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April 23, 2019

Tendai Chabvuta: Zimbabwe’s Second Republik: dealing with the past, compensating white farmers and knee jerk reactions from civil society

By Tendai Chabvuta

The 39th independence celebrations for Zimbabwe have come and gone. The only thing that remains to show for the 39 years of independence is old Robert’s absence from the uhuru celebrations. The economy is teetering on its knees, bread – the same bread that also aided the overthrow of Sudan’s Al Bashir has risen to 3.50 in Zimbabwe from 99 cents, fuel queues remain the order of the day and strife never seems too far away from the ordinary Zimbabwean.

Three things stand out in all this confusion of this state called Zimbabwe. One, Mnangagwa’s government has pronounced that they want to compensate white farmers for developments they left on the farms that were taken from them a decade ago.

Two, there seems to be confusion around government’s position with regards how the past including the land reform process should be handled and finally the role of civil society in all this is all mired in serious and perilous confusion. A discussion will thus follow.

Mwonzora lives to fight another day

The sudden volte face by the MDC secretary general Douglas Mwonzora to withdraw from the presidential race against party president Nelson Chamisa in the eleventh hour has left him bruised but ready to fight again if he survives at the May 24-26 congress billed for Gweru.

Mutare City Council audit exposes non-existent accounts

Over 20 000 properties owned by residents and companies in Mutare have been living for free without paying anything to the Mutare City council, prejudicing the cash strapped local authority of millions of dollars over the years, a new billing system has exposed.