Cry Beloved Zimbabwe

Mugabe & His Cabal Are Just One Problem For Zimbabwe, There 99 Others Lurking In The Shadows

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:53:00 +0000

There is a proverb in Shona that says "Rugare (Pronounced Roo-ga-reh) Tange (Ta-n-ge) Nhamo (Nha-mo)" which roughly means when you think you you have made it finally you are then confronted by new problems. There is no doubt that Zimbabwe will be free again one day, free from tyranny however the euphoria of the freedom will be short lived. Zimbabwe faces a myriad of problems, the majority which are well documented. So of the problems money will be able to solve but for others it will take a committed and a concerted effort from all Zimbabweans to be able to rid the country of a threat bigger than Mugabe.

When Mugabe came to power in 1980 he inherited the second most sophisticated urban infrastructure system South of Sahara, topped only by South Africa. The roads were perfect,there was an efficient public transport consisting of buses and trains that ran on a strict time table, the postal system was good, the health sector was good, though it needed improvement to reach the masses notwithstanding that there was something here for Zanu PF to improve on they were not starting from scratch. In the urban areas one could summon an ambulance and expect it to arrive in few minutes, the schools were the envy of Africa, after all they produced the highest literacy rate in Africa, teaching was a respectable middle class profession that one's parents could aspire their child to be. Cholera and burst sewer pipes was something we read about in science books, and the foreign section of The Herald. The economy was thriving, fixed phone lines worked there were even public phone booths that accepted coins, there were street lights. Most of our basic services were competitive to that offered in the Western world if not at par. The deterioration of Zimbabwe is well documented practical everything has broken down, there is no single public phone booth that works.

The roads will need to be resurfaced potholes will need to be filled, other roads will need a complete upgrade, the sewage system will need to be revamped such that it can serve the growing urban population, the health sector: hospitals will need to refurbished and re-equipped together with properly trained personnel. The school will need to refurbished, re-equipped as well, with adequate qualified personnel. The empty grain silos that once made Zimbabwe the bread basket of Africa will need to be re-stocked, maybe that will require a re-think of the grabbed commercial farms that now lie idle or are underutilised.

Most the work that will need to be done will cost a lot of money, while a new government will be able to attract investment both from foreign and local business. To fund most of the projects will require a progressive taxation system as well as an efficient method of collecting the tax and accounting for it. That said Zimbabwe needs to realise there is another threat that faces the country after Mugabe which could potential halt the overhaul of the entire archaic infrastructure, that threat is corruption. Corruption has permeated every level of the Zimbabwean society, its so endemic that it has become normal to pay or request a bribe. It is actually a point of envy to be well connected with people in places of influence. If you do not know anyone or if you are not prepared to pay a bribe to a civil centre to process your passport you can forget you will ever have one. There is always a big queue at the passport office everyday, the staff there only serve people till midday, so if you do not make it one day before they shut then you will have to wake up early in the morning again and hope you will be the first to be served. even after being served you might find yourself at the back of the queue again because the civil servant behind the counter will reject your passport photos saying they are the wrong size or format however directing you to a photographer who pays him for client referrals. You might come back with the right photos but your application will rot in the system unless you are willing to pay a bribe so that the civil servant whom you are paying through your taxes can do his job. You might have read or you are familiar with the road accidents in Zimbabwe, while the roads are bad, the other biggest cause of road accidents are vehicles which are not road worthy, as well as drink driving. Drinking and driving is a national pastime in Zimbabwe, the drunk drivers have nothing to deter them from drinking and driving. After all they will pay US $5 at the police checkpoint so that they cannot be bothered, same for the owners of cars which are not roadworthy they will just pay their way past the police checkpoint. Even the checkpoints they have been set up to harvest bribes paid by passing motorists whether they have a roadworthy vehicle or not. A joke is told that a policeman gets home is informed by his daughter there is no food, he asks her to pass him the crisp white sleeves that are attached to his police uniform to distinguish him as traffic cop so he can go out and get some cash. Joke or not this is the reality of the level of corruption in Zimbabwe. Its everywhere, you want a place for your son or daughter in a good school well how much is it worth it to the person doing it for you, you want to jump the queue show me the money.

Zimbabwe will need a new elite police force which will fight corruption and both perpetrators will have to face the full wreath of law, the one that offers the bribe and the one that receives it. The notion that theft from the government is victimless should be banished, when you conspire to withhold revenues due to the state not only in terms of taxes but fines that a professional policeman should have charged you for when you drove while drunk then you have stolen from yourself. How will the repair of roads be paid for? A top to down approach will be needed, there is no way that you can get rid of corruption if the very top echelons of the government are corrupt. By arresting and prosecuting senior government officials it will send a message to the everyone that corruption is not tolerated in a new Zimbabwe. Tender awarding will have to be transparent and accountable, and those that flout the tender rules should also face the full wrath of law. A massive re-education will be needed to members of the public as well that they too face prosecution if they have offer a bribe and giving them rewards to report people who ask for a bribe. It should be made clear that everyone has to stand in line wait their turn to be served if a person require an expedited service then they should be willing to official pay a premium that reflects on the speed of service. Remuneration of police officers, civil servants will need to reflect the service they offer to the country, would a a police officer with 25 years of service risk his pension by protecting a rookie who set up an illegal police checkpoint?

Can A Free Zimbabwe Be Achieved In Our Lifetime?

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 23:52:00 +0000

Zambians have experienced the rule of four different country leaders since Kenneth Kaunda admitted defeat at the hands after ruling Zambia for 27 years, beaten by a labour backed opposition party called Movement of Multi Party Democracy (MMD)which was led by Fredrick Chiluba in 1991. Since then Chiluba has been succeeded by Levy Mwanasa albeit from the same party however the constitution of Zambia bars anyone from standing for a third presidential term (a clause Chiluba attempted to amend and failed) a cornerstone of democracy which leading democratic countries of the world have adopted. Mwanasa was succeeded by Rupiah Banda again from MMD again the significance of the peaceful change of guard cannot be downplayed. Now MMD has been thrown out of power by Patriotic Front led by the incumbent president Michael Sata who becomes the fifth DIFFERENT PERSON to head the Zambian government.

The peaceful transition of power in Zambia deserves respect and recognition for the Zambian institutes that made sure that the election in which Michael Sata triumphed was free and fair. It should also be commended that the out-going president of Zambia Rupiah Banda, whatever his faults, was man enough to admit defeat inflicted by an opposition party. It is no mean feat to admit defeat, after all this Africa and Zambia is an African country. It is a feat that has alluded the motherland from time immemorial. Authoritarian governments have dominated the post-war history of independent Africa. In fact, there have only been 189 country-years of democracy
in Africa compared to 1823 country-years of dictatorship between 1946 and 2000. Moreover, dictatorships still outstrip the number of democracies in Africa by a considerable margin despite the transitions to democracy that occurred in the early 1990s.

Zambia is a neighbour to Zimbabwe, which the on the contrary has only been ruled by one person since we achieved independence in 1980. Mugabe has been ruling for 31 years, four years more than Kaunda and one year more than Kamuzu Hastings Banda of Malawi. If the rumours are to be believed it was ego driven race for him to out-rule all the African leaders, though I doubt he will beat 42 years of his compatriot Muammar Gaddafi. As things stand today Zimbabweans are bracing themselves for another 5 years of autocratic rule by Mugabe unless he dies before the completion of his 7th term he is 87 old. Zimbabwe has had no formidable opposition party for 20 years until Movement of Democratic change emerged in 1999. All elections that Mugabe claims to have won since 2000 were rigged to ensure that his iron grip on Zimbabwe continues.

While I sit here and drool with envy at the Zambians on how they manage something that had eluded Zimbabweans for long. I wonder whether Zimbabwe will ever be free in our lifetime? What about the other people who benefit from Mugabe's political patronage such as Saviour Kasukuwere and his criminal cabal, the security forces who actually now run Zimbabwe, will they allow the country to become free giving up their pornographic opulent lifestyle while the rest of the population can barely breathe?

Does This Indicate A Shift of Policy Towards Zimbabwe?

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 22:15:00 +0000

If there is any country in the world with the power to force change in Zimbabwe it is South Africa, it has the muscle to get attention from Zanu PF. I have mentioned it here before when I was really frustrated by the idiotic quite diplomacy that Mbeki, the then President of South Africa and SADC appointed facilitator on Zimbabwe. The failure of such a ill-thought policy is well documented, any hope to salvage Zimbabwe worsened from 2000, thousands were brutally murdered, tortured, persecuted, forced to flee their country of birth, service delivery and maintenance of infrastructure broke down. Yet Mbeki stuck to his guns like an idiot he would not budge, he could not be persuaded even the evidence of deaths of thousands of MDC activists, the reports of torture camps, murambatsvina, disputed election results and the arbitrary arrests of activists could not make him change his mind.

I never expected Zuma to change, after all he was Mbeki's deputy and he had endorsed and supported ANC's stance towards Zimbabwe. He too argued the same tired argument that differences in Africa are dealt with differently he too was not a fan of megaphone diplomacy. So I expected South Africa to continue with its quite diplomacy which had failed Zimbabwe and its citizens gravely. The reason for the policy are not hard to see any endorsements for a labour backed party would have sent a wrong message not only to the region but to South Africa itself. South Africa has the largest labour union in Africa in terms of members, even though Congress of South African Trade Union (COSATU) is a partner with the ruling ANC in their triparte alliance with SACP, recently the labour body is getting frustrated by their ruling partner. Not so long ago Zwelinzima Vavi warned of the dangers of South Africa becoming a banana republic. I do not want to divert and start discussing what is happening in South Africa now in terms of corruption but it is important to know that the same trickle down economics is what brought Zimbabwe to what it is now and its alive in South Africa.

Its no doubt that the events in Egypt and Tunisia and now Libya have shaken the African dictators. For the first time the dictators know that if there is no meaningful change the people will rise up. The once slumber club of ageing African dictators is now pressuring Mugabe to ensure that democratic reforms outlined in the GPA are adhered to in full before a general election can be called. It comes hot on the heels of the sharp rebuke that SADC had issued in March calling for an end to violence and their insistence that reforms proposed in the GPA are fully implemented. The change of tact could be attributed to the Arab uprisings which have toppled two dictatorships so far and still threatens to take in more, the other important one is that Zuma has had enough of Zimbabwe.

His plate is full with his own country's problems as it grapples 40% unemployment, a frustrated constituent which is increasingly becoming restless if the recent service delivery riots are to be used as a barometer. The other reason why Zuma is changing tact is his annoyance as being portrayed as uneducated, inept with a poor grasp of statesmanship. One visible mistake by Zanu PF which might have triggered the SADC to come down hard on Mugabe like a ton of bricks is their PR's dog Jonathan Moyo's foul mouthed rant at the SADC appointed facilitator Zuma. South Africa was curt in its response to the attack saying that they are not concerned about opinions who are outside the negoatiations. Yet the most recent heated exchange between Mugabe and Zuma, clearly indicate that he has had enough of the Zanu PF charade. What started off as diplomatic deliberations deteriorated after Mugabe challenged the facilitators report presented to the SADC Troika meeting in Zambia at the end of March. An angry Zuma is said to have bluntly told Mugabe; “I do not manufacture things, my reports are based on things that are happening in the country, based on facts.” Desperate to save face Zanu PF also claimed they had not been given a copy of the report before-hand.

I could be wrong in thinking that Zuma or even SADC for that matter are beginning to get tough on Mugabe but only time will tell. The recently issued communique on Zimbabwe does not still address the time-line for the implementation of reforms that are outlined in the GPA. Nor does it spell out what will happen if Zanu PF does not comply with the GPA. However the shift in tone is noted and welcomed.

The White House Befriends Tyrants If They Have Oil

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 12:35:00 +0000

Obama and the White House’s judgement is being questioned today after they rolled out the red carpet yesterday to welcome an African Tyrant in the same mould as Mugabe, President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon is at the white house yesterday. It is common knowledge that America and Britain’s foreign policies are determined largely by oil, but you would have expected Obama to be at least subtle in his communication and meeting with oil rich countries given their poor human rights records. Gabon is an oil rich country and that is the reason why America cannot ignore it, human rights in this case comes second.

Read more from News of Black Interest

The New African's Power 100 List Is An Insult To Zimbabweans & Africa As A Whole

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 12:56:00 +0000

The June issue of The New African has a compilation of a 100 strong power-list of who is who in Africa which includes the illegitimate leader of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe. His inclusion is a direct insult to Zimbabweans and even to Africa as a whole. How can anyone justify the inclusion of this monster who has presided the collapse of a once thriving and rich country to a basket case.

