New Zimbabwe.com : Latest Headlines

Parliament goes digital

9/3/2010 12:00:00 AM

RECORDS of parliamentary proceedings will now be available on audio following the completion of the first phase a US$500,000 digitalisation programme.

MPs and Senators will also be supplied with smart cards for voting, with results instantly displayed on a giant flat-screen put up in the Chamber, the Speaker of the House of Assembly Lovemore Moyo said.

The second phase will see the installation of permanent TV cameras, with video recordings of parliamentary debates and portfolio committee meetings stored on DVD. The third and final phase will be the broadcasting of parliamentary debates on national TV and to have parliament sit in the provinces.

The programme is funded by the United States Agency for International Development.

Moyo said: “We have taken the first important steps to the modernisation of our parliament. Since 1996, we have been on this path of reforming parliament to make it accessible to the people.”

Moyo said as part of the changes, MPs would no longer be required to move from their seats to a central podium to speak during debates following the installation of microphones on the benches.

He added: "On top of the Hansard, members of the public can now access audio recordings of specific parliamentary sittings thanks to this digitalisation programme.

“We want to improve our accessibility to the people and when we complete the third phase of this programme, we must have a truly modern parliament.”

Zimbabwe welcome 'incredible': Akon

9/3/2010 12:00:00 AM

AMERICAN R&B star Akon revealed he dreamed of visiting Zimbabwe “for a long, long time” as he arrived in Harare on Thursday for a weekend gig alongside Jamaican reggae star Sean Paul.

Moved by an “incredible” and “overwhelming” welcome by adoring fans, the Lonely star who was born in Senegal declared Zimbabwe his second home.

He told a press conference: “I was overwhelmingly received by the crowds as we drove around.

“We are very excited. This is an incredible moment for us. We have been trying to get to Zimbabwe for a long, long time. We always end up bumping heads with unreal promoters.

“Sometimes you hear that Akon is coming but we never knew that we are coming! It is really funny because Africans, we are like that, we are the ultimate hustlers.

“This time it was real! A call came from Zimbabwe and it was a real call with some real people doing some real business.

“It definitely made sense for us to wanna come because this is what we always wanted to be doing. And we always said to ourselves when we do it, we wanna do it properly and Zimbabwe gets to feel the experience of the Akon concert.

“Thank you for the welcome and it has been incredible.”

Akon appeared at the press conference flanked by Zimbabwe Tourism Authority CEO Karikoga Kaseke and Prince Tendai Mupfurutsa from the promotions company ZIMSWAG Entertainment, who are bankrolling Saturday’s show at the National Sports Stadium. Also present was business tycoon Phillip Chiyangwa, whose luxury Rolls Royce Phantom was used by Akon from the airport.

Scrum ... Akon is mobbed as he arrives at the Mekles Hotel in Harare

Order ... Phillip Chiyangwa calms crowds while standing behind Akon and Mupfurutsa

Welcome ... Akon holds hands with a mystery woman as his party sweeps into the Meikles

Sean Paul was expected to arrive on Friday. The two superstars will be supported by a slew of Zimbabwean artists including the UK-based Cynthia Mare, Alick Macheso, Sulumani Chimbetu, Winky D, Roki and Stunner.

Akon arrived just after lunchtime at the Harare International Airport to be met by tens of cheering fans. He was then driven in the Rolls – spotting a personalised plate with his name on it – to the Harare City Centre trailed by a convoy of about 50 other cars.

The noisy procession brought out afternoon shoppers as the City’s streets were jammed.

Akon and Sean Paul will both stay at the Meikles Hotel until Sunday when they are expected to be flown to the Victoria Falls.

Akon said: “I think there have been a lot of misconceptions about a lot of places in Africa. But when you land in these places, you never really see what they are talking about.

“You never get to see the misconceptions that are as far as the place being undeveloped … As far as I can see, Zimbabwe is a beautiful place and I haven’t seen anything that contradicted the positive things that I have heard before.”

Mupfurutsa, a popular local singer and music producer, said: “To us, it’s a dream come true to have such an accomplished musician who is right at the top of his game to visit the country.

“Believe it or not, he is not here for the cash but for the bash; not for the money but for the honey. I am so excited that he accepted our invitation and he came here together with his friends.”

Makosi: Boobs are just fat

9/3/2010 12:00:00 AM

BOOBS are just FAT and thin women with big chests most likely have implants, Ultimate Big Brother star Makosi Musambasi has suggested.

Mega-boobed Makosi blurted the theory after being quizzed by housemates Nick and Victor who made her believe they were on a secret task.

The Zimbabwean – who is up for eviction along with five other housemates on Friday night – found himself answering questions about her bra size, her sexual performance and the package of his Big Brother 6 housemate, Anthony.

Makosi believed that the pair were performing a real interview and revealed that she had 33HH breasts, she didn't know what a gag reflex was and she didn't know about Anthony's package.

Makosi said gay fashion designers do not know about the female body and said she was disgusted at Chantelle's peanut butter dinner.

She added: "Boobs are just fat and if you eat a bit more your boobs will grow. The two girls in the house who don't eat, Nikki and Chantelle, both have breast implants."

Victor replied: "Your boobs are phat I am not going to lie."

Makosi is the second guest to have appeared on the fictional show with Brian taking part last night and both housemates fell for the pair's story.

Nick and Victor also told Makosi that they had received a lot of emails from viewers.

Victor said: "What the viewers really want to know is what your gag reflex [in relation to oral sex] is like?"

Makosi, who did not understand the question at first, then screamed: "Victor I do not do that."

On Thursday night, Ultimate Big Brother viewers watched Makosi trying to upset everyone in the house – and failing.

Makosi’s hostility was only for a Big Brother task, where the busty babe was told in the diary room that she had to recreate a challenge from BB6 where she had to make herself unpopular.

Meanwhile, the rest of the housemates were told to be extra nice to Makosi as the real task was for the house to avoid a confrontation.

Makosi left the diary room and made a bee-line for pals Michelle and Nadia.

She said: "I wanted a quiet moment with you guys."

She then blasted the pair for bitching.

She sniped at them: "I can't help but think if I am not there, you bitch about me too."

Nice-as-pie Michelle told her: "We don't bitch about you, seriously."

But Makosi countered: "Y'all are bitches though."

But Nadia and Michelle ignored her mean remarks and told her that they loved and respected her honesty.

As Makosi tried to wind them up, they told her: "We understand and we still love you ... What's fine with you is fine with us."

She then tried to make Preston angry and said to housemates: "All he talks about is music and TV."

But to her surprise, Brian agreed: "It's a valid point."

And Preston promised to mend his ways and offered: "I'll make a conscious effort."

Nikki added sweetly: "Makosi is really good at pin-pointing stuff like that."

With her tail between her legs, Makosi scurried back to the diary room and admitted: "I just really failed that one, didn't I?"

However, as housemates were overtly lovely to the buxom lass, the house passed the task.

Makosi, along with Nick, Chantelle, Nadia, Nikki and Ulrika face the public vote on Friday night with two housemates facing the axe from the last ever Big Brother show staged to choose the best housemate from the show’s 11 series.

