RSS 2.0 FeedAugust 2009 vol 6, NEWS IN BRIEF
News in brief - Zimbabwe (Update 3)
Zimbabwe’s political environment remains fragile
HARARE – Zimbabwe’s political environment remains fragile, top platinum producer Zimplats Holdings said on Thursday, in a statement that appeared to confirm fears that an uncertain political future could undermine efforts by the country’s unity government to resuscitate the economy.
Zimplats, which is owned by South Africa's Implats – the world’s second biggest platinum producer -- praised measures implemented by President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s government to revive the economy that it said had seen an improvement in the operating environment for business. But the mining giant that spoke as South African President Jacob Zuma arrived in Harare to on a mission to try to break a deadlock threatening Zimbabwe’s unity government said the success of the unity government was critical to any effort to revive an economy in sharp decline for the past decade. “A coalition government of all three political parties with representation in the Zimbabwe parliament took office during February 2009. Although much remains to be done, potentially favourable policy changes have been initiated and pleasingly this has resulted in an improvement in the operating and living environment in the country,” Zimplats chairman Mike Houston said in a statement. Zimonline
EU to assist Zimbabwean farmers
ZIMBABWE – HARARE – Farmers have been urged to register for subisidised fertilizer being provided under a European Union scheme for the 2009/10 summer cropping season. The Zimbabwe Telegraph understands. Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union secretary general Donald Khumalo said farmers should come forward with their fertilizer requirements for the season. “The fertilizer will be sold for US$15 per 50kg bag while a tonne will be US$200. “It is important that we get the documentation of the needs of farmers well ahead of time,” he said. Local fertilizer manufacturers this week curved in to stiff pricing competition coming from imported products and slashed prices by between US$5 and US$7 a bag in a move designed to prop up agricultural production and help in the turn around of the economy. A 50kg bag of either Ammonium Nitrate or Compound D from Windmill is now priced at US$27, a drop from US$34 with hints that the prices may even continue to be reviewed downwards if the competition continues.
Zimbabwean genuis scores 17 distinctions in UK. ZimTelegraph
A 16-year-old Zimbabwean student has scored a record of 17 A stars in her GCSEs making her one of the best O'Level students in Britain this year, The Zim Diaspora can reveal. Chiedza Munyengeterwa, originally from Harare was a student at Wright Robinson school in Manchester. Her proud mother Ms Hilda Mutodi who is a nurse by profession was last night ecstatic with the news. Mandaza, Mbudzi launch new Zimbabwe political party
ZIMBABWE – HARARE – Academic Ibbo Mandaza and ex-serviceman Retired Major Kudzai Mbudzi have formed a new opposition political party. Dubbed the Zimbabwe National Congress, the party is mobilising membership on the ground, Mbudzi said. The formation of the party endorses the formal split of the still-born Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn of Simba Makoni, a former minister in President Mugabe’s government. The party logo has a star and a rising sun on the background, superimposed on national Zimbabwean colours. privatised all party asserts after losing last year’s election.” Zimnet Radio
Man Jailed for Rape
Harare — A Waterfalls man will spend the next 22 months in jail after pleading guilty to four counts of statutory rape after it was discovered that he had been having a sexual relationship with his 15-year-old sister-in-law. The State, led by prosecutor Mr Emmanuel Chipanda, told Mbare magistrate Mrs Letwin Rwodzi last week that the accused Thomas Sandai (24) had an affair with his wife's under-age sister.
The State, led by prosecutor Mr Emmanuel Chipanda, told Mbare magistrate Mrs Letwin Rwodzi last week that the accused Thomas Sandai (24) had an affair with his wife's under-age sister. During the counselling sessions, the girl revealed that she was in love with her elder sister's husband and that they had been intimate on a number of occasions. In mitigation, Sandai said he was in love with the girl and that she had led him to believe that she was 16 years old. Herald
Zimbabwe’s Parliament constitutional committee bankrupt (HARARE)ZIMBABWE’s parliamentary select committee on the new constitution (COPAC) has admitted that it has failed to raise the US$35 million required to carry out its tasks. The committee has now said it might need to ask for an extension of time for the constitution, delaying crucial presidential elections expected to be held soon after a constitution is in place. Committee co-chair Paul Mangwana said on Monday (Aug 24) that the shortage of funds had impacted negatively on the body’s programmes. “The reason for the poor progress has mainly been financial. We’ve already covered five months of the 18 months. Parliament has written to the Ministry of Finance requesting for funds,” Mangwana told an investment summit here. “We started with a budget of US$35 million. This was reduced to $21 million, then $15 million and now we’ve had to reduce it again to $11 million. Even that is not on the table. The only amount we have is $2 million from UNDP for this year and another $1 million promised for next year. USAID, EU and Sweden have written to us seeking further clarification. But we can’t rely on donors otherwise it becomes a donor-driven constitution.”Zimeye
She scored 17 distinctions plus out of 18 subjects she set. One subject was a straight A.
In an interview with The Zim Diaspora last night, Chiedza said she was pleased with her results.
"I am very happy with my achievement because this is a product of my hardwork," she said.
"I have been studying hard and I hope to do a course in acturial science or some kind of writing. It will now depend on the advice I will get from my school," she said.
