PM humiliated at Heathrow Airport
Sunday, 23 October 2011 01:58
By Munyaradzi Huni
PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was last week humiliated at Heathrow Airport in London after British government authorities refused to accord him any protocol or protection services, forcing the embarrassed MDC-T leader to join the ordinary immigration queues, it has emerged.
Protocol or protection services are accorded to high-ranking government officials so that once they get to the airport, both on private and business visits, they are given VIP treatment by the host government.
It is understood that frantic efforts by the PM’s chief of protocol, Mr James Maridadi, to persuade the British Embassy in Harare to urge the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office to provide protocol and protection services proved futile.
According to a top MDC-T official in the party’s UK branch, who refused to be named for fear of victimisation, PM Tsvangirai arrived in the UK on October 19 on a two-day private visit.
“When the Prime Minister got here, he and his delegation faced some complications. The British authorities did not accord the Prime Minister any protocol or protection services, saying this was a private visit. However, the Prime Minister has been here on several private visits, and during all these visits the British authorities have accorded him protocol services.
“Attempts by Maridadi to persuade the British Embassy in Harare to urge the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office to provide protocol and protection services failed as the authorities emphasised that this was not about the Prime Minister but about British rules and procedures.
“It was embarrassing. You can imagine the Prime Minister standing in a queue just like any ordinary person. ZimLondon (an organisation that deals with immigration issues between Zimbabwe and the UK) had to intervene to minimise the delays at the airport because the Prime Minister had already joined the ordinary immigration queues,” said the official.
The official added that despite the intervention of ZimLondon, the PM and his delegation experienced some clearance delays as negotiations with immigration officials to allow the delegation to be fast-tracked became heated.
However, the official said some members of the delegation were aware that the British authorities would not accord the Prime Minister protocol courtesies as they had been sensitised on the issue while they were still in Johannesburg.
“Some of the officials told us that they had been warned while waiting for the connecting flight in Johannesburg that they would be no protocol for the Prime Minister but we understand the Prime Minister insisted that he would be accorded the protocol courtesies.
“When Deputy Ambassador Chinenere informed the Prime Minister that attempts to get the British authorities to provide at least the minimum protocol services were unsuccessful, the Prime Minister retorted that he would tell the British authorities that handichadi kuuya kukanyika kavo zve,” said the official. An official at the British Embassy in Harare who refused to be named as he has no authority to speak to the Press, hinted that indeed the PM faced problems at Heathrow but was not at liberty to give more details.
The PM’s spokesperson, Mr Luke Tamborinyoka, said reports that Mr Tsvangirai had not been afforded VIP treatment were just rumours.
“I can confirm that the Prime Minister was in the UK. He is an ordinary citizen who is free to go wherever he wants. He was there on private business and to say he was not given the treatment he deserved is just rumours and mere propaganda. He was there and used the opportunity to meet with our external assemblies in UK and Ireland,” said Mr Tamborinyoka.
It is interesting to note that the PM received such treatment when the newly appointed British Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mrs Deborah Bronette, recently said she was coming to the country to improve relations between Harare and London. During the UN meetings held recently in New York there were several attempts by some top UK officials, especially from the Overseas Office, to meet with the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
At the same time, since he took office, British Prime Minister Mr David Cameron has never openly criticised President Mugabe, raising prospects that London was serious in its efforts to re-engage with Harare.
Turning to the PM’s engagements, the UK-based MDC-T official said Mr Tsvangirai’s first meeting was on October 19 in his hotel room where he met with the party’s treasurer, Mr Roy Bennett, from 1pm to about 2:30pm.
After this meeting, the PM proceeded to the Royal Commonwealth Society where the MDC-T’s UK structures held consultative meetings with Mr Tsvangirai from 2:45pm to 5:15pm.
“The meeting was attended by about 80 top MDC-T officials based in the UK and we questioned the Prime Minister why he wanted us to come back home when there are no jobs waiting for us.
“The Prime Minister told us that the inclusive Government had brought stability and he pointed out that shops were now full, but we told him that even if the shops are full, we won’t have money to buy goods.
The meeting subsequently degenerated into arguments about whether it was a wise decision to join the inclusive Government. Some of my colleagues left after realising that there was nothing to gain from the event as people were just shouting at each other.
“The Prime Minister accused the MDC-T UK structures of indiscipline and he urged us to work together, given the history of purges and counter-purges that have plagued the party’s UK structures.
“On his way to the hotel, the Prime Minister complained to Maridadi that meetings with rural constituencies in his hometown of Buhera yield more substance than the MDC-T Diaspora. He expressed disappointment with the calibre of party cadres in the UK,” said the official. The official said the PM did not have further official engagements on October 19, although “we are made to understand that he had a female visitor from the MDC-T UK structures overnight”.
