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Drivers to re-test every three years

9/10/2011 12:00:00 AM

THE government has announced controversial new plans to force drivers to retest every three years – claiming this would improve driving and reduce accidents.

Learner drivers will also be tested at night under the planned reforms following representations by safety campaigners who point out that most accidents occur at night.

Secretary for Transport, Partson Mbiriri said the plans were part of efforts to curb carnage on the country’s roads as research findings suggest road traffic accidents could soon become a bigger killer than HIV/Aids and Malaria.

However, the Vehicle Inspection Department would need to be expanded if it is to cope with the increased number of tests.

"We can hardly cope with drivers licence issuance, what more if we introduce annual inspections? That would be enormous in terms of capacity. But going forward, it's something we are considering. It might not be annually, but after say two or three years," he said.

Mbirimi was speaking a meeting held in Harare to discuss government plans to ban the importation of vehicles older than five years.

Allowance Sango a director in the Ministry of Transport also weighed-in suggesting a driver’s licence should not be a permanent document.

"A driver's licence should not be a life document like a birth certificate or national registration card,” Sango said.

“There should be retesting, it is known that there are a lot of ailments that come with age.”

Scores of people were killed in two bus crashes that occurred last month alone with experts blaming the speeding drivers, aging vehicles and the state of the country’s road network.

Efforts by the government to expand some of the country’s major motorways into dual carriageways have been hampered by the lack of funds.

Bulls edge Highlanders in Super8r Final

9/10/2011 12:00:00 AM

Highlanders 0-1 Motor Action

AN early strike by inform Motor Action midfielder Allen Gahadzikwa helped the Mighty Bulls edge a battling Highlanders to lift the BancABC Super8r cup at Barbourfields Stadium on Saturday.

Gahadzikwa, who has been the driving force behind Motor Action's successful league run where Joey Antipas’ charges are joint leaders with FC Platinum on 42 points scored after just 10 minutes to deny the home side.

Highlanders were keen make up for their back-to-back loses against the Harare side in league clashes this season but the early strike by Gahadzikwa unsettled them, wrecking coach Mkuphali Masuku’s plans for some home delights.

Motor Action -- who went into the match missing key players Kuda Musharu, Tawanda Nyamandwe and Isaac Masame due to suspensions -- pocketed a cool US$50 000 for their efforts.

Bulls assistant coach David George said Highlanders proved worthy opponents but felt his charges deserved their early ‘Christmas present’.

"We are all happy to lift this cup. It's an early Christmas present for us. It was a difficult match and Highlanders played well but we took our chance and won the match,” George said.

“This victory will boost the confidence of the players as we focus on the league title.”

None of the two teams had won the BancABCSuper8r cup since its inception.

Dynamos won last year's edition but were booted out by Motor Action this time round after losing a dramatic penalty shoot 6-7 in the semi-finals.

Policy conflict hurting recovery: PM

9/10/2011 12:00:00 AM

ZIMBABWE’S economic recovery is being slowed by policy conflict in the unity government with President Robert Mugabe, said Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

Policy differences are jeopardizing efforts to create new jobs, Tsvangirai told supporters of his Movement for Democratic Change while celebrating the party’s 12th anniversary in the capital, Harare.

“Mugabe comes out and tells investors ‘your investment is safe’” and then Indiginisation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere says, “‘I want to close this and that mine,’” Tsvangirai said. “This kind of policy conflict cannot inspire confidence.”

Tsvangirai was referring to Mugabe's reassurances to foreign companies that they will not be nationalised if they comply with the country's new equity laws.

Within days Kasukuwere threatened to revoke mining giant Zimplats' licence for failure to submit their plan on how they intend to sell their majority stake to local blacks.

Tsvangirai and Mugabe entered into a power-sharing deal in February 2009.

Although the unity government has brought some stability, uncertainty caused by the government's indigenisation drive has scared away foreign investors.

The MDC is pushing for a new constitution, guarantees on press freedom and for foreign election monitors to be deployed for six months before any vote.

Zimbabwe’s next elections must have the support of the Southern African Development Community and the United Nations, Tsvangirai said, adding that the polls must be conducted in a free and fair environment.

Minister wants door-to-door HIV tests

9/10/2011 12:00:00 AM

DOOR-TO-DOOR testing for HIV could be part of a new attempt by Zimbabwe's health minister to curb infections, state media reported on Saturday.

"We must be innovative and embrace new approaches such as the know-your-HIV status campaigns through door-to-door testing," said Henry Madzorera.

At least one in seven Zimbabweans are believed to be positive for the HIV virus, a precursor to Aids. But testing remains optional in Zimbabwe.

Critics say the lack of adequate anti-retroviral drugs for those found to be HIV-positive deters many from seeking to discover their status.

New figures revealed at the conference show up to 7 000 children die in Zimbabwe every year because they cannot access appropriate medicine.

But Madzorera, who was speaking at the close of a national Aids conference this week, said it was important that every Zimbabwean "knows their status", the official Herald newspaper reported.

Zimbabwe's vice premier, Thokozani Khupe, recently announced an ambitious plan to have all male ministers in President Robert Mugabe's cabinet circumcised in a bid to encourage other men to participate in a nationwide circumcision campaign, aimed at cutting HIV rates.

Director of the tuberculosis and Aids unit in the Health Ministry, Owen Mugurungi, said Zimbabweans needed to be "brave enough" to accept door-to-door testing.

Manheru: WikiLeaks the new Willowgate

9/10/2011 12:00:00 AM

TRIPOLI has fallen, even though Gaddafi will not fall as wished by occupying Britain, France and America. He continues to be the proverbial hot lip that will not go to sleep.

On the ground, new developments are unfolding. The three leading invading Western countries - France especially - have now embedded their people with the TNC, all to ensure post-Gaddafi Libya is a fine neo-colony. In the case of France, another 1,500-strong French "legion" is now attached to the TNC, the same way Sarkozy attached a similar legion in Ivory Coast soon after the fall of Gbagbo, over and above a whole French General who is "advising" Ouattarra, whatever that means in French neo-colonial praxis.

When denial is acceptance

As Sarkozy happily hosted a summit dubbed "friends of Libya" in Paris last week, a French paper ironically titled "Liberation", disclosed that France had already secured 35 percent access to Libyan oil.

Embarrassed by this sudden, narrow turn to a campaign oversold to the world as driven by high-minded ideals, Alain Juppe, the French foreign minister, answered in perfect Gallic dis-confirmatory confirmation: "I am not aware of this letter (NTC letter pledging the 35 percent oil access). What I know is the NTC said very officially that concerning the reconstruction of Libya it would turn in preference to those who helped it. That seems fair and logical to me.

“I am not aware of a formal deal. You know this operation in Libya costs a lot. It's also an investment in the future because a democratic Libya is a country that will develop, offering stability, security and development in the region."

I hear you say: "Oh Good Lord, not so soon, not so soon!" Well, it is that soon.

Ill-mannered Manheru!

But my piece last week on the same matter raised quite some vigorous responses, as should all matters so close to the African bone. Spurts of anger and lots of bile landed on my poor person, scalding me in the process.

But there were also lots of praises, praises in equal measure enough to play balm to acerbic jibes known to come with the territory. As always, the reader is the king. It is the price any columnists must and should pay with humility if not equanimity.

Some of the comments were quite indulgently humourous, like one in which the writer threatened to sjambok me very hard for playing truancy in previous weeks, a sin he declared got aggravated by my not even apologising for it. Guilty as charged! I behaved as if I shot out of my mother's womb when all the old women of the village - themselves guardians of manners and morality - had gone kundhari (to the beer party)! Such rogues deserve whipping, like insolent fools in an Elizabethan court.

