RSS 2.0 FeedSeptember 2009 vol 8
Zim News online Updates
Warvets, Soldiers Threaten MDC Supporters
(HARARE, ZimEye)Former finance minister and presidential candidate Simba Makoni has been summoned to appear in court on September 15 to answer charges that he breached the country’s security laws.
The trial of the Zanu PF turncoat who gave President Robert Mugabe ‘a run for his money’ during the 2008 elections has been condemned by human rights activists.
The charges arise from a meeting Makoni allegedly addressed at Glendale on 5 March 2008.
Two prominent Zanu PF officials and four police servicemen have been lined up as state witnesses.
The trial at the Bindura magistrates court has been scheduled for the day when festivities are lined up in Harare to celebrate the signing of the inter-party agreement by Mugabe and arch-rivals Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara. The agreement excludes Makoni although he reportedly received 3 percent of the presidential vote.
“The case shows how the transitional government has so far failed to stop the state-sanctioned harassment of President Mugabe’s political rivals,” said the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights newsletter, Legal Monitor.
“Makoni is being charged under the POSA, a draconian law that the government has relied to persecute perceived opponents.” (ZimEye, )
MDC leaders want to kill me – Biti
(LONDON-ZimEye)Zimbabwe Finance Minister’s brother Stanford Biti has said that senior members of Zimbabwe’s opposition party MDC (which he belongs to) are after him to kill him.
“They have torn all my trousers…” Biti told ZimEye on Saturday, saying that he had fled away from a Milton Keynes venue on foot to ‘the coach station’, about 3 miles away.
Biti said that the MDC’s senior leadership had cornered him preparing to kill him when he immediately fled. According to Biti, MDC national Chairman, Jonathan Chaora , Peter Matsa, Custom Magaya, and the treasurer, Gonese had all cornered him.
“They cornered me in the car park…I walked all the way from the venue up to the town centre Milton Keynes, and right now as I am talking to you I am still walking to my house” Biti said
However, according to reports, Biti still has not reported the matter to Police.
“Matsa has been a senior ZANU PF member. Gonese is actually a young boy they are using to screw money out of the MDC UK an Ireland,” Biti said as he mentioned that Jonathan Chaora, Peter Matsa, Custom Magaya, and the MDC Treasurer, known simply as Gonese are working for Presient Mugabe’s ZANU PF party. The ‘ordeal’ began after arguments between the party leadership and members over ‘misappropriation’ of party funds which Biti says the UK committee are responsible for. (ZimEye, UK; ZimEye, Zimbabwe)
200 investors sign up for Zim mining indaba
HARARE – At least 200 foreign investors have signed up for the Zimbabwe Mining Indaba with government expecting the number to hit the 300 mark when the conference kicks-off in Harare next week, Mines Minister Obert Mpofu said yesterday.
The two-day conference scheduled to start on September 16 is the first mining indaba since formation in February of an inclusive government made up of ZANU PF and the two MDC formations.
“Over 200 foreign delegates have registered, we expect the number to increase to 300 by the 16th when the conference starts. In fact we have been receiving phone calls from many investors who feel they have been left out,” Mpofu said. “On Tuesday I had several diplomats who came here saying they want to participate,” he added.
At least 700 local and foreign delegates are expected at the conference whose focus is on reviving the mining sector in Zimbabwe and putting the country back on the map as an attractive mining destination.
The conference would be officially opened by President Robert Mugabe, with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai also addressing the indaba. Zimonline
Zimbabwe says shortlists partners for diamond mine
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe has shortlisted foreign investors to partner in mining diamonds in the Marange fields at the centre of a dispute between the government and African Consolidated Resources, a minister said late on Wednesday. Mines Minister Obert Mpofu said the government would insist on retaining 50 percent shares in the mining project. The southern African country adopted an empowerment law in 2008 to compel foreign-owned firms -- including mines and banks -- to give up at least 51 percent control to locals. A new unity government set up by bitter rivals, President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai raised hopes among unsettled investors, who hope the law could be reviewed. Tsvangirai has said the government would adopt friendlier laws. Mpofu told Reuters in an interview that Zimbabwe was seeking equal control of the Marange diamond mining project in negotiations with the prospective investors. "Some companies have been shortlisted, but because of the distractions that investors to Zimbabwe have been facing, these companies have said they would rather keep the negotiations under tight wraps," Mpofu said.