Interestingly, the day the PM arrived in London, MDC-T secretary-general Mr Tendai Biti was leaving the UK, raising suspicions that the two could have been on competing missions.
However, Mr Tamborinyoka said: “Minister Biti was on business in UK so there was no need for him to postpone his coming back to Zimbabwe by waiting for the Prime Minister who was on a personal visit.”
It is surprising that the PM travels with a 12-member delegation that included his spokesperson, his chief of protocol and a desk officer from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on a private visit. - The Sunday Mail
Labels: JAMES MARIDADI, MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI
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MDC-T: party of excellence, my foot
By: Frank Banda
Posted: Thursday, September 2, 2010 6:08 am
THE Movement for Democratic Change party led by Mr Morgan Tsvangirai has called itself "a party of excellence". Many of us know that the party is engaged in mindless political point scoring which needs to be backed up by concrete action.
More than a year after the formation of the inclusive Government, it would suffice to measure to what extent the MDC-T's claims have been backed up by action on the ground. A postmortem of the performance of the MDC-T party reveals some concerning issues.
The first and most important issue is the issue of parallel government. It was reassuring to hear that many of the people working in the PM's office have now had their positions made official by being formally appointed by the Public Service Commission. This includes the once famous and now infamous, James Maridadi.
However, the appointments have not been backed up by "excellence" in performance by some of the MDC-T individuals working in government.
Ministers are political appointees, who on their appointment are advised by permanent secretaries and principal directors in ministries. These are the most senior civil servants in ministries.
These functionaries report to, and advise, the minister on various technical issues. They are the equivalents of Chief Executive Officers of companies, who report to the Chairman and the Board of Directors.
It was, therefore, interesting to hear the MDC-T, at the formation of the inclusive Government, say they also wanted to "fill" the posts of permanent secretaries -- a role carried out by the Public Service Commission. Anyway, that is now water under the bridge,as the MDC-T dropped that ridiculous demand.
Then came a somewhat interesting demand by the Prime Minister, at one of his rallies, that the MDC-T wanted a "peace-keeping force" to monitor the next general elections in Zimbabwe.
Peacekeeping operations are reserved for conflict areas where international peace and security is threatened.
The United Nations Charter gives the United Nations Security Council the power and responsibility to take collective action to maintain international peace and security. For this reason, the international community usually looks to the Security Council to authorize peacekeeping operations.
It is inconceivable that the UN would have authorised such a force for Zimbabwe -- where there is a unity government, and where there is no internal conflict that warrants such intervention.
Prime Minister Tsvangirai visited South Korea this year, soon after North Korean President Mahmood Ahmadinejad visited Zimbabwe to strengthen relations.
PM Tsvangirai's visit had all the hallmarks of some Cold War mentality, where America and the Soviet Union fought for "spheres of influence". It came at a time when North and South Korea where involved in a major conflict. US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton visited South Korea to show support following a deadly naval attack blamed on North Korea.
Prime Minister Tsvangirai seems to be a pawn that is used by the US in a ‘cold war’ between the US and North Korea (and Zimbabwe). His trip to South Korea was of no consequence, just like his position in the inclusive Government
Infact, what made that trip really interesting was that PM Tsvangirai went on to sign a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) on behalf of the Government of Zimbabwe; albeit a mock one.
BIPPAs are serious agreements signed for the reciprocal encouragement, promotion and protection of investments in each other's territories by the companies based in either country (or State). They are not ideology free and often reflect a common ideological position between two countries. The purpose of these agreements is to create such conditions which are favourable for fostering greater investments by the investors of one country in the territory of the other country.
Generally, these bilateral agreements have, by and large, standard elements and provide a legal basis for enforcing the rights of investors in the countries involved.
BIPPAs give assurance to the investors that their foreign investments will be guaranteed fair and equitable treatment, full and constant legal security and dispute resolution through international mechanism.
BIPPAs are signed by President Mugabe who is the Head of State and Government and Commander in Chief of the Defense Forces. PM Tsvangirai is not the Head of State or Government, therefore, he is not authorised to sign such agreements.
A thinly veiled attempt was made by then Minister of State in the PM's Office, Gorden Moyo, to explain how PM Tsvangirai came to sign a BIPPA with South Korea; but he could not fool anyone.
Prime Minister Tsvangirai, in his desperate attempt to outshine President Mugabe lied to civil servants that he will pay them in foreign currency a "living wage". That is yet to be realised. Infact, he and Finance Minister Tendai Biti, have embarassed themselves in public fighting over the wage freeze.
Biti denounced his leader saying that there will not be any wage increases for the foreseeable future. This was after Mr Tsvangirai, in his populist moment of madness, told a Chitungwiza crowd that "There won't be any wage freeze."