The New African’s editors must be smoking something or are in the pay of Zanu PF and Robert Mugabe to risk their reputation and tarnish their history by including a brutal dictator. Will The New African justify his inclusion as an influential African to surviving families and friends of his bloody Gukurahundi which killed roughly 20 000 victims in a genocide that the world chose to ignore. Can they also tell thousands of Zimbabweans who have disappeared and some whose remains were discovered in disused mines in Mount Darwin since Mugabe lost the referendum in 2000 and the subsequent blood smeared elections. The 7500 people who were displaced from their home and made homeless in 2005 in a guise of urban clean-up but were actually urban dwellers who have been a bane to Mugabe by continually voting MDC. Neither will millions of Zimbabweans who have been forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in South Africa, UK and all the others in different parts of the world. Today Zimbabwe’s unemployment is 95%, the majority of Zimbabweans left in Zimbabwe live the below the UN Poverty datum. It is unfathomable that the pace of collapse in Zimbabwe has rapidly outstripped even countries at war. Yet the New African has the chutzpah to include someone who has done more damage to any nation in living history as an influential figure.

They have also tarnished the images of real influential figures that have banded together with this dictator names that evoke respect and awe, luminaries such as Mandela, Mo Ibrahim, Desmond Tutu... just to mention a few. The list which if all circumstances are equal should be celebrated as it shows that Africans can hold they own in the dog eat dog world has been reduced to a joke by the inclusion of Mugabe. One starts wondering if The New African is in the pay of Zanu PF PR machine in order to boost Mugabe’s profile. In the absence of such a payment one wonders why, I mean why Mugabe given the body strewn debris he has left in the failed state of Zimbabwe. By publishing this insult the New African has lost its credibility and managed in the same stroke to alienate intelligent African readers who see the inclusion of Mugabe as patronage to his hate-filled diatribe against the whites, that remnant in Africa and the Western governments in ploy to hoodwink the observers.

For a magazine which has been printed since 1966 it’s a shame that they have failed to take their rightful position as guardians of democracy as purveyors of the fearless journalism not ass licking fools with a powerful platform.

A Revolution Has A Mind of Its Own

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:53:00 +0000

The past people's revolution in Tunisia and Egypt which managed to topple the dictators of both country have engulfed the whole of the middle-east is a natural phenomenon whose occurrence, duration and effectiveness cannot be guessed. Revolutions are as natural as evolution they cannot be stopped, delayed or even hurried. It is only the dictators whose iron grip of their countries blinds them to think that they can control a revolution with the same chutzpah and nonchalance that they control their regimes.

The seeds of the latest wave of revolutions were planted in Tunisia where Zine Ben Ali a ruthless and corrupt dictator had ruled for 23 years. It was an unlikely place for a revolution to begin, Tunisia is a tiny North African country with no international significance (I mean it has no oil, a very small army). Its all started in small town of Sidi Bouzid resident to 40 000 Tunisians similar to Marondera if you like. A 26 year old market vendor Mohammed Bouazizi had his goods confiscated by a municipal worker for not having a trading licence. Mohammed was expected to a pay a bribe to have his goods back, but on this occasion he refused to pay the bribe got into an argument with the municipal policewoman who slapped him. He tried to get his scale back from the local government building but they would not let him in. Instead of going home and plotting another hopeless exercise in selling vegetables illegally he went back home bought a litre of petrol and set himself on fire in front of the government building were his confiscated wares lay. The symbol of Mohammed burning himself touched ordinary Tunisians who flocked to Sidi Bouzid and started demonstrating, the anger quickly spread to other towns and its over a month now since Zine Ben Ali fled Tunisia for Saudi Arabia.

Next was Egypt which first tried police repression, violence intimidation the usual weaponry available to dictators to quash the revolution but as I said there is no human intervention especially that cooked by the dictator can stop a revolution. Protesters defied the feared police and stayed in Tahir Square until Hosni Mubarak was forced out. The revolution fervour has now reached Libya where Muammar al Gaddafi has ruled Libya for 42 years, the demonstrations in Libya have been met with violent reaction in futile attempt to stop the revolution. As the army, the diplomats dessert Gaddafi you can smell it in the air that the time is right and Libyans can rid themselves the evil, racist despot and chart their own way to determine their lives and fate. There are similar demonstrations in Bahrain, Yemen, Morocco, Algeria and as reported also in China.

You might ask what now for Zimbabwe, I think the seeds have been scattered enough to reach Zimbabwe. I do not know if it will happen this year or the next but once it starts the people will not go back. An interesting characteristic to take from the revolutionaries that have started this domino effect is that those suppressed by dictators world over they have cast away their fear and are willing to see the revolution to its end even if it means their death or that of their fellow citizens. The late political activist Tonderai Ndira who was brutally murdered by the genocidal government of Zimbabwe (RIP) once said,"Either way you die, whether you demonstrate against the government or not, you are condemned to die, people in Zimbabwe die from hunger, from easily treatable diseases". Mohammed Bouazizi realised that and its been implanted in minds of many young people all over the world whose futures are arrested by despots who rule their countries, they have shed that fear which has been a block in starting or participating in a revolution .

As I sign off I'm humming to Bob Marley's Bad Boy -"whatchu gonna do when they come for you?". The despots of the world better get ready the people are coming for you......

Politics Is Just A Game

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:58:00 +0000

Its been quite a while since I posted, I was not just lazy to post but rather I had grown disillusioned by the charade of politics. When I first dabbled into politics, I was just 17 and I had romantic ideas as to what politics can do, how it can right the wrongs of the world and give everyone a fair chance. I also felt that there would be politicians out there that would share the same ideals that through their leadership the world's flaws can be corrected. I naively held on to that dream that a right person or a right group of people can still change the world. It was not until late last year that I woke up from the dream and realised politics for what it is - a fallacious game one that I have decided I do not want to participate.

It is true that politicians are not concerned about anyone else except themselves, democracy in its purest sense is a myth. Its not only African politicians I am talking about its even the Western leaders the people who use their money to preach democracy knowing fully that its unachievable. Its like a mirage in desert you keep thinking you are getting nearer to it until it disappears. I started to read widely on topics such as democracy and the forms of government world-over trying to see if I could find a system that were compatible for with my beliefs what politics should represent. I am afraid to say that there is no system, there is no government or any other authority that correctly practices politics that changes the world for the better.

Take for example former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who professes to be a Christian now, having converted to Catholicism in 2007. Even after he converted he cannot bring himself to apologise to the people of Iraq as well as families of Iraq, UK and US soldiers that lost their sons and daughters in war for oil. It is this type of hypocrisy that typifies many politicians today from America to Zimbabwe. You see what these leaders fail to tell you is that, they are no longer in charge. No decision today is done which is in favour of the people to whom these politicians work for, instead they seek to protect the big businesses, the rich and powerful elite.

So I have news for you if you want to change the world start a business, become so big and influential, just like Murdoch's media empire in UK which now is considered as influence on who will govern Britain. Anything else like party politics is a waste of time as any decisions that are made by the people for the people are vetoed by those with vested interests.I can give many examples of decisions that stink from here to high heavens, like the Trafigura case which threatened to sue anyone who reported about the damages of oil spill, the release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi from Scottish prisons was lobbied by BP.

If you are looking for a more recent case then look at how Wikileaks was fought not only by the government but by big businesses as well like Amazon, PayPal, Mastercard, etc. Without any money you do not have any voice, noone will listen to you, you cannot buy influence regardless of how popular you are, the only thing that matters now is money.

Rent-A-Crowd Boos Tsvangirai Off The Stage In London

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:15:00 +0000

The Prime Minster of Zimbabwe is on a tour of western capitals to seek $20 billion needed to kick-start Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is broke and if the transitional government that MDC is now part of is to work then money is needed. In blunt terms if you really want Mugabe to go then the Western governments have to start giving this transitional government a chance. Tsvangirai is on his last leg of the tour and on the 19th of June 2009, he arrived in UK. UK is home to over a million Zimbabweans some who have fled Zimbabwe to seek refuge in Britain. It was then arranged that he addresses Zimbabweans at the Southwark Cathedral and he did, the drawback being that his speech was cut short by Rent-A-Crowd boos whose interest is to see Zimbabwe in perpetual turmoil.

At the heart of their grievance is the fact that Tsvangirai uttered the unsaid by asking the exiles to begin considering going back home. You see to these people Tsvangirai should not have entered in the GNU with Mugabe, regardless of the fact that most ordinary Zimbabweans who had born the brunt of this regime at the height of its brutality support this transitional arrangement. A recent poll conducted in Zimbabwe showed that 80% of the population supports it. The GNU has offered people of Zimbabwe some respite albeit on a small scale. Affordability is another issue on its own but clearly there has been progress, food that was empty from shelves not so long ago is now back on the shelves. Schools have re-opened, there is a semblance of normalcy that is returning. Yes there are still human rights issues in Zimbabwe but using the metrics of brutality previously set by Zanu its a little bit better than say just after the announcement of the stolen election. If the people that booed are waiting for a perfect Zimbabwe where everything is as it says on the tin then I one-way tickets for them to Utopia.

See at the heart of the problem is selfishness, if I am okay then I cannot worry about the second person. Its myopic thinking because as a nation our fate is interlinked. I narrated it here before when I was bemoaning the loss of support from the so-called professional Zimbabweans working in UK. The apathy to the long suffering of Zimbabwe is rooted in the belief that as long as I am working then I can support my relatives at home. But can you also provide an ambulance service, even if you buy them that big flat screen TV, you cant buy electricity, you might buy a generator but what of if there is no fuel? The issue of whether MDC joins Zanu PF in a transitional arrangement has never been about us exiles, look we took the easy route out of Zimbabwe, it has and will always be about Zimbabweans back at home.

How does one marry the fact that Morgan is on a tour of Western Capitals to seek financial aid for his fragile government which he is touting to Western governments as making progress then he turn around at the Southwark Cathedral and say its not safe to go back home. No one would have given him any penny had he said that, no that he lied so he could get the money. Around 4-5 million Zimbabweans left home, many educated, with skills that can make a difference to a free Zimbabwe. So it was right for him to ask people to start considering to come back home given how much Zimbabwe has suffered from the brain drain. He never said anyone should pack their bags and catch the same flight he will catch when he returns to Zimbabwe. Considering to go back home is not something that you would do at a fly, but from the boos in the crowd you would think that Tsvangirai had said there is a bus waiting outside to take them to Zimbabwe.

No one is being force to go to Zimbabwe, whether one returns or not is entirely an individual choice. Asylum is a sensitive issue to Zimbabweans, some have been here for donkey years and their claims have not been entertained. But its wrong to think that Tsvangirai's statement would force Home Office to have a blanket policy on Zimbabwe. Asylum cases are decided on an individual basis, no comments or encouragement from Zimbabwe's PM to come back home would jeopardise a genuine case of fear. Half of the time when I have casual discussions with my friends is that they cannot stand living here they moan the Zimbabwe of the yesteryears and wish they could just go back and live their lives.

We met with Tsvangirai later for Dinner he assured us he was under no illusion about the situation in Zimbabwe. He said simply as a person who also born the brunt of the brutality of Mugabe's regime people should give him the benefit of doubt when it comes to the progress of GNU.

The Low Down On Zimbabwe

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Tue, 26 May 2009 20:19:00 +0000

Like many Zimbabweans I hoped that the recently signed Global Political Agreement (GPA) by the three principals of the parties involved in perennial Zimbabwean saga namely MDC- Tsvangirai and MDC-Mutambara and the demonic Zanu PF would offer respite to millions of Zimbabweans who for over 10 years have suffered horribly at the hands of Zanu PF. Just yesterday News Of Black Interest was reporting that we have the highest per capita dependency on food aid. Instead the GPA is like a mirage in dessert, it offers hopes but delivers a startlingly different reality.

Look at the current behaviour of Zanu PF, their breaches of the terms of the GPA, the unilateral re-appointments of the Central Bank Governor Gono and the Attorney General Tomana. There is the continuing flagrant breaches of human rights, the harassment and arbitrary arrests of MDC activists, journalists and lawyers. If that was not enough add odd behaviour that all staff employed by Prime Minister Tsvangirai has not been paid now for over 3 months, apparently Zanu PF is refusing to recognise them as civil servants. Recently The Prime Minister was turned away from a State banquet at the State House. There is the issue of continued invasion of farms.

What Zanu PF is showing is its defiance and on the other hand MDC is showing tenacity to opened avenues of government. What needs to be answered is whether Zanu PF still holds all the cards. Some of their strength is slipping away; one clear example of that is structure of the Ministry of Finance. Biti does not have a deputy that was in response to Zanu PF's demands that the Defence Minister will not be deputised. Its obvious the the shadowy military Junta named Joint Operations Command (JOC) made up of Zimbabwe's service chiefs, that actually rules Zimbabwe demanded that the Defence Ministry go to Zanu PF and that no MDC deputy to serve in this Ministry. It all goes back to the 2002 Presidential Elections when the JOC held a press conference and announced that they would not salute a President with no liberation war credentials. It would have been a climb down for them to salute an MDC Deputy Minister of Defence so they demanded that Defence will be served with one Minister.In a counter move MDC demanded that the Finance Ministry will have no deputy. Both are key ministries, its hard to decide which one is the most important. But think of it, Zanu PF managed to bankroll the suppression of ordinary Zimbabweans because they controlled the Treasury purse. If Biti's plans to circumvent Zimbabwe's Central Bank comes to fruitation then MDC will have not only matched Zanu PF but outwitted them.

