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Vice President Msika Not Dead?

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By Denford Magora

Despite reports you have been reading online, Zimbabwean Vice President Joseph Msika has not died.

The Vice-President, who has been unwell for some years and whose premature “death” has been reported before, is on life support at a Harare private hospital as I type this, impeccable sources within government have confirmed.

The Vice-President was apparently put on life support in the early hours of this morning and is in a critical condition.

Msika took the slot left vacant by the death of veteran Zimbabwe politican, Joshua Nkomo, also known as Father Zimbabwe. Nkomo was the first black Zimbabwean leader of the resistance against colonial and Rhodesian rule.

The slot that Msika occupies in Government is reserved for ZAPU, the political party founded by Dr Joshua Nkomo and from which Mugabe and others split to form ZANU PF.

If something were to happen to Msika, John Nkomo, ZANU PF Chairman (ZAPU is now a part of ZANU PF) is guaranteed to become the next vice-president.

Confirmation of this would perhaps only come at the ZANU PF Congress in December.

josephmsika2Today, as I tried to confirm these reports about the VP’s “death”, I struggled with our by now routinely atrocious phone lines. It is impossible to get through to Econet from either Netone or landlines and this has been the case for some weeks now. The Vice President’s son’s cellphone appears to be switched off and the phone at Msika’s own home is going unaswered.

Still, a senior government official I spoke to confirmed with Msika’s aide that the Vice President is alive but on life support. Details will emerge during the evening.

Senator Roy Bennett life under threat

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At about 1530hrs yesterday evening (Tuesday 5 August 2009), three man who refused to identify themselves, two in their early 30s and one in his early 20s, driving a white Isuzu 4X4 Fleetside, with registration number AAE 3627 arrived at the entrance gate of a plot being leased by MDC Treasurer General, and Deputy Minister of Agriculture designate, Senator Roy Bennett, Sun Valley Chicken Farm, just outside Harare.  

The three men demanded to see Senator Bennett. When the security guards refused to permit them in, the three men threatened to shoot to kill the guards. The guards ran away and informed Senator Bennett’s son, Charles. 

When Charles arrived, the three men drove away threatening that whoever wanted to get themselves involved would face death. 

This incident cannot be taken lightly, particularly with the declared hatred of the person of Senator Bennett by some in ZANU PF, particularly the residual elements. Senator Bennett has for the past few weeks been receiving death threats, and this mafia type visit by these three men can only have been an attempt on his life. We interpret these three men as nothing but a hit squad. 

A report has been made with the police and we hope a full and proper investigation will be done and the safety of Senator Bennett and his family will be guaranteed. 

roy-bennett-235x300This comes a few days after MDC Secretary General; Hon Tendai Biti received a letter with a bullet inside. 

The continued harassment of MDC members in general and Senator Bennett in particular, is a clear sign that there remains some residual elements that refuse to accept the reality and consensus for change sweeping the country. 

Let it be known that Senator Roy Bennett remains the exclusive choice of the MDC for the position of Deputy Minister of Agriculture, and it is inconceivable that this will change, as such we demand that he be sworn in without further delay.

Statement issued by the MDC

Sex mad wife battered husband at work

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A Chiweshe teacher who has lived under constant battering from his wife, including forced intimacy, has approached Bindura Civil Court seeking protection from his wife.

Mr Fortune Muteveri, a teacher and farmer is now seeking a peace order against his wife Fransisca Mashonganyika.

Although Mashonganyika has moved out of the matrimonial home claiming there was no “delicious food at home” she always returns home demanding sex from her husband, in front of his fellow teachers, threatening to strip naked if he refused.

But the wife is denying the allegations, rather accusing the husband of neglecting his family.

In his testimony before magistrate Ms Miriam Banda, Mr Muteveri said his wife was abusive and on one occasion stepped on his genitals.

Apart from stepping on his nether regions, Mr Muteveri said his wife bashed him and tore his pair of trousers because he had not caressed her the whole night.

“The defendant (Ms Mashonganyika) on one occasion tried to injure my private parts by stepping on the genitals. She would also force me into intimacy, and would use abusive and unprintable language to demand her conjugal rights,” Mr Muteveri said.

Mr Muteveri said the woman constantly regretted why she married him accusing him of being sexually impotent.

“She usually comes home late at night and in most cases in the company of other men yet she pesters my brother demanding to know whom I am dating.