Various incidents have happened in the MDC-T party including cross border trips by MDC-T ministers into South Africa, Botswana, etc without notifying the host countries. A classic case was that of Fidelis Mhashu getting mugged in South Africa when he was on a clandestine meeting with businessman Mutumwa Mawere, without the knowledge of South African authorities who would have accorded him state protection.
The MDC-T has also hoodwinked the people of Zimbabwe saying they will publish the list of assets held by MDC-T members of Cabinet in the name of transparency. It's coming to almost a year since MDC-T spokesman Nelson Chamisa announced that the document will be published.
The media also made a big issue of an announcement by PM Tsvangirai that he would not go into an official residence availed by government. He has now secretly moved into his official residence in the plush surburb of Highlands. He even hosted his daughter's wedding there this year.
MDC-T ministers are also being chauffer-driven in their official Mercedes Benzes and MPs in their 4x4s. Nothing wrong with that, only if the MDC-T had not made some grandstanding comments denouncing such activity. Even the fired ministers in the PM's "MDC-T Cabinet reshuffle" have maintained their official cars which they are, presumably, using for MDC-T work.
Minister of Finance Tendai Biti, the secretary general of the MDC-T, is also said to have failed to consult a parliamentary committee on the budget, as required by a law that he was instrumental in formulating -- the Public Finance Management Act.
This is the second time he failed to consult parliament, on matters of such importance. Parliament has an oversight role, on behalf of constituents, to ensure proper accountability and use of public funds.
This is a snapshot of some of the "excellence" exhibited in the MDC-T party. Each time the PM hears about some of these incidents, he is quick to reassign and reshuffle.
At the time of writing this piece, Maridadi has been appointed "Chief of Protocol". One can sense the desperation by the prime minister to achieve some semblance of relevance.
Overshadowed by corrupt councillors in almost every council they run, MDC-T leaders do not have a semblance of excellence in them. The results of the forthcoming election will prove that. The complacency of the MDC-T in believing that they can repeat their electoral fluke will deal a huge blow at the next election.
In the meantime, Zanu-PF is soldiering on with work and getting results in agriculture, mining and various other sectors.
Now who can believe these MDC-T people when they blurt about being a "party of excellence".
________________________
*Frank Banda is a columnist for TalkZimbabwe.com
Labels: JAMES MARIDADI, MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI
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Tsvangirai can't fire Maridadi: Charamba
by Staff Reporter
20/07/2010 00:00:00
PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has been told he has NO AUTHORITY to make staff changes in his office -- temporarily scuttling his plans to appoint a new spokesman. President Robert Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba said: "We hear that persons are being dismissed or re-eployed in the Prime Minister’s Office.
"No political party can employ a civil servant to its offices let alone re-deploy them. "The moment you join Government service, you become an employee of the Public Service Commission.
"If a politician or permanent secretary is not happy with an officer, the only thing he or she can do is to surrender the officer to the employer, who is the PSC. These are PSC rules."
It was widely reported last week that Tsvangirai was planning a staff cull in his office that would see Maridadi, among others, either being fired or re-assigned.
Party spokesman, Nelson Chamisa did not deny the changes were planned, telling the state-run Herald newspaper: "This is a process of re-alignment in the PM’s Office, which is meant to strengthen the party and his office.
“(But), discussions are ongoing and no decisions have been made. But the names that are under consideration are that of Mr (William) Bango and Mr (Luke) Tamborinyoka."
Bango is the MDC-T’s director of policy and elections and has served as Tsvangirai’s spokesperson before, while Tamborinyoka is the party’s director of information.
However, the party had changed tackk last night, possibly after being alerted to the procedural hurdles.
Chamisa indicated to NewZimbabwe.com that “no imminent changes” were being planned.
Tsvangirai’s secretary Ian Makone also insisted: “(While) the Prime Minister has the prerogative to make any changes in his office but I am not aware of any changes as of now.”
Meanwhile a PSC official backed Charamba’s position saying: "By virtue of them being civil servants, they can only be re-deployed, dismissed, demo-ted or promoted by the PSC.
"This means that affected civil servants can contest any reassignment with the PSC."
Labels: GEORGE CHARAMBA, JAMES MARIDADI, MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI
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Tsvangirai needs a new PR machine
By: Nyarai Chidemo
Posted: Wednesday, April 28, 2010 7:55 am
DEAR EDITOR -- Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai urgently needs a new "PR Machine". The likes of James Maridadi have put the name and office of the prime minister into disrepute; and exposed the prime minister's lack of judgment in picking his aides.