Biti is planning to hold all loans, grants and aid in Africa's Development Bank, disbursing small amounts from that bank directly to the recipients on basis of when its needed. That way MDC will have ensured that Gono, the man who printed money in Zimbabwe will never be able to hold literal any penny that comes into Zimbabwe. I do not know what would happen if the economy picks up, I mean concerning revenue that the Government might generate from taxes and duties. I am sure Biti has a plan.

The other issue the structure of the GPA is such that Tsvangirai taken a bigger chunk of the government. If my estimates do not fail me then all members of MDC's National Council which is made up of Provincial Chairpersons, The National Executive, The Management Committee have been absorbed into the government. It might not make much difference or can also be met with accusations of a bloated cabinet however Tsvangirai has realised its better to fight Zanu PF on its own turf. Yes time will tell whether the idea will work or not.

Lastly remember that the GPA is temporary that means that once we have a new constitution then elections will be held again in Zimbabwe. For now we are watching Zanu PF and we have a couple of tricks as well up our sleeves. Like calling the AU to mediate. As for the pleas for financial aid from the Prime Minister, I think the West should heed those pleas, because if GPA fails because of lack of money it might precipitate demise of MDC.

I am back again soon to talk about Aid to Africa in general, till then Tara.

I am back

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Sat, 16 May 2009 13:53:00 +0000

Hey how have you been?

I took a long breather, a lot of things happened, me and my wife were blessed with a baby boy we named Johnta, Tanatswa on Christmas day last year. So taking care of the older brother Dashiel, helping his mommy as well gobbled up most of my time.

Add work, voluntary work, also maintain the MDC UK & Ireland website and my studies it takes a bigger toll.

However my love for Zimbabwe compels me to write again sometimes one gets so outraged at the slow process of change.

The Global Political Agreement (GPA) that MDC and Zanu PF agreed to gave people hope that the situation in Zimbabwe might finally change. But events in Zimbabwe say something different.

I am back and I will be posting soon my analysis of the situation in Zimbabwe.

Skepticism Surrounds The Motives of The Dictatorship

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:25:00 +0000

I am skeptical about the talks that are set to resume between our MDC and the Zanu PF in South Africa today. My main worry is the motive of the dictator and his military junta? What do they hope to achieve by the talks? Because surely they can not suddenly claim a heartfelt need to solve the political crisis in Zimbabwe that has been going on for over 10 years now. The events in Zimbabwe speak for themselves, the violence against MDC members and still carries on with impunity over 1000 MDC officials and members are still in custody, to date 110 people have died since the start of April this year all victims of a state concerted effort to destabilise MDC members and instill fear in innocent citizens and cow them into supporting Zanu PF. A few days prior to the MOU, Mugabe was vitriolic in his usual attack of the British blaming them for the 5 million percent inflation in Zimbabwe, he never looked nor sounded like a man with reconciliation on his mind, his wife as well joined in the verbal attack of President Morgan Tsvangirai the leader of MDC and the rightful winner of the March 29 elections. All I am saying is nothing in actions or demeanour of the dictatorship indicated that they really wanted to resolve the political crisis in Zimbabwe.

Some of the critics of MDC say we will never negotiate from a position of strength after pulling out of the Presidential runoff that Mugabe then went on and declared himself a winner so he could negotiate from a position of strength. As usual the arm chair pundits are way off the mark, Mugabe and his junta never wanted to negotiate. At first they thought they had the April 27 runoff between Tsvangirai and Mugabe all wrapped up after the orgy of violence that they had meted out to MDC members they knew they were going to be winners predicting a low or no turnout of MDC voters. The violence was brutal, it left 10 000 homes destroyed, another 10 000 people requiring urgent medical attention, 250000 people internally displaced, 1000 MDC members in illegal detention over spurious charges and 110 people that lost their lives at the hands of bloodthirsty state machinery that was unleashed on innocent Zimbabwe citizens. MDC had no option than to pull out of the Presidential runoff. However the dictatorship welcomed the idea and went ahead with a shame election, as ridiculous as taking a penalty when they is no goal-keeper and surprise surprise there was one winner Mugabe. They hurried the inauguration and did it on a Sunday so that Mugabe could travel to AU summit in Egypt as a head of state. Despite the need for non-recognition of Mugabe as an illegitimate head of state as he predicated a few among his peers dared to declare his tenure illegitimate with Botswana only issuing the most strongest of terms. All the other African countries as I wrote here on this blog before are tyrannical and their tenures of office are equal questionable. So the expectation of many people that Mugabe would be rejected never happened. After the collapse of the British sponsored UN resolution to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe there was little left that could be done by the world to help the situation in Zimbabwe.

I do not even think it was the sporadic uncoordinated sanctions against the regime in Harare that pushed them to begin negotiations with MDC nor was it the EU targeted personal sanctions. Yes the shortage of watermarked currency paper that the dictatorship imported from Germany company was the one that pushed the regime. However I acknowledge that the collapsed economy is starting bite the very architects of the collapse. Inflation at 2.2 million officially but economists put it at 5 million per cent is the highest in the world and is unsustainable. I think that was one of the issues that forced the dictatorship's hand. The other one might be the choruses of disapproval mostly from African countries such as Botswana, Zambia, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria...... amongst those most critical of the illegitimate regime led by the despot Mugabe.

If Zanu PF and its machinery are going through this with insincerity or as a charade to wood wink the world that they are ready to solve the crisis in Zimbabwe then the talks will break down. If Mugabe thinks he can engineer another coup by swallowing MDC as he did Zapu in the late 80s and giving MDC MP token cabinet positions then I can assure you again that the talks will break down. MDC will never accept piece-meal type of settlements that disregard that MDC is the majority party in the parliament and that Morgan Tsvangirai is the rightful winner of the Presidential elections. There is also the issue of the immunity and amnesty, Zanu Pf will try and coax immunity pledges from MDC in exchange of release of all detained MDC members and officials, but we will refuse it. If however as a measure of compromise immunity is offered to Mugabe and his junta it will be difficult to stop individuals that will seek justice of the atrocities that the junta ordered in a new Zimbabwe.

Whatever the motive of the dictatorship in entering the talks, MDC will be on its guard and we will never play second fiddle to the junta we will claim what rightfully is ours, the people given victory of March 29. Any other outcomes the dictatorship can continue in its ruinous rule of Zimbabwe and we shall see if they have the political wherewithal to revive the collapsed economy and improve the lives of ordinary people.

PRESIDENT MORGAN TSVANGIRAI'S STAMENT AS MDC WITHDRAWS FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL RUNOFF

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 17:20:00 +0000

The MDC won the March 29th elections despite conditions that were far from free and fair. Our party’s message of peaceful, democratic change and rebuilding a New Zimbabwe enjoys the support of the vast majority of Zimbabweans.

Our election victory confirmed this to Mugabe and since that date, he and his supporters have been waging a war against the people of Zimbabwe.

This violent retributive agenda has seen over 200 000 people internally displaced and over 86 MDC supporters killed. Over 20 000 homes have been destroyed and over 10 000 people have been injured and maimed in this orgy of violence.

For the record, there are eight broad reasons why a free and fair election is impossible. Zanu PF has already subverted the run-off through the following:

STATE SPONSORED VIOLENCE

The police have been reduced to bystanders while Zanu PF militia commit crimes against humanity varying from rape, torture, murder, arson, abductions and other atrocities.

Zanu PF militia dressed in army regalia have been deployed to spearhead the terror campaign in the rural and urban areas. Armed Zanu PF youths are waging a terror campaign and have vowed that the MDC will not rule the county even if it wins.

The Joint Operations Command (JOC) is engineering a violent campaign to subvert the will of the people. The Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) has designed covert operations to destabilize the nation.

Zanu PF has set up over 3000 militia bases across the length and breath of the country in order to cow and intimidate MDC supporters into submission.

Death and hit squads are on the loose in all the provinces.

War veterans and Zanu PF youths are manning illegal roadblocks with impunity in complicity with the police.

The use of guns and arms of war by Zanu PF militia and war vets to campaign for Zanu PF has virtually militarized the election atmosphere.

All this is being done as State sponsored ploy to tilt the vote in favour of Zanu PF.

MDC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE’S CAMPAIGN

The regime has crippled the MDC Presidential Candidate’s campaign. MDC rallies have been banned. Court orders have been ignored. Today, Sunday the 22nd of June 2008, a mere five days before the run-off date, police refused MDC permission to hold its only Star Rally at the open space across the Harare Show Grounds. We successfully sought a High Court Order which granted us permission to proceed with our rally. Regrettably, armed Zanu PF thugs occupied the venue in order to prevent us from gathering. MDC supporters were attacked and cars were stoned at the venue. This happened in full view of the police.

Unlawful arrests of the MDC Presidential Candidate have been going on unabated. The public media has flatly refused to flight MDC adverts. To date, no single commercial has aired by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation. There is a total blackout of the MDC in the public media in clear contravention of the SADC guidelines and standards governing a free and fair election.

The hate language and the vilification of the MDC Presidential candidate by the public broadcasters and public media is unprecedented. By denying us access to the media the regime has managed to deny the MDC access to the people.

DECIMATION OF MDC STRUCTURES

The MDC Secretary General, Hon. Tendai Biti and MP Advocate Matinenga are illegally detained. Over 2000 MDC supporters including our polling agents are in illegal detention. The arrests have targeted members of Parliament, Councillors, the MDC structures and election agents. Over 200 000 people have been internally displaced. The whole game plan is designed to cripple the MDC campaign.

THE ZIMBABWE ELECTORAL COMMISSION (ZEC)

The MDC is shocked by the level of partisanship of ZEC. We have lost confidence in ZEC. The organization has been staffed by war veterans and Zanu PF militia. In fact, as it stands now, ZEC is not in charge of the management of this election.

THE MEDIA

The media is under attack. There is a complete blackout of the MDC’s campaign. Journalists are being harassed and intimidated and foreign journalists barred from entering the country.

THE ZANU PF PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

The Zanu PF candidate has no respect for the MDC, observers, the regional and international community. He has made public pronouncements to the effect that he will not accept defeat. He has declared war by saying that the bullet has replaced the ballot. The statement by General Chiwenga and Commissioner of Prisons Zimondi that they will not respect and accept the will of the people is regrettable and is a clear manifestation that a free and fair election is impossible.

PLANNED ELECTION RIGGING BY ZANU PF

The MDC has unearthed an elaborate and decisive plan by Zanu PF to rig the elections through the following measures:

1. Commandeering the uniformed forces to use the postal ballot and forcing them to vote in front of their superiors.
2. The prevention of MDC election agents to get to the polling stations through roadblocks and arrests.
3. The three Mashonaland provinces have been identified as rigging centres where ballots are going to be stuffed.
4. Villagers are having their national identity cards confiscated denying them their right to vote.
5. There is a plan to record the serial numbers of ballot papers so as to intimidate voters.
6. The holding of forced pungwes (overnight meetings) where MDC supporters are beaten and forced to undergo “re-education”.
7. The abuse of traditional leaders.
8. The use of massive violence as a weapon to influence the ballot.

CONCLUSION

Given the totality of these circumstances, we believe a credible election, which reflects the will of the people is impossible. We remain unreservedly committed to free and fair elections in the country. The conditions prevailing as of today do not permit the holding of a credible poll.

The militia, war veterans and even Mugabe himself have made it clear that anyone that votes for me in the forthcoming election faces the very real possibility of being killed.

Zimbabweans have also shown how brave and resilient they can be. They have withstood years of brutality, impoverishment and intimidation. They are dedicated to a New democratic Zimbabwe.

But, we in the MDC, cannot ask them to cast their vote on June 27th when that vote could cost them their lives.

Therefore, we in the MDC have resolved that we will no longer participate in this violent, illegitimate sham of an election process.

The courageous people of this country, and the people of the MDC have done everything humanly and democratically possible to deliver a New Zimbabwe under a New Government.

We urge SADC, AU and the United Nations to intervene urgently in this unprecedented situation to restore the rule of law, peace, and conditions for a free and fair election.

We are going to articulate our vision and the way forward to the people of Zimbabwe and the world, after further consulting the people.

Finally, we salute and thank all the suppressed masses of Zimbabwe who have been maimed, raped, tortured, lost homes and properties in the pursuit of a noble cause of wishing to see a free and democratic Zimbabwe. I sympathize with you over the loss of your loved ones in these final phases of the struggle. Victory is certain, it can only be delayed.

I thank you.

President Morgan Tsvangirai

Xenophobia Shows Mbeki Has Been Abject Failure for Both Zim & SA

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Thu, 22 May 2008 00:18:00 +0000

Today 42 people are dead, killed by rampaging xenophobic South Africans most of those affected are Zimbabwean citizens who had fled Mugabe's tyranny to seek refuge in South Africa for them to flee their new homes and are now seeking refuge at South African police stations whose occupants in turn had been bleeding the Zimbabweans dry through their solicitations of bribes which Zimbabweans grudgingly pay in order to avoid deportations. The blood of the 42 that have died horribly at the hands of their vile attackers is on Mbeki's hands who by his stubborn and often idiotic denial of a crisis in Zimbabwe and his shameful, unmitigated and unforgiven support for Mugabe has led to the eruption of xenophobia attacks on Zimbabweans.