Big Brother highlights are broadcast on Channel 4 at 10PM everyday

Moses Chunga makes winning start

9/3/2010 12:00:00 AM

Shooting Stars 0-1 CAPS United

MOSES Chunga’s second dance with CAPS United began on an upbeat note on Thursday as they beat Shooting Stars in a Premier League match at Rufaro.

Chunga, who quit as Stars coach weeks ago before taking over at United on Tuesday, was cheered by United fans after a routine win.

Clive Kawinga scored the crucial goal after 30 minutes after directing the outstanding Joel Luphahla’s free kick delivery past Stars shot stopper Pedzisai Gumiremhete.

United bossed the contest for long periods and their goalkeeper Edmore Sibanda, restored between the posts after being relegated by the departed coach Lloyd Chitembwe, was barely disturbed.

Chunga said: "It’s always nice to start on a high note. The players enjoyed the game and expressed themselves. But there is still a lot of work to be done.

"They did well in the first half but fizzled in the second half where they were just performing in flashes.

"The reality is we are 15 points behind Motor Action but we are capable of winning 10 games in a row, but that will be determined by the way we apply ourselves.”

And Chunga, who quit United at the end of the 2008 seasons after insults were hurled at him by fans, says he holds no grudges.

"I don’t have permanent enemies. And supporters always change, if you win they will be happy and if you lose it is vice versa,” he said.

Liberia suspends three players

9/3/2010 12:00:00 AM

LIBERIA’S national football team has been rocked by the expulsion of three players from camp, just days before they play Zimbabwe in an opening African Cup of Nations group qualifier.

Liberia’s Hungarian coach Bertalan Bicskei ejected Dullee Johnson, Dioh Williams and Francis Doe after they were found to be missing from their hotel rooms during a routine check at 2AM on Thursday.

The three players were among 15 overseas professionals called up for Sunday’s clash in Monrovia.

The players were prevented from training with the rest of the squad on Thursday – good news for Zimbabwe’s Warriors who are seeking to upset the Lone Stars in their backyard.

Liberia Football Association President Musa Bility said the players would be returning to their teams – Johnson to AIK Sonia in Sweden, Williams to AGF Aarhus in Denmark and Doe to Al Ahly of Egypt.

The Liberians have called up three local players as replacements -- strikers Dweh Allison, James Koko Lomell and midfielder Marcus Marcauley.

Zimbabwe have two injury concerns after winger Quincy Antipas pulled out of training on Thursday with an ankle injury and attacking midfielder Clemence Matawu remains a doubt.

Warriors coach Norman Mapeza will name his travelling 18-man squad on Friday morning before the team leaves for Monrovia.

Liberia and Zimbabwe are in the same group with Mali and Cape Verde.

On the heroism of Gibson Sibanda

9/3/2010 12:00:00 AM

THE very brave and proud Burkinabe people of Africa have a wise saying that “the unfortunate idiot who tried to spit at the sky; only achieved to soil his own sorry face and the sky remained blue.”

How sad it is that in these days of our mournful lives we continue to see the unwise and unfortunate peering into the blue skies, trying to throw their spit at them, only for their disgusting saliva to return and besmirch their own foolish faces?

President Robert Mugabe’s refusal to grant the late Gibson Jama Sibanda fitting national hero status is not an insult to Sibanda or his society of friends and followers, nor is it any denial of the iconic politician’s contribution to the struggle for democracy in Zimbabwe. It is a candid and poignant comment on Mugabe’s own unfortunate being -- unbalanced personality, uninspiring leadership and very bad spirit. It is comparable to the proverbial attempt of the sorry imbecile to defame and humiliate the sky by spitting at it.

Sibanda remains blue like the proud sky and dear to our bleeding and mournful hearts, he is our hero and our humble father. But what of Mugabe, who is like the proverbial log which remained in the river for years but never became a crocodile, although from a distance it looks like one? He can be at State House and be called ‘His Excellency the President’ but still so much not our hero or our dear leader.

There is no possible exaggeration of the sad truth that in the death of Gibby, as he was affectionately referred to by MDC youths, destiny has stabbed us in the wound. The heroic leadership and wise guidance to MDC youths and indeed to all who love democracy that Sibanda was giving and respected for, remains a painfully unfinished assignment.

In Jama Sibanda, we have lost a solid merchant of peace and a leader of robust principles and clear vision. This is a man who summered and wintered in the Zimbabwean struggle against colonialism and the democratisation of post-colonial Zimbabwe. They only insult themselves and describe their mean spirit those, like Mugabe, who attempt to cast doubt on the monumental heroism of the man.

A true convict of the cause of freedom and a liberator has been lost. As we bleed at heart and weep out our pains, we only cry for ourselves at our loss, the warrior himself has rested and may his soul indeed rest in peace to eternity.

It shouldn’t matter where Jama Sibanda’s remains are interred -- it can be on anthill, it can be on a mountain, on a plain surface or in a river – but that spot where he is buried is now a monument and a shrine.

Mugabe stands to harvest shame and lose the little residues of respect that a pathetically few number of Zimbabweans still hold for him. He has squandered a golden opportunity to reach out to the many hearts and minds of Zimbabweans that appreciate so much the legacy and life works of the great Gibson Jama Sibanda.

To you Baba uSibanda, I can only say:

Bayeke benjalo Godlwayo omnyama
Lala ngokuthula Mahlab’ayithwale
Wena owatshaya inja waveza umphini
Besamangele ukuthi uwuvezile umphini
Waphinda wayitshaya njalo bebhekile
Thole elimnyama lakoGODLWAYO
Nkunzi ensundu eyabekwa ematholeni lasenkabini
Maphakamisa izintaba ngolimi
Maphosa induku ngendebe zomlomo
Nkisela enkulu ngokubizwa hatshi,
Ngokuzibiza wena
Ithe ekuseni yakhasa lezingane
Kwathi emini yakhasabula lamabutho
Ntambama yahlaziya izindaba lamakhehla
Ntambama yaxakulula izinkinga lamakhosi
Ngitsho kuwe Jama KaSibanda
Wena silo esingawaswelanga amabala
Wena obelezibongo zambili zantathu ngobuqhawe
Abanye belesisodwana ngobugwala lobuvila
Wena obemasendemane ebunzimeni belizwe
Abanye bemaqanjana nje okubili ngovalo
Wena Ngalabezi emnyama yakwa Godlwayo
Yathi imfitshane yakhombela abadala ngesitho
Abangaziyo bathi ixhwalile iyadelela ingane
Abaziyo bathi ilesibindi, liqhawe
Wena obona imfihlo zezwe uhlezi
abanengi abehluleke ukuzibona
bekhwele ezihlahleni
Ngitsho kuwe Godlwayo omnyama
Uthe ukhilikithela nje izithutha zathi uwile
Wathi uphakama wamude kulaboyise
Ngitsho kuwe mamba yezihotsha engelabizo
Ngitsho kuwe silosamahlathi esingesabiyo
Ngitsho kuwe ngqungqulu ensundu ephikisane lamafu
Yabuya yehla yabhejelana lamaphimphi lamabululu
Uthe ungena phansi komhlaba bathi ufile
Kanti ugijimela ukuyabika ubuntandane besizwe
KuMzilikazi
Kanti ugijimela ukuyabika inyembezi zesiwe
KuNkulumane
Kanti ugijimela ukuyabika amanxeba
KaMthwakazi KuLobhengula
Ngubani ongangawe Gibson Jama Sibanda?
Lala ngokuthula Nsikabayitshiye!

