ordained by God to win. Supporters were taken for granted.
Here's how it unfolded:
While Tsvangirai was in government, he turned his attention almost exclusively to chasing "reforms" and fighting Mugabe for more power in the GNU. Neglecting his constituency, he fought to have tea with army generals in the misnamed National Security Council. He thought he could afford to park his supporters and only come back to engage them when he was good and ready.
So, he pursued security reforms that would never come. He fought to be seen as an "equal" with Mugabe, fruitlessly went on and on about how Mugabe could not do anything without getting his approval. He fought to get ZANU PF Ministers to attend his Council of Ministers meetings (being told by Webster Shamu in the process that Shamu did not "report to the Prime Minister", but that he had a president.
This was a deliberate tactic on Mugabe's part: keep Morgan busy with little, inconsequential fights in government while Mugabe himself kept his eye firmly on the next election. The determination he had to prove to the world that he could a free and fair election was towering, a consuming passion that he combed through every single day.
Mugabe was very clear on his instructions: this was to be his swan song, his last election before retiring from the scene and he wanted to bookend his leadership of Zimbabwe. In plain language, his win in 2013 was to be on the same scale as 1980 or better. Mugabe himself gave this game away when he said during his press conference the day before elections that his performance in the 31 July 2013 poll was to be better than 1980.
So, an incredible drive to register voters was put into action.
Using their cell, ward, district and provincial structures, Zanu PF went all out, street by street, mopping up every single supporter that they could muster to register and be on the voters' roll. This process was also masked under the process of mobilising for the Referendum on the new constitution.
But MDC-T should have smelt a rat if they paid any attention at all to what Mugabe said during that referendum. (By this time, he had all the figures for voter registration of ZANU PF supporters by ward, district, province and constituency).
Mugabe publicly indicated that he was not fussed about the constitution, that he had things in there that he did not agree with and that he really did not give a hoot which way the referendum went.
So that matters were not complicated, he publicly ordered ZANU PF structures to fall in line with the MDC-T position and vote Yes and bring on the election. He was certain he had the advantage.
His public statement, which should have alerted MDC-T to where his actual sights lay, were: "Just go, vote yes so that we get rid of the GNU creature. Remember that, whoever wins the election that will come after this Referendum can change the constitution to whatever they want it to be."
This should have alerted the MDC-T to the real motives of Mugabe and ZANU PF, which are being borne out by the results of this week's election: Mugabe had long established that he not only needed to win the election, but that he needed to win by a two thirds majority in order to change the constitution. He has achieved this.
Meantime, The Herald reported on April 10 this year that ZANU was on a mission to register its supporters as well as new voters.
Rugare Gumbo was quoted on that day as telling the Herald:
“We urge everyone to go and register as voters even though the mobile exercise by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is yet to begin.
“Registration as a voter is an ongoing exercise and we have been mobilising our people in our structures countrywide to ensure that they check whether their names appear in the voters’ roll and if not they should register.”
The same report baldly states that Bright Matonga, in Mhondoro Ngezi was also on a mission:
“Meanwhile, Zanu-PF House of Assembly member for Mhondoro-Ngezi Cde Bright Matonga on Friday distributed voters’ rolls in various wards in the constituency to ensure that people check whether their names appear on the lists.
“I want to thank you for the overwhelming support that you showed during the referendum and what is now left is to consolidate that victory by voting for Zanu PF at the elections that will be held soon.
“I have brought copies of the voters’ roll so that you can check if your names appear in it. All those who have not registered should immediately go and register to vote so that when the elections come we will win resoundingly.”
The MDC-T did not utter a word, did not make a move through all of this, taking support absolutely for granted. They thought Zanu PF had accepted that it was now dead. They even deluded each other into believing that Zanu PF ministers and officials were now cosying up to Tsvangirai, as was mentioned to me by one senior Tsvangirai official, "because they want to get a piece of the action after the next elections. They realise we will bury Zanu PF and their only hope is that they get a post or something from MT."
The MDC-T continued to treat Mugabe on the basis that they had so much support across the country as MDC-T (based on 2008) that it was inconceivable to them Mugabe could pull off a win. A two-thirds win? Mugabe must be dreaming! they told each other as they slapped each other on the back.
Resources, meantime, were being focused by Mugabe entirely on mobilisation and registering voters across Zimbabwe. The scale of this mobilisation for the registration exercise, being conducted when no one had any inkling that an election would be called July 31, was monumental.
What spurred Zanu PF to go all out like they did was Mugabe's certainty that the elections would be held on June 29. That was the date Zanu PF was working towards. The extra month they got from the court ruling only allowed them to now polish off any rough remaining edges.
Tendai Biti and all others in the MDC-T were aware of this, but in an incredible betrayal of their supporters, they simply dismissed all this as the kicks of a dying horse, with Morgan Tsvangirai being cheered by his comrades in the belief that, (again, a direct quote from an MDC-T official in October 2012): "Even if MT was caught red-handed committing murder, he would still win the next election."
So they did not panic. Which was a tragic mistake.
Mugabe even let things slip on three occasions, but this was ignored by an over-confident MDC-T that took support for granted , dismissed surveys done by conservative groups from the US and the UK. Some of them even dared to suggest that the survey was a trick by their Western friends to lull Mugabe into a false sense of security!
In the end, no matter what accusations of rigging etc are thrown at Zanu PF, the truth of the matter is that there is no way out for the MDC-T this time.
President Zuma of South Africa has already said that those who allege rigging must provide the proof.
It is clear that, from this morning's interview on E News Africa, the only proof that Tsvangirai and Company have is the "belief" that "it can't be true, how can people have lost faith in us" to the extent that we effectively lose all seats in Manicaland, a province we used to control.
This was Tsvangirai's answer this morning to being asked to provide proof.
It will be interesting to see how many African and world leaders accept the charges accompanied by the statement that "it is true because I, Morgan Tsvangirai, say it is true."
Denford Magora is a Zimbabwean blogger
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, ROBERT MUGABE, ZANU-PF
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(STICKY) (NEWZIMBABWE) Zimbabwe: Official House of Assembly Election Results
02/08/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
Official results for the House of Assembly as announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. We will update them as they come. We apologise for missing names of the candidates:
BULAWAYO PROVINCE
Nkulumane: Zapu 335, MDC-T 7,045, MKD 37, MDC 1,404, FZC 43, Zanu PF 2,494
Pelandaba Mpopoma: MDC 965, FZC 572, Inp 327, Ind 39, Zapu 140, Zanu Ndonga 74, Ind 45, MDC-T 6,024, Zapu 134, Zanu PF 2,122, AKE 50
Luveve: MDC 2,348, Zanu PF 2,874, MDC-T 5,586
Emakhandeni-Entumbane: Zanu PF 1,974, ZAPU 185, MDC 1,104, MDC-T 5,326
Pumula: MDC-T 6,100, AKE 82, Zanu PF 2,877, MDC 1,514, Zapu 285
Nketa: Zanu PF 3,817, MDC-T 7,649, MDC 1,931
Bulawayo Central: MDC 1,572, Zanu PF 2,827, Zapu 258, MDC-T 6,355
Bulawayo East: MDC 4,540, Indep 125, ZPM 24, MDC-T 4,550, Zanu PF 2,842
Bulawayo South: MDC 1,078, ZAPU 158, ZAPU FP 105, MKD 46, ZPM 46, MDC-T 6,364, Zanu PF 1,787
Makokoba: AKE 48, Zanu PF 3,539, ZAPU 206, MDC-T 7,099, MDC 1,547