If Mbeki had brains he would have acted long ago to revert this tragedy, in turn over 4 million Zimbabweans that left Zimbabwe to overcrowd South Africa's tinder boxes which was a time bomb waiting to explode with or without their presence. Many of the estimated 4 million Zimbabweans in South Africa are undocumented refugees referred by the Media as illegal immigrants as result of the dastardly policies of Thabo Mbeki who for 8 years since the Zimbabwean crisis began has refused to acknowledge there is a problem in Zimbabwe thereby legitimising the Zimbabwean refugees in SA. Its a common fact that many of the Zimbabweans in SA are educated, meaning that they were bringing much-needed skills to SA’s economy, even if some are doing more menial tasks to get by. As a result of their status and irregardless of their education they are forced to compete with poor South Africans many uneducated for the same class of low paid jobs. The country has managed to absorb up to five million economic migrants even as President Mbeki's administration has left 40 per cent of South Africans worse off than they were under apartheid. Crime is endemic, with 50 murders a day in Johannesburg alone. Education, for most, remains rudimentary at best. Mr Mbeki has personally deepened the human and economic toll of the Aids pandemic by refusing to acknowledge its extent or talk frankly about its causes, even though the South African economy has improved 40% of South Africans are unemployed, they live in shanty towns mostly located in the outskirts of the ghettos of Johannesburg the dream of a new South Africa that they were sold by the ANC is just an illusion as they are left to scavenge for a living through crime which is glorified as means to escape the poverty and taste the lifestyle of celebrities they worship. The end of apartheid has benefited those politically connected to the decision makers in the ANC, as the ANC politicians-turned-oligarchs, who have changed political "connectivity" into financial capital through black economic empowerment, are the government's strategy to quickly create black capitalists. Leaving the poor South Africans short changed who then vent their anger at foreigners the proverbial scapegoat for Mbeki and ANC's abject failure at governance

Mbeki's wanted to carve a legacy of his leadership through pan-africanism that he announced to the world through his famous I am An African speech which he gave 12 years ago on the eve of the adoption of the South African new constitution. How hollow his words are today when South Africans are murdering fellow Africans?

I am an African. I am born of the peoples of the continent of Africa. The pain of the violent conflict that the peoples of Liberia, Somalia, the Sudan, Burundi and Algeria is a pain I also bear. The dismal shame of poverty, suffering and human degradation of my continent is a blight that we share. The blight on our happiness that derives from this and from our drift to the periphery of the ordering of human affairs leaves us in a persistent shadow of despair. This is a savage road to which nobody should be condemned. This thing that we have done today, in this small corner of a great continent that has contributed so decisively to the evolution of humanity says that Africa reaffirms that she is continuing her rise from the ashes. Whatever the setbacks of the moment, nothing can stop us now! Whatever the difficulties, Africa shall be at peace! However improbable it may sound to the sceptics, Africa will prosper!

He failed to sell his pan-africanism to his countrymen, all the rhetoric about African renaissance is hogwash what is African Renaissance when South Africans are murdering, raping their African brothers and sisters for not being South African? He failed to educate his countrymen about the role that African played in bringing apartheid down.

Most of the leadership of ANC went into exile just before or after the Rivonia trial that imprisoned Mandela amongst them were; Thabo Mbeki who lived in here in UK and also lived in Botswana, Nigeria and Zambia, Joe Slovo also lived here in Britain, Angola, Mozambique and Zambia, Ducie September who was assassinated in Paris lived in Zimbabwe, Zambia before leaving to head the ANC office in France where she was assassinated, Oliver Tambo lived here in Britain and in Zambia, Mduduzi Mbele also lived here in Britain and in Zimbabwe where he taught me History as a lower six at Chaplin High School in Gweru, Tomas Titus Nkobi one time ANC treasurer general was a Zimbabwean by birth who naturalised to a South African when his Zimbabwean father was working in the mines. He was at Adams College of Education in KwaZulu Natal with Joshua Nkomo, the Zimbabwean Vice President and Bernard Chidzero, the Zimbabwean Minister of Finance and Dr. Ntsu Mokhehle, the Prime Minister of Lesotho. All these and many other too numerous to list individually were welcomed by their fellow African brothers during the dark days of apartheid across the whole of Africa. The hospitality came at a cost for Africans, the death of Samora Machel amongst the body littered debris as apartheid government carried military insurgents in the neighbouring countries in search of members of Umkonto we Sizwe. A free South Africa would have been inconceivable had it not been for the solidarity and hospitality shown to South Africans by their African brethren and this is the thanks they get?

The World Needs To Help Zimbabwe

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Tue, 06 May 2008 09:42:00 +0000

ZEC finally announced the much awaited Presidential poll result more than one month since the polls were held. They had time to doctor the results to what they wanted that gave Morgan Tsvangirai 47.9% against Mugabe's 43.2% insinuating that a runoff is needed. MDC has rejected the projected figures and also refused to acknowledge the figures that ZEC announced that points to a runoff. MDC has also tallied they own figures collated from the provinces for the presidential vote which were in the public domain 24 hours after the poll. Its a matter of simple arithmetic taking figures from each constituency at provincial level before tallying the figures nationally. MDC's results indicate there is no need for a runoff as we won 50.7% of the votes against Mugabe's 43.2%. What is clear from the illegal government's results is an attempt to subvert the will of the people of Zimbabwe who have dumped Mugabe and his blood thirst Zanu PF. There is no need for MDC to participate in the runoff because we won the elections, neither is there a need to negotiate a government of national unity with Zanu PF which is also amongst the plans by the military junta.

The state perpetrated violence on MDC members or people suspected to have voted for MDC in the past harmonised elections whose results have been partially announced has been escalating of late. 5000 people have been displaced more than 800 homes have been burned. The death toll now stands at 20, 5 of the murders were within a space of 4 days. Tabitha Marume was shot and killed by soldiers at Chiwetu Rest Camp, Percy Muchiwa, a teacher in Guruve was on Monday beaten to death by Zanu PF supporters in Bakasa area. In Mashonaland Central Bigboy Zhuwawo and Tenos Manyimo died on Sunday after being attacked by Zanu PF militants. The 5th murder was that of Clemence Dube who was also attacked in Poshai Village of Shurugwi in the Midlands province. Dube was an MDC polling agent during the March 29 election and the violence seems designed to ensure that prospective polling agents in a run-off will be reluctant to participate. This is a humanitarian crisis of gigantic proportions which now needs the intervention of the United Nations. It is a disaster that the international community is ignoring.

The violence is meant to displace MDC voters and hand Zanu PF victory in the runoff that the military junta is preparing. The other plan is to unleash so much violence and murder as many people so that it forces MDC to negotiate and participate in a government of national unity just like what happened in Kenya. The other plan is to kill some of the newly elected MDC MPs and then hold by-elections which Zanu PF will win either through violent intimidation, displacement of voters which is laredy underway and outright rigging.

We also hear that the proposed runoff might be delayed for over 1 year, anything is possible with this regime, given that it took them more than 1 month to collate and count votes for 2.5 million people. It beggars belief why Mugabe and his junta ever bother about elections, especially with disdain for democratic principles and the violence leashed with impunity on ordinary Zimbabweans? The world must help stop Mugabe in order to save the lives of people of Zimbabwe. The problem in Zimbabwe is far too immense for MDC to solve it own its own. Yesterday 59 members of Women Of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) were severely beaten and illegally detained and 11 of the women's whereabouts are unknown after they staged a demo to demand the end of political violence.

Results Are Non- Negotiable!

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 07:43:00 +0000

A lot of theories as to what Mugabe will do next have been doing rounds with the state's own propaganda machinery fueling the rumours ever since Mugabe and Zanu PF lost to Tsvangirai and MDC in the March 2008 harmonised elections. Lets make one thing clear here Morgan Tsvangirai and MDC won the elections they are the choice of people irrespective of the fact that the results from the presidential election are still to be officially announced, and that an illegal recount is taking place in 23 constituencies engineered to reverse the will of the people of Zimbabwe, nor the fact that the Mugabe's dogs of war have murdered 10 people and displaced 3000 arrested 500 MDC members and officials on trumped up charges. So this new talk written in Mugabe's propaganda mouthpiece, of a government of national unity headed by Mugabe should be discarded here and forthwith. Mugabe and his military junta have been behaving as if nothing happened, like as if no election took place, they cannot just brush events like the recent harmonised election like a non-event to suit their selfish needs.

All this is Mbeki fault, he is a two faced snake, while he wanted to appear like a non-aligned broker during the failed negotiations between MDC and Zanu PF, he clearly favoured Zanu PF and wanted to push for the idea of a Zanu PF government with reformed Zanu PF loyalist when that failed he secretly backed Makoni. While the MDC was busy asking for the postponement of the elections to June of this year allowing us to prepare and campaign adequately, he agreed with us in public also calling for the postponement of the elections. Behind our back Mbeki urged Mugabe to hold elections in March citing mDC's unpreparedness as conducive to a Zanu PF victory. Obviously what Mbeki underestimated was the will of the people of Zimbabwe, only 2.5 million voted because Mugabe's illegal regime refused to allow Zimbabweans based abroad our right to choose our next government, despite that drawback Mugabe and Zanu PF were dumped by the Zimbabwean electorate for Change, the change they can trust. All the people that were against regime change in Zimbabwe did not see it coming, Mbeki, Mugabe and his illegal military junta never thought MDC would win, win we did. The only positive outcome of the failed talks between MDC and Zanu PF was the agreement between MDC and Zanu PF to have elections results posted outside the polling stations which became Mugabe's Achillies hill, it derailed of his best laid plans of rigging the election and announcing himself a winner.

At first we know that Mugabe's people came to us acknowledging defeat and talking of smooth handover of power, but the greedy elements within Zanu PF and the military junta that holds Zimbabwe at ransom pulled out of the talks for the smooth transition of power. At first they threw around an idea of a coup and were probably told by Mbeki that it was untenable. Then they started the drip feeding of election results meant to transfuse people into believing that MDC and Zanu PF had roughly equal number of voters, not a word was heard about the presidential election results while Mugabe's propaganda machine gave glimpses of the what the regime was planning, they were busy preparing people for a run-off of an election whose results they have not announced. We know now why they delayed the announcement of results, they wanted to put into place systems that would ensure Mugabe's victory in the event of a runoff. Like the reappearance of the dreaded so called war veterans whose mean age is 24 and militarised youth wing of Zanu PF a.k.a the green bombers, the evidence of torture camps, the burning of MDC members homesteads, the arbitrary arrests of MDC members on trumped charges, the killing of more than 10 MDC members. 3000 people have been displaced in a situation reminiscent of Murambatsvina, some are sleeping in the open at the start of winter season in Zimbabwe with women and young children abandoned as people flee. Some have gone to camp at MDC headquarters Harvest House in Harare, about 600 are sleeping at the MDC regional office in Mutare. There has been increased movement of Zimbabwean people into Mozambique and South Africa. Such that when the run-off is scheduled then the displaced people cannot vote, the arrested cannot campaign, by killing unarmed civilians they are instilling fear into the minds of MDC members and supporters who voted Mugabe and Zanu PF out all to ensure Mugabe wins the second round.

Because MDC has refused to partake in the run-off that will only inflame a volatile situation Zanu PF is now changing its strategy. Now we hear that they want a government of national unity, based on what? They called the elections and lost what needs to be negotiated is the smooth transition of power to MDC the choice of the people. Even Zuma the South African Presidential hopeful's ideas of a negotiation between MDC and Zanu PF should be mooted, there is nothing to negotiate, we won the election, we are ready to govern. This whole idea of that Mugabe will steal this election and declare himself a victor rule for 18 months and then hand over power to Emmerson Mnangagwa who in turn will then instigate negotiations with MDC to resume the flow of international aid and perpetuate Zanu PF's stranglehold on Zimbabwe will be rejected by people of Zimbabwe and if needs be we will defend our vote violently.

If I read carefully between the lines of the propaganda mouthpiece the Herald is that Mugabe and his military junta surely know that they cannot revive the economy of Zimbabwe, there want to give MDC piecemeal positions within their illegal government ignoring the outcome of the election. All the countries surrounding Zimbabwe don't have the bottle to tell Mugabe to go so will push hard for MDC to accept those piecemeal positions in order to bring an end to this impasse created by Mugabe as he clings to power. As a member of MDC and the Vice Secretary of the UK province I will do all my best to lobby the MDC leadership to reject an piecemeal type of settlement meant to appease Zanu PF and ignore the will of the people that voted for it to govern. What needs to be drummed up to the governments of SADC is that MDC won the election, the recount is illegal, the retribution being carried by Mugabe with impunity on MDC supporters that voted him out of power should stop and that if it does not stop MDC will find it hard to ignore calls by its membership to prosecute human rights abuse perpetrators. Also that its the MDC which will head the government including that of national unity if there is ever going to be one, because frankly I do not envisage a situation were MDC would include members of Mugabe's ruling elite in their cabinet. Primarily because of the barbaric violence they are perptuating on MDC members and Zimbabwean people as a whole, their continued defiance and refusal to let the process of a democratic election prevail that of acknowledging defeat and letting the victors get on with the mammoth job of rebuilding Zimbabwe's collapsed economy.