I remember, David Coltart, one of Gibson Sibanda’s close friends and colleagues, describing him as a “humble man who still drives the same car that he drove when the MDC was formed”. Indeed this was a humble man of exemplary leadership qualities that the youth can emulate without hesitation.

My heart bleeds for Sibanda’s family and the entire MDC family. There is no doubt bafowethu that one day we will stand on the shoulders of this titanic hero and pronounce victory over tyranny and sing freedom from our oppressors and exploiters.

Let the example of the life of Gibson Sibanda fire us into courage and dedication. Those who have attempted to insult him are like the fools that still dream of spitting at the sky.

Dinizulu Macaphulana is a Zimbabwean student living in Lesotho. He is contactable on dinizulumacaphulana@yahoo.com

Engen to expand Zim operations

9/2/2010 12:00:00 AM

SOUTH Africa’s leading petroleum products marketer, Engen is set to expand its foothold in Zimbabwe after acquiring the sub-Saharan Africa interests of United States oil major, Chevron.

The company announced it had concluded the acquisition of 100 percent of Chevron’s downstream marketing companies in Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Reunion, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Management said the deal is subject to regulatory approval in the respective countries but did not anticipate any hitches in that regard adding all employees would be retained.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to extend our investments in line with our growth objectives. We are committed to the companies involved and the people and believe they will be instrumental in our success - we are positive about the prospects for growth and development,” Engen chief executive Ahmad Nizam Salleh said.

The deal is part of Engen’s growth strategy in the sub-region which saw the company move into Burundi, the DRC, Lesotho as well as Rwanda in recent years.

“This is a significant investment and we expect the transaction will contribute in excess of 500 million litres a year towards our vision to be a ‘Champion in Africa’ by 2016,” Salleh added.

Engen has been operating in Zimbabwe since 1996 but a US$16 million bid to take over the local interests of Shell in December last year failed after empowerment groups claimed the deal contravened the country’s indigenization laws.

Owned 80 percent by PETRONAS, Malaysia’s national oil company with the balance controlled by black South Africans, Engen enjoys the largest share of market in Africa’s biggest economy.

The company has a significant presence in 17 other African countries in the region.

Limiting human risk through Constitution

9/2/2010 12:00:00 AM

Introduction to the Constitutional Letters

As Zimbabwe is engaged in the process of constitutional reform, this column will from time to time feature ‘constitutional letters’ addressed to fellow citizens of Zimbabwe. They are designed to highlight key areas of constitutional reform and to encourage rigorous citizens’ debate.

Having been involved in legislative making processes in a professional role in the past, I have observed how the consultative process is important but also that citizens need to be knowledgeable to participate effectively in such consultations. I have also observed that if not carefully monitored the consultative process can be a smokescreen and citizens can be hoodwinked into thinking that they are playing an important role when in fact the contents of the constitution will come down to the text as written by a small group of men (and perhaps, some women) who will do the drafting. It is important to remain vigilant at all times.

In these letters, I will pay particular attention to the text of the Constitution and highlight how seemingly innocuous words in a clause can change its whole meaning. Unless we pay attention to the written word, this whose consultative process could end being an expensive waste of time.

My Fellow Citizen,

Issue: Human Risk and Constitutional Appointments

My first letter is long but I ask for your patience. Constitutional issues are not lighthearted matters. They demand patience. In my endeavor to explain and simplify issues, I will necessarily employ a number of examples. If you find the examples a little tedious, please do skip them – I know most of you are of an intelligent kind.

This first letter seeks to highlight a key weakness in the current constitution that has exacerbated levels of human risk, which consequently has contributed to mediocre standards of governance. The issue is about the appointment of persons who are charged with executing key functions of the state.

These persons, whom we shall refer to as ‘human agents’ of the state, play a significant role in the discharge of its functions and consequently, their conduct, beliefs and attitudes determine the nature and level of risk that can affect the state’s performance. The risk arising from these human agents is what we are referring to as ‘human risk’. Examples of these human agents range from the holder of the highest office in the land, the President, include people’s representations in parliament (MPs) through to holders of key offices mandated by the constitution and secondary legislation, for example the Attorney General, Judges, Commissioners, Reserve Bank Governor, heads of state companies, etc.

The manner by which these human agents take office is of great importance because it impacts on the levels of risk they bring to the operations of those offices. Companies in business with awareness of human risk know that the starting point of reducing this type of risk is a rigorous interview process, where the company tries to weed out rogues whose character and conduct might pose extreme risk to the business. In matters of political governance, the two key methods of selecting human agents to execute state functions are the election and appointment processes.

The Election

As you probably know already, the election is the primary selection mechanism for managing human risk in politics. In an ideal world, it gives citizens control over the choice of who governs them. It enables citizens to nominate and choose who amongst them should be entrusted with powers of government. The election process represents the ‘interview process’ with the citizens as the selection panel. The elected leaders become direct appointees of the citizens. By this method, citizens can minimize human risk by selecting the best candidates for the tasks. A further constraint on human risk is inherent in the principle that those who appoint can also disappoint and this is given force by periodic elections since leaders chosen in one election know they can be removed in the next if they do not perform to citizens’ expectations.

However, all this is on the assumption that the election process is perfect. The reality is that it is not and in Zimbabwe’s case, recent experience has shown that the election process itself is affected by extreme levels of human risk. The reason for this circumstance, as we shall see a little later, is that the human agents responsible for managing the election process are appointed by those who should be submitting themselves to elections.

Constitutional & Legislative Appointments

This leads us to the second method of selecting human agents of the state: the appointment process. How are these human agents appointed to the offices of Reserve Bank Governor, the Attorney General, Police Commissioner-General, Judges, Public Service Commissioners, heads of state companies, etc? Is the appointment process designed to reduce human risk attendant upon the human agents who execute state functions? It is submitted that by and large the appointment process is inherently weak and actually accentuates the human risk.

Under the current constitution, power of constitutional and legislative appointments to key institutions of the state are conferred on the President with limited and often ineffective checks and balances. The net effect is that the person holding presidential office wields excessive powers and is largely at liberty to appoint persons of his choice. Consequently, in such a set-up, the fault line of human risk extends from his office to all those who are appointed by him. For the sake of clarity, let us consider a few examples:

Judges

Fellow citizen, let’s look the appointment of judges of the High Court and the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe. Section 84 of the current constitution confers power on the President to appoint judges. The only pre-condition is that the President should make the appointment “after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission”. This might appear to mean something but in reality it is a worthless pre-condition for at least two reasons:

First, the President is not obliged to follow the advice of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) - all he is asked to do is to ‘consult with’ the JSC. He is at liberty to ignore its recommendations. What is to be done if the view of the President differs from that of the JSC? Section 84 (2) says simply that he must inform the Senate. But what can the Senate can do upon such notification? Nothing is provided for in the constitution, making it a nominal process that provides no real constraint on the President’s power.