Yesterday James Maridadi refused to comment on what the prime minister said in response to a Cabinet grilling over his boycott of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair opening ceremony. Maridadi refused to comment because that was "a matter for Cabinet".
This is a man who, only a couple of weeks ago, claimed that Cabinet had "nulled and voided" the indigenisation programme. That was later proven untrue.
Why is Maridadi selective on which issues to discuss and which ones to not discuss? I am afraid that the calibre of the prime minister's aides is very troubling.
In a country with so many learned and skilled people, prime minister Tsvangirai is spoilt for choice. But then again, his judgment has always been questionable. Anyone who sides with a former coloniser cannot be trusted to make the right choices.
Now that donors have pulled the plug on Mr Tsvangirai's newsletter, which I thought was completely unnecessary in the first place, I think the prime minister's PR department is in intensive care.
_____________________
Nyarai Chidemo can be reached via miss_nyari *** yahoo.co.uk
Labels: JAMES MARIDADI, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI
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Maridadi denigrates the PM's office: AAG
By: Our reporter
Posted: Sunday, April 18, 2010 1:09 am
THE following is a statement issued by the Affirmative Action Group of Zimbabwe, a black economic empowerment pressure group, in response to a statement issued by prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai's personal assistant, James Maridadi. Maridadi incorrectly informed international media that indigenization and economic empowerment regulations published by Youth, Indigenization and Economic Empowerment minister, Saviour Kasukuwere, had been declared "null and void" by Parliament.
Full transcript
The Affirmative Action Group, the vanguard of broad based black economic empowerment is perturbed by press statement released by the Prime Minister’s spokesperson, Mr James Maridadi on Tuesday, 13 April 2010 and was beamed across the globe.
Maridadi lied that the Cabinet of the Government of Republic of Zimbabwe had suspended Statutory 21 of 2010 which regulates and guides the implementation of the Indigenization and Economic Empowerment Act.
His Excellency the President Robert Mugabe has since said that the regulations are still operational and in effect. The Maridadi press statement confused foreign investors.
The Affirmative Action Group strongly opposes any attempts to suspend the regulations with the view to discuss any amendments. Any possible changes, should they be any, must be discussed and crafted whilst the law is operational.
Government must be wary of enemies of indigenization and empowerment who seek suspension of the Indigenization laws. The intention of these retrogressive forces is to completely eliminate the indigenization agenda.
We have noticed that more than 200 seminars and public meetings across the country have been held that criticized the indigenization law, but there has been no counter-proposal submitted that can deliver empowerment to the indigenous Zimbabweans.
The Indigenization Bill was passed in 2007 and assented to by the President in 2008. Three years later, after its parliamentary approval, we now see its implementation.
Given the long wait already endured, the citizenry cannot wait any longer whilst we start to argue over a law that correct a historical imbalance.
AAG is dismayed, though not surprised, that a junior press officer comments on the proceedings of Cabinet to which he is not part of.
Protocol dictates that any Cabinet policy announcements are made by the Chief Secretary to the Cabinet and President or the line ministers.
We are keen to know why Maridadi was assigned to issue that statement, instead of the ministers concerned.
The appointment of a radio disc jockey with little relevant experience and no professional qualifications to be the prime minister’s spokesperson, denigrates that office.
We urge the Public Service Commission to review his appointment.
Tafadzwa Musarara
Secretary General
Labels: AAG, JAMES MARIDADI, SAVIOUR KASUKUWERE
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Firms submit empowerment proposals
Posted: Friday, April 16, 2010 1:51 pm
FOREIGN-OWNED companies have rushed to submit their empowerment proposals to the Government on how they intend to comply with the gazetted indigenisation regulations, despite the confusion caused by the MDC over the policy in the last few days.
It is understood that over 100 companies have so far submitted their proposals for consideration. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's spokesman, James Maridadi, told international media on Tuesday that Cabinet had declared the regulations published by the government "null and void".
Maridadi does not speak on behalf of the government or Cabinet. The Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda, makes formal announcements regarding such matters.
The deadline for the submission of empowerment proposals was 15 April, 2010.
President Mugabe later clarified that the regualtions were still intact, but consultation was an ongoing process.
Government says the banking sector has not responded as quickly as the other sectors. They "are being unnecessarily difficult" and have not made any positive communications, says the government.
Barclays and Stanbic banks are fingered as some of the banks that has been difficult.
Standard Chartered Bank has asked for an extension for submission, which Government has reportedly granted.
FBC, MBCA and ABC Holdings have already submitted their proposals.
Article continues below
Other firms that have submitted their proposals are Zimplats, Bindura Nickel, Mimosa Gold Mine, La Farge Cement, Sisk Construction, OK Zimbabwe, Delta Beverages, Econet and British American Tobacco.