The people of Zimbabwe would like to thank to the workers of the world who through their affiliated trade unions united in preventing guns earmarked for Mugabe's violent retribution against the people of Zimbabwe that voted him and his party out of power to be offloaded at an bay in Southern Africa, the ill-fated ship that has not been seen and is being forced to return to China and diplomatic offensive is on rise to extend Europe's arms embargo on Zimbabwe to the United Nations which would make China's arms trade with Zimbabwe illegal. What is puzzling about this whole situation is the deal to buy arms was done on the 1st of April, 2 days after the polls closed in Zimbabwe, it reveals the sinister motives of Mugabe who is killing innocent people to sustain his grip on Zimbabwe and continue to drag Zimbabwe into oblivion. What was so urgent that we needed arms weighing 77 tons and worth US$1.245 million just two days after the harmonised elections that Mugabe realised had lost? Why is China not sending food that Zimbabweans need with 6.5 million facing famine, it would have been a good gesture from the Chinese to feed the hungry? Also what needs to be ascertained is where did Mugabe, Zimbabwe being broke as it find US$1.245 million to buy guns with?

Who Will Come To Zimbabwe's Aid

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 07:22:00 +0000

Yesterday marked our independence from colonial rule which we achieved 28 years ago, but we are neither free nor are we independent having escaped the frying pan of from minority white rule for us to fall into the fire of the Mugabe's black on black brutality. What is happening in Zimbabwe today is a shameful betrayal of the reason why the real gallant heroes of Zimbabwe such as Tongogara took up arms to fight white minority rule that denied the majority black population the right to vote, they fought for one man one vote, they fought for self determination, they fought for the ability of every Zimbabwean to vote for a government of his choice. But today 28 years later their sole objective for taking up arms is an illusion for the people of Zimbabwe, the economy of Zimbabwe has collapsed unable to bear the weight of the world's highest inflation which experts put at 300000% and will reach half a million percent before July, the health sector has collapsed people of Zimbabwe are dying of curable diseases, the education system has collapsed, just about 1 million people in Zimbabwe are in formal employment, 4 million have fled the dictator's regime to seek political and economic refuge mostly in South Africa and the UK including this writer. 6.5 million people face starvation, 3000 people die in Zimbabwe every week of HIV and AIDS the life expectancy has been reduced to 35 for men and 34 for women. Our country today is in the grips of fear, terror and outright brutality which the illegal government of Zimbabwe is sanctioning against defenseless people. Our government institutions such as the ZEC, the judiciary, the army and the police are now partisan having lost their ability to function independently and professionally after being purged by Mugabe and are now stuffed with his loyalists whose sole aim is to help him cling to power. We have had harmonized general elections, and 21 days later the results of the Presidential polls have not yet been released, the electoral body has even succumbed to Zanu PF pressure despite irrefutable evidence that they lost the election, they had time for the past three weeks to open up ballot boxes and stuff them with Zanu PF votes in order to claim that they won an election that everyone knows they lost. They recounting votes for 23 constituencies illegally as the Zimbabwean law states that only the candidate can challenge the results in court 48 hours after they have been announced, the disputed constituencies are enough to overturn the majority that MDC holds in the house of parliament. Our country today has no functioning government there is a constitutional vacuum, instead its run by an illegal military junta and members of the Mugabe's previous illegal cabinet whose term of office expired on the 28th March 2008. Almost in every major town of Zimbabwe from Mutare to Bulawayo there is heavy intimidatory police and military presence and there are reports that Chinese soldiers were seen in Mutare. Torture camps have been set up for the sole purpose of torturing and thereby displace MDC supporters who voted for change in case there is a run-off, MDC election agents are disappearing without trace, 200 opposition supporters have been brutalised and two killed in the rural areas as Mugabe uses terror and brutality to desperately cling on to power. There is no independence in Zimbabwe its just a farce, the fruits of our independence will only be achieved when Mugabe concedes defeat and Morgan Tsvangirai is allowed the to form his government and get on with the business of rebuilding Zimbabwe's economy.

Are people of Iraq better than those of Zimbabwe, or are people of Afghanistan better than those of Zimbabwe? If our life is equal as those of the Iraqis and the Afghans why then are the world superpowers United States and Britain ignoring the plight of Zimbabweans? Over 8 years since Mugabe stole the first elections in Zimbabwe there has been a lot of tough talk on Zimbabwe and little action. The travel bans imposed by the EU and US on the dictator and his military junta that now run Zimbabwe do not affect them as they can easily circumvent them rendering the whole exercise ineffective in bringing democracy to Zimbabwe. It is the travel bans that Mugabe has sold to his African brethren as western economic sanctions that he blames have crippled the Zimbabwe's economy, but the governments of US and UK know the real reason the economy of Zimbabwe has plummeted is because of Mugabe's disastrous policies and corrupt government that have reduced the one time bread basket of Africa to a basket case and human rights chamber of horror. Its the same lame argument that have been picked by Mugabe's apologists led by Thabo Mbeki who fashion themselves as Pan-Africans, who swallowed Mugabe's lies about Western sanctions and that MDC was a lackey for Britain who wanted to recolonise Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has no oil I stated this on very first post when I started writing this blog because if Zimbabwe was of strategic importance to America or Britain then Zimbabweans could have long been freed from the tyranny of Robert Mugabe by now just as the Iraqis from Saddam Hussein and the Afghans from the repressive Taliban regime.

We have been uncharacteristically peaceful as a nation for 8 years despite provocation from the Zimbabwean government there are no guarantees that Zimbabwe can remain peaceful. Will the world only react as Tsvangirai asked when there are dead bodies in Zimbabwe? Already the illegal government is busy buying arms from China either using aid money meant for ordinary Zimbabweans or mortgaging the country's natural resources for the exchange of arms that it intends to use on ordinary unarmed civilians whose sole crime is vote Mugabe and Zanu PF out of power. The Chinese vessel failed to offload its cargo in South Africa thanks to the members of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) who refused to offload the weapons and is said to be heading towards Angola or Namibia and we know Angola sides with Mugabe so as does Namibia and the world's superpowers should halt that consignment reaching a blood thirst dictator. If the world does not act now there will be catastrophe in Zimbabwe.

Operation Jam The Dictator's Network

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:26:00 +0000

The impartial courts of Zimbabwe have decided to side with the dictator, and the MDC petition has been thrown out with costs, I haven't been able to get hold of the transcript of the judgment so we can examine why the judge has thrown it out. Hopes are beginning to fade, Mbeki twice this month is denying to intervene, when he was here in UK and on Saturday as he made a brief stopover in Harare on his way to the SADC summit, issued a dubious no crisis comment which many saw as the same tired excuses he has used in the past to prop up the dictatorship of Robert Mugabe that holds Zimbabwe ransom irrespective of irrefutable evidence that MDC and Tsvangirai won, then came the ineffective SADC which just ordered the people of Zimbabwe to respect the outcome of the results. Zimbabweans deserve better please take action, you can choose to write or make a phone call, there is a global campaign to jam the dictator's network, let them go through the pains of changing numbers. Another useful tool is to jam their fax machines with endless supply of protest fax messages and ofcourse to clog up their email addresses as a form of protest.

If you are in UK you can join us as we demonstrate at the Zimbabwean Embassy, The Strand In London on Thursday 17 April 2008 a day before the independence that never was. The situation in Zimbabwe today calls for our intervention as Zimbabweans. The country is at a stand still why? Just because of a few individuals hell bent to hold the whole nation over dubious liberation war credentials. You are therefore invited as a Zimbabwean and a well-wisher to join other Zimbabweans and well-wishers the world over in protest to Mugabe’s undemocratic cling to power.

Details about the demonstration:

Date: 17 April 2008

Venue: Zimbabwe House London

Time: 10:00 – 1600 hrs

This is our turn to speak in support of the people in Zimbabwe. This is not the end but the beginning of the road to democracy in Zimbabwe.

No one can bring the change to Zimbabwe but us!

For further information contact the following:

Jaison Matewu 07816619788

Owen Mtombeni 07780544181

Telephone/Letter/Email Campaign

ANGOLA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Edivicio Secil, 11th Floor
42 Avenue 4 De Fevereiro
Caixa Postal 428
Luanda
Tel: 244 222 311584/311866
Fax: 244 222 311528
E-mail: embzimbabwe@ebonet.net

AUSTRALIA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
11 Culgoa Circuit
O'Malley, A.C.T. 2606 Canberra
Tel: 61 2 62862303; 62862700
Fax: 61 2 62901748; 62901680
E-mail: zimbabwe@dynamite.com.au

AUSTRIA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Strozzigasse 10/15
1080 Vienna
Tel: 43 0222 4079236/7
Fax: 43 0222 4079238
E-mail: z.vien@chello.at

BELGIUM
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
11-12 Josephine Charlotte Square, 1200 Brussels
Tel: 32 2 7625808
Fax: 32 2 7629605; 775651 0
E-mail: zimbrussels@compuserve.com

BOTSWANA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Plot 8895
P 0 Box 1232
Gaborone
Tel: 267 314495/7
Fax: 267 305863

BRAZIL
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
SHIS Q1 03 Conjunto 10 Casa 13
Lago Sul, 71.605-300
Brasilia- DF
Tel: 55 61 33654801/02
Fax: 55 61 33654803
Email: zimbrasilia@uol.com.br

CANADA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
332 Somerset Street West
Ottawa
Ontario, K2P OJ9
Tel: 1 613 2374388/9
Fax: 1 613 5638269
E-mail: zim.highcomm@sympatico.ca

CHINA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
No. 7 Dong San Jie
San Lie Tun 8
Beijing
Tel: 86 1 65323665; 65323795
Fax: 861 65325383
E-mail: zimbei@163.bj.com

CUBA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Calle 3y 10
Miramar
La Habana
Tel: 53 7 2042837
Fax: 53 7 2042720

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
No. 4 Ave De La Justice
Ogedep Building
2nd Floor, East Wing
Gombe - Kinshasa
Tel: 243 8803557
Fax: 243 8803610

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EGYPT
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
40 Ghaza Street
Mohandessine
Cairo
Tel: 20 2 3030404
Fax: 20 2 3059741

ETHIOPIA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
House No. 007
Higher 17
Kebele CCAPut
P 0 Box 5624
Addis Ababa
Tel: 251 1 613872/7
Fax: 251 1 613476
E-mail: zimbabweembassy@telecom.net.et

FRANCE
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
12 Rue Lord Byron
75008 Paris
Tel: 00 33 (1) 56 88 16 00
Fax: 00 33 (1) 56 8816 09
E-mail: zimparisweb@wanadoo.fr

GERMANY
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
80 Kommandanten Strasse
10117 Berlin
Tel: 49 30 2062263
Fax: 49 30 20455062

GHANA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
PBM CT88
Fantonments
Accra
Tel: 233-21-780956/8
Fax: 233-21-780959

INDIA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
B-8 Anand Niketan
New Delhi 110021
Tel: 91 11 26154313/4
Fax: 91 11 6884532

INDONESIA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Tel: 0062213909749
Email: tayefara@yahoo.co.uk

IRAN
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
10 Mark Street
Shariati Avenue
Tehran
Tel: 98 21 6719991/3
Fax: 98 21 6711449
E-mail: zimbabwe@neda.net

ITALY
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Via Virgilio 8, 2nd Floor
00193 Rome
Tel: 39 06 68308265; 68308273
Fax: 39 06 68308324

JAPAN
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
5-9-10 Shiroganedari
Minato-ku 108
Tokyo
Tel: 81 3 32800331/2
Fax: 81 3 32800466
E-mail: zimtokyo@chive.ocn.ne.jp

KENYA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
2 Westlands Close
Westlands
P 0 Box 30806
00100 Nairobi
Tel: 254 2 3744052
Fax: 254 2 748079
E-mail: zimna.@africanonline.co.ke

KUWAIT
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Salwo Area 9
Street 105
House No. 8
P 0 Box 36484
Ras Salmiyah
AL-Raos 24755
Kuwait City
Tel: 965 5651517
Fax: 965 5621491
E-mail: zimkuwait@hotmail.com

LIBYA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
P 0 Box 80227
Tripoli
Tel: 218 21 4773840, 4781364
Fax: 218 21 4781364, 4781809

MALAWI
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Plot 13/33
P 0 Box 30187
Lilongwe 3
Tel: 265 774413
Fax: 265 782382
E-mail: zimhighcomLLW@malawi.net

MALAYSIA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
124, Jalan Sembilan
Taman Ampong Utama
68000 Amponga
Selangor Dorul Ehsan
Tel: 60-03-4251-6779/4251-6782
Fax: 60-3-4517252
E-mail: zhck@tm.net.my

MOZAMBIQUE
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Avenue Kenneth Koundo 816/820
Caixa Postal 743
Maputo
Tel: 258 1 490404; 490699
Fax: 2581 492237