Secondly, it is worth noting that the JSC that he is supposed to ‘consult with’ consists of members who are also appointed by the President. So, in effect, the redundant requirement is for the President to ‘consult with’ persons whom he would have appointed in the first place! The net effect is that the President holds exclusive power to appoint judges and there are no effective checks and balances to limit the risk attaching to having so much power. It is because of the weakness of this process that there have been complaints and allegations by critics and opposition parties in the past that the judiciary is packed with persons that are associated with or sympathetic to President Mugabe and Zanu PF.

Attorney-General (AG)

Similarly, under section 76 of the Constitution, the President has the power to appoint the AG also subject to “consultation with the JSC”. The above criticisms regarding the appointment of judges apply with equal force to this case. (I am aware that this has been an ‘outstanding issue’ under this coalition government with the two MDCs arguing that President Mugabe should consult with their leaders before appointing a person to this office. No doubt they have strong reasons for disagreeing with the appointment but the fact remains that the constitution as presently worded, even with Amendment No. 19, is less than satisfactory. The new constitution must make the checks and balances very clear).

This is an important office responsible for two key functions: advising the government and prosecuting criminal matters on behalf of the state. If the human agent holding this office poses excessive risk, it could seriously affect government’s image and performance. In one of the future letters, we shall discuss why it is important to consider splitting these roles as another way of limiting risk of abuse of power.

Public Service Commission (PSC)

However, fellow citizen, a worse case is to be observed in respect of the PSC, responsible as you know, for managing the civil service which ought to remain apolitical. Section 74 of the Constitution gives the President unconditional power of appointing Commissioners. There is not even a modest attempt to suggest that he should consult with anyone. The curb on human risk in the appointment process here is almost zero.

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC)

There have been attempts to change the appointment procedures for some key bodies such as the ZEC where the President has the power to appoint the Chairman but only after consultation with the JSC and the Parliamentary Committee on Standing Rules and Orders (hereafter, “the Parliamentary Committee”). The other eight members are also appointed by the President from a list of nominees submitted by the Parliamentary Committee.

Again, fellow citizen, this might seem to contain some checks and balances on Presidential power but as we have observed above, the JSC is a creature of the President since he appoints its members. The Parliamentary Committee is a useful check but only if it consists of members from diverse political parties. If it is dominated by the party to which the President belongs, as was the case prior to the 2008 elections, its counterbalancing effect becomes severely impaired.

President’s Unfair Advantage

The problem, fellow citizen, as we have observed in the above examples, is that the constitutional and legislative procedures for the appointment of human agents to key state institutions is fraught with weaknesses that expose it to higher incidence of human risk. Under the present system, the person holding the office of the President has an unfair advantage over the rest of the citizens. This is more evident in elections where the President may also be a contestant. He has the lion’s share of the power to appoint the human agents who are responsible, directly or indirectly through their institutions, for running those elections. In a boxing match, he would be the president of the boxing federation who sets the rules and appoints the referee and on match day, he would put on his gloves to fight an opponent in the ring – the match being judged by the person that he would have appointed. It can’t be a fair contest.

Not just about Mugabe, Tsvangirai or Mutambara

In conclusion, fellow citizen, I must qualify my thoughts on this, and in all letters that will follow, by saying that this criticism applies equally regardless of the identity of the person holding the office of the president. It doesn’t matter whether it is Mugabe, Tsvangirai or Mutambara – any one of them given so much power over the appointment process will have an unfair advantage over others. Mugabe is not going to be the President forever and if there is criticism that he has held too much power under the present constitution, there is nothing to say Tsvangirai or Mutambara would not do the same if left to their own devices.

We are not creating the new constitution for or against specific leaders. We are doing so for both the present and the future. The point is that it increases the threat of human risk if power to appoint persons to key state institutions reposes in one person. We have not considered the alternatives because, as you can see, this letter is already too long. We shall reserve that for the next letter. The purpose of today’s letter was to demonstrate the weaknesses in the current system of appointments.

Feel free of course to ask questions or to make contributions to the issue that has been raised in this letter. It’s been pleasure writing.
waMagaisa

Dr Magaisa is based at Kent Law School, University of Kent. E-mail him: wamagaisa@yahoo.co.uk

A village that laughed at progress

9/2/2010 12:00:00 AM

BACK in my local village close to Mozambican border, the sojourn and travails of one Mr Mabanja of Headman Dzobo’s area were crystallised into a village saying, generally describing non-strategic effort which does not yield the desired output.

So if you went hunting and came back empty handed, the villagers would say “waite Mabanja abve Joni akauya nemagaba." No one really bothered to find out why poor old Mabanja went to South Africa in the 1960s and came back only with a few tins, while others brought back enough seed to start economic activity.

Last week, I travelled to Zimbabwe and visited the Harare Agricultural Show and was pleasantly surprised that the country is slowly roaring back to life. Granted, there is still a lot of dirt all over the city but I met so many new refuse trucks collecting garbage all over Harare that I was optimistically impressed.

There was evidence of innovation all over the show starting with new environmentally sustainable tobacco growing techniques to animal breeding and value addition strategies. The key to great entrepreneurial success lies in the ability to innovate.

Entrepreneurship represents one of the greatest opportunities to financial freedom. I have met so many Zimbabweans with very good business ideas but very few have been able to convert those ideas into a business opportunity.

An entrepreneur is someone who sees a need in the market, gathers the resources required and creates and grows a business to satisfy these needs in market. The entrepreneur takes the risk of this venture and is rewarded with profit if it is successful. Entrepreneurship is the ability to perceive potentially profitable business opportunities, the willingness to act on what is perceived and the necessary organizing ability.

The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor defines entrepreneurship as: "Any attempt at new business or new venture creation such as self-employment, a new business organisation, or the expansion of an existing business by an individual, team of individuals, or established businesses.”

Economists like Schumpeter emphasised the importance of entrepreneurial activity for economic growth, and Zimbabwe needs to promote and create space for this. "Innovation entrepreneurship" in the tradition of Schumpeter, emphasising invention and technological advancement embedded in the organisation.

Previously, I have emphasised savings as a precursor to investing. With real entrepreneurship, one needs to master the art of using other people’s money to create economic activity on a bigger scale. For those who scattered to the Diaspora, going out of the country in itself was a risk taking activity which is an essential element of entrepreneurship.

Demographic factors influence individuals’ decisions to become self-employed and also have a bearing on entrepreneurial intentions. Talking to some business people, I sense a growing level of optimism which has not been prevalent for some time. While most of us have been winging about the state of affairs, astute investors have been taking strategic positions in important parts of the economy.