“I want the defendant (Mashonganyika) to be interdicted from coming over to my house and workplace since I am paying her maintenance of $75 a month,” he said.

Mr Muteveri said his wife never respected him and always overrides every decision he makes as the family head.

“Sometimes she physically assaults me,” he said.

Mr Muteveri said on one occasion, his wife splashed a bucketful of dirty water in his face and on another occasion struck him with an iron bar on the head.

He also told the court that his wife at one time barred him from meeting a councillor he had an appointment with.

“She pulled me by the belt. I have the torn trousers to show as an exhibit,” the man said, showing the court a pair of torn trousers and an iron bar as exhibits.

Mr Muteveri implored the court to effect a divorce order, as he could not stand the abuse from his wife.

“She tore my shirt in front of my fellow teachers. At times, she would come to my home, demand sex and threaten to strip naked in front of my fellow teachers if I refused.

Mr Muteveri’s witness, Jane Zuze who is a neighbour concurred with Mr Muteveri saying the woman was abusive.

“On one occasion we went to work at Mr Muteveri’s farm and when we were about to receive payment, she came and shouted at Mr Muteveri saying he was a fool and that he did not have enough money to pay the farm labourers. We failed to get paid that day because she was responsible for our payment,” Ms Zuze said.

Ms Mashonganyika denied the allegations describing them as far-fetched.

“From the beginning of 2007, applicant (Mr Muteveri) started neglecting me and our two children financially.

“I then sought employment so that I would be able to fend for the family,” she said.

Ms Mashonganyika described Mr Muteveri’s application as a deliberate ploy to fulfill his threats soon after the woman successfully applied for maintenance.

“After the maintenance case, he openly declared that he was going to fix me ordering me to use the courts whenever I intended to communicate with him,” she said.

Ms Mashonganyika also denied ever physically assaulting her husband challenging him to proof the abuse before the courts.

Commenting on the allegations of forcing her husband into intimacy, Ms Mashonganyika said she was rather on the receiving side with Mr Muteveri forcing her into sex. Ms Banda is expected to pass ruling on August 12. Source: The Herald

Vice President Joseph Msika dies

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Vice President Joseph Msika has died government officials said on Tuesday. The 86 year old had been unwell for some time.

Msika suffered a stroke in June and ever since speculation around his successor within Zanu PF had contributed to an escalation of hostilities between the Mujuru and Mnangagwa faction.

The Vice President was taken ill for an undisclosed ailment and flown to South Africa during the period Zimbabwe was hosting the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) Summit which took place in the resort town of Victoria Falls from May 28 to June 8.

On returning home, Msika was re-admitted at St Anne’s, a Harare private hospital, after he developed complications arising from his operation. His deteriorating health saw staff at the private health institution confining him to the high dependency unit.

josephmsika
Msika pictured with RBZ governor Gideon Gono (left)

Comrade Fatso to rock Nsako in SA

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Friday the 7th of August sees Africa’s young music exports putting their beloved countries on the spot in South Africa.

The two talented musicians have toured extensively in the African Continent and abroad selling Africa’s music to the masses. The great musicians in question are Elemotho from Namibia and Comrade Fatso & Chabvondoka from Zimbabwe. Houses of NsAkO, which is cosy and nicely decorated with African accessories, will be roaring like a true African Lion when these two young men get on stage. 

Namibian superstar Elemotho has performed internationally in Norway, Germany, Austria, USA, Tanzania, Uganda and he is going back to Spain in October this year. Elemotho´s sounds have been described by the local Namibian media as “…music of the future making waves today, being able to charm the audiences with flavored remix of jazz-blues, reggae, Afro-pop and African rhythms and delivering fired, passionate, ecstasy and exotic performances.”

His tour includes a gig tonight at Bassline, Sat 01 August at Swaziland’s Bush Fire Festival, Tings n’ Times next Wednesday, Friday 7th at the House and he wraps it up at Meropa Casino in Polokwane on the 8th August. For more info on this artist: www.elemotho.com or www.southernpulse.co.za 

Zimbabwe’s Samm Farai Monro, better known as Comrade Fatso, is one of the most explosive and controversial acts in Southern Africa today. Comrade Fatso calls his poetry Toyi Toyi Poetry, radical street poetry that mixes Shona with English and electrifying guitars with mbira and pulsating hip hop. It’s a riotous new music that is an uprising against oppression.

