Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Source: Food security remains key for any economy | Daily News

The reality of a drought this farming season is beginning to dawn on most people as crops they grew with positive expectations fail under their watch.

After the heavy downpours some time ago during which places like Buffalo Range in Chiredzi had a record 203mm pounding the arid cane-farming area of Masvingo Province, most regions have gone for weeks without rains, compromising the potential yield farmers expected to harvest.

However, what is perhaps disturbing is the lethargy by government in mobilising food aid for communities that have real prospects of a drought. Already, there are places where crops have experienced severe moisture stress.

Authorities actually got early warnings from specialised organs like Famine Early Warning Systems (Fewsnet) on the prospects of an El Nino-induced drought ravaging Zimbabwe and the sub-region but conveniently chose to ignore completely.

It is difficult to guarantee the security of a hungry nation and there are several examples that have been witnessed all over the African continent and beyond.

Government should have started planning for anticipated food shortages well on time and obviously this would have allowed Treasury some bit of elasticity in the mobilisation of resources for that purpose.

Rural subsistence farmers could be the hardest hit given that they grow crops for domestic consumption and if the year is good enough may only spare a little surplus to sell in order to raise money for their children’s school fees.

Some urban families have found farming helpful as

they complement meager earnings with the food they grow on little plots on the outskirts of the their areas of residences.

These little plots have wilting maize crops, clear evidence of severe moisture stress, meaning they may not harvest anything substantial from these plots.

Once this crop fails, it impacts negatively on the families concerned who have had to rely on such agricultural activities in these difficult economic times.

The bigger picture is that government then struggles in its obligation to ensure food security for its people, while at the same time being forced to redirect resources meant for developmental purposes for the sourcing of food.

Provinces like Matabeleland North had already written off some crops by mid-January, implying that authorities there, especially the provincial administration, were well aware of the situation on the ground and should have escalated the issue to central government.

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Source: Chamisa ready to step down | Daily News

MDC leader Nelson Chamisa says he is ready to step down if he loses the party’s internal polls scheduled for May this year, the Daily News on Sunday can report.

Chamisa – who assumed the reins of the country’s largest opposition party in February last year, albeit under controversial circumstances – faces a challenge from the MDC’s secretary-general, Douglas Mwonzora.

Mwonzora, who beat Chamisa during the 2014 congress for the post of secretary-general, has previously kept his cards close to his chest. It was only last month that he openly declared his ambition if nominated.

Elias Mudzuri, one of the MDC’s three vice presidents, is still weighing his options and may also throw his hat into the ring.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily News on Sunday yesterday, the MDC leader said he will respect any outcome at the upcoming polls, but underscored the fact that safeguards would be put in place for the conduct of free and fair elections.

“They can never be democracy without democrats; I am a democrat – whoever comes out the winner in the process, I will also be a winner and I am duty bound by my beliefs to support the outcome,” he said.

“In any electoral processes in a democratic organisation, democracy is always the winner. And we are going to have an independent commission to run the election so that the process is not contaminated by internal pollutants,” added Chamisa.

In the July 30, 2018 presidential polls won by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Chamisa rejected the outcome of the elections on account of the electoral processes, which the MDC argued were designed to favour Zanu PF party. Chamisa took his case to the Constitutional Court which dismissed his application with costs, while upholding Mnangagwa’s razor-thin victory. Regardless, the MDC leader has vehemently refused to recognise Mnangagwa saying the Zanu PF leader owes his presidency to an illegitimate process.

Chamisa is hopeful that an independent commission would produce internal polls that are not “contaminated by internal pollutants,” in a bid to avoid disputes.

The 41-year-old politician warned his would-be challengers for the party’s presidency to hold their horses and quit campaigning for posts before nominations.

“In our party, leaders don’t determine their fate. We have over a million members, and delegates who will come to the congress and those are the people who are going to choose their leaders,” said Chamisa.