I have seen solid companies that are emerging out of the difficult economic period. Our old friend Phillip Mataranyika has done great things with his Nyaradzo Holdings. Tawanda Nyambirai has emerged as a player with his TN Holdings. Patterson Timba and Dunmore Kundishora of AFRE swallowed an old entity like First Mutual and they have reformatted it in their own image.

The exploits of Mutumwa Mawere are well known. We have trail blazing examples of Strive Masiyiwa with Econet now one of the largest entities on our stock market. We have Shingi Mutasa and Delma Lupepe across many sectors, Shingi Munyeza at African Sun, Munatsi and Chidawo at ABC, Trevor Ncube in Media and Anthony Mandiwanza at Dairibord.

Pioneering and Innovative firms are governed by an intrinsic orientation towards new ideas; an organic growth orientation, emphasising flexible and incremental growth; an entity orientation; a people orientation, as opposed to a self-orientation on the part of the owners; and a vision orientation, reflecting a sustained commitment to goals rather than just blind opportunism.

Dr Martin Luther King Jr said, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well’.”

If you're not passionate about what you do, find something you can be passionate about! Don't just strive to make money, strive to make a difference. Significance should be the goal.

While I was in Mutare, the police, with much glee, went on an orgy of confiscating bales of clothing from over hundred homes of flea market traders in an early morning raid in Sakubva. I do not understand why the government hates the poor so much instead of celebrating that they are creating a living on their own without government assistance.

If half this gusto was applied to recovering the $1.5 billion taken from the Reserve Bank by the rich and politically connected, part our fiscus funding issues would be solved overnight. These items sourced with much tears and agony of the poor will now be sold through ZIMRA auctions for the benefit of the rich shop owners. Regularising and formalising these traders would be much more beneficial to the economy than just trying to wish them away.

Survivalists and necessity entrepreneurs engage in entrepreneurship because they do not a have better choice, and opportunity entrepreneurs are seizing a market opportunity. Both groups should have a space to thrive.

David McClelland's studies point to the achievement motive as possibly the single largest factor in the success of an entrepreneur. People with a high need for achievement are characterised by the desire to do something better, faster, more efficiently and with less effort.

As Einstein put it, “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”

The development of an entrepreneurial culture requires an enabling environment. We need to be more tolerant to failure, instead of creating village jokes about those who at least tried. Entrepreneurial activity, particularly new firm creation, can play a crucially important role in economic development in Zimbabwe.

Tafirenyika L. Makunike is the managing partner of Napachem cc (www.nepachem.co.za), and enterprise development and consulting company

A new take on devolution

9/2/2010 12:00:00 AM

ZIMBABWE’S current system of government creates a rather complex relationship between the elected officials and the electorate as far as effective representation is concerned.

Many have made proposals to reform the system, including the much-debated devolution of power to provinces. There is need for a radical, yet logical change in the role of elected constituency based representatives. This change will bring about a greater degree of democratisation and on the ground participation and accountability overall.

From the president, cabinet, governors right down to appointed district administrators, there is far too much distance between the elected officials responsible for delivering development on the ground and the electorate.

In our current system, the responsibility for development is delegated to appointed administrative officials through far too many layers such that it eventually loses meaning.

While indeed development must ultimately be delivered by professional administrators, it makes sense that the electorate are given much more of a say on a region by region basis. If you speak to people standing in voting queues during virtually all our elections since independence, most would probably tell you that the reason why they are voting for so and so is that they believe that their preferred candidate will deliver a better life for them and if it’s a parliamentarian, for their constituency in particular.

However, according to Sections 49 to 57 of the Zimbabwe constitution, the role of parliamentarians is clearly that of legislators, in other words the architecture of new and amended legislation. If indeed these constituency elected representatives truly represent their constituencies via this process, it’s very difficult to envisage a scenario where the best possible constituency representative actually crafts and persuades his colleagues to vote into a law a piece of legislation aimed at advancing the interests of his region in isolation. No single Member of Parliament can ever have a law passed on his own.

Whenever prospective parliamentarians campaign leading up to each election, few if any ever emphasise the fact that they look forward to being great legislators, or architects of great laws. There is an unspoken but common understanding that elected representatives ought to act mainly as agents of development for their constituencies, so why not formalise this and ensure it actually becomes their task officially and constitutionally?

Years ago, an important bridge collapsed in the Gokwe area of Chireya following heavy rains a few years ago, the local people approached their MP for intervention, yet their MP was a legislator and no law he would promote could have delivered a new bridge as quickly as the urgency of the matter required. The matter called for him to mobilise resources and consult the relevant arms of government, and yet it would be much quicker and simpler if in each province regionally elected officials could gather these resources and effect change immediately.

What is also worth noting is that globally, most development in legislation now emanates from ideas held by what I will refer to loosely as interest groups rather than geographical constituency bases. Examples include some of the latest thinking around new permutations on the protection of civil liberties of special groups such as children, gays, women or some other increasingly more prominent socially based groups, or greater security to prevent new forms of sophisticated crimes e.g. cyber crimes, international terrorism, money laundering as well as other areas such as environmental protection, entrepreneurship and international relations.

Very few legislative developments nowadays emanate from purely sub-geographical considerations. It makes absolutely no sense, therefore, particularly for a developing state to elect such highly celebrated officials on that basis.

Granted, when it comes to issues such as the sharing of income streams emanating from tapping into natural resources for commercial gain located in specific regions, at some point or other specific communities may have a more urgent need to address these than others. However, ultimately such natural resources especially in a country like Zimbabwe are to be found everywhere. In this instance, therefore, such an issue becomes of interest across the length and breadth of the country, again centering on groups rather than mere geographies.

The development of most pieces of legislation nowadays knows no geography. The most pressing issue in specific geographies is the accountability of elected officials as far as the delivery of a better life is concerned, and that translates to improved infrastructure, public services, healthcare, schools, public goods. In other words in specific areas people want real stuff and not ‘frameworks’ and language they do not always understand, well at least until they actually encounter a related matter.

Some of the most popular members of Zimbabwe’s parliament are those who, through whatever influence they could exercise respectively, delivered development to their respective regions, as with the guy who got the bridge fixed in time for the cotton harvesting season, it’s what people actually expect. This is the real basis upon which the election of constituency-based representatives ought to be, in other words devolution of responsibility and supporting resources to where it makes the most sense at provincial level and the creation of virtual project managers at constituency level.

On the other hand, the group of individuals concerned with developing legislation can and should really come from appropriate conglomerations of interest groups otherwise known as political parties on a proportional basis.

One might ask if in fact I’m not proposing a South African model and indeed I am, but only as far as the national parliament is concerned where legislators are elected on a proportional representational basis. It is the structure of the provinces where the model I’m putting forward differs from South Africa’s where I’m proposing that regional representatives act as development agents.

I must also emphasise that I’m not for a minute proposing the creation of provincial cabinets mirroring the national cabinet as is the case in South Africa, just merely that elected constituency representatives be given a role in what I would broadly speaking refer to as project management of development in their respective constituencies.

