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Written by CZ Correspondent
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Wednesday, 20 March 2013 23:08 |
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 The surprising thing about fomer African National Congress Youth League leader Julius Malema, whose fall from grace has now been completed by the forfieture of a farm that he is accused of having used for money laundering, is how much of a fortune he had made, with nobody raising an eyebrow, until he challenged the ANC leadership - maybe with some encouragement from Harare.
Despite the obvious contradictions in his life as a rich anti-capitalist, poor people, and even "revolutionaries" listened to him and put him on a pedestal as a possible redeemer of South Africa's aborted socialist revolution.
IOL looks at what he had accumulated, raising the question whether nobody knew what he was up to, or how many were complicit with the Zanu (PF)-supporting Louis Vuitton socialist. |
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Last Updated on Thursday, 21 March 2013 23:27 |
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Written by CZ Correspondent
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Wednesday, 20 March 2013 16:50 |
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Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is expected to meet President Jacob Zuma's facilitation team this evening to appraise the team on the deteriorating situation in the country, including new arrests and denial of bail for human rights activists.
President Zuma has reportedly already urged the inclusive government, specifically President Robert Mugabe, to realign the security sector ahead of elections expected later this year, according to Newsday, yesterday.
But the longer it takes to undertake the security and media reforms, the more meaningless will be the reforms because of the lasting effects of their intimidation and propaganda, which is on-going, with soldiers, police , state radio, television and newspapers being used to drive the Zanu (PF) agenda.
The fact that President Zuma's office has been forced to leak his recommendations to the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, chaired by Tanzanian President, Jakaya Kikwete, suggests that he is not getting anywhere with Robert Mugabe.
His recommendations regarding the strengthening of the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (Jomic) to deal with cases of political violence, have been rehashed so many times, without implementation, and, if anything, Mugabe has intensified his attacks on the opposition.
Zuma's calls for security sector realignment, which he said, could not be postponed any longer, have also become as outstanding as a sore thumb, but Jomic does not seem to be moving anywhere, with the Mugabe, who controls Foreign Affairs, clearly refusing to accredit the Tanzanian, Zambia and Namibia delegates to JOMIC.
If Mugabe had accredited them we would be seeing them in the country doing their work of monitoring and discouraging intimidation and violence, which is escalating.
President Zuma is also said to be aware of the need to clean up of the voters’ roll and make it transparent, but up to now the Zimbabwe Electoral commission, which is now supposed to be in charge of the voter's roll, does not have it.
The roadmap with time frames, which Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has called for for the last three years, and which is the only way of guaranteeing that the necessary changes can happen, is not happening.
SADC or the facilitator seems incapable of confronting Robert Mugabe head-on, leading to calls for the facilitator to either relinquish the role and admit to SADC that he has failed, or proposing the taking direct measures against Mugabe and his Ministers who are prolonging the suffering of Zimbabweans under uncertainty, which inhibits investment and encourages corruption.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC)’s Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM) leader, Tanzanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bernard Membe, representing the chairman of the Organ Troika on Politics and Security Co-operation, at the weekend recommended;
- making funds for elections available early,
- the updating of the voters’ roll in time for elections,
- continuous voter education
Crisis Zimbabwe noted that the seeming lack of strife during the referendum could be deceptive.
“It’s difficult to conclude whether it is a true indicator because the voter’s roll was not being used and the process was therefore more accessible and faster in terms of voting.
"The elections are likely to be more hotly contested, the space closed and violence will be prominent judging by the referendum.”
The Observer Mission deployed 12 teams comprising of 78 observers, drawn from regional Members of Parliament and civil society across the country during the referendum, who had arrived in Zimbabwe, six days before voting, on March 10. Full Report here
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 20 March 2013 23:25 |
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Written by Makusha Mugabe
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Wednesday, 20 March 2013 11:36 |
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 Mugabe goes all the way to the Vatican take to take communion though he is suspicious that the Catholic Church does not treat Africans equally
President Robert Mugabe, born in a Jesuit Mission, must rue his decision to go to The Vatican to witness the enthronement of Pope Francis, also a Jesuit, who seemed to devote his inaugural mass to telling off the Zimbabwean dictator.
Mugabe takes advantage of any opportunity he can to visit The West, whose leaders have placed travel sanctions on him for his human rights violations, but this time he was forced to fire back at Pope Francis' remarks which he must have taken personally.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 21 March 2013 00:25 |
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Written by CZ Correspondent
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Wednesday, 20 March 2013 10:08 |
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Detained human rights lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa’s lawyers protested against her ill-treatment in police custody, including two male police officers entering her cell at Rhodesville Police Station in the dead of the night and attempting to remove some blankets that covered her.