Lobengula: Zanu PF 1,848, MDC 1,113, Zanu Ndonga 83, ZAPU 147, MDC-T 5579
Magwegwe: Zanu Ndonga 38, MDC 1,852, ZAPU 150, MDC-T 4,996, Zanu PF 1,289, Indep 392
HARARE PROVINCE
Chitungwiza North: MDC 829, MKD 83, Zanu PF 6,507, MDC-T 8,071, UMD 75
St Mary's: UMD 78, MDC 685, MKD 66, Zanu PF 5,524, ZAPU 50, MDC-T 7,092
Southerton: MDC-T 7,068, Zanu PF 3,245, MDC 792, FF 69
Mbare: MDC 1,041, MDC-T 10,932, UMD 66, Zanu PF 14,764
Sunningdale: Ind 1,567, MDC-T 5,746, ZANU Ndonga 48, MDC 557, VP 38, Zanu PF 3,005
Highfield West: Ind 67, Zanu PF 2,639, MDC-T 6,825, Zanu Ndonga 31, MDC 813
Highfield East: ZAPU 76, UMD 19, Zanu PF 3,627, MDC-T 8,494, MDC 747, FZC 34, MKD 37
Zengeza East: Zanu PF 6,391, MDC 923, MDC-T 7,873
Harare Central: Zanu PF 4,974, MDC 757, MDC-T 6,828
Mabvuku Tafara: MDC-T 7,917, Zanu PF 6,319
Kuwadzana East: MDC-T 7,967, Zanu PF 2,465
Zengeza West: Zanu PF ##993, MDC 216, MDC-T 1,624
Chitungwiza South: Zanu PF 8,126, MDC-T 7,888, MDC 927, Indep 309
Mt Pleasant: MDC 403, Zanu PF 7,945, MDC-T 3,817
Dzivaraskewa: Zanu PF 5,402, MDC-T 6,591
Kambuzuma: MDC-T 7,944, MDC 635, Zanu PF 4,165
Glen Norah: Zanu PF 1,984, MDC-T 6,672
Glen View North: MDC 469, Zanu PF 2,324, MDC-T 7,697
Epworth: MDCT 7,951, Zanu PF 15,768
Harare South: MDC 1,359, MDC-T 7,472, Zanu PF 20,069
Budiriro: MDC 1,029, MDC-T 13,077, Zanu 5,799
Mufakose: Zanu PF 1,873, MDC 543, MDC-T 5,797
Glen View South: MDC 695, Zanu 2,583, MDC-T 8,301
Warren Park: MDK 69, MDC 1,119, MDC-T 10,956, Zanu PF 4,853
Harare West: MDC-T 9,996, ZDP 29, Zanu PF 3,530
Harare West: MDC-T 9,996, ZDP 29, Zanu PF 3,530
Hatfield: MDC-T 9,031, MDC 665, Zanu 4,246
Harare North: Indep 500, MDC 746, Zanu PF 7,917, MDC-T 6,555
MANICALAND PROVINCE
Wedza North: Zanu PF 14,277, MDC-T 1,536 MDC 510
Hwedza South: Zanu PF 8,807, MDC-T 2,327, MDC 346, Indep 86
Mutare Central: Zanu PF 4,732, MDC-T 9,085, MDC 466
Mutare North: Zanu PF 17,867, MDC-T 5,998, MDC 860
Mutare South: Zanu PF 13,218, MDC-T 4,725 Indep 1,821 MDC 802
Mutare West: Zanu PF 16,087, MDC-T 7,483
Dangamvura-Chikanga: Zanu PF 9,336, Tsunga MDC-T 11,757, Mutsekwa MDC-T 3,851 MDC 468
MASHONALAND EAST PROVINCE
Marondera Central: MDC-T 9,378, Zanu PF 7,892, MDC 314, IND 112
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Marambapfungwe: Zanu PF 22,264, MDC-T 1,071, MDC 224
Uzumba: Zanu PF 21,421, MDC-T 945, MDC 222
Mudzi West: Zanu PF 14,266, MDC-T 733, MDC 267
Seke: Zanu PF 13,285, MDC-T 6,411, MDC 1,175, FZC 289
Murewa South: Zanu PF 17,368, MDC-T 1,729, MDC 550
Chikomba Central: Zanu PF 7,723, MDC-T 3,233, MDC 1,185
Chikomba East: Zanu PF 7,456, MDC-T 2,445, MDC 493, Zanu Ndonga 86
Chikomba West: Zanu PF 17,153, MDC-T 3,676, MDC 733
Goromonzi West: Zanu PF 12,758, MDC-T 7,123, MDC 540
Mudzi North: Zanu PF 15,997, MDC-T 1,857, MDC 501
Goromonzi North: Zanu PF 11,874, MDC-T 4,134, MDC 877
Murehwa North: Zanu PF 8,733, MDC-T 2,141, MDC 443, IND 6,741, MKD 207
Mt Darwin South: Zanu PF 19,680, MDC 332, MDC-T 1,401
Mazowe South: Zanu PF 11,741, MDC-T 4,116, MDC 820, MKD 116
MASHONALAND WEST PROVINCE
Chakari: Zanu PF 19,540, MDC-T 1,642
Mhondoro Ngezi: MDC-T 3,564, Zanu PF 13,476
Muzvezve: Zanu PF 18,832, MDC 569, MDC-T 3,029
Sanyati: MDC-T 3,093, Zanu PF 11,332, MDC 308
Kadoma Central: PIMZ 220, Zanu PF 9,571, MDC-T 9,005, MDC 959
Norton: Zanu PF 10,592, MKD 129, MDC-T 9,360, MDC T 894
Mhondoro Mubaira: Zanu PF 10,153, MDC T 4,473, MDC 847
Chegutu West: Zanu PF 11,130, Inp 212, MDC-T 7,399, MDC 733
Chegutu East: Zanu PF 15,687, MDC-T 2,713, MDC 434,
Chinhoyi: Zanu PF 8,561, MDC-T 9,863, MDC 543
MASVINGO PROVINCE
Masvingo North: MDC 587, Indep 212, Zanu PF 10,358, MDC-T 3,277
Masvingo West: MDC 405, MDC-T 4,687, Zanu PF 7,634
Bikita West: Zanu PF 6,270, Zanu PF 6,052, MDC-T 3,863, MDC 415
Gutu East: Zanu PF 7,372, MDC-T 3,469, MDC 316
Gutu South: Zanu PF 7,927, MDC-T 3,723
Gutu Central: MDC 886, Zanu PF 9,311, MDC-T 3,248
Chivi South: Zanu PF 12,599, MDC-T 2,755, MDC 879
Chivi Central: Zanu PF 12,559, MDC-T 3,725, MDC 861
Chiredzi South: MDC-T 1,937, MDC 508, Zanu PF 8,148
Chiredzi East: MDC 400, MDC-T 2,094, Zanu PF 8,926
Bikita South: Zanu PF 9,397, MDC 781, MDC-T 3,659
Chivi North: Zanu PF 8,827, MDC-T 4,149, MDC 317
Zaka West: Zanu PF 7,340, MDC-T 2,896, MDC 484
Zaka Central: Zanu PF 10,604, MDC 725 MDC-T 4,158
Masvingo Urban: MDC 672, MDC-T 10,424, Zanu PF 10,928, ZAPU 228, ZAPU 149
Gutu North: MDC 458, MDC-T 2,045, Zanu PF 6,845, IND 390
Gutu West: MDC 565, MDC-T 2,232, Zanu PF 13,499
Mwenezi West: Zanu PF 18,196, MDC-T 2,482, MDC 494
MIDLANDS PROVINCE
Gweru Urban: MDC-T 7,755, Zanu PF 6,146, MDC 578
Mkoba: MDC-T 10,097, Zanu PF 5,327, MDC 720
Chiwundura: Zanu PF 11,550, MDC-T 7,670
Shurugwi South: Zanu PF 11,506, MDC-T 2,515, MDC 332
Kwekwe Central: Zanu PF 6,051, MDC-T 5,760, MDC 508
MATABELELAND SOUTH
Insiza North: Zanu PF 9,914 (Andrew Langa), MDC-T 2,811, MDC 1,489, Zapu 275
Beitbridge East: Zanu PF 10,191 (Kembo Mohadi), MDC-T 3,394, MDC 695, Indep 429, Indep 411
Mangwe: Zanu PF 4,988, MDC-T 4,434, MDC 1,995, Zapu 431
Bulilima East: Zanu PF 5,828, MDC-T 3,793, MDC 1,004, Indep 1,443
Bulilima West: Zanu PF 4,722, MDC-T 3,784 MDC 1,645, Zapu 293
Umzingwane: Zanu PF wins (Results to follow)
Gwanda South: Zanu PF 4,246, MDC-T 3,783, MDC 1,977, Zapu 300, Indep 169
Matobo North: Zanu PF 5,300, MDC-T 5,219, MDC 852, ZAPU 417
Beitbridge West: Zanu PF 6,194, MDC-T 2,241, MDC 371
Matobo South: Zanu PF 4,692, MDC-T 4,596, MDC 764, ZAPU 478
Gwanda Central: Zanu PF 7,457, MDC-T 4,048, MDC 2,571, ZAPU 237
Insiza South: Zanu PF 4,660, MDC-T 2,007, MDC 2,384, ZAPU 320, IND 455
Gwanda North: Zanu PF 5,701, MDC-T 2,866, MDC 1,020, ZAPU 346
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(STICKY) (NEWZIMBABWE) Zimbabwe's Election Centre: Live Results
01/08/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporters
18:50PM - South African President Jacob Zuma on SABC News says he will not pass judgement on Zimbabwe's elections until the vote counting is over and results announced. Asked about Morgan Tsvangirai's claims that the vote had been manipulated,
he says the MDC-T leader will have to produce evidence to prove his claims.
18:45PM - MDC-T secretary general Tendai Biti says he "survived" in Harare East but says "there is no chance I will be in government under any leader other than Morgan Tsvangirai", he tells the UK Independent newspaper's David Smith. He adds: "The good work we've done in the last four-and-half years in rebuilding the economy is going to be reversed in seconds."
18:42PM - David Coltart, defeated in Bulawayo East by 19 votes, surveys the MDC's defeat and concedes that it is "obviouslty catastrophic, there's no point putting a gloss on it." But he claims that "Zimbabwe has been subjected to electoral fraud on a massive scale."
17:40PM - Zanu PF's Saviour Kasukuwere rejects Morgan Tsvangirai's claims of vote fraud as "nonsense". Pointing to the loss of key seats, including Professor Jonathan Moyo's Tsholotsho North, he asks:"Would we rig ourselves? He's talking absolute nonsense."
Kasukuwere says President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF heading for a crushing victory. "It's a landslide, a total annihilation of the MDC. Their project has failed."
17:26 - Professor Jonathan Moyo (Zanu PF) has lost the Tsholotsho North seat to the MDC-T by slightly over 300 seats, according to several sources.
17:00PM - Roy Bennett, the exiled treasurer of Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC-T party, calls for campaign of passive resistance as he accuses Zanu PF of "stealing" the election. "Don't pay bills, don't attend work, just bring the country to a standstill."
Last night, he used his Twitter account [@RoyPachedu] to predict a victory for his party. He said: "I'm hearing good things all round, cannot believe they can even rig this. If they steal it again, we will not sit on our hands. Never!!"
16:15PM - MDC-T national chairman Lovemore Moyo has lost Matobo North seat to Zanu PF by 81 votes, according to several sources.
16:05PM - A source close to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission says all results should be ready by mid-day on Friday. Official results could start being announced tonight.
14:25PM - Our correspondent at the Welshman Ncube led MDC election HQ in Bulawayo has caught up with Paul Themba Nyathi, who declares that he has lost in Gwanda North to Zanu PF.
Nyathi is critical of Morgan Tsvangirai’s stance that election “null and void”. He suggests Zanu PF has won fair and square.
He says: “Five days ago, I got a feeling that Gwanda North was unwinnable. People who used to come to our rallies and support us suddenly couldn’t look me in the eye. They started vacillating.