All companies were supposed to have made their submissions by Wednesday.
Yesterday, Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said: "Everything has gone well and the response has been tremendous. However, we are dismayed by the attitude of some of the banks."
Though he refused to say which banks were problematic, reliable sources fingered two institutions.
"Stanbic and Barclays have been quiet and attempts to engage them have been met with a cold response," the source said.
Director of Indigenisation and Empowerment in the ministry Mr Godfrey Sigobodhlo said yesterday that some companies had applied for an extension of the deadline to afford them more time to study the law.
"More than 100 companies have submitted their proposals and some have applied for an extension of the deadline.
"So far, the minister has only approved OK Zimbabwe’s proposal.
"The OK Zimbabwe proposal was approved on the basis of its strength on how the company seeks to restore its vibrancy and to contribute to the economy.
"Extension of the deadline is a matter for the minister’s discretion and appropriate requests must be addressed to the minister in terms of Section 4 (subsection 6) of the Indigenisation Act."
Indigenisation and Empowerment Board member and legal advisor Mr Farai Mutamangira said the gazetted regulations remained in place.
"The indigenisation regulations are of full force and effect and must be complied with.
"They have neither been suspended nor amended," he said.
Labels: INDIGENIZATION AND EMPOWERMENT ACT (ZIMBABWE), JAMES MARIDADI
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Maridadi: MDC-T's daring political jester
By: Nancy Lovedale
Posted: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 11:54 pm
THE drama that took place on Wednesday regarding the Prime Minister's spokesman, James Maridadi cannot go unchallenged. The spokesman played the role of the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet and made an announcement that a law that was passed by Parliament in 2007 (the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act) and its accompanying regulations was "null and void".
Maridadi repeated what PM Tsvangirai said on the day of the publication of the regulations by Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment minister, Saviour Kasukuwere.
What was interesting and troubling, to say the least, was that Maridadi went on to represent Cabinet, when he is not employed by the Public Service Commission (PSC) in that position.
It was also interesting and troubling that Maridadi, whose MDC-T party has been crying for the respect of the rule of law, is representing a group of people who are trying to flout Zimbabwe's laws. Even civil society, including Zimbabwe's growing list of 'lawyers for human rights' and political commentators, were flabbergasted by Maridadi's comments this time.
The MDC-T cannot simply cherry-pick legislation that it sees fit and tries to play the role of Parliament by speaking ill of laws that are not popular with their funders.
We have seen a growing tendency in the MDC-T party where knee-jerk reactions are left to the likes of Maridadi and party spokespersons, like Nelson Chamisa, remain tight-lipped as if to deliberately cause pandemonium and misinform the public; or for fear of being reined in by the president.
President Mugabe cannot rein in Maridadi because he is not a government employee, but Mr Tsvangirai's 'PA in the parallel government'. He simply does not have a job description that is approved by the PSC. How he replaced well-spoken George Sibotshiwe, after the formation of the inclusive Government, is anyone's guess.
By giving Maridadi the right to cause confusion, the MDC-T party knew what exactly was going on. Given the way that Mr Chamisa and the rest of the MDC-T coterie love the media, it was surprising that this important piece of news was left to the naive Maridadi to break. Remember prime minister Tsvangirai's statement at the GPA breakthrough, "We have a deal!" The PM would have made the announcement himself, or left it to the media-loving Chamisa.
In what capacity did Maridadi make the announcement? PM Tsvangirai does not chair Cabinet. He chairs the Council of Ministers. The decision to 'nullify and void' the regulations, according to Maridadi was made by Cabinet, so why should the announcement be made by Maridadi? What formal channels did he use for that purpose? Why did the MDC-T not use Cabinet and Presidential Secretary, Misheck Sibanda?
President Mugabe's press secretary, George Charamba, once remarked that Maridadi did not have the right qualifications to represent the Office of the Prime Minister and was not employed, or paid, by the PSC. So as far as government structures are concerned, Maridadi is a non-entity.
One cannot stop thinking that the MDC-T party is under pressure from its funders to nullify that law. They are now using the likes of Maridadi to cause despondency and misinformation inorder to buy time or hoodwink their funders until election time.
This (mis)information was well-timed to coinincide with PM Tsvangirai's visit to the EU soon. Everyone knows that the PM will be under pressure from the EU leaders regarding the indigenisation and empowerment regulations and his recent media statements.
We just now wait with baited breath to see how they will play this one out, now that President Mugabe has said the law stands and only the regulations will be reviewed.
PM Tsvangirai will have to sharpen his tongue and pull up his socks as he makes the 'holy pilgrimage' to the West this time. He has 'a case to answer' to his funders over his anti-gay slur, and his recent remarks that President Mugabe is "here to stay".