Consulate of the Republic of Zimbabwe
617 Rua Francisco Dechange
Almeida Ponde Geo
P 0 Box 649
Beira
Tel: 258 3 372950; 327942
Fax: 258 3 328942

NAMIBIA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Gamsberg Building
Cnr Grim and Kaiser Street
P 0 Box 23056
Windhoek 9000
Tel: 264 61 227738; 228134/7
Fax: 264 61 226859
Tlx: 0908886

NIGERIA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Plot 282
No 60 Parakou Crescent Off Aminu Kano Crescent
Wuse11
PMB 5138
Wuse
Abuja
Tel: 234 09 5239795/93;5239811/68
Fax: 234 09 5239924
E-mail: zimabuja@yahoo.com

PORTUGAL
Consulate of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Avenida Almirante Gago
Coutinho
No. 56-6- ESQ
1700 Lisbon
Tel: 351 1 8452180/8
Fax: 351 1 8452189

RUSSIA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Serpov per 6
Moscow
Tel: 70 95 2484364/7
Fax: 70 95 2302497
Tlx: 064-413029
E-mail: zimbabwe@rinet.ru

SOUTH AFRICA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
798 Merton House
Arcadia
Pretoria
Tel: 27 12 3425125
Fax: 27 12 3425126
E-mail: zimpret@kiatic.net

Consulate of the Republic of Zimbabwe
17th Floor CCMA Building
20 Anderson Street
P 0 Box 61736
Marshalltown 2107
Johannesburg 2000
Tel: 27 11 838 2156
Fax: 27 11 838 5620
E-mail: admin@zimbabweconsulate.co.za

SWEDEN
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
18134 Lidingo
Heretuawagen St
7th Floor
Stockholm
Tel: 46 8 7655380
Fox: 46 8219132
Tlx: 054 15145

SWITZERLAND
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zimbabwe
27 Chemin William Barbey
1292 Geneva
Geneva
Tel: 41 22 7583011/13/26
Fax: 41 22 7583044
Tlx: 41237 ZIM CH
E-mail: mission.zimbabwe@ties.itu.int

TANZANIA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
6th Floor New Life House
Sokoine Drive/Ohio Street
P 0 Box 20762
Dar-es-Salaam
Tel: 255 222 116789
Fax: 255 222 668781
Tlx: 0989-41386

UNITED KINGDOM
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
429 The Strand
London WC 2R OSA
Tel: 441 207 8367755
Fax: 441 207 3791167
Tlx: 051-262115; 262014
E-mail: zimlondon@callnetuk.com
Website: http://www.zim.link.com/

UNITED NATIONS
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Zimbabwe
128 East 56th Street
New York 10022
Tel: 1 212 980 5084; 9809511
Fax: 1 212 3086705
Tlx: 023-225992
E-mail: zimbabwe@un.int

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
1608 New Hampshire Avenue N.W.
Washington D.C. 20009
Tel: 1 202 332 71 00
Fax: 1 202 4839326
Tlx: 023-248402

YUGOSLAVIA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Tolsstojeva 51
Dedinje
Belgrade
Tel: 381 11 3672996
Fax: 381 11 3671218

ZAMBIA
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Plot 11085
Haille Selassie Avenue
Longacres
P 0 Box 33491
Lusaka
Tel: 260 1 254018; 254006; 254012; 254022
Fax: 2601 254046
Tlx: ZA 45800

BARWE REUBEN: 04 740245 ZBC Newsman

BONYONGWE. H (CIO boss): 04 497849/ 067 25297

BUKA FLORA :04 745342

Bulawayo CID: 09 884132

BVUDZIJENA WAYNE: 04 884971
Cell: +26311801172

Cain Matema(Resident Governor for Matabeleland): 09 887596 .
Cell: 011871431

CHARAMBA GEORGE: 480661 (Harare)
Cell:011 205037

CHIHURI AUGUSTINE: 04 862410/ 250008/792621/ 700171
Cell: +26311808290

Chihuri Augustine ( Police Commisioner): 250008/792621/ 700171

CHIMUTENGWENDE C C C: 04 251386

Chinamasa Patreck( this one crafting all the laws to oppress the
masses):04 860006

CHIWENGA CONSTANINO GUVEY: 04 862530

CHIYANGWA P HON: 04 883148

CHOMBO I DR HON: 067 25297

Chronicle Editor :+2639 883293

Didymus Mutasa(State Security Minister): 011200532-774189

Dydimus MUTASA(CIO): 02582 2087

Francis Nhema: 04 882926

Gono's Office: 703096
Cell: +263 11 218886....(that is from 2 years ago so not sure if it works) Another cell number 263 11875309

GOCHE NICHOLAS T. ( Ministry of CIO): 0718 2204

Gweru ZRP: 054 22121

Hamuyarira Nathan SHAMUYARIRA : 04 862073

Herald House and ask for the Editor: 708296 / 704088 / 794893 /
705199

Joseph Chinotimba(War vet idiot): 04 614826
Cell: 011 869 055

KANGAI K M: 04 861944

Kasukuwere Saviour: 04 369444
Cell:0118 613 72

Lt Co Sedze L: 04 860533

Lt Co, Mazaiwana: 04 741 604

Lt Tsodzai: 04 860 953

MADE J M: 04 492982/ 04 860 953

MANGWANA P M: 04 797845

MARUMAHOKO REUBEN: 04 499796/04 499903

MATSHIYA MELUSI: 04 851877

Midzi Amos: 04 301712
Cell: 011 203 356

Mnangagwa - 011 605700

Mohadi Kembo (Home Affairs Minister): 430422/ 794628/ 703695
Cell: 011-605424

MPOFU OBERT: 04 852033/4/ 09 246060

MSIKA J W (Vice PRESIDENT): 04 883097

MUJURU JOICE T.R: 04 443062

MUCHINGURI.O (mugabe's ex-girlfriend): 020 61840

Muchinguri Charm: 04 496629

MUDEDE TOBAIWA: 04 860033

MUMBENGEGWI SAMUEL : 04 882930

Ngun Sylvester i(Minister of Economic Development): 04-862032 /
04-862035

Nyoni Sithembiso:263 9 219 351 or 263 912 410 360

OFFICE OF PRESIDENT: 04 252440/ 700071, 700073-76, 700098, 701947, 701956, 708682, 708690, 708691, 708712,263 -04 -707091

Presidential guard: 707745 or 707451---2156

SEKERAMAI S T THE HON: 04 860042

Shamuyarira Nathan : 04 862073

Shiri Perence:
Cell: 011750551

SIBANDA JABULANI(War vet bastard):04 216046 550

UCHENA T P: 04 481399

ZBC News Desk: 00-263-4-498603

ZVINAVASHE VITALIS: 062 2371 or 062 3007

ZIMBABWEAN ARMED FORCES:

MINISTRY DEFENCE(ZNA) 04 251508
PRESIDENTIAL GUARD KGV1 HARARE
KG6 barracks

MINISTRY DEFENCE(ZNA): 04 700053
KG V1 BARRACKS BORROWDALE RD HARARE

MINISTRY DEFENCE(ZNA): 04 791831
INKOMO BARRACKS HARARE

MINISTRY DEFENCE(ZNA): 04 791832
INKOMO BARRACKS HARARE

MINISTRY DEFENCE(ZNA): 04 791833
INKOMO BARRACKS HARARE

MINISTRY DEFENCE(ZNA) :04 791834
INKOMO BARRACKS HARARE

MINISTRY DEFENCE(ZNA): 04 791835
INKOMO BARRACKS HARARE

MINISTRY DEFENCE(ZNA): 04 791836
INKOMO BARRACKS HARARE

MINISTRY DEFENCE(ZNA): 04 791837
INKOMO BARRACKS HARARE

MINISTRY DEFENCE(ZNA): 04 791838
INKOMO BARRACKS HARARE

MINISTRY DEFENCE(ZNA): 04 791839
INKOMO BARRACKS HARARE

Here are some FAX numbers:

President's Office: +263 4 708848

Fidelity Printers: +263 4 486474

RBZ: +263 4 707800 / +263 4 706450

Min. Info & Pub: +263 4 790402 / +263 4 707768

Min. Ind & Int Trade: +263 4 704116 / +263 4 729311

Min. Of Chombo: +263 4 792307

Offices of the lawyer representing the ZEC

CHIKUMBIRIKE & ASSO: 04 705694
LEGAL PRACTIONERS OLD MUTUAL CENTRE 3RD ST/J MOYO A

CHIKUMBIRIKE & ASSO: 04 722135 HARARE

CHIKUMBIRIKE & ASSO: 04 722156
12 TH FLR OLD MUTUAL 3RD ST J. MOYO AVE HARARE

CHIKUMBIRIKE & ASSO: 04 729691
3RD STREET J MOYO AVE HARARE

CHIKUMBIRIKE & ASSO: 04 729693
3RD STREET HARARE

CHIKUMBIRIKE & ASSO:04 729694 HARARE

CHIKUMBIRIKE & ASSO: 04 792874
OLD MUTUAL CENTRE 3RD ST/J MOYO AVE HARARE

CHIKUMBIRIKE & ASSO: 04 792875
OLD MUTUAL CENTRE 3RD ST/J MOYO AVE HARARE

CHIKUMBIRIKE & ASSOCIATES: 04 700481
12TH FLR OLD MUTUAL J MOYO AVE HARA

SADC COUNTRIES:

Zambia State House Press and Public Relations

Independence Avenue
Woodlands
Lusaka
Zambia
10101

Phone +260 1 266147/262094
Fax +260 1 266092

South Africa

Thabo Mbeki
Office of the President

Pretoria
Tel: 012 300 5230
Fax:012 323 8246

Cape Town
Tel: 021 462 2100
Fax: 021 464 2217

Calling Code: +27

president@anc.org.za

African National Congress

Departments

Presidency
Jacob Zuma

Head of Presidency
Smuts Ngonyama
Tel: 011 376 1052
Fax: 011 376 1242
E-mail:

Secretary General's Office

Secretary General
Gwede Mantashe
Tel: 011 376 1020
Fax: 086 633 1402
E-mail:

Deputy Secretary General
Thandi Modise
Tel: 011 376 1064
Fax: 086 633 1406
For emails these are the addresses for SADC rep or contact persons from different member countries.

thandi@po.gov.za; mukoni@po.gov.za; embzambia@aol.com;
tnwinfo@plancom.go.tz; ubalozi@tanzaniaembassy-us.org;
webmaster@malawi.gov.mw; angola@angola.org; webmaster@uem.mz;
embamoc@aol.com; sps@palace.org.ls; hpohamba@op.gov.na;
snujoma@op.gov.na; nangula@opm.gov.na; lamathila@opm.gov.na;
info@namibianembassyusa.org; primeminister@mail.gov.mu;
mauritius.embassy@prodigy.net; acpresse@gmail.com;
malagasy@embassy.org; webmaster@ict.gov.sc; churchl@tegris.com;
seychelles@un.int; hwgreen@msn.com; info@saembassy.org;
sandra@po.gov.za; llekoa@gov.bw; smautle@gov.bw; jtherego@gov.bw;
ekuhlmann@gov.bw; mmoleleke@gov.bw; gchebanne@gov.bw;
hluke@gov.bw;
lsebogiso@gov.bw; cratsiripe@gov.bw; ikhama@gov.bw

People of Zimbabwe Have Been Betrayed

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:27:00 +0000

First it was Thabo Mbeki after meeting Mugabe, he emerged to say there is no crisis in Zimbabwe, but the images of post election violence that Mugabe has unleashed through his dogs of war tell a different story. Then it was the turn of the regional leaders of the ineffective body of dictators called SADC to tell Zimbabweans to accept the outcome of the vote irrespective of the results, to accept Mugabe again for 5 years, to accept hunger, to accept violence, to accept death, to accept despair and hopelessness. We are told to accept the results when they are announced while Mugabe orders a recount on 23 constituencies in which MDC won 16 seats, to accept the results irrespective of the fact that Mugabe has sat on the Presidential results for 16 days now, we told to accept the results despite evidence that the ballot boxes have been tampered with, stuffed with phantom votes that will enable Zanu PF to take back the parliament and reduce MDC's control of the legislative assembly. As for Mbeki its not only insulting but also insensitive and disrespectful to the long-suffering people of Zimbabwe for the South African President to state, as he did before the SADC heads of state in Lusaka late on Saturday night, that, as far as he is concerned, there is no crisis in Zimbabwe. Mr Mbeki is still a state of denial as has been for 8 years, he stands between the people of Zimbabwe and their freedom from the clutches of Mugabe's tyranny. Mbeki says there is no crisis but, more than two weeks after the polls the Zimbabwean people are being denied the right to an election result. "No crisis" yet people of Zimbabwe are living under martial law. MDC lawyers have been harassed, equipment seized, and thousands of soldiers, police and members of youth militias are roaming the streets in open intimidation while undocumented violence us being unleashed on MDC members and supporters in retribution for voting for change as the images below tell you that there is a a real crisis in Zimbabwe