“We had a free and fair contest, everyone was free to canvass and the vote was peaceful. Hand on heart, I think Zanu PF beat us fair and square. There’s something that made people to fall in love with Zanu PF again, and it’s not intimidation.
“I think Morgan Tsvangirai has spoken too soon, he needs a quiet corner to reflect and I think the right course is to concede and move on.”
12PM - Morgan Tsvangirai speaks to reporters, says “election has been a huge farce. Its credibility has been marred by administrative and legal violations which affect the legitimacy of its outcome.”
He cites “two critical issues” – he says the vote does not meet SADC Guidelines on elections and points to Zanu PF’s failure to “implement SADC reforms” including licensing of TV stations and reform of the country’s security services (police and army).
His concerns include:
1.1 Voters’ Roll
# Thousands failed to register and were disenfranchised
# Not delivered timeously as required by law
# No proper inspection of the voters’ roll to verify authenticity
# Duplication of names on the voters roll
# Unauthorised movement of voters from their wards (leading to almost 40% voters being turned away and disenfranchised)
1.2 Manipulation of voters’ choice - Voters forced to plead illiteracy and resort to “assistance”.
1.3 Use of traditional leaders (chiefs and headmen) to intimidate voters.
1.4 Unauthorised voter migration - Voters bussed into constituencies to vote eg Harare South, Epworth
1.5 Unaccounted for voters especially in farming areas
1.6 Abuse of the facility to use Voter Registration Slips as proof of registration
1.7 Militarisation of the electoral process – electoral processes under the effective control of security personnel
1.8 Lack of transparency in the printing of ballots
a.) non-compliance with section 51 of the Electoral Act.
b.) over-printing of ballots (more than 35%) and lack of accountability for ballots.
1.9 Lack of transparency and double-voting in the use of the
Special Vote
1.10 Lack of transparency in the use of the Postal Voting system
Tsvangirai says he has met the head of the African Union observer mission, the former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and told him that “this is not a credible election. It does not reflect the will of the people of Zimbabwe.”
He adds: “For the above reasons, the election has been heavily manipulated. In our view, the outcome of this election is illegitimate. But more importantly, the shoddy manner in which it has been conducted and the consequent illegitimacy of the result will plunge this country into a serious crisis.”
He finishes by asking the “SADC and the AU audit teams to look into this process, in particular the voters roll, the ballots and the manner in which the whole process was conducted”, adding: “In our view this election does not meet the SADC, AU and international standards for a credible, legitimate, free and fair election.”
Smelling defeat ... Morgan Tsvangirai speaks to reporters on Thursday
11:45AM – The Electoral Commission Forum of SADC (not to be mistaken with the main SADC observer mission) says election was “credible, free and fair and we urge that the result should be accepted”. Addressing concerns about the voters’ roll, it adds: “No country has a perfect voters roll.”
11:45AM – The Catholic Commission of Justice and Peace praises “peaceful environment” in Zimbabwe and “positive achievements” in conduct of elections.
11.45AM – The BBC’s Andrew Harding in Harare says he has spoken to a Nigerian observer for the African Union who praised “free, peaceful, very good” vote in Bindura. “Nobody was turned away,” he is quoted as saying.
11:45 – The Zimbabwe Electoral Support Network (ZESN), an NGO, calls a news conference where it raises allegations of irregularities in the conduct of the election. It had 7,000 observers throughout the country. It claims that the election “seriously compromised”, adding: “These factors fundamentally undermine the degree to which results of election reflect the will of the people of Zimbabwe.”
11:45AM – The world’s news media starts reporting, citing a Zanu PF source, that President Robert Mugabe has won the presidential race by a landslide.
11.30AM – A source at Zanu PF election HQ says Goodwills Masimirembwa, who campaign heavily in Mabvuku-Tafara (Harare) has lost. The MDC-T will retain that seat.
# In Bulawayo, David Coltart (MDC) said to lose the closely-fought Bulawayo East race to incumbent Thabitha Khumalo (MDC-T) by 19 votes.
# In Mashonaland West, Zanu PF projected to win 21 out of 22 seats; in Masvingo the Zanu PF rebel Munyaradzi Kereke said to be coming strong as an independent and Zanu PF projected to win 22 or the 23 seats ; in Mashonaland Central, Zanu PF is projected to reclaim the two seats it lost in 2008 for a total wipe-out of 22 out of 22; in Bulawayo, the MDC-T is seen winning all 12 seats as they did in 2008; in Manicaland, Zanu PF is projected to reclaim 20 seats to claim a share of 22 out of 26; in the Midlands Zanu PF appears to be edging to between 23-25 of the 28 contested seats; in Harare Zanu PF is set to improve on its one MP with a projected share of eight out of 29 seats with the MDC-T getting the rest. In Mashonaland East Zanu PF is seen winning 22 out of 23 seats; in Matabeleland South Zanu PF is projected to win 12 of the 13 seats on offer while in Matabeleland North they are seen winning between 8-9 of the 12 constituencies.
11AM: In Harare, MDC-T heavyweights Theresa Makone, Jameson Timba and the former ZBC DJ Eric Knight said to be struggling. The party’s secretary general Tendai Biti, carrying an advantage of 6,000 from the 2008 elections, suddenly finds himself under a serious challenge as well as Gift Chimanikire and Tapiwa Mashakada.
9AM – Polling stations begin posting results outside. At least 15 polling stations out of around 50 visited by our correspondent in Tsholotsho North show the incumbent Jonathan Moyo may be in trouble. He could still turn it around.
8AM – Voting continuing throughout the country. Early indications point to a strong Zanu PF showing in Manicaland, Masvingo, Midlands, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East, Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North. Only Bulawayo and Harare look promising for MDC-T.
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(THOUGHTLEADER SA) This is ‘corrective rape’. These are its rules
July 9, 2013
By Sekoetlane Jacob Phamodi
Early last week, the newspapers reported the discovery of another dead and mutilated lesbian body. Yet another poor, black, landless, queer body with a vagina has been killed and the story, we’re told, is because she was gay.
As the routine letters of condemnation from state, public and political officials came in their multitudes, and the routine commitments to protect queer bodies were renewed, I found myself caught in a routine depression over the
failure to acknowledge and address the structural conditions that make poor, black, queer bodies with vaginas so routinely available to violence.
Caught in this depressive state, some years ago I wrote a discussion paper to begin interrogating the notion of “corrective rape”. And in my interrogation, the paper quickly became a disruption of the notion and the discourse attached to it. I argued that both the term and the lens through which it is constructed and understood both obscure and participate in the confluence of structural systems of power which make particular kinds of bodies available to this and other forms of violence over others, as well as fixes particular kinds of bodies as the obvious perpetrators over others.
This week, again, I found myself caught in this same depressive state.
It happens often. It happens every day. It happens rarely, if at all, to some bodies. It happens repeatedly to others. Under very particular circumstances, we will all know about these incidents in absolute and graphic detail. In most, we will not know that it happened at all.
This is “corrective rape”. These are its rules.
We will ask why. We will be told that it is because she was drunk, that she was out at night, that she presented herself in a place known to be unsafe. We will be told that they wanted to correct her sexuality. We will give it a sexy name like “corrective rape”. This is how it happens. This is where it happens. This is who does it. This is who it is done to.
This is “corrective rape”. These are its rules.
We will know that the targets are black township lesbians. This will mean the perpetrators are black township men. We will identify “hotspots”. We will visit them. We will take our cameras and our writing pads to look at the perpetrators and write about the victims. In graphic detail, we will look at the victims and write about the perpetrators.
This is “corrective rape”. These are its rules.
We will go to the police. We will march on the council. We will, each of us, wear a different coloured T-shirt. A colour for each body. A colour for each martyr. We will lobby lawmakers. We will create special task-teams to define special crimes. We will tell them it is these rapes that matter. We will tell that it is these murders that require special laws. We will remind them that these are not normal rapes. That they are more brutal. That they are more traumatic.
This is “corrective rape”. These are its rules.
We are targets because we are gay, not because we are women. We are targets because we are gay, not because we are black. We are targets because we are gay, not because we are landless. We are targets because we are gay, not because we live in ghettoes. We are targets because we are gay. We are targets because we are gay!
This is “corrective rape”. These are its rules.
Labels: HOMOSEXUALITY, NGOs
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Alarming pregnancy rate among our adolescents
By Editor
Wed 17 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
THE United Nations system in Zambia says pregnancy among Zambian adolescents is over 30 per cent of 15 - 19-year-old girls. It also reveals that 42 per cent of Zambian women were married before the age of 18. This is an alarming rate of pregnancy among our adolescents. And Zambia's Millennium Development Goal report indicates that early marriage and adolescent pregnancy are the two main triggers for the country's high maternal mortality rate.
Statistics show that 38 of our country's mothers die every month due to complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. We are told that unsafe abortions, obstetric fistula, haemorrhage and malnutrition often result in our country's young mothers facing a heightened risk of maternal complications, death and disability. And their children, even when surviving birth, face higher risks as well.
Young girls who become pregnant stop attending school. And most of them don't go back to school after giving birth. And their childhood ends abruptly. Once they become mothers, even if they are 15, 16 or 17, they cease to be children; they become adults. Even their names change to bana so and so. By the time they are 30, they are also grandmothers and become banakulu so and so. Before they reach 50, they are great grandmothers. What does this entail in terms of human development and fulfillment; in terms of health and literacy?
A child is a child and cannot fulfil the role of a parent well. Everything has got a time. A child needs to go to school and play; a child needs to learn many things about life without being responsible for so many things. If this is disrupted, the development of that child is also disrupted. Early pregnancies disrupt this progression from childhood to adulthood. Firstly, a child who becomes pregnant doesn't have the capacity to support herself financially and otherwise. And usually these are children whose parents were also struggling to support them.