“We do not self-deploy; we are deployed by the people. The nominations are going to be determined in the provinces – there is no way anybody is going to say I want to be this.”

Even though Mwonzora has expressed his desire to challenge for the top post in the MDC, he also alluded to party processes which he said must be followed ahead of the elective congress.

He said: “I will be giving you a statement regarding to what I will be standing for. There are key processes that must happen first and these include the nomination process. Within the MDC set-up, people are nominated by the structures; I want to emphasise I am a full member with full rights including the right to contest any position.”

Mwonzora was also quoted previously laying down the rule to be followed.

“There are processes that have to be followed, we must have branch congresses, then ward, district, provincial congresses and after that the provincial assemblies will do nominations, it is at that time that we will know if we have been nominated,” Mwonzora was quoted saying.

Mwonzora told the Daily News recently that he is aware of a smear campaign targeting him but that will not deter him to contest in any position “because the opposition now requires someone with the right temperament” and who understands democracy”.

“We are also aware of the smear campaigns that are going on but that is expected considering that we are now going to the congress,” said Mwonzora.

But in a thinly veiled attack on those who have been beating war drums ahead of the elective congress, the first since the death of the party founding president Morgan Tsvangirai, Chamisa said those with unbridled ambition are failing to appreciate the heart and soul of the MDC.

Asked about his relationship with Mwonzora who recently declared that he has a right to contest in any position, Chamisa said the office of the MDC presidency works closely with that of the secretary-general to enhance democracy not only in the party but also in the country.

“I have a very good relationship with Mudzuri, (vice president Welshman) Ncube, (vice chairperson Tendai) Biti and Mwonzora. As far as I am concerned, the relationship (with the MDC leadership) is of people in a team.

“In our party, we don’t crucify ambition. In our party, we don’t persecute desire. In our party, we celebrate diversity, but it has to be anchored on leaders being chosen and not individuals indicating where they want to be.

“It should be about the organisation; people have to choose you, you don’t deploy yourself, you don’t say I want to be there – those are not attributes of a leader. People must be ready to be nominated but not to self-nominate; you are nominated first before you pronounce yourself.  In our party, leadership is in the doing rather than in the being…that is how we were taught by our president the late Morgan Tsvangirai…,” said Chamisa.

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Source: . . . as MDC Alliance leader fears split | Daily News

Ahead of the MDC Alliance’s 5th congress, the party’s president Nelson Chamisa has sensationally claimed that Zanu PF is working around the clock to ensure that the country’s biggest opposition movement splits into two.

This comes as senior officials in Zanu PF have openly declared

interest in the opposition party’s impending congress to be held later next month.

Chamisa is likely to face his secretary general Douglas Mwonzora at the congress.

Mwonzora has openly declared that he has rights, including contesting the sitting leader since he is a “full member of the MDC.”

Zanu PF politburo members Victor Matemadanda and Lewis Matutu have publicly stated their preference of the candidature of Mwonzora ahead of Chamisa, the 41-year-old who the ruling party regard as immature.

As a result, Chamisa’s backers have come out guns blazing

threatening to mercilessly descend on anyone who will challenge the incumbent.

Tempers are flaring in the MDC, with fault lines now emerging between those who back Chamisa and Mwonzora, amid growing fears that the party could split again as happened in the past.

Since its formation in 1999, the MDC has split three times, first in 2005 after disagreements over participation in the Senatorial elections.

The second split came in 2014 after the party’s dismal showing in the elections where former president Robert Mugabe thumped the late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai by a wide margin.

The MDC also split last year following a vicious and acrimonious battle to succeed Tsvangirai after his death.

Although former officials who had walked away from the Tsvangirai led MDC are now back in the broader MDC Alliance, there are several individuals who are dissatisfied with the leadership of Chamisa who came to power through an internal coup.

In a thinly veiled attack on Zanu PF, Chamisa said non MDC members cannot dictate what happens in their movement.