"This has not come as a surprise as you would know that Zimbabwean exiles in UK are some of the highly educated people. This should set an example to young Zimbabweans in UK to emulate Chiedza and desist from gangs, drugs and crime," she said. ZimDiaspora
” We are now making some final touches in organising our membership form all the province before we launch our party and announce our first congress,” Mbudzi told radio. “We decided to go our on way after we were duped by Makoni who
MDC MP urges Zimbabwe police, army to be professional
ZIMBABWE – NYANGA – Law enforcement agents have been urged to serve the nation in a professional manner, the Mutasa South MP, Mischeck Kagurabadza has said.
Addressing thousands of MDC supporters at the party’s 10th anniversary celebratory rally on Sunday at Mukamba business centre, in Makoni South, Manicaland province, Kagurabadza raised concerns over the continued selective application of the law by some police officers and other civil servants across the country.
“Law enforcing agents should serve everyone regardless of their political affiliation as this is the only way the inclusive government can be a success,” he said.
His comments came as some State security agents continue to arrest, harass and intimidate MDC supporters, senior officials and MPs across the country.
Addressing thousands of MDC supporters at the party’s 10th anniversary celebratory rally on Sunday at Mukamba business centre, in Makoni South, Manicaland province, Kagurabadza raised concerns over the continued selective application of the law by some police officers and other civil servants across the country. Zimnet Radio
Zimbabwe further reduce passport fees
ZIMBABWE – HARARE – The Zimbabwean Government on Wednesday reduced passport fees with a standard passport going for US$140 down from US$170.
An urgent passport processed within two working days now costs US$250, down from US$350.
Co-Home Affairs Minister Giles Mutsekwa said the cost of an express and a diplomatic passport processed in one day is now US$315, down from US$385, while an emergency travel document costs US$35 from US$40.
Mutsekwa said the prices of passport and ETD forms had also been reduced from US$20 and US$10 respectively to US$3.
He said the reductions followed discussions between the Registrar-General’s Office and Fidelity Printers.
“It is acknowledged that the above fees are still too high. Further efforts are being made to continue to reduce the cost of passports to regional and international levels,” said Mutsekwa. Zimnet Radio
Zimbabwe prison fails to pay water bills
Bulawayo(ZimEye)Bulawayo’s Khami Maximum Prison is operating without water after the Bulawayo City Council cut off water supplies due to unpaid bills.It has been revealed that the Zimbabwe Prison Services is struggling to pay US$230 000 to the city council. ZPS public relations officer Superintended officer Elizabeth Banda revealed that the city council had cut off water due to unpaid bills.
ZPS is facing serious financial backup that have resulted to malnitration and diseases such as cholera and TB among inmates.The lack of water at Khami Prison is likely to cause the resurfacing of cholera and diarrhoea at the institution.
Zimbabwe ‘riskiest’ Investment Destination
BULAWAYO — Zimbabwe has been ranked last alongside war-torn Afghanistan as the riskiest place to invest in the world underlying some of the reasons why the inclusive government is still struggling to attract the much needed foreign direct investment.
A report released on Thursday by the United States based provider of credit information on businesses, corporations and governments in the world, Dunn and Bradstreet attributed the poor ranking to a number of factors.
“Zimbabwe and Afghanistan offer a high-risk environment for business investment,” said Dunn and Bradstreet’s chief executive officer Christine Christian in the report accompanying results of the survey.
“The two countries have high levels of economic, commercial, external and political uncertainty.”
Australia is ranked as the safest place in the world to invest, alongside Canada, Norway and Switzerland. The Standard
Zimbabwean Cabinet members to declare assets
ZIMBABWE – BULAWAYO – Cabinet Ministers, Members of the House of Assembly and Senators will soon be made to register their assets to Parliament in a bid to reduce corruption, the Speaker of Parliament, Lovemore Moyo, said on Friday.
Moyo said this during the African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC-Zimbabwe Chapter) workshop in Bulawayo.
He said he would work on having paliarmentarians and Ministers declare their assets in a bid to close loopholes that might make authorities corrupt.
“Ministers and MPs are supposed to register their assets because we want to make sure they are accountable since they are entrusted with public funds. The assets will be registered to Parliament and we are looking at implementing the exercise soon.
“We are still looking into the matter but the bottom line is that the Ministers, MPs and Senators must be responsible,” he said. - The Zimbabwe Telegraph
Despite denials from local officials, some villagers in Makoni district claim ritual killers have been moving around looking for a victim who will be buried alongside the late tribal chief of the area, Naboth Gandanzara Makoni.
"Someone has to be sacrificed and serve as his pillow," sources told the state-controlled Manica Post newspaper. Worryingly, police are not saying a thing.
Burial practices for the reclusive Makoni clan are normally shrouded in secrecy. But delays in burying the mummified chief – who is believed to have died more than 11 months ago – and fights over who will succeed him appear to have led villagers to speak openly for the first time.
Pupils at St Luke's Primary School have been told to move about in groups for their own safety, the Manica Post has reported. The school is near to where the chief's body is being embalmed.
A Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) official said claims a child would be killed were not true. "There is nothing like that," the official, who is from Makoni, told The Scotsman. "But in our culture we do not say when the chief died." The official said the chief would most likely be buried next month. The Scotsman