For the time being, I will not attempt to furnish all the finer details and be prescriptive on exactly how these elected representatives ought to work with local professional structures but do know that the argument I’m putting forward is what ought to inform our future direction. Indeed the idea remains open to further refinement by relevant experts.

Someone else might suggest that what I’m saying could be catered for by having provincial governors elected rather than appointed by the president and I would agree that although it’s not my ideal choice it would alleviate somewhat the challenge I’m highlighting by closing that gap between the elected and electors. The most ideal scenario for me however would involve some form of direct accountability for constituency representatives.

There are many aspects of development with a unique local nuance for which the local population needs to hold someone accountable. Indeed as ZAPU’s spokesman Methuseli Moyo, as well as many others recently wrote, aspects such as broad monetary and fiscal policy, foreign affairs and national security, national infrastructure and high level policy formulation ought to reside at central government, but the provision of local infrastructure and the running of development projects ought to be a lot closer to the people, in effect a strengthening of the democratic system.

We ought to make it that much easier for those individuals elected by the people to be accountable and just as easily removed when they do not deliver, period.

Lovemore Fuyane was born in Zimbabwe and lives in South Africa. He writes in his personal capacity

SA to resume Zim deportations

9/2/2010 12:00:00 AM

SOUTH Africa says it is stopping a special dispensation granted to Zimbabweans allowing them to stay in the country even without documents.

Currently, officials are prevented from deporting or arresting undocumented Zimbabwean nationals in South Africa irrespective of their legal status under a moratorium on removals announced in April 2009.

South African government spokesman Themba Maseko said Thursday that from December 31, all Zimbabweans living in South Africa will be treated like any other foreign nationals.

"The decision seeks to ensure that all foreign nationals who reside in South Africa are documented and their presence is regularised. After December 31, all undocumented Zimbabweans will be treated like all others and their deportation will resume," Maseko said.

The decision follows a bilateral agreement between the Ministers of Home Affairs from the two countries. As part of the agreement to suspend free movement, Zimbabwe undertook to issue documents to all its undocumented nationals, Maseko said.

Where this was not possible, the Zimbabweans would be allowed to return home and fetch the necessary papers.

Zimbabweans working, conducting business or studying in South Africa would be issued with a working permit, business permit or a study permit, provided they had valid Zimbabwean documents.

"I would imagine this would also apply to those doing informal work in the country," he added.

There would be "an amnesty" for Zimbabweans who might have obtained South African identity documents fraudulently, on condition that such documents were returned to the home affairs department with immediate effect.

However, this would not mean that they would automatically qualify for regularisation, Maseko said. They would then have to apply for permits that enabled them to legally reside in South Africa.

He added: "We are saying return these [illegal] documents ... Start making sure that you get your Zimbabwean documents and then when you've got your Zimbabwean documents, then we clarify what is your status in this country and we will then issue you with the relevant permit.

"So if you are in the country illegally and you have a job, you get a work permit. If you don't, you get deported."

There are no definitive figures on how many Zimbabweans are in South Africa, although the International Organisation for Migration estimates the figure to be between 1.5 to 2 million.

After the June-to-July soccer World Cup, many Zimbabwean migrants left South Africa, fearing a new wave of attacks on foreigners competing for scarce jobs in Africa’s biggest economy which has a 25 percent unemployment rate.

A series of attacks on foreign workers from other African states killed 62 people in 2008.

The decision to resume deportations of Zimbabweans is however meeting stiff resistance from the refugee rights organisation, PASSOP, which says the move is tantamount to a death sentence.

PASSOP said in a statement that it hoped to meet with the department of home affairs to discuss its unhappiness with the plan and to ensure that the rights of Zimbabweans were protected.

"Failing which, we shall consider what actions could be taken in resistance to the return of the draconian tactics of deportation," it said.

"[These] amount to the refusal of South Africa to provide survival to vulnerable groups, essentially a death sentence."

PASSOP said its initial understanding of the moratorium had been that it was an interim solution while the government provided Zimbabwean nationals with a special exemption under the Immigration Act.

This document had, however, not been distributed or made available to Zimbabwean nationals, and refugee reception centres remained clogged.

"It has been proven that deportation does not work, as the department previously deported in excess of 140,000 people a year at a huge expense," it said. "We disagree with the belief that a sustainable solution has been met in Zimbabwe. We do not believe that the humanitarian crisis has been resolved." - Sapa

Harare stands still as Akon sweeps into town

9/2/2010 12:00:00 AM

CHAOS reigned on the streets of Harare on Thursday as American R&B star Akon swept into town ahead of a gig at the National Sports Stadium on Saturday.

Hundreds of fans waited for the Senegal-born star at the Harare International Airport. And when he finally appeared from the terminal -- not through the normal exit -- just after 1400hrs, there were scenes of hysteria as people screamed his name, reached out to touch his hand and some burst into tears.

The crowd had been watching two limousines that were moving slowly round the airport parking, believing that the Lonely star would leave in either of the two vehicles. Both the departures and arrivals lounges were packed with people.

But Akon was brought out through a rear entrance and shown to a Rolls Royce Phantom owned by business tycoon, Phillip Chiyangwa. The Royce, along with a police escort and a number of other gleaming vehicles, did a tour round the airport. The frenzy reached fever pitch when Akon appeared through the sun roof of the luxury vehicle.

Ahead of him, waving like crazy and also receiving his own round of cheers, was Chiyangwa in a convertible Mercedes coupe.

The fans, who had waited since as early as 11AM, ranged from teenagers to much older music lovers. There were loud screams as those closest to the vehicle reached out to touch his hand while others whipped out their camera phones and recorded the historic moment.

Akon’s convoy was followed by about fifty other vehicles as it made its way into the Harare City Centre where streets were jammed.

Akon was expected to visit Mbare and the National Heroes Acre before holding a press conference.

Jamaican reggae star Sean Paul, who will share the stage with Akon, is expected in Zimbabwe on Friday.

Saturday’s gig is promoted by ZIMSWAG Entertainment, a company fronted by the music producer Prince Tendai Mupfurutsa. Tickets for the show are priced between $15 and US$100.

The UK-based Zimbabwean R&B singer Cynthia Mare will be among the supporting acts, along with Winky D, Stunner, Roki and Soul Bone. Sungura stars Alick Macheso, Sulumani Chimbetu and Kapfupi will bring the curtain down. - The Zimbo Jam

Fiscal situation remains constrained: Biti

9/2/2010 12:00:00 AM

FINANCE Minister Tendai Biti has described Zimbabwe’s financial position as “still very trying" adding diamond sales this year will not ease pressure on the country’s budget.

Biti said foreign assistance to rebuild the country's economy remains low, leaving the government no room to spend more on new projects.

"It will remain a cash budget because we have no money for anything else," he said.

"Diamonds have proved they're not Zimbabwe's El Dorado, raising only $56 million. We are not printing money and the situation remains very, very trying."

Zimbabwe appealed for help to recover from a decade-long recession after the Movement for Democratic Change formed a power-sharing government with President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF party in February last year.

With Mugabe still in power, the accord has failed to allay investor and foreign government concerns.