When a jackal is better than hyena

But I also had one reaction which I thought raised a very serious, persuasive, and yet fatally flawed judgment in my view. The respectable reader wrote: "Many impartial observers have rightly blamed this new age of African occupation (by imperialism) on our repressive leaders themselves who give the West a legitimate excuse to re-colonise our wealth.

“Human rights abuse; oppressive legislation; cooked-up election results, refusal to adhere to rule of law, refusal to respect election outcomes, dictatorships for life (in fact the list is endless). Need I tell you that despite ‘the good work' Gaddafi did for his Libya, his was an illegitimate government for over 40 years?

“If NATO decides they want your resources who can you blame then if they then come under the auspices of the UN to facilitate ‘democratic governance'? Your so-called pan-Africanism sells talk does not wash with me because it is tantamount to a jackal telling me it is kinder to me than the hyena!"

Retributive in-justice

By any measure, this is a serious argument permitting potentially far-reaching conclusions. More significantly, I can confirm that it is held by some in executive echelons of many African countries, including those who proceeded to vote with Europe and America for Resolution 1973, against Africa.

To simply summarise the reader's argument, the panacea or expiation to African mis-governance is foreign invasion, occupation and pillage. All this, so the argument implies, sets African things right, indeed repairs African injury from years of dictatorships. At face value this sounds like a sound argument if only it was not anchored on retributive in-justice! Yes, retributive in-justice!

Reliving history

You, the African so oppressed and so abused for more than 40 years under Gaddafi's excesses, get repaid by an European invasion, war and occupation, followed by systematic pillaging of your resources by the West! Your bad leaders have made you deserve it, goes the logic. Through foreign invasion, foreign war, foreign occupation, through the resulting foreign-directed or blest mis-governance and exploitation, you, the African oppressed must feel expiated, must feel sweetly avenged! Uu-uuh! Except you have moved from internal oppression to external invasion, defeat, occupation and exploitation.

You are no better, in fact are comparatively worse. As the Ivorians, Tunisians, Egyptians, and quite very soon the Libyans have seen and will see respectively, the solution to internal or local oppression cannot be external invasion or occupation. You will still need to fight another war, to wage another revolution, as the Shonas were soon to find out after obeying the same flawed logic in 1893 when the Ndebeles took up arms in resistance to colonial intrusion.

The tri-lemma

As I write, the Egyptians are back in Tahrir Square, agitating against an outcome from a "revolution" so painfully aborted. They have since realised that after the local jackal came a Western lion, very hungry for Egyptian flesh!

I quite liked a cartoon in one of the French papers. It showed a Gaddafi seating in high chair of Libyan State. Behind him was a portrait of himself. Juxtaposed to this relational cartoon was another cartoon of the leader of the NTC - some Jibril or something - also in high chair of the Libyan State. Behind him were portraits of Cameron and Sarkozy! Not a dilemma at all. It is called a "tri-lemma" of the devil, the hard rock and the blue sea!

The naked leak which won't go away

WikiLeaks came a long time ago. We all thought it had been seen enough and had gone. We were wrong. It is very much around, and against it, so many fresh wounds, all weeping. Those named in the deadly leak have to face the world, faces burning with utter shame. The sense of betrayal - of country, of principle, of principal, of comrade, of cause - is profound and overbearing.

The only thing closest to this kind of shame is Willowgate, back in the late eighties. The names are big, the names are many and hey, who blames the media for the feeding frenzy?

I quite understand. For once, the quality dailies have overtaken H- and B-Metro, in commanding reader interest and imagination. In both, shame is the commodity packaged as news. Suddenly the human propensity for the lewd, for levity and for gossip (as in the Metros), has given way to interest in serious drama so full of patrician actors drawn from high society. It is a drama of royalty, a drama hewn out of those who govern us, right across the political divide. And hey, we all see them standing, in puris naturalibus! And in politics as in creation, nakedness is good copy. Ask H-Metro!

So fine a story . . .

Yet herein lies the tragedy. The media focus has been on who said what to whom, when, where and how. You have all the four Ws, plus the H. What a perfect story!
With our Internet services reaching us at the speed of a drunken tortoise; with Assange telling us there are more leaks where the ones we already have came from, you have acute suspends, itself arguably the most potent element in moving all narratives forward.

So all the elements are there, elements for a long story, one told endlessly to ever mounting audience interest, from one market day to another until a full moon returns again.

WikiLeaks the leveller

And as Assange would have it, the serve is generous and inexorable. It is even too, as if to engage and preoccupy the whole political divide. If you are Zanu-PF, there is enough to make you angry at your own, enough to prove MDC "treachery".

If you are in either of the MDCs, you have enough to stoke your anger against your own, enough Zanu-PF "excesses" to validate your intense indignation at that party. If you belong to either of the MDC formations, you have enough with which to pelt the other side, and your side, too.

And if you are like me - a watcher - you ask yourself this one simple question: Which of you politicians is Zanu-PF; which of you is MDC-T/N? You feel the real identity of men and women who dabble in national affairs resides in their being politicians, never in their false party totems or slogans. For before the mighty Americans, they proved one and the same.

Oh WikiLeaks the leveller! Never in human history has so much grief and so much joy, been so copiously doled out, so evenly served or distributed, all to equally evenly felt agony.

Too bad, or too near

I spoke of danger. Lots of it for our small, great country so full of so big, small people. (It is very easy to become a second Jonathan Swift, so easy to become misanthropic). So fascinated have we become with names of offenders, names of devils, that we have forgotten - utterly forgotten - that WikiLeaks is the Devil's narrative. WikiLeaks is judgment of and by the Devil himself. WikiLeaks is about Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans as seen, met, read and reported by America and her diplomats in active foreign service. Please!!! Take care. Take great, great care, my people.

To say this is not to redeem anyone cited in those reports. I have utter contempt for all those so named, to the person. None, repeat, none of these despicable bipeds, should ever attempt any defence, should tender any explanation on the whys and wherefores. No one will be interested in such tall tales. These persons had no business dealing with Americans outside set procedures, outside commitment to the interest of this country, as is required of them.

All that assumes they met the Americans and said all that is attributed to them. If they didn't, too bad! They got too near the Devil to be misread as among its acolytes. That cannot be my problem. If there was no Assange, these informants of perfidious America, would have been crowned by the West for their treachery.
Is that not the story of Libya's TNC men and women? Few were looked for by American officials; still fewer were visited in their own offices or homes. Many accosted the Americans to deposit their thoughts with America. Many, many more delivered themselves. In many cases, there was clear intent. So I weep for none, will defend not a single one of them.

Feeding on human frailties

But my bursting indignation against such senior and important officials and politicians from whom so much was expected by way of leadership, does not blind me to the basic fact that America was and will always pursue its interests in Zimbabwe, both fairly and foully.

Part of that included gathering mischief from amongst us, kneading all that mischief into greater policy mischief, which today guides her hostile actions and activities against our Republic. It is so clear that in WikiLeaks we vividly see how America goes about prising open national systems, all to divide and therefore to weaken them. America takes advantage of real weaknesses in us - compelling propensities in us - principally that deadly wish to ingratiate ourselves with the white man and his mighty white power.

America played on the human urge to be close to bigger power, the urge to be understood by and useful to the interests of a bigger power. In some cases it went beyond that. It became an urge to be saved by that bigger power, in case of American-led hostile action. So people thought the best way to save their skins was to testify against their cause, country and even personal interests.

Bare ambition, criminal actions

Of course ambition - another destructive urge in us all - played its part in equal measure. It is interesting that across parties, the leadership is besieged, a stance implying potential leadership vacuums.

The tragedy of it all is that all the reports bring no real substantive argument on ideology, vision or programme. The attack on leadership is not founded on an alternative vision for our society. It is founded on claimed fallibilities and alleged infirmities.