We also wonder if he will visit Southwark Cathedraw this time; where he was infamously booed and heckled by Zimbabweans in London.
Anyone who reads Maridadi and his many diplomatic gaffes seriously and rushes to publish everything that he says does so at their own risk.
Maridadi caused a media and diplomatic frenzy. He even had the German ambassador to Zimbabwe fooled. Ambassador Albrecht Conze said in a statement that the time had come "for a sound and unexcited discussion" about empowering the black majority " when he heard that the indigenisation law was being 'nullified and voided".
It is surprising that Germany would encourage the MDC-T to flout Zimbabwean laws, by nullifying legislation passed by parliament, yet sings the 'rule of law' and extends sanctions (through the EU) on Zimbabwe over alleged non-respect for "the rule of law".
Anyway, Germany's agenda in Zimbabwe is clear. At the prime minister's visit to that country, Chancellor Angela Merkel said point blank that she wanted "expropriated white land" to be returned. The victim, all of a sudden, was the villain; and the MDC-T plays along with that idea.
Media houses in the West went into overdrive over Maridadi's gaffe and even their beloved SW Radio Africa could not tell the heads or tails of that story, until the president's clarification. They had an interesting headline: "Confusion over ‘suspension’ of indigenisation regulations." That is exactly what the MDC-T wanted -- to cause some confusion.
To the MDC-T, we say, "You live by the media, you die by the media." If they keep playing these games and flip-flopping on issues of national importance, they will lose the support they are now beginning to take for granted; but given the short memory of their supporting media, they will keep on "getting away with murder".
In the meantime we ask the million-dollar question: Who pays James Maridadi for playing the jester?
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*Nancy Lovedale is a Zimbabwean living and working in Beijing, China. She can be contacted via nancy_lovedale *** yahoo.com
Labels: COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, JAMES MARIDADI, NANCY LOVEDALE
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James: Sanctions no kidding matter
By Themba Sibindi
THE denial by one James Maridadi, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s chief communications officer, that there are economic sanctions on Zimbabwe is a cause for concern particularly at a time we thought we had moved beyond the rhetoric of grandstanding.
The fact that MDC-T denies the existence of sanctions is a clear indication that the party is not interested in dealing with the matter as an outstanding issue, not only in the Global Political Agreement but as a matter at the core of improving livelihoods in Zimbabwe.
Maridadi’s statement can be explained in three ways.
First, it might be that he does not understand what economic sanctions are.
Writing in the American Journal of Political Science, Yale University assistant professor Nikolay Marinov’s essay titled Do Economic Sanctions Destabilise Country Leaders? defines economic sanctions as "[1] government-inspired restrictions (2) on customary trade or aid relations, (3) designed to promote political objectives.
Anyone who is not brain-dead and has knowledge of the Zimbabwean situation can easily identify Marinov’s three elements.
Donald Losman, in his book — International Economic Sanctions: The Cases of Cuba, Israel and Rhodesia — defines economic sanctions as penalties inflicted upon one or more states by one or more others, generally to coerce the target nation(s) to comply with certain norms that the boycott initiators deem proper or necessary.
The forms that economic sanctions take also include interfering or restricting the movement of people, restriction of capital flows and withholding wealth in the boycotting countries.
Given the foregoing definitions, it is difficult for Maridadi to put forward any sane argument to deny the existence of economic sanctions and hence his poor tactic of claiming to not even having heard about them. Which world is this man living in?
Maridadai’s utterances are cause for concern regarding his form of understanding because his only reason for denying the existence of economic sanctions is that he "heard about (them) in The Herald".
Even if we accept that it is only The Herald that has ever talked about the existence of economic sanctions, that is not reason enough to deny their existence.
The fact is that Maridadi is being economic with the truth. It is not The Herald alone that has talked about economic sanctions.
If, for sure, he has read about economic sanctions only from The Herald, then it shows how narrow he reads and how badly informed he is, for one posing as a spokesperson.
One suspects that Maridadi said this only to try and maintain his party’s position of denying the existence of economic sanctions and also to please their base of sanctions deniers. Another reason is to try and portray The Herald as a newspaper that lies.
It is not lies or an imagination that economic sanctions are there.
It is an absolute truth, which even finance minister Tendai Biti, secretary general of Maridadi’s party, acknowledged in his proposal for HIPC status.
On the contrary, denying the existence of economic sanctions demonstrates the lack of commitment on the party of a cabal of MDC-T to treat them as an outstanding issue and also indicates that the deniers do not see their grave consequences on the people.
How else can someone deal with something they don’t perceive as an existing problem and also why should they deal with something whose grave consequences they do not realise?