This means they are now left on their own to support themselves and the babies they brought into this world. How can this work? It can't work, it's simply a question of hell breaking loose. All sorts of vices creep in. Some are forced into early marriages to their fellow young boys who also have nothing to support themselves and their new families with. A child getting married to another child! Is sum of the two expected to produce an adult?
There is no simple solution to this complex problem. But this doesn't mean effective measures cannot be put in place to try and address it. Ways can be found by trying to keep girls safe and in school, enforcing laws that deter early marriage and harshly punish defilement. We can also not run away from sex education and allowing our young people to know what they need to know to avoid early pregnancies. We need to actively promote birth control and reproductive health education. And this has to be done at every level from the family, the church, the school, the traditional and state authorities. All need to be involved. This is not a matter that can be addressed by the parents alone. All our institutions need to be involved.
Our traditional rulers have a big role to play by not condoning early marriages and they themselves marrying young girls. The Church has great moral persuasion and should do more. But in most cases the Church is uncomfortable talking about sex matters. Yet, so often the Church is losing girls from its choirs because of early pregnancies.
Great awareness is needed because it delays child-bearing among our young people and it also reduces or stops early marriages.
We have young girls who leave school to go and get married. And their parents allow them to do so. They even collect lobola! This must stop. Here, reproductive health education should not be limited to the young people themselves. It needs to be extended to their parents and grandparents as well. The leadership of our churches needs to be educated or sensitised on these matters. The traditional authorities need to be made aware of the dangers of these early marriages and early childbirth and encouraged to stop them.
Allowing children to have children is endangering the future of our country. If such a high percentage of our children are being born from mothers who have no capacity to be mothers, it will be very difficult for those children to grow up properly and become good citizens. Firstly, they will be hammered by malnutrition, which may affect not only the health of their bodies but also their mental and intellectual development. We can end up with a population dominated by imbeciles.
The advancement of our country will not go far unless we start to pay special attention to the plight of our girls. If we really value the future of our country, we have no alternative but to start to pay special attention to the plight of our girls by starting to afford the highest priority to providing them with the necessary reproductive health education. "Train children in the right ways" (Proverbs 22:6).
The life and health of our girls are of central importance to the future development of our nation. We should therefore increase our efforts to educate them to have a more correct view of themselves and their lives. And every effort should be made to actively redress the injustices being done to them in the family and in the nation at large. It is a strict duty of justice and truth not to allow the fundamental needs of our girls to remain unsatisfied. There is no future development without healthy and educated girls.
A loving and compassionate response to the challenges and problems our girls are facing is called for. Our young people, especially our girls, have the capacity to enjoy life and its freedom but they need guidance on how best to do this. Education of our girls is a critical challenge facing our nation today. Our girls have the right to make sound moral judgments based on well-formed conscience
Labels: PREGNANCY
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Zambia needs to address inequality - Wignaraja
By Abigail Chaponda in Nakonde
Wed 17 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
UNITED Nations resident coordinator Kanni Wignaraja says Zambia needs to address inequity and inequality before it breaks the country's backbone.
During the Local Government Association of Zambia and 10th Alliance of Mayors and Municipal leaders (AMICAALL) general conference in Nakonde, Wignaraja said despite Zambia recording a steady growth, good macro policies that stabilised inflation and brought more foreign direct investment, nearly half of the country's population still lived in extreme poverty and cannot fully meet their family's basic needs.
"The story of inequality is as alarming….. points to the growing gaps between the rich and the poor. This undermines all other gains. We cannot grow and sustain a prosperous and peaceful country for all Zambian if our women are paid so less and are only a fraction of our representational leadership, if our daughters don't get to finish secondary school, if our rural youths remain jobless and our farmers cannot get their produce to the market. We have to address inequity and inequality before it breaks the very back bone of our countries and turns into a sense of injustices," she said.
She also expressed dismay at the growing inequalities and the limited opportunities to gain quality secondary education.
"The post national dialogue across all the provinces came back to the number one priority that all young Zambians see as what holds the key to their future, a quality education. Over and over again, this is what was voted in the biggest game changer that will make the difference. And yet today, only about one-tenth of those children who enter our primary schools actually complete secondary school. So what is happening along the way to the rest and what a heavy, heavy cost to the government and the families and what a loss to the country," she said.
Labels: AMICAALL, KANNI WIGNARAJA, MAYOR
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Zambians haven't learnt to differ on principle - Luo
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Wed 17 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
PROFESSOR Nkandu Luo says Zambian politics are different from the English ones because Zambian politicians do not differ on principle. And Eastern Province minister Malozo Sichone says there is no UPND in Chipata Central constituency.
Featuring on a special programme on Breeze FM on Monday, Prof Luo, the chiefs and traditional affairs minister said in Zambia, the scenario was that the opposition just oppose everything that comes from the government. She said the difference with the PF was that it supported bills that were good for Zambians even when they came from the opposition.
"The people of Chipata should help bring a representative who would talk on their behalf so that there can be more development in Chipata because it should not lag behind. Zambian politics are not the same like the ones being practiced in England where people choose to differ on principle. Here we just oppose as long as something has come from government," Prof Luo said.
She said some opposition members of parliament were bringing bills that the PF used to talk about when they were in the opposition.
"If you follow parliamentary debate, us as PF we are very different. If our colleagues bring bills that we think are good for Zambian people, we simply support it. For example, in my own ministry there was a private motion on rural development. When I stood to debate on the motion as a minister I said 'thank you very much for bringing this motion because it will help our people in the rural areas'. Just last week there was a bill on MDGs (millennium development goals) so that we put poverty reduction programmes none of us (PF members of parliament) opposed," Prof Luo said.
She said the people of Eastern Province had a choice whether to remain backwards and continue opposing or not.
"It's up to you, imwe banthu bakuno kuno. I am your cousin, it's up to you ngati mufuna kuti muzinkhala backwards kuti iyai ife tifuna kuchita opposing, you are free to do so but ife we are appealing to you kuti muone future yabana banu," Prof Luo said.
And Sichone who was also a guest on the same programme said the percentage of UPND in Chipata Central was 0.01 of the total voter population in the constituency.
He said he normally gets shocked when people say MMD and UPND had come together in Chipata where he said there was no UPND.
"If we had UPND (in Chipata) then it's just that man (Michael Chuzu) who talks on radio all the time. That's the only man who is UPND here in Chipata. The MMD has been there, we have a few pockets of UNIP but surely UNIP they are just dreaming, UNIP is gone," Sichone said.
He said the MMD had ended because the party had no leadership.
Sichone said the government was focusing on driving its development agenda.
Both Prof Luo and Sichone were drumming up support for PF's Lameck Mangani.
Labels: NKANDA LUO, POLITICS
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FAO urges African govts to stop food export bans
By Gift Chanda
Wed 17 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
THE United Nation's food agency has urged Zambia and other African governments in sub-Saharan region to stop imposing export bans on food commodities.
Zambia, which has moved from being a maize importer to exporter after output rose to more than 2.5 million tonnes from about 600,000 tonnes just over a decade ago, has currently placed a ban on the "free export" of maize to other countries due to a drop in production.
Maize output this year fell 11 per cent to 2.5 million tonnes from 2.85 million tonnes in the previous season after poor weather and a worm infestation impacted on yields.
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) country representative for Zambia George Okech said governments should not be quick to implement export bans on food commodities because they were weighing hard on those countries that were in no position to feed their people.
"As FAO, we are trying to advise governments not to panic and place export bans on food commodities when ever prices go up because when you place export bans in your country, it will affect the other country and it will go ahead and affect the other next country," Okech said in an interview.
"…the borders should be opened, there should be free trade. If governments can adopt that policy of not imposing export bans, then the sub-Saharan region will be in a better position to feed itself."
Last year, Zambia eased a supply crunch in southern Africa with its robust maize stocks.
The country exported grain to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Botswana, Burundi and Namibia.
FAO advised Zambia, which cut a subsidy on fertiliser to 50 per cent from 75 per cent, to promote conservation farming if the country was to avoid dashing its goal of becoming a regional breadbasket.
Meanwhile, FAO on Monday handed over equipment worth K690, 000 to the ZNFU to assist the farmers' union take the lead in improving productivity among small-scale farmers.
The equipment would assist small-scale farmers preserve the environment through mechanised conservation agriculture.
Okech, who handed over the equipment to Zambian National Farmers' Union executive director Ndambo Ndambo, said conservation agriculture makes efficient use of farming inputs and significantly increases yields.
"It provides for better resilience against drought and prevents soil erosion."
The equipment comprised 12 sets of tractors, no-till planters, trailers, shellers and sprayers as well as a pickup truck.
And Ndambo said the support would enable the establishment of a nucleus of small-scale farmers that were able to provide a range of mechanised agriculture services.
"This leads to improved incomes for the service providers and more efficient production for client farmers. So it's a win-win situation for all," said Ndambo.
Labels: FAO
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Phiri accuses 'myterious group' in Chipata of violence
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Wed 17 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
CHIPATA Central MMD candidate Reuben Mtolo Phiri says there is a mysterious group of supporters that put on his party's regalia when engaging in violent activities so that they portray a picture that his party is violent. Featuring on a special Electoral Commission of Zambia programme yesterday,
Phiri alleged that the violent group was from Lusaka. He said there was no need to bring people from Lusaka to Chipata.
"There is no need for us to bring people from Lusaka and from other areas to come and cause confusion in our town. I am urging all political parties to desist from this because this can become a source for violence. Those people we bring in our town have no regards for this town. When you bring people from outside they have no emotional attachment to the properties and they will just come and destroy our properties and go back to their towns," Phiri said.
He urged the electorate not to exchange their voters cards with chitenge material. Phiri said the electorate should report the people who ask for voters cards to the police. He urged the people of Chipata to ensure they vote in the by-election slated for July 25.