But I tend to differ stiffly with anyone who criminalises ambition, however vaulting. It is a natural urge in us all as humans, a seeming natural right in all politicians who always think and dream higher than their present stations. I thought words attributed to Makoni in WikiLeaks put it across so well: the leaders above us are one crust keeping us under and down.

This is a true and abiding human condition from that fateful day that man became organised in hierarchy.

That means ever since men learnt to live their lives in pecking order, man also learnt to challenge that order by way of ambition. My real point of departure is when ambition conspires, when it enlists a foreign power to realise itself. Immediately it becomes indictable. All those in WikiLeaks who acted cleanly in pursuit of their ambition, in my view, have nothing to answer for.

The American century in Zimbabwe

Is it not a tragedy that if the American narrative as rendered through WikiLeaks is to be believed, most of our politicians, in some cases our leaders - right across the political divide - were caught up in a pell-mell rush for prized audiences with American officials, however lowly? Tails whipping the air like flywhisks, hind orifices even releasing bursts of sharp farts, all were caught up in a headlong stampede to deposit their pennyworth thoughts with the Americans. What a shame!

That way America was crowned a God above this mighty nation. We all went worshipping, perfect supplicants. And America set the agenda of local politics, even defining for us what amounted to our real problem as a people, as a country, as a government.

Meeting minions

The American century had finally come to Zimbabwe and hey, what we dealt with was not Bush or Obama. Not even Hilary Clinton. We got overawed by America's little ambassadors and diplomats deployed here, all of whom reported to junior officers like Susan Rice or Jendayi Fraser. Small in their own great country, here these diplomats became enormous, severe gods reigning above us, with us, the little ones, groveling before this mighty Deity, accosting it with our plaintive pleas, prayers and problems. And like real gods, the Americans knew all our frailties, always guided by a basic reckoning that vanity is the source of all vulnerabilities. Those with unmet delusions of grandeur, America met with satisfying fumes of greatness. Those feeling forsaken, America embraced falsely.

Yes, those feeling trammelled and encumbered, America promised without having to deliver. From that day on, we ceased to be genuine scions of the First Chimurenga, true sons and daughters of the Second and Third Chimurenga. Today, for all my revulsion of America and her wicked ways, I embrace her as an heroic foe. WikiLeaks speak of efficient, effective diplomacy; speak of a global power well served and well deployed. Give it to them.

Still standing

Yet in spite of all this prowess, in spite of this formidable gathering power, America still failed here. We kept a world giant busy for a good ten years. We still keep it busy today. And beneath the seeming triumph, in Wikileaks is real agony of a mighty bully helplessly irritated by a midget, a bully unclear of what to do with a small, persistent irritant. Between 2000 and 2010, you see a superpower grappling with an appropriate response, with sanctions emerging as the only viable blunt weapon at its disposal. You see a wish to engage, persuade, cajole, threaten, subvert, isolate, all in vain.

#Hurray, we are still standing, all the time buffeting this mighty monster, while still keeping our own. We cannot be afraid now from reading those reports. For goodness' sake they are in the past tense; a real narrative of a history already lived. And for us they become a narrative of a danger already survived and outlived, although not yet overcome. A danger against which we must arm ourselves. I am making my second and third points about Wikileaks: the reports relate to a past, not the present, even though much about them continues to influence the present and possibly endanger a future we must both shape and secure. Our future. This is where the challenge begins, and we need to be very thoughtful so we correctly size the enemy without being overawed by him.

Our people as the key

I have already said the first message is that Zimbabwe still stands. We are all surprised at how we managed this feat. To all intense and purposes there was no party; they were no parties. Only politicians so badly divided by America and other western powers. Just how did we survive? We did survive because America is both weak and unable, in spite of all its awesome power, to reach and snap that tendon or sinew which keeps us going.

Interestingly, all those opposed to Mugabe went to the American Embassy; none went to the people to organize against Mugabe. The Americans divided the leadership, but they never alienated the people from their cause. Americans never equipped the dissident element with politics that could appeal to, and persuade the people. Dispirit them yes, but not politics that could get them to abdicate and defect from their cause and interest. This is why apathy, not desertion, became Zanu (PF)'s Achilles. America could not have bribed the people of Zimbabwe. Imperialism has no resources for that. Herein lies the key.

Bleak American future

Today Wikileaks are America's weakest link. Such a mighty power, yet so vulnerable to small hackers! Such a mighty power unable to keep its secrets and thus unable to protect its informants! I can only surmise that intelligence organizations across the world a busy studying Wikileaks to build a glossary of local people enlisted by America, local people therefore to watch. That cripples America both in the present and in the future. No one will ever want to be seen or to work, with a country which cannot look after its secrets. This is why for me America's awesome gathering powers may have seen their heyday. The future is going to be bleak and challenging for her ambassadors abroad.

The Devil as witness?

I want to keep to Zimbabwe. America has taught and enabled us to read it. Our profit is that we now know its ways, thinking and fears. That is more than half winning fuselage in a war. Rather than fascinating ourselves with who has told what to Americans, should we not all recede into very dark rooms, dilate our eyes to near-blindness, all to understand how American imperialism operates abroad? Operates within our environment so we fight better when its wars come? Are we not a lucky generation which loving gods have favoured with hindsight of a future still contested?

Frankly I have no appetite for an argument that demands retribution against all those who have "sold out" to Americans. After all it is a demand the requires you to trust the Devil's testimony, indeed to subpoena the Devil as witness! How righteous is your case and cause a day after the Devil has stood in the witness box for you? I doubt that these leaks are admissible evidence in any court.

America, the greatest teacher

There are even greater questions. How many of those leaks come from history, how many from contemporary American mischief, aided and abetted by Assange himself whose loyalty is not to Africa, let alone to Zimbabwe? True, those in executive saddles may use these leaks as aides in marking the future, indeed in making decisions. But that is administrative.

What would be unconscionable is a witch-hunt on the basis of such American monologues by American minions seeking fact, excuse and self-glory all at once. They have hurt us from 2000. We now risk making them hurt us again simply by making narratives of their espionage work here assume dire implications on the current situation.

That would be wrong, a complete defeat of ourselves. Let us study from these Wikileaks how America subverts. Tongogara put it well: Ian Smith is our greatest teacher; each time he bombs us, we go back to look at ourselves and our defences to tighten up.

Breathing life into history

And I thought the Zimbabwe Independent, itself part of the American project here (thanks to Wikileaks for outing that one!), yesterday did much to show the mischief in the offing. Its headline read, "Mugabe paralysed", to suggest a wish to have this American narrative on our situation here bear directly on current affairs, contemporary actions and prospects.

It is an attempt to use an "out-ted" history monologue to destabilise the present in order to reshape it after American interests. It is an attempt to stab Mugabe using the dagger from an opinionated history. Far worse than re-living an unknown history is getting divided by a known one. There is a concerted attempt to infuse currency to this whole narrative so America can divide us yet again. It is called a second bite at the cherry. We should never allow it. Icho!

Nathaniel Manheru is a columnist for the Saturday Herald

WikiLeaks outs US, SA double agent

9/10/2011 12:00:00 AM

A ZIMBABWEAN journalist-cum-political commentator used his position as an analyst for an NGO to gain access to senior South African government officials – then sold details of their discussions to American diplomats.

Double agent Sydney Masamvu was taken into the confidence of South African officials in intelligence and foreign affairs as they sought to formulate their policies on Zimbabwe.

Unbeknown to them, the former Daily News reporter was all the time working with the American embassies in Harare and Pretoria, channelling details of their discussions, according to a shock US diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks.

The cable, dated April 30, 2007, from the US embassy in Pretoria, shows how Masamvu has operated in South Africa as a possible double agent -- supplying intelligence to both the South African and the US governments.

The “confidential” cable, which lists Masamvu as a “close Embassy contact” whose name is followed by the instruction to “strictly protect”, details how he indulged in double dealing -- proffering intelligence to both the US and the SA government officials.