Second, Maridadi — given his self-confessed narrow readership, has apparently never come across the US sanctions law, the so-called Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001 which some in his party helped draft, specifically, Section 4, which imposes economic sanctions on Zimbabwe.
It states that US directors to all international financial institutions are bound to vote against the extension of any financial assistance, loan or credit guarantee to the Government of Zimbabwe till the president of the United States says so.
Section 6 imposes economic sanctions on individuals. But still, even if we accept that it is only individuals that have been banned from travelling; those restrictions still constitute economic sanctions as Losman noted.
How do you separate Cde Robert Mugabe, for instance, from the President of Zimbabwe?
The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe should not be denied travel since he represents his country and not his person.
Sure, they can ban Robert Mugabe but they should let the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe go on with his normal duties representing a country that we are informed is not under economic sanctions.
This is where even the individual sanctions mantra does not make sense; maybe it does to those with nothing between the right and the left ear.
My suspicion is that Maridadi did not think that far; having spent the better part of his life dealing with kids on radio, he appears incapable of critical thinking.
Third and very obvious, how could Maridadi’s own party accept, in the form of a signature, in the GPA that there are economic sanctions imposed on the country and yet by the very same breath deny their existence?
It’s either Maridadi is deaf and has not heard this issue being discussed or hates to read and therefore has never acquainted himself with that part of the agreement.
It is indeed an embarrassment for a communicator in a high office.
This writer hopes Maridadi’s character is not a reflection of how ignorant MDC-T or the PM’s Office is or how untruthful to the extent of even denying things that have affected the material lives of people and the country. I sympathise with those people who have to deal with the likes of Maridadi on a daily basis.
This is not an insult or prejudice against Maridadi but an honest assessment deduced from his own speech. For the chief communications officer in the PM’s office to suggest that he has not heard about economic sanctions is tantamount to suggesting that one has not heard about the existence of earth.
Without resorting to such lies, this writer thinks Maridadi should be thinking about strategies of removing his party-supported economic sanctions in order to stand on a high moral ground when they, in turn, call for Zanu-PF to deal with the other outstanding issues.
To deny the existence of economic sanctions will never be a political victory for MDC-T. In fact, it will actually undermine the party’s efforts in making any counter demands from Zanu-PF.
Ironically, these economic sanctions, as reported in this newspaper, are undermining the efforts of not only Zanu-PF, but of MDC-T and the inclusive Government especially the operations of the finance minister.
As long as the inclusive Government exists, the inevitable clash of Biti and his colleagues is obvious because he cannot operate successfully in an environment of economic sanctions. But who knows, this whole economic sanctions denial may have something to do with the MDC-T’s own internal power politics.
This writer also knows that having spent a decade denying the existence of sanctions and lying to their supporters that the economic downturn was due to Zanu-PF’s ineptitude, MDC-T leaders are finding it difficult to confess the lie. But that is a bed they made, they must lie on it.
l The writer, Themba Sibindi can be contacted at sibindithemba *** yahoo.co.uk
Labels: JAMES MARIDADI, SANCTIONS, ZDERA
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SADC postpones Zim inclusive govt review
Written by Kingsley Kaswende in Harare, Zimbabwe
Wednesday, September 09, 2009 6:12:26 PM
SADC heads of states have postponed a review of Zimbabwe’s inclusive government to next month, according to reports emanating from Kinshasa.
James Maridadi, the spokesperson for Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, told news agencies at the venue of the SADC summit in Kinshasa on Monday that Zimbabwe's power-sharing deal had been removed from the agenda of the summit.
“Zimbabwe is no longer on the agenda, and the SADC indicates that an extraordinary summit to discuss the issues will be held shortly,” Maridadi told the German Press Agency (DPA) on the sidelines of the two-day summit of heads of state, which ended yesterday.
Congolese President Joseph Kabila, who took over the chairmanship of the SADC from South African President Jacob Zuma, called on Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF to continue talks as outlined in the SADC-sponsored peace deal.
President Mugabe and Tsvangirai were both present at the summit. Other sources said an extraordinary summit on Zimbabwe had been scheduled for Maputo, Mozambique, in three weeks’ time.
SADC had been expected to review the allocation of ministerial positions in Zimbabwe’s inclusive government, which the 15-member regional bloc said it would review after six months. The inclusive government came into being in February and the assessment was due last month.
The summit was also expected to settle a dispute between ZANU-PF and MDC over what has been referred to as ‘outstanding issues’ in fully implementing the Global Political Agreement.
ZANU-PF and MDC have been bickering over a myriad of issues, among them President Mugabe’s ‘arbitrary’ appointment of central bank governor Dr Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana. MDC feels it should have been consulted but ZANU-PF argues that the president has the sole responsibility to make the appointments.