2008 saw Comrade Fatso and Chabvondoka (his backing band) launch their much-acclaimed album, House of Hunger, banned in Zimbabwe but praised internationally by Canadian, UK and French media houses among others is already sale in the US and Europe. Comrade Fatso & Chabvondoka will be playing at the adventurous Oppikoppi festival on the 8th August just after blowing “The House” – as House of NsAkO is affectionately known – away. For more info: www.comradefatso.com 

Be nicely reminded to go and get yourself a dose of Zimbabwe’s riotous Chimurenga sounds and Namibia’s Kalahari rhythms. This is the ONLY way you will understand why Comrade Fatso’s poetry is being studied at universities in the UK and South Africa. Elemotho on the other hand will give you so many reasons why this philosophy and psychology graduate’s music turns oppression into liberation, failure into triumph… 

Venue:             House of NsAkO, Brixton, Johannesburg

Date:    07th August 2009

Acts:     Elemotho, Comrade Fatso & Chabvondoka

Time:   20:00

Cover: R50.00

comradefatso

Mbeki wanted Mugabe ceremonial President

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By Staff Reporter

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki has sensationally claimed he wanted Robert Mugabe to be made a ceremonial president under the unity deal but Zimbabwean party negotiators refused.

In an interview with South African pay per view channel E News Channel’s Africa 360 programme on Monday, Mbeki denied he is the one who crafted the Global Political Agreement that brought the two MDC’s and Zanu PF into the same government.

“I didn’t draft the GPA, the Zimbabweans drafted it themselves. I was of the opinion that President Mugabe should become ceremonial but it is the political parties which said no,” said Mbeki.

“They said they can’t marginalise him because he carries a particular constituency and is a significant part of the solution,” he added.

During protracted negotiations last year, Mbeki was accused of siding with Mugabe under what famously became his ‘quiet diplomacy’. His latest statements will not be believed by many who feel he helped Mugabe remain in power.

Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mbeki

Simba Makoni Arrested

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By Denford Magora

Dr Simba Makoni, interim President of Mavambo.Kusile.Dawn has been charged with “addressing more than 400 people” in Glendale during the 2008 Presidential Campaign.

Makoni is due to appear in court in Glendale this week to face trial on the charge. I was with Dr Makoni in Glendale during the campaign and during the incident for which he is being tried and it is nothing more than harassment.

Those who followed the Makoni campaign during the Presidential elections of 2008 know that the Doctor held very few rallies. His approach was to do “walkabouts”.

At every place where we arrived and where he did his walkabouts, we went to the local police station where Dr Makoni explained why he was in the area. He also explained at every police station that he was not going to address a gathering but would simply walk around either the markets or the shopping centre greeting people and answering questions.

We had these walkabout in literally every town and city in Zimbabwe and whenever a crowd gathered (which was inevitable considering his status), he would immediately hop into his car and drive off to the next point where he would again talk to people one on one.

In Glendale, we actually just passed through on our way from Centenary towards the end of his campaign. It was already late noon and he still went to the local police station and informed them he was in the area. We then went to Glendale town centre where he spent no more than 30 minutes moving from one shopfront to another greeting people and answering their questions as well as urging people to vote him in the presidential election.

We actually never got more than ten people gathered at any one point. In fact, Dr Makoni walked along the shopfronts giving his salute and greeting people. At no point was there a gathering.

It is surprising, is it not, that, even though the Inclusive Government insists that POSA etc are gone, that very same government is prosecuting Dr Makoni in August of 2009 on the basis of that same law.

What has changed, then? How has the inauguration of this so-called Inclusive Government brought the change that Tsvangirai claims. The MDC-T president and Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai, said recently that his Minister of Home Affairs (in charge of the police) was working well (“fantastic” was the word he used) with his Co-Minister from ZANU PF. Is this what he meant.

Dr Simba MakoniThe charges against Makoni were only activated a month or so ago, long after the Inclusive Government was inaugurated. That should tell you all you need to know about the approach of ZANU PF and the MDC-T to the law and even to their own discredited Global Political DisAgreement.

Still, the authorities are insisting that Makoni addressed a gathering of 400 or more people in Glendale and has to face trial for this breach of POSA. The details of the allegations, I suppose, will come out in court towards the end of this week.