"We have over 50,000 voters here but last time (in 2011) about 26, 000 voted. Please let us go and vote so that the person you want can be taken back to Parliament. Your anger is not enough, exhibit it through a vote; your sorrow is not enough exhibit it through a vote. That is my plea to the people of Chipata," Phiri said.
Apart from Phiri, other candidates contesting the seat are PF's Lameck Mangani, UNIP's Elina Nyirenda, Narep's Kazembe Daka and Jean Nkunika an independent candidate.
Labels: CHIPATA, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, REUBEN MTOLO PHIRI
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Mine investors have made communities worse - Church
By Misheck Wangwe in Ndola
Wed 17 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
Three Church mother bodies and some civil society organisations say mine investors have not helped the country's poor communities but have instead made them worse in the manner they conduct their business.
Speaking at a media breakfast meeting at Savoy Hotel in Ndola yesterday on behalf of the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), The Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC), Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) and Civil Society Organisations ahead of the International Mining Indaba Conference that begins tommorrow in Ndola, Reverend Petson Kabala who is the co-chairperson of the conference said mining industries had often made communities on the Copperbelt and North Western Provinces worse than they found them due to increased poverty as a result of mining activities affecting their livelihoods.
Rev Kabala said mining was an issue of social justice because its impact on lives, agriculture, rivers and air were mostly borne by the poor.
He said mining was an issue of intergenerational justice where the current burden of huge problems if not rectified would have a serious negative impact on the future.
Rev Kabala said mining should be designed to secure optimal net benefits for the citizens over the long term with lowest social environmental impact.
"Despite Zambia having an abundance of natural resources, it has continued to face the daunting high poverty levels, with the extremely poor people accounting for about 42 per cent which is 5.4 million of the total population while moderate poverty is 18.2 per cent which is 2.4 million people. The question is why are we talking about mining? We are talking about this sector because Zambia's extractive industry has been an essential and integral component of Zambia's economic development which can be traced to pre-colonial days. Mining is the backbone of the economy, the extractive sector accounts for 80 per cent of the export value of which 90 per cent is from copper exports. This sector contributes about 5.1 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 64 per cent to the balance of trade. This however is, despite the comparatively small contribution the sector makes to the treasury through tax revenues since being privatised," Rev Kabala said.
He said the corporations in the extractive sector were multinational and heavy industry players with huge resources and high technological advancements, with the international community on their side and somehow they have over the years managed to get political forces and few weak civil society organisations on their side.
"One unfortunate situation is that majority of our people are illiterate, poor and vulnerable. It remains undisputed that Zambia does not benefit as much as it should from natural resources. Currently the debate on the reintroduction of the windfall tax lingers on. It cannot be argued that it is commonly held by most Zambians that the extractive sector, especially the mining sector is befitting investors more," Rev Kabala said.
And speaking earlier, Ndola district commissioner Rebby Chanda said the PF government was working hard to change the situation to ensure that the country begins to see tangible benefits from the mines.
Chanda said this could be evidenced by the introduction of the Statutory Instrument number 55 and many other deliberate interventions that would trigger substantial benefits for the Zambian economy including the communities where mining activities were being conducted.
Labels: MINING, POLLUTION, ZEC
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Guard walks home naked after employer grabs uniform
By Lemmy Likando in Mazabuka
Wed 17 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
A 53-YEAR-OLD security guard of Mazabuka district was last week forced to walk home naked after his employer dismissed and forced him to hand over the company uniform after he allegedly deserted his workplace. He has since, however, been reinstated.
Likwasi Chimonde, a resident of Kabbobola compound last week walked in his pants from Kaleya to his home, a distance of about three kilometres, after CHC Commodities project manager Baker Russell ordered him to undress and hand in his uniform on allegations that he failed to provide security at the workplace.
Mazabuka district senior labour officer Charles Muwowo confirmed that his office received a complaint of unfair dismissal and inhuman treatment from Chimonde, who was employed as a watchman by CHC Commodities, a grain storage company located within Mazabuka township.
Muwowo said he decided to summon Russell to his office after Chimonde lodged a complaint that he was dismissed instantly and forced to walk home naked after he decided to lock the gate and leave the premises in order to buy some painkillers upon developing a headache.
He disclosed that Chimonde was ordered to surrender the company uniform by Russell who went to the company premises around 20:00 hours and discovered that Chimonde was not present on site.
"This watchman claims he was not feeling well when he reported for duty around 18:00 hours and that around 19:00 hours he decided to go to nearby shops to buy some painkillers and it was that time that his project manager (Russell) visited the site and discovered that the guard was absent and the place unmanned," narrated Muwowo.
Muwowo further disclosed that when Chimonde returned to his place of duty, he found Russell, who was inside the premises after jumping over the gate and immediately demanded the company uniform from him before ordering him to go back home.
He said during his discussions with the two men, Russell, who admitted ordering Chimode to take off the uniform, apologised over his action and promised to reinstate him immediate.
Muwowo said Russell, in his defence, said he reacted in such a manner because Chimonde put the company property at risk, which he said was worth millions of kwacha and that if Chimonde was unwell as he claimed, he should have simply phoned him so that he could be excused from work.
He described the incident as a serious violation of human rights, warning that his office would not hesitate to bring to book employers who deliberately violate the Zambian labour laws.
Muwowo cautioned employees to ensure they follow regulations of the entities they work for in order to avoid getting into conflict with their employers.
Meanwhile, Muwowo revealed that the labour office in the district has this year handled a total of 127 labour complaints and recovered a total of K136, 000 on behalf of various deserving employees who reported their complaints to the office.
He told the district development and coordinating committee meeting that despite facing numerous operational challenges, his office remained committed to ensuring that labour laws are strictly followed and adhered to by both employers and employees.
Labels: LABOUR
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Chipata man gets 4 months over marijuana
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Wed 17 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
COMMENT - No one should spend one day in jail for the possession of hemp. The so-called 'war on drugs' bloats the legal system with non-violent offenders, and takes away prison places for violent offenders, making society more violent. And most of all - most of the so-called illegal drugs can be had over the counter. The world's bigges opium dealer is not Khun Sa in the Iron Triangle, but Glaxo Wellcome in Tasmania. That is where all the legal opium comes from.
I quote from the GlaxoSmithKline website: "1999: With over 700 growers and more than 10,000ha under cultivation, Glaxo Wellcome is firmly committed to consolidating and expanding its role in the world market." End the drug war, end the hypocrisy and the mass incarceration of non-violent offenders. - MrK
THE Chipata Magistrates' Court on Monday sentenced a Chipata resident to four months imprisonment with hard labour for trafficking in psychotropic substances.
Before resident magistrate Sanford Ngobola was Whyson Mphande who was convicted after the prosecution called two witnesses.
Mphande was arrested by Drug Enforcement Commission officers on May 15, 2013 after they found 18 grammes of marijuana in his yard.
According to court records, after a tip off, DEC officers went to search Mphande's house but could not find the marijuana.
The officers only found the 18 grammes of the marijuana when they extended the search to the outside yard.
Mphande however told the court that he was not the owner of the marijuana and that he suspected foul play.
The convict could not call any witness other than himself when he was put on his defence.
In mitigation, Mphande said he was a married man with four children.
He said his house was burnt and that he had borrowed money to buy maize to assist his family.
But magistrate Ngobola said the case that Mphande committed was a serious one and that the sentence could go up to 25 years.
He said the four months sentence was with effect of the day of arrest.
Labels: CANNABIS, CHIPATA
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(TALKZIMBABWE) More US images on MDC-T campaign flyers
This article was written by Our reporter on 17 July, at 13 : 28 PM
Barely a week after the MDC-T came under fire for importing foreign images in its manifesto and website, it has also emerged that the party is using United States images on its campaign material posted on the party’s website.
Most of the MDC-T flyers have images from US stock image websites Photobucket and Dreamstime and various other US websites.
The party has been trying to hoodwink the public that the images are from Zimbabwe, showing faces of African Americans who readers would not suspect are not Zimbabwean.
We reproduce below some of these images and their original sources.
Last week the MDC-T was exposed for importing images into its election manifesto, among which was a picture which depicted a South Africa woman planting a tree in Port Elizabeth. Another picture on page 19 of the manifesto shows a train crossing a rail bridge over the Kwai River in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, and African American medical students on page 21 to mention just a few.
Icons of the US map and Supreme Court also adorned the party’s website, but these were hastily removed on Tuesday morning last week after they drew fierce criticism from members of the public.
Current images include the image of a young African American deejay singing holding a microphone. The image is from Getty Images and is published on the company’s website. The image is used on an MDC-T flyer labelled “Let The Party Begin,” a slogan which identifies that picture on the Getty Images website.
Another flyer called “It’s Your Choice, It’s Your Secret” features an African American elderly couple. The image is from Fotolia.com, another US stock photography website. The image was also used by US news agency CNBC.com on 22 May, 2013 in an article entitled “African-Americans retiring earlier, with less savings”.
Another US image of a nurse is used by the MDC-T party on a flyer entitled “The Time Is Now Civil Servants”. The image was published on the US’s Clayton County Public Health website. Clayton County is Jonesboro in the U.S. state of Georgia.
The latest expose is a huge embarrassment to the MDC-T party which has been trying for a very long time to shake-off the image that it is not a home-grown party, and its political strategy is handled by the West. It is not clear why the MDC-T decided to use images from the United States, and not from Zimbabwe.
Political scientist and Zanu-PF Politburo member Professor Jonathan Moyo said the images proved the MDC-T was a fake political party with nothing to offer the electorate.
“MDC-T is a fake party that uses fake communication to falsify its own image and to falsify the situation in Zimbabwe,” he said.