Its 11 Days Still Zimbabweans Are Waiting To Exhale

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:00:00 +0000

Its 11 days after the polls closed the ZEC have only announced the parliamentary and the senate results, there are no signs of the Presidential result. What has become very clear though in the days gone since the nation dumped Zanu PF for change on the 29th of March is the fact that Mugabe and Zanu PF have no intention whatsoever to relinquish power despite suffering a humiliating defeat to Morgan Tsvangirai and MDC. When MDC participated in these elections they did so with a heavy heart, after collapse of the mediation talks brokered by Mbeki at the behest of SADC, Mugabe just gave MDC three months to prepare for the harmonised elections which elected Councilors, MPs, Senators and the President all in one go. MDC pleaded for the elections to be postponed and Mugabe refused, if that was not enough Mugabe and his illegal government then drew up new boundaries of constituencies reducing the number of constituencies in urban areas at the same time increasing the rural constituencies that they purportedly thought supported them as a strategy to their unfounded myth that MDC is only an urban based party. Despite MDC's misgivings that too passed, then came the threats from Chihuri Zimbabwe's Chief of Police that they will not allow puppets to rule Zimbabwe in reference to Tsvangirai and MDC and his counterpart at Prison Service Zimondi urging prison guards to vote Mugabe and Zanu PF. Zanu PF continued to dominate the state-run media, on the other hand Mugabe was busy vote buying giving doctors cars and farming implements to the rural folk, printing money to increase the wages of civil servants from soldiers to teachers. As always Zanu PF maintained the culture of violence and intimidation, though the incidences never gained media attention does not mean it cannot be mentioned ask Knox Danda the MDC candidate for Zvimba who was placed under house arrest by his compatriot the Zanu Pf candidate Nelson Samkange the former Governor for Mashonaland West, two weeks prior to that half of his house had been burnt by Samkange's hired thugs the police as usually refused to know. Mugabe had also refused International observers to monitor the elections and banned all foreign media he opted instead for African based observers such those from the SADC who endorsed the election as free and fair meaning that his illegal claim to power will be without the backing of his African brethren. Since 2000 Mugabe's claim to power has been through rigged elections, political violence, harassment, voter intimidation, abductions, unlawful imprisonment, using food as a political tool and killing of political opponents all orchestrated by the state. This year's elections proved difficult to rig mainly due to a pre-election agreement that of posting the results outside every polling station as agreed during the failed negotiations between MDC and Zanu PF. So instead of waiting for the partisan body which had served its master so well to announce the results, MDC collated and even photographed all the election results and pre-emptied ZEC's announcement making it impossible for them to fiddle with the figures as they had done since 2000 in favour of Mugabe. As all the results of the 2008 harmonised elections were posted outside the polling stations a few hours after the polls had closed what Zimbabweans were awaiting was the official acknowledgment that indeed Mugabe and Zanu PF had been beaten by Tsvangirai and MDC respectively just as they did in 2000, 2002 and 2005. If MDC knew that they were victors hours after the polls had closed so did Mugabe and his Zanu PF that they had been beaten. The drip-feeding of the election results that accompanied the announcement of the parliamentary results and the senate only served to confirm the obvious that Mugabe had lost dismally at the polls and the announcement of one MDC seat for every Zanu PF one was meant as a damage limitation exricise in the face of Zanu PF's defeat. Today 10 days after the polls closed the nation is still waiting for the announcement of the Presidential election results officially. MDC has had to file urgent petition with the Zimbabwean High Court to force the ZEC to announce the poll results which ZEC has known since last Saturday. What is baffling about this whole depressing scenario is that Zanu PF through its propaganda mouthpieces (The Herald & Sunday Times) are already gearing people for a Presidential re-run even though the results are unknown there even talks of a Presidential ballot recount on what figures are they basing these claims and why should Zanu PF's meeting before the announcement of the Presidential results have a bearing on the actual Presidential results? You can pick clues like for instance Zanu PF has already endorsed Mugabe as their candidate for the run-off and vowed to fight all the way, how do they know there is going to be a runoff? In a true fashion to drama there has been a twisting scenario, Mugabe's illegal government arrested and charged 7 officials from the ZEC for allegedly doctoring results in favour of Morgan Tsvangirai. Yet the composition of ZEC is made up of securocrats handpicked by Mugabe's henchman (Bonyongwe, Chiwenga, Chihuri, Zimondi & Shiri), vetted extremely to make sure that only those that will toe Mugabe's line are employed. Who would have thought that Mugabe known for rigging every election would cry foul over an election body that he himself picked up. Mugabe has always maintained that Zimbabwe is a democracy now he finds himself in political corner with little room to escape.

We also have a the mobilsation the of the military elements of Zanu PF mostly young men in their twenties that purport to have fought in the liberation war to free Zimbabwe from white settlers that have already started to unleash violence (the 75% effort that they said they did not apply before March 29), invading farms as I write 100 farms have been invaded in a space of 3 days. Its the reverse of the purported return by white farmers that the government propaganda newspapers will have had you to believe, its in fact the return of the dreaded farm invasion in the guise of land redistribution that characterised the 2000 & 2002 elections and led the widespread hunger and famine that have engulfed Zimbabwe since then. There are only 450 commercial farmers left that have dwindled from 3000 just before 2000, there has been immense pressure on those left to provide food for the Zimbabwe's 7.3 million people. Zimbabwe will soon run out of food within weeks as the farm invasions stop the maize harvest in mid-flow and threaten the future of wheat crops with only four weeks left for planting. Zanu PF must know this and are doing so in order to deliberately starve the people that voted them out of power and at the same time dissuade them from voting Tsvangirai if ever there is ever going to be a runoff.

Mbeki does not care about Zimbabwean people the victims of Mugabe's ruinous rule, from the 6.5 million that face food shortages to the 3000 victims of AIDS that die every week in Zimbabwe, neither does he care about the 4.5 million that have forced to flee their homes in search of political and economic refugee, he does not care about Zimbabwe's world record inflation of 400000%, it does not matter to him if the life expectancy in Zimbabwe has dropped to 35 for men and 34 for women. Even though he hawked to the Western governments tirelessly his Marshall Plan inspired renaissance of Africa called NEPAD, it does not bother him that the constitutional crisis incurred by Mugabe's refusal to concede defeat in the presence of irrefutable proof that he lost is an affront to democracy and good governance the very cornerstone of his NEPAD dream. Thats why he was quick to stop international intervention in Zimbabwe thats could have halted Zimbabwe tipping over as it staggers on the edge of precipice. Its no doubt that Mbeki was against regime change in Zimbabwe, early in 2000 Mugabe told Mbeki that MDC was a puppet of the British people bent on re-colonising Africa, he believed it as the bible truth, it never occurred to him that after 20 years of mediocre achievements that masked Mugabe's rule the people of Zimbabwe wanted change. When the violent farm invasions , the political killings and persecutions were at their height, Mbeki met Bush of America in South Africa whom he assured all was well in Zimbabwe we are getting the two sides to talk to each other blah blah blah, he told the same bare faced lie to The Commonwealth as he was part of the Troika tasked to seek solution to Zimbabwe's political crisis. He also used he rotating Chairmanship of the UN Security Council, that South Africa held in 2005 to block the UN intervention in Zimbabwe following Mugabe's depopulation of urban areas by cruelly destroying homes and livelihoods of more than 2 million people in guise of urban clean-up called Murambatsvina which was indeed a precursor to rig the 2008 harmonised elections as the very same people had voted MDC since 2000. Then when Mugabe unleashed his goons on more than 60 opposition leaders including Morgan Tsvangirai which left him with a suspected skull fracture, the SADC tasked Mbeki to broker talks between MDC and Zanu PF which broke down in December. Its plain to see that Mbeki supports Mugabe and Zanu PF, not only does he offer no loud criticism in his so called "Quite Diplomacy" he also provides Mugabe with the financial support they so desperately needs. Yes its true that Mbeki can force changes in Zimbabwe if he really wants, just like his predecessor did during apartheid. When the world got tired of Smith they imposed sanctions which were only circumvented by South Africa's support. The then South African President Vorster keen to get American to support on their apartheid policy fell for Henry Kissinger's promise that he would support him if he helped bring down Smith's regime in Rhodesia, so in 1979 South Africa stopped supplying the Rhodesian government much needed gasoline which was crucial in Rhodesia's fight against the black freedom fighters. Smith was forced to start negotiations which culminated in the Lancaster House Conference which in turn gave birth to Mugabe's Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe today relies a lot more on South Africa than Rhodesia did, almost 60&% of businesses operating in Zimbabwe are South African Owned, the largest being Delta Corporation which part owned by SAB Miller. So Mbeki can do something if he cares for the people of Zimbabwe other than those that he seeks to protect who are cushioned from the everyday life of agony.

As for Africa, its a bit optimistic really to think that Africa will come to the aid of Zimbabweans. Africa is littered with dictators who will not say a word for fear that they might encourage political change in their own countries. If you did not read my piece I wrote last year click below to grasp why Africa Finds It Hard To Support MDC, it will make you understand why its hopeless to think that SADC or AU will come to the aid of Zimbabweans. Western condemnation of Mugabe has no effect on his behaviour it enhances his anti-colonial icon.

However, Zimbabweans are a remarkable nation which that has avoided a lot of violent clashes, genocides that have characterised conflicts in Africa, we have been resilient in the face of extreme provocation, we have done everything peacefully in order to avoid being tagged as violent thereby give Mugabe an excuse to unleash his dogs of war on unarmed civilians. Let me take you back again to the height of political persecution and farm invasions that started earnestly in 2000, the world's attention was diverted by other events, there was America's September Eleven, then when Mugabe bulldozed the homes of more than two million people, Britain and America were invading Iraq. Now Zimbabwe again has the media's attention what will you do to help the people of Zimbabwe. Our families, friends and fellow country men and women did they part to vote Mugabe out of power, only for him to engineer a scheme to steal the will of the people. Zimbabweans all over the world are waiting to exhale, we might never say shoo if the world does not help remove Mugabe who has becoming like an albatross on our necks threatening to takes down with him.

CURRENT ARRESTS OF ZIMBABWE ELECTORAL COMMISSION PERSONNEL

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:36:00 +0000

On Friday 4 April 2008 one Dorcas Mpofu, a ZEC constituency election officer, was arrested and detained by police in Mberengwa. A lawyer deployed by ZLHR was denied access to her by police, in contravention of her rights under the Constitution of Zimbabwe. She has since been charged under section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (”the Criminal Code”) with criminal abuse of her duty as a public officer, in that she allegedly intentionally committed an act or acts contrary to or inconsistent with her duties as a public officer. The maximum sentence in the event of conviction is a level 13 fine and/or 15 years’ imprisonment. She was made to sign a warned and cautioned statement without the assistance of her legal practitioner, after which she was released. Subsequently, however, she was taken back into custody and advised to make an application for bail at the Magistrates’ Court on Monday 8 April 2008. The ZLHR lawyer attended at the Magistrates’ Court on Monday 8 April 2008 and was again denied access. He was later informed that her superiors had ordered her to engage an alternative lawyer when they were informed that the lawyer present was a member of ZLHR.
2. On an as yet unconfirmed date one Virginia Sibanda, a ZEC election officer working in Lupane, was arrested. She was due to appear in the Bulawayo Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 8 April 2008. The advocate deployed by ZLHR to represent her advised ZLHR that the police were not cooperating with him and did not allow him to peruse the docket to establish the precise allegations, again in contravention of the Declaration of Rights in the Constitution. He was only able to establish that the accused person was being charged with breaching section 136(a) of the Criminal Code. This is the crime of fraud, where any person who makes a misrepresentation intending to deceive another person or realizing that there is a real risk or possibility of deceiving another person faces a maximum penalty of a fine not exceeding level 14 and/or imprisonment not exceeding 35 years. In the alternative, she was charged with allegedly contravening section 174(1)(a) of the Criminal Code, as in the previous case.
3. On an as yet unconfirmed date one Shadreck Mufute, a ZEC elections officer who was stationed at Ward 25 in Mutasa South was arrested in Mutare and charged with fraud under section 136(a) of the Criminal Code, alternatively contravening section 87 of the Electoral Act, as amended in that he allegedly willfully failed to perform his public duty. His warned and cautioned statement was recorded on 7 April 2008 but had not been finalized due to lack of power (ZESA) at the police station. He appeared in the Mutare Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 8 April 2008 where he was represented by a ZLHR lawyer. The lawyer and the prosecutor initially agreed on bail, but in court the prosecutor opposed bail, advising the ZLHR lawyer that he had instructions to vehemently oppose bail due to the political sensitivity of the matter. Mufute was remanded in custody pending the handing down of the magistrates’ ruling today.
4. On an as yet unconfirmed date one Pius Chikwata, a ZEC elections officer, was arrested in Nyanga and charged under section 174(1)(a) of the Criminal Code. A ZLHR member was deployed to appear on his behalf on Tuesday 8 April 2008 and successfully applied for bail. Chikwata was released on payment of $30 million bail.

ZLHR wishes to express its grave concern on these developments.