The cable is one of more than two dozen detailing Masamvu’s contacts with the Americans. Over two days between April 24-25, 2007, Masamvu discussed the Zimbabwean crisis on topics ranging from Zanu PF politics and MDC internal affairs to the national security services with South African Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad, Intelligence Minster Ronnie Kasrils, Head of National Intelligence Coordinating Committee, Barry Gilder, and Foreign Affairs Director General Ayanda Ntsaluba before briefing his pay-masters at the US embassy in Pretoria.

According to the cable, “a visibly exhausted Masamvu provided a read-out of these marathon meetings on April 26” to the Americans, suggesting that he was indeed on assignment.

Masamvu, who also met with the then ANC Secretary General Kgalema Motlante – now Vice President -- missed an opportunity to meet with President Thabo Mbeki through Pahad’s facilitation only due to “scheduling complications”.

In one incident which confirms his double dealing, Masamvu accepted a request from Pahad to supply “a five-page paper by May 04 detailing his core recommendations for Zimbabwe policy”, only for Masamvu to supply the information to the US government with a further personal request on “what to emphasise in his paper”.

According to the cable, the US government received the information with glee, alerting its Harare embassy to prepare information and questions which Masamvu would then prepare “in his own words”.

So deeply-steeped into this double dealing was Masamvu that he not only easily met with whom he pleased, but he got senior SA government officials to take him seriously as an authority on Zimbabwe.

In his meetings with the South African officials, he was asked questions on “pressure points” on Mugabe and the MDC leadership. According to the cable, Pahad confirmed his disdain for the MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai and his preference for secretary general Tendai Biti.

In one embarrassing incident for South African intelligence, both Kasrils and Gilder took down “copious notes asking a series of questions” as Masamvu analysed for them the “various alliances” within the military -- leaving Masamvu surprised “since his information was common knowledge in Zimbabwe”.

Masamvu, not famed for any excellence among his colleagues in the media and NGO community, is not done any service either by the US embassy’s Charge d'Affaires, Donald Teitelbaum, whose cable states that “it is unusual for South African government officials to spend so much time with an NGO analyst like Masamvu”.

Masamvu, a graduate of Harare Polytechnic’s Division of Mass Communication, started his career at the Financial Gazette where he did his internship, rising to become the political editor.

He was later to join The Daily News as an assistant editor, doing so after his former editor at the Financial Gazette, Francis Mdlongwa, joined the paper and took his team with him.

Earlier in his career, Masamvu had surprisingly won a US journalism award in 2001.

In 2003, Masamvu won a Chevening Scholarship to study for a Masters degree in International Journalism at Cardiff University in Wales, and shortly after got a job as an analyst for the International Crisis Group based in South Africa even before submitting his dissertation.

He currently works as a senior political analyst for the Institute for Democracy in Africa (IDASA).

PM: Mugabe election plan illegal

9/10/2011 12:00:00 AM

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe's plan to call an election in Zimbabwe unilaterally for March 2012 would be "illegal", and the vote cannot be held until reforms are carried out to make it fair, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said on Saturday.

Mugabe and Tsvangirai, longstanding foes, are in an uneasy power-sharing coalition set up two years ago following disputed 2008 elections.

Last week, Mugabe accused Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change of stalling constitutional reforms in order to delay the vote, which Mugabe had wanted in 2011. The veteran ruler vowed to call for elections whether the MDC agreed or not.

Tsvangirai told thousands of MDC supporters at a rally in Harare that the president did not have the authority to set a date unilaterally.

"Mugabe says he wants an election in March. That's illegal, we both have to agree on the date for the next election," Tsvangirai said.

He said the MDC would insist first on an agreement with Mugabe on electoral reforms and the involvement of the regional Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc, the African Union and the United Nations.

The reforms would include a new voters' roll and constituency boundaries as well as the removal of election officials who ran previous disputed polls, he said.

"SADC has said these are the steps which must be taken first. We want an election conducted in a free and fair environment, so there are no future disputes," Tsvangirai said.

"SADC knows that without a roadmap with clear timelines, we could have another disputed election."

Tsvangirai said while the unity government had managed to arrest Zimbabwe's economic decline, sharp differences remained over policies such as a law championed by Mugabe which seeks to transfer control of foreign-owned firms to locals.

"The inclusive government cannot create jobs because of conflict of policy. Today, Mugabe assures investors that their investments are safe, but the next day (Empowerment Minister Saviour) Kasukuwere threatens to close down mines," Tsvangirai said.

"We're not in agreement with these policies. When we win the election, we'll adjust them so we restore investor confidence in our country."

Zanu PF part of future: Bennett

9/10/2011 12:00:00 AM

ROY Bennett feels the West would do well to recognise that Zanu PF “is not going anywhere” and instead train their efforts on helping strengthen the inexperienced MDC-T government benches, it has emerged.

The MDC-T treasurer revealed his misgivings about the MDC-T’s performance in government and the leadership of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai during meetings US Ambassador, Charles Ray in February last year, according to leaked embassy cables.

Bennett told Ray that Zanu PF was part of the country’s future and urged the US envoy to find ways of helping moderate elements in the party stand up to the excesses of “extremists”.

“Apart from the MDC, Bennett acknowledged that Zanu PF will be involved in a future Zimbabwe; the challenge is to identify those in Zanu PF who can play constructive roles, and to find ways to bolster them against extremists,” Ambassador Ray wrote following the meeting.

The MDC-T financier also expressed concern over the MDC-T’s failure to deliver in government and admitted that Tsvangirai’s office was “weak”.

“Bennett talked with the Ambassador about MDC-T's inability to 'deliver the goods' to the people ... The party was very good at campaigning, but lacked a strong bench in terms of governing,” Ray said.

“Hardly any of the MDC ministers had any previous experience in administration, and the few with any capability were overstretched.”

Regarding the holding of fresh polls to replace the coalition government Bennett claimed the MDC-T leadership wanted elections to be held in 2011.

He blamed Tsvangirai’s penchant for contradicting agreed party positions in his public pronouncements for the apparent confusion in the MDC-T over the issue.

“We noted that a couple of weeks ago, Tsvangirai had said the country was not ready for early elections, but had apparently reversed course in Davos and supported 2011 elections,” Ambassador Ray wrote.

“Bennett said the party leadership had always supported 2011 elections; but despite party decisions, Tsvangirai had a tendency to publicly take inconsistent positions.”

'Seize the moment': Banda's war cry

9/9/2011 12:00:00 AM

ON THE eve of his team’s BancABC Sup8r final battle against Motor Action, Gilbert Banda called on his Highlanders teammates to “seize the moment”.

Highlanders have already lost twice to the Premier League champions this season, but their captain says the defeats have steeled their resolve for Saturday’s final at Barbourfields.

"It’s going to be difficult because Motor Action psychologically have an advantage after beating us twice in the league this season,” Banda said on Friday.

“But the defeats have also given us the resolve to do well and the whole team is itching to lay its hands on the trophy.

“Our form has of late improved although it has taken us long to gel because of a number of new players in the team. It's important for us to win this trophy at home and everyone at the club is of one mind: we must seize this moment.”

On their way to the final, Highlanders beat CAPS United 1-0 in the quarter finals at Baghdad Stadium with Banda scoring the all important goal.

They accounted for Shabanie Mine by the same score in the semis – and the Premier Soccer League added the icing to their perfect cake by scheduling the final for Barbourfields.

On Saturday, Banda must lead from the front again as Highlanders bid to add more silverware to their trophy cabinet which is already decorated with the Independence Trophy.

Winners of the tournament will bank US$50,000 – up from the US$40,000 on offer for last year’s winners, Dynamos.