“When it comes to its own image, it uses fake images like it used in its manifesto to paint a glossy and false picture of itself giving the impression that it is as beautiful as that South African woman and that it is a part of America as shown by importing of pictures of American icons.”
The various images used by the MDC-T
teacher 150x150 More US images on MDC T campaign flyers
MDC-T fake images
civilservants 150x150 More US images on MDC T campaign flyers
partybegin 150x150 More US images on MDC T campaign flyers
teacher1 150x150 More US images on MDC T campaign flyers
couple 150x150 More US images on MDC T campaign flyers
Labels: COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, MDC, NEOLIBERALISM
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(NEWZIMBABWE) MDC-T blames Mugabe for special vote chaos
16/07/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
MDC-T has said President Robert Mugabe’s rushed election date proclamation was responsible for the chaotic manner in which special voting for security forces was carried out over the last two days.
The party claims that thousands of members of the security forces failed to vote on Sunday and Monday as the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) struggled with serious logistical problems.
Chaotic scenes were the order of the day at polling stations around the country with ZEC failing to deliver voting materials on time while some prospective voters were turned away due to the shortage of ballot papers.
Frustrated police officers ended up smashing windows at Mount Pleasant Hall in Harare while riot police were called in to control the situation at Town House following stampede on Sunday.
MDC-T deputy chairperson Morgan Komichi said the problems were down to President Robert Mugabe’s unilateral proclamation of the 31st election date.
“People failed to plan, right from the President of the country himself who set the July 31 election date. He had no information to support that. He had no knowledge to support that,” Komichi told NewZimbabwe.com on Tuesday.
“Mugabe had no plan even on the paper to at least know what is required before July 31st. So you find out that the President of the country messed up, the constitutional court only endorsed the wishes of the President of the country and they also messed up.
“ZEC they failed to put the elections required resources on the ground, they failed to produce ballot papers .They also failed to produce the voters roll and they messed up on the 14th and the 15th .They stressed the police officers some of whom voted under duress.”
He warned that the chaotic scenes were likely to be repeated during harmonised elections at the end of the month.
“If the ZEC has failed to manage an election of 87 000 people what more the six million registered voters who are going to cast ballot in one day on 31 July?”Komichi asked.
The MDC-T deputy chair said the party would press for an increase in the number of polling stations to avoid a repeat of the special voting chaos.
The party has also approached the High Court seeking to have the special vote nullified arguing the 69,000 officers the ZRP said would need to vote was far higher than the 41, 000 officers who appear on the government salary register.
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), MDC
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(NEWZIMBABWE) Zimplow on course for $100m turnover
by Business Reporter
FARM implements manufacturer, Zimplow Holdings, says it was on course to achieve US$100 million turnover by 2015 from US$35 million during the year ended December 31, 2012, despite disposing of Puzey & Payne.
The company has, since the beginning of the year, been realigning its units with several restructuring programmes being implemented in a bid to improve efficiencies and bolster profitability.
“The directors of Zimplow Holdings Ltd are pleased to announce the disposal of Puzey & Payne Ltd effective June 1, 2013 to its management who are supported by a strategic partner,” said Zimplow in a note to shareholders.
“The disposal will allow Zimplow Holdings Limited to streamline its operations and focus on its key strategic objectives. The directors obtained an independent opinion from advisors that the terms of the transaction are fair and reasonable to the company shareholders.”
Puzey & Payne had been crippled by the influx of cheap second-hand vehicles, imported mostly from Japan.
The business is essentially a motor vehicle, spares and generators dealer which is also involved in servicing vehicles. The company is also one of the holders of a Peugeot dealership in the country.
The viability of new vehicles market has, in the recent past, been compromised by the influx of used vehicles mostly from Japan that land on the domestic market at hugely discounted prices compared to those of new cars.
Coupled with lack of flexible credit terms and stringent conditions for obtaining bank loans, buying a new vehicle is extremely difficult for the majority of Zimbabweans even those with modest incomes.
In March, Zimplow chief executive officer (CEO), Zondi Kumwenda said the company would pull out of some of its investments but did not disclose which units were on sale.
He said negotiations with financiers to provide tractors and other implements on an asset-based finance scheme were also underway.
The Zimplow CEO said the company's exposure to agriculture and mining at a much bigger scale would present avenues for product diversification to achieve the turnover target.
The group's revenue for the year to December 31, 2012 was at US$35,6 million, against US$15,5 million recorded in the prior year.
It was boosted mainly by strong results from Tractive Power Holdings, which was taken over by Zimplow last year. Profit before tax was down 127 percent and this was mainly due to restructuring expenses of US$1,9 million.
Finance director, Francis Rwakonda, said revenue for Zimplow was down 13 percent and profit before tax also declined by 96 percent.
"This was mainly due to the interest cost of US$297 851, acquisition and restructuring expenses of US$1,045 million," he said.
Kumwenda noted that Zimbabwe's sovereign risk was high and international investors were thus limiting their exposure to the country with the "hope that this would end in a few years to come".
"These factors present significant risk for the group going forward. The group will, however, be better placed to absorb such risks should they arise owing to a better-diversified revenue stream," he added.
Impending elections scheduled had seen some customers deferring capital expenditure to post-election period, thereby negatively impacting on the group's tractor and earth moving equipment business.
Low liquidity levels have also resulted in a number of customers delaying settlement of their accounts thereby inhibiting sales and restocking programmes.
At the group's annual general meeting last month, Zimplow said revenues for the first quarter were at the same levels as prior year.
Labels: FRANCIS RWAKONDA, ZIMPLOW HOLDINGS
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(NEWZIMBABWE) ACR hunts for Pickstone mine funding
16/07/2013 00:00:00
by Business Reporter
AFRICAN Consolidated Resouraces (ACR) has revealed it was at an advanced phase of negotiations with potential funders of the low cost Pickstone-Peerless gold mine as it unveiled the results of the definitive feasibility study (DFS) for the project.
The study reveals the robust economics of the operation, which will generate earnings before tax and depreciation of US$26 million after three years and US$54.8 million after six. This assumes gold prices of US$1,250 and US$1,350 in 2014 and 2015 respectively and US$1,500 an ounce thereafter.
The DFS ascribes a net present value to this, the first phase of the Pickstone project, of US$17.7mln at a 10% discount rate, while the initial funding requirement is put at US$15.7mln.
The all-important cash costs are US$742 an ounce, or an all-in US$886 including royalties and tax.
AFCR's chief executive, Craig Hutton, said: "The completion of this DFS on time and on budget represents a significant achievement in the transformation of AFCR from an exploration company to a mining company.
"I should like to emphasise that the DFS relates to the oxide cap only, just one component of the much larger Pickstone-Peerless Gold project, and will support the funding of the much larger and higher grade sulphide ore outlined in the preliminary economic assessment.
“Restricting phase one to the oxide cap reduces the capex that would otherwise be necessary and enables us to use plant facilities already in place.
“We have increased the funding requirement for phase one principally to stockpile ore for four months to maximise early grade.”
The initial plan is to focus on the oxide cap of the 3.2mln ounce resource in order to generate near-term cash flow at low capital cost.
The results were based on a maiden reserve of 136,000 ounces, just 17% of the mining inventory.
However, the plan eventually is to develop a far bigger mining operation targeting one million ounces.
In the meantime, phase one remains on track for first production of gold in June next year.
At the same time work on the pre-feasibility study for the more ambitious second phase is in progress. This study is expected to be complete in September or October 2013.
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(TALKZIMBABWE) Property rights for blacks too: President Mugabe
This article was written by Our reporter on 16 July, at 17 : 41 PM
Zanu-PF First Secretary and President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe says through the supreme sacrifices of the country’s living and fallen heroes, Zimbabweans have their heritage, resources, land and sovereignty.
Addressing a star rally at Chibuku stadium in Chitungwiza, President Mugabe said the liberation struggle was aimed at stopping oppression and returning the land to the majority, adding that the country will never be a colony again.
He said that Zimbabwean lawyers have been hoodwinked to think property rights refer only to property that belongs to white people, not black people.
“When they talk of property rights do they ever think about our own property rights to the land they stole from us?
He said that white people will never allow blacks, especially Africans, to be leaders in their own countries, but they want to be leaders “in our countries”.
“Why do some blacks want to sell the country? Is it because they are staying in England? But they shall return to their own country because they (the whites) are racists and they do not want you (blacks) to be leaders in their own countries.
“So why should they (whites) be leaders in our own country?
“We don’t want whites to control us in our country.
“In this country, the black person will lead the country,” said the President.
President Mugabe castigated western nations for continuing to champion the regime change agenda 30 years after independence adding that people should remain united.
“When they are saying regime change, they are saying let us remove President Mugabe so that we take control of all the resources in Zimbabwe.
“We (Zimbabweans) have the gold, diamonds, platinum, iron, chrome and coal and we are the richest country of minerals world over.
“We are saying to our local geologists, mining engineers lets control and own our resources.
“We are teaching our own children without the help of the whites, we fought for our independence on our own.
“So no to whites’ rule,” he said.
The President paid tribute to the people for coming out in their thousands saying it shows they are concerned about their future and have woken up and intend to reverse the mistakes of 2008.
He urged Zimbabweans to vote for Zanu PF as it has the interests of people at heart and does not want to see the country go back to colonisers.
The Zanu PF First Secretary said: “The government we want is a government for the people, a government that has respect for the people and takes care for the people. Zanu PF government.
“Some of us made mistakes in 2008 and went to MDC.
“But this year, let us vote well.”
President Mugabe spoke of Zimbabwe’s achievements mainly the country’s rating of having the highest literacy rate in Africa saying that is one of the country’s numerous achievements that came as a result of independence.
President Mugabe has reiterated the need for the nation to remain united and shun violence before, during and after the harmonised elections.
He reminded people of the late Vice President, Landa John Nkomo’s call, ‘Peace begins with me, Peace begins with you, and Peace begins with all of us’.