First, all arrested persons have fundamental rights in terms of the Constitution to be represented by a lawyer of their choice. This becomes even more critical where the possible sentence in the event of a successful prosecution is such a severe term of imprisonment. The police continue to exhibit complete contempt for the Constitution and accused persons’ rights, with impunity and they must be made to answer for such action without delay. Lawyers should be allowed to perform their official duties without hindrance, as is stipulated in national laws and international treaties to which Zimbabwe is a State Party.

Second, due to the severe and unjustifiable delays by the Chief Elections Officer in announcing the results of the presidential election, the electoral process is not yet complete. As such, these arrests constitute executive interference in the work of a purportedly independent institution, and must therefore be condemned in the strongest possible terms. The actions of the police and their commanders smack of intentional intimidation of officers of an electoral body and can be considered to be an attack on ZEC’s integrity and ability to complete its constitutional duties without fear or favour, which is already in dispute.

Third, one must question how the disputed election returns forms found their way from the possession of ZEC officials to police stations around the country, especially when the verification and tabulation process is not yet complete and the results have not been announced and made publicly available. All returns were signed as correct by representatives of political parties present thereat, and one wonders why suddenly the contents of the forms are being disputed.

Finally, the fact that the Chairperson of ZEC has not publicly denounced such attacks could lead to the perception in the mind of an ordinary and interested voter or member of the public that either the hierarchy of the Commission is fearful of retribution in the event of speaking out, or that they are complicit in these actions as a means of diverting attention from its failure to announce the presidential election results. The Chairperson of ZEC must immediately and publicly condemn such intimidatory tactics.

How Will We Unhook Zimbabwe From The Tentacles of Securocrats

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:05:00 +0000

Since 2000, slowly the Zimbabwean cabinet's authority was being superseded by the Joint Operations Command (JOC), which was adapted from the counter-insurgency agency of the old white minority Rhodesian Government. The was led by Mugabe's erosion of confidence in public officials and the encroachment of armed forces in civilian matters. While this served Mugabe's self-preservation needs until March 29 2008, it has already started creating problems for the government in waiting MDC now which will struggle to uproot an entrenched military culture in civilian government. The JOC consists of the head of the spy service (CIO) Happyton Bonyongwe, the army chief of staff General Constantine Chiwenga, the head of police Augustine Chihuri, the head of airforce Air Masharl Perence Shiri and the head of prison service Retired Major General Paradzayi Zimondi .

The JOC has its tentacles at all levels of Zimbabwean government, military officers are senior managers in the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission which inadvertently had been withholding the announcement of Morgan Tsvangirai as the next President of Zimbabwe. Senior military officers and CIO officials, led by armed forces chief General Constantine Chiwenga, have taken hold of a number of functions of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, (RBZ), bearing on monetary policy, such as the determination of a viable foreign exchange policy and managing the national money supply, Gono is just a figurehead. Two judges are former top military officers, one of the eight provincial governors is a former general. An army colonel is permanent secretary in the ministry of transport. The list goes on. Military men head the strategic Grain Marketing Board and the prison service. Mugabe's inner cabinet has four soldiers serving as ministers or deputy ministers. Many managers at the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) are ex-soldiers. A serving brigadier heads the government's Sports and Recreation Commission, and an airforce officer, Air Commodore Mike Karakadzai, heads the National Railways of Zimbabwe, NRZ, with Army Brigadier Douglas Nyikayaramba as chairman of the NRZ board. In 2006 it was revealed by The Zimbabwe Independent Zimbabwe's intelligence services had infiltrated and taken over the majority shareholding at what were previously thought to be independent newspapers, The Financial Gazette and The Daily Mirror & The Sunday Mirror which is part owned by Ibbo Mandaza (Simba Makoni's aide)As state-owned media had lost its credibility, the government regarded control of the independent press as a more viable route to win the hearts and minds of a restive population. The CIO in 2002 started manoeuvres to muscle into the Financial Gazette and the Mirror Newspapers Group's two titles, the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror, which they now control. Billions of taxpayers' funds were poured in to the project. The CIO controls those three newspapers (Fingaz and Mirror titles) they control a large stake, if not 100% of the Fingaz, and 70% of the Mirror group. Ibbo Mandaza (Mirror chief executive and editor-in-chief) owns 30%,he CIO copied its strategy of owning newspapers through shelf companies or as silent shareholders from Angola where the largest circulating daily is owned by the intelligence service. South Africa's intelligence machinery in the 1970s was involved in setting up newspapers and covertly occupying media space in what became known as the Muldergate scandal.

Below the men standing in between the people and freedom:

General Constantine Chiwenga described as a hawk -Against Power Handover as he owns 17 farms and the lucrative procurement of Gasoline in Zimbabwe

Air Marshall Perence Shiri described as dove supported Simba Makoni through Solomon Mujuru and is now sympathetic to MDC

Augustine Chihuri a hawk allegedly blocking Mugabe’s resignation smarting after his children were expelled from Australia where there were studying.

Happyton Bonyongwe is a dove – Supported Simba Makoni and was due to be fired by Mugabe in favour of his deputy Menard Muzariri.

Retired Major-General Paradzayi Zimondi is dove – Despite his public utterances is desperate to see the back of Mugabe

MDC Will Control Parliament Its Official

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:26:00 +0000

Thank you oh lord MDC has won the parliamentary elections held in Zimbabwe last Saturday the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has finally delivered the results 4 days after the polls closed. The delay fueled rumours that ZEC was planning to doctor the election results in favour of Zanu PF. This is the first time that Zanu PF has lost the majority in the Zimbabwean parliament since we attained independence in 1980, Zanu PF got knocked by the winds of change that engulfed every man, woman, in Zimbabwe. The MDC has won 99 seats it total out of the 207 constituencies that were contested to Zanu PF's , we won all 12 House of Assembly seats and four out of five Senatorial seats in Bulawayo, 28 out of the 29 seats in Harare and the majority of the seats in Manicaland, Masvingo and the Midlands provinces. Zanu PF had the misconception that the MDC was made up of urban supporters. This election has debunked the myth that the MDC is an urban-based party. We have MPs in Murehwa, Hurungwe, Makoni, Buhera, Zhombe, Binga, Matobo, Bindura and Mutasa. We await eagerly the announcement of the Presidential elections and that of Bob's retirement so we can expedite the forming of the next government. Zanu PF was used to gloating describing MDC as western puppets how tables have turned.

We can rejoice that MDC has won because these situation in the pictures below will never happen to Zimbabwe again after Zimbabweans dumped Zanu Pf at the polls for Change!

Free At Last As Mugabe Moves To Stage Manage Exit

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:34:00 +0000

The drip-feeding of election results by the ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) mirrors torture methods Mugabe's goons uses against MDC activists. They make you seat on chair in the middle of a room with no furniture, they then suspend a pail bucket with single tiny hole in the middle of its bottom, they fill it with water and they let that water drop, onto your head one drop at a time ,drop by drop till the bucket is empty. At first you feel nothing until you head starts pounding and you feel like its going to explode. Thats what I have been feeling for the past three days as I anxiously wait for the release of the election results from ZEC. The waiting has fueled a lot of speculation which has been rife on the internet. You have heard the theories and the counter theories ranging from the the threat of coup to martial law no doubt the Zimbabwean elections have given people plenty to talk about.

While the confabulation goes on it cannot be denied MDC has won these elections, as you might have also noticed even with all the odds stacked against us from blatant intimidation, arbitrary arrests, unlawful imprisonment, state media bias, lack of resources not to mention systematic rigging that began in earnest in 2005 with Murambatsvina still MDC and the people of Zimbabwe have prevailed. Its no wonder Tendai Biti described it as short of a miracle, considering what the people of Zimbabwe were up against. The people of Zimbabwe, exercised their democratic right to vote for CHANGE, CHANGE that they can trust, to vote for the MDC and President Morgan Tsvangirai, to vote for life, food, education, jobs,dignity and democracy. The Zimbabwean people are now free at last, free from Mugabe's tyrannical regime which killed millions of people directly or indirectly through its policies and in the process ruined the one time bread basket of Africa into an economic basket case.

Many had come to label MDC a failure after Mugabe rigged every election since 2000 as he desperately clung to power. He used every trick in the dictator's handbook to thwart MDC and President Morgan Tsvangirai, he used the then well-paid army and the partisan police to crush an every possible uprising MDC might have conjured as a means of non-violent protests against his stealing of the the previous elections. But this watershed election proved too difficult to rig even though within the results that are being announced discrepancies are emerging.

You might still be skeptical about Zimbabwe being totally free from Mugabe, but take cue from today's Herald which has been the Zanu PF propaganda mouthpiece masquerading as a newspaper. Gone is the vitriol aimed against MDC and President Morgan Tsvangirai (yes President get used to it). How fast things change yesterday, the editorial ran a title similar to what Mugabe recently said during his vote-buying spree masked as a political campaign that Tsvangirai will never rule Zimbabwe you will find that the page has been deleted. You can still find it here on news now's top stories

Mugabe, The Herald, Chiwenga, Chihuri did not see this coming just like Ian Smith during his "in my lifetime" phase for only to see a black majority rule before his death. How history repeats itself as Mugabe proclaimed time after time that MDC will nevr rule Zimabwe what a climb down for the dictator. He usually banged the podium with his fist, foaming at the mouth whenever he spoke saying MDC Will Never Rule Zimbabwe for only MDC to rule before his death. MDC has been one step ahead of the dictator this time, the Zimbabwe's electoral law requires the contestants or their representative to sign after votes have been collated and counted and verified at the polling stations, the presiding officer then pastes the result as a bulletin outside the polling stations. MDC used this legal loophole to take photographs of the signing process and the results pasted outside the polling stations to tabulate their own results of the election. When the election closed at six on Saturday the ZEC already knew that Mugabe and Zanu PF had lost all the elections they informed JOC (Joint Operations Command nicknamed "JOKO" Shona for yoke) JOC consists of the army chief, police chief, intelligence chief and prisons chief the real power behind Mugabe. The JOC then took the news to Mugabe, who at first ordered the doctoring of the results, he was told that its near impossible as the election results were now public knowledge. At first the idea of declaring martial law was thrown around which was mooted by CIO chief who is no longer loyal to Mugabe, he told Mugabe point blank that there would be bloodshed as people were going to revolt against an martial law. Then Chiwenga suggested a rerun promising to crush MDC before the rerun election, which was now mooted by Mugabe who knew that despite the best rigging apparatus he would loose to President Tsvangirai in the second round. Now they all busy asking MDC for exit guarantees as they try to escape prosecution and stage manage their exit from the Zimbabwean politics.

Its hard to believe Mugabe is gone after 28 years of seemingly unshakeable grip on the country in which all all of his opponents have been falsely accused of treason, exiled or killed. Mugabe led Zimbabwe's political emancipation from the colonial settlers but turned out to be another African despot who has left the country with 90% unemployment, 400 000% inflation the highest in the world, the life expectancy has fallen to 35 for men and 34 for women, more than 3000 Zimbabweans die every week from AIDS and its related diseases, 45% of the country is malnourished, the Zimbabwean dollar is virtually worthless. The price of a loaf of bread on Saturday during elections was about 6.6 million Zimbabwe dollars on the official market but as much as 15 million on the black market. In October last year bread cost 100,000 Zimbabwean dollars, in 2003 around 1,000 Zimbabwean dollars and in 1998 five Zimbabwean dollars.

With all its ills, I am sure Zimbabwe will prosper again, well done Morgan Tsvangirai, well done MDC, thank you to the people of Zimbabwe that voted for genuine Change not leaders with an American Green card, goodbye Bob and yes Welcome New Zimbabwe. Free At Last!

Rigging Evidence In Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 09:44:00 +0000

The Zimbabwe Times has this picture of a many caught with ballot boxes unloading them from his car in Zvimba, Mugabe's home area where Zanu PF lost to MDC

The ballot boxes were closely guarded during elections such that some polling agents from different parties slept using them as pillow

Results With Proof Available

noreply@blogger.com (Izzy Mutanhaurwa) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 06:54:00 +0000

In 2000, 2002 and 2005 we encouraged MDC members and supporters to go to the polls but we did not claim our victories. MDC made a mistake of not claiming their victory and ZEC doctored the figures to keep Mugabe in power. In 2008 a secretive group of compatriots may have gotten the jump on Mugabe they came prepared and knowing Zimbabwe's electoral law they knew results would be posted as bulletin outside every polling station. The group deployed trained polling agents, equipped with phones and cameras, throughout the country on election day Saturday, and they counted voters and took photographs of voting results pasted up at voting stations (a previously unobserved requirement of voting regulations). The information was sent via text messages or satellite phone to a call center in South Africa, where it was collated and posted at www.zimelectionresults.com for all to see. "These will be archived on this Web site later as forensic evidence," the site says. "A separate report on discrepancies will be filed on the site later."

Although official counts for Saturday's election have been delayed, the Independent Results Centre has already announced that the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and its leader Morgan Tsvangirai have won in a landside. Given the country's history of electoral fraud, the clandestine group's findings are likely to be widely perceived as at least as plausible as the official ones.