Movement For Democratic Change
Weekly Briefing Note
6 October 2002
For Further Information, Please Contact:
Nkanyiso Maqueda, Director of Information – 00263 91 248 570
BRUSSELS, Grace Kwinjeh – 0032 494 1 81 621
LONDON, James Littleton – 00 44 7771 501 401
"The noble decision by SADC leaders to replace Zimbabwe as deputy chair is a clear sign that SADC is becoming frustrated by the destructive policies of the illegitimate Mugabe regime. Economic growth and regional security and stability will be 'pipe dreams' unless SADC adopts consistent and robust action against Zimbabwe. Such action needs to take the form of a collective strategy that aims to address the fundamental issue of legitimacy in Zimbabwe", said MDC Spokesman Paul Themba Nyathi, following the SADC announcement that Zimbabwe was to be removed as Deputy Chair of SADC. ( 4 October 2002)
MDC MPs Petition Mugabe Regime on Violence
MDC MPs have handed a petition to Speaker of Parliament Emmerson Mnangagwa, Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri and Minister of Home Affairs Kembo Mohadi. The petition expresses the MDC’s condemnation and concern over the increasing cases of torture by members of Zimbabwe’s police force. The MDC accuses the police of allowing "violence, lawlessness, abuse and torture to pervade the country, with active and passive support of the state which had completely failed to fulfil its constitutional obligation of protecting each and every Zimbabwean without regard to political affiliation from violence, abuse and torture".
MDC Appeal for Access to Electronic Voters’ Roll
The MDC challenge to Mugabe’s ‘victory’ in the presidential election went to the Supreme court last week. The MDC is appealing against a previous ruling denying the party access to the electronic voters’ roll. The judges present have reserved judgement to a later date.
Local Council Elections
The local council elections held in Zimbabwe last weekend were a total farce and do not deserve to be described as elections. As a direct result of Zanu PF violence and intimidation, Zanu PF was unopposed in over 700 seats (out of a total of 1,397). Their ‘victory’ is no victory, it simply reinforces the point that Zanu are too afraid to test their popularity in a free and fair poll. They know that in a free and fair election the MDC would win by an overwhelming majority. Campaigning on a ticket of violence, corruption and incompetence does not win votes.
Tarcey Zimbiti, the acting head of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace, slammed the local elections, "This was one election that had nothing to do with democracy". Zimbiti outlined how opposition candidates and supporters in rural areas were chased away from their homes. He also stated that in Mashonaland Central (a Mugabe stronghold) the CCJP had been unable to send any observers.
Given the scale of evidence supporting allegations of state sponsored violence and intimidation the MDC decided to issue a petition to the High court to postpone the local elections so that it could register all of its candidates. On 27 September, the day before polling day, the High Court dismissed the MDC’s petition, condemning the people of Zimbabwe to another sham election where they were unable to freely express their will at the ballot box. Below are just a few examples of the attacks on MDC candidates and supporters that occurred in the build up to the local elections. The police have failed to pursue, or prosecute, any of the perpetrators of these horrendous crimes.
1. MDC youth activist, Onias Midzi, was murdered on September 5 by two men wearing army uniforms.
2. MDC candidates, Michael Chitsama and Johannes Chongore from Masvingo province, were brutally attacked on 5 September by Zanu PF supporters.
3. Paulos Ndoro was admitted to hospital in Harare after being attacked by zanu PF youths.
4. Stephen Nyikadzino, the MDC secretary for Chitungwiza (Harare) was assaulted by Zanu supporters on 5 September, sustaining serious injuries to his head and back.
5. MDC supporter Nikoniari Chibvamudeve was brutally murdered by Zanu youth militia in Hurungwe West last Sunday. .
6. Mike Magwaza and Roy Bennet MP were arrested by police on Sunday 29 September in Chimanimani. Both were brutally assaulted by police, with Magwaza in particular suffering horrendous torture in the hands of the police. They were arrested for filming Zanu PF officials offering food aid to voters in return for votes.
7. MDC youths Tom Spicer, Tendai Maluzi, Cosmos and Barbabas Ndira and Reuben Tichareva were arrested on 27 September. Spicer was severely beaten and tortured by police who used electric shocks.
8. In Gutu and Bikita districts of Masvingo province, the homesteads of several MDC candidates and supporters were burned down during the election weekend.
Food Crisis
Mugabe Blocks Food Aid
The Mugabe regime has blocked efforts by international donors to set up a fund to import hundreds of thousands of tonnes of maize into Zimbabwe. The decision reflects the desire of Mugabe to control food aid distribution for crude political purposes.
2002/03 Cereal Crop in Jeopardy
A lack of maize seed has undermined preparations for the critical planting season in Zimbabwe which starts next month. In its latest report, the Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWSNET) said that 94% of farmers have no maize seed and that 60% did not know how they will procure maize seed.
Both communal and resettled farmers are in desperate need for financial support for essential inputs. So far the Mugabe regime has failed to address this critical area, underlining its short term and unsustainable approach towards land reform. Land reform needs proper investment and must be devoid of short-term political objectives.