The MDC leader said he is aware that their foes are working through the witching hours and burning the midnight oil to see the upcoming congress in disarray and to destroy the movement and throw it into jeopardy.

“The MDC will never split for it is the people’s project. The people cannot split. The people’s project will never be split by selfish motives. Individuals may from time to time elect and choose to get lost but along the way, often sooner, they will either find themselves or be found,” said Chamisa.

Last week, government was forced to deny that it was interfering with the MDC impending congress saying it had bigger fish to fry.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services deputy minister Energy Mutodi dismissed talk that government was making arrangements to use security agents to weaken the opposition.

“Government is not worried who emerges the winner at the MDC congress, be it Chamisa or Mwonzora. None of the two is capable of overcoming our 2023 Zanu PF candidate…Mnangagwa. We have started reviving the economy and the gains are open for everyone to see,” Mutodi said.

But the MDC youth assembly is adamant that the ruling party wants a “weaker candidate” to emerge as the party’s leader in May “for obvious reasons” — vowing that this would not happen.

“It is saddening that Zanu PF wants to give us a leader and we know why. We are, however, clear as youths and other organs of the party that we have Chamisa as our leader and the decision is ours not Zanu PF’s,” said Lovemore Chinoputsa, the MDC youth assembly secretary-general.

MDC vice chairperson Tendai Biti has angrily reacted to the

suggestions that Mwonzora was likely to emerge as the new party leader after the May congress.

He said the party would not accept to be led by “a ruling party chosen half-wit”.

“We will reject any nincompoop given to us by Zanu PF. We already have a candidate in … Chamisa. So, we will not tolerate that.

“Our duty is to protect the legacy of our dear leader Morgan

Tsvangirai and we know with Chamisa we will be able to do that,” Biti thundered.

Chamisa has, however, been at pains preaching peace.

“Therefore, when we speak of unity in the MDC, we refer to the united action of the people through the concert of a festival of ideas, as they put aside their racial, tribal, gender and class differences to map out a common national development trajectory. The people shall govern! We must not be extremists causing hatred. We must be measured

in our language and tone.

“What makes the MDC great is the celebration of dissent and diversity. The MDC is intact and growing bigger into a post-independence liberation force, democratization catalyst and transformation agent in Zimbabwe.

“Nonetheless, we will be vigilant and guard against infiltration and violence from without. Non-members cannot manage internal affairs,”

In a conciliatory message, Chamisa said the party is determined to add instead of subtracting and will try everything possible to ensure that it remains united.

“We want to grow the base. As I always say, we grow by adding, where necessary by multiplying and never by dividing or subtracting. To add is to strengthen and to subtract is to weaken. We must remain focused on the goal. That which unites us far exceeds whatever might separate us. Together we shine, asunder we are all dust,” said Chamisa.

The post . . . as MDC Alliance leader fears split appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Zanu PF wants Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi to initiate another constitutional amendment, but this time, to ensure that the provision which saw 60 women getting into Parliament on free seats continues beyond 2023. The first constitutional amendment was Constitution Amendment No. 1, which gave the president powers to appoint the chief justice, deputy chief justice […]

Source: 'Subversion charge used to cripple opposition' | Daily News

Legislator Joanna Mamombe was making a presentation at a parliamentary workshop in Nyanga when a team of about eight officers came to arrest her.

The officers claimed to be from Harare Central Police Station’s notorious Law and Order Section and arrived driving a spanking new Toyota Fortuner registration number ACI 4582.

The Harare West MDC Member of Parliament had been in Nyanga for parliamentary business since February 24.

The night before, another security services team had visited Mamombe’s parents’ home in the working-class suburb of Glen Norah in Harare at midnight in search of her, harassing everyone and “intruding into personal privacy of innocent people.”

The 25-year-old opposition lawmaker was driven to Harare and appeared in court last Monday charged with attempting to subvert a constitutionally-elected government.