Motor Action, who edged out Monomotapa 2-1 in the quarter finals at Sakubva before seeing off Dynamos 7-6 in a dramatic penalty shoot-out in the semi-finals, will be missing key players Kuda Musharu, Tawanda Nyamandwe and Isaac Masame due to suspension.

Coach Joey Antipas said: "It's sad we will be missing the three players. Highlanders will be pumped-up because they are out for revenge, and they will be playing in front of their supporters.

“We are prepared for this game and I think it will be an interesting duel.”

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Makoni party funded by UK: WikiLeaks

9/9/2011 12:00:00 AM

SIMBA Makoni’s 2008 presidential bid was in part funded by the UK government, leaked United States diplomatic cables reveal.

The former Finance Minister quit Zanu PF to run as an independent, the result of growing disenchantment within the party over President Robert Mugabe’s reluctance to give up power.

Makoni ran against Mugabe and the MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai, finishing third in the first round vote with 8,3 percent behind Mugabe (43,2 percent) and Tsvangirai (47.9 percent).

Former United States ambassador James McGee, in a March 13, 2008, diplomatic cable leaked by whistleblower website, WikiLeaks, admitted his country had also offered Makoni financial support.

“The negative impression of the U.S. as a supporter of regime change had made it difficult for Makoni to accept Western support without becoming tainted.

“Therefore, Makoni did not want our financial support,” McGee said.

But McGee found this position slightly inconsistent, adding: “British ambassador to Zimbabwe Andrew Pocock told the Ambassador on March 12 that the UK has provided financial assistance to the Makoni campaign.

“We have also received reports that South African businessmen are supporting Makoni.”

The Political Parties (Finance) Act prohibits political parties and candidates for public office from receiving funds from foreign donors, whether channelled directly or indirectly, and Poccok’s claims would seem to suggest Makoni broke the law.

While the law exists, few are under the illusion that any of Zimbabwe’s political parties are supported only by internal donors.

In a February 2010 cable, current US ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray said MDC-T treasurer Roy Bennett had admitted that his party was bankrolled by the United States and some unnamed European countries.

Ray said in the memo: “According to Bennett, Western aid (primarily EU and U.S.) has had a strong focus on the MDC as a party. While this has been appreciated, it has not done enough to build the party's capacity to provide government services or manage the bureaucracy.”

Indigenisation: more time for miners

9/9/2011 12:00:00 AM

ZIMBABWE may give foreign miners more time to submit plans to transfer majority stakes to local black investors, the state-run Herald newspaper said on Friday.

Firms such Zimplats , the local unit of South Africa's Impala Platinum have asked for an extension of the deadline to submit empowerment plans, the paper said.

"Our teams are now working with some mining companies that have asked for more time to work on their new proposals and we will keep the public updated on the developments," Empowerment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere told the Herald.

The paper said Zimplats was working on a proposal to submit by the end of November, two months past the original deadline to transfer majority stakes.

"It appears that the timeframe that Zimplats was given to amend its proposal was short and the company has now requested for about two months to work on another proposal," said the paper, which is widely seen as an official government mouthpiece.

"A new proposal would be submitted to government before the end of November. The new plan will have an element of the community share ownership trust," Zimplats deputy chairman Much Masunda was quoted as saying.

Implats' shares fell more than three percent on Thursday on reports the government was moving to revoke Zimplats' licence. The shares recouped about two percent on Friday morning, outpacing a 0.25 percent rise on the blue-chip top 40 index .

Zimplats' accounts for about 10 percent of Implats' annual group output of close to 1.8 million ounces of platinum.

Debunking MDC political school myths

9/9/2011 12:00:00 AM

THE cat is out of the bag -- the MDC launched its political school on Friday, August 27, 2011, and this is a reality.

It is a first of its kind and as usual, it is bound to attract a lot of criticism from both the genuinely inquisitive and those who do not want to accept the actual existence and strength of the MDC.

Unfortunately, the power matrix of the world is transforming swiftly day by day. Yesterday the mighty in both local societies and global politics were those who owned the best of arms. The world today and tomorrow is run by those with the unending capacity to develop ground breaking ideas.

For those who are incapable of designing competitive and ground breaking programmes, the only political tool they have is mythology and the opponents of the MDC have not disappointed in that regard.

One such myth is that the MDC political school is a replica of the National Youth Service training introduced by the late former Youth Minister Border Gezi. This is quite interesting because in our view as MDC, there is no need for a second Border Gezi programme given the fact that there is an existing one that continues to needlessly suck the tax payers of their hard earned money.

The Border Gezi programme was designed to build a reserve if not a more youthful Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association and the current activities of graduates of that programme, if properly contrasted with the behaviour of members of ZNLWVA at its peak, will clearly show the grand plan behind it.

While the MDC Political School is a leadership development programme aimed at strengthening young people's understanding of eleven key leadership concepts namely National Heritage; Party Heritage; Contemporary Politics; Understanding Ideologies; Systems of Government; Policy Studies; Lobbying and Advocacy; Professional Ethics; National Administration; Electoral Systems and Strategies and Youth-Adult Relations, the Border Gezi programme has produced nothing but thousands of sezvazviri kind of politicians.

It is public knowledge that during the new constitution outreach programme, Zanu PF had commandeered all its surrogates who include Border Gezi graduates to throng the meeting points but unfortunately there is nothing they could say in those meetings except their sezvazviri anthem. Clearly, those who have been vouching for budgetary allocation for that programme since its inception must be ashamed of the output of such investments.

The Border Gezi programme has been nothing but Zanu PF's bottomless bank of currency for political tokenism and this is proven by the fact that not even a single graduate of that process has been trusted enough by Zanu PF to make them just a Member of Parliament.

The MDC Political School aims at developing a new brand of leaders who understand political systems and trends and are capable of being trusted with real national responsibility. To a certain extent, it is a response to the inadequacies of the Border Gezi programme and the lack of seriousness in youth leadership development by the concerned ministry. It is for these reasons that we have invited every Zimbabwean to be part of this ground breaking programme.

To conclude about the Border Gezi myth, it is prudent to note that while the Border Gezi programme has been run in a hugely opaque system only paralleled by the secret societies of the Middle East and Europe, the MDC political school has a clear curriculum which was released for public view from the very day of its launch. Thirteen years after its inception, there is no single document available on Google or anywhere outside Zanu PF that can speak to the disciplines taught at the Border Gezi camps. all of us are then left with the behaviour of the products of such a process to imagine what they are taught.

The second myth relates to the outlook of the programme and again some mischievous and tribalistic elements are back into their game. Analysis and comments have been made insinuating that because the programme was launched in Bulawayo, it is therefore not a national programme.

It is naivety of highest order to conclude that if a programme is launched from Bulawayo it is not a national programme and it is high time the media begins to disabuse people by refraining from such analysis.

In terms of both the speeches made at the launch and the press release made soon after, it was clearly spelt out that Bulawayo is going to be the host of the Summer School to be held from September 2011 to February 2012 while the Winter school is going to be held in yet another province which will be determined by the National Structures of both the MDC and the MDC Youth Assembly.

In all these schools or campuses, the presenters shall be party leaders and/or persons selected from within each locality, and it should not therefore surprise anyone that our presenters in the Summer School are all residents of Bulawayo or at least the neighbouring rural areas.

The MDC Youth Assembly is a National Organisation with leaders and structures from all over the country and will have any of its programmes begin in any of the country's provinces. We are a movement that believes in celebrating human diversity and upholding the equality of us all.

It must also be mentioned that unlike in other parties where youths cannot decide the outlook of the programmes that respond to their needs, the Political School is a project initiated and administered by the Youth Assembly. Not even President Welshman Ncube was involved in the design of the programme. The only time we will have members from the main and Women's Assemblies come in is when we need that guidance which will help us in terms of institutionalising such brilliant ideas.