Zimbabwe’s beleaguered farming community have been left outraged this week by the total silence from leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), over the government’s snub of the region’s human rights court.
Farmers outraged as SADC remains silent on Zim snub of Tribunal
SADC leaders, gathered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo this week, have made absolutely no mention of the latest move by the government, which flies in the face of the rules and standards of the regional bloc. It was revealed last week that the government has decided to pull out of the SADC Tribunal, after Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa declared the Tribunal ‘unlawful’. Chinamasa said the Government would not be bound to any decisions already made, or any future rulings by the regional court, in a move that could close off all possible legal avenues for Zimbabwe’s beleaguered commercial farmers to seek redress.
“As we are unaware of any other basis upon which the Tribunal can exercise jurisdiction over Zimbabwe, we hereby advise that, henceforth, we will not appear before the Tribunal and neither will we respond to any action or suit instituted or be pending against the Republic of Zimbabwe before the Tribunal,” Chinamasa reportedly wrote in a letter sent to the registrar of the Tribunal last month. SWRADIO AFRICA
UMP, September 08, 2009 - War veterans and soldiers in Maramba Pfungwe have given Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters in the area until October to denounce their membership to the party and surrender party regalia or risk the consequences.
According to MDC Information Secretary for the area, Silas Gweshe, “The place is just so bad that some people are now living in fear, several MDC supporters have already been forced to surrender themselves to Zanu PF.”
Zanu PF is using the area headmen to identify MDC supporters. MDC District Chairman of the area Chengetanai Chimunhu has formally written to the party leadership to intervene.
“Zanu PF thugs are still abusing MDC supporters, I ran away from the area after I was intimidated. Help us please,” read part of the Maramba Pfungwe Constituency report addressed to MDC Information Department Harvest House.
Several Non Governmental Organisations have intervened in the area to assist victims of last year violence with food aid but Zanu PF thugs have vowed to destroy everything that will be put up by NGOs.
“They are well wishers who have come into the area to help people whose properties were destroyed last year, but people are now afraid of receiving aid because of intimidation,” said Chimunhu. "There are using soldiers Claude Mashoko and PfidzeMaramba to instill fear into the people." who is called ‘Junta’ that are stationed at
Meanwhile Zanu Pf militia-acting in cahoots with a traditional chief- barred MDC supporters from attending victory celebrations last weekend after
threatening them expulsions from the area, Radio VOP can reveal.
Masvingo West legislator Tichaona Mharadze, who was hosting the celebrations at Bhani shopping centre, under Chief Charumbira area, about 25 kilometres out of town, however said the celebrations went ahead despite the poor turnout.
Villagers told Radio VOP that a Zanu Pf youth leader William Shangwa and other party militia moved house by house the night before strongly threatening known MDC-T supporters with expulsion from the area, under Chief Charumbira’s area, if they attended the function.
Chief Fortune Charumbira, president of The Zimbabwe Chief’s Council, is an ardent loyalist of President Robert Mugabe.
“We were told at night that the Chief had said anybody who dares attend would be expelled from the area, so most of us did not attend. They moved door to door, numbering about fifty. A few brave ones among us attended,” said a villager.
Mharadze blamed the threats for the poor turnout at the function.
However, Chief Fortune Charumbira denied the allegations.
“If people went around using my name, how would I know? As far as I am concerned, that is news to me. I do not send my aides for such duties,” Charumbira said, before hanging his phone.
But MDC-T provincial chairman, Wilstusff Sitemere, who was also at the victory celebrations, also confirmed the allegations.
“Our youths on the ground said the chief had sent some ZANU PF hit men to bar our supporters from attending. Some villagers also told us the
same. We were actually surprised why people did not come at first. They were told they would lose their plots,” Sitemere said.
ZANU PF provincial chairman, Lovemore Matuke professed ignorance over the matter, but promised to issue a probe. Matuke
elements want to put the reputation of the party into disrepute, considering the current political set-up.
“I am not aware of that, but I will institute investigations into the matter.
As a party that is a signatory to the inclusive government, we are saying this is the time to rebuild our nation, a time to mend our bridges. But the grassroots might not have embraced that philosophy. They bring the name of the party into disrepute,” said Matuke. RADIOVOP
Simba Makoni to go on trial