The State claims she called the southern African country’s government “authoritarian” at a press conference on January 14 in remarks that were posted to Facebook.

The court heard between January 14 and 16 and in response to Mamombe’s presser, members of the opposition, various trade unionists, pressure groups, youth forums and members of the public engaged in violent protests across the country.

As a result, property was destroyed, lives were lost, several police officers and members of the public were also injured.

Mamombe, who is out on bail, is just one of several opposition politicians and human rights defenders arrested in Zimbabwe over the past two weeks.

Most of them face charges related to subversion, which is punishable by 20 years in jail.

Opposition leaders allege that the powers-that-be are abusing the justice delivery system to weaken their opponents.

They further allege that the arrests are meant to influence a particular outcome at the MDC’s May congress.

A day before Mamombe’s arrest, MDC legislator Godfrey Sithole — who had been in hiding — surrendered himself to the police.

Sithole appeared before Chitungwiza magistrate, Winfilder Tiatara, who remanded the legislator for Chitungwiza North in custody.

Another MDC legislator Charlton Hwende was this past week arrested before being released on Friday on $3 000 bail, after appearing in court again on subversion charges relating to the same allegations that the opposition leaders incited Zimbabweans to overthrow President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

He was represented by Harrison Nkomo who told the court that police officers who arrested Hwende flagrantly violated his rights.

The court issued an order to investigate the complaints against the arresting details.

“My client was arrested while on board flight SW411, Air Namibia, as soon as it touched the ground. His passport was taken away from him by the police officers and technically he has not entered Zimbabwe because he was not given a chance to regularise with Immigration,” Nkomo said.

“I wish to have this on record in case the State might want to charge him with violating the Immigration Act later. He was detained from 10:45am to 17:30pm without being advised of the reason for his arrest in violation of constitutional provisions.

“The State papers do not disclose any offence and these are issues we shall address the court on the next remand date.”

The matter was remanded to March 20.

MDC parliamentary chief whip Prosper Mutseyami told the Daily News on Sunday that government’s disdain towards upholding fundamental human rights is reflected in these wanton arrests of perceived opponents.

“The manner the operation was done sends shivers down the spines of the ordinary civilians. It is a sad incident reflecting retrogression in our constitutional democracy against reform pretence by Mnangagwa,” Mutseyami said.

“The MDC caucus strongly condemns the abduction and arrest of Hon Mamombe and Hon Sithole and Hwende. When Members of Parliament are harassed and their rights violated in that manner, it means the ordinary citizens are worse off. In general, acts of torture, arbitrary arrests on trumped up charges, mass trials and conviction are of concern to the MDC caucus.”

Activists say the government is using subversion — which was initially used to quash rebellion by nationalists in the post-independence era — as a bank of ammunition it can use to cripple opposition.

Bekithemba Mpofu, the MDC deputy spokesperson, said “during the many years of their political apprenticeship, the leaders of the military government were party to a process which accused political rivals of treason.”

“They charged Dr Joshua Nkomo, Lookout Masuku, Dr Dumiso Dabengwa, Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, Prof Welshman Ncube and Hon Tendai Biti among others. The new leaders on the list are just a continuation.

“Persecution of MDC leaders and members must stop, mass and fast-tracked trials, denial of due process and violations of people’s rights must stop forthwith,” Mpofu said.

A furious MDC leader Nelson Chamisa told a news conference on Wednesday: “The level of human rights violation is worsening by the day. Hon Morgen Komichi, Hon … Biti, Hon Hwende, Hon Amos Chibaya, Hon Happymore Chidziva, Hon Godfrey Sithole, Hon Levi Chimina, Hon Lloyd Mukapiko, Hon Settlement Chikwinya and Hon Mamombe have all been brought before the courts on trumped-up charges.”

The MDC leader said at least 17 people have been killed in January of 2019 on account of the State’s heavy-handedness.