Land Reform
War Vets Accuse Regime of Corruption
The increasing anger amongst the war vets towards the Mugabe regime’s dishonest and chaotic land reform programme was underlined yet again last week. War veteran leaders, in briefings to the local press, said that although they supported Mugabe on land reform they were increasingly concerned that his resettlement programme was becoming characterised by high levels of corruption and nepotism. The war vets are currently conduction an audit of the land reform process and are scheduled to publish their findings in early November.
The anger of the war veterans has been exacerbated by increasing reports of resettled farmers being evicted from land by the authorities.
Chinamasa’s Wife Grabs Farms
Monica Chinamasa, the wife of Patrick Chinamasa, the Minister of Justice has taken over a farm in Marondera.
Military Chief Evicts Resettled Families
Scores of families who settled on a former white farm three years ago under Mugabe’s land resettlement initiative have been forced to leave their land by Air Marshall Perence Shiri who has decided he wants the farm for himself. As a direct consequence hundreds of school children will have to quit school as there are no schools near to the area where their families are being resettled.
Land Reform Programme Lacks Capacity
According to a UN report, the District Development Fund does not have the capacity to service resettled farmers, casting doubt on the viability of Mugabe’s land reform objectives. The UN report claimed that only 50% of the tractor fleet is operational and that most model A1 farmers do not have animal draught power.
International
UN
In a recent press statement published by the UN, Dat’o Param Cumaraswamy, the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers for the UN Commission on Human rights, slammed the Mugabe regime for failing to take any measures to uphold the rule of law in Zimbabwe and for deliberately eroding the independence of the judiciary.
Cumaraswamy warned that Mugabe’s disregard for the rule of law posed a threat to the whole African region and called on the international community to increase pressure on Zimbabwe to comply with its obligations under the Constitution and international law.
EU
The EU has increased the number of Zimbabwe government officials on its targeted sanctions list to 79 by extending it to include those brought into government as a result of Mugabe’s recent cabinet reshuffle.
SADC
In a sign of increasing unease and concern at the actions of the Mugabe regime, SADC leaders, meeting in the Angolan capital Luanda earlier this week, decided to remove Zimbabwe as Deputy chair of the organisation, with Tanzania brought in a as a replacement. The move is a significant snub for Mugabe and means that next year’s heads of state meeting will be held in Tanzania rather than Harare.
UK
The UK government has significantly increased its humanitarian aid budget for Zimbabwe. It recently announced that it would fund a meal a day for about 1.5 million Zimbabwean children at a cost of £14 million. In addition, the UK has also given £18 million to the world food Programme and a further £5million to NGO’s to help pay for agricultural inputs for small-scale farmers.
US
Former US President Bill Clinton, in a recent speech in Abuja, Nigeria, said that Zimbabwe’s land and political crisis was ‘a burden to all Africa’ and the continent had to resolve it to demonstrate its new commitment to good governance. In his speech, Clinton referred to Mugabe’s illegitimate re-election and irresponsible policies as being anathema to the goals of the new African Union.
General News
Teachers Strike
Teachers in Zimbabwe, frustrated at deteriorating working conditions and low pay, have threatened to go on a nationwide strike on 8 October unless the education authorities meet their demands.
Working conditions for teachers have been exacerbated by frequent attacks by supporters loyal to the Mugabe regime. In many rural areas teachers have fled following attacks by Zanu thugs. Mugabe suspects teachers of voting for MDC. In most cases the police fail to react, providing yet another example of police complicity in political violence.
Poaching Reaching Alarming Levels
Wide-scale poaching in Zimbabwe’s wildlife conservancies by both re-settled farmers and criminal elements is putting a number of species at risk. Poaching of elephant and rhino in particular is reducing their respective populations to dangerously low levels.
Zimbabwe’s Increasingly Partisan Police Force
The gradual erosion of the non-partisan approach by the Zimbabwe police force and increasing alignment with Zanu PF was highlighted during last weekend’s local elections. Lupane police delayed the arrest of a senior Zanu PF official on a charge of raping a minor so he could run the party’s campaign in the local elections.
Legal Team Denied Entry
The Geneva based International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has been refused entry to Zimbabwe to investigate threats to the independence of the judiciary and that of lawyers, despite being invited to the country by Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa when he visited Geneva in April last year.
IMF To Abolish Zimbabwe’s Voting Rights
The International Monetary Fund has begun moves to block Zimbabwe’s voting and other rights with the World Bank likely top adopt similar measures. Zimbabwe has failed to repay over US$135 in arrears.
Foreign Investment Deteriorates
Foreign Direct Investment into Zimbabwe has plunged by nearly 99% between 1998 and 2001 and the country is now ranked among the top eight economies in the world with the least potential to attract external investors, according to a report released by the UN. The World Investment Report 2002, published by the UN Conference on Trade and Development reveals that FDI inflows into Zimbabwe declined from a peak of US$444 million in 1998 to just US$5 million in 2001.
Millions Stolen from Aids Fund
Over Zim$96 million of taxpayers money was stolen from the Aids Levy Fund, according to a report published by Eric Harid, Zimbabwe’s Comptroller and Auditor-General.
END
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