I raise this because some have been arguing that while the programme might look good, the problem with it is that it has been imposed on MDC Youths by someone. We swallow that insult to the wisdom of our department of Training and Political Education.

Let all and sundry find space in their conscience to accommodate the fact that as we continue under the inspiring leadership of Chairman Gideon Mandaza, the MDC Youth Assembly shall continue to break new grounds and tread towards the promised land.

Discent Bajila is the Secretary General of the Youth Assembly of the MDC party led by Welshman Ncube

Pain necessary for economy to grow

9/9/2011 12:00:00 AM

LAST Friday, the official first day of spring here in South Africa, I made another voluntary pilgrimage back to Zimbabwe ending in the Midlands capital of Gweru. I am taking any opportunity to visit my homeland.

The vibe in Gweru was positively optimistic and the momentum for the national economy is still upwards. Of course there was a bit of murmuring concerning the new ZESA tariffs and the reinstatement of duty on some food items.

After this visit, I was left with a thought that perhaps there is need to educate our country to take some temporary pain for the future growth of our economy.

The general Zimbabwean instinct is always to try and locate blame with some party or individual when issues that cause distress are encountered. I read several state-owned newspapers while I was there just to maintain balance with the private media. The general insinuation was that both the duty issue and the power increase had been unleashed on the Zimbabwean consumers because these two ministries were under the leadership of Tendai Biti and Elton Mangoma, both senior MDC leaders.

These increases were, therefore, implicitly the fault of the MDC.

Journalists must be educated to stop apportioning blame for collective cabinet decisions. There has to be a line between what is of national interest and what is partisan political interests and they should stop pandering to the whims of Zimbabwean political warlords.

The 31% ZESA tariff increase effected from September 1 was long overdue. Zimbabwe currently has no borrowing powers after it defaced its own financial system. For the economy to meet its growth targets, it needs power and the money has to be found somewhere.

Here in South Africa, the Thabo Mbeki government prevaricated on increasing power tariffs a few years ago, sending South Africa into a deficit position. Delaying pain is not equivalent to getting rid of pain. As a result of taking the eyes off the ball, we are having an accelerated tariff increase here in South Africa to catch up with the lost years.

I personally think re-imposing duty on basic commodities was the right thing to do. No country worth its salt can justify importing all the cooking oil and green soap from another, unless it desires to wear the provincial status tag. Zimbabwe is coming out of a period of de-industrialisation. A certain degree of protection is necessary until the gross industrial capacity utilisation starts edging past the 65% mark.

If we can get our sunflower oil from Olivine, it means we would have supported the agricultural production of the new farmers producing sunflower seed. Once the oil has been extracted, the cake residue is a key input in stock feeds which in turn would support the stimulation of a sustainable poultry, piggery and cattle feeding industry.

The natural instinct of most Zimbabwean businesses is to profiteer at the slightest provocation instead of looking at the long term sustainability of the business, so we need some checks and balances to keep this from happening.

It is inappropriate to base a whole business model on the misery of your neighbours. A well known Johannesburg wholesaler where many Zimbabwe shoppers used to patronise decided to bring its business closer to the Zimbabwean market. It built another shop between Musina and Beitbridge. Sadly, the shop has now been shut down as the Zimbabwean economy recovers.

At one time Musina was a 24-hour city but if you drive through it on any evening or Sunday afternoon, it is now a ghost town. I can predict that much of the shops whose consumer profile had more than 50% Zimbabwean shoppers will also be sliding towards a shut down in the next year or so as long as the Zimbabwean rulers keep their eyes on the ball.

I am one of the advocates for civil servants and government employees to have their remunerations reviewed upwards beyond US$500 a month. I, however, believe this should be linked to productivity and efficiency of delivery of service. I do not see how they should first lay claim to the diamond money of Marange while the poor peasants of this area are still languishing in poverty.

Back to my trip, this time around it took me nearly four hours to drive through the Beitbridge border post with nothing to declare. Surely one does not need a PhD in supply chain optimisation to see that the border process can be improved dramatically if the willingness is there. In July, I crossed into Botswana from South Africa and it took me less than 20 minutes on both sides of the border even though the volume of people was high.

As soon as I parked at Beitbridge, a hwindi was at my car door offering to get me across the border in no time if I paid a certain fee. His logic was that someone driving such a nice car should not waste time in lengthy queues.

One of my 2011 resolutions is that I will not pay to rig the queues or simply to make them do what they are already paid by the state to do. I am against Nigerianisation of the Zimbabwe civil service. Some Smart Alec at Zimra has now decreed that the road access fee, temporary import insurance and who knows what else should now be processed by one officer while the other officers at the other desks twiddle their thumbs.

Surely this cannot be optimal utilisation of the available human resources, and Zimra’s mandate ought to be to process the documents of travellers in the shortest possible time so that they can spend as much money as possible in Zimbabwe.

After watching the hwindis, working in cahoots with the officers to allow those who pay the under-hand fee to jump the queues, I complained to the supervisor in charge but he only took some feeble action after my third complaint.

Of course Biti and the rest of his government colleagues never get to experience any of this because they all pass through the Harare airport where they have officials fawning all over them. I keep a “point A to B” vehicle in Harare given the extortion vehicle hire fees there, so I am seriously contemplating only using Harare airport as my only port of entry into Zimbabwe.

While it is necessary for this Zimbabwean economy to take some pain as it rapidly recovers, this pain should not be disproportionately carried by only the poor. The rich, the government and private industry can start by paying their outstanding electricity bills to support economic growth.

Tafirenyika L. Makunike is the chairman and founder of Nepachem cc (www.nepachem.co.za), an enterprise development and consulting company. He writes in his personal capacity

Zanu PF 'disturbed' by WikiLeaks

9/9/2011 12:00:00 AM

REVELATIONS made by WikiLeaks about talks between Zanu PF officials and United States diplomats are “disturbing,” a spokesman for the party said on Thursday.

The whistleblower website has released US diplomatic cables showing senior Zimbabwean officials had harshly criticised President Robert Mugabe in secret discussions with US embassy officials.

The cables also contained a claim that the 87-year-old Mugabe has prostate cancer and would be dead by 2013, information allegedly conveyed to the US by one of his allies, central bank chief Gideon Gono.

Other officials such as Vice President John Nkomo, Indigenisation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi, former Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu and Vice President Joice Mujuru's late husband Rtd General Solomon Mujuru all told American interlocutors that they wanted Mugabe to step down.

“The revelations are disturbing and demoralising,” said Zanu PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo. The party was studying the issue, he added.

“People should examine their own conscience and ask themselves whether they have done right or wrong, and if it is wrong, there is a way of correcting it,” Gumbo told the state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.

The unredacted WikiLeaks cables dumped recently contain the full names of people who spoke with US embassy officials, often under the assumption of confidentiality. In earlier releases of the cables, names of sources were generally deleted.

Shiri has 'repented': Dabengwa

9/9/2011 12:00:00 AM

ZAPU leader Dumiso Dabengwa believes Gukurahundi architect Perence Shiri has “repented of his role” as commander of the Fifth Brigade which is accused of the slaughter of more than 20,000 civilians in Matabeleland and the Midlands, according to WikiLeaks.

Dabengwa, who was detained without trial by President Robert Mugabe’s regime while Shiri’s death squads carried out mass killings in the countryside between 1982 and 1987, told the former US ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGee that the Air Force of Zimbabwe chief would readily accept a change of government.

Dabengwa spoke to McGee on March 12, 2008, in the run-up to general elections later that month.

McGee said the former Home Affairs Minister, who was supporting independent candidate Simba Makoni in the presidential race, “shared his concern that Mugabe would not accept defeat”.