“Beyond these killings, there has been a systematic targeting of MDC members including senior leaders, MPs and councillors. Leaders of the ZCTU and civic society were also targeted. There has been invasion of homes, abductions, and arbitrary arrests, mass and fast-tracked trials,” he said.

A human rights lawyer, who didn’t want to be named for fear of reprisals, explained that authorities were using “subversion” charges as a way to quell any opposition to the regime, including from pro-democracy activists.

Just last week, civil society activist Rashid Mahiya was arrested and charged also with subversion over the same fuel riots.

Mahiya is director of Heal Zimbabwe Trust and also chairperson of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, peace-building and civil rights non-profit organisations operating in the country.

Just like others, he is also charged with attempting to subvert a constitutionally-elected government.

He has retained lawyer Tonderai Bhatasara as his lead counsel.

Cuurentl,y he is out of custody after being granted bail.

Leaders of Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, president Peter Mutasa and secretary-general Japhet Moyo are out on bail after being arrested for calling for the January national stay-away against the 150 percent hike in fuel prices.

Mutasa and Moyo have both been granted $2 000 bail and are reporting three times a week to the Criminal Investigations Department Law and Order.

They are also facing charges of attempting to subvert a constitutionally-elected government.

Earlier in January just after the protests, Zimbabwe’s high court granted activist pastor Evan Mawarire bail following his arrest again on charges of subversion related to the violent anti-government protests.

Critics say Mnangagwa’s government is walking in the footsteps of former president Robert Mugabe.

During Mugabe’s era, subversion charges were used to subdue politicians and pro-democracy activists alike.

The subversion charges were also used during the colonial regime to suppress black dissent because of the chilling punishment upon conviction.

Prominent human rights lawyer Dzimbabwe Chimbga told the Daily News on Sunday the charge of subversion of a Constitutional government stipulates that anyone who uses physical force or violence or the threat, boycott, civil disobedience or resistance to any law, actively or passively, “shall be guilty of subverting constitutional government and liable to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 20 years without the option of a fine.”

Many had hoped Mnangagwa would change policies and tactics that were used by his predecessor to thwart dissenting voices.

“I guess as they say, new wine, old bottles, the recipe remains the same, even when the cook has changed,” Chimbga said.

Political analyst Maxwell Saungweme said the law and State apparatus are still being used the same way they were used under Mugabe to thwart voices of dissent.

“Under Mugabe it was as predictable as day and night that all political arrests were harassment meant to break dissenting voices, but convictions were never secured and cases would fall apart in a simple court scrutiny. But now convictions (on political cases) are now being secured and it’s more worrying to see judiciary more and more passing political decisions dressed as judgments. Human rights defenders have more cause of concern now than before.  Maybe it’s the entrenchment of the military factor in all spheres and facets of our lives leading to these convictions.”

MDC member and lawyer David Coltart, writing on his Twitter account, said in his over three years of practice no convictions have been secured by the State.

He said the only act deserving of a conviction was Mnangagwa’s November 2017 coup against Mugabe.

“Ironically the only clear-cut case of treason since independence is what Mnangagwa, (vice president Constantino) Chiwenga & (Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Busi) S.B. Moyo did in 11/17,” he wrote on Twitter.

Another political analyst Pedzisai Ruhanya, commenting on the same issue on his Twitter account, said the rate at which treason charges are being preferred against the opposition is more than that of the Mugabe regime.

“Zimbabwe’s new treason dispensation. Treason charges are being dished against opposition politicians like at no other time. Mugabe dished them too but not at this Coup class rate!” he wrote sarcastically.

British Labour MP Kate Hoey has since called on the United Kingdom minister for Africa, Harriett Baldwin to summon Zimbabwean ambassador to the UK Christian Katsande to explain the developments in the country, pertaining to the charges being levelled against the opposition.

“Hope @hbaldwin is calling in Zimbabwean Ambassador. This is happening too often @UKinZimbabwe,” she wrote on Twitter.

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