Media Reform In Disarray

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By Denford Magora

ZANU PF has scuttled a crucial part of media reform in Zimbabwe. The party has managed to get the selection process for Commissioners to sit on the board of a new Media Commission abandoned.

A recruitment company that did the job is now being “shadowy” by the State media. It had not been identified. It emerges that ZANU PF complained that they were outnumbered on the interviewing panel and they claim this led to ZANU PF favourites doing very badly.

With this, all pretence that the “civil service is non-partisan” flies out of the window. ZANU PF is openly admitting that it wants people sympathetic to its cause and its politics to be the majority on that Board. The solution parliament came up with was to ensure that this happens: they have forwarded ALL the names to The Solution, Mugabe for him to pick and choose.

Who wants to bet this is one Board that will be full to the gills with ZANU PF “activists” as the Herald calls them. Mahoso may well return as head of the new commission. It is a charade. Journalists still have to register. They still have to accredit themselves with Mahoso, despite what the Prime Minister says. (Is he in charge of Policy or not?).

mahoso1There will be no let-up at all. Things will continue like that because the MDC, with its majority in parliament (good as gone, yes, but…), has let this one go and handed it directly to Mugabe. Their faith in the man never ceases to amaze. Not only is he The Solution, according to the MDC, but now he is also the judge and the jury.

It beggars belief that this Inclusive Government actually thinks it is doing any good to the country. As Alice would say: It gets curioser and curioser.

Shingisai Suluma to perform in UK concert

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By Showbiz Correspondent

Zimbabwean gospel singer Shingisai Suluma will be performing in the United Kingdom at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens & Glasshouses in September.

Under the ‘Sounds of Africa Family Fun Day’ theme Shingisai will be supported by UK based acts Obert Mazivisa, Primrose Urombo, Umbane Dancing Troupe while former ZBC Radio 2 DJ Eric Knight will be the MC.

Speaking on her website, Shingisai says ‘we are going to be in Birmingham, UK on September 19th 2009. We are hoping to connect with our many friends who have asked us to come over to the UK in so many requests. We are working to produce a memorable live event that will be very entertaining and yet encouraging the hearts of the believers and persuading those who do not yet believe in Jesus. For those not in the UK, we ask for your prayers and support for God to open doors to serve you wherever you are.’

The down to earth gospel singer was born into a musical family that had a pastoral father. At eight, the music obsession drew her in, she joined her family singing in church.

By the age of seventeen Shingisai was leading the church choir in praise and worship. She knew she was called to be a worshipper. With her two sisters Tutsirayi and Nyasha they formed an acapella trio and performed at several concerts and church functions.

shingisaiShingisai recorded her first album in England where she was studying for her first degree, in 1995. That marked the beginning of greater things to come. Shingisai married Stephen Suluma who is her music director and producer. God has blessed them with two daughters Tashinga and Tiara.

Tashinga loves to play the keyboard. By the age of 7 she was performing at school and church. At 4 Tiara has already started singing praise to God. Shingisai has recorded 7 albums and has won several national awards in Zimbabwe. She is currently living with her family in the USA and exploring new horizons in ministry.

Mahlangu released after charges dropped

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The MDC Youth Assembly chairperson and Deputy Youth Minister Thamsanqa Mahlangu, was on Monday released from remand prison after the State withdrew charges.
 
Mahlangu and his aide Malven Chadamoyo were facing trumped-up charges of stealing a cell-phone from self-styled war veterans’ leader, Joseph Chinotimba.

Mahlangu was arrested last week and on Friday given a US$50 bail but had to remain in custody after the State invoked the draconian Section 121 sub section 3 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act.

However, yesterday, the State called Mahlangu’s lawyers at the Harare Magistrates’ Court and told them that they were dropping the charges, resulting in his release last night.
 
The arrest, detention and subsequent withdrawal of Mahlangu’s charges is a clear signal that Zanu PF, through the Attorney-General’s office, is engaged in a political game which has nothing to do with the rule of law. The withdrawal of the case means that these were trumped-up charges.
 
thamsanqa-mahlanguThe MDC stands vindicated that there is a sinister plot to decimate the MDC and to whittle down its Parliamentary majority by engaging in a crackdown on innocent MDC MPs, officials and members.
 
Several other MDC MPs and senior officials are also facing various trumped-up charges while known Zanu FF officials who murdered and maimed innocent people in the violent run-up to the June 27 sham election roam scot-free.

Statement issued by the MDC

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