In a diplomatic cable dated March 13, 2008, McGee wrote: “Dabengwa was optimistic the military would not play a destabilising role. He noted that as the commander of ZIPRA, ZAPU's military arm, he knew the current crop of high ranking Zimbabwean military officials, many of whom had served under him. He offered his opinions of the top three military leaders ...”

Zimbabwe Army Commander General Philip Sibanda “had commanded UN forces in Angola and had rescued Zimbabwe from defeat in the Congo. He was professional and level headed”, Dabengwa is said to have told the ambassador.

Defence Forces Commander General Constantine Chiwenga, on the other hand, was so corrupt that "he would rather sink with the ship than oppose the captain”, Dabengwa opined.

Controversially, McGee said Dabengwa had told him Shiri “had long been critical of Mugabe's leadership and his unwillingness to permit change within Zanu PF. He had repented of his role in Gukurahundi, the Matabeleland massacres instigated by Mugabe in the early 1980s”.

Dabengwa’s apparent willingness to look over Shiri’s role in the Gukurahundi massacres – which affected his ZAPU party more than any other – will “demoralise” his supporters, said activist and researcher Brilliant Mhlanga.

“It’s a shocking thing to say,” Mhlanga told New Zimbabwe.com last night. “Dabengwa, of all people, should know better. There is enough documented proof that Perence Shiri is responsible for the worst acts of mass murder in Zimbabwe, and his victims do not need Dabengwa beautifying him.”

ZIMSEC issuing dodgy reports: US embassy

9/9/2011 12:00:00 AM

THE American embassy is now forced to verify educational certificates for study visa applicants with individual schools after uncovering “genuine fakes” issued by corrupt Zimbabwean Schools Examination Council (ZIMSEC) officials.

The excellent document quality for these fake test reports “suggests that a high level staff member at ZIMSEC has been involved in selling them”, said Donald Petterson, the US embassy’s former Chargé d'Affaires.

In a leaked diplomatic cable, Petterson said “corruption flourishes within the Zimbabwean civil service, resulting in a near total collapse of government controls over passports and official documents”.

“In a new trend seen this reporting period, post has seen questionable student examination results, strongly suggesting corruption within ZIMSEC,” Petterson said in the October 8, 2009, memo to Washington released by WikiLeaks.

He said student visa applications accounted for approximately 15 percent of the embassy’s non-immigrant visa workload, “with line officers increasingly encountering fraudulent educational records or financial documents”.

“In spite of our strained diplomatic relations at the ministerial level,” Petterson said, “our fraud prevention unit has enjoyed a good working relationship with ZIMSEC, which has been very responsive in verifying transcripts and education levels.

“However, within the past few months we have noted a disturbing trend involving fraudulent original O and A Level testing reports. Previously, the consular section had only seen amateurish attempts to produce fraudulent school certificates but never witnessed the presentation of fake certified copies of the test reports given by ZIMSEC.”

He said the “new fraud trend” was only detected because an applicant who presented fraudulent test reports had also applied for a student visa in 2008 and the consular officer doubted that her A Level results would have improved so dramatically in one year.

Petterson wrote: “Because we now believe that ZIMSEC has been compromised, we have begun verifying A and O Level test results and certificates with the schools the applicants attended.

“Although this independent check will require additional effort from our fraud prevention unit, we believe it is necessary ...”

Professor calls off UK tour

9/9/2011 12:00:00 AM

SOUTH African kwaito star Professor called off his UK tour on Thursday after visa delays.

Promoters have announced new dates.

The Jezebel star broke the news to fans on Twitter after being told by the British embassy in Pretoria that his visa was not yet ready – just hours before he was due to fly out to London.

“To my UK fans visa was not issued so I won’t make it for Friday gig. Apologies, it’s beyond my control,” he tweeted.

Organisers of the two-legged tour which was due to kick-off with a gig in Birmingham immediately announced that they were rescheduling the show for the end of September.

“The new dates are September 30 for Birmingham and October 1 for London. Venues may change and we will advise on this soon,” a spokesman for the promoters announced.

Professor, real name Mkhonzeni Langa, will be supported on the tour by brothers DJ Mngane and Character.

Mugabe says no to UK observers

9/9/2011 12:00:00 AM

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has rejected a request by Britain to send election observers for general elections set to be held early next year, the ZBC reported last night.

Mugabe, who met Britain’s new ambassador Deborah Bronnert for the first time, said Zimbabwe “cannot invite people who have imposed sanctions on her to be observers”.

“By imposing sanctions, Britain had demonstrated her dislike of one side while favouring the other,” the ZBC quoted Mugabe as telling the envoy, making reference to his Zanu PF party and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T.

Zimbabwe “abhors countries which meddle in our electoral affairs”, Mugabe added.

Bronnert takes over from Mark Canning whose tour of duty expired in June.

She told Mugabe she brought greetings from Queen Elizabeth II who said Zimbabwe is “a country of great importance to the UK and that she [the Queen] would want to get weekly reports from her”, the ZBC reported.

Speaking to the UK Foreign Office's internal publication last month, Bronnert said: “I am honoured and delighted to be taking up this post at such an important time for Zimbabwe, as the parties in the inclusive government work towards greater reform and free and fair elections.

“The UK has long been a friend to the Zimbabwean people and I look forward to ensuring that that commitment remains as strong as ever.”

Relations between the two countries frayed over the last decade after Britain accused Mugabe of electoral theft and human rights abuses, while leading an international lobby to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe.

Mugabe, on the other hand, accused Britain of reacting badly to his government’s policy to acquire land from British descendents to resettle landless blacks.

However, Mugabe told Ambassador Bronnert that “despite everything that has happened between Zimbabwe and Britain, there is room for dialogue and history has a track record of cooperation between Zanu PF and past Conservative governments”.

MDC at 12: final lap to State House

9/8/2011 12:00:00 AM

THE pursuit of happiness, democracy and freedom defines the character of all struggles, ours here in Zimbabwe included.

On Saturday, September 10, 2011, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) celebrates 12 years of survival, resilience, single mind and good health at Gwanzura Stadium in Harare.

The National Working People’s Convention held in Harare on February 26-28, 1999, gathered patriotic people of Zimbabwe from all walks of life to identify problems bedeviling the nation and to sculpture and fashion a way out, locating exit points to the crisis gripping our country.

This epoch-making gathering was host to over 40 civic organisations which included trade unions, students, women, the disabled, the unemployed, professionals, academics, business people, residents’ associations, human rights watchdogs, war veterans, peasants and informal traders. Vital to note is the fact that 40 % of the participants were women.

The people’s party of excellence was born at the post-convention meeting held in Harare, May 7-9, 1999.The Party was then launched before a bumper crowd of over 15,000 at Rufaro Stadium on September 11, 1999.

The MDC is a united and indomitable front of all peace-loving Zimbabweans representing various interests and organisations coming together to pursue common objectives and principles that advance the interests of our motherland Zimbabwe. Ours is a strong, democratic, popular-driven and organised party carrying a mandate of uniting all Zimbabweans for real political change -- the ancestry of our movement.

The MDC stands for government decisions and policies that are in the interest of the people from whom sovereignty and legitimacy is derived. The fight for the democratisation of all institutions and processes defines the character of this great and glorious people’s movement.

The MDC stands for the supremacy of the nation and its people, and rejects systems that prioritise the defence of leadership interests at the expense of the defence of the people’s interests. The MDC advances the participation of citizens and civil society in nation building through organs of participatory democracy that complement the existing forms of representative democracy within parliament and the executive.

Freedom of expression and after expression is the lifeblood of the society we seek to build. We believe in free-running conversations on the Zimbabwe we want to inspire fresh departures, changing of the rules of engagement and the operating values.

The MDC signifies development policies that invest and develop the capabilities and opportunities of all Zimbabweans, their national resources and infrastructure towards real sustainable long-term growth. Our key goal is to govern differently and democratically. Our principal task is to keep the hope and deliver real change to the peaceful and peace-loving people of Zimbabwe.