International help is "far less than we hoped," Biti said.

Since 2009, the government has been spending "only what it earns and eating only what it kills" to avoid taking on debt, he said.

The government has started talking to businesses and industries about next year's budget, to be presented in December, Biti said.

He added that the government's share of money earned from diamond sales will contribute to the annual budget.

The Kimberley Process, which monitors sales of so-called conflict diamonds, allowed the country to sell 900 000 carats of gems from the area on August 11.

Zimbabwe's military and police have been criticised for human-rights abuses in the Marange diamond fields located in the country’s eastern Manicaland province.

Donors pull plug on constitution

9/2/2010 12:00:00 AM

ZIMBABWE’S successful completion of a constitutional reform drive hung in the balance on Wednesday after donors turned down a government request for more funding.

A parliamentary committee in charge of the process extended the outreach programme by 25 days last week after the lapse of the 65 days which it had initially set as a target to finish gathering people’s views.

The Constitution Parliamentary Select Committee (COPAC) has already blown US$21 million, and was seeking a further US$8 million from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Union.

But Edward Mkhosi, a joint chairman of the committee, has revealed the donors have snubbed their request for more funding.

He said: “We had a meeting with the donors where we told them that we have done three quarters of the country and needed more money to complete the process.

“But they said the money they gave us was to assist in the running of the process, and not take over the job. They suggested that the government could mobilise funds to finish the job.”

The cash-strapped government delayed the programme which began in late June after admitting it had no money for the constitution drive – a process which involves deploying hundreds of outreach officers countrywide to hold consultative public meetings.

Mkhosi said: “We now have to quickly look for funds for hotel bookings, accommodation and fuel and allowances for the teams.”

COPAC however says donors have agreed to fund the third and fourth segments of the process – the drafting process and referendum.

H'landers, FC Victoria match abandoned

9/2/2010 12:00:00 AM

Highlanders 1-0 FC Victoria
(match abandoned after 38 minutes)

HIGHLANDERS have been involved in a second abandoned match in as many weeks after visiting FC Victoria walked off the pitch in the first half of their league match at Barbourfields on Wednesday to protest the awarding of a penalty to the home team.

Highlanders led through a 17th minute strike by Protasho Kabwe when they were awarded a penalty eight minutes before half-time – referee Nkosana Nduna ruling that Takunda Mapara had been tripped in the box by Stephen Sheshe.

FC Victoria players walked off the pitch in protest, and never returned – forcing the referee to call off the match after 15 minutes of waiting for the Masvingo club to return to the pitch.

Nobioth Magwizi, Victoria’s club chairman, claimed he was attacked by Highlanders supporters during the stand-off.

The ugly scenes follow last week’s skirmishes which saw Highlanders’ BancABC Sup8r clash with bitter rivals Dynamos abandoned at the same venue – after both teams walked off the pitch at different times protesting against poor officiating. The PSL is investigating the incident, with both clubs facing massive fines.

Simplicio Gwanoya, the match commissioner for Wednesday’s abandoned clash, said he would submit a report to the Premier Soccer League. The PSL will also consider a report from the referee before deciding what action to take.

TEAMS

Highlanders: A Sibanda, B Dube, B Choto, P Kabwe, F Kanda, R Kutsanzira, G Lunga, T Mapara, I Mapuranga, B Ndlovu, J Ngodzo

FC Victoria: D Murinye, E Mawine, P Makuvise, W Mukanga, M Mucheni, H Ziso, T Mzuze, P Chagara, S Sheshe, P Sinamai, J Chekecheke

No trust at Man City: Mwaruwari

9/2/2010 12:00:00 AM

BLACKBURN striker Benjani Mwaruwari claims there is "no trust" at his old club Manchester City and that some of their players are motivated primarily by money.

The Zimbabwe international agreed a deal with Rovers last week having been released earlier this summer by City, where he had spent a largely unsuccessful two-and-a-half-year stint.

With a raft of expensive new players arriving at Eastlands after he was signed in 2008 by then-manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, Benjani, whose time with City was marred by injury, was deemed surplus to requirements by the club's current boss Roberto Mancini.

The 32-year-old forward has now proven his fitness sufficiently to win himself a contract at Ewood Park and while expressing his delight at earning another chance to play in the Barclays Premier League, Benjani has also taken the opportunity to fire a parting shot at his former employers.

Asked what it was like to be at City when they were spending so much money, Benjani said: "It sounds great, but in football money is not everything.

"What is needed is people who can hang around and love you to be there.

"Sometimes you are loved to be there because of money, which is not good. I would prefer to be here without having all those facilities, be happy and trust everyone around you."

Asked if he thought some players at City were interested in money more than anything else, Benjani said: "Yes, it seemed like that and behind the scenes, there is no trust.

"I would prefer to play for a club where you are being trusted and you trust everyone around you."

After being without a club all summer, Benjani is a few weeks behind the rest of the Rovers squad in terms of fitness, but the striker hopes to catch up soon.

He said: "There was some question about my fitness so I came here to prove that I didn't have any problems and now I have signed.

"Blackburn is a good team, now I am here, I am happy here, I hope to score goals here.

"I'm stil working on my fitness right now so hopefully when I am fit I will fight for a place in the team. The lads are performing so it won't be easy, I won't be able to just walk into the team, I need to work hard and I'm still working hard.

"My fitness is not yet up to the level of the Premier League at the moment so I'm working very hard with the fitness trainers at the moment, if I can get some practice matches in I should be fit in one month."

The striker will have "Benjani" on the back of his Rovers shirt, along with the number 21.

Scots tour pull-out 'regrettable': ZC

9/2/2010 12:00:00 AM

ZIMBABWE Cricket has described Scotland’s decision to withdraw its cricket team from a planned tour of Zimbabwe as “regrettable”.

The Scots were due to face a Zimbabwe XI for their scheduled ICC Intercontinental Cup matches in Harare in October, but on Tuesday declared they would not travel on the advice of the British and Scottish governments.

ZC managing director Ozias Bvute said: "The decision is regrettable. We have consulted with our various authorities who have all ruled out the possibility of these matches being played at a neutral venue.

"I remain of the belief that sport can build bridges and I have confidence that it can also act as a catalyst for healing and national unity.

“It is with this in mind that we hope that in the not too distant future, all the strained sporting relations will be restored for the common good of all.”

Cricket Scotland chief executive Roddy Smith said on Tuesday: "It is hugely unfortunate that Cricket Scotland has been put in an impossible no-win situation in regard to the potential tour to Zimbabwe.

"Both the UK and Scottish governments were clear in their advice to us. Although accepting that this decision will not be welcomed by some key partners, we felt that as a responsible governing body we could not, and would not, contravene the direct and unequivocal advice from government.

"We hope that the Scotland team can look forward to playing in Zimbabwe again in the future if and when government policy allows."

The British government has previously banned the England cricket team from touring Zimbabwe claiming security concerns and rights violations by the Zimbabwe government.