He commended the MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai for calling for peace, saying he however has a duty to educate his followers against inciting violence and engaging in violent acts.
The President however said the MDC-T should take full responsibility for the suffering of Zimbabweans as they called for the imposition of sanctions on the country.
He commended small-scale farmers for working hard to combat the effects of sanctions by utilising available resources as witnessed by the increasing number of tobacco farmers.
The President castigated Finance Minister Tendai Biti for failing to utilise the $500 million availed to Zimbabwe by the International Monetary Fund to revamp distressed companies.
He said Zanu PF will ensure that all distressed companies are revamped and create employment for the youths.
The President also said they will ensure there is clean water and toilets for people in Chitungwiza, which he said is the largest township in Zimbabwe.
Turning to Councillors and Members of Parliament elected in 2008, the President said: “The MDC councillors you voted for were not used to seeing lots of money, so when they got in power they abused the money which was paid by residents for rentals and bills for their own use.
“They bought themselves cars.
“We want MPs and councillors who run affairs of the country and not abuse the funds for their own use.”
President Mugabe also urged mothers to look after their children to avoid rape cases.
Labels: INDIGENIZATION AND EMPOWERMENT ACT (ZIMBABWE), ZANU-PF
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Opposing 'good' and supporting 'bad'
By Editor
Tue 16 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
It is difficult to understand why the Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council should be supporting a private member's bill to compel the government to reinstate the maize and fuel subsidies.
There is no analysis, economic, social, political or otherwise, that has been able to justify why such subsidies should be continued. In the absence of well reasoned arguments, one can simply conclude that those seeking to have those subsidies continued are motivated by something else. We say this because it is very clear that the subsidies that have been removed were not really benefiting the poor and were simply holding back the improvement of their lives.
There is no way Zambia could have continued to pay such low rates for fuel when a country like South Africa, with all its ports and refinery facilities, is charging more for fuel. Even the rates in Europe, especially the United Kingdom, are not that low compared to what is being charged here. Zambia is not an oil producing country. We are also not a country whose electricity comes from burning hydrocarbons like West African countries and others. The cost of electricity in this country is not much affected by the fuel prices because we use hydropower. And moreover, even in agriculture, on which most of our poor people are dependent, the animals they use to plough are not propelled by petrol or diesel. Of course, to transport their produce to the market, fuel is needed and its cost affects this.
The fuel that the government was subsidising was benefiting much more the well-to-do than the poor. Equally, the removal of the subsidy of the consumption side of maize does not really affect the poor. The greatest beneficiaries from all that were not the poor. The poor don't buy maize from the Food Reserve Agency.
And moreover, the poor are not left helpless in the light of the removal of these subsidies. If there is any group of the poor that is truly affected by the removal of these subsidies, the remedy is not to reinstate these inefficient subsidies but to find other ways of cushioning them from the hardships that may arise.
We have many food crops that cost very little to grow, which the poor can be taught to use. And this is where the work of Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council should be directed. Instead of spending time and money pursuing sterile private member's bills, Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council would do better focusing on educating our people, especially the poor on how to rely on crops like cassava, rice, sorghum, finger millet, sweet potatoes and others which they can grow without applying expensive fertilisers as compared to maize.
As things stand today, the cost of growing maize and turning it into mealie-meal is beyond us. Our people are no longer growing maize on cow dung fertilised soil. And they are no longer getting the seed from the previous harvest. Today, all sorts of fertilisers have to be applied for them to get some reasonable harvest. And seed has to be bought. The Zambian government has been spending over US$300 million every year subsidising maize production in addition to the removed consumption subsidy on maize. This money can be spent in a better way for the benefit of the poor. It is not even necessary to take this money to other sectors of our economy; it can still be spent in agriculture research and extension services to improve the production and marketing of cassava, rice, sorghum, millet, sweet potatoes and even fish farming. Some of the money can even be spent on research to try and bring down the cost of producing maize, which has become too high.
But it seems all this doesn't make sense to Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council and their partners in the opposition. Why? Is it politics they are pursuing? We know that Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council doesn't make money, is mainly donor-funded, so the question of cost or where money is coming from might not be so much an issue for them. But money doesn't fall from trees. And probably this explains even why their funding from donors is dwindling. Free things don't last forever. A time comes when one has to pay the true price for what one is consuming or using. In saying this, we are not in any way advocating a view that nothing should be subsidised in our country. We still need massive subsidies in education and health. The great majority of our people cannot afford to pay the real price for these services. The necessary things of life that our people cannot afford to pay for, society should take a collective responsibility for that. What our people can afford to do away with should be done away with to pave way for that which truly needs to be subsidised. There are many things that need government subsidies and which the government is subsidising. Let subsidies be channeled to where they are most needed and are most beneficial.
What Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council and their opposition partners should be seeking is not the reinstatement of those subsidies, but the efficient, effective and orderly utilisation of every ngwee or kwacha that has been saved in the interest of the poor and the most disadvantaged of our people. Government should be compelled to take practical measures on how to ensure that these savings are put to good use and are not wasted on increasing remuneration and allowances of bureaucrats and politicians.
The approach taken by Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council simply serves to project themselves as an extension of the opposition, who seem to be there to oppose and oppose everything that the government does, no matter how well-intentioned or how good it is. This is not a recipe for a respected civil society. We are not saying that they should not challenge challengeable government policies and actions. If something is wrong, it deserves to be opposed and challenged. If something is right, it deserves to be supported and praised. There is a problem when good is condemned and bad is embraced and supported.
Labels: NGOCC, NGOs
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Rupiah got money from govt oil deal
By Mwala Kalaluka and Joseph Mweenda
Tue 16 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
SARB Energy managing director Akpan Ekpene yesterday disclosed that
Rupiah Banda asked SARB Energy officials to quickly pay him US$1 million out of the money that Zambia anticipated to realise from the Nigerian crude oil contract to finance his 2011 election bid.
But Banda said outside court that Ekpene, who is testifying in his abuse of office case, is doing so to recover his money.
This is a matter where Banda, 75, of plot number 2758, off Leopards Hill Road in Lusaka is facing abuse of authority of office charges in relation to the alleged illegal procurement of oil from Nigeria to the tune of US$2.5 million, whose proceeds were alleged to have gone into an offshore account.
During his continued evidence-in-chief before Lusaka chief resident magistrate Joshua Banda in Lusaka, Ekpene, who is based in Abuja, Nigeria, said Banda personally delegated his son Henry to deal with them over the financial request following a meeting at State House.
Ekpene said that his company paid the US$2.5 million to Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, which they were required to deposit as part of their agency role on behalf of the Zambian government over the government-to-government Nigerian crude oil deal.
"NNPC confirmed that they received $2.5 million deposit and they informed me that Major Kachingwe can come back and sign the contract on behalf of the Republic of Zambia," Ekpene said. "He said that once he gets back to his station, he would discuss with the president so that we can come to Lusaka and meet the president. He called me and we flew into Lusaka."
He said he was accompanied to Lusaka by his colleague General Silva and that Maj Kachingwe picked them up from the airport to their hotel.
"The following day was Saturday. He said the president will see us. He picked us at our hotel and took us to State House," Ekpene said. "It was my first time to State House. We passed a few gates and we drove up and parked by a building which Maj Kachingwe said is the residence of the president."
Ekpene said earlier that he met Banda at Government House when he was the acting president and that he also came for his presidential inauguration albeit belatedly but that they still had a meeting at the same place, which was now more secured than before.
He said that during his 2011 meeting with president Banda at State House, Banda again expressed happiness over the work done over the oil deal across a period of three years.
"His Excellency the president walked in. His Excellency greeted us warmly. He thanked us for the work that we have done over a period of three years thereabout. He said that he was very impressed that we didn't give up. Then he said that we should also be assured that he didn't give up on us. He believed in us," Ekpene said.
"He said many people came from Nigeria and other countries on this same proposal but that it was right to stick with us because we are the people that tabled the proposal originally."
He said Banda then turned to Maj Kachingwe, who was also present, and said he was very happy with him.
"He said most people sent to Nigeria come back with stories but that when he was sent to Nigeria, he came back with something good for the country. His Excellency asked me 'what is the next step?' I told him that the contract had been signed and we had paid the deposit on behalf of the country as promised," Ekpene said.
Ekpene said he told Banda that SARB Energy would start lifting the oil in three to five months and that Zambia was expected to be making US$300,000 in income of savings on each of the eight projected cargoes that were to be lifted from Nigeria.
He said he concurred with Banda's projection and the lifting of oil would start around August or September.
"His Excellency mentioned that he was starting an election campaign and any resources from the anticipated revenue to the country that could be made available immediately would be extremely useful. He asked me, 'what amount can be made available?' I was a bit hesitant to commit myself at that point," he said.
"Then the door opened and a young man looked into the room and His Excellency motioned him to come into the room. His Excellency introduced the young man as his junior son Henry. The man sat down. His Excellence then continued. He said 'please support us with a minimum of US$1 million'."
Ekpene said he told Banda that they would do their best and that he told them to deal with Henry and he would tell them what to do.
Ekpene said when he asked Henry during a meeting they had in another section of the presidential residence what his government designation was, he said he was just a private businessman but that he later said he was a development consultant.
He said he told Henry that things would be a little bit difficult after the latter told him that the money requested for by Banda would not go into a Zambian government account but a private one.
Ekpene said the US$1million would have been sent without any difficulties if the money was going to a Zambian government account.
He said after agreeing with Henry, Banda invited them for dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Lusaka.
He said he ultimately transferred US$500,000 to Barclays Bank Singapore-domiciled account that Henry had provided on the pretext that he had undertaken feasibility study services to SARB Energy for a power plant to be located in Nigeria's Akwaibon State.