The lawyers also protested that she was denied access to her relatives, friends and lawyers and interfered with Mtetwa’s privacy including that of her clients by confiscating her mobile phone when they arrested her in Harare’s Westgate suburb.
The lawyers also protested against the circumstances and the illegal manner in which the police executed the arrest of Mtetwa, a lawyer who has been in practice for more than 30 years, which was effected as she executed her professional duties of rendering legal assistance to her clients.
Mtetwa who was not allowed to take a bath while in police custody, was charged with contravening Section 184 (1) (g) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly defeating or obstructing the course of justice.
In another case, Magistrate Gofa on Tuesday 19 March 2013 also remanded to today (Wednesday 20 March 2013) the case of four of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s employees, who were arrested on Sunday 17 March 2013.
The four including Thabani Mpofu, Felix Matsinde, Councillor Warship Dumba and Mehluli Tshuma were charged with contravening Section 4 of Official Secrets Act for allegedly receiving or communicating secret information, Section 179 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) for alleged impersonation and Section 40 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for possession of articles for criminal use.
Magistrate Gofa remanded Mpofu, Matsinde, Dumba and Tshuma in custody to Wednesday 20 March 2013 to allow Michael Mugabe, the Chief Law Officer in the Attorney General’s Office to file his submissions in response to the bail application filed by defence lawyers Alec Muchadehama and Chris Mhike.
Mpofu is also facing charges of contravening Section 4 (1) of the Firearms Act for allegedly failing to renew a firearm certificate and Section 28 (2) of the Firearms Act for allegedly keeping a firearm in a non-secure place.
Meanwhile, lawyers, human rights activists and members packed the court room on Tuesday as they attended and followed proceedings in solidarity with Mtetwa, Mpofu, Matsinde, Dumba and Tshuma - ZLHR |
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Written by CZ Correspondent
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Wednesday, 20 March 2013 00:39 |
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 "As baby of the democratic struggle, owned collectively by the people of Zimbabwe, any act of impunity or violation of the provisions of the new Constitution would be an act of infanticide and would therefore not be condoned or tolerated - Morgan Tsvangirai.
The people of Zimbabwe overwhelmingly voted for a new Constitution, endorsing a new dispensation and a new value system that sets in motion a new and democratic paradigm for the country, one that respects human dignity and an era that will see the broadening of basic human rights, the empowerment of women and the setting of term limits for the President and heads of other public bodies.
This new Zimbabwe must necessarily come with a new culture of Constitutionalism and respect for the rule of law, said Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday, which he said would also require inculcating a new value system among Zimbabwean politicians and those in the security sector, to respect and adhere to the Constitution and stick to the cardinal dictate that no one is above the law.
The acceptance of the referendum, whch makes the passing of the new constitution by Parliament a mere formality, was the culmination of a struggle for a new dispensation for which a new, democratic Constitution was a key - a landmark achievement after many years of tears, sweat and blood since the Constitutional movement began in 1997.
As baby of the democratic struggle, owned collectively by the people of Zimbabwe, any act of impunity or violation of the provisions of the new Constitution would be an act of infanticide and would therefore not be condoned or tolerated.
"Zimbabweans, especially the government and state institutions, face the sternest test of sincerity because we have adopted this Constitution on the eve of an election. Our conduct in the next election must show that we truly believe in Constitutionalism. This will be demonstrated by the way we adhere strictly to the letter and spirit of the new charter," he said.
This could only be a new, progressive and democratic charter to the extent that we comply with it and chart the new era of respect for human dignity and human rights that it enshrines, he said adding that the ongoing events, references to violations of human rights by security forces and the judiciary, were deliberately designed to stifle change and to distract Zimbabweans from the key goal.
"We must remain steadfast and focussed despite these attempts to divert our attention from our democratic agenda," he said urging Zimbabweans to remain resolute and determined in the march towards total transformation and certain and inevitable change.
"Today, we have endorsed a new contract which spells out how we want to be governed. Today, we have ushered in a new value system which poises our country for the many great opportunities that lie ahead. Today, we have put in place the foundation for a new Zimbabwe."
He said Zimbabweans should therefore congratulate themselves for this achievement which would make a new Zimbabwe is possible well within our lifetime. |
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Written by CZ Correspondent
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Wednesday, 20 March 2013 00:00 |
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 "Illegal,, unlawful, and undemocratic...," Beatrice Mtetwa - paying the cost of defying a panicking regime.
She arrives at Rotten Row Court in the back of a police pick-up, her belongings in a plastic bag and with no shoes, and she is denied baid - for demanding a search warrant from Police. (Pic ZLHR)
Beatrice Mtetwa was today (Wednesday) denied bail again for allegedly shouting at the police who where searching the Prime Minister's office without a search warrant.
She has been remanded in custody to 3 April according to Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 21 March 2013 23:36 |
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