Other issues include delays in swearing in of provincial governors and Roy Bennett, Tsvangirai’s appointee as deputy minister of agriculture who has been facing criminal charges for orchestrating a move to topple the President three years ago by military means.
The other issue involves arrests and convictions of legislators from Tsvangirai’s party who have been found wanting by law for their involvement in various criminal activities. So far, more than five legislators have been convicted.
On the other hand, ZANU-PF accuses the MDC of not doing enough to call for the lifting of sanctions by Western countries against Zimbabwe, which it instigated to put pressure on ZANU-PF years ago. ZANU-PF also wants the MDC to end operations of ‘pirate’ radio stations based outside the country but broadcasting into Zimbabwe.
The summit was also expected to deal with Zimbabwe’s pull out from the SADC tribunal after it argued that the sub-regional court was improperly constituted, as two-thirds of members had not ratified it.
Labels: JAMES MARIDADI, JOSEPH KABILA, NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT, SADC
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Tsvangirai's wife killed in car accident
Our reporter
Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:03:00 +0000
ZIMBABWE Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai's wife is said to have died in a car accident, according to reports. Tsvangirai is said to be injured but in a stable condition, according to reports from Harare.
The Prime Minister's spokesman James Maridadi told the Zimbabwe Guardian that the car he was travelling in sideswiped a truck along the Harare-Masvingo road near Beatrice. The car was also carrying an aide, he said.
Mrs Tsvangirai is said to have died at the Avenues Clinic in the capital after sustaining multiple fractures, while Tsvangirai is said to be in a stable condition.
The Prime Minister and his wife were on the way to Tsvangirai's hometown of Buhera, south of the capital, when the accident occurred.
MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told Reuters news agency that Tsvangirai was not in a critical condition.
"We have just heard that there was an accident of sorts involving the president of the party. Injuries, yes, but not critical condition, we are still assessing the actual condition," he said.
He and his wife Susan, who were married in 1978, had six children.
COMMENT 1 - This could just be a terrible and tragic accident. However, I can't help thinking that there is a huge coincidence in time between this and political events. Only two days before, Morgan Tsvangirai called for the end of sanctions against Zimbabwe. That day, Barack Obama decided to extend sanctions because Zimbabwe's policies pose "a continuing unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States". That day, Morgan Tsvangirai, who compromosed on US foreign policy objectives only two days earlier, is injured in a car crash that kills his wife, after being sideswiped by a truck. Coincidence? Or to use the words of that other murdered leader, on the murder of JFK: "The chickens have come home to roost". Let's not forget that the same persons who were involved in the murder of Patrice Lumumba in 1961 and the murder of Laurent Kabila 40 years to the day of the murder of Patrice Lumumba, are still around, still contributing to the Democratic Party, still have the same diamond concessions in the Congo. Maurice Tempelsman, CIA asset at the time of the murder of Lumumba, is a contributor to Hillary Clinton, who of course now is a cabinet member to Barack Obama. Coincidence? I hope the facts will be born out very soon.
COMMENT 2 - It turns out that it this was just a terrible car accident, not a conspiracy. However, even at the beginning, the MDC and BBC were trying to claim government involvement in the issue. All I pointed out in my original comment, is that if anything, the likely details pointed in a different direction - an official shift in MDC policy on land reform and sanctions. Let's hope that this tragedy will bring both sides closer together to solve the problems of Zimbabwe, and bring about a solution that delivers justice to the people of Zimbabwe, not restitution of illegally gained lands to just a few former colonials, but land to all the people, and an end to sanctions.
Labels: ASSASSINATION, CAR ACCIDENTS, JAMES MARIDADI, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI
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Tsvangirai's wife killed in car accident
Our reporter
Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:03:00 +0000
PM Morgan Tsvangirai (M) and his wife, Susan (L)
ZIMBABWE Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai's wife is said to have died in a car accident, according to reports. Tsvangirai is said to be injured but in a stable condition, according to reports from Harare.
The Prime Minister's spokesman James Maridadi told the Zimbabwe Guardian that the car he was travelling in sideswiped a truck along the Harare-Masvingo road near Beatrice. The car was also carrying an aide, he said.
Mrs Tsvangirai is said to have died at the Avenues Clinic in the capital after sustaining multiple fractures, while Tsvangirai is said to be in a stable condition.
The Prime Minister and his wife were on the way to Tsvangirai's hometown of Buhera, south of the capital, when the accident occurred.
MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told Reuters news agency that Tsvangirai was not in a critical condition.
"We have just heard that there was an accident of sorts involving the president of the party. Injuries, yes, but not critical condition, we are still assessing the actual condition," he said.
He and his wife Susan, who were married in 1978, had six children.
Labels: CAR ACCIDENTS, JAMES MARIDADI, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI
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