Last month, Britain's sports minister said the tours would not resume until ZC chairman Peter Chingoka -- seen as an ally of President Robert Mugabe -- leaves office.

Zim needs $200m for elections: Biti

9/2/2010 12:00:00 AM

ZIMBABWE will need US$200 million to hold polls next year if leaders insist on meeting unity deal time-frames, according to Finance Minister Tendai Biti.

Fresh elections are due in 2011 under the power-sharing pact signed two years ago by President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara.

The "$200 million would be required for two elections (including parliamentary polls)," Biti was quoted as saying by the state-run Herald newspaper.

Biti said a decision on elections lay with Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara, who formed a compromise government last year to pave the way for fresh polls after a bloody presidential run-off election boycotted by Tsvangirai.

Zimbabwe's electoral commission indicated last week that it will not be able to draw up a clean voters' roll and organise elections next year because of lack of funding.

Electoral reforms are also needed for credible polls, it said.

Parliament is to amend electoral laws to speed up the announcement of results and create a system for reporting political violence before the new polls.

The parties also agreed to draft a new constitution before the next elections but a drive to gather suggestions for the new charter has been marred by reports of intimidation.

Under the power-sharing deal, Zimbabwe was meant to draft a new constitution and put it to a referendum by November 2010, with new elections by February 2011.

Blair 'would have loved' to topple Mugabe

9/1/2010 12:00:00 AM

FORMER British Prime Minister Tony Blair admits he “would have loved” to topple President Robert Mugabe militarily, but found the task “impractical” because he enjoys a “lingering support” from fellow African leaders.

The disclosure is made in Blair’s autobiography, A Journey, which was published this week.

Blair, who stood down as Prime Minister in June 2007 after a decade in power, writes: "People often used to say to me: If you got rid of the gangsters in Sierra Leone, [Slobodan] Milošević, the Taliban and Saddam, why can't you get rid of Mugabe?

“The answer is I would have loved to, but it wasn't practical (since, in his case, and for reasons I never quite understood, the surrounding African nations maintained a lingering support for him and would have opposed any action strenuously)."

Seeking to systematise his theory of foreign interventions in regimes that are "oppressive or dictatorial", he adds: "They may pose no outside or external threat; or it may be easily contained diplomatically. It may – as with Mugabe – be impractical to intervene."

A judgment has to be made, he states. "If change will not come by evolution, should it be done by revolution? Should those who have the military power contemplate doing so?

“The leader has to decide whether the objective is worth the cost. What's more, he or she must do so unsure of what the exact cost might be or the exact price of failing to meet the objective ... In this context, by the way, indecision is also decision ... Omission and commission both have consequences.”

Blair’s latest comments will be seized on by President Robert Mugabe who has previously claimed the existence of an Anglo-American alliance to carry out “regime change” in Zimbabwe. Mugabe says the plot has assumed the form of economic sabotage, namely sanctions imposed on the country following his government’s move since 2000 to seize white commercial farmland for resettling landless blacks.

British and American officials however deny a plot to oust Mugabe, insisting instead that sanctions were imposed in response to his government’s human rights violations; the targeted killing of political opponents and electoral theft.

Mugabe joy at bare breast parade

9/1/2010 12:00:00 AM

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe joined Swazi King Mswati III in watching an annual parade of 100,000 bare breasted maidens on Monday – and later told reporters he wished African countries would “emulate” the famous Reed Dance.

The eight-day traditional ceremony where thousands of virgins from around the country gather and dance for the Queen Mother goes back centuries in time. The King attends only the final day, and can choose a new wife if he wishes.

Mugabe took advantage of this week’s COMESA summit hosted by Swaziland to attend his first Reed Dance – a colourful spectacle whose purpose, say Swazi traditionalists, is to bond the nation, instilling good morals (virginity is essential for attendance) and allowing rural girls to travel outside of their home areas.

“Hopefully the attendance of the event by people from different countries, including COMESA member states, will help disabuse many of the quaint notions that the Reed Dance is a sexual event bordering on exploitation,” Mugabe was quoted as saying in the state-run Chronicle newspaper.

“These notions have been proved false ... completely false. I don’t think there’s any country in Africa and in the world that has undertaken the task of moulding its young ones through a dance.

“The dances, as we were told, were part of the process of moulding the girls into future mothers. There’s no other country that does that. I wish many countries would emulate that.”

The Reed Dance is often overshadowed by media interest in the polygamous King Mswati who sometimes makes use of the occasion to publicly court a prospective fiancée.

Royal watchers said this week Mswati -- who already has 13 wives -- was unlikely to pick a 14th this year to save Africa’s last absolute monarchy from public ridicule following embarrassing revelations that his 12th wife Nothando Dube had been caught in bed with Justice Minister Ndumiso Mamba by security agents. Taking a 14th wife, the analysts say, will refocus media attention on the King’s private life.

Mugabe recently said he tolerated polygamy but could not stand homosexuality.

“Our constitution allows polygamy. We will not force people into monogamous marriages. It’s there even in the bible - Solomon was not only given wealth but many wives,” Mugabe said in July.

Pride ... Swazi maidens take part in the annual Reed Dance

FACTS ABOUT REED DANCE:

In an eight day ceremony, girls cut reeds and present them to the Queen Mother and then dance. The Dance normally takes place in late August or early September. Only childless, unmarried girls can take part.

The aims of the ceremony are to preserve girls' chastity, provide tribute labour for the Queen Mother and encourage solidarity through working together.

Day 1: The girls gather at the Queen Mothers royal village. They come in groups from the 200 or so chiefdoms and are registered for security. They are supervised by men, usually four, appointed by each chief. They sleep in the huts of relatives in the royal villages or in the classrooms of the four nearby schools.

Day 2: The girls are separated into two groups, the older (about 14 to 22 years) and the younger (about 8 to 13). In the afternoon, they march, in their local groups, to the reed-beds, with their supervisors. The older girls often go to Ntondozi (about 30 kilometres) while the younger girls usually go to Bhamsakhe near Malkerns (about 10 kilometres).

If the older girls are sent to Mphisi Farm, the government will provide transport. The girls reach the vicinity of the reeds in darkness, and sleep in government-provided tents. Formerly, the local people would have accommodated them in their homesteads.

Day 3: The girls cut their reeds, usually about ten to twenty, using long knives. Each girl ties her reeds into one bundle. Nowadays, they use strips of plastic bags for the tying, but those mindful of tradition will still cut grass and plait it into rope.

Day 4: In the afternoon, the girls set off to return to the Queen Mother’s village, carrying their bundles of reeds. Again they return at night. This is done "to show they travelled a long way".

Day 5: A day of rest where the girls make final preparations to their hair and dancing costumes.

Day 6: First day of dancing, from about 3PM to 5PM. The girls drop their reeds outside the Queen Mothers quarters. They move to the arena and dance, keeping in their groups and each group singing different songs at the same time.

Day 7: Second and last day of dancing. The king will be present. He can publicly court a fiancé if he so wishes.

Day 8: King commands that a number of cattle (perhaps 20-25) be slaughtered for girls. They collect their pieces of meat and can go home.