Through our yet to be published strategic New Zimbabwe blueprint Vision 2030, our vision is to build a country and people of a global leadership position in all the various fields of endeavour—in business, education, health, tourism, technology and sport. Yes, an unbeatable national team in football and cricket to mention but a few!

It is in the context of this background that the people’s party of excellence is celebrating 12 years of working people’s struggles in pursuit of real change. While celebrating the journey so far travelled, we are mindful of the leadership burden we carry to complete the struggle as we finish the last and final mile to a New Zimbabwe.

We are also fully aware that if you can’t carry the cross, you can’t lift the crown. The last mile is full of snares, hurdles and replete with landmines of risks and dangers to life. We are ready for the mission. Peace never fears any weapon, we are under heavenly protection.

True, the journey so far covered has been painful. Bodies were harmed and maimed, ailments suffered, property destroyed, tears shed, sweat oozed and blood lost in the search for a lasting solution to the problems bleeding our one and only beautiful Zimbabwe.

True, we lost great comrades, young and old. Names such as Gibson Sibanda, Isaac Matongo, Learnmore Jongwe,Tonderai Ndira, Tichaona Chiminya, Talent Mabika and Getrude Mthombeni to mention but a few, come into mind. The movement lost some of the finest and most gifted sons and daughters our land has ever known. We dare not disappoint these beloved departed cadres.

Indeed, it has been a dozen years of joy and sorrow, pains and gains, ups and downs, the denied victories, deprived wins and stolen successes. The people and party were cheated in 2002 but recovered, robbed in 2005 but survived and divided in October but renewed and strengthened with the 2006 Congress to deliver a sucker punch to Zanu PF in March 2008.

We are bigger, better, stronger and wiser. We have learnt our lessons. A helicopter assessment and survey of our journey gives testimony to the fact that we have together built a party of excellence, a party of choice and a party people are proud to call home and theirs. A 21st century party with grassroots energy and national footprint –the MDC is ubiquitously present in every home, village, street, office and farm within the land between Zambezi and Limpopo.

Internationally, the mere mention of the name Zimbabwe invites the thought of the name MDC to the people’s mind. Our struggle is now a global struggle to stop the violence and decay to save Zimbabwe.

Thanks to the able and wise stewardship in the MDC cockpit where the people’s president Morgan Tsvangirai and the leadership at all levels are at the controls. The story is incomplete without the due mention and acknowledgement of the courage, tenacity and resilience of the people of Zimbabwe which has been a major ingredient in the building of the foundation and walls of the people’s party of excellence. MDC is a team winning together.

The celebration of 12 years of courage, hope and sacrifice is such a significant milestone in our journey to the great promise of a New Zimbabwe. The number 12 has a great symbolism and is pregnant with meaning from the context of the bible and arena of governance. Twelve symbolises a turning point.

From my survey of literature and established wisdom, the number 12 signifys authority, strength, conviction, absoluteness and finality. The struggle for real change is entering its final phase -- the home stretch. The people’s party of excellence has demonstrated its strength through the resilience of the people by relegating Zanu PF to a second best position in the March 2008 elections.

The beating, harassment and embarrassment of the people’s president Morgan Tsvangirai, other MDC leaders, party members and members of the civic society clearly stand as a statement and testament to the conviction of the actors in the struggle for real change in Zimbabwe.

In the bible and Christianity, the number 12 is so powerfully significant. There were 12 patriarchs from Seth to Noah and his family, from Shem to Jacob. Remember 12 spies sent (including Joshua and Caleb) to gather intelligence on the new land the Israelites were to settle, the 12 sons of Ishmael, the 12 sons of Esau and the 12 sons of Jacob. Not forgetting the 12 tribes of Israel, the 12 gates and foundations of the Holy city, the 12 foundations of the heavenly Jerusalem, the 12 fruits of the spirit and of course the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ.

Twelve is a perfect number of signifying perfection of government. It is precisely for this reason that 2012 is attached with the transformation of the world as per the Mayan Calendar. Back home and in the context of the MDC, the 12th anniversary this weekend marks the perfection, purification and chlorination of the systems and processes for an effective delivery in a New Zimbabwe, for an effective new beginning and the achievement of real change in people’s lives.

In Judaism, there are 12 letters of Hebrew Alphabet. A girl in Judaism, becomes mature at the age of 12. There were 12 tribes of Israel and remember the 12 oxen of Solomon’s temple.

In Islam, 12 Imams succeeded prophet Muhammad. Even the star signs are divided in 12 sun signs and as per Semitic beliefs there are 12 days of duel between chaos and cosmos.

Our biology and the day and night basic logic evince the self –evident presence of human heart chakras which are 12 in number. Twelve noon is the descent of the sun.Twelve midnight is the ascent marking the turn of events. The sun which rules the day and stars which govern the night do so by their passage through the 12 signs of the Zodiac which completes the great circle of the heavens of 360 (12 by 30) degrees or divisions, thus govern the year.

At 12 we have built a solid party of excellence. Although we often get excoriated and chided for various omissions and commissions, we are students in national service, we are learning. We have our own frailties. We remain vigilant and assiduous. No single human being is perfect. We draw comfort from the knowledge that excellence is a magnet to conspiracies, slander and vilification. We are ready for it all the way through.

At 12, we make the clarion call to all Zimbabweans above 18 years to take charge of our collective destiny by doing something during our life-time. The nation perishes when good citizens do nothing when the bad ones are in charge.

This Saturday is a significant turning point for our country and its struggles as we seek to refine our thrust for the final lap on this glorious yet painful journey.

Nelson Chamisa is the MDC-T organising secretary and Information Communication Technology Minister

Pakistan last-over win over Zim

9/8/2011 12:00:00 AM

PAKISTAN scrambled a five-run victory over Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club in the first of three one-day internationals here on Thursday.

That was the official result, but the reality is that Zimbabwe lost it in the final over when they needed 12 runs to win but made only seven.

It could hardly have been closer as both sides struggled against good and varied bowling all day.

Winning the toss, Pakistan went into bat first and made 247 runs, somewhat below their expectations on a slow but reliable batting wicket.

Zimbabwe, losing fewer wickets in the early stages, looked to have it wrapped up during the middle period.

But two excellent overs from Saeed Ajmal in the latter critical stages that conceded only five runs left Zimbabwe with too much to do.

The story is told by Zimbabwe's final run-in.

They needed 125 runs from 20 overs, 74 from 10 overs, 42 from 40 balls, when they appeared to have the match well in hand, 25 from 18 balls, 22 from 12 and finally 12 from the last six.

Elton Chigumbura, returning from a knee injury, was going well in the final stages but just could not get the runs needed at the end. He finished on 24.

Pakistan lost Imrun Farhat in the first over of the day but Younis Khan struck 78 in 72 balls to steady the tourists.

Misbah ul-Haq weighed in with 54 in a partnership of 60 for the fourth wicket.

The Akmal brothers, Umar and Adnan, made 36 and 27 respectively but Adnan's wild and fruitless swipes cost Pakistan quite a few runs.

Their 247-7 total did not seem to be enough and the Pakistanis were certainly stifled in general by consistent Zimbabwe bowling, which was mainly spin and medium pace.

For Zimbabwe, in reply Vusi Sibanda made 73 but the main performer for the home team was Brendan Taylor with 84, recovering from a run of low scores.

Tatenda Taibu made 26 in his usual brisk manner and Chigumbura, who might have become match-winner with big hitting early on, could not maintain the necessary momentum.

Aizaz Cheema was the most successful bowler with 3-36 and it was he who saw Pakistan through in the end by conceding just five runs in the final over.

Man of the match was named as Younis Khan.

The Pakistan tour now moves to Harare for the remaining two ODIs and two Twenty20 matches.