"He told me that he had been able to set up a company in Hong Kong that would sign the agreement for the transfer," Ekpene said.
"His Excellency had requested us that we make US$1 million available immediately…they wanted to procure materials for the campaign."
Ekpene said he knew they were taking a great risk to pay the money that Banda had requested but that at the same time they wanted to show him that they were going to fulfil what they had promised.
"About four to five days before the election with a lot of pressure from Henry, I went back to my bank and I transferred about US$50,000 to that account," he said.
"That money didn't arrive in the account until a day or two after the election. By the time the money arrived, the account had been closed and that is how the money was returned."
He said that was the last he heard of Henry but that Banda called him whilst he was in Boston and just asked him how Nigeria was.
"I didn't hear from His Excellency again until August ending 2012. I was in Paris and His Excellency called me with a South African number to ask how I was and that he was in Ndjamena, Chad and that he was going home through South Africa," said Ekpene.
"I didn't hear from His Excellency again until the day that he was taken to court here. His Excellency told me that the man that he used to send to Nigeria had turned against him and he asked me whether I was still communicating with that man…I told him I wasn't in communication with him. His response was 'don't talk to him'."
Hearing continues.
But when leaving court alongside Edwin Sakala, the leader of opposition Zambia Direct Democracy Movement (ZDDM), Banda dismissed Ekpene's evidence.
"Now I understand why he agreed to come, because he wants the money that was paid back… So he is hoping to work with them (government) so that he can recover his money," Banda said as Sakala nodded in agreement.
Banda earlier greeted the Nigerian witness during a 10-minute break and looked more sombre than he was last week before Ekpene started his testimony.
Banda also reached out to greet the Director of Public Prosecutions DPP Mutembo Nchito twice yesterday, in the morning before opening the case and during the 10-minute break.
The former president went further and introduced the DPP to some of his relatives who were in court. (Also see verbatim on page 14)
Labels: AKPAN EKPENE, CORRUPTION, FUEL, RUPIAH BANDA
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Sinadambwe urges farmers to take farming as a business
By Snike Mzulah in Siavonga
Tue 16 July 2013, 14:00 CAT
CHIEF Sinadambwe of the Tonga people in Southern Province has urged farmers in the district to take farming as a business and use it to transform their lives for the better.
In an interview, chief Sinadambwe said it was high time people stopped taking farming as just a routine aimed at producing food for their families but rather as a way of earning money to support themselves.
"We are all aware that the country's economy relies heavily on agriculture and it is therefore important that as local farmers, we take farming as business so as to ensure we progress as a country in as far as the economy is concerned," he said.
And chief Sinadambwe said farmers would be unable to purchase fertiliser because they did not have money.
"This year we are going to have a big problem even though the fertiliser is going to be delivered to us because as farmers we have no money to purchase the fertiliser. We are not selling anything to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) because of the crops which were not doing well, " he said.
He appealed to the government to assist the farmers in his chiefdom by giving them loans for fertiliser so that they are able to plant this season.
"Otherwise, government can just loan us fertiliser and we can pay back in 2014 after we sell our produce to FRA," he said.
And chief Sinadambwe called on the government and well wishers to support him financially towards the preparation of the Lwiindi ceremony which is slated for September 29.
Labels: AGRICULTURE, CHIEF SINADAMBWE
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ZAM calls for liberalisation of fuel sector
By Kabanda Chulu
Tue 16 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
ZAMBIA Association of Manufacturers has advised the government to liberalise the fuel sector and allow oil marketing companies to enter into direct importation of finished products.
But energy minister Christopher Yaluma says OMCs are free to import as long as they meet requirements from the Energy Regulation Board (ERB).
Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) president Bright Chunga said the government should give up its current monopoly in the petroleum sector.
"Fuel costs may come down if government liberalises the fuel sector and allows OMCs to enter into the direct importation of finished products. By giving up the current monopoly, government would by a stroke of the pen do away with the current five per cent on imported crude as well as do away with the current 25 per cent duty on finished products," Dr Chunga said.
He also advised the government to withdraw from the direct importation, distribution and marketing of fertilisers.
"The adage that government has no business in business makes sense in this case and government should encourage competition amongst commercial fertiliser importers, blenders and their agents to play a greater role in the fertiliser market." said Dr Chunga.
But Yaluma said there were no restrictions on importing finished oil products.
"OMCs are free to import so long they meet requirements from the ERB, and the reason why government is active in this sector is to ensure availability of fuel, which is important to the economy but government will reduce its participation once bulk fuel reserves are built," Yaluma said.
"It is not true at all because OMCs have been co-opted to import various petroleum products in the country; we have Puma and Total importing Jet A1."
However, an industry expert noted that the government does restrict OMCs through taxes, which Indeni Refinery does not pay.
"Without taxes, Indeni will not be able to compete with OMCs. There are several taxes that limit the participation of OMCs," said the expert.
Labels: BRIGHT CHUNGA, CHRISTOPHER YALUMA, FUEL, MANUFACTURING, NEOLIBERALISM, OIL, ZAM
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Sata castigates ministers, PSs over confidential letters
By Moses Kuwema
Tue 16 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata has castigated ministers and permanent secretaries who write confidential letters to him and copy them to other people.
Speaking at State House yesterday when he swore in Kaizer Zulu as permanent secretary at State House, President Sata, before the function, openly told off foreign affairs minister Dr Effron Lungu and advised him against the trend, saying letters written to him were meant for him alone and not other people.
"Secretary to the Cabinet and all your permanent secretaries and honourable ministers, I am very disappointed. This is the first time I have seen in life. I have served in government, I served in UNIP, I served in MMD, it is only this time I am seeing ministers write letters to me which are copied to other people," said President Sata as he was swearing in Zulu.
Lungu is said to have written President Sata a letter but also copied it to foreign affairs permanent secretary, Margaret Miyoba.
President Sata said he did not even read the letter but shredded it.
President Sata observed that permanent secretaries had a tendency of writing letters to him, which they also copied to other people.
He said he does not act on letters which are copied to other people.
"So when you write letters to me which are copied to other people, I don't act on them; I just shelve them. The information which you want to find out from me is supposed to be between you and me, not other people," President Sata said.
After the function, President Sata said his ministers and permanent secretaries were lucky because the country had a mature press.
"In those days when the press was not mature, all the letters you write, you would find them in Times of Zambia. You are lucky we have a matured press," said President Sata as he walked out of the room.
Prior to his appointment as permanent secretary State House, Zulu was deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Labels: EFFRON LUNGU, KAIZER ZULU, MICHAEL SATA, STATE HOUSE
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(STICKY) (YOUTUBE) Malema: We'll take over South Africa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4lz78uoOeo
Julius Malema: "You can say whatever you want to say about Zimbabweans. In the next 10 years, they will be the only Africans in the whole of Africa who own their country. Because why? They were ready to take the pain. Revolution is about pain. Revolution is change, and change is painful. We are ready for that pain. We need that pain."
Labels: ECONOMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS (SA), JULIUS MALEMA, LAND REFORM
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(NEWZIMBABWE) Mugabe chides ‘filthy’ Britain, says polls to go ahead
Preparation ... President Robert Mugabe looks through his speech with wife, Grace
15/07/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe took his campaign to Marondera in Mashonaland East on Monday – scene of MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s campaign launch a week ago – as he returned to familiar themes.
The Zanu PF leader’s aides said the rally was shifted hours earlier from inside Rudhaka Stadium – where Tsvangirai held his – to the open ground outside after realising the 5,000-seater stadium could not take the thousands who turned up.
So far, the election race has been a game of numbers and Mugabe – who is addressing just one “star rally” in each of the country’s 10 provinces – has been outpacing the MDC-T leader who has a gruelling schedule of no less than 60 rallies countrywide.
Most of Tsvangirai’s stops, especially the mid-week rallies, turn out small, giving the state-media, led by the ZBC, much political fodder as they juxtapose with Mugabe’s provincial rallies where Zanu PF’s financial muscle has been brought to bear: every supporter is given a cap, T-Shirt and a scarf. Which strategy will win will be revealed on July 31, when Zimbabweans go to polls to choose their next government.
After beginning his campaign in Chiweshe, Mashonaland Central, last week with a speech centred on domestic manifesto issues – land, indigenisation and safeguarding “gains” of the liberation struggle – Mugabe returned to familiar ground as he railed against what he says are British attempts to interfere with Zimbabwe’s elections.
The British are “dishonest” and “filthy aggressors”, he stormed.
“The British are busy scheming. Their talk, their nonsensical talk about their preparations to manage transition in Zimbabwe, what nonsensical transition are they talking about?
“There shall never be any transition from the rule of our people to any other. The people power which drove you out in 1980 still remains, and will remain holding Zimbabwe together,” Mugabe said.
“There will never be that nonsensical British transition. Keep it to yourselves, filthy aggressors! Hatidi izvozvo! (We don’t want that!) Leave us alone. We’re our own masters.
“The land you till, you live on, should be a constant reminder that Zimbabwe is yours. You, the people, are Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is yours. Go climb the tallest tree and tell everyone: you are Zimbabwe.”
Mugabe took aim at MDC rival Welshman Ncube, whom he accuses of seeking an African Union summit to discuss the Zimbabwean elections. Mugabe says his rivals still want the elections postponed, even at this late hour.
“Right now, after failing to get SADC’s attention, they have taken their attempts to postpone our elections to the AU, our former Organisation of African Union. We have instructed Patrick Chinamasa (Justice Minister) to go to the AU on July 19 and tell them that the election will not be postponed. Over our dead bodies!
“They will see our true colours. It will never happen. The dishonest and absolutely deceitful British are supporting that.
“Is that democracy? No! Democracy requires that constitutionally, every five years we must have elections and the country is now due for another election. And this is an election we must have by July 31. That will not change.”
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), ROBERT MUGABE, ZANU-PF
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